Tonoike Shuzou Hakumai Ferment Sake Kasu Face Wash

Hands down this 100g squeeze-tube of Tonoike Shuzou Hakumai Ferment Sake Kasu Face Wash is the most unique face wash hubby and I have ever tried--and enjoyed quite a bit too! It's also long-discontinued which is really too bad. I can't it anywhere, not even on e(vil)Bay T.T Boo. Hiss!

Tonoike Shuzou Sake Lotion

Half way through this 150mL pump bottle of Tonoike Shuzou Sake Lotion already so here's a post for it.

Kuramoto Bijin BioFermainte All-in-One W Serum

Been using this 50g pump bottle of Kuramoto Bijin BioFermainte All-in-One W Serum at night and really liking it so far. There are several Tonoike Shuzou-produced products sold under the Kuramoto Bijin brand on their official webstore so I added both Kuramoto Bijin and Tonoike Shuzou to the labels.

Kuramoto Bijin Softening Hand Cream

After finishing Paul & Joe Hand Cream, I happily moved on to this 50g tube of Kuramoto Bijin Softening Hand Cream so here's a quick review. I bought it along with two more bottles of Komeyu Rice Oil Serum (second bottle not pictured) last spring.

Kuramoto Bijin Komeyu Beauty Oil

In anticipation for the inevitable pregnancy belly-streeetch that comes with major itching and stretchmarks, I'd come home armed with two 60g tubes of YuSkin A Family Medical Cream (aka Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream). Once home, in addition to dabbing these creams on my face wherever it feels dry, I'd use the cream on my elbows, knees, and feet. And once I hit the 8-weeks mark, I started massaging the stuff all over my then still-flat belly. Because preventative care. Waiting until the itching and the stretchmarks to come would be too late, right?

I kept telling you it's super dry where I live but I know it's hard to imagine, so here's some quantification: I went through one 60g tube within 2 weeks, just massaging the cream onto my belly once every night right after the shower. Woah. O.O

I panicked and reordered more. A lot more. Like a 260g pump bottle plus a 260g refill, for a total of 520g more of this stuff. But you know what's crazy? I'm 32+ weeks along now and have already finished one 260g, moving on to the backup tube of 60g before busting open the second 260g! Holy crap, it's so dry here! And you know what's even crazier? About a month ago when I was 28+ weeks along, I got some belly itching anyway. Woah. O.O

***Stock photos from Amazon JP.

If the super thick and moisturizing YuSkin A wasn't enough to keep my belly from itching, what options do I have left? Slather on shortening? Cork grease? That was when I remembered my stash includes a 60mL bottle of Kuramoto Bijin Komeyu Beauty Oil.

Kuramoto Bijin Hakumai Fermented All-in-One Milk

Finished up Aqualabel All-in-One Whitening Jelly Essence a couple of weeks ago and happily moved on to this 120mL bottle of Kuramoto Bijin Hakumai Fermented All-in-One Milk.

As the name suggests, this is a 3-in-1 product that's a lotion (toner), serum/essence, and moisturizer all in one. I've been using it on my face, neck, and decolletage every night as soon as I toweled off right after the shower.

Kuramoto Bijin Komeyu Rice Oil Serum

I'd used up the very last drop of Boscia Sake Treatment Water a few weeks ago and haven't bought a replacement. Yet. Still waiting for a good promotion to take the bait, I'm cheap like that. But by now I'm too addicted to the super smooth and soft feel of my skin (face, neck, and decolletage!) to risk it all going away. I figured the Treatment Water probably helped the absorption of the Sake Balm, so I just need another sake-based something to continue layering beneath the balm, and preferably something light. That was when I remembered these goodies in my stash--Kuramoto Bijin.

I first read about Kuramoto Bijin from Anna at My Asian Skincare Story. I do like sake-based skincare products. I mean, they changed the texture of my skin and all, not to mention the Kuramoto Bijin products are quite affordable. So before leaving Tokyo I went ahead and picked up a few things from Rakuten to try: a Hakumai Fermented All-in-One Milk 120mL (1,600yen/~$14), a Komeyu Beauty Oil 60mL (1,000yen/~$8.75), and this Komeyu Rice Oil Serum 30mL (1,800yen/~$15.75).