Kose Sofytmo Facewash

Kose Softymo is a Japanese department store face wash line.
(Kose is the brand and Softymo is the line)

In my opinion, these are amazing.

I have pretty dry skin and these products work wonders for me.
It's like a face wash and moisturizer all in one.
And it works on day 1 and stays that way.
They work better than the expensive $40 ones you find in other stores.
These range from $5-$10.

Out of all of them, this one is the best:

http://www.webichi.com/en/details/83844

This one is the best for the teenage age group but there are many more kinds.

1) Hyaluronic Acid (for anti-aging)
2) With makeup remover
3) Deep cleansing
4) Oily
5) Amino Acid
6) Etc.

The one above is for dry skin.

I have tried almost all of them and loved each one. Except for one:


It has little beads in it so it's for exfoliating. But I end up breaking out more for some reason why I use this and my skin becomes very rough. It worked really well on the first day. But it just went downhill from there.

Then again, that is just me.

It really depends on your skin type. If you have dry and sensitive skin like me, use the one in the first picture and avoid the second.

But experiment!

I just like this line because it is the line where most of the products work for me. Plus they are cheaper and better than the expensive ones!

You can find them in any asian department store like Mitsuwa.

When you first see them, it's all in Japanese. But don't worry because if you look on the back, they conveniently provided a sticker with English on it!:

I just wanted to share that with you so that you don't need to keep looking for and switching facial products to find a good one.

Hope these work for you too!

IPSA Gloss Water Foundation 101 SPF 10 PA+ vs. MAC foundation

Where to get it: Japan, Taiwain, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, China (you need to order online and ship it over)
Price: $40
Website: http://www.ipsa.co.jp/en/index.htm

This is an asian brand (IPSA) of liquid foundation that is made in Japan.

It is a very light foundation that does not cake on your face. So it does not feel like you are wearing a mask. It also absorbs the light so that your face does not look like it is glowing or oily when you are in the sun.

I personally use it for performances on stage. I am not an expert on theater makeup but from the ones that I have tried, this one by far surpasses theater foundation. It does not melt off under those hot stage lights and the intensity of the stage lights does not wash out the color of your face.

But you can definitely use it for everyday use also.

This comes off easily with makeup remover and does not clog and irritate the pores. So you don't break out later. Plus, it is hydrating and also protects against UV rays.

Application is smooth and a little goes a long way. So this bottle can last for months.

It is pricey but I feel that it is worth it. $40 and 25 mL

In other cosmetics stores such as MAC, the same amount would be for around $30.

The problem with MAC foundation is that if you want a full coverage (cover up every little blemish) it cakes on and looks fake. If you want light coverage, it does not really cover much. But for IPSA, the light coverage covers mostly everything so it looks more natural.

So I think it would be worth paying that extra $10

Japanese vs. American fashion magazines

Where to get it: Mitsuwa or any other Japanese department store
Price: $5-$10 each
Websites: http://www.nicola.jp/, http://www.kobunsha.com/

These are three magazines that I have: nicola (right), JJ (middle), and with (right)

For those who read American fashion magazines,
nicola is to Seventeen magazine, as, JJ is to Cosmo Girl, as, with is to Vogue.

They all have the regular fashion, health, and makeup tips.
nicola is more for teenagers.
with is more for adults.
JJ is a bit of both.

What I like about Japanese magazines are that they cover aspects in detail more than American ones most of the time.

For example, Seventeen will show you a makeup look and tell you where you can buy the products. Usually, Japanese magazines will go into depth with step-to-step instructions plus ways to tweak the look if it does not suit you.

Some American magazines have models wearing beautiful clothing but not many people will actually wear it in public because it is so elaborate and expensive. It is what you would usually see on a runway. But most Japanese magazines feature different feasible outfits.

The other reason why I like them more is because they are usually 2-3 years ahead of us in fashion. And even though those trends are mostly in Japan now, there is a form of it here too. So though you cannot find the exact match here, you can mix and match and still recreate a similar look.

The only downside for me is that I am not fluent in Japanese. So it is hard to understand every detail. But there is some English and there are so many detailed pictures that you can easily follow along. So that makes up for the unable-to-read-ness.

But I highly recommend these magazines even though you may not be able to read Japanese. If you are looking for a cutesy, non-over dramatic look, this is definitely the kind of magazines for you.


nicola:

JJ:


with: