i got the chance to visit japan again last year, so i put up a list on what to buy there since most japan drugstores products are affordable and good. i know that i run out of cleansing wash, and their face washes are usually good, so i hoarded several types of face wash to try. i've tried sana face wash before, but it wasn't the foam type. and it was okay, so now i decided to try the foam type.

this is the description from their website (it's google translated so it sounds silly): with a fluffy foam, it is washed and refreshed. fluffy foam comes out with a nice and easy push to plump skin. combined with three soybean-derived ingredients, which are specially selected from smooth and honpo, while protecting the skin's moisture, it can be washed clean and smooth, leading to plump, moist skin. these three soybean-derived ingredients are carefully selected. and they are luxuriously blended with a soymilk fermented liquid, which is made with a soft, fluffy skin called "smooth honpo" and a soybean seed extract and soy protein. it gently protects the skin's moisture and leads to plump skin.
non scalable, fluffy foam wraps skin gently and cleans cleanly. it has good foam removal and shortens the rinsing time, making it perfect for busy mornings.
ingredients: water, glycerin, sorbitol, myristic acid, ethanol, isostearic acid, hydroxylated K, lauric acid, cocoglycine K, fermented soybean milk, soybean seed extract, soybean protein, BG, polyquaternium-51.

this is another description from tokiwayakuhin website: marshmallow whip facial wash containing fermented soybean milk. when you're in a rush in the morning you can wash your face clean and clear with only one pump, giving you firm and plump skin. no fragrances, artificial colors, or mineral oils.

the bottle

the packaging: just as usual, it only comes in a round plastic pump bottle secured with a stopper on the neck. it has plastic sealing on the outer part. there's a bit description at the back in japanese. it is very similar to hada labo cleansing foam, but it has different label. for sana original line, it always comes with white sticker label with orangey bubbles. all the text at front is in japanese too so make sure you take a picture so you don't get confused when you arrive in japan.

back of the bottle

the scent: it is scentless. but sometimes i think it has foul scent.

the pump head and the stopper

the product: it produces white foam that you can control the amount by pressing the suitable pressure to the pump. unfortunately, compared to hada labo face foam, this one doesn't hold its body well. the foam easily dissipates which is not a good thing since i use foreo to cleanse my face. the foam is gone before i finish cleaning my face.

the foam on my hand

the result: i've tried other type of face wash from sana original line, and although it's targeted for sensitive skin, it dries out my skin. i thought this one would be different. but i was wrong. this one also dries out my skin. i can feel my skin becomes squeaky clean after using this foam.

anyway.. it's super affordable and i started to doubt this line. they promoted their brand for using soy in their ingredients so it's suitable for sensitive skin. but even their face washes are super drying. i don't have any pH strip so i can't say anything about the pH. but considering that it's super drying and gives squeaky clean result, i think it must be high in pH. so definitely won't repurchase solely because the foam won't hold its shape long enough for me to use with my foreo. i don't mind squeaky clean face wash as my skin is not that sensitive. but i also can't recommend this line. i have good result with the pink one and the yellow one (but they were the creams, not face wash), so probably if you want to try something from sana, better try from the pink or yellow line.

last time when i was in japan, i saw this new variants but i was clueless about it so i didn't buy it at first. then i went back there and i saw it again, so i decided to grab individual masks to try. again, i just randomly bought them without knowing what type that i grabbed. anyway.. if you haven't known about lululun, they have several lines of sheet mask in their collection. the regular version offers masks in pack, from 7 pcs in a pack to 42 pcs in a pack. it has 3 types. then they developed precious line which also comes in bulk and it has several types as well. it's targeted for more mature skin. then they launched weekly mask which has thicker mask and more essence. then there's this new one night type. i don't know that it's supposed to do, perhaps to give one night wonder to your skin. so let's see how it does.

this is the description from their website: refresh, brightness, moisture, clear skin, avoid rough skin. rescue who is busy everyday. wake up with confidence. lululun one night rescue remove stratum corneum and keep moisture, have clear skin.
rescue peeling off aims to make smooth marshmallow skin. what the problems of facial and body skin? dryness, dullness, slack, wrinkles.. more to the whole body: dryness, black spot, swelling, etc. this facial mask is designed for whom want to greedily care the whole body.
fermented rose honey: low inflammation soft peeling function gently take off the old stratum corneum in the skin, so that helps making brilliant skin.
passion fruits: rich in vitamins and beta carotens, kalium, etc. which prevents skin from dryness and makes resilient skin.
lipidure: skin-like hydrating feature allows high retention of water, even after washing face.
fermented yeast cell wall extract: support skin barrier function well in order to protect from external damages and helps avoid rough skin.
rich and thick 3 layers structure sheet "millefeuille-sheet" is used: upper and lower layers peel off the stratum corneum while middle one tightly lock the essence so that penetrate into various layers effectively.

the packaging: it comes in individual packaging and as small as the weekly version. it has similar design, sky background and a set of closed eyes with fluttery eyelashes. the difference is in the color of the background. for clarify type, it comes in night-time scheme, blue and white sky background. there's description and ingredients list at the back in japanese.

the packaging

the scent: it smells just like other lululun mask. a bit like wet tissue scent but very subtle. once you put it on your face, the scent will dissipate.

the product: the mask is thick but still soft, like the weekly version. it adheres well to my face. there's no slit on the outer part but there's that weird inner eye slit. it's wider at temples, decent nose flap and a bit longer on jaw part, it's okay for me, but if you have wider face than me, it might be too small for you. it has runny essence and there's a bit left in the package but not enough to soak a tablet mask, so i put back to the mask.

left: before middle: mask on right: after

the result: it's hydrating and give a bit brightening effect, but the brightness effect doesn't last. i think it will suitable for all skin types since it's not super heavy moisturizing-type, but if you have super dry skin, maybe it won't be enough for you. it doesn't pill under other skincare product either.

honestly, i do like it but i don't see the difference with the weekly type. perhaps if you like the weekly type mask but you don't like the scent (some of the weekly masks are aroma-care masks, which is scented), maybe you'd like the one night version. price wise, lululun masks are always affordable (unless it's special edition type) so it won't break your wallet. i don't know whether it also has bulk packaging for this line, so it's a good news for you who doesn't like bulk masks (due to hygiene reason). anyway, i will repurchase it when i go back to japan, because usually the prices online are much higher.

last time i went to buy something from guardian singapore, i ended up buying more than several amount so i got a goodie bag full of samples. some of them are quite new to me, so i was very excited to try them. i've tried some of them, but i was quite behind with the cream ones. so i tried to finish up these samples. i'm also trying retinol cream at the moment, so i decided to try medicube blue erasing cream first since it's supposed to help with skin barrier.

the description from their website: mild erasing cream that provides internal and external hydration with mild ingredients. skin soothing moisture cream that is made with fourfold hyaluronic acid to hydrate internal and external skin and EWG green grade ingredients for sensitive skin to use safely. hydrates internal skin with low molecular hyaluronic acid, hydrates external skin with mid and high molecular hyaluronic acid, lock hydration by creating hydrating layer. contains safe cosmetic ingredients. contains centella asiatica and low pH that has similar acidity as skin, hypoallergenic test completed.
ingredients list: water, glycerin, ethylhexyl palmitate, caprylic/capric triglyceride, 1,2-hexanediol, niacinamide, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, polyglyceryl-10 stearate, algae extract, eclipta prostrata leaf extract, saccharomyces ferment filtrate, pentaerythrityl distearate, citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil, ethylhexylglycerin, centella asiatica extract, ficus carica (fig) fruit extract, undaria pinnatifida extract, carbomer, fructooligosaccharides, tromethamine, hydrogenated lecithin, disodium edta, beta glucan, sorbitan stearate, sodium stearoyl glutamate, butylene glycol, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, raffinose, folic acid, ceramide np, sodium hyaluronate, cholesterol, hydroxypropyltrimonium hyaluronate, panthenol, palmitoyl pentapeptide-4.

the tube

the packaging: i got this as a set of gift from guardian. it comes with other samples and a clutch. all samples come in decent sizes. the cream itself comes in white plastic squeeze tube with screw cap and there's a bit description at the back of the tube. it comes in 15 g which is half the size of normal cream size. pretty decent. the design is pretty simple. it's just a white tube with the text that indicates the name of the product and then a blue line. if it's a red erasing cream, there would be a red line. looking at the website, the full size comes in similar packaging, just bigger. there's a sealing on the tube opening so it's secure enough even though they're not covering it with plastic on the outside.

the back of the tube

the scent: judging from the ingredients list, there's no added fragrance, but it smells fragrant. i can't describe how it is, but it smells fragrant a bit like flower. but it's subtle so i only smell it when i was about to put it on my face.

there was a seal on the opening but i've ripped it off

the product: the cream is a white gel cream. it spreads easily but unlike several gel cream that i've tried, it doesn't change into watery traces. the cream is quite lightweight. i don't have any problem layering it with other skincare products.

the cream on my hand

the result: i can definitely see that it hydrates my skin well, probably thanks to hyaluronic acid as one of key ingredients. it's quite lightweight so it doesn't clog my pores. since i'm using this solely at night, sometimes i find that this cream is not moisturizing enough. but if i used facial oil underneath, somehow it helps.

after blending it in

i have combination to oily skin and i think it will be more suitable to be used in the morning. it's not enough for night time especially since i'm also testing retinol cream at the moment. but i can layer it and it's still okay for now, but in the long run, it won't be enough. as for the soothing claim, i think it works since i don't notice any irritation from trying retinol cream. i definitely recommend this cream for combination to oily skin since the gel texture is more suitable for that skin types. also if you have sensitive skin. as for the price, it's still considered affordable for full size tube, but it's slightly more expensive than my usual emulsion. would i buy the full size one? probably not. since i prefer emulsion to cream for my daytime and it's not moisturizing enough for night time.

every time i go to japan, i always make sure to stock up on sunscreens. there are so many varieties there and they are more affordable compared to buying it in singapore or online. but people try to find alternatives from long time favorites, biore. i've tried suncut and anessa but i don't quite like them. i've tried other version of biore and also skin aqua, they are oke, but just so-so. so i decided to try something new. lately i've seen them from @parisbmws instagram. she's been telling everyone that this is a good sunscreen that she's been using. so it's must be something. luckily, i was able to get one while i was in japan. allie brand is a brand under kanebo company, so don't be overwhelmed when you never heard the brand because japan is very famous for making companies under big company.

this is the description from their website: resistant to sweat, water and friction. uv gel that protects your skin from powerful uv rays. cosmetic base effect. beauty serum component (moisturizing) formulation hyaluronic acid. deep layer damage uv barrier technology ADVAN, paraben free, fragrance free.
ingredients list: water, zinc oxide, ethanol, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, dimethicone, isononyl isononanoate, BG, bisethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine, ethylhexyl triazone, glycerin, isopropyl palmitate, triethylhexanoin, (Na acrylate/ acryloyl dimethyl taurine) Na) copolymer, isohexadecane, triethoxycaprylylsilane, (acrylates/ polytrimethylsiloxy methacrylate) copolymer, PEG 400, polysorbate 80, polysilicone-9, xanthan gum, alkyl (C30-45) methicone, olefin (C30-45), sorbitan oleate, EDTA-2Na, BHT, sodium hyaluronate, hydrolyzed collagen.

the packaging

the packaging: the sunscreen comes in plastic pouch. there's a transparent window front so you can see the sunscreen tube from the outside. for extra uv version, it has green background and green text. the other one comes in red background and reddish text. as usual, since i bought this in japan, everything is written in japanese so there's no telling what it is about. the tube itself is a white plastic squeeze tube with white screw cap. another description at the back of the tube but it's in japanese.

sunscreen tube

the scent: i think i can pick up subtle floral scent, but it's very subtle that once i put it on my face the scent is barely detectable.

description at the back

the product: it's a white cream. though it's said that it's gel, i can say that it's less gel-ish compared to biore uv gel. and this one doesn't goes watery once you spread it around. this is a bit thick compared to biore. plus this is a physical sunscreen so there's a white residue once you finish spread it around. you just need to rub it a bit so it's completely blended but i can say that maybe for medium or darker skin tone, it might look obvious on you.

the spout to dispense the sunscreen

the result: the sunscreen leaves glowy finish for sure, so i need to put powder on top. combine this with my flower beauty will make me look extra glowy (aka oily) so i always use powder afterward. in terms of protection, i can say that it works well. though when i read paris's blog, she mentioned something interesting. that she found sunscreen is working well if she touched her face and doesn't feel her face warm even though she was under bright sunlight. and i noticed the same thing with this sunscreen, but i have to test for other sunscreens. but this sunscreen still contains alcohol, so put that in mind.

sunscreen on my hand

honestly, this is not my favorite sunscreen formulation, since i have combination oily skin, i don't like super glowy sunscreen. but if you have dry skin, you might like this. i don't feel the alcohol drying my skin, so it might work even for dry skin. price point, it's still considered affordable though biore is still cheaper. anyway, i can't find it here online or offline, i could only order this via preorder system. but if you were in japan and want to try something new, you should grab one. honestly, i don't know what is the difference between this type and other type. i heard you can find this in watson or guardian, so maybe for other countries you can get this easier than me. as for other country, i think japan products are sold in amazon or several online store, so it's not super hard to find. but for me, i don't think i'll repurchase this one.

after blending it in

i like essence products, it's cheap but works well. unfortunately, it's only available online here, but if you live in jakarta, you could find it offline in several watsons stores. the nearest place that i can buy it offline is in singapore. so when i was there some time ago, i made sure i bought several items that i'm interested in. i've tried their matt powder before, but there are two other types that i haven't tried before so i bought them all. later i found out that one is waterproof and the other is called silky. this time i'm trying the waterproof version first.

this is the description from their website: this waterproof translucent powder works on all skin tones and types to set makeup or use for touch-ups throughout the day. perfect to pop in your bag for on the go!

the powder pan

the packaging: as usual, there's no other box, it's just a plastic compact case that is completely transparent at front with the text of the product's name written on it. there's a description at the back just like the other version. even though it's the same design, they differentiate the color of the text. for the waterproof version, it's green. since it's transparent, you can completely the pan from outside. it has the same pattern as the regular version. but the pattern vanished early after i use for couple times. they only put plastic sealing on the outside to secure the powder. anyway, the packaging is not the sturdiest so probably don't bring it with you while travelling. i've broken my original matt powder when i brought it with my while travelling. the size is different though. this one comes in 9 g while the original one only comes in 8 g.

description at the back

the color: it's translucent and i don't think it has other shade. though it's translucent, it's super stark white so if you have fair skin, you might get away with it, but if you have medium or even darker skin, it would probably shown.

the powder pan (you can see that the first water-drop pattern is almost gone)

the product: the powder is adequately pressed into the pan. i can use brush to apply it easily. it's very soft and smooth but there's a little kickback if you use brush, but it's understandable.

you can see on my right hand side that it's lighter because of the powder

the result: it's as mattifying as the regular version did, but i think the original slightly more mattifying. i've use this over my flower beauty foundation which has glowy finish and the powder managed to tone down the glowiness, but when i touch my face, i could feel that some areas is not as powdery as what i've used to. as for the waterproof claim, i don't wear makeup all the time, even to pool, so i can't test it for sure. but one day it was raining when i have full makeup on, and when i got back home, my face was still okay, so i guess the waterproof claim must've worked. this powder is translucent so it doesn't offer added coverage, unlike my canmake powder. and though it doesn't make my makeup cakey, it doesn't have that pore blurring effect so keep that in mind if you want to pile up your powder.

honestly, i can't decide which one i like better. i think the original version is more mattifying, but probably because the foundation i've used lately is the flower beauty one which is more glowy, so it might affect the result. but i don't like that it still looks stark white when freshly applied. i have to wait for the powder to blend well with my natural oil to make it more natural. i use this powder when i use my flower beauty foundation since it's a bit dark so the powder somehow balance it. another cons is that it's quite fragile so i can't bring it with me while travelling. but the price point is really good, it's really affordable. if you don't have problem with the shade, you should grab it. but if you want something that has added coverage and pore blurring effect, you should skip this one. anyway.. since it's easy to get in singapore, probably i will grab one for stock next time i go there.