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.

this is the last emulsion that i bought from japan. when i went to japan the second time, i decided not to buy hada labo, and i was interested more in sana mainly because not many people have tried this stuff, especially other things aside from the original line. so i did a little homework and decided to try some products from haritsuya line and the retinol one. and if you've read my other post about the sana nameraka honpo emulsion, then you'd probably knew that the emulsion is okay, but a little bit too rich for my taste. that's why i'm getting anxious in trying this one because this has added q10 and targeted to add elasticity or anti-aging.

this is the description from tokiwayakuhin website: emulsion containing fermented soybean milk and encapsulated coenzyme q10. with a rich sensation, it leads the way to elastic skin.
added description from redmart website: change your milk to haritsuya milk lotion today for healthy, firm and radiant looking skin. skin lotion that deeply moisturizes skin. skin feels resilient and supple with double condensed soymilk isoflavone and double condensed encapsulated coenzyme q10 technology. combined of soybean extract and soybean isoflavone combined for extra hydration.

the initial packaging (with the sealing and sticker)

the packaging: it comes in regular flip top bottle. all sana products are categorized into several line and each has different color. for haritsuya line, all of the products are packaged in the pink bottle with black cap. same as this emulsion. in fact, it looks the same as the lotion, only smaller, so you have to do your homework before buying it. the label at the back is all in japanese.iii

the bottle

the scent: it has the same subtle soymilk scent similar to the original line. but sometimes i think it's scentless. anyway, you get the point. it's soooo subtle that you can barely smell it.

description at the back

the product: it looks similar to the original emulsion. it's a white gel/cream-like emulsion. not too runny unlike the original version, but it spreads as easily as the original one and absorbed easily too. although it leaves more sticky feeling afterward and it does feel richer than the original version. i've read somewhere that this line is suitable for every skin type, but if you have oily skin, then you will only need a tiny bit. i use this emulsion less than the amount i used from the original version.

the flip top bottle

the result: this definitely more moisturizing than the original emulsion, and sometimes it feels a little bit too rich for my skin. but, i'm using retinol and niacinamide. both has effect on my sebum production, so somehow it messes the combination with the emulsion. the emulsion seems to add moisture and not hydration that my skin needs. on super hot days, i will still see my nose is greasy after a couple of hours. when i put makeup, even when i've put primer on my nose, the foundation on my nose will slid and vanish in about 3-4 hours. but i can still see the side of my nose flaking because of the retinol.

the emulsion on my hand

after blending it in

honestly, i won't repurchase it again. not because it's a bad product, but it isn't what my skin needs. right now my skin is a little bit dehydrated and this one is adding oil instead of water in my skin. even though i've been using a tiny amount of product, it's still feel a little bit too rich on me. i've been using this in the morning, but lately i've been combining it at night too since the night cream that i tried is a gel cream and it doesn't feel occlusive enough for night time. probably i will switch it too if the night cream doesn't moisturize my skin enough. but, i think this emulsion will be more suitable for a more mature skin, dry skin or those who has winter. but if you're a curious person like me, then you should grab it because it's very affordable.

i was running out from my night cream when i was going to japan, so i put a wish list, mainly consists of toner, emulsion and night cream, then face washes, mascaras and eyeliners, a few false eyelashes and eyelid tape plus an eyelash glue mainly because those items were popular in japan. as for night cream, i decided not to buy a lot of hada labo, mostly because i'm bored, so i ventured more into sana nameraka. i bought two of them, the haritsuya one which contains q10 and this one, which contains retinol. i've tried the haritsuya one and didn't quite like it. so let's see about this one.

description from tokiwayakuhin website: anti-wrinkle cream containing fermented soybean milk and retinol derivatives. luxurious and rich on your skin. gives your skin a firm and elastic feel and diminish the appearance of fine wrinkles due to dryness.

the packaging: it comes in plastic box with description on it, exactly like the haritsuya one. the difference is this one has yellow labelling, which indicate that it belongs to the wrinkle line. again, description is always in japanese. the cream itself comes in a yellow plastic tub, without any sealing or spatula. i'd say if you're concern about hygiene, you might have better luck with korean products since almost every cream is provided with a spatula.

the outer box

the back of the box

the scent: as usual, this is scentless, but i don't think i pick the usual soybean scent.

the tub

back of the tub

the product: the cream is a bit yellowish, pretty thick in consistency. i completely forgot how thick the haritsuya one. compared to the haritsuya, i think this one is only a bit thicker. somehow the texture is intriguing. when i touch it, i thought i touched a gel based cream, but then when i dip my finger deeper, it's more of cream consistency. even though it's thick, i have no problem spreading this on my face and it's absorbed almost as quickly as the haritsuya one.

the cream inside

the result: instantly after, the cream will leave glistening traces on my skin but it will completely disappear after the cream is completely absorbed. it's definitely moisturizing but it doesn't make my skin greasy the next morning. i would say that it gives me that glow from having a good hydrated skin.

a bit on my hand (little goes a long way)

after a minute or two

i've been using this cream for about a month, and i like this one better. somehow i feel that this cream manages to moisturize my skin better, especially when i'm adding acid back to my routine. i like this better then the haritsuya one. i feel that my skin is more bouncy when i use this cream. as for the retinol, i always use sunscreen, and i don't know the exact concentration of retinol in this cream. as far as i know, i'm not experiencing any peeling whatsoever, so probably the concentration is pretty low. i still have another hada labo cream in my stash, but i will repurchase this cream if i didn't like the other one too.

i made a list before i went to japan, and emulsion made that list because i was running out of my emulsion soon so i will need one. i like my previous emulsion, but the price is rising, and although i love it, i don't think that i'm willing to pay that much for it. i didn't like hada labo ones, so i wanted to try sana. i initially wanted to get the haritsuya one, but i was hesitated, worried that it might be too rich for my skin, so i decided to go for the original one.

this is the description from tokiwayakuhin website: emulsion NA containing fermented soybean milk. intense hydration soothes the skin and helps retain moisture of soybean isoflavone between skin cells. no fragrance, no artificial colorant, no mineral oil.

it's that number 1 sticker that make us grab it, isn't it?

the packaging: just like the rest of japanese products, they all come in simple packaging. this one comes in white bottle with flip top cap. you have to carefully see the color of the label since it usually indicates the line of this brand. the original one is white with a splash of orange color to it. there's another two variations of the original version, the moist and extra moisture. both has orange and slightly darker orange label. they only seal the outer bottle with plastic sealing, but other than that, nothing. as usual, there is description on the label, but everything is in japanese. the opening is big enough to dispose the emulsion.

the bottle (notice the label, white with orange bubbles)

everything at the back is in japanese

the scent: again, i think it's scentless, but there are times when i think i smell soybean milk scent but very subtle. nevertheless, i think it will be suitable for those sensitive noses out there. you don't have to worry about overwhelming scent.

the opening

the product: the emulsion is usually called milk in japan. and the texture is exactly like that. like milky lotion, slightly more viscous than serum. this emulsion is white in color, and has watery texture too. once i spread it on my face, it leaves watery traces that surprisingly takes a couple minutes to be absorbed.

the emulsion on my hand

the result: i use emulsion in the morning since i don't have much time to do my skincare. i'm in such a rush so i need my emulsion to be light but hydrating enough and fast-absorbing too. unfortunately, this one feels a bit heavier. a bit oilier. it's more moisturizing than my previous emulsion but at the same time my skin need more water than oil, which is something that this emulsion can't give. fortunately, after being absorbed, this emulsion doesn't leave sticky feeling.

after blending it in

i think oily skin might want to try this with caution, but for normal to dry skin you can try this freely. although i think it might not be enough for dry skin. as for me, if i can find something as hydrating as my previous TFS emulsion, then i might skip this. but if i can't, then this might be a good substitute for me. talking from price point, this one is definitely cheaper than my previous TFS. for almost the same volume, it's priced almost half of my TFS emulsion. moreover, korean currency seems climbing over time, while somehow, japanese currency stays almost the same. so this one is definitely more budget friendly.

this year japan's trip, i was more into sana rather than hada labo. not because i think sana is better than hadalabo, but more like i was curious since there are not many reviews about them, yet, it makes best seller's list every time i searched "what to buy in japan". so i decided to pick several sana products, mostly in haritsuya or retinol one. but i also have the original emulsion which i'm using currently.

this is the description from tokiwayakuhin website: cleansing face wash containing fermented soybean milk and encapsulated coenzyme q10. the dense foaming results in moist, almost supple skin.

the tube

the packaging: it comes in a pink plastic tube with flip top. they only seal the tube with clear film, and nothing on the inside. luckily, nothing is spilled during the travel. it is 150 g, so it's similar to my usual korean face wash.

close up on the tube

description at the back, all in japanese

the scent: i would say that it's scentless since i can't pick certain scent from it, but sometimes i think i can smell that fermented thingy scent. again, since it's quite subtle, it's not annoying. but for me, i like my face wash to have subtle scents, so that it will vapor in my bath steam. oh well.. no relaxing face wash scent for me.

left: the opening right: foam on my hand

the product: the face wash is pearly white in color, creamy and quite thick. i think the consistency is similar to the original line that i've used before, if not slightly thicker. it's a little bit stringy as well, which reminds me of mizon snail face wash. it foams just nicely, but overly bubbly.

close up on the opening

the result: when i wash it off, i can feel the slippery feeling when the water hits my face. it takes a few scrubbing to get it all washed off. after it all goes off, i can feel that my skin is squeaky clean. really squeaky clean just like the original sana face wash that i've tried before.

see the stringy streak in the foam?

honestly, i'm quite disappointed with this face wash. i was hoping that this will be slightly more moisturizing than the original one, considering that haritsuya line is marketed as anti-aging line. usually anti aging products are more moisturizing, but not in this case. the face wash feels similar to the original one, it gives me that squeaky clean feeling and i can feel my skin is drier afterward. luckily, i have a very tough face. although i use this kind of face wash, i don't experience any breakouts or whatsoever. i still get blemishes though, but not from this face wash alone. anyway, i don't suggest this face wash to whoever that is pH minded, since i think this face wash has high pH. but if you don't mind high pH, squeaky clean skin and just go with whatever affordable face wash there is, then try it.

before i departed to japan, i decided not to buy too many hadalabo and more sana products. so i was searching a lot and couldn't find enough review, so i went blind. i bought the haritsuya and wrinkle one since i wanted to try their anti aging line. the haritsuya line has added coenzyme q10 aside from the main ingredient which is soybean milk. i bought the cream to replace my night cream since it was going to end anyway.

the description from tokiwayakuhin website: cream containing fermented soybean milk and encapsulated coenzyme q10. with its rich pack effect, it packs in moisture as well as hides small wrinkles caused by dryness.

the packaging: it comes in tiny plastic box. it has description on it but everything is in japanese. and the text is white! how annoying it is since the plastic is transparent. the cream itself comes in a tub. simple pink plastic tub with black screw cap. no spatula included. perhaps that's why it's so affordable. no fancy glass packaging. it's just an ordinary plastic tub with sticker label on it. it's only 50 g and looks tiny, but it takes a lot of time to make dent into it. oh, and the color indicates the line. the original one is white and a bit orange spots, while the haritsuya line is pink.

the outer box

the scent: definitely scentless, or perhaps soy scent? it does have similar scent to the face wash, although i also pick some synthetic plastic scent in it. i just hope it has subtle floral scent because this is the last step in my night routine, so i'm hoping it has subtle relaxing scent that last a little while before i fall asleep. oh well.. i guess that's why so many sensitive skin have better luck with japanese products. they are really scentless!

the tub

the product: it is a pristine snow white cream. pretty thick. i think it is thicker than my previous TFS cream. i think it is similar to my sulwhasoo sleeping pack. it's thick enough so it's a little bit harder to spread. if i use too little, it won't cover the entire area that i dot it before. but if i put too much, it will just sit around for quite a long time. and since this cream is pretty thick, it takes a little bit to sink in.

more close up on the tub

the result: after i put it on my face, i can feel my face becomes a little bit sticky afterward. this cream manages to moisturize my face without breaking it out. usually my face will get break outs if the product is too heavy, but not with this cream. in the morning, my t zone will be greasy, but rest of my face is okay. i've been using this cream for about 2 months, and i didn't notice any difference with my previous TFS cream. no added lines or wrinkle either. this cream also contains fermented soybean, but i didn't experience any purging either.

been using it for two months and i still got plenty left

honestly, i'm a bit torn about this cream. i do like how it works well. it moisturizes my skin well without breaking it out, but sometimes i think this cream is boring. scentless.. and seems too ordinary. and although it has the same weight as my TFS, somehow this one seems never ending. i used this cream every night, and skip it when i used my sleeping pack, but it doesn't seem to end anytime soon. i think it will be too much for combination to oily skin, but i think dry skin will love it. i just wish it has a little bit scent, something relaxing.. after all, this is the last thing that i put on my face before going to bed. other than that, it's an okay cream for me. i won't decide whether to repurchase or not until i've tried all my cream that i brought back from japan.

when i went to japan, i almost finish my secret key snail eye cream. and although i've used two tubes of it, i don't feel that it's enough for me. so i went to buy other eye cream. i bought two eye creams so i decided to try them both at the same time. one on left eye, and the other on my right. i used this one on my right eye.

this is the description from their website: highly moisturizing skin care product that contains retinol derivatives for hiding small wrinkles caused by dryness. apply one layer around the eyes and the mouth as needed. delivers moisture deep into the cornified layer and makes the skin supple from the inside. use for eyes and mouth.

the packaging: it comes with a cardboard backing like toothbrush packaging. the tube itself is gold yellow with screw cap. it has small spout tip to dispense the product.

the scent: another scentless product. i sniff pretty hard and i don't think i pick any scent.

the product: it's yellowish cream, more like gel in texture. it spreads easy and since it's slightly thick, it takes quite some time to be completely absorbed. afterwhile, it gives a feeling like there's a film residue on my skin and sticky feeling, but it is gone after it's being absorbed completely. since it's quite thick, i only need tiny bit for my eye, so even though this comes in 25 g (slightly less than usual eye cream), it will last quite some time.

the result: it's moisturizing alright, and i think i can use it at day, but during this testing time, i only use it at night. i don't notice any improvement in wrinkle area since i don't have any, but i think it will help to prevent any lines since it's very moisturizing. at first, i use it in combination with SNP aqua bird nest eye patch, and using both only add hydration. after i finish my SNP eye patch, i used this cream in combination with petitfee black pearl and gold eye patch. and i notice more brightening effect from this combination, though the brightening effect is temporary and it won't help much if i didn't get enough sleep.

so, since i'm testing two eye creams at the same time, i was torn because both delivers good result. both are moisturizing and i can feel the area around my eyes are moisturized better when using both eye creams than before. unfortunately, both doesn't help much with dark eyes. but both give brightening effect when used in combination with petitfee eye patch. but talking about price, sana is cheaper than the other one. as for me, i think i can use both. the sana one is not thick enough so i can use it in the afternoon or in the morning. and the other one at night only.

the outer packaging

the eye cream tube

the spout and cream on my hand

left -starting point right - after 1 month

before - starting point after - after 2 month (although it's not clear in the picture but i can feel my under eyes are well moisturized and slightly brightened too)

this is one of several facial washes that i bought when in japan. i just grabbed everything that i've seen on the internet. i went crazy over facial washes since we went through it quickly (my hubby is using facial wash too). and honestly, i don't know that there are several types of facial wash or several lines from this brand, but when i was writing this review, i knew and i wanted to try another lines. so hopefully i can get my hand on other products.

the description from their website: soft and supple skin soymilk cleansing wash. rich foam helps remove even makeup. skin feels smooth.
description from amazon: rich foam helps remove makeup. skin feels smooth with soy bean isoflavone. no fragrance, no artificial colorant, no mineral oil.

the packaging: it comes in white tube with beige color. flip top. and it comes in big size. actually not big size, but since i always got big size korean facial washes, it makes me get used to big size so i'm grateful that this comes in big size. unfortunately, it doesn't come with a seal on the opening, unlike korean products. but they do seal the whole tube, so probably they substitute the seal of the opening with the whole tube sealing. there are texts at the back of the tube, but everything is in japanese, so i don't know what it's about.

the scent: okay, this is probably my second scentless japanese product. although i'm not completely agree with fragrance less. with bifesta and hadalabo, it's completely scentless, but this facial wash, i can smell a hint of soy scent. definitely subtle, very subtle. so it's suitable for sensitive nose.

the product: the first time i tried it, it's a white cream, pretty dense. but i read reviews about it being on the runny side, which puzzled me since mine is pretty thick. and then i only got to try it for 2-3 times before receiving himalayan, and then i had to use himalayan facial wash since i have to review it first, so after finishing my review, i finally get the chance to try it again. and it's become runnier. i don't know what cause it. i don't think there's water slipping inside, so i definitely have no idea how it becomes runnier than before. and i keep using it and it doesn't become any runnier than before, so i guess it's the real texture. it foams easily, but not too much.

the result: i don't use it as makeup cleanser, although i think it helps clean the makeup residue. as second cleanser, it's gentle enough. but i read somewhere that it has high pH? (correct me if i'm wrong). but it gives me squeaky clean feeling, but not stripped too much. it doesn't dry out my skin. so i guess being high pH is true but somehow the japanese can make it gentle enough.

honestly, it's cheap and it's gentle so i think it won't hurt trying it. even if you have sensitive skin. but i don't think i will repurchase it since i like to try new facial washes. plus i just found out that it has several lines. i'm particularly interested in the moist line, the one with added q10, added retinol line. so i'd probably get them if i can get my hands on them.

the tube

no seal, the white cream is the facial wash