Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium Hyaluronic Oil and Milk

While I was in Donki Osaka, I took a  lot of time looking around the shop as they have so many brands to choose from. Downside was everything are written in Nihongo. But cannot blame them though. Shop was built for locals and not for tourists. And most tourists who come already knows the products they want to buy. Like me. They are offering the lowest prices in Japan so they will not be spending money to translate each and every item in English. Besides I believe not all products in Japan will have the same packaging forever. They keep on changing and reformulating their cosmetics anyway. Even this Hada Labo on the photo.

Hada Labo means skin lab. And they are popular with using hyaluronic in their products. And whatever is good for the skin I am all for it. Needless to say I had always been interested in Hada Labo too. And as usual it is not available in UAE. I mean no shops in UAE offer Japanese cosmetics with the exception of Muji. But the prices are way too high and choices are limited. Maybe you can get this on Ebay? Or in Amazon for 80AED to 100AED per bottle/packet. While in Donki I got each for less than ¥1,000 or roughly 30AED. Again if I were to compare that price with the skin care products in UAE that amount pales in comparison. For example an item from good old Loreal in the nearest shop would cost you around 100AED. 

I know there are still cheap or affordable items in UAE but I doubt they will be as good as what Japanese affordable brands can offer. Japanese cosmetics will not have a cult without a good reason. Meaning they are really that good. Both items in the photo serves are softener or lotion. Meaning preparing your skin for the other products to follow. But out of the two I prefer the toner/lotion/oil whatever they call it than the milk. The milk tends to be more sticky on my skin. Or maybe the condition of my skin upon the first use was not good. I am in love with Hada Labo that I might stick to it as much as possible rather than shifting to Shiseido as I originally planned.

Because it has oil I was not expecting it to sink in to my skin easily. But it does within a few seconds. No longer waiting time. That I can immediately move on to the next product to put on to my face. Almost all the Japanese cosmetics I own are like this. That in the morning I get ready in no time at all. If ever I am late it is not because of my skin care and makeup it is because I eat slowly or I eat lot. Actually I was supposed to stop posting on this blog but I thought hey other should know about this product. Even if I can convince only one person then that would be great. Or maybe someone out there might see my post and think about bringing Japanese goodies to UAE. Japan is not just about cars you know. The country is so innovative that they produced almost everything you can think of. And they do it better all the time.

Shiseido Senka Perfect Gel Night and Morning

In Japan there are lot of shops that offer cosmetics and other items in cheaper prices than the main shops. Am I making any sense? I do not even know what  are the main shops over there haha. What I am trying to say is for example they have Don Quijote or Donki that offers cosmetic in cheaper prices. Donki is not the only one there are also others like Matsumoto Kiyoshi (it is actually a pharmacy) but then Donki seems to be the most popular among locals and tourists alike. I had been to a lot of Donki branches but my mistake was not buying enough to satisfy my curiosity and needs because as I was there prices seem to be higher only when I came back to UAE where there are no Japanese cosmetics on any physical shops that I think about Donki and their prices!

On the photo you can see that I brought with me from Japan Shiseido Senka perfect gel nigh and morning. I had been wanting to buy this since 2016. In UAE most of the Japanese cosmetics I have were purchased online like Amazon Japan which is not fun as the prices are tad higher than Donki shops and of course the DHL shipping is expensive too. With tons of restrictions. Like they cannot send Japanese sunscreens just because they contain alcohol. Now looking back and comparing prices (aside from availability) I should not held back in shopping. This Shiseido Senka perfect gel retails for less than ¥1,000 each and that is roughly around 30AED. If you will search the market any counterpart product here will cost you around 50AED if you are lucky but mostly 100AED and above.

Shiseido Senka perfect gel is an all around cream. One is for morning. The other one is for evening. Our skin care routine consists of serum, emulsion, sunscreen and cream in the morning. Just deduct the sunscreen on nighttime.  The idea behind this cream is that no need for you to apply 3 or 4 products. As it is already an all in one gel. Perfect for those who does not have time or lazy to wait around until each product absorbs by the skin. You know back in the day that my flat was full of clutter, I cannot have time to do other things properly. Instead I use the extra time to keep on cleaning. Now that the place is cleaner and neater than before then I just need to keep on mopping the floor. Then I now have time to do my skin care and makeup routine.

In short now I do not need it but then I need to satisfy my curiosity that I bought it. So far I tried the perfect gel night. My initial impression was I do not like it as it feels sticky. But then I will not rely on that first impression as it happened to me before. I purchased The Faceshop rice ceramide moisturizer and I hated it on first use as it feels yucky and sticky. Kept it for a while then used it again on winter and voila! Turns out to be a good cream. I do not know how that happens. Maybe it is not the cream but the condition of my skin on  a particular day. Especially that nowadays I do not eat fish as much as I should. I eat a lot of pork instead. So I will wait until next month to use it again.

Oh my Google!

Just another rant. People say internet has all the answers. Google has all the answers but for many months now there are lot of questions that I cannot find answers. Not unless I go and talk to people directly. That is if I can contact them or if I know anyone. Or if people will care enough to answer. For example in the Philippines if you have a land you should get a title or certificate of ownership that you own the said land. Someone told me that the size of your land should be at least 40 square meters for you to be able to get a certificate and I had been searching the internet to verify this information. Or maybe I am not looking hard enough? Or maybe entering incorrect 'words' for Google to pick it up. Second is I tried to look if luckily there are people in Metro Manila or near Metro Manila who happens to be selling a piece of land this much size only. Again tough luck. They may be some but they are not in the radar of internet. Lastly I was trying to ask Google how much it will cost me to build a tiny room/house inspired by the tiny hotels in Tokyo. Again tough luck. But when it comes to unnecessary things, the internet is full of them.

Szymon Hancz's 13SQM flat

Okay so that were all hard for Google to answer that I decided to ask something like makeup. Or language. Phew! I wanted to punch someone in the face. ASAP. I have a love and hate relationship in makeup. I have so many mistakes in makeup but then this year after my Japan vacation, I realized how good Japanese cosmetics are that I decided to shift to Shiseido their longest running brand. I just asked internet to tell me where are the specific products are manufactured. Duh! I have seen reviews but none of them cared to show the wors 'made in'!!!!!!!! SO frustrating. Even in Instagram photos. Well I was bit upset upon getting 2 Shiseido products that are made in USA. And I have doubts whenever I see the made in USA. Sorry Uncle Sam. Do not trust you even with something as little as this. I know most of American brands are all made in China. So I wanted to be sure that the items I am getting are not from China that I badly wanted to know if they are made in Japan. In that case then I better stick to Japanese drugstore brands like Canmake, Cezanne, Chifure and even Espoleur from Daiso. At least those I know that are really made in Japan.

Language. I am studying Pimsleur in Japanese. Then Spanish and later in Mandarin. French if I can. Since Pimsleur is using formal words: there are actually some words that I cannot find in the internet that I have to go to social media to look for a native speaker that I can ask! Which reminds me to confirm with someone if in Japanese tokoro means 'place' because at the same time tokoro de also means 'by the way'. Then I remember people smugly telling me that internet has all the answers! All the answers my ass!

MOTD

The same background paper I used the other day. But the backside of it. I did not buy anything new just to find a background for my photos. It is something I purchased from Daiso ages ago that I never get to use for its intended purpose. And my keychain hoping it will add something to the story. Will not be posting like this on my blog daily. Just want to share a few of it. 

The only difference is my eyeshadow. Previous post I used Une eyeshadow. On this photo is Elle. Do not know if their cosmetics has been discontinued internationally or only in UAE. This is just okay for me. Used to have 8 shades. Given away 6 when I was decluttering. Trying to use the two shades left but I am no longer happy with it. They do not have a brush with them so I am using my finger. And looking just how big it is might take me 10 years to finish. So yeah I am all in favor of Japanese small sizes of cosmetics.

MOTD

First: the background. I said the other day that I am not testing some background and props to make my photo attractive. I know light is important. Natural light is the best. I know composition is important but I failed at that all the time. So I am experimenting with props to see if somehow my photo will be pleasing to the eyes. And I am using Instagram as my online diary. But posting my MOTD. Makeup of the day. At the same time to keep track of the products I am using. Also to make sure that I am rotating them in my attempt to pan project. Or least finish half before tossing them out. 

Chifure Blush - Been singing praises about it on my Instagram. How can I not? For only ¥300 (not sure if tax included) that is roughly AED12.00 and I am not sure if Essence is on the same price range. Aside from being affordable and really made in Japan, I like the idea of small cosmetics. Meaning you can bring it anywhere with you without taking too much space or weight. I am now favoring Japanese cosmetics because of it than with Western brands. One can easily finish it. How big someone face could be to need a huge blush? I bought all the 5 variants of it. Pigmentation is good. In the past I think I mentioned numerous times that I do not want loud colors. That is why I have given away my Mac blush before. It should just add some color that looks natural. Also now I am in favor of cosmetics that comes with brushes as having separate ones is a hassle for me. 

Une Eyeshadow - The brand has been discontinued in Centrepoint UAE. But I got this eyeshadow before for around 79.00AED and even though I love the brand, I cannot say the same for the eyeshadow. Color does not show on my eyelids. One will just see sparkles. It is meant for Western girls with pale skin. But not for Asian brown skin like me. I am using it every once in a while to avoid throwing it away. And the size! I wasted enough cosmetics in the past that I now want the Japanese size cosmetics only.

Mac Creme In Your Coffee - 2017 I went overboard with lipsticks. I love Mac since Day 1 but because of the price I went to look for something else and 2014 to 2016 I found myself spending a fortune for lipsticks but still was not happy with the brands I have. Told myself heck I could just wait for the sale and get all the shades I love! Now 2018 I am using them all alternately to avoid wasting them. So that's all! Thanks for dropping by. 

Japan Haul

Please do not judge that my photo still sucks after years and years of taking photos. Recently I tried using props the way other bloggers do. To make my photos a bit attractive. I am not yet successful in taking pleasing photos but I just need to keep on trying. And again please do not judge that I bought this much. For someone who is advocating a minimalist lifestyle and being frugal. I am still decluttering as much as possible and doing pan project. I just moved from Blogger to Instagram as it is a pain using Blogger via iphone. (If my budget will permit me I would have purchase a second photo either Blackberry or Sony. Both used to be my brands. I switched to iphone due to pressure of my colleagues).

Japan have flaws just like any other country in the world but I love it. And people might call me 'ingrata' but I will choose it anytime over the place I am in. I would also say that Japan is better in so many ways. But anyway I am not writing this post for that. I simply want to share what I bought over there when it comes to beauty products. Some are not in the photo anymore. I would buy more if only I had more chance and luggage space. And when counting just how many I purchased seems like it is far too many but then I do not think so. They simply has so many amazing things and not all are expensive. 

Daiso Japan. I love Daiso shops even outside Japan. The only similarity between Daiso Japan and Daiso UAE is not all shops are almost complete For example in Daiso near Dotonbori I cannot find Espoleur cosmetics. While Daiso near the train station in Osaka they have the complete collection of it except for two creamy blush. The same creamy blush missing from their collection is also not available in Daiso Kyoto I visited. Anyway I bought 23 pieces as each cost only ¥108 tax included and I know none will go to waste as if it does not suite me I can hand them over to my nieces. Also I bought the 4 kinds of face lotions they have. 

Don Quijote. Oh I love that shop. And it is tax free for visitors if you purchased at least ¥5,000.00! So far so good. I do not have complaints with all my purchases. As I have said I should have get some more. Chifure is love. The brand surprised me the most. I do not see that brand a lot in other blogs and it turned out to be the most affordable drugstore brand in Japan. But good. Really good. Bought some makeup and skincare from them. Maybe I will take some more photos and explain them more some other time. Ciao!

Peso Sense Thoughts

Just For Laughs

Just For Laughs

From: Single Swag ♥

From: Single Swag ♥

From: Single Swag ♥

From: Single Swag ♥

From: Single Swag ♥

From: Single Swag ♥

From: Single Swag ♥

Peso Sense Thoughts

PHOTO Credits to the owner

Greek Olives ♥

Another old photo. One of the few things I will miss in UAE. We do not have this in Philippines. Even if we have it is expensive and not fresh.

Rukkun ♥

Just by looking at the photos alone, it is not hard to guess that the product is from Thailand. Bought it at Lulu Hypermarket. I love the taste but it is too sweet. Not ideal for someone like who is trying to lose weight.

Korean Soju ♥

Korean Soju is available in UAE. For only 15AED-20AED per bottle. You will see it often when watching Korean drama. My verdict? This tastes like drinking rubbing alcohol that when I finished one bottle I cannot help but go to sleep immediately.

Japanese Nissin Cup Noodles ♥

Are You?

Just For Laughs

Small House Design #22

PHOTO Credits to the owner

From Plato ~

Daily Reminder

Daily Reminder

Daily Reminder

Daily Reminder

Daily Reminder

Daily Reminder