5 Japanese Beauty Products to Try in June

The humid summer months are on their way, bringing with them hot, sticky weather and an even hotter, stickier complexion. This month's beauty product picks cover the tricky balancing act of keeping skin hydrated without looking shiny.

Have any products that you swear by? Share your beauty tips in the comments below!

Maihada Rice Power No.11 Skin Care Range

Budget: Mid-range
Where to buy? Available at most Japanese drug stores
Beauty brownie points: Skin feels and looks deeply hydrated
Best for: Dry and sensitive skin

For hundreds of years Japanese women have been using rice as an effective ingredient in skincare products. Kosé developed the Maihada range working together with a long-established sake brewery. A by-product of the rice fermentation process, Rice Power No.11 has the ability to strengthen the water retention ability of the skin, improving the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, dullness and sagging.

After using the Maihada skincare range for the first time, I am really impressed. My skin is filled with moisture and its overall texture appears clearer, firmer, and more hydrated. Stand out products for me are the gentle facial soap, essence and cream which I will definitely continue using.

Designed for dry and sensitive skin types, the Maihada Rice Power No.11 basic skincare range (from ¥1,800) has every step of your skincare routine covered, starting with cleansing oil, cleansing cream, facial soap, lotion, essence, cream, eye cream, as well as BB and CC products.

Supmile Botanical Oil Serum

Budget: Upper-range
Where to buy? Available online or at certain locations in Tokyo
Beauty brownie points: Organic and you only need to use a little at a time
Best for: Dry skin in need of an extra moisture boost

Unfortunately for me (especially in my line of work), I am prone to sensitivity and dryness. Every now and then my skin reaches a point where it needs some extra gentle care and nourishment to coax it back to a balanced state.

When this sensitivity once again emerged recently, I was luckily introduced to the Supmile botanical oil serum (¥3,620). This gorgeous pot of organic oil serum, is a combination of sunflower oil (used as the base oil to create a barrier to lock in moisture), tomato (fruit, leaf and stem-potent anti-aging properties) and pomegranate and apricot (for hydration).

When I tried Supmile oil serum for the first time I could feel my skin soaking up all of the natural goodness and being soothed by the natural barrier it created on the skin. It is rich, so after application your skin appears quite shiny. Wait an hour and this reduces.

Just a little of this delicately scented oil serum goes a long way – use the handy, small spatula included in the box for just the right amount.

If you have oily skin, or don’t like to feel too shiny, I would recommend adding this product only to your nighttime routine. Those who have drier or more mature skin will love this nourishing facial oil serum morning and night.

Flow Fushi Area Foundy Under Eye Concealer

Budget: Mid-range
Where to buy? Flow Fushi is available from Japanese drugstores, Loft, Tokyu Hands and other beauty specialty stores.
Beauty brownie points: Perfect for touching up on-the-go
Best for: Covering dark circles over your base makeup

When you have small children, covering dark under-eye circles (and generally trying to look more awake and refreshed) is something that most of us are trying to achieve. But it’s difficult to find a concealer that really covers those pesky under-eye areas, especially if you’re doing your makeup on the run.

Flow Fushi Area Foundy (¥2,500) is a fantastic new product designed to create a brighter and more radiant complexion, specifically for under the eye. This nifty double-ended product has a concealing wand at one end and blending brush at the other, making it perfect for stashing in your makeup bag for touch-ups during the day.

To apply, simply place three dots of concealer in an inverted triangle under the eye, and then use the soft brush to blend seamlessly into the skin. Immediately the appearance of the eye area is improved and the cheek appears lifted. The formula is creamy and moisturising, so there is no flaking or caking with other foundation underneath.

Visee Crayon Eye Color

Budget: Mid-range
Where to buy? Visee is available from Japanese drugstores.
Beauty brownie points: Super quick application
Best for: Staying power during the humid weather

Another fantastic product that will help speed up your morning makeup application is the Visee crayon eye colour (¥1,730).

This creamy eyeshadow pencil is super quick and easy to apply, you’ll have your eyeshadow done in less than a minute! Just draw on the coloured eye pencil directly onto your eyelid and smudge to blend.

I recommend drawing a line along the top of your lashes and then from the outer corner of the eye back in along the eye socket. Use your fingers to blend. The creamy texture of this product is perfect for blending with your fingers, as the warmth ensures it smoothes beautifully into the skin. Best of all this product stays in place all day. It’s the perfect addition to your makeup bag for the humid summer months ahead.

Koh Gen Do Color Correct Makeup Base

Budget: Upper-range
Where to buy? Koh Gen Do is available from their flagship store in Azabu-Juban, Tokyu Hands and other beauty specialty stores.
Beauty brownie points: Professionals rave about this makeup base
Best for: Creating a flawless, even skin tone

The hottest topic of the beauty world at the moment is color correcting- some love it, some hate it but color correcting (CC) products are everywhere.

The idea of CC products is that they use colors, for example yellow (to conceal dark red, purple patches), green (to diffuse redness) and peach (to cover under eye circles on fair skin) to create a more even, flawless base.

Koh Gen Do Color Correct Make up Base (¥4,320) is available in four colors: pearl white (for adding radiance to the skin), lavender pink (for correcting sallow and dull skin), green (to neutralize redness and discoloration) and yellow (to cover purple under-eye shadows and veins).

Use the creamy base as a primer to correct skin concerns before applying foundation. As an added bonus the Koh Gen Do makeup base also conceals pores and fine lines, and keeps your foundation in place all day.

Comments

Krista boyer says:

November 15, 2023 at 7:40 am

Love beauty 😍 products …send me deals etc