Five Top Japanese Beauty Products to Try in March

Kiss Me Heroine Make Long and Curl Mascara

Japanese drugstore mascaras are undoubtedly the best in the world. As Japanese women tend to have quite sparse and straight lashes, Japanese cosmetic companies put a lot of money into researching and developing amazing lengthening and curling mascara products. There is no need to spend a lot to get great quality, and you only have to see the huge variety of mascara in your local Tokyo drugstore to know that there is some hefty competition. Kiss Me Heroine Make Long and Curl Mascara (¥1,200) is one product that I have seen written about time and time again, with consistently rave reviews, and now I can see why. Heroine Make Long and Curl Mascara provides the perfect combination of easy to use and great results. The curved brush makes it easy to apply, and the formula quickly builds up the length of your lashes without clumping. The overall effect is subtle and natural, and I loved that my lashes did not look and feel hard. At the end of the day Heroine Make Long and Curl is super easy to remove with warm water, actually I think the easiest to remove of all the Japanese mascaras I have tried (and I have tried a lot!). This mascara is perfect for a dramatic, pretty daytime look.

Kiss Me Heroine is widely available at drugstores.

Trilogy Hydrating Mist Toner

This beautifully aromatic, hydrating Trilogy toner with rose, geranium and lavender is my absolute favorite skincare product at the moment. Previously I had dismissed face mists and toners as a nice to have, but not an essential beauty product. However, after trying this gorgeous product from Trilogy (¥3,200) I have completely changed my mind. This hydrating spray is now a mainstay of my skincare routine. I gently mist my face after washing in the morning and night, and leave until almost dry before applying lotion. It is perfect when using lotions or creams that contain hyaluronic acid that need some moisture on the skin, as it gives them something to bind to. I find the hydrating mist helps to lock in moisture and makes my skin feel softer too. There are so many other ways to use this versatile product. It is great as a makeup setting mist. After finishing your makeup spray a small amount over the face to soften a powdery finish, and make it more natural. It’s also perfect to take on a flight to freshen up and hydrate the skin. My personal favorite way to use it is to give my face a quick spritz in the afternoon to wake up tired skin, and the gorgeous scent gives you an uplifting boost. Trilogy products are made from all natural and organic ingredients and feel amazing on your skin. Once you start using Trilogy your skin will thank you.

I have found Trilogy products at Cosme Kitchen, Loft, Isetan Shinjuku and Mitsukoshi Ginza.

Esprique Rouge Grasset

Spring in Japan means cherry blossom season. Sakura fever takes over Tokyo, and everyone celebrates the arrival of spring and finally the end of winter. To really get into the spirit of sakura season, a soft pink natural lip gloss is the perfect way to update your makeup look. Japanese brand Esprique has a gorgeous limited edition range of Rouge Grasset lip gloss (¥2,300) in its spring collection. There are four soft shades: sakura pink, gerbera pink, anemone rose and katalea orchid beige. The texture of this product is between lip gloss and lipstick, which makes it really comfortable to wear and easy to apply. The Rouge Grasset limited edition packaging features a gorgeous sakura flower design, and a proportion of sales go to Kose’s Fukushima Sakura Project, aiding the recovery of communities affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Esprique is widely available at drugstores.

Maquillage Dramatic Mood Veil Mosaic Blush

Why stop at lips? I’m also adding pink to my cheeks with the beautiful Maquillage Dramatic Mood Veil mosaic blush (¥3,780) in PK200. This gem of a product is not new, but has a cult following among many top makeup artists around the world. The idea behind a mosaic or multicolored blush is that the combination of shades add the perfect amount of color and highlighting pigments to your skin. The Maquillage Dramatic Mood veil PK200 combines five complementary peachy pink shades that deliver a really healthy, natural and brightening effect to your complexion. The blush is extremely long lasting, and the amazing micro shimmer particles make it wearable for daytime without feeling too made up and shimmery in natural light.

Maquillage is widely available at drugstores.

Dr. Nail Deep Serum

Months of back-to-back gel manicures had wreaked havoc on my nails. After one too many split nails, I decided it was time for a break and take a look at the natural nails that hadn’t seen the light of day for a while. As the gel was removed, it revealed weak and extremely damaged nails that were screaming out for a detox and some nourishment. Dr. Nail Deep Serum (¥2,600) is designed to deeply penetrate into the nail and repair damage, helping your nails to become stronger and healthier. It is recommended that you paint Dr. Nail Deep Serum onto your nails, just like nail polish, each day. As you paint it on your nails, it does appear just like clear nail polish, making it easy to apply. After just a few minutes the deep serum penetrates deeply into the nail, leaving the appearance of that nail completely natural. I also love that Dr. Nail Deep Serum has no strong nail polish smell. It is recommended that you first use the nail serum by itself for about a month, to give your nails a chance to improve before returning to your usual manicures. You can even apply the serum to the underside of the nail tip, to continue treating the nail after you return to your regular manicures. Even after two weeks of consistent use, my nails’ appearance and condition have already improved dramatically.

Dr. Nail is widely available at beauty stores like Loft, Tokyo Hands and Ainz & Tulpe.