Sephora: Japanese and Asian Beauty Brands and Products

In the past, I often found myself searching google for forums or blog posts about good Asian beauty products that I could buy at Sephora and I couldn't find very much information. I've noticed a lot more products at Sephora recently! Let me share what I have found.

Asian Beauty Brands at Sephora

1. Shiseido (Japanese)

High end brand from Japan. In Japan, you can buy many "drugstore" Shiseido branded products with cheaper formulations. Unfortunately, you won't find those at Sephora (it is Sephora though, high end is the norm!!). You can find those products at places like Amazon or eBay quite reasonably. (See my review of the Perfect Whip Shiseido series here.)

Sephora offers a wide range of Shiseido's products, including the IBUKI line which is targeted for younger buyers in their twenties. (IBUKI review here, and blog post here) I most like Shiseido's sunscreen, cotton pads, makeup cleansing oil, and makeup wipes. Sometimes you can find these at your local Marshall's or TJ Maxx if you are lucky.

It's nice to get a gift set so you can try things out. Shiseido can also be found at many department stores, like Macy's. Keep an eye out for their free gift with purchase that comes several times a year.

2. SK-II (Japanese)

High end skincare brand from Japan. I haven't tried any SK-II products but they are very well-known in Asia. There are plenty of YouTubers I have heard mention their products.

3. AmorePacific (Korean)

AmorePacific also has a lot of high end skincare products available at Sephora. I received a sample with one of my purchases, and I remember being amazed by how great the lotion felt on my skin! Really expensive though!

4. Yu-Be (Japanese)

This brand has many different skin creams at Sephora. Oddly, I never really saw this brand in Japan. I must have just been not looking in the right places, but it didn't seem to be very popular. However, the reviews on Sephora rate the products very high!

5. Perfume brands from Asia

Sephora also has some Asian designer perfumes like Issey Miyake and Hanae Mori, but that is the extent of the products you'll find from these brands.

6. Tony Moly (Korean)

I am so excited for the Tony Moly products at Sephora! I saw soo many cute fruit shaped lip balms and hand creams online. If you are on tumblr a lot, you have probably seen the adorable packaging from this brand. My store did not have any in stock during the Sephora VIB sale, so make sure you check online (and they have been selling out too!).

Screenshot from my favorites list on Sephora.com 

7. Hello Kitty

Every so often, a line of Hello Kitty beauty products is released at Sephora. (I have several videos and blog posts about it) Sometimes the quality of this brand is a problem; especially when high prices are to be expected at Sephora! However, most of the time these products get clearanced out to nearly half of what they were originally posted to be. (For example, there was a Hello Kitty compact selling for $50 when it was first posted, that now is on clearance.)

Many of the Hello Kitty makeup products I would recommend, especially if you get a deal on them or find a gift set. They generally have fun colors, glitter, and cute packaging that is hard to find at Sephora sometimes!

Hello Kitty gift set (Screenshot from Sephora.com) 

8. Boscia

Boscia is a North American brand owned and produced by FANCL which is a big Japanese beauty company. There is a really interesting story about the man who created the company for his wife, who was having bad reactions to ingredients in cosmetic products, read here. Boscia is all natural and does not test on animals. They have a new product called the Konjac facial sponge, which is made from a root vegetable called konnyaku (it's really yummy in Japanese hot pot--the vegetable, not the sponge!).

Lingzhi (mushroom) face mask, hmm.. 

In addition to these brands, Sephora now has sheet masks! I haven't tried them out, but it is a very good sign to see sheet masks growing in popularity! My favorite masks are still My Beauty Diary (review and video here), but I think I'll give them a try sometime!

Another item to try is the Shiseido cotton pads! Cotton pads in Asia are a bit different and I really like these Shiseido ones if you are up to splurge a bit. ;-)

I also want to mention a few brands that aren't truly Asian beauty brands brought to Sephora. Tatcha is a brand that carries products "inspired by geisha". They have cleansing oils and blotting papers--and are rated pretty well.

I'll be doing a new blog post very soon all about kawaii products to check out at Sephora!

Mary ´◡` ♡

Sephora and Macy's Kawaii Haul(Video)

Shiseido Ibuki Review (Video)

Sephora at Hello Kitty (Video)

Shiseido Ibuki Skincare Line Review 資生堂イブキレビュ

I love a lot of the Shiseido 'drugstore' products in Japan but I hadn't tried Shiseido's normal products. Sometimes it can be hard to know which products are good for your skin type and age, so I was happy to hear about the new Ibuki line in the US that is targeted for those in their twenties looking to prevent aging and protect their skin.

Shiseido is also usually really expensive! (At the end of this post I'll share my tips for getting the cheapest deals on their products.) Last November, they had a free gift with purchase so I decided to try out the Ibuki Skincare line!

I bought the Ready, Set, Ibuki Starter Kit from Macy's and chose the Ibuki free gift. I also had a Sephora gift card and a 20% off coupon for their VIP Party and bought the Shiseido Perfect Cleansing Oil. (You can see my haul in this video)

Shiseido product haul! 

As I said before, I was excited to try this line out because it seemed to fit my skin needs perfectly. The products promise to protect skin from environmental stressors, lock in moisture, and also aid fine lines caused by dryness. I noticed my skin texture had worsened from a combination of stress, winter weather, and laziness to pamper my skin! I had been noticing fine lines around my mouth area that would improve with Clinique Moisture Surge at night, but always returned.

The whole skincare line has a floral smell that surprised me at first. After a couple uses I really got attached to the scent! It is not too overpowering.

1. Gentle Cleanser / Purifying Cleanser

My kit included the Gentle Cleanser, and this worked perfectly for my skin. Even though I do break out and have oiliness, I use acne prescriptions so I avoid harsh cleansers. Normally I would use the Clinique mild soap or Perfect Whip for my skin. I sensed that this product can be lathered very similarly to Perfect Whip and would be great to use with the Clarisonic. You only need a very small amount of product and when washed off, there is no residue.

2. Softening Concentrate

The Softening Concentrate is supposed to provide extra moisture and enhance how the rest of the regiment works thereafter. It is different than many "step two" toners in the West because it does not require a cotton pad to strip the skin. For example, I have used Clinique for years. Their toner contains alcohol and I liked how I felt like I could remove any dead skin and further clean my skin. However, I have heard that alcohol can be harsh on skin. After removing makeup, scrubbing again with your cleanser, a harsh toner may just strip your skin of its natural moisture even more. I believe that this concentrate tries to do the exact opposite.

I simply pour some of the product on my palm and pat it on my forehead, cheeks, chin, and also the area around my mouth where I had fine lines. You can massage it until absorbed or lightly pat your skin. After using it, my skin feels refreshed.

3. ULTIMUNE Power Infusing Concentrate

I don't normally use a serum, but when I have, sometimes I experienced some irritation. This serum didn't seem to bother my skin and it felt really nice. I'm not certain if this product also helped with my fine lines from dryness.

4. Protective Moisturizer SPF 18 / Refining Moisturizer / Refining Moisturizer Enriched

I got the Refining Moisturizer in my starter kit. The Protective version only differs because it contains SPF, and the Enriched version is simply a heavier moisturizer (it can be used day or night, but many say they prefer it only for bedtime). I wouldn't have minded to get the Protective Moisturizer because I like my skin care products to have SPF--even in the winter. However, in the summertime I would probably still use a higher SPF product alongside the skincare regimen.

After applying the Softening Concentrate, my skin already feels partially 'rehydrated', if that makes sense, so I only apply a small amount of the moisturizer. It absorbs well and did not break me out or leave me feeling greasy.

4. Eye Correcting Cream

I love getting eye cream samples! Eye creams can be so expensive~so it is always a plus to get a large sample of one, because it will last a long time. This eye cream surprised me...it is a lovely pale pink color that has a little shimmer! (Once applied, no color or shimmer remains, of course.) It is just so pretty and smells nice just like the rest of the regimen.

5. Perfect Cleansing Oil

Normally, I only use this if I was wearing plenty of makeup, and I would use it first of course. I was running out of my Perfect Whip Perfect Oil (if you want to see my review, and also an in-depth explanation of how I use Oil Cleansers, you can watch here). I wanted to compare the two products--and this oil is much more expensive. I can tell it is more effective and higher quality than the Perfect Whip Perfect Oil. It removes my makeup almost completely, but of course needs to be followed with a cleanser.

Shiny but simple packaging. 

I am not sure which products specifically truly improved my fine lines and texture, but overall the regimen worked together very well. I noticed a HUGE improvement in my skin.

As for getting Shiseido products on a budget, look for their gift with purchase. I only buy when there is a free gift, and I try to stick to the minimum purchase requirement. Over time you can accumulate a lot of products, samples and travel sizes too! One of the few stores to offer discounts on high end beauty products is Sephora--twice a year they offer 15% and 20%. If you have a TJ Maxx or Marshall's you can also often find Shiseido products. My store often has them in the clearance section for $10! (Nobody knows these products where I live it seems.)

Lastly, you can also try out the Perfect Whip line or some of the other 'drugstore' lines of Shiseido products in Japan. They are cheaper but still often higher quality than a lot of American drugstore skincare products.

Are there any other Japanese skincare brands I should try or that you like? I'd love to hear.

Here is my video review if you would like to watch!

Also, you can watch my Shiseido at Sephora and Macys: Beauty Haul Video for when I first bought the products!

Kawaii Mall Haul: Shiseido at Sephora & Macy’s かわいいホール

So it took me awhile to post about this, but I thought it would still be fun to blog about. ^o^

Last November, my local Sephora had a VIP party that included a 20% discount and free snacks! I took Bo along and we did some shopping together.

They opened the store an hour or two early for the mini party and had juice and cookies..and some cute Sephora style napkins.

Bo enjoyed the snacks while I took a look around. Normally I do any Sephora shopping online so I can see all the products, get the ebates discount, and get the freebies that come with it. My store doesn't always have all the Hello Kitty or Shiseido section that is like the online one.

I only go to Sephora when I get a coupon and have my gift cards, so I picked up a few things at the event!

So happy to wear my Samantha purse out~~ It really works for any season!! 

I bought the Shiseido Perfect Cleansing Oil because I wanted to compare it to the Perfect Whip Perfect Oil (the 'drugstore' Shiseido line in Japan) that I had reviewed previously. 

So far I really love it! I will do a review of this.

If you don't want to spend a lot of Shiseido products check out your local Marshall's, TJ Maxx or Homegoods. Mine often has Shiseido in their clearance! Sometimes even for $10.

~~~~~♡~~~~~♡~~~~~♡~~~~~♡~~~~~

Luckily, Bo ALSO had some leftover gift cards to Starbucks! So we had some hot chocolate and I got lemon bread! (I really want to make a good lemon bread myself at some point.)

We stopped by Macy's and it turns out that Shiseido was having their gift with purchase! There is a new line of products called Ibuki that is meant for girls around my age. Its purpose it to protect skin from damage and rejuvenate it. I later bought it online (for all the max freebies of course) and selected a starter set, as well as the Shiseido Honey Cake soap. The gift with purchase had lots of Ibuki samples. 

The combined Shiseido Haul!

It's fun to refresh your skin regimen. And I love re-organizing my bathroom with all the new stuff. 

So far I'm loving it! Review to come!

Here's the video!

(*´∀｀*) Perfect Whip Review: Shiseido's Perfect Whip, Speedy Perfect Whip, and Perfect Oil (*´∀｀*)

In this post, I'll be reviewing three Shiseido (drugstore versions) Speedy Whip products: Perfect Whip (original), Speedy Perfect Whip, and Perfect Oil. 

If you haven't heard of this series, its an affordable Shiseido product sold everywhere in Japan and easily bought online at places like Amazon if you are overseas (usually under $10). Perfect Whip is so attractive because it promises a big fuwafuwa bubbly texture!

Perfect Whip (Original)

The original product is pretty good for any skin type, it is gentle and cleanses well with no coating left behind on your skin. After daily use, it doesn't diminish my face texture like some other cleansers. It removes some makeup, but I prefer to use the Perfect Oil for that purpose, and follow up with the Perfect Whip (explained in detail below).

The product has a thick consistency and with water feels slippery. It requires lots of lathering to build it to the foamy fuwafuwa texture. Simply using your hands will take a lot of time and more product. For an alternative, use a foaming net (I got mine from Amazon). I hear that different ones produce different quality foam, so you may want a nice one.

If you have a Clarisonic, this is a great product to use with it! I use my Luxe brush head (basically the softest and most $$ head) and either put the product directly on it to build up using my hand, or use the net first and squeeze it on the Clarisonic.

For me the product's appeal is the smooth luxurious face-washing experience, and because it's so cute!

"I'm soo cleeean!!"~ Kira Kira Rilakkuma ~ 

Speedy Perfect Whip

This is the product when you don't have time! I would definitely prefer to use the original all the time, but honestly, I don't ALWAYS have the time (or I'm about to fall asleep on my feet) to use the original. It still is a pleasant face-washing experience, but there is something about the original (probably the texture) that feels more luxurious. (Probably also the time to build the product and relax a bit.)

Fuwa fuwa time~~ 

Perfect Oil

You may have heard about makeup removing oils being popular in Asia. I had always been advised 'stay AWAY from oil' because of my acne (especially at Clinique). So I always had gel moisturizer and oil free cleansers and oil free eye makeup remover. However, what I have discovered, is that often cleansers with oil tend to take off a lot more makeup and can be just alright for acne-prone skin, as long as you plan on cleansing afterwards. The benefit is taking off ALL the makeup, then cleansing your skin a second time (to remove remaining makeup and actually clean your real skin)--which means less junk to clog your pores. No remaining makeup and totally clean skin.

So I tried out the Perfect Oil and I really like it! I first take two pumps and lather it in my hand, then spread it all over my face and massage in to start dissolving the makeup. After about 15 seconds, I then use a pink scrubber from Sephora to gently lift off the makeup. I rinse several times.

After that my skin feels moisturized and not super dry, like many makeup removers (if your skin already feels dry at this stage with another makeup remover you use, its probably too harsh to do a second cleanse. I know the feeling!) So after the Perfect Oil it is then safe to use my Perfect Whip to cleanse!

In the last year I have perfected my makeup removing technique, from some great tips from Mia's channel. I really recommend watching her makeup removal video. Basically, I start with my eyes. I soak a thin cotton pad in eye makeup remover (I looove this Bioderma one! The best ever) and set the pads on my eyes to dissolve the makeup. Let it sit for 20 seconds or so. Flip it over to use more of the product. Then, gently wipe down towards the lash line. After that, I like to open my eyes and scoop the makeup that moved down below my eye with the cotton pad folded. (Mia's technique is more complicated, but this is generally good enough for me to get everything off). Then I follow with my Perfect Oil/Perfect Whip routine.

Above is the video review I posted. I hope the video as well as this post is helpful! Please feel free to ask any questions about the products or make any requests for me to review. I hope to post my skincare/beauty haul from Japan very soon!

♡ My YouTube