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Eye Gel
When the Japanese do minimalist, boy do they do minimalist. This Eye Gel’s packaging and approach is so simple that it doesn’t have anything else to say about itself except declare what it simply is: an eye gel. Even the katakana characters (Japanese characters that are used for words in foreign languages) at the top of the packaging spell out “AI JYERU” which is exactly what you’re thinking.
The product itself is pretty light and easy to apply, and the packaging is convenient. It’s small and portable and will easily fit an overnight case. For an P85 eye gel, it does a good job of preventing puffy eyes in the morning.
Black Q-tips
You may smile at the idea of black cotton buds—after all, they’re primarily used to clean up dirt, smudges and whatnot. If it were anything but white, you can hardly see anything you’ll be picking up after. Nevertheless, it’s hard to resist a very unique, if not stylish color for something as as Q-tips. Especially if said Q-tips are ridged for easier cleaning and sturdy, quite unlike the cheap, bendy variety.
Mud masque
The mud masque (or Natural Pack, as it’s called) is one of the better bargains in the store. The product cleans up the face and pores quite well, helping get rid of excess oil and even whiteheads. It’s easily washed off with water or simply peeling it off.
Aloe Shampoo
Don’t be fooled by its translation, as it’s actually a body wash and not shampoo, This soapy aloe formula lathers up quite quickly and its scent isn’t sickly sweet or floral so it’s an option for people who hate said strong scents.
Rice bran soap
The packaging for the soap is quite unique—if don’t check carefully, you might think you’re holding a pack of instant noodles. It’s actually holding a pair of rice bran soap, so I hope no one made the mistake and popped them in a saucepan of boiling water. The scent of the soap is comparable to detergent; however, the best thing about it is that it just might be saying the truth on just how natural it is. It doesn’t dry skin at all, which is more than I can say for most soaps from drugstores or groceries.
Cocoons
Don’t worry, we’re still talking about beauty products here. “Cocoons” stand out from the shelves because at first they seem to be out of place in a beauty aisle. Upon closer inspection, “Cocoons” wasn’t just a catchy word for something else—it really meant cocoons, of silkworms to be exact. It effectively removes dead skin, traces of dirt and makeup and the author’s skepticism along with it. How to use, as the English instructions at the back indicated: “Don’t rub too hard. After use, rinse and dry it. You can use it three to five times. A brown powdery substance may be contained in the product. This is the surface skin of a silkworm that remained during processing. This does not affect quality. Do not store the product in direct sunlight or in hot and humid locations. Use only for intended purpose”. That’s organic exfoliation for you!
Rich Lather Washcloth
It may not seem all that exciting a product, but if there’s one thing to be learned at Japanese 100-yen concept shops, it’s that they actually carry some of the best loofas and washcloths around. This washcloth from Saizen is no exception—it doesn’t irritate nor scratch too much, it exfoliates gently, and the best part, it makes the most out of your soap/bodywash because they can lather it up even with a small amount. It also wrings out easily, so it doesn’t stay damp too long. There’s less chance of it harboring bacteria caused by the moisture in bath areas.
All photos taken by the author. Some rights reserved.
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