Beauty Haul: Japan 2016 (Part 1)

My main shopping goal in Japan was to acquire the gold. I mean, their homegrown beauty products. The prices of these at home were no joke at all haha huhu. Heck, even some of these brands pulled out from the Philippines! (This sums up my feelings. Warning: you need earphones for that.) So this was my opportunity to catch 'em all, and I started my Japan 2016 beauty haul.

I allotted a huge portion of my budget just for my own makeup. These weren't even all the makeup I acquired because I got some goods for the titas and ates in my life.

But this isn't retail therapy. It's retail investment. I carefully researched these products to see what fits my skin and my beauty needs. Some of them are already my staples, and some of them I've used before. But a lot of these are products I haven't tried yet (even as I write this), yet they are definitely worth it!

Foundation

• Canmake Marshmallow Finish Powder, [MB] Matte Beige Ochre: Oily skin, humidity, and face powder equate to hot mess. (Yes. I went there.) But this powder is my holy grail, as I mentioned before. This is The One.
• Canmake Marshmallow Finish Powder Refill, [MB] Matte Beige Ochre: This is the best part of the Marshmallow Finish Powder: a refill! There's no need to buy another compact, and it costs less too.
• Canmake Nose Shadow Powder: I'm not a fan of how full face contouring looks. But I like making my nose look more defined. (If you assume this is a I-wanna-be-white thing IS2G) And this is the only product I know of used for that purpose.
• Canmake Perfect Serum BB Cream, 02 Natural: This multipurpose BB Cream suits my skin tone. The coverage is so amazing, and buying 2 of these is a big investment already.

I previously used Canmake's products before. It even was included in my makeup bag back when I went to Japan. My powder's clasp got off, though :(.

The moment I got back from Japan, I used the Nose Shadow Powder for my nose. I liked the subtle look it gave, compared to my previous contour sticks. My view on contouring is meh so I prefer this.

Eyebrows

• Maybelline Line 'N Design Auto Natural Brow Liner, Dark Brown: Over the years I grew to love a natural, brow look instead of the fleek type of way. Besides, taking time to line, fill, and mascara in the brows is too much. I like my brow hairs having some visibility.
• K-Palette 1 Day Tattoo Real Lasting Eyeliner 24H Waterproof, Super Black: K-Palette eyeliners are known for its staying power. Liquid eyeliners do not last under humidity. (I learned the hard way LOL.) And as someone who easily sweats and lives under such heat, I need this.
• Majorca Majolica Linehunter Liquid Eyeliner, BK999: What sets this apart from other liquid eyeliners is how gentle it is! It doesn't hurt if some of it enters your eyes. Underlining using this liner is comfy.

And you know what they say: if you get one and you like it, get all the colors! These eyeliners are known for their ease of use and lasting ability. So one of the best decisions I made was to get every K-Palette pencil liners known to society:

• K-Palette 1 Day Tattoo Real Lasting Eye Pencil 24H Waterproof, Natural Brown
• K-Palette 1 Day Tattoo Real Lasting Eye Pencil 24H Waterproof, Brown Black
• K-Palette 1 Day Tattoo Real Lasting Eye Pencil 24H Waterproof, Super Black

Mascara

Foreword: what sets Japan's beauty from the other Asian beauties is the fascination with lashes. And I agree with them, because they do make a big impact! If you wanna find the best mascaras in the world for a good price, just go to any drug store in Japan. It's what Belinda Carlisle meant when she sang "Heaven Is A Place On Earth".

• Heroine Make Volume and Curl Mascara: This is the one purchase I regret not adding more. Apparently, Heroine Make is no longer sold in the Philippines. (Big heartbreak and also I'm really late to the news.) I've heard nothing but amazing reviews about Heroine Make mascara online. This will be my next investment on my next trip!
• Canmake Flaring Curl Mascara, Brown Black: No need for an eyelash curler for this one, too. Also, this is my first brown-black mascara. I like how brown-black looks in the eyes, it feels natural.

And once again, I decided to invest on one of my trusted brands: Majorca Majolica. Their royal wand, the Lash King Mascara, is my #1 go-to! It stays up and always opens my eyes a la Clockwork Orange.

• Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Edge Meister Mascara, BK999
• Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Edge Meister Mascara, BR666
• Majolica Majorca Lash King Mascara, BK999

Eyelashes

With great mascaras comes great falsies and curlers.

• Rienda Cosmetics Glamorous Eyelash, New Type B: I chose these lashes back at Takeshita. The hairs looked natural, but it had that volume I was always looking for. I like batting my eyes with them falsies. Hihi.
• Koji Eyelash Fix White: Just wanted to find a glue that will help my lashes stick together. This was the most affordable one I can get.
• Shiseido Maquillage Edge Free Eyelash Curler: Initially I wanted to buy the actual Shiseido eyelash curler. But the Shiseido rep at Tsuhura Drug Store in Namba specified that non-Japanese eyes get the Maquillage eyelash curler instead. Oh well! At least I got a Maquillage item, which is pretty rare to find in the PH.
• Shu Uemura x Takashi Murakami Cosmic Black Premium Curler: Another brand leavingthe PH is Shu Uemura. I've always heard about how wonderful their eyelash curlers are, so this was the big boss of Japanese makeup. Nothing feels more powerful than acquiring this.

I also bought some curler pad refills. I had a bad past with losing them or mismatching the curlers with the lashes, so I took 3 (+1 that came along for free)!

The Shu Uemura curler I got was pretty special. It was a collab between Shu Uemura and Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. The moment you see his trademark flower, you can't unsee it anywhere you go. I immediately recognized the flowers when I came across them at the YOD x Kogure booth in Art Fair Philippines!

Why Japanese Makeup?

One reason before I get complicated: packaging is very friendly. They won't hurt your feelings, your brain, or your fingers.

Every girl (and some guys) invest in makeup because it does wonders. But Japanese makeup is really good for the long run. Not only is the quality amazing, but it's also affordable! Yes! Drug store makeup in Japan is quality. There's a catch though: you gotta go to Japan. Or at least know someone in Japan who can ship them to you. Why? Taxes make such a huge difference in Japanese makeup. This is so true, especially in Southeast Asia.

Do you wanna know more? Keep tabs, because in the entry's Part Two I'll break down some of the products prices.

I bought my Japanese makeup at the following drug stores: Tsuruha Sennichimae  near Namba Station in Osaka, and Matsumoto Kiyoshi along Takeshita Street in Harajuku, Tokyo.