This might be old-ish news to you if you're an avid follower of beauty news but - yay! Canmake Tokyo, one of the top drugstore brands in Japan, is finally here in the Philippines. They've had an online counter over at Glamourbox for a few months now, but it's only recently that they set up a brick and mortar location in Glorietta 2, inside Somera.

When I went to Tokyo and Hong Kong last year, every beauty drug store I visited had Canmake. It's impossible to miss: the bright pink logo and collaterals, the cute little princess-themed makeup. And the price! It's very affordable. I'm happy to report that the prices here are almost the same as abroad, with the product selling for as low as P390 and at most, P680 (for the BB cream/bases). 

Recap: last November, I was invited to visit the Shiseido Factory in Kakegawa, Japan. The first part involved a visit to the test facility for raw materials - I saw how Shiseido is currently studying how best to produce their own ingredients. They've built a self-contained unit where they can design the most beneficial environment to grow plants, and hopefully branch out to farming them in bulk in the near future!

We've seen their plans, but this time I'll give you a general view of what they currently make and how they make it in the Kakegawa factory. I don't have a lot of pictures since some areas are naturally restricted, but I figured I can still tell you what I saw.

After the tour of the test facility, Jen (the brand manager of Shiseido Philippines) and I were ushered into a lecture room. Here, two kind ladies gave us a presentation about the factory. They also did some demos on how foundation is made!

So how does Shiseido come up with its awesome beauty products? First, they research and develop new technologies. What do the customers need? How can they better improve on what they already make? Once that's been determined and formulated in their dedicated research centers, the products are tested by a team of experts. Shiseido, as far as I know, does not do animal testing unless required by law. Most if not all products and ingredients are evaluated on human skin. 

Once the products pass a rigorous testing system, they are manufactured in the factories and then shipped out to stores. Foundation, powder, lipstick, and eyeshadow are just some of the cosmetics produced in Kakegawa. 

I think foundation is one of the main products here. The diagram above shows how it's produced - by mixing the powder and liquid binder, placing the mixture in the compact, and then pressing it down with a heavy metal object (I didn't catch the name!). 

Here's how it looks like:

What we want to happen versus what actually happens are two completely different things. And you know what, that's perfectly fine. There are many variables in any given situation that it's difficult to predict the exact outcome. The trick is to be flexible and to adapt as quickly as possible. When life throws you lemons, you can do better than lemonade! Find a chicken then bake it with lemon sauce. 

Just don't give up, is the hardest and most important part.

Anyhoo, today I'll be reviewing a foundation that you're probably super curious about: the Naturactor Cover Face Foundation (P790 at Digital Traincase). There have been a lot of rave reviews floating around the web for some time now - is this Japanese foundation worth the hype?

It is. It is. When I first wore it, I exclaimed out loud: "Seriously? This is intense!" I can't believe the ultra-smooth, baby skin finish! I've never tried a foundation with this kind of finish before. The cream felt thin and light, yet it has medium to heavy coverage. It sets into a powdery layer so I doubt that I'd even need a finishing powder. 

Another item I got from the We Have It 43 store is this well-raved mascara called the Majolica Majorca Lash Expander (P750). Majolica Majorca is a Japanese brand, a low-end line of Shiseido (the way Kate is the drugstore line of Kanebo). I've been reading about this mascara for years, but since Majolica Majorca isn't available in the Philippines, I can only wonder! Good thing the We Have It 43 store, well, has it.

I find this mascara deserving of all the rave reviews - it does bring my pudgy lashes to such great heights, never before known! Check out the Makeupalley rating at 4.3/5. It has one major caveat for me, however: it's extremely difficult to remove.

What I love about the product

• Majorly lengthens and volumizes lashes with only one coat. Two coats and you'll look like you're wearing falsies. It's because the formula has these tiny fiber hairs that helps thicken and bridge your natural lash hairs.
• Zero smudging. It's also waterproof, tear-proof, and sweat-proof. 

One coat