The beauty products to buy AND not to buy in Japan (2023)
I’ve been to Japan about 12 times now and I’m planning to visit again sometime soon. Let me tell you that it’s a massive understatement when I say I’m excited to be back post-pandemic. It’s my favorite place in the world! I love the food, the parks, the fashion and of course, the shopping. First place I’d go to is Shimokitazawa for the vintage stores and cool cafes.
That being said, I know many of us who are traveling to Japan can get overwhelmed by all the options there is when it comes to shopping for beauty products. We’ve written a story about where to shop in Tokyo for skincare and cosmetics here and here, if you needed a guide. But what about the specific products to buy?
I’d start of this list with what NOT to buy. In the last few years, many cult favorite Japanese beauty products have become available in the Philippines through official distributors. Yes, they are slightly more expensive to buy here by roughly 100-200 pesos on average but in my opinion, it’s not worth the luggage space if you can find the product here. It’s just opportunity cost: if I load up on stuff I can buy in the Philippines anyway, that means I can’t indulge in what’s truly hard to find. But that’s just me ha! If you do want to save some money then by all means buy in Japan.
Here are the Japanese brands that are available in the Philippines as of this writing:
Himawari
Ichikami
K-Palette
Koh Gen Do
Lucido-L
Lululun
Momo Puri
Naive
Saborino
Shiseido
SK-II
Anessa
Baby Foot
Bifesta
Biore
Canmake
Clé de Peau Beauté
Cure
Fuwarie
Hada Labo
Hadabisei
Heavy Rotation
Heroine Make
Most of the cult favorite products by the J-beauty brands are carried by their Philippine distributor. For example, the K-Palette eyebrow pen, Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen in the gold bottle, Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence, Heroine Make mascara, Saborino masks, and Momo Puri toner are all easily available in the PH.
And now, for what to actually buy once you’re in Japan! These brands are still not officially available here and it makes sense to buy abroad since it’s cheaper than parallel importers and small resellers.
Drugstore Shiseido Eyelash Curler. In Japan, Shiseido has a drugstore counterpart called Integrate with more affordable cosmetics. Under it is their iconic Eyelash Curler that is way, way less expensive than the actual Shiseido brand curler. I have both and I honestly can’t tell the difference! Hoard four of this and you’ll be set for the next 10 or 20 years depending on how well you take care of your tools. And oh, for the love of god, stock up on the refill curler pads. Just throw them in. Don’t think about it.
DHC Deep Cleansing Oil. This is a fantastic oil cleanser for not a lot of money. It’s olive oil-based but it’s not so thick and it washes off completely. It can take off the toughest, thickest, most waterproof products. I like getting the smaller 50ml bottle from the airport too because it’s handy for traveling.
Chacott Finishing Powder. Chacott is actually an old Japanase company that has a ballet studio and sells ballet gear, but they’ve also branched out to makeup specifically formulated to last through intense dance performances. I’ve tried and loved their Finishing Powder - so good for oily skin! I also liked their liquid foundation/bb cream type base.
Anything Shu Uemura. Shu Uemura left the Philippines many years ago and we’ve been missing out on all their fabulous innovations. Still, their cult faves like the Hard Formula Eyebrow Pencil, Cleansing Oil, and Eyelash Curler are must-haves for a reason. Grab them at the airport for an even bigger discount.
Rhoto Melano Anti-Spot CC. I haven’t personally tried this but I’ve seen to many raves about this one! It’s also hard to miss in any J-beauty store because it’s so popular. It has vitamin C to help brighten spots.
Rhoto Lycee Eye Drops. If you have bleary-looking eyes from too many sleepless nights, these eye drops from Rhoto can help make your eyeballs look clear again. I know, that is a weird flex to have, but it just works. There’s a bit of a minty feel to it which might also sound weird at first, but it feels refreshing.
Dolly Wink Eyelashes and Eyeliner. Dolly Wink is very similar to Heroine Make’s products, so if I had to choose I would go for Heroine Make’s mascaras and eyeliners, which are available in PH. But Dolly Wink false eyelashes are famous because they are light yet dramatic, and perfectly fit on Asian eyes.
Majolica Majorca Mascara. Arguably one of the best in the world! It’s comparable to Heroine Make in terms of quality. No need to wear falsies anymore!
And that’s it for now. If I missed any brands, please feel free to add them here! I might make another post with some new finds after my Japan trip. Let me know if you’d like to see that.
