Job Discussion Forums

NicolaM · Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 6 Location: Glasgow

Hiya

I know this is trivial but any comments people may have would be gratefully received!

I'm moving out to Japan in June and am trying to figure out what I need to bring with me. Various other posts have been really useful on this but I still have a couple of queries.

How easy is it to buy cosmetics in Japan, particularly items like foundation/powder/fake tan, for non-Asian skin tones? Do I need to stock up beforehand? On this theme, are there any toiletry/make up items that people suggest I bring with me as they prove to be impossible to find?

I know this will probably hold little interest for some of you viewing, sorry about that!

If anyone can has any suggestions - let me know!

Nic

Vince · Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 559 Location: U.S.

As a guy, I don't know anything about makeup. But I do know that makeup is huge in Japan, and you can probably get whatever you need. I have a feeling it's quite expensive in Japan. If you're attached to a certain kind of makeup, you can order it online. Shipping charges can be expensive, but you can defray that by finding other women to order with you.

wintersweet · Posted: Mon May 09, 2005 4:37 pm Post subject: Re: A question for the girls

Lynn · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 696 Location: in between

The tan-in-a-can stuff might be hard to find. And even you do find it, I'd suggest brining your favorite with you since it's so hard to find a brand/color you like.

As for make-up, I found that Japanese make up came in a wide variety. I was very satisfied with Japanese shampoo, body soap (great fragrances, very light and fresh) toothpaste, tampons (o.b. type also available and very good) pantyliners, deodorant (again very light and fresh). Make up remover.

Hair dye, you might want to bring from home. If you like waxing yourself, I"d also bring that from home.

freddie's friend daniel · Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 84 Location: Osaka-fu

I'm not much of a make-up gal (slides straight off your face here in summer anyways) but I always come back to Japan armed with enough deodorant/ antiperspirant to do me until the next trip. Lynn says she's satisfied with Japanese deodorant and I agree it it very fresh, smells nice but is indeed very light. I haven't found any antiperspirants worth the name. Of course you can always order the imported necessities online from the Foreign Buyers Club but you seem to have to buy in bulk and it's pretty pricey.

I'm also not much of a beach baby but I have always disliked Japanese suncream. It's quite good stuff in that it protects well but I have found that it doesn't rub in well and has a tendency to sit on your skin in a rather unfetching white layer. Sun-worshippers might disagree with me on this one because I haven't been to a beach in years and haven't used this stuff in a while.

By the way, Lynn...

jojoebi · Joined: 04 Apr 2005 Posts: 14 Location: japan

I haven't found any decent Japanese deodrant and always stock up when I go home. I don't wear much make up and have very sensitive skin but I haven't had any problems with anything I have bought in Japan. The only semi decent tampons I have found are Unicharm and without going into too much detail, if you need 'super' bring them with you.
For suncream, I find that Japanese stuff better than the stuff at home because the SPF tends to be very high, I am very pale and burn easily. Sad

Celeste · Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 10:24 am Post subject:

Japanese sunscreen gets my vote. I especially like the biore brand for watersports. I have not found any tan in a bottle here. Face powder and foundation are not bad, but I have a slightly sallow skin tone- if you are very pink, you might want to bring your own. Deoderant- hmmm - I ended up giving in and buying a SHIPLOAD from foreign buyers club- I'm leaving soon - anyone want to buy some deoderant????? Laughing

I find that you have to watch a lot of skin care products very carefully because they have "whitening" in them. THis is skin bleach, and it may not be to your liking. I bought some moisturizer that had whitening properties, and I guess I didn't rub it in very evenly because I was left with blotchy whitish patches on my skin.

NicolaM · Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 6 Location: Glasgow

Cheers for all the comments - think I'll just bring enough of what I use to last awhile - will have to ask my mum nicely if she will send out parcels every so often!

On the skin bleach/whitening front - thats a bit scary isn't it! Will defo keep an eye out for that!

Ta

worlddiva · Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 4:56 pm Post subject:

Hey NicolaM,

Definitely bring deodorant, lots of it.

Toothpaste too. Oh yeah and dental floss!

Shaving cream is ridiculously expensive here, bring some of that too. I wish I would have. Paying 850yen for a travel size can of women's shaving cream is just ridiculous.

I wear MAC make-up which is difficult to find here unless you are in a big city and it is very expensive. However, I hear that japanese cosmetics are of good quality and reasonably priced. I was surprised to see a lot of the same brands as back home like: Maybelline, Revlon, Lancome, Clinique, Max Factor, L'oreal, Guerlain, etc. I wouldn't worry about the makeup too much unless you are a die hard fan of 1 brand, like me.

One thing I would stress is bring your own moisturizer. I have very sensitive skin and can only wear specific brands. I couldn't find Guinot here, so I wound up buying Avene. I paid 4000yen for one little tube of moisturizer. Keep in mind that if you don't read Japanese and can't communicate what you are looking for, it is difficult to find a replacement for your usual products.

Biore is everywhere and cheaper than back home, so you always have that.

As for waxing, why bother bringing your own stuff, there is an esthetician on every corner. Although, I haven't actually been to one here.

There is also a Body Shop in my small town!

Bring self-tanner if that is something you use.

Whatever you do, just bring all your supplies for at least 1 month, this way you won't have to stress about it right away. Trying to decifer what everything in a drugstore is when you first get here is quite stressful.

As for haircolor, the hair salons here are excellent. I wouldn't bother. I showed up with brown hair that had been previously colored. They bleached it, put 2 tone blond highlights in it and gave me a nice cut all for 12,000yen. Cheaper than back home even!

Make sure to bring sunscreen too.

In short, bring everything you need for 1 month and have someone from home mail you the rest.

Good luck, have fun packing.

Dominique · Joined: 26 Aug 2004 Posts: 141 Location: Juso, Osaka

I rarely wear makeup, but I bought Lancome stuff and I've been using it here.

The prices are the same as in Canada, well for Lancome that is.

easyasabc · Joined: 13 Jul 2003 Posts: 179 Location: Japan

I agree with what some others said on make re: if you have a certain brand or producrt that you like then it might be best to bring it with you. I personally always wear Elizabrth Arden foundation and that is very hard to get in Japan (used to be available more readily but not anymore).

It may also depend on what kind of skin type you have. I have dry skin and tried a couple of Japanese brands of foundation when mine ran low and they always seemed very dry and powdery which wasn't good for my skin.

I used Body Shop products while I was in Japan and that was easy but once again they don't always have the same products that you might find in Body Shop back home.

One thing I recommend BIG TIME once you get to Japan is buying the Media brand lip liner pencils because tey are fantastic. They are only about 400-500 yen but they are the best I've ever used. I stocked up before I left and I'm going to do the same when I go back to visit.

ToraGal · Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Posts: 24

Definetly bring deoderant, and contact solution!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can not stress this enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree body shop is available in the cities...

Remember, their goal is to look very very pale... sooo they have alot of whitening products... but i bought cover girl there in less pale tones.

they have alot of fun products tho... lip gloss and all that girly stuff!

have fun!

cevanne · Joined: 03 Mar 2005 Posts: 36 Location: Osaka, Japan

Depending on your skin tone I would recommend bringing foundation as well. I am super pale and even the palest of japanese women are not as pale as me Smile

So, I'm glad I brought my foundation. Also deodorant/anti-perspirant. Japanese deodorant is not quite the same - it's quite light. Everything else you can find. Sometimes its cheap and sometimes its not!

J. · Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 327

I would second what the last poster said about makeup tones. They are too dark for me. Most of the lines do not have the lightest 2 or 3 shades we can find in North America. I think one, Cezanne, that I can think of does have a light creamy cover-up, but can't find much in liquids or powders.

There are no light natural hair colours here in the country. They are either browns or total bleaches without toners which leaves you with orange hair. Also the developer in hair colours is ammonia I think which will destroy delicate hair. If you use colour in blonde tones, be prepared to pay a lot at the salon or get it sent from home.