MatsuKiyo Haul -}

The closest drug store to me is Matsumoto Kiyoshi (MatsuKiyo for short), and I am so thankful. It's stocked with everything from beauty products to Cup of Noodles to milk and butter, so I'm there quite often.

However since starting this blog (a whole week ago), I've started spending a lot more time in their beauty section (which is pretty impressive given the size, I have to say) testing products and playing researching.

And if you sign up for a points card, every month you get a coupon for around 10% of beauty products (as well as 15% off of medicinal stuff, and 5% of food). So I thought I'd do a bit of shopping when I received my coupon this month.

 I picked up a new liquid black eye-liner, Deja-Vu 24 Hour liner, Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Eraser, and Black Charcoal Face Wash.

I've been really wanting to try a 'pore eraser' primer recently and the Maybelline one was one of the top ranked products from MatsuKiyo, so that went in my basket. I also am needing a new black liquid eyeliner, and while I liked my 24 Hour Tattoo liner, I thought I'd give the Deja-Vu a try. Plus it's got a interesting stiff felt pen style applicator, so that should be interesting. Look for reviews on those two products in the next few weeks.

The last product is a charcoal foaming face wash, Black Charcoal (黒い炭）. I really like this as a body wash for areas that tend to get gunky and break out (especially in summer). And it's only Y400, so I think it's a great bargain. I've been meaning to pick up a new tube for ages, and finally remembered the other night.

Anyway, does it count as a haul if there are only three products? Maybe?

What products are you eyeing at the drugstore right now? Or are you saving up for a big splurge?

Winter Moisturizer -}

For years I'd been tackling my skin problems with the assumption I had 'oily' or 'oily/combination' skin. Until one day a friend said, “You might have dry skin. Here try this moisturiser this winter.”

It was life changing.

LIFE. CHANGING.

Okay, so my skin's still not perfect. But now my problem spots are more from my diet (cheese is just a thing that has to happen, okay?) and hormones (hello, monthly spots) as opposed to just generally unhealthy skin.

Naturon Emollient Cream is amazing. It's thick and moisturising without feeling greasy or heavy. It works really well in the dry winter, between the windy, frigid outdoors, and the moisture sucking heat of the inside (well, the buildings that have heat anyway). Even after biking around to schools my lips might feel chapped but my face never does.

My only grip with the product is I have never seen it in stores. I always have to buy it on Amazon, which really only takes like 72 hours between purchase and delivery, but it'd be really nice to be able to just pop out and grab it when I needed it.

What's your favorite winter moisturiser? What would you recommend?

Introduction-}

Maybe I'm obsessed with make-up. Maybe not. (I'm leaning to a solid yes.)But I'm definitely obsessed with beauty videos on You-Tube. So when two of my favorite beauty bloggers/gurus/idols/whatever Anna and Lily Pebbles posted their new series of tips & tricks for starting a beauty blog, I watched without any real intent of ever using the tips (why? I don't know, I had a lot of time on my hands over winter vacation, okay - don't judge). However their biggest piece of advice stuck with me and I soon had wheels turning in my head.

"Make a blog that you would want to read."

And so far, that I'm aware of (correct me if I'm wrong, PLEASE), no one has made a beauty blog for white women in Japan. Because Japan, I love you, I do. But buying make-up is so incredibly hard here!

So this is me taking their very good advice and making a blog that I'd want to read. A blog about how to buy make-up in Japan. For women with very pale Caucasian skin (and hair).

If you have any tips & tricks on buying make-up in Japan (or Asia) let me know in the comments! Talk to you soon!