Packaging of eye patch from Biore (front view)

If steam heated eye masks are not your thing and you prefer something cooler for your eyes, then I think I might just have the right product for you. These individual packaged gel like eye patches from Biore, a large cosmetics company in Japan, offers a great alternative.

Instructions on the back of the eye patch packaging is self explanatory. The picture tells you where to place your eye patches.

I normally put these eye patches under my eyes like shown on the packaging (see picture) after I put on my eye cream at night.  Then I sleep with it on for 6-8 hours and I really see a difference in the morning.  Somehow the coolness of the eye patches make my eyes look smoother and hydrated in the morning.  It maximizes the absorption of my eye cream too.

The top side is felt material and the bottom side is gel material.

It’s a shame that Biore only sells this product in Japan. I went on their website, www.biore.com and could not find this product except on their Japanese website. I wish these Japanese companies would share more of their beauty secrets and products with the rest of the world. I really love the coolness of the gel patch under my eyes and how great I look the next day!

 I don’t know if you are like me but I’ve been having a hard time going to bed before midnight these days. My dark circles are becoming more apparent and my eyes look puffy and often dehydrated in the morning. Therefore, I was so happy to discover these STEAM HEATED EYE MASKS on my recent trip to Tokyo. 

Steam Heated Eye Masks come in a box of 5

 These Steam Heated Eye Masks come in unscented and lavender scent. I bought the lavender scent to try. 

Individual packaging makes it good for traveling.

 According to the packaging, I could use this eye mask any time from sleeping to taking a break or traveling. It is suppose to relax your tired eyes. It should have the effects of having a steam sauna on your eyes. Sounds amazing, right?

Directions on the back of the package.

 This eye mask is very easy to use. See the pictures below for demonstration. 

Lavender Scented Eye Masks

Pooh Bear demonstrating the eye masks.

Side view of the mask. The ear loops are very comfortable and should fit any face shape and size.

The two purple squares warm up once it is exposed to air, but not too hot and at a very comfortable temperature. The steam is released slowly so that I could actually feel it on my eyes and the lavender scent is so soothing and calming. I tried this eye masks right before going to bed and after applying my eye cream.  The scent and the heat made me really sleepy and I fell asleep within a few minutes. 

Conclusion:  The skin around my eyes looked refreshed and hydrated the next day. I’m definitely buying some more when I go back to Japan again.

On my most recent trip to Tokyo, I noticed these delightful BLACK Q-tips everywhere. I love how they have both a smooth end and a spiral end. Black seems to be the  “IN” color for a lot of  items including blotting tissues, toilet paper, facial masks, shampoo, toothbrush, and even their chopping boards.

Black Q-tips

Notice how they are individually packed, so I can carry them everywhere with me to retouch my makeup or on a weekend getaway. The spiral end is perfect for combing through my eyelashes and smoothing out the clumps of mascara. 

Individually packed

 Here’s a close up:

Normal and Spiral Ends

If anyone is interested in trying this, you can buy it online here for only USD 2.99.

Like so many girls, I realized how important our eyelashes are a long time ago.  The difference between having curly and straight lashes makes a dramatic difference for my eyes, since mine are not the biggest in the world.  Let’s just say that I definitely get more compliments when my lashes are all dolled up and curled, with an application of mascara.  In a way, I feel like it is my shield and sword, where it gives me more confidence to go out and face the world…lol…

Therefore, in order to achieve the perfect set of eyelashes, I have bought infinite numbers of eyelash curlers.  From Shu Uemura, heated, plastic to metal eyelash curlers, I spent countless dollars on trying to find the right one.  Right now, I have two favorites that I would like to share with you.  One is for use at home and the other is so little and convenient that I can carry it in my bag everywhere I go. 

1.  Excel Eyelash Curler

Excel Eyelash Curler (39mm)

Excel Eyelash Curler

 This 39mm eyelash curler is wide enough to capture all my eyelashes (even the ones at the corner of my eyes) at the same time.  The design of the angle of the eyelash curler allows my eyelashes to curl at a beautifully natural degree.  I curl my eyelashes twice, and I find that most effective.  The first time is before I apply mascara, and then a second time after my mascara dries.  With this technique, my eyelashes stay all curly and natural for a really long time.  The best part is that it doesn’t break my eyelashes at all.  =)

2. Compact Curler for people on the go  

Compact Curler

side view

My friend was actually the one who discovered this and recommended it to me.  I fell in love with it right away.  Even though it doesn’t capture all of my eyelashes in one squeeze, it is so compact that I can’t leave home without it now.  My eyelashes look so natural after I curl it with this.  The best part is that I can use this at the end of the day without applying new coats of mascara and my eyelashes still appears curly and natural.  This is definitely a good buy since it costs only around $5 dollars in the US.

Japan’s NHK recently interviewed 30 people off the streets and discovered that more than half of them apply their toners by lightly patting on the product using their hands. Only less than half of the consumers gently pressed their toners onto their skin. In order to discover which method is better, Japan’s NHK TV Station gently patted on toner the right side of a model’s face with their hands, and then in contrast gently pressed the toner onto the left side of the model’s face with hands. Then the research team used high tech equipment including a microscope to take a picture of the model’s face to detect the moisture level of the model’s right and left side’s face. 

The results were incredible and shocking. NHK discovered that even though they used the same toner on both sides of the model’s face the application process made a significant difference: the moisture level of the right side of the model’s face did not go up but the constant patting actually caused stress to the model’s face. Compared to the left side, the right side of the model’s face appeared darker, and had thin white lines which indicated damage of some skin cells.

Conclusion: I’m definitely pressing my toners onto my skin from now on. I really love these experiments!

There’s always a popular diet going on in different places at different times.  Asia is no different and sometimes trends are the most obvious in Japan, where the hype around an item or diet goes off the charts.  For example, last year, the most popular diet in Japan was the Morning Banana Diet which actually caused a shortage of bananas in Japan for a while!  

Now the latest diet in Japan is the Tororo Konbu Diet.  Tororo Konbu is basically shredded kelp or seaweed that is soaked in vinegar.  Tororo Konbu can be added into soup, egg rolls and different savory dishes.  This diet was first introduced in a book in July, but became really popular last month according to Japan’s Yomiuri Online.  The hype around this diet grew as a result of a Japanese female star’s successful Tororo Konbu diet story aired on Oct. 13^th on a Japanese TV program.  Since the airing of this TV program, there has been a shortage of supply of Tororo Konbu in Japan especially in the Tokyo area.  It’s one of the hardest items to find in a grocery store right now! 

I’m not sure if I’m running out to buy a pack yet, since many experts still believe that it is the long term usage of vinegar and seaweed that keeps you looking slim.  But I guess when you are desperate, anything is possible.  If you want to try it, you can buy it in the U.S. at Mitsuwa Market  or online grocery stores like Asian Food Grocer.

And here is what it is (source: http://web2.sasa.com/SasaWeb/eng/product/viewProductDetail.jspa?itemno=103563902002#):

description: Be Creation Body Double Roller is consisted of 2 rows of V-shaped rollers, which enables perfect contact with fat-prevailing areas like tummy, thighs, shank and hips.  It attacks fat by boosting metabolism for firm and slim figure.

how to use it:

• For tummy: massage in “W” movement
• For legs: massage and push in upward direction
• For hip: massage and push in upward direction

And here’s what someone said about it:

For those who frequent the huge stores of anything-you-need-in-the-beauty-category in Asia, yay!  For those of you who are not familiar with who or what the heck Sasa is, just imagine, a Sephora store, but with hair, skin care, make up products and accessories (my favorite part!) from Europe, US, AND also Japan, Korea, HK etc.  I have always wondered, with the growing interest surrounding Asian culture, and the solid Asian-American consumer base, why there wasn’t a “Sephora Asia” or something here.   Well forget my idea of “Sephora Asia”…. cuz Sasa is here, and if they continue their huge success in Asia, they’re here to stay and spread.

My favorite part of Sasa.com are actually the unique and innovatibe beauty accessories that Korea and Japan comes up with.  For example, can you guess what this is and what its purpose is?

What is this?

I’ll tell you in a few days. =)