All Posts By Aiko Ish

BEAUTYLABO Natural Black (ビューティ ラボ ホイップ ヘア カラー ナチュラルブラック) | Review

My hair was damaged due to too much bleaching, so I decided to let my black hair grow. But it doesn’t look good, especially now that my black hair roots grew longer. So I bought this Beautylabo Natural Black (ビューティ ラボ ホイップ ヘア カラー ナチュラルブラック).

BEAUTYLABO Natural Black (ビューティ ラボ ホイップ ヘア カラー ナチュラルブラック)

It is a whip-type hair coloring product that is easy to use even without assistance.

BEAUTYLABO Natural Black (ビューティ ラボ ホイップ ヘア カラー ナチュラルブラック) color result image

I was hoping to achieve the same blackness that is shown in the packaging.

BEAUTYLABO Natural Black (ビューティ ラボ ホイップ ヘア カラー ナチュラルブラック) set

The container, gloves, and after-color essence are included in the set.

Before applying it directly onto the hair, it is recommended to do a patch test to avoid any problems later on. I skipped it since I have already used a lot of hair-coloring products from Beautylabo. But if you’re unfamiliar with an ingredient, you should do a patch test.

How to Use the Beautylabo Natural Black (ビューティラボ ホイップヘアカラー ナチュラルブラック)?

BEAUTYLABO Natural Black (ビューティ ラボ ホイップ ヘア カラー ナチュラルブラック) instruction

Step 1. Pour the 2 bottles into the container and tighten the cap. Then shake firmly more than 30 times with both hands.
Step 2. Wear gloves and scoop the whip and apply it to the whole hair. Leave for 15 minutes.
Step 3. Rinse off, then shampoo and conditioner, and towel-dry hair.
Step 4. Finish with the after-color serum included in the set.

Before Application

My hair does not look good and the color is uneven.

It is very easy to apply. I bought two boxes but one is enough for the size of my hair.

After Application of Beautylabo Natural Black (ビューティ ラボ ホイップ ヘア カラー ナチュラルブラック)

It looks natural black and got the result that I wanted to achieve. My hair felt soft, thanks to the after-color serum. The serum also smells good.

Amazon Japan ships to different countries around the world.

This blog is not paid or sponsored content. 
The products you buy through my links may earn me a small commission.

MISSHA Glow Cushion Light (ミシャ グロウ クッション ライト) | Review

Posted on 0 Comments2min read122 views

Missha Glow Cushion Light (ミシャ グロウ クッション ライト) is a mask-proof cushion foundation with light coverage.

Missha glow cushion light

It is quite expensive. This costs ¥2,640 (tax included).

Missha Glow Cushion Light (ミシャ グロウ クッション ライト) is a gel-type foundation and has SPF37/PA+++.

I love the packaging! It is simple, but the gold and white combination makes it elegant.

A high-quality mirror is included.

Missha glow cushion light puff

The cushion puff is a hexagon with a smooth texture. It is not an ordinary puff.

It is stated that one touch of puff on the foundation is enough for half of the face. Apply the foundation with tapping.

Missha glow cushion light foundation

It is different from a normal puff. There is a net covering the top. They call this tension net.

This is one touch of puff on the Missha Glow Cushion Light (ミシャ グロウ クッション ライト).

This cushion foundation is a few shades lighter than my skin tone. There are only 2 shades available in the store I went to, and this is the darker one.

Before and After of Missha Glow Cushion Light

Missha glow cushion light before after

The coverage of Missha Glow Cushion Light (ミシャ グロウ クッション ライト) is light but it did well covering some of my dark spots. It made a good job covering the red areas completely. Also, there is no need for an under-eye concealer.

It minimizes the appearance of my pores. Also, it feels so comfortable that I think I am not wearing any foundation at all.

Missha Glow Cushion Light (ミシャグロウクッションライト) is one of the best cushion foundations I have tried. Though it is not completely transfer-proof, the performance is still excellent.

Amazon Japan ships to different countries around the world.

This blog is not paid or sponsored content. 
The products you buy through my links may earn me a small commission.

MISSHA Website: http://www.misshajp.com

LA ROCHE-POSAY UVIDEA Anthelios Tone-Up | Blog

La Roche-Posay UVIdea Anthelios sunscreens have a good reputation here in Japan. When you search the internet for good sunscreen here, those will be on the list.

I’ve been wanting to try La Roche-Posay UVIdea Anthelios sunscreens but they are not cheap. And when I saw these trial sizes, I bought these immediately so I could try them before buying a full size.

“Tone-Up Light” is for sensitive skin visibly brightens skin and corrects its color disorders.
“Tone-Up Clear” visibly illuminates skin and enhances complexion and smoothness.
“Tone-Up Rosy” visibly brightens skin and enhances the complexion.

✧ Tone-up light and clear have the same shade but different textures.
✧ Light is thicker than clear.
✧ Rose has a pink shade.

✧ The sunscreens don’t leave a sticky feeling.
✧ They don’t have a scent.

My Experience | La Roche-Posay UVIdea Review

ROSY: It lightens and smoothens my skin. It has a glossy finish.
CLEAR: Smoothens skin and give a bit of vibrance.
LIGHT: It’s like the Rosy but lighter finish.

All the sunscreens made my skin oily after a few hours. I’m not sure if these will fit those with oily skin. But when I used these with makeup, it improves the finish and the quality of the foundation.

Amazon Japan ships to different countries around the world.

This blog is not paid or sponsored content. 
The products you buy through my links may earn me a small commission.

VT CICA X HYALON Pro Cica Clear Spot Patch (シカ スポット パッチ) | Review

I noticed new pimples on my face. So I went to a department store to find acne patches but didn’t manage to buy anything because all are expensive. On my way home, I stopped at a convenience store to buy something and I found this VT Cica x Hyalon Pro Cica Clear Spot Patch (シカ スポット パッチ).

VT Cica x Hyalon Pro Cica Clear Spot Patch (シカ スポット パッチ) is cheaper than most of the spot patches in the department store. It is less than ¥500 and contains 18 patches.

The patches are sealed inside the packaging.

The size of the patches is just right for a normal-sized pimple or acne. If it is cystic acne, I doubt that this will cover it all.

How to use VT CICA X HYALON Pro Cica Clear Spot Patch (シカ スポット パッチ)

  1. After washing your face, wipe face to remove water.
  2. Take one patch and apply it on your acne.
  3. Leave it for 8 to 12 hours.

I applied the patches overnight and left them for 12 hours.

The moment I applied the patch in this pimple, it felt itchy that I wanted to scratch it, but I restraint myself. Amazingly, the next morning, the pimple is gone.

This is still not ready but I still put a patch because it was a little painful. When I removed it the next day, it calmed. When I washed my face, the white part came out.

Amazon Japan ships to different countries around the world.

This blog is not paid or sponsored content. 
The products you buy through my links may earn me a small commission.

BEAUTY AVENUE Real Gel Nail Seal – Girly Glitter Pink (ビューティーアベニュー ジェルネイルシール ガーリーグリッターピンク) | Blog

This blog is about Beauty Avenue Real Gel Nail Seal – Girly Glitter Pink (ビューティーアベニュー ジェルネイルシール ガーリーグリッターピンク). It is an instant gel nail art in a form of a sticker.

Honestly, I am not a fan of pricey nail stickers, but this was on sale so I thought of giving it a try.

Beauty Avenue Real Gel Nail Seal (ビューティーアベニュー ジェルネイルシール) is a raw gel seal that hardens when pasting. It has cured liquid gel by about 35% with patented technology and is very easy to put on and off. 

 Beauty Avenue Real Gel Nail Seal - Girly Glitter Pink (ビューティーアベニュー ジェルネイルシール ガーリーグリッターピンク) Set

The set includes nail stickers, a mini nail file, a wood stick, and an instruction manual.

There are 24 nail stickers.

The stickers are so pretty especially the gold with a transparent heart.

How to Use Beauty Avenue Real Gel Nail Seal (ビューティーアベニュー ジェルネイルシール)

You should choose a nail sticker that is quite smaller than the nail you are going to apply with. Peel it off from the other side of the cuticle line.

Paste the nail sticker at least 1 mm from the cuticle.

Remove excess with the nail file included in the set.

There are 3 ways to treat the Real Gel Nail Seal (ビューティーアベニュー ジェルネイルシール) sticker:

  1. Let it stay overnight.
  2. By the natural light for 2 hours.
  3. By using a UVLed Light for 30 seconds.
 Beauty Avenue Real Gel Nail Seal - Girly Glitter Pink (ビューティーアベニュー ジェルネイルシール ガーリーグリッターピンク) on nails

The seals look so pretty. This is perfect for busy women who love nail art but are too busy to go to the salon.

When you want to remove it, push it off with the wooden stick starting from the cuticles. And you can also remove it with your fingers.

Amazon Japan ships to different countries around the world.

This blog is not paid or sponsored content. 
The products you buy through my links may earn me a small commission.

JAPAN Driving License Exam Questions and Answers (Reviewer) – Part 1 [Honmen] [Futsuu]

Japan Driving License Exam Practice Test (Part 1)

Please grab a pen and paper and write down your answers. The answers and explanations are on the next page. (True or False)

  1. The traffic enforcer is making a hand signal that is different from the traffic light, but I proceeded to follow the traffic light signal.
  2. Obeying traffic rules is the basis for safe passage on roads, but if you are confident in your driving skills that you will not cause an accident, you do not need to obey.
  3. When passing a school bus that is stopped for loading and unloading, you can pass without slowing down if you will leave a space of 1.5 meters or more.
  4. It is very dangerous to drive while using a mobile phone, so you should turn off your mobile phone in advance or turn it to drive mode so it won’t ring.
  5. When entering a gas station facing the road, you must proceed slowly when crossing the roadside or the sidewalk regardless of whether there are pedestrians or none.
  6. Overtaking is prohibited near the top of an uphill slope and steep downhill slope.
  7. The pavement marking below indicates the end of “no u-turn”.
image for Japan Driver's License Practice Test question 7
  1. The road sign below indicates “one way” and vehicles aren’t allowed to proceed in the opposite direction of the arrow.
image for Japan Driver's License practice test number 8
  1. At an uncontrolled intersection where roads have the same width (except when traveling on a priority road or a roundabout,) when there is a tram or a vehicle that is coming from the right side, you must not impede their passage.
  2. If you are going to make a left turn in an intersection, you must proceed to the leftmost lane.
image for Japan Driver's License practice test number 10
  1. On a road with two lanes going in the same direction, slower vehicles must proceed on the left lane and faster vehicles on the right lane.
  2. Vehicles are prohibited from crossing the center line into the part of the road on the right regardless of road conditions or traffic.
  3. When you step on the brake pedal, the brake is good when it feels soft (like stepping on a sponge.)
  4. Automobile inspection certificates, compulsory insurance certificates, and other important certificates and documents should be kept at home when driving, to avoid losing.
  5. When there is a stopped school bus for the purpose of loading and unloading, you must stop behind it and wait for it to move.

CLICK HERE for the answers and explanations.

Procedures for Getting a Driver’s License in Japan (Futsuu 普通)

Here in this blog, I am going to share the procedures for getting a driver’s license in Japan These are all based on what I had experienced. I graduated from a driving school, so these procedures may be different from those who are taking the actual driving exam directly.

procedures for getting a driver's license in Japan featured photo

To get a driving license you must be 18 years of age during the examination day.
Those who have their license denied, on hold, or revoked won’t be able to proceed if they are still on probation. Also, those who have a temporarily suspended license due to violations can’ proceed.

First Step. Go to the license center in your prefecture and bring all the requirements. Check the page of your licensing center for the list of the requirements and testing hours.

My license center was in Makuhari and I went there before 7 am. The gates are still closed at that time and I was the first there. But when the gates are open, people started to come and suddenly became crowded. I was glad I came early.

The requirements I brought are; juuminhyo or residence certificate with my honseki(domicile) stated and my “my number” is not shown, picture (30mm x 24mm) taken within 6 months, my gentsuki(moped) driving license, and karimen(student’s driving license). If you are a foreigner, a residence card is needed.

Second Step. When you go inside, go to the window where you are going to receive your form. I skipped that window since the school where I graduated already provided the forms.

Third Step. Go to the ticket counter to buy the tickets for the exam. You can also buy the tickets for the processing of the license in advance, so you won’t have to go back to the ticket counter in case you pass. And then, fill up your form. Attach the tickets for the exam and your picture.

Fourth Step. Go to the examinees’ line and prepare your requirements. The staff will look at your requirements while you are all in line. They will give you a stub that you must keep for a while. Take care not to lose it.

Fifth Step. Proceed to the test room. You will still have time to review, so use your time wisely. The staff will announce when the test will begin. They will also tell how to fill up your test sheets. Listen carefully. Relax and double-check your answers if you still have time.

The total points of the examination are 100 points, and you need to have at least 90 points to pass.

Sixth Step. Go to the lobby and wait for the results. In the lobby there are monitors. If your number is there, you passed. If you failed, follow the procedures that the staff will tell.

After Passing the Exam

Seventh Step. Your number will be called and you have to return the stub that was given to you before the exams. Fall in line for the aptitude test.

Eight Step. Aptitude Test. They will test your eyesight. There is also a color test. Wear your glasses or contact lenses when needed.

Ninth Step. Paste the tickets for processing and pass the forms. They will give you a ticket where your pin is stated and a stub that you will give later on.

Tenth Step. Go back to the second floor and go to the receiving room. Wait until the licenses are ready.

Eleventh Step. Keep the ticket with your pin and take care of it. Give the stub to the person in charge in exchange for your driving license. Also, surrender your karimen and other driving licenses if you have any.

Twelfth Step. Check your license in the machine with your pin.

These are all the procedures for getting a driver’s license in Japan based on what I had experienced.

This blog is not paid or sponsored content. 

SUNCUT Tone-Up UV Essence Lavender (サンカット トーンアップUV エッセンス ) | Review

Suncut Tone-Up UV Essence (サンカット トーンアップUV エッセンス) is a sunscreen used for the face and the body. I started using this product a few years ago and still repeating it. It is my favorite sunscreen for my body.

This costs ¥812 and contains 80 grams.

The limited edition Rapunzel design is super cute. This lavender sunscreen is good for yellow-based skin tones.

I use Suncut Tone-Up UV Essence (サンカット トーンアップUV エッセンス) only for my neck and body, not on my face. My face is picky regarding sunscreen and this product kind of clogged my pores. But some users say that this is also a great foundation base.

What I love about Suncut Tone-Up UV Essence (サンカット トーンアップUV エッセンス) is that, after it settles on your skin, the stickiness will subside and it brightens your skin. But when I am applying it, I am extra careful because it leaves a stain on my clothes.

The consistency is light, unlike the typical sunscreen. It is waterproof so I think it could be used for swimming.

The brightening effect is minimal which I like. It can be easily removed by soap.

Amazon Japan ships to different countries around the world.

This blog is not paid or sponsored content. 
The products you buy through my links may earn me a small commission.

SUNCUT’s Website: https://www.suncut-uv.com/

YOLU Calm Night Repair Hair Care Set | Blog

Posted on 0 Comments3min read345 views

I’ve been eyeing Yolu products since I saw them on social media. Many Japanese say that these YOLU Calm Night Repair Hair Care products are excellent and a must-try, but they are expensive. So when I saw this set, I bought it immediately and was able to save more than ¥1000.

Yolu calm night repair haircare set

The packaging is undeniably cute and attractive.

This hair care set focus on friction damage at night and also night care for the scalp. The products contain night ceramide and nemunoki bark extract for impressive and shiny hair the following day with a dense intensive repair.

The Yolu shampoo and conditioner cost ¥1,540 each.

These products take good care of hair damage caused by color, perm, etc. These contain 18-MEA1 and CMC-like repair ingredients that make up the cuticle and densely repair the hair’s tip. Also, Pentabytin, a moisturizing ingredient that is hard to be washed away, moisturizes and replenishes moisture to the hair’s core.

Yolu calm night repair haircare set

The shampoo and the conditioner have the same scent, which is very calm. It is not overpowering and won’t mess with your mood at night. The scent is peony, lavender, and neroli floral scent. The hair oil scent is fresh and deep geranium fruit-based aromas such as bergamot and blackcurrants.

YOLU Calm Night Repair Haircare products are silicone-free, paraben-free, mineral oil-free, and synthetic colorant-free.

How to Use

Pre-wash with hot water of about 38 degrees Celsius before shampooing. Take an appropriate amount of shampoo in your hand, lather it, and then go to your hair. Wash the scalp gently like a massage. Rinse thoroughly for 2 to 4 minutes. Squeeze out the water on your hair. Apply conditioner, avoiding the scalp, and blend it from the tip of the hair to the top. Leave it for 3 to 5 minutes and let it penetrate the hair. Rinse off from the scalp to the tip of the hair. Gentle towel-dry your hair. Stretch an appropriate amount well in the palm of your hand. Apply it to the entire hair, centering on the tip of the hair (no need to be washed off). Brush your hair with a comb or hand gesture and dry it with a hair dryer.

My Experience

The scent of YOLU Calm Night Repair Haircare products doesn’t mess up my mood at night. Some hair products’ scents are too strong that they keep me awake at night. Also, my sensitive scalp approves and did not feel any itchiness.

The shampoo foams well and feels relaxing while doing massage on my scalp. The conditioner is easy to spread.

When it comes to the effect on my hair, it feels smooth. My hair still feels smooth, shiny, and manageable after I wake up in the morning.

Amazon Japan ships to different countries around the world.

This blog is not paid or sponsored content. 
The products you buy through my links may earn me a small commission.

DAISO Electric Hot Eyelash Curler | Blog

Posted on 0 Comments1min read188 views

This Daiso Electric Hot Eyelash Curler looks promising so I grabbed one to try. Also, it just costs ¥200 plus tax which is very cheap for a product like this. Other brands might be over ¥1,000.

It does not look cheap at all. The quality of the materials feels good.

Two triple a batteries are needed for this to work. Good thing we still have stocks in the cabinet.

After a few seconds of turning it on, the red heat pad turned clear, indicating heating.

When the pad was completely white, I started using it. At first, I was quite afraid that it would burn me but it didn’t.

It is not the best curler but the effect is good. With just one push, my eyelashes went up.

After using this Daiso Electric Hot Eyelash Curler, I use my regular curler to curl it more.

Amazon Japan ships to different countries around the world.

This blog is not paid or sponsored content. 
The products you buy through my links may earn me a small commission.