A student at Tokyo University who also happens to be a lover of cosmetics. Ruka indulges in Japanese, American, and Korean cosmetics. She's also a great hip hop dancer to boot!
Amongst all the different beauty products in the market today, there are makeup staples that I must incorporate into my daily routine. Without further ado, here are my top 5 favorite J-beauty affordable drugstore products I recommend for you all to try!
This is my go-to eyeshadow for the pop of color to my eyes. This eyeshadow also does not create any fall out and the color payoff is amazing.
This is a great puchipura item and the quality is not different from luxury brands. Single eye color has 36 colors so you can absolutely find your favorite color. My favorite color is 008 SUNDRESS. This is a color that is a mixed coral pink with orange which also includes fine glitter. This color compliments my skin tone and brightens my eyes; enhancing my look.
When I use this primer, my makeup doesn’t get messed up no matter how much I sweat. I take dance classes on the regular, so I can attest to the sweat test of this base!
This makeup base creates a smooth surface on my skin for absorbing serums and putting on liquid or powder foundation without it running off. This makeup base has two types of colors; pink and blue. I use both interchangeably for balancing my yellowish skin tone. The blue base helps brighten dull skin and glow, while the pink one makes the skin tone more balanced and consistent.
From my experience of using CEZANNE’S makeup base, I felt no need to buy a more expensive primer. The effect of this base works well for the price point compared to more expensive brands. This makes it an excellent option for those who are looking for an affordable and effective primer base!
This facemask is not a sebum, but a skin lotion. This means that the facemask is soaked in a moisturizing lotion essence that has a light consistency and is easily absorbed by the skin. It has a more watery consistency rather than a thick oily one, so it can also be used before makeup!
The main LuLuLun series has 3 types. The pink one is a “balance moisture type”, blue one is a “high moisture type” and white one is a “refresh and glow type”. I always use the balance moisture type (pink one) to maintain smooth and hydrated skin.
Before I used this mask, I was applying two different types of lotion for my daily skincare routine; yet my skin had still been drying. Since using this mask, my dry skin has been in control and moisturized. I always put this on my face for 10 ~ 20 minutes after taking a shower. The mask's essence is more easily absorbed because your pores are usually loosened after a warm shower. This is a skin care item with awesome value for its price and effectiveness. So that's why I love this face mask!
Heroine make is famous for mascara. Many Japanese celebs, Youtubers and influencers use this mascara. Heroine make has six types of mascara in total. There are two super waterproof types, long & curl types and volume & curl mascara types. My favorite one is the volume type since it works so well to give me voluminous lashes.
I have used many mascaras which are described as “ waterproof”, but I can’t find a mascara that is better than heroine make’s mascara. This is indeed a super strong waterproof mascara. No matter how much I sweat and get my lashes wet, this mascara doesn’t run. However, since this mascara works so well in the waterproof department, it makes it harder to remove mascara with regular makeup remover. So for that, we need a remover dedicated to mascara.
This is an absolute must-use item for when I take hip-hop dance lessons or go to the beach.
My favorite No.1 J-beauty product is Heroine make’s remover dedicated to mascara!
Now this is the mascara remover that I was talking about earlier. This can easily and perfectly remove mascara no matter how strong and waterproof it is. I use this remover everyday even if I don’t use a waterproof mascara. Usually when we remove mascara, we may have to apply harsh pressure on our eyelashes to remove all of it. This brings some problems like eyelashes falling out and irritation on the skin.
So I use this remover before I remove face makeup everyday. I brush it on my eyelashes like you would with any mascara and leave it on for about 10 seconds before removing it with a cotton pad. I can gently remove my strong, waterproof mascara (or even regular mascara!) without worrying about the damage to my eyelashes and skin.
My favorite J-beauty products are all puchipura cosmetics, which are both affordable and work wonders in my experiences. Please check them out!