Don Quijote or Donki  to Tokyo residents (shortened for Don Quijote), a famous discount chain of stores in Tokyo Japan was my first stop when my family recently traveled there on a holiday.  I find it the equivalent of Target in the US where you can find cosmetics, electronics, clothing and grocery items in one store, all packed from floor to ceiling in their own distinct manner.

I knew that I could get my cosmetics fix in this one stop shop without the hefty price tags in department stores.  They also extend a 8% tax free discount to tourists so it made your guilty purchases a bit sweeter.

Donki Purchases:

Biore Cleansing Oil Refill

I mentioned in my Instagram post that this is one thing I don’t want to run out of — and I found the refill! (That’s a “Hallelujah!” moment!) Best of all, it comes with a spout for no-mess spills.  You simply empty the contents in the bottle and you just saved yourself precious bucks until your next purchase.

NewBorn Eyebrow Pencil

This pencil is not too hard or soft, it dispenses the right amount of color and it comes with a matching brow powder and spoolie all in one pencil.  The powder is hidden in the twist side portion of the pencil where the spoolie is.  The tip is angled so you can really make fine hair strand strokes to create natural looking brows.  Love the design!  My favorite shades are B5, and B6 which is always out of stock.  It is similar in color to MAC’s Fling and Lingering.

Aqua Peel Moisture Peeling Gel

What it is: It is an exfoliating gel that removes dry flaky skin without the harsh ingredients.  It’s 90% water, Fragrance free, Color free, Mineral free, Preservatives free, Contains Collagen, Hyaluronic acid, Squalane and Royal Jelly.  Pump one time and apply to freshly cleaned DRY face and rub it in for 20-30 seconds and see the flakes come off.  Rinse off with water and continue with your skincare regimen.  Your skin will love you for it.  Use it 2x/week only.

Cure Water Skin Treatment

Used by factory workers in TOYO who were experiencing extremely dry hands from opening cardboard boxes.  It is lightweight, creamy and when rubbed between the palms of your hands, it forms water droplets to indicate the moisturizing properties are working, and is absorbed quickly.   It contains silicon.  The small tube is handy to carry in your purse.

La Roche Posay Hydraphase

Good for normal to combination skin, it infuses the face with water and keeps it hydrated.  I like the pump it comes in, when you’re running low, the see through bottle will indicate how much you have left.  It moisturizes without the greasy after feel.  I would say this is very similar to Embryolisse moisturizer.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Mat

This is a good moisturizer for oily-combination skin, it does what it says, skin is mattified and feels like satin.  No primer needed, go straight to the makeup application.  It fills up your pores but be careful if yours are really large, it leaves a very thin film that fills up those unwanted lines and gaps.  I’m always out of this often.

Shiseido Anessa UV Sunscreen

A friend suggested to me that this is her favorite sunscreen, it’s not thick, very light and gives you protection.  She said that this can be worn underneath makeup without the flashback.  I may have to switch from my heavier sunscreen and use this instead.

Department Store purchases

MAC oil control lotion

I purchased this simply because it was in front of the MAC cashier at Takashimaya Department store and when I read it was oil control, I bought it and it was in a trial size tube.  I tried it but it doesn’t really control the oiliness, it only acts like a primer and makes your face oil free for a few hours.  I was told to use it constantly to realize its effects.   Hmmm…  I have only tried it twice.  I’ll use this when I’m travelling and see if there is a difference.

Hakuhodo brushes

These brushes are my favorite of all time simply because it’s made of sable and goat hair, which makes makeup application so effortless and seamlessly blended.  You have to at least buy 1 to see the difference.  The 3 brushes above are their bestsellers, I use the 2 face brushes for blush and powder and contour.  The pencil brush is perfect for putting eyeshadow or eyeliner underneath the eyes or on the upper lash line.  Love love love!  Upon arriving home, I realized I bought the same J 5521 brush that I also purchased from a previous trip.  Talk about fatal attraction.

MAC 196

I was drawn to this brush because it’s curved and very dense.  I’ve tried this for my foundation application and it gave my skin an airbrushed finish.  It’s just difficult to clean because of the curved design but it works like a dream.  Best trick I learned is to use this brush after you’ve laid down your foundation with a square synthetic brush and use this to buff away and make your application seamless.  Your skin will be selfie ready.

By the way, please join my contest in Instagram, I am hooking up with Martine De Luna of makeitblissful.com, and we are giving away summer staple beauty items from Biore!  How to join? Read below!

Mechanics:

1. Follow @aciefores and @bioreph on Instagram.
2. Repost this photo telling me your summer plans!
3. Tag and mention three more friends when you repost and use the hashtag #acieforesxbioreph,#biorePH #LoveBiore
4. In order for us to SEE your entry, make sure your settings are not in private mode so we can track your posts.

That’s it! Winner will be chosen next Friday, March 4!