My bleached hair care routine in Japan (updated)

Here’s an update on the post I made 3 years ago about caring for my bleached hair care in Japan. I wasn’t super adventurous and actually brought lots from the UK this time because I was worried about finding affordable Japanese equivalents, but I managed and here we are! 

(Also I am trying to be minimal and low maintenance but like I have 4 shampoos and they are all different and I use them all ok!?? ) So here are all the products I tried this year, along with mini reviews of how I got on with stuff. Also sorry, I have lost the photos I took of these products.... 

Essentials shampoo// Basic, does the job, not too drying. Also definitely makes your hair tangle less

Essentials 30 second mask// they seem to not sell the other essentials mask I used to use which is a huge shame as that one was super rich. This one is still a lifesaver though. It’s cheap enough that you can use tonnes and not feel too guilty :)

Essentials cc oil// heat protectant and light hair oil. Does the job and can't complain, although before this I had been using tresemme heat defence and also the ordinary’s argan oil which I much preferred the texture of tbh. 

Calatas sv shampoo// very greeny blue. Not a huge fan especially as it was pretty expensive- I'd try the pr (purple) one maaaybe but I'm overall a bit disappointed

Bleach smoky shampoo// bae. I had the Bleach silver shampoo with me too until it ran out. Yes you’re talking to someone who literally brought 3 different shampoos with them  to Japan with only 23 kgs of hold luggage .... priorities... if I think about it I definitely took nearly a kilo of shampoo... oops...

Toni and guy clarifying shampoo// brought a teeny bit with me for emergencies in a little travel bottle! (Ok, apparently I brought 4 shampoos with me...) 

Philip kingsley elasticiser// I got this as a present, and it's amazing. Love this stuff. Bleached hair pals, give it a try because it's a life saver if your hair is super damaged like mine. It restores a bit of the strength back and stops hair breaking off so much. 

Vivid high tone bleach// this is the best bleach I’ve tried in Japan, it comes in a box with enough to do your roots 1 1/2 times and you can get it in donki for about 1000 yen! V pleased with this:) 

Also if you have any Japanese product recommendations for bleached hair, especially if it’s a good hair mask, I’d looove to know!!

-Amy xoxo

Check out my uk bleached hair care routine too 

Snapshots from Shizuoka city// part 1 New Year, Sengen Jinja and Mt Fuji

So I'm back from a year working in Japan, and I'm sooo happy to be home! But I also of course miss Japan. And whilst I'm procrastinating job hunting and big life decisions, I thought I'd share some of my snaps from Shizuoka city. I've got tonnes, so I'll be sharing them in bits and pieces, and most of them are just random side streets (for regular readers, you'll know that Japanese side streets are a slight obsession of mine...)  These photos were all from my DSLR, (so whenever I knew I'd be going out somewhere interesting...) and are from the start of my year- in winter, when Mt Fuji looks its best. Enjoy!

Updated makeup collection// I got too much makeup free with fashion magazines

So it’s been over a year since my last makeup collection, here goes nothing! I've definitely got loads more than last time, oops....

My Updated (huge) Japan bucket list

So one of my fave bloggers HelloLizzieBee recently made her Japan Bucket list, and it's been a hot minute since I posted mine so here is my updated list. I have a huge huge list in my notebook and I always find new places I want to go. If only I had more holidays.... If you wanna check out where I've been so far. check out the Japan tag, but for now, here is my (ridiculously huge) Japan bucket list! FYI I'm not including most of the 'tourist spots' in Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka because I've been to a few, so this isn't a 'must see in Japan holiday itinery' (although I do have a couple of travel guides like Osaka, and 2 weeks in Japan)

Osaka// Kansai

A.k.a. the city that stole my heart. Obviously I want to go back to loads of my old haunts from when I did my study abroad (Amemura, Shinsaibashi, "my" starbucks, "my" okonomiyaki restaurant, "my" tower records in Namba, "my" SPINNS etc etc.) but there are also a lot of places that I didn't explore enough or didn't get to at all.
OPA shinsaibashi (I always walked past this thinking it was offices with a couple of shops at the front, turns out there is a whole super fashionable shopping centre there... oops)
Abeno Harukas and Q's mall in Tennoji- they have a 109! And although it was a bit pricy for me, I wish I'd gone back at least once... And I wanna see the city from the top of Abeno Harukas
Bubbles
Den Den town again to go to a maid cafe!!
Bar Rock rock in Amemura
cute cafes in Horie
Ura namba- explore and photograph more
Go up Tsutenkaku at night and Umeda Sky building in the day
Osaka redhorse wheel
The Ferris wheel on Donki
USJ
Tondabayashi Peace Tower
Kishiwada castle
Emperor Nintoku's Kofun
Tsuruhashi
Nachi falls
Koyasan
Hasedera in Nara

Tokyo/Kanto/ Shinshu area

Osaka may be my first love, but as the centre of Japanese pop culture, Tokyo is pretty dear to my heart too. I didn't actually get to go to a lot of the fashionable areas I wanted to explore, so my list for Tokyo is actually pretty long.
Nakameguro- I wanna go in sakura season

Ebisu
Nezu and the shitamachi
Edo Museum
Ueno Koen
Izuoshima
Ogasawara islands
Ameyokocho
Hanayashiki in Asakusa
Nikko
Yokohama
Takayama
Kanazawa
Daikanyama
Hakone/ Fuji 5 lakes

Kyoto// 
There are just too many amazing places in Kyoto...
Daigoji
Genko-an
Gokonomiya shrine
Myoshinji
Miho Museum
Ootsu
Tenryu-ji
Kenninji
Manju-ji
Zuihoin
Enkoji
Manshuin
Higashi honganji
Kyoto Tower
Fushimi Inuyama Castle
Shourenin
Shimogamojinja
Hiezan and Enryakuji
Daitokuji
Chionin
Kibune Jinja
Kyoto Botanical garden
Sannenzaka


Tohoku/ Hokkaido//
I've actually never been north of Tokyo! And Tohoku looks so gorgeous, I need to go.
Sendai
Hirosaki castle
Lake Towada
Akita
Hachimantai
Iwate- sunriku coast
Yamadera
Tono
Matsushima
Naruko Gorge
Hanamiyama 
Mt Haguro
Hiraizumi
Aizuwakamatsu
Sapporo- ramen alley! 
Kamuisaki

Shikoku//
Another place I haven't been to at all- Shikoku doesn't have a shinkansen link, so it's a teeny bit more effort to get to but it looks sooo gorgeous. I really want to have a relaxing weekend hiking and getting some nature in.
Naruko
Kouchi
Ehime
Seto Oohashi
Takamatsu

Chubu/ Shizuoka// 
For having spent a year here in Shizuoka, I've barely done anything ^^; (apart from work obvs) But Shizuoka is actually really beautiful!
Atami
Izu Peninsula- Ito, Dougashima
Oikawa Railway
Okushizu
Matsumoto castle
Gifu castle
Mt Kisoontake
Kurobe Gorge
Lake Hamanako
More of the Nakasendo
Ise shima and Ise Jingu

Chugoku//
Onomichi
Shimanami Kaido
Tottori Sand dunes
Fukuyama Castle
Okayama 
Kurashiki
Izumo Taisha

Kyushu//
I loooved Kyushu when I briefly vistited last time and am dying to go back!
Fukuoka
Gunkanjima
Arita
Beppu
Yakushima
Kumamoto
Mt Aso

So that's that! Obvs because it's super personal and also places I haven't been so can't really say much about any of it, it probs wasn't that helpful, but hey.
If you are interested in places I *have* been, check out the aforementioned Japan tag, where you can see many pictures of Osaka and the occasional travel guide

Thanks for reading!
-Amy xoxo

Shizuoka City, Japan Travel Guide: What to do, where to eat, access etc!

I'm living in Shizuoka city at the moment, and as the Rugby world cup is bringing a lot of people to the area very soon, I thought it's the perfect time to share my guide to the area.
Shizuoka has got tonnes to offer tourists- from the obvious (mount Fuji, lush tea fields, amazing coastline and hot springs) to other more unexpected aspects- there are loads of trendy craft beer shops, vintage clothing boutiques and cafes. It's also nice to get a taste of the 'real Japan' as well as the big tourist hotspots. I've lived here for nearly 10 months, and here are my favourite places to hang out:

Japanese Streets #12// Osaka photos from 9 months ago part 3

Here are the last few photos I took in Osaka on the night I landed last year- wandering round Osaka at night is definitely the best way to spend an evening- it's so dreamy. These photos are from Namba, sen nichi mae and ura namba- so all those neon lights, lanterns and vibes

Why it's important to retouch your roots every 4-6 weeks

I'm not a hairdresser, but I bleach my hair by myself at home, have been doing it for about 6 years now (!) and my hair is still on my head. So that's something. Today, I wanted to make a shortish post about why hairdressers usually recommend retouching hair 4-6 weeks, and why it's important to actually keep to this schedule in my experience.

Japanese streets #11// Osaka photos from 9 months ago part 2- Dotombori at night

Part 2 of my photos from when I landed in Osaka last year- wandering around namba with my camera eating takoyaki and living my best life basically

Can we talk about the fact that my "How to dye your hair grey" Youtube video has 20k+ views??

Hi gang!
Just a quick little post today, but I made a couple of Youtube videos last year, just for fun and I just kind of threw them up and left them to chill, but my Makki grey video has got 20k+ views!! Who even knew!

In case you haven't seen it yet/ are thinking about dying your hair grey/ pink/ lavender- here's my Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/CandyflossOverkill

and here is said grey hair video!

I'm super proud, because obviously it's not all about views but it is satisfying to know that the posts and videos I made to inform people about hair dyes are actually... you know... informing people... 

My laptop is completely on its' last legs and not up to video editing any more, but hopefully one day I'll be able to do some more bits for youtube. I definitely will film my apartment before I leave (I loove watching room tours), but I'm not going to upload it while I'm still living here, just in case. 

And I do have some more hair dye review posts planned, because I for one obsessively search for hair dye reviews before I try anything new and not many people post about the specific things I want to know (how long does it take to fade/ does it cover slightly yellow roots)

Annnyway.
That's it for now, I hope you guys are well! I'm really enjoying being 'back' blogging and I hope to stick around for a while- let me know if there's anything you'd like me to post about! <3
Thanks for reading!
-Amy xoxo

The best grey hair dye?! Makki grey review and before and after// Bleach London fade to grey grey toner: review and before and after// Schwarzkopf live Steel Silver 098 review and before and after//

Japanese streets # 10// Photos I took in Osaka 9 months ago

So I've definitely completely neglected my blog recently- blame work.
But, I have been taking photos, and I wanted to start sharing more about what I've been up to, more about working in Japan, house hunting, Japanese products that really work, clothes I've bought and gigs I went to... you know, the usual!

And so I thought I'd start from the actual start of the year, when I landed in my favourite city in Japan, Osaka, and spent a happy jetlagged day walking around taking photos and eating Takoyaki.

This first set is from Shin Osaka/ Umeda- I'd just got off the plane and was feeling really grotty and not up for being around the sparkly young fashionable people in the shopping district of Umeda, so I found myself walking around the grottier backstreets and we all know how I feel about Japanese streets! 

How living in Leeds changed my style

wavey uni student style is definitely a thing

I thought it would be fun to reflect on how living in Leeds changed my style, like I did when I did my post on how Japan changed my style a few years ago. Let's just say that I looove Leeds and it definitely left its' mark on me!

vintage//  there are a tonne of vintage sales and really great vintage/charity shops in Leeds (shout out to my fave Blue Rinse) and I've also been trying to buy vintage clothes a teeny bit more (less environmental guilt, etc.) so I've definitely been into the baggy men's jumper aesthetic now

more grunge/rock and less 'kawaii'// This is something I'm a bit sad about, but idk if I've got more self conscious or if it's just because I think it suits me more. I do loove kawaii styles, but I just think they don't suit me... would love to give Gyaru a proper go though! Actually, writing this has made me determined to try and be cute sometimes, because why not!

Fishnets// these became such a trend, and it gave me the confidence to try and wear them, and I really like them now!

rings// I've got a small perfect ring collection now and they're one of the pieces of jewellery I tend to wear on a regular basis.

small jewellery every day// I used to wear looooads of jewellery- very big statement pieces and piled things on decora- style. I definitely think I've left that behind, because it's clunky and irritating and just more effort. I wear the same earrings almost every day, and it's kind of great? Although Leeds has also got me into hoops occasionally too.

buuut, I'm back in Japan right now, so maybe my style will change again! I'll keep you posted :) Has the place that you live ever influenced your style?

#Jumpersthatlooklikebusseats OOTD // Leeds day and OOTD/ Visiting the Tetley // What I wear to Uni: vintage jumper, fishnets and DMs OOTD// How living in Japan changed my style//

Empties post #20 products I've used up ft Muji, Kosé, Heroine make and Tonymoly

Back with another empties post! This time it's mostly products from Japan, and I was mostly pretty pleased, buuut there were a couple which I really didn't get on with. As it's summer, I've been properly getting through the sunscreen, so there are my two faves in this empties too.

Muji Moisturiser// I really like Muji skincare- it's not too expensive and it seems to agree with my skin and the packaging is also v aesthetic, which is nice. This moisturiser didn't disappoint- I'd had the small one to try and I liked that so I bought this big tube. I've got another. (I've also realised that I wrote about the Muji cleanser in my last empties post, whoops...) 

Bioré oil cleanser// I would go so far as to say I actively hated this- I didn't get on with it at alll and it broke my skin out and hurt my eyes a lot when I tried to take my eye makeup off. In the end, I realised how many spots I was getting and decided to give up and use this just to clean my makeup brushes. Obviously that's just my skin though.

 Tonymoly bunny lip gloss// I liked this well enough- It was a cute red shade, although the cherry scent was suddenly noticeable halfway through which was a bit weird. Not really very moisturising, although better than the pink one. I've got the clinique cherry chubby stick too though, so I will stick with that for now tbh.

Bioré watery UV essence// This sunscreen was pretty good! Didn't get burned, and it was really nice to put on as it sinks right in. It did separate by the end, and I don't know if that was because of the heat or what? So I kind of mixed it back together and used up the last dregs. 

Kosé suncut 50 pa++++// I loove this sunscreen, as it also makes a great base for makeup. I think I tend to go for this one over the bioré because I am a creature of habit, and if it aint broke don't fix it. I do think sunscreen is one area that Japanese products consistently outperform British ones though- factor 50 is usually not greasy and sinks in quickly, even cheaper ones like these two. 

Max Factor red nail varnish// my friend's flatmate left this behind when she moved out in first year of uni, and I decided waste not want not, and it was really nice!! Everything you'd want in a nailvarnish- applied easily, dried quickly and gorgeous colour!

Rimmel Match Perfection concealer in fair// I liked the old version better :'( but this was ok- a lot less cover, and I didn't like the applicator, but the colour still was good on my skin tone. 

Concealer (freebie with Lovegg magazine)// Considering this was free with a Japanese magazine, this was surprisingly ok!! Not much coverage tbh but it did the job! I'm using the Maybelline Fit Me concealer now, which I really like. 

Maybelline Baby lips// I didn't really like this, sadly. Although the colour looks cute and light, it oxidises (?) and ends up a very fluorescent pink, especially if you layer it. Not very moisturising either. I'll stick with vaseline thanks. 

Heroine Make eye makeup remover// The idea of eye makeup remover in a mascara-like applicator was pretty cool, but tbh although it removed makeup ok, it was pretty pricy for a small amount of product that got like black and gross looking really quickly. I am using the bifesta eye and lip makeup remover atm and it's definitely the best eye makeup remover I've found so far in Japan. 

Ok that's it for empties for a while! I'll probably do another before I go back home to the UK.

Huge empties post #19 British, Korean and Japanese products I've used up ft Lush, Dolly Wink, Bleach London

So I'm trying to get back into this blogging situation, despite my increasingly broken laptop </3
And what else expresses the mess that is my life than the huge bag of empty beauty products that I kept meaning to blog about but didn't get round to for like 3 months? Let's just say that work has been full on.... Anyway, on to the fun beauty stuff!

OOTD- repping Galfy in Shizuoka ♡

Shirt- Galfy
Jacket- thrift store shizuoka 

Skirt- american apparel

Bag- Wego 

Shoes- Vans

Sooo it’s been a hot minute since i posted an outfit photo, (because mostly I’ve been just wearing my work things 💔) and also my laptop has flat out broken....

and also work has been really draining.. I’ll probably blog about it at some point but :’) 

But here’s an outfit that I’ve been wearing a lot recently on my days off- this shirt from Galfy’s S/S19 collection with my american apparel skirt.

It’s such a cool piece that it really doesn’t need much else “doing” to make the outfit, but I do really want to style it with fishnets, heels and a red lip for a night out one time ❤️

How are you guys? 

I hope you’re all well 💖 thanks for sticking with me and my super erratic posting! 

I’m slightly(?) more active on instagram at the moment, so check out @candyflossoverkill if you fancy!

Check out galfy’s instagram @galfy.jp for photos of the shoot I did with them 🐶🐶

Empties post #18 products I've used up ft Kosé, Gatsby, Bleach London and Muji

Does anyone else measure the passage of time by how many beauty products they go through? 

It's been another loong gap since I posted on here, and again, I'm coming back with a quick and easy post of some beauty products I've used up. I really really will post something more fashion/japan related soonnn.... but for now: I've been in my job for 5 months!!! My boyfriend came to stay with me in Japan <3 I celebrated my birthday, had an amaazing day modelling for Galfy (check my ig and @galfy.jp for pictures!) and yeah! Busy busy busy...

But anyway, here are some things I've used up recently!

Bleach London Beer shampoo// I have to admit I was pretty underwhelmed by the last Bleach shampoo I tried- the Live forever shampoo, wasn't bad but just wasn't anything exciting- but this one was really nice! Lathers nicely, smells good, and, of course, that packaging <3

Muji facial soap// not normally one for foaming cleansers, but I am sticking with this one- it's cheap, doesn't irritate or dry out my skin and yeah, the packaging doesn't hurt. I am interested in trying Muji's cleaning oil too, and that also comes in this convenient teeny size, so will definitely pick that up. 

Muji moisturiser// This was just a decent moisturiser, absorbed nicely without being too sticky as some other Japanese moiturisers I've tried have been. I got the bigger size of this because I'm going to stick with it for now. 

(not pictured) essential smart repair shampoo// Cheap but doesn't dry out your hair unlike so many other Japanese shampoos I've tried. I'm going to stick with this tbh. 

Essential Rich damage care 30 second hair mask// You know I'm obsessed with this hair mask, I've been through about 5 in as many months. Super rich, makes your hair really smooth and really affordable. The only downside to this range is how un-instagrammable the packaging is! 

Bioderma Micellar water// I bought this for eye make up remover, but I have to say that it didn't do a great job at getting my mascara off and I was kind of put off getting it again for a while, because it's not cheap. 

Hadabisei shinsou bihaku face masks// these were my fave face masks, but I think the formula has changed slightly and there is more liquid in each sachet? At the moment I tend to use the mask one night, and then use whatever is left for another time. (Your girl is cheap, ok?)

Gatsby bleach// This is probably my favourite box bleach I've tried in Japan, although I do think I need to suck it up and go to a hairdresser supply store and get some proper stuff- the box bleach tends to stop at a yellowy colour even if I bleach, wait a week and do another time, which isn't ideal. This one also doesn't come with a hair mask sachet.

Barry M nail varnish in raspberry// I loooved this nail varnish, I wore it so much I actually used the whole thing up! Love it, you can't go wrong with Barry M and I'd definitely get this again once I'm back in the UK.

Omg I need to go and get ready for work now. Battling the feeling of being super behind on *everything* at the moment- I'm also super behind on reading people's blogs too! I've been so tired that I just sleep most of the time I'm not at work... Do any of my *proper grown up* friends have any advice on dealing with work burnout?

Love you guys and catch up again soon! Thanks for reading ♡
-Amy xoxo

Radio silence, again: Three months in Japan // Japan beauty haul ♡ ft my ride or die products from Kosé, muji, hadabisei, lush etc //  Life update: One month in Japan and my new years' resolutions

Radio silence, again// three months in Japan

Hello gang! 

I am so knackered 

Good tired, but tired 

Work has been very intense, with holidays increasingly difficult to take (I’ve had a talk about this with my manager and I’m going to be more pushy about making sure I get all my time off) 

I re did our website at work (which was a big stress and I’m soooo glad its over) and I’m also trying to do the social media 

And another thing thats been taking up a lot of my time is.... I’ve moved house!!!

I was staying with my friend and I’m sooo grateful for how generous they were, but it’s so exciting to have a little place on my own! Rent in the uk is really expensive and there aren’t many studio flats around so living on my own is something that I might only be able to do now! 

I’ve got the bare bones sorted essentially, and ofc I’ll do a room tour when I’m all settled down ❤️

I’ve also managed to see my pals and go out a bit ❤️ bongin (a craft gin shop) and hug coffee are my go- to late night spots at the moment 

I’ve also spent a lots of time walking around shizuoka 

I’ve found *my* coffee shops, and I’ll post about them soon! 

I bought a coffee bean grinder- best investment ❤️

Ate a looot of yummy food- yakitori, unagi, pizza tempura (which was amazing... just amazing) 

Saw the early kawazu sakura and had a little hanami with my friends! 

I went to the shizuoka art museum finally!

The other weekend was the Shizuoka oden matsuri, so of course I went and got some oden and beer ❤️

Been slightly commuting to donki as it’s one of the only shops open after work and cheaper than the conbini (i still need to sort out my diet...)

I went to Tokyo to do a shoot with the street fashion brand Galfy, which was just a dream come true. I’ll share more from that when I’m allowed to,  but let’s just say it was an absolute blast

My boyfriend has come to visit me here in Shizuoka!! Sooo excited!! He’s going to be staying for a good long while, and I’m so ready for lots of cuddles (and also someone to take my outfit photos for me ;) )

And all in all it’s kind of going ok!

How are you guys? 

Stay tuned, because as is obvious from this post, I've got looots of content ideas and now I’ve moved out I’ve got some time to get around to posting it 💖

Also I’m a teeny bit more active on instagram than I am here, so definitely head over there if you’re interested 💖 (@candyflossoverkill)

-Amy xoxo

My Japan beauty wish list ♡

I was digging through my drafts and I found this post where I'd written my Japanese beauty wish list- I've bought a few, but I think I'll share it anyway. The list includes old favourites I was dying to get my hands on again, plus some products that I keep seeing talked about on youtube and social media. I'm still slightly on the minimal side when it comes to beauty purchases (I still don't have tonnes of money and I hate wasting makeup when it goes out of date) there are a few (ok, a lot) of things on my beauty wishlist for next year.

Heroine make mascara// this is a lot of people's holy grail Mascara, and while I'm a fairly committed Maybelline Collossal lash fan, I'd definitely like to give this a whirl.

Mote Liner// another product that has been v hyped on Japanese beauty youtube lately- I love my Dolly Wink liner (which is something I'll definitely buy again when it runs out) but this one also looks pretty nice. Japanese brush pen eyeliners are worth the hype- I find them sooo much easier than felt pen type liners.

Sunscreen// Japanese sunscreen does not mess about. I've been using Kosé's Suncut sunscreen for the past couple of years- it's quite cheap in Japan, but it has SPF5 pa ++++ and also doubles as a primer. I'm on my third tube of this and I've been importing it to the UK, as it's still cheaper than high end sunscreen here and it's nicer than a lot of cheaper UK sunscreen, which is often sticky and not great.
This sunscreen is something I think I'll give to UK people as a present, because everyone I've lent mine to loves it. ✔️

Kosé Bihaku sheet masks// another product I tried last time, and have been buying even when I'm in the UK. This really does leave your skin looking noticeably moisturised and clearer- it fades scars and blemishes and isn't too sticky and also isn't too expensive- it's kind of middle range.
Sheet masks have recently hit the UK, and I've seen them being sold for like £4 each, so spending like £10 on a pack of 5 (it's cheaper in Japan) to buy it off amazon seems like a fairly good shout tbh. It's only 600 yen for 5 in Japan, too. ✔️

Eyelashes// Last time I bought dolly wink lashes and they're super cute! Although I don't wear them often, I'd definitely pick up another pair.

Contacts// Japan does a huge range of fashion circle lenses, and I tried them once last time, but I'd  really like to try them again.

Muji skincare// Muji's sensitive skin skincare range was my favourite out of the stuff I tried- although I'll be bringing a few skincare things to get me started, I'll might stick with Muji for stuff like cleansers, as I know it didn't break my skin out and it also didn't break the bank. Also, they sell mini versions not just in Muji but also in Family Mart, and I love cute travel sized things :) ✔️

Spot patches// this is more of a k-beauty thing, but it's something I'm v curious about

3CE lipstick// Another K beauty thing, but my local SPINNS stocks 3CE makeup and I'm dying to try some of their lipsticks! I'm trying to be restrained and save money right now, but one day...

Lush// I'm a huge Lush fan, and they have stores in Japan, so I'll definitely be picking up shower gel, along with the occasional bath bomb. ✔️

Hair essentials// I blogged about this brand in my post about Bleached hair care in Japan and I will probably get shampoo and a hair mask from here- a lot of the shampoos I tried last time were quite strong and drying, so it will be good to buy something I trust.✔️

Calatas// this brand do silver shampoo, and I'm interested to try them out (although my faves Bleach London do international shipping so worst comes to the worst I'll just buy that)

Eyeshadow// I really want to pick up another gold eyeshadow- I've used both Kate's diamond eye palette (which was sadly discontinued) and Majolica Majorca's Majolook mini palettes. I used up the lightest colours in both palettes and I'd definitely buy either again.

Majolica Majorca pearl white eyeliner// I always line my lower waterline with white eyeliner to make my eyes look bigger, but this sparkly one from Majomajo was soo cute and I'd love to get it again!

So that's my (huge) wishlist! Do you have a favourite Japanese beauty product? I'd love to get recommendations!
-Amy xoxo

Life update: 1 month in Japan and my New Year's Resolutions// Japan beauty haul: my ride or die products ft. Kosé, Muji, hair essentials// Japan goals ver 2// 

Empties # 17 Japanese and UK beauty products I've used up ft Muji, Lush the body shop

I’ve been completely awol with blogging again, and now it’s nearly march (!!!) 

Like I said last time, working six days a week is intense and I’m just soo tired all the time. I’ve managed to squeeze in some fun things too luckily! 

But for now, it’s time for a good old empties post :)

Muji sensitive toner// I'm really pleased with this, I tried the small version and it did what it was supposed to do so I bought the big version. I’m pretty much sticking with mujis sensitive skin range at the moment because a) the packaging! And b) it seems to be really agreeing with my skin, which is a huge relief

Hair essentials 30 second mask// Obsessed with this, it’s pretty affordable so you can pile on as much as you like. Definitely recommend for anyone with bleached hair- it makes your hair so soft! 

Maybelline colossal volume mascara// The only mascara tbh, I’ve been using this on and off since school and I just keep coming back to it 

Clinique moisture surge// obsessed with this moisturising face mask- it really makes a difference and I’ll definitely get this again as a treat. I managed to keep it for a while by being really picky with when I used it, but the use- by date was coming up so I finished it. Definitely want to get this again.

Clinique eye cream// I liked this a lot but I definitely prefer the tube packaging of the clinique one I’ve got now

Bleach kits// not included in the picture but I've tried a few Japanese box bleach kits, inclusing gatsby, palty beauteen and megamega bleach. So far my fave is gatsby or megamega bleach? But i miss my proper hairdresser bleach from home 

Body shop berry hand cream//  v moisturising and has a really strong and long lasting scent

Body shop shower gel berry// again, really strong scent and a lovely shower gel. 

Simple oil free moisturiser// I love this moisturiser and I really trust simple products to not mess with my skin. Sadly you can’t get them in Japan so I’m sticking with muji for now

Lush Charity Pot// My go-to product for when I want a little pick me up- it smells gorgeous, these little pots are really cute and convenient for travel etc, and it's suuch a nice rich moisturiser. 

Johnsons body care moisturiser// this is way less glam than lush, but it does a great job and it's a reliable fave. 

Sooo that’s it for now! How are you guys? Does anyone else measure how much time passes with how many beauty products they go through? 

I promise I’ll get some actual Japan content out soon! 

-Amy xoxo

Life update: 1 month in Japan and my New Year's Resolutions// Japan beauty haul: my ride or die products ft. Kosé, Muji, hair essentials// Japan goals ver 2// 

Japan beauty haul ♡ ft my ride or die products ft Muji, Kosé, hadabisei

So I've been in Japan for just over a month, and while I haven't had much time for tourism, I haaave had time for some shopping! I've been pretty restrained to be honest, and stuck to *essential* beauty items, so here's a roundup of all the things I bought:

Muji face soap//
I don't reallly like foaming cleansers tbh- they're more of a pain than the cream one I use back home, but sadly I didn't have enough weight in my suitcase to take the cream cleanser with me ;-;
so I bought this mini foaming cleanser from Muji. It's actually pretty nice and agrees with my skin, so I think I'll stick with it and buy the large version.

Muji Toning water// Nice toner, does what it says on the tin, no complaints. Also I loove Muji's packaging, so I'm definitely getting the full sized version of this when it runs out.

Muji handcream// This smells amaaazing and is pretty moisturising- smells slightly of lavender. I love Muji basically so I'll keep using this. You can buy Muji miniatures in Family Mart which is slightly a life saver.

Lush Mask of Magnaminty/ Power mask// I heard great things about this mask and tbh I do really like it- it's a clay mask and scrub in one, and it really does make my skin look and feel fresher. Japanese aircon is no joke, so I've really needed this lately.

Lush Karma solid perfume// The Lush solid perfumes are great value for money as they last a really long time, plus they're so convenient for travel. I used up a whole pot of this, so I re purchased it as a payday treat ♡ I have a guerlain little black dress perfume that I absoolutely love, but can't really afford to replace atm so I'll be sticking with Karma for now.

Bioderma micellar water// foaming cleansers make my eyes really sting so I use this micellar water to get my eye makeup off. It's pricy and it makes me miss the garnier micellar water I use back at home (which is pretty much just as good for like 1/3 the price...) but this one is v nice. A bit of a treat but an essential for me tbh. I saw the large bottle for 2000 yen in Donki the other day, so I'll probably get that next time as it's way better value for money.

Kosé suncut// I forgot to put this in the flatlay but I'm obsessed with this sunscreen. I had to search surprisingly hard for this (I hope it's not being discontinued) so I might have to start trying some other Japanese sunscreens, but this one is great. 5th or 6th bottle of this I've used. The sun is surprisingly strong even in the winter here on a clear day, so I have to be extra careful of my skin.

Hadabisei shinsou bihaku face masks// I loove these masks, I think you really see a difference the day after you use them. I bought these while I was in the UK, but it's so lovely to be able to get a pack of 5 for only 600 yen.

The Body Shop berry shower gel and hand cream// I got this as a Christmas present from my friend <3 They both smelt amazing- especially the hand cream, which lasted a really long time.

Hair Essentials 30 second treatment// Really recommend this hair mask for anyone with bleached hair, it's amazing. Pretty affordable too! I got this 300ml large version at Matsumoto Kiyoshi, and I've almost used it all up! Got another one in stock though, because I can't deal with the thought of running out.

Johnson's Body Cream// Cheap and cheerful but really moisturising and sinks in really quickly. It's not fancy or luxurious in terms of scent, but it does the job.

John Masters hand cream// I got this as a present too, and it smells amazing- of lemon and ginger. It's a bit pricy so I probably wouldn't buy it for myself unless as a treat, so I'm lucky that my friend gave this to me <3

That's it for now! Do you guys have any favourite Japanese or Asian beauty products? I'm trying to be restrained, buuut SPINNS has 3CE lipsticks in stock and I can't stop thinking about it...
-Amy xoxo


Japan goals ver 2// Massive empties ♡ Products I've used up #16// Life update: 1 month in Japan and My New Year's Resolutions

Life update// 1 month in Japan and my New Years Resolutions

Long time no see <3 I have been soo majorly busy since I started work! I had all these grand plans for blogging loads once I got here, but I've been waaay busier and way more overwhelmed than I expected. Working 6 days a week is intense, I'm sure I'll get used to it but I'm not there yet. Once I get back into the swing of things, I have looooads of content I want to post though, so please stay tuned!

So what have I been up to?

• I flew into Osaka and spent one blissful day walking round ura namba and umeda eating takoyaki and taking photos (I'll definitely post those photos on here when I get a minute)
• Then the next day went straight to Shizuoka, met people and got settled in, then the next day
• Started work at my first proper job! It's busy and stressful and all in Japanese because I'm not an English teacher, but everyone at work is super lovely <3 
• Caught a massive cold as soon as I got here, so the first week or so of work were a bit grim 
• Saw Mount Fuji!!
• Found *my* supermarket and *my* vegetable shop :)
• Found some cool coffee shops (blog posts to follow)
• I helped out at a film shoot, as an interpreter (?!!) 
• Bought a filter coffee pot for the first time (although tbh I think I prefer my bialetti)
• Worked on Christmas (never again omg... even though I'm surrounded by the nicest people here, Christmas without my family was a bit horrible)
• Went out and got completely drunk then did karaoke on Christmas with my friend (which was great, 10/10 would do again)
• My friend showed me a cool vintage shop here and we went to a gig/party <3
• I spent New Year in Japan! I was lucky enough to be invited to my friend's house and they had a big traditional family gathering <3 which was lovely
• My phone broke!! 

So it's been eventful! And New Year completely crept up out of nowhere for me- time is going so fast! They're pretty similar to my Japan goals ver. 2, and I still want to do the things I talked about there, but these are the things I especially want to concentrate on in 2019.

2019 New Years Resolutions// 

Look after myself more// I have a hard time saying 'no' to people and have ended up agreeing to do lots of extra work and going to loads of events and things. Which is amazing, but I've been soo burnt out! I need to prioritise my long term well being and not over- promise things. And I need to recognise that social things will come around again, so it's ok to bow out early if I'm tired. I've also been neglecting my health a bit- see below- and I have barely studied Japanese since I got here (although my whole day is in Japanese, I haven't been studying Kanji and N1 stuff. I did Kanji the other day for the first time in ages, and it really calmed me down- doing a teeny bit every day is definitely the goal for me.)

Stop eating food from the combini!// I have been super stressed and haven't had time to cook a proper lunch for myself, so I've been ending up at the combini getting super unhealthy sugary rubbish that's full of preservatives for lunch... no wonder I've been feeling rubbish health wise tbh.

Eat more vegetables!// Japanese food actually doesn't have a lot of vegetables in- at least not like at my home. I need to buy more leafy greens for myself. Because I love to cook and I love eating veg, so maybe I just need to get back into meal prepping?

Get organised// I haven't even properly unpacked everything, because I've just been in and out/crashing. This has obviously got to change

Move out// Because rent is so much cheaper here in Shizuoka than back home, and there are a lot more 1DK style apartments, it's the perfect opportunity for me to move out and live on my own, something that I definitely couldn't afford to do in London or South East England. I loove the family I'm staying with, but I don't want to miss this chance to be a properly independent grown up :)

Save money// I want to have a little fund for emergencies, such as my recent broken phone </3 and I want to save up for a deposit.

Get better at photography and filming// I love photography, but to be honest I think I'm *ok* but I want to be *good* you know? I need to think about composition and how to make my shots more interesting- and the best way to do it is to practise practise practise <3

Don't neglect my own Youtube channel and blog// I've been doing the social media at work too, as well as creating youtube content, and to be honest I think the combination of a job I'm still not completely used to, along with the stress of trying to live up to people's high expectations for content standards (people need to understand how long editing is omg) has really contributed to me feeling so burnt out. I loove blogging and I have so much to post about here, so I'm definitely going to try and get back into posting once a week at least. <3

So that's me! What are your New Years Resolutions? Are you feeling relaxed or knackered after the holidays?
-Amy xoxo

Japan goals ver. 2// 大阪パリピツアー: Things I want to do in Osaka// My emergency bleached hair care plan and mini wish list/ haul//