My new moisturizer: coconut oil from Kaldi's Coffee

I popped into Kaldi's for some coffee and picked up a jar of coconut oil. Apparently, it's the best thing out there for your skin and it has no additives so it's super safe. And, Kylie uses it, so why not.

I picked up a big jar for about 800 yen.

I applied after my shower. It was a bit oily, but absorbed into my skin well. The coconut smell was overwhelming at first, but became pleasant after a few minutes.

My skin really is super soft now.

Dry Oil: NUXE, Neutrogena

Really. This stuff is the best. My favorite after bath oil (Tiare is a close second, then Neutrogena). But why a glass bottle, filled with oil? Why? It's $29 for 1.6 oz, but it turns a regular shower into a fancy spa experience.

The Neutrogena body oil is a far second. It also absorbs into the skin quickly and has a nice smell, but nothing like the Nuxe. You can get a huge bottle at Nordstrom Rack pretty cheap ($20ish).

Akasuri: scrubbing off the dirt and grime

In the summer I try extra hard to keep nice and squeaky clean. Japanese summers are so hot and humid I always feel the need for multiple showers a day. When you add in the sweat, lotions, and UV protection, I can get pretty grimy. So, I head to akasuri.

My usual spot for this treat is Gokouyu, a sento by Gojo Omiya. The basic scrub course (Course A) is 2500 yen for 20 minutes. You can make a reservation by phone (Japanese only) or at the front desk of the sento.

You'll be given a special numbered bracelet and told to be in the waiting area a few minutes before your appointment. Once you've soaked for 15-30 minutes, head to the second floor and wait in one of the plastic chairs outside of the akasuri room. A woman will invite you in, ask you to lay face down, and scrub you down like an elephant in the zoo. She will thoroughly scrub everywhere, including your I-line and O-line, so this is not for the faint of heart. At Gokouyu, the akasuri room is private.

However, since akasuri is not always available at Gokouyu, I sometimes go to Hana no yu. In addition to having rotemburo (outdoor bath), it also offers massage and akasuri until midnight. You can buy a ticket in the lobby (15 minutes for 2200 yen) and then make an appointment at the massage/akasuri counter on the first floor. The scrub here isn't quite as good, and the room can accommodate 5 people, but it's effective.

Hot Tab Sparkling Bath tablets

I received a set of 5 Hot Tab Sparkling tablets in my cosme lucky New Year bag and tried them out tonight. They are supposed to cleanse your skin without any soap and leave your skin moist and soft.

You use 5 tablets in one bath. A pack of 10 goes for 1000 yen.

The in-bath experience wasn't much, and my skin feels a little sticky and a bit dry post-bath. I'll stick with my youmeisen.

2014 Year end awards: Buy these now!

These are the things I can whole-heartedly recommend:

Heroine make mascara

Heroine make mascara remover

Evangelist BB cream

Muji lipstick

SK-II stempower

Bifesta facial cleansing wipes

Tiare body oil

Beauty Pride's APPS+E(TPNa) shampoo and conditioner

Drybar dry shampoo

Towels: Nitori, 7-11, Imabari (Goldilocks and the three towels...)

When I moved here, I ordered a few towel sets from Nitori. I went for cheap (about 400 yen a towel) since I knew I would be throwing them out when I move back to the States.

I quickly realized I hated these scratchy stiff towels. While they dry relatively easy, which is a plus in the rainy season, they are just so unpleasant on the skin.

So, I picked up a towel from 7-11. If I recall, it was about 1000 yen. Ah, much better. Soft. Dries quickly. But, after a few washings, seems to be falling apart. And, it collects all manner of lint. I will be washing it in a laundry net bag from now on.

But, I only had one. That is not feasible when it is still on the line drying and you need a towel. So, I splurged on one of the famous Imabari towels. A set of a bath towel and a face towel cost me 5000 yen. Ouch.

OMG. I love this towel. It makes my dinky bathroom feel like a spa. I will be buying more of these, and taking them home. These will also feature as holiday gifts for friends and family back home!

Youmeisen bath salts

My neighbor gave me a 60 gram packet of youmeisen the other day in order to help stave off the coming cold. As many people know, Japanese women are very sensitive to the cold and do all sorts of things to heat up the inner core.

My neighbor said that in addition to being a good cure for chilliness (because, so is a bath, no?), it also helps with her husband's eczema. When I looked this up on the web, indeed, it is said to cure a host of ailments, including skin and chill.

Since I dislike that particular cold of a Japanese winter in Kyoto (so damp and so cold, yet my skin is still so dry), I gave it a whirl in my bath tonight.

First: it is yellow. Really yellow. Like a "tub full of pee" yellow. You have to laugh.

It did give my skin a nice silky feeling while in the bath, and, after drying off, seems to have left a subtle residue that is trapping in moisture. I think I'm going to like this!

You can buy this on Amazon Japan, about 2050 yen for 900 grams, or 1300 yen for an 8-pack of 60 gram packets.