Water purifier: Panasonic TK-CJ11-W

You can get this water filter on Amazon for less than 4000 yen. We chose this one because the cartridge lasts an entire year (a replacement cartridge costs about 4000 yen). And we were spending between 2000-3000 yen a month on bottled water, so this made sense.

The water tastes amazing and I love it. You can get all the specs here  (Japanese).

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.

Hair removal at Azabu Clinic

I tried out Azabu clinic in Tokyo because they have a wide range of cosmetic dermatology services and an English speaking staff. I started out with the laser hair removal for two reasons: 1) I was due for a treatment and couldn't use my American spa (which is still my favorite), and 2) I wanted to try a service I was familiar with before jumping into new territory (Thermage!)

So, staff speaks English well and there are a lot of foreign clients. Staff prefer to speak Japanese, so we did. There is a doctor who checks your skin and hair before treatment to recommend intensity of the laser. She spoke perfect English and was having none of my still-learning Japanese.

I selected two areas (face and hygiene) and did the trial price (came to a total of 4 man) for one treatment (due to my travel schedule). I found out later a groupon would have been MUCH cheaper, so you should do that.

I bared the areas to be worked on. The staff drew lines and confirmed hair patterns. Then she applied a cool gel and started with the laser. The laser was MUCH stronger than the one used at Datsumo Labo but I don't think it was as strong as the one I get in the US. There was some stinging, but I bore out the high intensity laser the entire time with discomfort only in the sensitive nether regions.

All in all, I would go back, especially if I just needed a dermatologist (she can write prescriptions for acne medication and anything else you need). The prices are a bit high, so the groupon is perfect. However, for the price you are also getting doctor supervision, so it's not so bad.

Hair removal: GenteLASE Pro

I loved my hair removal process at Datsumo, and it has greatly decreased the time between shaving, but I hate that I still have hair despite 8 visits.

Here in the states I took advantage of a groupon for area specific laser hair removal with a different machine, the GenteLASE Pro. I booked a large area at 6 visits for about $250.

Wow. The experience is totally different. No cool gel. No two hours. To do a Brazilian and upper lip treatment takes less than 7 minutes (I timed it). The sensation is like a quick snappy burn.

And my goodness does it work.

On the first visit I had shaved the area. The regrowth wasn't thick, but it was there and noticeable. About two weeks after my treatment the hair seemed to grow back, but apparently, it was just shedding. Seriously. If you brushed it, it fell out. For 6 more weeks I was hair free (in most areas).

I just did my second treatment. I'll let you know how it goes!

This machine is apparently also in use in Japan: http://www.syneron-candela.jp/ but i haven't found a specific clinic yet...

Return to Japan! Santa Marche Deep Cleansing

My regular bioderma regimen just wasn't getting all the grime off my face, and when I used my Cure exfoliator this morning I was shocked at how much I was able to exfoliate. So I picked up cosme's #1 rated cleanser for sensitive skin (no oil!). I bought mine for about 1600 yen at yamada denki.

Per Cosme's amazing new English-language cleansing webpage, this product is supposed to be "One product for that exfoliates and removes makeup all at once, while the green tea extract hydrates and moisturizes the skin."

When I used it I was happy that it took off my eye makeup and didn't leave my skin feeling dry. It's a good buy!

Return to Japan! Canmake cream cheek #14 (apple cream red)

Ah, home sweet home! I'm back in Tokyo for a short stay and the first place I headed to was the Yamada denki beauty section to see what is going on!!!

I recently ran out of my lovely Nars orgasm blush and decided I would buy the #1 cosme rated blush when I got to Japan. That happens to be the canmake cream cheek! And at 580 yen, it's so much cheaper than the Nars.

I picked up color number 14, which is a bright, yet brown undertone, pink (instead of the bright red). I have to say I'm liking it. It has a nice texture, is easy to apply, and has a bit more color than the Nars. Also, it's not as bulky as the Nars - fits so much nicer in my cosmetic bag.

So happy with my first "return home" beauty purchase!

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Nail polish

This product promises gel-like hard shiny nails, but without the buffing or harmful removal process. So, I picked up a beige color (640 Totem-ly yours) and the gel topcoat (total $20).

The color was nice. Not my favorite beigey nude (that is still Daiso!) but not bad either. The polish dries quickly. The gel topcoat gives a good shine. If you get a little on your skin, it doesn't turn into concrete and easily washes off.

However, it doesn't last any longer than normal polish. On to the next product!