Tonoike Sake Brewery visit and Kuramoto Bijin skincare haul

Wait!
Sake brewery and skincare haul all at the same time?

Yep. Totally possible if you live in Japan.


Sake based skincare has been around for a long time, even since before SK-II patented their Pitera.
And in recent years there has been a virtual explosion of sake-inspired, sake-infused, sake-blended, and sake-based cosmetics. At least in Japan.

Why? Because sake is virtually everywhere here, sake by-products are full of vitamins and anti-ageing compounds, and fermented products are probably one of the oldest beauty treatments known to man.

Kuramoto Bijin rice oil and sake serum (the red one) has been my friend since last year. I loved it so much that I began to spread the joy to my friends in foreign lands.

A few weeks ago I was finally getting ready to write about it (and as always, the review is still pending) and had the mother of all eureka moments.

Tonoike Sake Brewery that makes the product is literally down the street from my house. It's located in Mashiko in Tochigi prefecture.

A quick look at the company's website revealed that the brewery is very visitor friendly.
You didn't have to tell me that twice.

And so last Monday I hopped in the car and zoomed over to Mashiko.
Mashiko is famous in its own right - it's one of the main pottery centers in Japan. It holds two pottery festivals a year and if you're into expensive tableware and pretty things, you should definitely consider visiting.

I don't drink alcohol. I dip my tongue in sake only during official ceremonies when it absolutely, positively can't be avoided. I am no sake expert. I only know what wikipedia tells me.

But what I do know is that sake kasu (a.k.a. sake lees) makes for a wonderful face pack.

With that in mind, I had no idea what I could expect during my visit to Tonoike Shuzouten in Mashiko.

As it turned out, I worried needlessly. A visit to a sake brewery is great fun even for a non-drinker and a sake noob like me.

 I was met by Mr Shigeki Tonoike, the boss himself, who kindly volunteered to be my guide.

The Tonoike family has been making sake in Tochigi prefecture since 1829 and the brewery in Mashiko was established by Mr Tonoike's (the current boss's) grandfather in 1937.
And apparently, as evidenced by numerous domestic and international sake competition awards, the Tonoike family really knows their stuff.

My tour started with a video explaining the sake making process.
After that I donned special slippers, a white smock and a hat and went to see the fermenting rice up close and personal.

What makes sake special is how the rice is polished. The more of the outer layer you remove, the fancier the sake later on.

When polished and washed, the grains don't look like rice anymore. They resemble tiny white pearls. And are just as shiny.

And here you can see it fermenting in huge vats:

There's your sake being made. And cosmetics :-)

Actually Tonoike Shuzouten doesn't manufacture beauty products in-house. Instead they send their raw materials to proper, licensed plants that do the work for them. They also work with cosmetic chemists and scientists to make sure that their products are up to the highest standards.

Mr Tonoike explained that the cosmetic side of things started 10 years ago with soap.
Sake bottles are heavy, and while they make great gifts and souvenirs, they are big and hard to transport. And not everyone is a drinker.

Sake based soap seemed like a perfect solution. It was small, light and something that everyone uses.

Then came sake-infused hand cream. And let me tell you, it really does smell like sake. If you're a drinker you might end up licking your hands. A lot.

But what about those who are not fans of the sake smell?

The answer was very simple - tochiotome strawberries - Tochigi's most famous crop.
And that's how the strawberry infused cream was born. And let me tell you, it really does smell like strawberries. I wanted to lick my hands. A lot.

Then came sake and strawberry infused bath salts. If you ever wanted to bathe in a sake smelling soup, this one's for you. I used to plop a chunk of sake kasu into my hot bath, now I can use proper bath salts. Saves a lot of work when scrubbing the bathtub later on.

Kuramoto Bijin Hakumai Ferment Lotion was new to me. I can't wait to try it.

Kuramoto Bijin Hakumai Ferment Milk was made famous by Ratzilla's best pick feature.

I am on my second bottle and it has become my winter dry skin savior.

Ratzilla also wrote about Kuramoto Bijin Komeyu Rice Oil.

I have been using it on my eczema patches and works better than any other facial oil I have tried. Eat your heart out tsubaki!

The three rice grain ladies (yep, they are shaped like rice) signify women in their 20s, 30s and 40s. In other words - Kuramoto Bijin Komeyu is skincare for everyone.

Tonoike Sake Brewery is working on additional beauty products - face cream, sheet masks and a face pack (which means no more do it yourself sake kasu!). A premium line is also in the works.

And the best news is that the company is working on an English-language internet store with worldwide shipping.  How awesome is that?

Many Japanese companies are totally oblivious to the popularity of Japanese skincare overseas, they don't care and can't be bothered.
So it was so refreshing and inspiring to see a Japanese company that understands the importance of making life easy for its foreign customers.



HAUL TIME!!!

This is my entire Tonoike Shuzouten Kuramoto Bijin haul.

Kuramoto Bijin Komeyu Rice Oil and Kuramoto Bijin Komeyu Rice Oil Serum:

Kuramoto Bijin Hakumai Ferment Lotion and Kuramoto Bijin Hakumai Ferment Milk:

Kuramoto Bijin Hakumai Ferment Soap:

Tochiotome hand cream and bath salts:

Nameraka hand cream and sake bath salts:

And... sake kasu pound cake!
It was delicious!

I seem to have missed the strawberry body lotion, but that's ok. I have an excuse to visit again!

Thank you so much Mr Tonoike and Ms Sato for making me feel so welcome!

Isn't it awesome to realize that your favorite skincare brand was born literally in your own back yard?

I will be reviewing the products in the coming weeks. So stay tuned. Because a Kuramoto Bijin giveaway is coming too. I hauled lots and I'm happy to share!


UPDATE:

If you're interested in any of these products, but can't purchase them easily online (I know they can be hard to find!), please let me know.  I'll be happy to help. Because, hey, Tochigi pride! Represent! :-)

Hanyul White Chrysanthemum Radiance Serum

When I bought this Hanyul White Chrysanthemum Radiance Serum (I think it was on RoseRoseShop, but it might have been W2Beauty, I don't remember), I made a mistake.

You see, I used to use Hanyul White Chrysanthemum something or the other in the past, and it was lovely. But that was before I got all serious about blogging about Asian skincare products.
So earlier this year, when my dear friend from France asked about skin tone evening serums, I naturally ran to the net and purchased the first White Chrysanthemum item that caught my eye.

It turned out to be a good mistake, in several ways, actually.


But first things first.

"White chrysanthemum?" I hear you say.
"You mean, like this?" I hear you say.

image source: wikipedia

I mean, it's a chrysanthemum for sure. And it's definitely white.

Yeah, I thought so, too.
But as always with cosmetic products, the devil's in the details.

I remembered reading something about white chrysanthemum tea being a popular drink in China. But as far as I could recall, it didn't actually involve huge white flowers, of the kind usually placed on graves in a certain European country on November 1st.

I started digging. And sure enough, what they call "white chrysanthemum" in China is what we call "golden chamomile" or "Chinese chamomile" in Europe.

And yes, the "white chrysanthemum" drink I remembered drinking smelled more like chamomile tea than a cemetery on All Saints' Day (my Polish readers will understand the reference).

So you expect this:

image source: wikipedia


But in reality, you get this:

image source: wikipedia


Quite a difference, right?
Yeah, I thought so, too.

So that's the bad news. It's not white, it's golden, and it's not a chrysanthemum of the usual variety, but something more resembling a chamomile.

Luckily for us, that's the end of bad news.

And for the good news? Luckily for us, there's plenty of it.

1. Chamomile and chrysanthemums are actually related.
This one here is called Chrysanthellum indicum in Latin and "gamguk" in Korean. 

2. Chrysanthellum indicum extract happens to be quite awesome. According to multiple sources, it has:

• - anti-aging properties

• - anti-inflammatory properties

• - and according to a research paper published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, is an effective and well-tolerated topical agent (used as 1% cream) for the treatment of moderate rosacea.

3. Hanyul White Chrysanthemum Radiance Serum claims to have 1000 ppm (part per million?) of this magical "gamguk" extract.

Wait a sec.
My Japanese friend has a question.

Hanyu???!!??

No, not Yuzuru Hanyu *). Though in all fairness, this boy is the fairest of them all and totally could have his own skincare line.

Hanyul.

image source: Amore Pacific

Hanyul is one of the many, many brands from Amore Pacific. And Amore Pacific is the largest beauty company in South Korea. Or one of the two largest. The other being LG (yep, that LG).
Hanyul's tagline is: "Traditional natural cosmetics from the nature and folk remedies of Korea."

Pity they limit themselves to Korea, because just imagine the perfect blend of Hanyu and Hanyul. The marketing possibilities are endless.
I'd buy it. Just because.

But what were we talking about here?

Ahhhh... yes... Hanyu Hanyul White Chrysanthemum Radiance Serum.

It's a Korean skincare product that claims to even out your complexion, reduce dark spots and blemishes, improve your skin's natural radiance by preventing the formation of melanin.
It also claims to have anti-wrinkle properties.

As a serum, it goes on your skin after cleansing and applying toner.


In a typical Hanyul fashion, one side of the box is printed in English, the other - in Korean.

The bottle has the characteristic Hanyul shape. But sadly, it's plastic. It looks like nice, luxurious glass, but it's just cheap plastic. Korean skincare companies like to fool you like that.

The bottle is semi-transparent (you can see how much stuff is still inside if you hold it against the light) and holds 40 ml of product.

The serum is white, its texture is very light and deliciously delicate. It's not oily, it's not watery, it's just right.

It does smell like chrysanthemums, though. It's not a strong smell, but it's there. And it definitely likes to linger. I absolutely hate this scent!!!

The serum absorbs completely, leaves the skin feeling soft and very lightly hydrated. There is no sticky film or other residue.

The bottle is equipped with a pump. But it's not the airless type, you can unscrew it and suck every last bit of what's still left in the bottle.

The leaflet included in the box has the usual useless information in two languages. However, the Korean version is more extensive and includes the ingredient list as well.

Basically, the only thing you can read in English is this:

So yeah. That's what they say.

What do I say about Hanyul White Chrysanthemum Radiance Serum?

This is a very confusing product.
I used it once a day, in the morning. I felt like it wasn't doing much, so I stopped and put it aside for a while.
My skin reacted immediately.
Sometimes the best way to determine whether a product works or not is to stop using it.

So yes, this serum is indeed doing something. I can't tell you what it's doing, but I can definitely tell you what happened when I wasn't using it.

My skin lost its radiance and returned to its usual pinkish and I-look-like-I'm-slightly-drunk ruddy state.
Not using it made me realize how gentle and delicate and subtle this serum is.
The changes are minimal but they are there.

And the best part?
There was no adverse reaction whatsoever.
My skin was calm, smooth, less pink, radiant, bright and healthy.

I'm so in love with this Hanyul White Chrysanthemum Radiance Serum that I nearly wept when I reached the bottom of the bottle.
I wanted to run and repurchase immediately.

But I didn't.

And I won't.

Why?

The smell. The flowery scent that makes me think of All Saints' Day. I just can't stomach another bottle of this sensory abomination.

99% of people will tell you it's a pleasant, refreshing fragrance. And they are right.
But if you are sensitive to scents, you will, literally, be able to taste it.



Hanyul White Chrysanthemum Radiance Serum ingredients (courtesy of HwaHae):

So there you have it.
A delightful brightening serum that is suitable for dry, sensitive and delicate skin, and which would be perfect, if not for the annoying fragrance.


If you want to try it, most Korean online stores carry it. Pricing varies, so it pays to shop around.

So that was Hanyul.

~~~

And this is Hanyu *)

*) Japanese Figure Skating God

Dr Wu Ageversal Repairing System

Long time ago, in a far distant land, I fell in love with a doctor. We had some good times, and some bad times. Memories I will always treasure.

Earlier this year I fell in love again. With a doctor. This time the love affair is still going strong.

Dear readers, let me introduce my new prince charming - Dr Wu.

Our meeting was purely accidental.
While visiting Taiwan earlier this year, I was on the hunt for the ceramide series from For My Beloved - a well-known Taiwanese skincare brand.
For My Beloved was running a major promo, where if you bought two items, they showered you with additional goodness (while quantities last). I was trekking across Taipei for days looking for the still lasting quantities. They were sold out everywhere.

Finally, at some random store, the sales woman took pity on me and made a few phone calls. Turned out there was still stock at the For My Beloved counter at Taipei 101 Mall. Before she could complete the sentence I was hopping on the subway.

I made it to the mall in record time. I raced to the For My Beloved counter. And yes... you guessed it right. It just got sold out. The quantities didn't last long enough. That was the last day of the promo. And the next day I was flying back to Japan.

In utter disbelief and frustration I looked around for an alternate place to spend my hard earned cash. Sure as hell I wasn't gonna give any to For My Beloved now.
Right next door there was a Dr Wu counter. I resolutely walked over and said "give me your best stuff!".

Yes, I actually said that.
I knew nothing about Dr Wu. All I had researched before was For My Beloved.

The sales woman didn't speak a word of English and I used a pen and paper to write "number 1" in three different languages. Surrounded by a flock of hearts and smiley faces.

She made a smiley face of her own, poked at MY face with her finger (yes, she actually did that!) and selected some stuff. She said the magic words "duty free".

And the rest is history...

The Wu woman selected for me these:

• Dr Wu Ageversal Youth Repairing Set
• Dr Wu Repairing System Intensive Repairing Serum with Squalane - 35ml
• Dr Wu Repairing System Advanced AntiWrinkle Eye Cream with Botolift™ - 15ml

Dr Wu Ageversal Youth Repairing Set contained:

• 5 ml of Dr Wu Repairing System Intensive Repairing Serum with Squalane
• 15 ml of Dr Wu Repairing System Extreme Micro-Lifting Cream With Ageversal
• 50 ml of Dr Wu Repairing System Intensive Firming Essence With Ageversal
• 30 pieces of facial cotton pads.

And don't you just LOVE the fact that Dr Wu has a website in English? And an online store?
This doctor just keeps getting better and better!


As you can see, the sales lady chose an anti-ageing series for me. And she chose wisely.
I didn't know it at the time, but the squalane serum is considered one of Dr Wu's legendary products.

And let me tell you, I completely understand now why.

But first things first.

Dr Wu is a Taiwanese brand of dermo-cosmetics founded by a real-life dermatologist - one doctor Ying-Chin Wu (Yes! there's a real Dr Wu behind the brand but sadly, he's not handsome) in 1996. Or 2003, depending on who you ask.
You can read about the history of Dr Wu brand on their website.

To make a long story short, Dr Wu is now Taiwan's number 1 clinical skincare brand, has won numerous beauty awards and is endorsed by many Taiwanese celebrities.

One reason for its success is this way of formulating products:

image source: Dr Wu

The principle? It's really simple:

"No Additives, No Alcohol, High Concentration of High Grade Actives that are safe and effective, even for use on sensitive skin."

So, let's take a closer look at these Taiwanese cosmeceutical wonders.


First up is Dr Wu Repairing System Intensive Firming Essence With Ageversal.

This is the starter size of 50ml. It's a simple, plastic bottle. There is no pump in this size.

The instructions say this is to be used as the first step after cleansing.
It has a pleasant consistency and while initially may appear somewhat greasy, it dries completely very fast. In the time it takes me to floss my teeth, it's completely dry on my face.
I don't use a cotton pad, as too much of the product goes to waste that way. I pour some into my hand and then gently pat my face until all liquid is fully absorbed.

And like this:

But what the heck is this mysterious "Ageversal"?
To be honest, even after reading everything on Dr Wu's website, I'm still not sure.
But this handy graphic aims to explain the "Ageversal" concept:

So, basically, an anti-ageing skin soup.
I liked this essence a lot. It was very basic but did exactly what it was supposed to do. It got my face ready for the next step in this Dr Wu routine.

Ingredients of Dr Wu Repairing System Intensive Firming Essence With Ageversal:

The disappointing part is that out of the three main ingredients in "Ageversal", the first one - Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide - 7 is the second to last item on the product's ingredient list.
Sodium Hyaluronate is number 11. And maybe I'm blind, but I couldn't find any algae extract.

The confusing ingredient on this list is Chlorphenesin, which is NOT the muscle relaxant drug Chlorphenesin carbamate. Chlorphenesin carbamate, confusingly also known as "chlorphenesin" is NOT a cosmetic ingredient.
This Chlorphenesin here is something different entirely and functions as a mild preservative. And yes, it is approved for use in the EU. No worries.


And if you are interested, here's this:

There is no discernible scent, the texture is light, the application is problem-free.
Nothing to complain about here.


Step 2 in this routine is Dr Wu Repairing System Intensive Repairing Serum With Squalane

There was a 5ml sample in the starter set, but the Wu lady, very wisely, decided to sell me a full size bottle as well. Smart woman.

This is the star of the show, no doubt about it.

Let me just say that much - all the hype is true. This serum is gold.
It's an oil based formula that is surprisingly light. It takes more than a few minutes to absorb, so normally, I put it on and then clean the cat litter boxes, change the water for my babies, water the plants, that sort of stuff. When I come back to the bathroom to wash my hands, the serum has been magically absorbed leaving my skin feeling so velvety soft it's ridiculous.

Dr Wu loves the airless pump system! Yay and hurray!

The bottle is all shiny plastic. Simple and functional. Zero embellishments, bells and whistles.
The shiny caps are a pain to keep clean, but otherwise the design is very practical.
And it's an airless pump - I just love saying that. Makes most Japanese brands look like relics from the 20th century with their squeeze tubes and screw-on caps.

While this serum is oil based, it's not greasy greasy, if you know what I mean.

It's deliciously soft and instead of feeling oily on the skin, it feels hydrating.
Just pat it in and let your thirsty skin absorb it all. And trust me, it will.
There is no noticeable scent or fragrance.

I have used squalane products before, amongst others - from HABA. But none felt as light and fluffy as this one.

Squalane is the one beauty oil that rules them all. Squalane is a hydrogenated form of squalene, but unlike squalene, which is sourced from shark liver oil, no sharks are hurt in the production of squalane. Squalane is a plant-based oil (yep, save the sharks!), and the experts say this about it:

"Squalane occurs naturally in the lipidic layers of the skin and prevents moisture loss while restoring the skin's suppleness and flexibility. Squalane is highly resistant to oxidation and has a high affinity to skin cells due to its skin-identical structure."

The blurb on the package tells us this:

I am almost done with the bottle, and yes, I can definitely agree. It gave me softer and smoother skin.
And despite having a pile of other skincare products, I am seriously considering ditching them, and reordering this serum ASAP.

Here's the ingredient list of Dr Wu Repairing System Intensive Repairing Serum With Squalane:

Interestingly enough, as you can see, this serum contains both squalane (from plants) and squalene (poor sharks). But while squalane is number 2 on the list, squalene is number 12.

The directions for use suggest to use it twice daily, however with our current temperatures I've been using it at night only. It's still managing to work its magic.

And if you're interested, here's this:

The next step, according to the helpful graphics on Dr Wu website, should be an eye cream.


And yes, here it is!

Step 3 is Dr Wu Repairing System Advanced Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream With Botolift™.

Again, we have the same functional silver bottle. And as before, because it's Dr Wu's style, we have an airless pump.

OK, just for that alone I love this doctor.

This eye cream was a bit of a surprise. It's a lot lighter than a typical anti-wrinkle eye cream. Next to it, my favorite su:m37º Flawless Regenerating Eye Cream feels like a tub of margarine.

Due to the lighter texture, I was quite skeptical whether this cream was going to work at all. It took time to get into the swing of things, but once it did - it really keeps the under eye area in check.

This is what they say:

I have used Lirikos Marine Botoxin cream before, but it did absolutely nothing for me. So it was a pleasant surprise that Dr Wu actually delivered, and for a lot less money.
The droopy eyelid bit interested me the most.
My left eyelid is definitely past its prime. It needed some lift. Not sure whether this cream took care of it (as the peptides are at the very end of the ingredient list), but the eyelid is now noticeably less droopy.


It absorbs fast! Unlike the essence (so so fast) and the serum (not fast at all), this one is gone in a flash.

See? It even looks very fluffy.
Again, there is no noticeable smell. Kudos to the doctor for realizing that many people are sensitive to and dislike perfumed skincare.

While this cream might not be sufficient for night time use in winter (especially if used alone, without the serum), it's perfect for the summer.

Here are the ingredients of Dr Wu Repairing System Advanced Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream With Botolift™:

According to the ingredient list, the famed Botolift™ seems to be nothing more than a marketing gimmick. So maybe the positive results after using this cream are nothing more than a placebo effect?
Anything is possible...

And if you are interested, here it is:

The final step, according to Dr Wu, should be a face cream.
And here it is!

Step 4 is Dr Wu Repairing System Extreme Micro-Lifting Cream With Ageversal.

As my version came with the set, it has only half of the standard volume of 30ml. It's still less than the traditional 50 g we came to expect from Western brands.

The cream is very similar in texture to the eye cream. It doesn't smell.

It absorbs fast. Doesn't leave a greasy layer. Feels comfortable and light on the face, especially considering this is the fourth layer.

I usually use it at night. However lately, despite the ridiculous temperatures during the day, I started to use it in the morning. I suppose, because Taiwan is also a hot and humid country, this cream had been tested in such conditions. Let's just say, it works like a charm. It moisturizes without stickiness and greasiness.

Where I am ambivalent are its anti-wrinkle properties. I honestly have not noticed any. Maybe it's my wrinkles, or maybe I have to use it much longer to see noticeable results. Or maybe this cream simply doesn't work. The jury is still out.

Here are the ingredients of Dr Wu Repairing System Extreme Micro-Lifting Cream With Ageversal:

And if you are interested, here is this:

Are you still with me? Or did you fall asleep 15 paragraphs back?

In conclusion:

This is a very effective anti-ageing / repairing line that while not exactly cheap, doesn't cost an arm and a leg and a firstborn. I don't remember how much I paid for all the items, but it wasn't heart attack inducing.

This is solid skincare that, for the most part, delivers good results.
It's worth mentioning that with my sensitive skin, nothing, and let me repeat it once again - nothing in today's lineup broke me out. That in itself is already a huge accomplishment and a reason enough to try other products by Dr Wu.

(Now... if he were only more handsome, I'd have my skincare knight in a shining airless pump container).

Speaking of airless pumps, what I also liked was that all relevant info was printed (in two languages!) on the packaging. There were no extra leaflets inside. Yay for saving paper!

What I also liked was that individual boxes were sealed in foil. Yay for security!

What I also liked was that every product had its expiration date printed on the bottom of the container:

Again, how come Japanese companies are unwilling (or unable) to do it?


Final verdict:

So, will I buy again?
You betcha!

The End!