Sushi of the week

For today's post, I will be talking about some sushi I really like. You can find these in most Kaiten (回転寿し) sushi in Tokyo.

shrimp - ¥200-300/plate

though I have a shrimp allergy, I couldn't resist and ordered them... :P I love sucking their brains out XD... I usually don't do that for frozen shrimps but these are usually fresh enough to

combo ¥300/plate

I wasn't particularly happy about the cooked Tuna Otoro, but the えんがわ and Salmon were good :) I usually eat salmon during the colder months as they are usually more fatty (fatty = tastier)... if you don't like fatty salmon then I recommend eating them during the hotter months.

えんがわ (I finally got the name!)

oops... I couldn't resist and ate a piece before I took this picture XD... this remains as one of my favourites (perhaps almost.. ALMOST surpassing Otoro).

#testing

DHC Lip Cream review

You can see this lip cream EVERYWHERE... it can be found in drug stores, convenient stores, grocery stores... random makeup stores... It also happens to have won Cosme's The Best Cosmetics Award back in 2008 and even now, it is still considered one of the best selling cosmetics in Japan. 

This product is slightly pricey for what you get. I got mine for ¥480. As you can see in the picture, there isn't a lot of product.

This product claims to: 

MOISTURIZING LIP BALM INFUSED WITH ANTIOXIDANT-RICH OLIVE OIL AND SOOTHING ALOE

Soften your lips with this creamy lip balm infused with antioxidant-rich olive oil and soothing aloe. Wear alone or over lipstick as a gloss.

For all skin types

Key Ingredients + Benefits:

Olive fruit oil: Nourishes, hydrates and protects lips from environmental stresses

Squalane: Derived from olives; moisturizes and prevents irritation

Ginseng root extract: Boosts hydration

Lanolin oil: Moisturizes

Aloe barbadensis leaf juice: Strengthens and conditions

can you see the subtle shine?

impressions:

• very sticky (but nothing like a gloss... no hair was caught :P)
• great for immediate effect (instantly moisturizes dry skin)
• great as a lip mask for the night
• long lasting
• a subtle unwanted shine is visible
• great night lip mask
• I prefer to wear it under my lipstick so it acts as a barrier between my lips and lipstick/lip tint.

subtle shine on my hand

If you are very self-conscious and don't like to have a subtle shine, just be assured that it will go away within 10-20 mins of applying it.

pros

• no colour, pigment,
• no scent
• great for immediate effect
• can be a night lip mask as well as a daytime balm
• container feels expensive

cons

• slight shine
• sticky (but not as sticky as lip gloss)
• doesn't last throughout the day (need to reapply several times)
• a bit on the pricey side (for the amount you get)
• while it moisturizes, it can only go as far as moisturizing your lips to a certain degree
• you need to alternate it and other products (the effects easily wear off... after using it religiously for a week, I started noticing it wasn't doing as well as it did the first 4 days.)

I really like this product really moisturizes my lips. Prior to using this product, my lips were just dry skin. After the first use, I already noticed a difference and my dry dead skin disappeared. 

score: 8.5/10

website: https://www.dhccare.com/lip-cream.html


also... please check out my personal blog and follow me around Tokyo :)

Barrier Repair Sleeping Pack Power of Rice Milk Review

the container

Japan winters are dry... if anyone else tells you otherwise... DO NOT BELIEVE THEM. The skin on my face has been suffering, especially when I wake up in the morning, I can see flakes of skin (no matter how much night cream I have applied.

I actually found this by accident... sort of. I was looking at another product when this one caught my eye... I had a feeling this product was going to be good.

Made in Japan

price: ¥1290 ($11.50 USD)

company/manufacturer: mandom corp

the packaging

the recommendation is: wash face, apply a moisturizing lotion, apply cream and then apply this sleeping pack.

I usually apply this product right before going to sleep.

Here is some information from their website (which is in Japanese... let me give you a brief translation)

Just apply and go to bed, it will penetrate thoroughly at night.

Use this pack at the end of your skin care routine (most Asian skincare calls masks packs, and sheet masks "mask")

The pack will last all night without any stickiness. It is intensive care while you sleep. When you wake up in the morning, your skin will feel moist, plump and ready for makeup. 

Ingredients are taken from unpolished rice that is great for your inferior skin. 

This product is blended with a rice milk complex (for moisturizing purposes)

This product also includes Phytic acid, inositol. Which are taken from rice germ oil capsule and rice 

When your skin lacks elasticity or transparency, these ingredients will through a sleep serum prescription take care of that and give your skin its elasticity and transparency. 

The effective working rice milk supported by the "rice fermented extract" formulation. 

This product also contains Saccharomyces - a rice fermented liquid for moisturizing purposes. 

before I get to my thoughts, I want to mention just how considerate it was for them to include a spatula (scoop?). Not only is this more hygienic but it also makes it easier to get the right amount.

after using it every day for a week

My THOUGHTS!

• there is no scent 
• it is not sticky (the product immediately absorbs into your skin)
• easy to apply (did I mention the spatula?)
• you just need a penny size worth of product
• I do not notice it after a few minutes
• affordable

I haven't found a con, so let me continue with my thoughts

Pros!

• it says exactly what it does and more!
• my skin felt so soft and smooth the next day
• got rid of all my dryness problems (my skin feels moisturized, plump, smooth and soft)
• so far it has only been doing good to my skin and I love it
• the effects last the whole day, but I still recommend putting on some moisturizer 
• the more frequent you use it (I use it every night) the more you will notice your skin becoming stronger and moisturized, plump, smooth and soft. 
• I have been using this product for two months already and the effects were as good as the first week!
• a little goes a long way... I foresee my container lasting for atleast 6 months

Con

• I will update any cons (cause at the moment I can't think of any or experience any...)

After using this product for 2 weeks (keep in mind, Japanese winters are harsh to skin) I sometimes forget to do my morning skincare routine because I forgot my skin needs to... and sometimes when I forget, my skin can last a whole day (no products, and I don't use makeup) without feeling dry or having the need to use product (I don't recommend this but it is possible!)

I honestly cannot say enough good things about it... I really like it!

I highly recommend this product!!!!

score: 10/10 (when was the last time one of my products got a full score?)

website: www.barrier-repair.jp (you will have to scroll to the middle of the page to find it)

amazon link: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Barrier-Repair-%E3%83%90%E3%83%AA%E3%82%A2%E3%83%AA%E3%83%9A%E3%82%A2-%E3%82%B9%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%83%94%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B0%E3%83%91%E3%83%83%E3%82%AF-80g/dp/B074N637G5/ref=as_li_ss_tl?m=AN1VRQENFRJN5&s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1503282132&sr=1-8&keywords=%E3%83%90%E3%83%AA%E3%82%A2%E3%83%AA%E3%83%9A%E3%82%A2&linkCode=ll1&tag=mandom09-22&linkId=682dc74263563011abbcec5dd961907f 

(I'm not affiliated with it, just for your convenience, taken from their official website) 

Fatburger Japan review

FatBurger Japan

I always thought that as close as we (Canadians) are to the US, we should at least know all of their chains by name... even if we haven't tried them. But turns out, there are always treasures to be unfolded, and this time it is FatBurger! 

I work with a few Californians and they were SUPER excited to learn that FatBurger had opened their first store in Japan! 

Fatburger is everywhere!

It seems FatBurger is in most of the Northern Hemisphere... but I wonder why they never came to Canada...

the menu, click to see a clearer version

I took a quick look at the menu and thought the prices were very reasonable. FatBurger is known for their "Works" 

The Works means each burger has:

• mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, relish, mustard and a patty.

waiting number

I enjoyed reading their facts on their waiting number cards. They were a nice distraction... service was a bit slow though...

wet tissues and napkins and salt and pepper

you know you are in Japan when they offer wet tissues at the table XD

receipt

This was what I ordered... I wish the staff was more attentive... when I asked for the set, she said the set only includes fries and no drink... (which was weird because I was very sure it included a drink) but when I looked at the receipt, she only put in fries... which means I did not have a drink.... (seriously... I was so frustrated.... -________-||)

this shake was thick!

While the shake was EXPENSIVE... it was really delicious... I'm not sure whether it is worth the huge (¥800) price tag though... if the staff didn't mess up my order, I would have had a drink... grrrrr....

the burger... drools

This is what the burger looked like. It was delicious.

To be honest, I thought the serving looked slightly small (as I was starving). But towards the end, I found myself struggling to finish it. (and I don't think it was because of the fries or shake...)

The burger was juicy and loaded with flavours, each "works" item was very prominent and played its role in the burger.

Sometimes, especially in Japan, I find the need to add additional sauces (ketchup) or salt/pepper. But for this burger, I didn't feel the need to.

fat fries

I was really impressed with their fat fries... they were crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. They were very filling. And it is very unique to Fatburger!

the burger again :P

Before I end this review, I want to comment on the location of the store. I do find it slightly out of the way as it is located in Men's 109. And what I felt was very unfortunate is that it is located next to Shibuya crossing... and yet, there are no street views... or windows... for that matter. 

score: 8.5/10 will definitely go back again (I prefer Fatburger to Shake Shack in Ebisu)
website: https://www.fatburger.com/japan/