Besides filling our tummies with delicious authentic Japanese food, one of the best part about visiting Japan for us would be checking out beauty products that can only be found there. We take joy spending hours going through drugstores and department stores, stocking up on Japanese beauty products that we love.
But after our recent trip to Tokyo, we decided to add one more stop to our itinerary in the future: visiting the Fancl flagship store located at Ginza Square!
The 10-storey high Fancl building offers so much more than what we’ve ever seen – that we can’t find in any other beauty stores in Singapore, not even Fancl counters in Singapore! Read on to find out what are the amazing experiences we had.
- 1. A larger variety of beauty and wellness products
- 2. One whole floor dedicated to health supplements
- 3. Doing all kinds of health tests on the spot
- 4. Request for a detailed health analysis
- 5. Book a detailed biometric skin analysis session
- 6. Attend makeup tutorials
- 7. Enjoy healthy food at the restaurant
1. A larger variety of beauty and wellness products
If we’ve only visited Fancl boutiques and counters in Singapore, we’d be missing out the breadth and depth of products the Japanese health and beauty brand is really producing.
We were surprised to see that besides skincare products and collagen drinks, Fancl in Japan also carries makeup, all types of health supplements (such as vitamin C tablets, iron tablets), and even rice. In fact, we were told that they’ve won recognition from the Japanese government for their rice innovation, a low GI option that tastes just like regular Japanese pearl rice – maybe even tastier.
In Japan, Fancl also offers a wider range of skincare products for more varied skincare concerns, as well as products suitable for babies. You’ll also be able to find hair and body care products.
Of course, if you want the most comprehensive offering of Fancl products, visit the Ginza Square boutique, which is their largest outlet in Tokyo.
Tip: A minimum purchase has to be met to qualify for tax refunds. However, you won’t be allowed to take the items in your shopping basket from one storey to another. We recommend browsing through every level first, take down the items that you want (either in a shopping list or photos) and when you’re ready, ask a beauty advisor to help you pick up all the items you want and pay at one cashier. Alternatively, catalogues are also available for you to choose your products from easily.
2. One whole floor dedicated to health supplements
What impressed us most was the variety of health supplements that Fancl Japan carries. Not having quality sleep or not able to have time for sufficient rest? There are supplements to give you deeper sleep. Always suffering from hangovers after social drinking? Pick up tablets that help you cope with that.
Note: Fancl carries health supplements in Singapore too. The Tense Up Collagen Supplement and Hyaluro Premium for moisturising are some of their bestsellers. Singapore’s outlets even offer supplements to help calm eczema and allergy, and fat burning supplements, among other products.
3. Doing all kinds of health tests on the spot
The Fancl Ginza Square boutique was a lot of fun to explore. One of the reasons was because there are multiple tests you can do on your own to test out different aspects of your health. A machine that tells you if your hand-eye coordination is good for your age group, a weighted tool that measures your grip strength, a gear you can put on your head to find out what’s your stress level, and a breath-alyser that measures your metabolism rate.
It was really quite fun to go through the stations to learn more about yourself – and of course, you might be surprised that you’re lacking in certain areas, and it’s a good wake up call for you! Also, they are free of charge!
4. Request for a detailed health analysis
If you want a more detailed analysis on your general health condition. Make an appointment (available at a fee) at the Ginza Square boutique. A trained advisor studies your blood vessels and is able to share with you your general health, how your lifestyle choices are affecting it, and the kind of changes you might need to make.
Tip: Visit the health supplements section (See point 2) after you’ve done the DIY health tests and the detailed health analysis. You’ll find that your shopping experience become more purposeful.
5. Book a detailed biometric skin analysis session
What we were most impressed by was probably the ability for the Fancl Ginza Square boutique to do in-depth skin analysis for customers – not just on the signs that you can probably observe by yourself on the surface, but the underlying problems that you’re likely to see in the near future and not-so-near future. By knowing the skin concerns that you are facing now and the ones that you’ll be susceptible to in the future will help you to find the right long-term skincare solutions. The advisor will also be able to prescribe the right products to you accordingly.
6. Attend makeup tutorials
Can never follow YouTube tutorials properly? Get help in real life. Book a session with a professional makeup artist at Fancl Ginza Square, where you’ll pick up makeup techniques. The best part is that it’s not just a makeover where the professional does everything for you – you’ll get to try out the techniques yourself after a demonstration on one side of your face, and you’ll work on the other side under the makeup artist’s supervision. That’s the best way to learn, if you ask us!
7. Enjoy healthy food at the restaurant
Did you know that Fancl also runs restaurants? One of them is available at Fancl Ginza Square, where healthy, organic foods are served – in line with the “no preservatives” philosophy of the brand. We’ve tried it and we have to say that it’s really delicious and wholesome.
Fancl Ginza Square is located at Tokyo, Chuo, Ginza 5-8-16 and opens from 11am to 8pm daily. It’s a minute walk from Exit A3 of Ginza Station
