Full disclosure: We miss travelling to Japan. If there’s anything else that we miss dearly (apart from the delicious local food, of course), it’s the cheap beauty products that we can score in the Land of the Rising Sun as well as unique beauty finds that are only available at the destination country.
Just like how we stuff our luggage with every sheet mask variant under the sun when we’re in Korea, Japan is where we go from drugstore to drugstore to get all the best Japanese beauty products – makeup, skincare, supplements, haircare, personal care, you name it.
With travelling on hold indefinitely, it may be some time before we can go shopping in the well-stocked Japanese drugstores again. But if we say you can still find a Japanese drugstore online?
Shopping at a Japanese drugstore online?
Beauty products available on Kokoro Japan are among the best-selling Japanese drugstore beauty products
We’re talking about Kokoro Japan, an all-inclusive Japanese online store which carries mainly beauty products and a select number of health supplements as well as food and drink items at a steal.
If you’re up for virtual window shopping, Kokoro has you covered with its bestsellers category page that the team has set up by categorising top-rated products into a convenient list with helpful user reviews so you know which products are worth a purchase (or not).
Before you ask, Kokoro ships worldwide, including Singapore, which means you can now stock up on your favourite Japanese beauty products with just a click of a button. Plus, free shipping is available for orders above US$40 – that’s roughly S$55 after conversion, which is very easily attainable especially if you round up a friend or two to shop together!
Ahead, we compare some of the beauty products that are more affordable on Kokoro than the local drugstores as well as pick out some unique must-buys that you can snag without having to travel to Japan. You’re welcome.
Affordable Japanese products to get when you shop at this online Japanese drugstore
Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler
Besides the iconic cleansing oil series, Shu Uemura is also famous for its signature Eyelash Curler which many tout as the best in the industry. Those with short lashes will especially appreciate this tool as it’s made to give your lashes extra volume and lift that lasts all day long. And we’re not kidding when we say the curved metal is designed to suit all eye shapes.
Locally, it retails for S$30 at Shu Uemura counters and Sephora but you can nab it for 38% off on Kokoro.
Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler retails for approx. S$18.60 (¥1,430) on Kokoro Japan.
DHC Deep Cleansing Oil
The famously awards winning DHC cleansing oil 150ml removes stubborn makeup and dirt effectively, its water-soluble formula allows the cleanser to deeply penetrate into pores, extracting dead skins, excess sebum and stubborn makeup.
It contains natural active ingredients to help reduce the formation of acne and blackheads. The cleansing oil leaves the skin feeling smooth and clean after each wash. Its unique ingredients promise to deeply remove impurities without stripping away natural moisture.
An award-winning formula, this olive oil-based facial cleanser is loved by millions of beauty enthusiasts around the world – one bottle is sold every 10 seconds worldwide, if you can believe it – for its ability to dissolve waterproof makeup, sebum, and grime effortlessly and thoroughly with zero residue. Once you’re done rinsing off, all you’ll be left with is skin that feels soothed, refreshed, and balanced.
At Watsons, a 200ml bottle retails for S$43.90 but you can save S$3 when you buy it on Kokoro.
DHC Deep Cleansing Oil retails for approx. S$40.90 (¥3,148) for 200ml on Kokoro Japan.
Heroine Make Kiss Me Smooth Liquid Eyeliner
Need makeup that stays on fleek even though you’re sweating buckets in the humid Singapore weather? Then count on this highly durable formulation that’s resistant to sweat, water, and tears – yes, that means it stays put even when you bawl your eyes out while watching your favourite K-drama. Its ultra-fine yet flexible 0.1mm tip gives you the ultimate precision and control to draw your signature winged eyes easily.
You can find it at Watsons for S$18.90 but on Kokoro, it’s about 15% cheaper.
Heroine Make Kiss Me Smooth Liquid Eyeliner retails for approx. S$15.95 (¥1,127) on Kokoro Japan.
Bifesta Cleansing Sheet – Moist
Makeup removing wipes are a godsend, especially on days when you’re just too tired to even lift a finger. And this water-based Bifesta formula is the one that we really like for its ability to lift away even the most heavy-duty makeup effortlessly while keeping the skin hydrated with amino acids infused in the formulation. Best of all, it doesn’t leave the skin greasy or sticky after you’re done taking the day off your face.
At Watsons, it’s available for S$14.50 but you can get 13% savings when you shop on Kokoro.
Bifesta Cleansing Sheet – Moist retails for approx. S$12.60 (¥970) on Kokoro Japan.
Curél Intensive Moisture Cream
Powered by eucalyptus extract and the brand’s Ceramide Care Technology, this light-as-air moisturiser penetrates deeply into skin layers to help improve skin’s natural barrier function and promote your skin’s ceramide production while soothing and protecting it from dryness, making it perfect for dry and sensitive skin. Not only will your skin stay soft and deeply moisturised, it will also grow resistant to external irritation over time.
You can find it at Watsons for S$38.80 but it’s at least 12% cheaper when you purchase it on Kokoro.
Curél Intensive Moisture Cream retails for approx. S$33.90 (¥2,607) on Kokoro Japan.
Cezanne Lasting Lip Colour
A brand that’s commonly found in major drugstores in Japan, Cezanne makes beautiful lip colours that glide onto the lips easily to deliver strong pigments – this creamy, super long-lasting lipstick is one of them. We just adore the glossy finish and moisturising effect that it gives our lips.
You can find it at Watsons for S$12.90 but Kokoro sells it for 12% cheaper.
Cezanne Lasting Lip Colour retails for approx. S$11.30 (¥868) on Kokoro Japan.
Kyusoku Jikan Moisturizing Heel Gel Sheets
This takes care of unsightly dry, cracked heels with a blend of jojoba oil, seaweed extract, and fruit acid. All you need to do it slap one flower-shaped gel sheet on your heels before bed and you’ll wake up to baby-soft skin the next morning. It can also be used on the knees to treat skin roughness.
At Watsons, a box of eight sheets goes for S$18.95 but you can get it at 30% off on Kokoro.
Kyusoku Jikan Moisturizing Heel Gel Sheets retails for approx. S$12 (¥926) for a box of eight pieces on Kokoro Japan.
DHC Blueberry Extract (60 Days)
Packed with blueberry extract, marigold, carotenoids, and vitamin B, this pack of tablets are especially beneficial to many of us who are constantly straining our eyes or dealing with tired peepers as the formula can help to protect the blood capillary of the eyes. On top of that, it also offers moderate anti-ageing benefits for the skin.
You can find it at Watsons for S$31.90 but Kokoro sells it for about 18% cheaper.
DHC Blueberry Extract (60 Days) retails for approx. S$26.20 (¥2,015) on Kokoro Japan.
DHC New Slim Diet Supplement (30-Day Supply)
This supplement tablet helps to shed excess pounds without unreasonable diet restriction, courtesy of its cocktail of eight botanical ingredients plus vitamins B1, B2, and B6 that helps your body cut sugar, salt, water, and fat efficiently.
At Watsons, it retails for S$49.90 but you can get it for 28% off on Kokoro.
DHC New Slim Diet Supplement (30-Day Supply) retails for approx. S$35.60 (¥2,741) on Kokoro Japan.
Best-selling Japanese drugstore beauty products you can now get from this online Japanese drugstore
Canmake Cream Cheek
With a variety of beautiful colours that range from baby pink to ruby red, this blush series melts seamlessly into your skin or foundation to create a natural rosy glow. One swipe is all it takes for a sheer finish but trust us when we say to start with less as the colour payoff is definitely buildable – the last thing you want is to wear too much on the cheeks that you end up looking like a clown.
Canmake Cream Cheek retails or approx. S$11.75 (¥903) on Kokoro Japan.
Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Liquid Extension Mascara
Many fans were devastated when Majolica Majorca left Singapore, and many pined for this holy grail mascara.
Thankfully, you can actually get it from a Japanese drugstore online.
This famous mascara helps create dolly lashes that are long, dense, and curled. This is all thanks to its unique brush and formula that are designed for sparse and straight lashes.
Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Liquid Extension Mascara retails for approx. S$19.20 (¥1,479) on Kokoro Japan.
Opera Lip Tint N
Part of Kokoro’s top sellers, this lip tint is the one you can reach for if you’re all about the MLBB look. It contains highly moisturising ingredients that will fend off dry patches on the lips while keeping your pout glossy and hydrated all day long. The soft pigment paints your lips just enough to give you a healthy hint of colour.
Opera Lip Tint N retails for approx. S$33.05 (¥2,542) on Kokoro Japan.
Pelican Deitanseki Soap
This soap is made up of clay and Binchotan charcoal, an ingredient so well-known for its purifying and healing properties that it’s been used by Japanese women for centuries, dating all the way back to the Edo period.
On top of giving your skin a refreshing clean, it also comes with a fresh hinoki (cypress pine) scent that instantly relaxes the senses.
Pelican Soap Deitanseki retails for approx. S$27.50 (¥2,112) for a three-pack on Kokoro Japan.
Kiku Masamune Sake Lotion
Highly raved by reviewers on Google, this potion contains a concoction of sake, amino acids, and ceramide to prevent skin dryness and condition the skin to a healthy, moisturised state. You can even store it in the fridge for a cooling and firming effect.
Kiku Masamune Sake Lotion retails for approx. S$25.50 (¥1,963) on Kokoro Japan.
Kinomegumi Ashi Rira Foot Patch – Lavender
Using bamboo sap powder, this foot patch aims to comfort tired feet by gently relieving tension between the muscles and alleviate discomfort.
Kinomegumi Ashi Rira Foot Patch – Lavender retails for approx. S$33.70 (¥2,589) on Kokoro Japan.
Shiseido Spots Cover Foundation
Shiseido may be available in Singapore but this well-reviewed foundation isn’t. This foundation has superior coverage and is said to be great for concealing bruises, spots, and even wounds and scars after they have healed.
Shiseido Spots Cover Foundation retails for approx. S$18.10 (¥1,392) on Kokoro Japan.
Featured image from Ash XL Reviews.
