Store Visit: Loft in Tokyo, Japan – Shibuya Location

Loft is most recommended for tourists as its the go-to for Japanese inspired knick knacks, stationery, toteable home goods and of course, beauty. You can find Star Wars themed toys, anime items, fans, photo frames, cards, travel accessories and cultural items too. There MoMa Design Store has a small section as well. Beauty-wise, they have everything the drugstores carried as well as some natural brands too. It’s a beautiful space to shop and the Shibuya location even has a bar section that serves alcohol and small bites if you need to rest. There are wide aisles and it’s not the same chaotic and cramped experience you’ll get shopping at a Matsumoto Kyoshi or Don Quijote drugstore. How the tax-free system works here is that you have buy all your items first and then head to the top floor to wait on another line in order to have the taxes refunded back to you. This means you can make a purchase as many times as you want, but you must save all your receipts in order to have the tax-free counter refund and wrap your consumable items in a tamper-free bag. Read more tips like this on my Shopping Tips as a Tourist in Japan post. Now onto the photo tour! 
Tokyo_Japan_Shopping_Guide_LOFT  (COVER)

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Tokyo, Japan: Shopping Tips as a Tourist

I went to Tokyo, Japan last fall and I’ve compiled some tips and must-know facts about shopping as a tourist in this awesome city. This post is a complement to my upcoming Tokyo, Japan Shopping Guide that will be complete with a Google Map and links to multiple photo tours of my favorite Japanese beauty shops. You can plan your hotel stay strategically around the shops you want to visit the most (I stayed in Shinjuku and Shibuya). Tax/duty-free stores are clearly marked because Japan want foreigners to shop and make it very easy for us to do so. Below are tips about shopping tax-free and duty-free, making the most out of Narita Airport (shopping heaven) and things to bring with you that can really save your trip!

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Pop-Up Shop Visit: Glow Recipe NYC Downtown Studio’s Last Week!

If you’re in NYC, you can visit Glow Recipe’s latest Pop-Up Shop in SoHo! They’re only open in the month of March 2017 and this is their last week before they’re only accessible online again. Well, some of their products are in Sephora and Nordstrom but that’s only a few! Glow Recipe curates natural and harsh-free skincare products hailing from Korea where brands have been producing skincare almost 14 years ahead of American technology. Going to a physical location is like a skincare playground! You get to test all the products through touch and smell, an experience you don’t have online. There were weekly events where special guests like Gothamista, @suninayoung, and @omgbart came in for special, free beauty classes (and some classes even came with free gifts). I’ve visited Glow Recipe’s temporary pop-ups before at KCON and in K-town but this was their best and biggest pop-up ever! If you can’t come, click below for a quick tour and a look at my haul!

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What To Buy In Japan! My Tokyo Haul (50+ Items)

I was in Tokyo, Japan for two blissful weeks and I’m back with a pretty big haul to show you! I went in with a small list of most recommended products because I really didn’t need to buy anything but still came back with a table full of kawaii (cute) makeup, skincare and random cat items! When shopping for cosmetics in Japan, look for the “#1” stickers that are usually in shiny foil right on the plastic packaging. It’s a safe bet if you want “the best” thing to buy. I generally stuck to popular drugstore items because they’re reasonably priced and they’ve been vouched for by millions of users through Cosme, a Japanese beauty community who rank products. I like to think of it like a Japanese Yelp but for beauty products. The haul below is probably what a lot of first-timers in Japan would also buy so check out to see if anything interests you! You can find most of these in the Matsumoto Kyoshi, Don Quiote, Loft (in Shibuya), and Ainz & Tuple. I plan to do a must-go shopping post in Tokyo too. Click below to see my 50+ items! Damn, I did that much damage.
Best Things to Buy in Japan_Haul_

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Event Update: 2nd Annual Peach & Lily Sample Sale – The Aftermath!

I’m back from the Peach & Lily 2nd Annual Sample Sale with day-of updates! I was invited as press and got to check out the sale five minutes before the mayhem! You can check out my Snapchat (@CCBEAUTYTHERAPY) and Instagram (@CECIBEAUTYTHERAPY) for LIVE footage as the sale unfolded this morning at 8am. There are new rules and flow process this year so click below read about my experience in order set your expectations! Peach and Lily Sample Sale 2016 (COVER)

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