Explore

Summer Survival Guide: Be a Cool Girl

Hair, skin... feet? A beauty summer survival guide to help you get through the scorching heat and humidity in Japan.

By 2 min read 2

Captain Obvious Fact: San Francisco summers are different than Tokyo summers. Mark Twain already told you, and now that I live in Japan, I can confidently say: we don’t have summer in San Francisco. Not. Even. Close. Summer in Japan is freaking hot, and from what I hear, it doesn’t go away anytime soon.

For Western girls this means we have issues. Hair issues. Skin issues. Holy sh*t it’s hot issues. So I’ve rounded up a few low cost, high power products to help you get through the next few months without looking like a wet gerbil all day.

Biore SPF 20 PA++ UV Wipes

summer-1

I love Biore for nice quality that’s cheap. I’m not a huge fan of staying totally covered up in the searing heat so sunscreen is a must, and Japan has every spray, gel, cream and wipe imaginable. Throw these in your bag for when you feel your shoulders frying, or need to touch up your coverage throughout the day.

Biore SPF50+ PA+++ UV Moisture Milk

summer-2

This is what I’m using on my face this summer, before makeup. Japan uses the PA system of UV protection instead of SPF, and PA only includes UVA (SPF is UVA and UVB). PA+ is low protection, PA +++ is the highest. This stuff goes on clean, isn’t sticky, and doesn’t hijack your foundation. Love.

Frizz Buster Silky Smooth Straightening Cream

summer-3

I bought a three-pack of this stuff for about ¥2300 on Amazon.jp. It’s not Bumble and Bumble Straight, but it does the job. Tames flyaways and works well as a pre-treatment for your flat iron. A bonus with this cream is that it leaves your hands super soft. I might just buy my B&B and turn this into hand cream. Smells nice too.

Batiste Dry Shampoo

summer-4

I LOVE dry shampoo. Yes I do. After your commute and your hair is flat and damp and gross, just spray a little in your roots and finger through. BOOM. You’re gorgeous again. I’ve used dry shampoo for years just to touch up, but I really appreciate its magical sorcery now that I live in Saunaville. Buy this now.

Daiso Men’s Menthol Wipes

summer-5

Somewhere in the Men’s section you’ll find these guys. The minty scent is super cooling and gives you a tingling sensation (if you’re into that kind of thing, and I totally am, for the record). A cheap cool off anywhere, I bought ten million packs and keep them in the fridge.

Overshare: At the end of the day, I use them on my feet. Don’t judge me.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service

  • chi says:

    I’ve searched everwhere, trying to find dry shampoo here. Where do you get yours if you don’t mind me asking?

  • Michael Reid says:

    Actually weather in SF is nice now, about late 60’s early 70’s ,low 60’s at night .

Related

Explore

Cooling Down with Menthol Bath Items

Fight back the sticky heat of summer with these cool menthol bath products.

By 3 min read

Explore

Extend your summer at Okinawa’s Kerama Islands

Summer isn't over until the last benimo is eaten.

By 3 min read

Live

The Secret to Flawless Japanese Skin Care

The surprising secret that Japanese women use to maintain their flawless skin.

By 3 min read 29