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
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
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
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
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
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.
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I’ve searched everwhere, trying to find dry shampoo here. Where do you get yours if you don’t mind me asking?
Actually weather in SF is nice now, about late 60’s early 70’s ,low 60’s at night .