Shisedo Tsubaki Shampoo and Conditioner

Shisedo Tsubaki Shampoo and Conditioner

Living in Japan was a mess.... At least where my hair was concerned. I worked in a very conservative environment, I had to wear a suit everyday. But my hair refused to be conservative.
It was dreadful, all frizzy, and partly curly, sticking this way and that..... I felt UGLY.
i mean it was bad enough that I felt like I was going to melt, in a full suit in the middle of the summer.
But every morning I would fight with my hair. On optimistic days I would carefully straighten it into a smooth sleek do. Only to have it a frizzy mess by the time I walked the two blocks to the subway station.
On more pessimistic days, I would tie it tidily back, A look which is not particularly flattering for my face shape.
Only to walk to the subway, and Still end up looking like a complete mess.
Then I would get to work, with my gorgeous Japanese co-workers, and feel like an Oaf.

If you have ever been to Japan, you might be familiar with the feeling. (Korea's not like that though).
My co-workers, wonderful people that they are, never commented.

This quite long tirade is leading somewhere.
To my discovery of Shisedo Tsubaki Shampoo and Conditioner.

It was available at just about any drug store. Conveniently at the one nearest my apartment. So one day, when I was about done with one of the other shampoo's I had bought, I picked this set up.
I'm pretty sure I was swayed by the Shisedo name. Though the shampoo and conditioner  were in fact quite inexpensive.

The first time I washed my hair, I noticed a difference. My hair felt soft, but light and free.
Other Japanese hair care had my hair both oily and frizzy.....
This was different. It helped tame my hair, by really moisturizing, but it was very light.

When I straightened my hair, it stayed straighter, and frizzed less.

I love this shampoo and conditioner set. It was so perfect for my hair, facing humidity, then air conditioning. If you are in Japan, or Korea, pick it up. If not, try sasa.com :)

Skinfood Hop Beer shampoo and conditioner, Wormwood body wash

Skinfood Summer Travel Set

I got the Skinfood Summer Travel Set as a gift with purchase when I spent 30000won($30) just before Christmas. Why exactly they released the Summer set in the Winter... I don't know.  With 30ml in each sample, it's a really nice free gift! The Aloe Vera Cleanser I reviewed separately, here.

Hop Beer Hair Wash

I've gotten a number of samples of this shampoo. My hair tends to be finnicky, and the idea of a Beer shampoo really doesn't appeal to me. It seems like the sort of thing that should be in the Men's section of skinfood. But it's not. 

Smells -  Wow does this stuff smell. It's intense. Possibly the most potent product I've ever come across. The weird thing is, it doesn't smell like beer. A little like hops, but very musky, very much like a man's cologne. I really think this should be a Men's product!

Texture- It's a clear brownish orange shampoo. Looks like a orange stout beer.  It doesn't foam very much!

Effectiveness- Except for the smell, the shampoo is quiet nice. It's gentle, but cleansing. It doesn't leave residue, but it also doesn't strip my hair. It's nicely inbetween.

Buy?- Maybe, but only as a gift, for a guy. The shampoo is actually nice. It cleansing ability is something I could comfortably use everyday, it doesn't strip or way down my hair at all. But the smell. It's just so manly. I washed my hair one night before bed, and after work the next day(almost 24hours later, I could still smell my hair at random moments. Ugh. But for a guy, it would make a nice present.

Beer Hair Conditioner

Smells -  Much nicer than the Hair wash(shampoo), It's the same scent, but a lot gentler. Not as over powering.

Texture-  Nice and creamy, it's a light orange brown.  

Effectiveness-It's lightly moisturizing. Nice, not too much. In fact if it weren't for the smell, I would probably by the set. It's a good everyday conditioner, moisturizing without weighing my hair down. It's a really well balanced conditioner.

Buy?- Like the beer shampoo, I would only buy this as a gift for a guy. But with that said, it would be great for a guy, it's well balanced, without being girly.

Wormwood Body Wash

Smells - Green! Like a twig from a tree that you just snapped, kind of like freshly cut grass. It's not a bad scent, a bit manly, but interesting. It's not nearly as smell as the Shampoo, but OMG this stuff is potent! So so so smelly. Even after the container having been opened for months.... It still smell intensely. After using it my whole bathroom smells for the rest of the day!

Texture- The Body wash is a green gel wash, that doesn't foam much on it's own. When used with a body puff it foams a lot more.

Effectiveness- Cleans well, even without using a puff to make it foamy, the cleanser leaves me feeling clean and fresh, and very scented. It's not drying but it's not moisturizing. Pretty basic overall

Buy?- No. It's smells intensely manly, and the cleanser is pretty basic. It's definitely not worth purchasing, for any reason.