The Deal Mommy

The Joys of Overseas Drug Stores

The Joys of overseas drug stores

Greetings from Osaka! We’ve only got a couple of days left in Japan but I will definitely be making another trip to Tokyu Hands, my new favorite store. I have an obsession with overseas drug stores and Tokyu Hands is more like a Target/Ikea/??? but definitely fits the bill.

Deal Dad and the kids have had to drag me out of Tokyu Hands’ cosmetics department as I could easily spend all day just admiring all of the wonderful ways the Japanese have come up with to make themselves more beautiful. And while I’m taking a pass on the placenta cream, here are a few I’m buying by the case:

  • Rice Powder papers: This little gem is the secret to why Japanese women never appear to sweat while I’ve been resembling a melted Popsicle. Each paper has just enough powder on it to keep your face fresh and matte- and at 80 cents for 100 you never have to worry about re-applying. Genius.
  • Biore pore strips: I know we have Biore in the states but they were invented here and are 1/2 the price. Sold! (BTW, if you’ve never tried, take a look at the firemen in the pic above to get an idea of what they do.)
  • Cloth disposable face masks: Just the right individually packaged size for a jet lag refresh or quick pick me up, I’ve seen at least 20 types of these moisturizing beauties from the wonderful to the downright strange (snail?  uh, no thanks!).  At 50 cents each, I’m stocking up.

What have you found overseas that has changed your daily routine? Anything I should look for in Vietnam or Hong Kong?  Please share your faves in the comments.

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13 thoughts on “The Joys of Overseas Drug Stores

    1. star

      Second Don Quijote!! my favorite store…I always come out spending $100 (look for the Visa offers – last time I got a special gift) and pay in the duty-free floor so you don’t have to pay tax. I like the one in Roppongi Hills in Tokyo since it’s 8 stories of glorious shopping, but you’re in Osaka, so I’m not sure how big the ones are there. I love the ankle socks and footsies – they have ones with memory foam sole pads and ones with ankle straps to prevent the socks from slipping into a bunch in the front of your shoe.

      In Hong Kong, I liked shopping in the Ladies’ Market area and Mongkok Computer Centre, or basically anywhere in Mong Kok.

    1. thedealmommy Post author

      Hi Kadence,
      I’m also a perfume collector. My current faves are from Ireland and Italy.

  1. MaryE

    Love Tokyu Hands. Also, be sure to pick up some of the fruit and vegetable masks. The paper mask is saturated with the fruit/vegetable mixture with cutout holes for eyes, nose, and mouth. Lay it on your face for a few minutes and then clean your face with water. You will feel refreshed.

  2. Jessica

    Oh I love Tokyu Hands!!! You should also try Daiso. I live in that store. It’s like a dollar store on steroids! 😀

  3. Erik

    Not sure about Japan, but many countries have better sunscreen than what we have available in the U.S. I discovered this by accident one time when I forgot to pack some for a trip to Germany. The German brand that I purchased was only rated SPF 15 but was way more effective than any U.S. SPF15 I’d ever used. We’re like 20 years behind everyone else, apparently because the FDA has been dragging its heals to make a decision on some new formulations. This is one article that talks about it: http://jezebel.com/the-fda-is-limiting-your-access-to-the-worlds-best-sun-510090968

    1. Jamie

      This jogged my memory on the sunscreen we got in Budapest that we loved!
      Browsing drug stores in other countries is definitely fun.

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