Makanai Mini Skin Care Set

I've been living in Japan for 8 months now, but I still hadn't gotten around to trying a Japanese skin care brand. As the days started getting warmer here I found myself in the section of a department store one day, looking for sun lotions and after sun products. I'm naturally always on the look-out for the simplest packaging and then I stumbled upon Makanai for the first time. It's a beauty brand which focuses on making natural and cruelty-free products. The simple packaging sold me, but the products made me fall in love.

Since it's my first time trying this brand, I only bought the mini skin care set just to try it out. Here's my first review of the products that came with the set.

Each product doesn't seem to have it's separate link on their website so if you're interested in any of these products you can click here!

Makeup Removing Cleanser & Gentle Moisturizing Skin Lotion
First up we have the makeup removing cleanser and the skin lotion. The makeup remover is very gentle and so not really meant to remove tougher makeup like mascara or eye-makeup, however on other parts of the face it's very effective. It's all natural ingredients so it doesn't feel like it dries out your skin that some makeup removers tend to do. I'd recommend using this as well as a dedicated makeup remover for your eyes.

The skin lotion contains a lot of botanical ingredients and so it feels very refreshing and moisturizing. It doesn't leave your skin too greasy or too dry, and that's perfect when living in such a humid country as Japan. I especially enjoy using this in the mornings, as it really feels fresh and nice and wakes me up instantly. A little goes a long way!

Moisturizing Gold Beauty Oil

My favorite out of all of these products! It's not just a pleasure to the eyes with its cute gold petals but it's a very lightweight, pleasing oil. During summer time, the worst thing I know is oils that make your skin feel greasy and dirty, and unfortunately many oils do. But with this I actually long to put it on my face as it's just such a delight. 

This oil also contains a lot of botanical ingredients similar to the skin lotion, which perhaps is why I enjoy it so much. Even though this is a small size bottle, a little goes a long way with this one as well and you don't need more than just two drops. 

Nourishing Face Cream

After you've used the makeup remover, facial soap, lotion and beauty oil this is your last stop in the skin care routine. It feels tight on my skin but never sticky, and the same with the other products - a little goes a long way. That seems to be the theme of these skin care products, but recently I've really enjoyed this face cream during the recent warm days. It supports your healthy skin with natural ingredients and keeps it soft and clean. The scent is also very pleasant which is nice. Out of all of these products this is probably the one I'd consider buying a bigger size of. I definitely recommend this one!

Brown Sugar & Horse Oil Facial Soap
To be honest, I've only used this twice. Not because I don't like it but because I always tend to forget to bring it with me. Maybe that's just not only me? I don't know how many people are used to cleaning your face with a soap, and in a sense it feels weird to do so. However, it's so creamy and nice that it doesn't feel weird at all, and it leaves your skin feeling like you've taken that last layer of makeup off. I've really enjoyed this soap so far, I think it just takes some time getting used to it. 

I'm really intrigued by the story of this beauty brand, and I'm looking forward to learn more about it and also about cruelty-free beauty products. It's a new era, and even if a small step goes a long way, I think it's a new and fun area which I haven't explored yet. To find a brand that I like at the same time as it's being cruelty-free is a win win for me. The scents might not suit everyone but for me it does the job, and so far I'm loving it!

If you have any other cruelty-free recommendations, let me know!