The long awaited review of Kawaii Tokyo Brighten-up gel.

Before I tell you the story about Kawaii Tokyo Brighten-up Gel please let me explain my skin condition.

I am a 26 year old female with a slightly sensitive skin that is prone to breakouts since puberty. So, my skin is always with pimples here and there, and to make it worse, the pimple/acne leaves dark spot on my face that takes months and months to clear up. Before the old dark spot clears up, I’ll get a new pimple resulting to new dark spot. So it’s easy to say that my face is never clear from pimples or dark spots. Struggling to fight the pimples, I tend to try new skincare products that claim to clear the face from spots and pimples. With caution in mind, I only try those with minimal chemicals and claims to have natural ingredients. None of which I have tried satisfied me fully.

My face before any product testing

My face before any product testing

 My face on usual days. Before any product testing.

Last year I heard about Skinfood that claim to derive ingredients from food such as rice, pumpkin cucumber and many other. Eager to try them, early this year I have asked my sister to buy selected products from this brand for me to try. I bought: 1. Seaweed Cleansing Gel for removing make-up, 2. Rice Mask for brightening effect, 3. Fermented Pomegranate Whitening Sleeping Mask (Whitening Skin Care) to help me get rid of my spots and 4. Tomato Whitening Toner (whitening Skin Care) also to help getting rid of my spots.

1. The Seaweed Cleansing Gel does the job well. It removes my makeup and help with my cleansing ritual.
2. The Rice Mask gave me one big (bigger than my ordinary size pimple) pimple on my left cheek. Afraid of more breakouts, I stop using it thus never experiences the brightening effect it claims.



After using Skin Food Rice Mask

3. The Fermented Pomegranate Whitening Sleeping Mask gave me pimples all over my cheeks. They were smaller pimples but several all over my cheeks only after one night using them.




After using SkinFood Fermented Pomegranate Whitening Sleeping Mask


4. Tomato Whitening Toner irritates my skin a little due of its alcohol contents.

After using SkinFood Tomato Whitening Toner

I decided to stop trying any other product by this skincare brand because I got only 1 success story out of 4 product trials.

Then I found this website over the internet selling skincare products. So tried the Cosmeteq Treatment (Acne & Problem skin) TS that also claims to be “formulated with mild surfactants and actives to be used for acne and problem skin. The nutrients help to nourish and moisturize the skin deeply. Brighten your face with a glow.”

Rather than clearing my face form pimples, it causes more breakouts that prompt me to ask the website owner about my problem. First email was to tell her how sticky it feels after applying the product, she then replied saying that I was using too much or my skin absorption might be poor. She advised me using just a little then wait after it dry before applying the next product in the step. So I did, but the sticky feeling on my face remains. It feels oily and shiny all over my face that only goes away after I wash my face. It never dry/absorb into my face at all. Also after a few days using this product, I notice big bumps on my cheeks and along the jaw line. She then replied explaining that I might have “toilet problem, slow digestion etc”. That puzzles me because my daily toilet routine has got no problem before. I go to the toilet to purge like a clockwork everyday and I do drink lots of water. But I never had these kinds of bumps on my face before. She replied that the bumps “come from your deep layer, it may cause from your previous chemical skincare. Cosmeteq cleanser cleanse 5 layer of your skin...I know which bumps you mention. The bumps will subside very fast.

After using Cosmeteq Treatment

After using Cosmeteq Treatment

But after finishing the cleanser as she suggested the bumps still did not go away. Lucky that I only bought the trial set. So it seems like the product does not suit me at all.

After finishing Cosmeteq Treatment Trial Pack

Recuperating from my disastrous trials, I went back to basics. Cleanser, pimple gel and mask. I use a) Biore Facial Fit Expert Luminous Whitening Clarity Radiance for Oily-Combination skin, b) Gel Jerawat Syahirah (Syahirah Pimple Gel) and c) Himalaya Herbals Neem Face Pack Oily and pimple prone skin.

Biore Facial Fit Expert Luminous Whitening Clarity Radiance for Oily-Combination skin

Gel Jerawat Syahirah (Syahirah Pimple Gel)

Himalaya Herbals Neem Face Pack Oily and pimple prone skin



1. Biore Facial Foam does the job well. It claims to have anti bacterial formula that helps reduce blemishes and acne scar formation. To me, it does what it claims. I don’t get serious blemishes or acne scar formation.
2. Syahirah Pimple Gel claims to dry up pimple overnight and reduce pimple without leaving dark spot. To me, it does reduce my pimple but not overnight and I still got dark spot. So 1 out of 2. As long as it dries up my pimple is fine with me. My dark spots problem is hard to tackle. So I don’t put much hope on this little tube of pimple gel.
3. Himalaya Herbals Neem Face Pack claims to clear skin of all blemishes, rejuvenates and firms up the skin, imparts natural glow, regulates excess oil secretion, cleans clogged pores and improves skin texture. To me, it does what it claims. My blemishes are cleared (overtime), firms up the skin (a little too much for me sometimes but this reduces after applying moisturizer), regulates oil secretion (I notice my nose a little oilier after wearing the mask) and cleans clogged pores (my pores does seems smaller). As for the “improves skin texture” I would not know what to say.

My skin condition after treatment phase.

In June this year, I receive a parcel from Japan as I mention in my earlier post. So happy about winning the “All-in-1 Step Skincare for Day & Night Brighten-Up Gel, the Herbal Forest scent“ I could not wait to try it out. Taking careful steps before experiencing my fist application, I waited for my face to really clear up before using it. I notice smoother skin since the first day wearing it. I like the smell. I like the way it fells on my skin and I most like the fact that it does not cause me to breakout. I simply LOVE it.

After Using Kawaii Tokyo Brighten-Up Gel

As you can see, my face without irregular pimples. Just the ordinary ones. Plus the softest skin ever!

Why I Love this Brighten-Up Gel:

1. The smell is nice. It is not too much to irritate my skin but sweet enough to leave a nice smell.
2. Does not leave sticky feeling on my face whatsoever like many other moisturizer I tired before.
3. It combines toner and moisturizer in one step. I like this idea because you do not have to wait for the toner to completely absorb before applying the moisturizer hence cut the applying time in half. Really good for those who are always on the go.
4. Brightening effect without the peeling and irritation thus not causing breakout on my skin. Noticeably clearer and brighter face just after a few weeks of using.
5. The fact that it is Halal and contains no alcohol or animal derived ingredients.

The only thing I wish is that Kawaii Tokyo is available not only in Sasa stores but also in stores such as Watson and Guardian since they have more outlets. Limited access keeps me from trying out other product from Kawaii Tokyo. But if I got the chance, I would love to try out other product form Kawaii Tokyo. I finally found a product that truly suits my skin. ♥