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Crazy Cheap But Crazy Quality! Top 6 Budget-Priced Items at Tokyo's Ainz & Tulpe

Last updated: 1 June 2020

When tourists visit Japan, one of their top shopping destinations is the drug store. Beauty and health-centric ones such as Ainz & Tulpe are also popular among Japanese ladies. Here, there is a wide variety of special products to enhance one’s beauty – many of which are happy on your purse, too!

This time, we posed the question, “What bargain-priced beauty products would you buy for yourself or as a gift or souvenir?” to two frequent shoppers at Ainz & Tulpe, Sawaguchi and Matsunaga, and they tell us which products they recommend. All of them are at an affordable 2,000 yen (around US$20) or less! Let’s jump straight in.

“oneskin” is the private house brand of Ainz & Tulpe. From makeup removers to lotions and other beauty care products, it carries a variety of skincare items.

“oneskin Squalane Oil is made of 99.95% pure oil, and is an excellent cosmetic product that costs just 500 yen. Be it lotions or other cosmetic products you have on hand, you can mix them together with the oil for use. Applying it on your body is another popular way of using it.” It seems highly recommended!

Squalane oil is moisturising and whitening, and is an essential cosmetic oil for beauty-conscious ladies as part of anti-ageing care. To use it for skincare, you need only spread one or two drops using the palm of your hands, and it can be used for moisturizing any part of your body, be it your face, hair, or body. There are many people who buy this product as an add-on to basic beauty products, to boost their effectiveness.

Our next recommendation is the skincare and makeup product from the famous brand Ayura, the Ayura Meditation Hands α bath oil. Sold as a mini 50 ml bottle with enough product for 2 baths, it’s the perfect size for trying it out.

“With the smell of aromatic herbs, it’s popular amongst both gentlemen and ladies. In fact, many people become captivated by its scent when they take a whiff. With its relaxing scent and moisturising properties, it heals both your skin and soul.” In line with the term “meditation bath” coined by Ayura, it increases the quality of your bath time. The white colour it turns your bath water also seems to be soothing.

If there’s one thing that’s a must-have in dry weather, it’s hand cream. From amongst countless products, the one we recommend is “LIPS and HIPS Touch Me Cream”. “It’s very moist, yet not sticky at all, which stands out to many people. It doesn’t just have cute packaging, but with rice bran extract, it’s great for nail care as well, and its multiple functions are the reason for its popularity.”

With three fragrances to choose from, Romance Bouquet, Fresh Berry, and Savon, your hands and fingers will radiate a pleasant and comforting scent. For those who prefer unscented products, the fragrance-free version is recommended.

When you manage to get your hands on a special face pack, it’s time to treat yourself to a small reward. In line with the popularity of cosmetic items with sake lees, we recommend “Wafood Made Sake Lees Pack”. It’s easy to use at home, and is a washable type of pack. You don’t have to worry about hygiene as well, since it comes in a tube form, where you only squeeze out what you need.

Sake lees are by-products from sake production. The makers of this product heard that workers who worked sake lees with their bare hands had beautiful hands, and with that as the basis, this product was formulated with a moisturizing agent made from sake lees extract.

“After washing, my face feels moist and supple, and I’m absolutely in love with how translucent it leaves my skin!” are some of the rave reviews from buyers. For those who have noticed dullness or dryness in their skin and wish for it to glow, or whose makeup isn’t applying properly, do give it a try!

Another original product from Ainz & Tulpe, Plift VP Lip is recommended for chapped lips, being formulated with placenta. Including ingredients such as squalane, collagen, and honey (moisturising agent), it’s a straight road to plump and soft lips.

“It’s popularly used as a lip gloss too! After an actress from China introduced this product, it suddenly burst in popularity, and goes out of sale very quickly.” Sold in a slim stick form, it can easily be slipped into your bag or pocket, allowing you to care for your lips on the go. It’s such a good product, if you see it at the storefront, you should just get it immediately!

The last item we’ll be introducing will be Skinvill Hot Scrub Cleansing Gel. “This is a popular warming cleansing gel, and its dullness-reducing “konjac scrub” is a plus point. It has a surprisingly warm feeling once you apply it to your skin, which thoroughly cleans your pores.” We recommend this product to those with concerned with their pore condition.

It’s a makeup remover cum face wash, so you only need to wash your famous one, and can be used with false eyelashes on as well, making it the perfect product for busy people who want to take proper care of their skin. Recently, hot cleansing gels have suddenly risen in popularity, and many products have been released. For those who would like to try it out, why don’t you give this one a go?


Besides our recommended items, Ainz & Tulpe has a large lineup of other health and beauty goods. If you happen to drop by one, be sure to try searching for your favorite items!

Written by: Naho Jishikyu