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Hi Everyone,
As you may know, I am located in Shibuya, so three or four department stores are within a walking distance.
It sounds easy, right?
But, it takes some energy to go to the makeup sections of the department stores. I can feel that male customers are not welcomed, as we don’t look like regular buyers.
A new place is especially difficult as shop employees wonder what I want. Sometimes they ignore me.
They don’t think I would buy high-end cosmetics though most shops say there are many male customers. Is it true? I seldom see men alone there.
At the shops I regularly go to, I have explained to them that I send Japanese brushes and makeup to overseas so I have an easier time.
Actually, many are very nice.
Of course, it depends on a person. I have some people easy to talk to and difficult to talk to.
I googled some surveys on which brands are friendlier and which are less.
I can see that some or many Japanese women feel pressured to visit a department cosmetic section as they are more expensive than drug stores and also they sit and receive a touch-up.
These are what I found.
Good : Albion and Decorte are friendly.
MAC shop employees don’t look friendly, but actually they turned out to be great, LOL.
Ok: IPSA, Dior, ADDICTION has mixed opinions.
Maybe no good: NARS (I haven’t bought much there so I don’t know…)
I know I cannot generalize brands’ images, as they totally depend on a person whom a customer talks to.
Here are the rankings based on my experinces:
Good!
Albion, Decorte, SUQQU, Jill Stuart, Laduree, Paul and Joe, RMK
Chicca ( sorry they will close)
Mixed feelings??
ADDICTION, Tom Ford, Shiseido
I don’t want to go….
Chanel
Armani
Shu Uemura (except for one person, LOL)
At the last three brands, I try to spend as short time as possible, lol.
In general, shop employees are well trained, and I may be just demanding and spoiled.
I will update these rankings from time to time)
Thank you for reading!
Toshiya
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If anyone is thinking of ordering any of those Chikuhodo silver fox brushes from Toshiya, they are ah-MAAAZ-inggg, softer than kittens!
My favourite part of ordering hard-to-source goodies from Japan is getting to chat with Toshiya. He makes every ordering step so unexpectedly pleasant and human, he is everything that big business shopping leaves out.I’ve been shopping with Toshiya for at least 5 years now (holy heck has it really been that long?!), and he surprises me with the depth of his patient polite kindness each and every time.
I’ve ordered Chikuhodo Takumi brushes, Japan-only versions of Hakuhodo brushes/brush cases, and a limited Asia-only release of a Guerlain illuminating powder (does anyone not adore those?).If it is available in Japan, Toshiya can get it for you. The sweet little extras he includes in the parcel as a surprise just round off the perfect shopping experience.
I’m sure some shoppers pay far more to others for far less than Toshiya provides. If I could invent the perfect shopping service I’m still convinced Toshiya would do it better.
Now Toshiya, after all my compliments be sure to keep your head swelling low and maintain your excellent standards, because you know you wouldn’t like me when I’m cranky. 😛Robin. 🙂 ❤
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Hi Everyone,
I received a call from Hakuhodo.
I had an order of 4 x G5558, and one of them was not made as it should have been. There is the Hakuhodo Standard which they need to follow, and they have the quality-check division.
But the right one was sharper than the others, and the shop kindly called me to inform that it would be returned to the factory and the delivery would be one week late.
Their explanation is that a brush is made by hand, and it is inevitable that not all brushes are exactly the same.
I have been to Koyudo, Chikuhodo and Houkodo to tour the factories, and saw the process by hand, but I have never been to Hakuhodo.
I heard that they did not provide a tour.
I was guessing they achieved their own standardization processes, which might be a secret.
Otherwise, they could not make so many brushes every day.
Takeda said the same, but they claim to be a family-company with a small operation and it makes sense.
Well, a shop explained to me that brushes were different from each other but the difference should be small.
And that right one will be returned.
By the way, I worked for Canon, which makes cameras and copiers, etc.
I had training at a camera factory and participated in the manufacturing line.
The processes were strictly managed, and my part was rejected at first, LOL.
That is the beauty of Japanese manufacturing, represented by Toyota Kaizen.
Each Kaizen proposal is paid, 500 yen, I recall, and better ones get paid more.
It was every day when I wrote several Kaizen proposals for the 500 yen.
Valuable bonus for the first year employee, right?
Thank for your reading,
Toshiya
Fude Japan (Makeup brushes from Japan) 