I want to tell you about the not-so-new product by Kuramoto Bijin — the Komeyu Beauty Serum. If you’re a RatzillaCosme regular reader, you’ll have seen their products featured in my Best Picks already. You may have even used their “star” product, the Komeyu (rice oil), which is one my all-time favourites. Kuramoto Bijin (roughly translates to “beauties of the brewery”) is produced by Tonoike Shuzouten, a renowned traditional sake brewery in Japan, and their products are beautifully put-together. They aren’t fancily fragranced or coloured and they come in simple yet very aesthetically pleasing packaging.
Kuramoto Bijin’s Komeyu Beauty Serum contains a blend of organic cold-pressed Japanese rice bran and germ oils. As well as more organic rice-derived ingredients — Ginjo Sake, Rice Koji, Rice Bran Sterol, Gamma-Oryzanol, Ferulic Acid, Rice Bran, Hydrolyzed Rice, and Fermented Rice — the formula is packed full of potent actives that naturally address dryness and strengthen the skin’s barrier as well as providing antioxidant protection. Collagen, Hyaluronic Acid, and Elastin to tackle hydration. It’s free from added fragrance, alcohol, sulphates, and silicones as well.
The actual visible results of this serum would be, you would think, slow to make themselves apparent. Protecting your skin against environmental damages is a bit of a long-term investment — it’s not until much later (years if your skin is still fairly young) that you reap the rewards. But actually the visible results were quite prompt: glowing skin that felt smooth, calm, and altogether tip-top. During dry winter months, I liked the intense hit of moisture that it provided without making my relatively normal skin sticky or greasy. Now that I’m on my second bottle and it’s near summer, I find it to be nicely moisturising, so much so that I’ve skipped moisturiser and just go straight in with my SPF or whatever I’m using next.
Kuramoto Bijin’s Komeyu Beauty Serum is a brilliant “basic” serum — it doesn’t promise any overblown anti-ageing or dark spot-vanishing miracles — it takes care of the skincare basics. But this actually stands up to serums that are multiple times the price, and I’ve found myself repeatedly reaching for it when I want something gentle and moisturising to apply after more aggressive chemical treatments or serums. You can find it, 30ml, online for ¥1,944 HERE from Amazon Japan — international shipping via AmazonGlobal.
Ratzilla, do you know of any product similar to this one? I am so sad this one is gone and I loved it!!!!
No, I haven’t come across a serum that has a similar formula yet.
Hi! Is this ok to use together with melano CC? Thank you for the answer
Most certainly! By the way, this serum has been discontinued earlier this year.
Thank you so much for featuring this serum. I’ve been using it everyday for 2 weeks and the fine lines under my eyes are almost gone. Love the smell too, so delicious and addictive, can’t stop sniffing my palms after applying it xD
Thanks for the review! I’m visiting Japan soon and would like to buy this. Where can find this brand?
I would like to find out where I can buy this too.
Thanks for the review!! I have one question – I have had this question for some time – doesn’t rice ferment/sake contain ethanol? My skin is generally not too happy with ethanol. I have used alcohol-containing products on my face and generally I’m fine, but if I ever use a little rubbing alcohol on my legs or arms, I will end up having the whole area red for some time. Do you think I should try this product? Thank you! BTW, I purchased the Komeyu, and I really like it 😀
Yes and no. This contains Tonoike Shuzouten’s Ginjo Sanran sake which has 15% alcohol. It’s used as part of many other ingredients so it’s further diluted. That being said, this is technically alcohol-free since it doesn’t contains it as an added ingredient — only ethanol is classified as ‘alcohol’ in cosmetics ingredients.