I like experiments, and apparently this sentiment extends to experiments on my face. Expect hydrating toners and serums to rotate through the door, while emulsions and creams come and go. However, I do have two mainstays in my routine — two cornerstones that can hold up my skin even as everything else falls apart: one is Hada Labo Gokujyun Foaming Face Wash, which has been reviewed to the death, while the other is Tunemakers 原液保湿クリーム液 (lit. Concentrated Moisturising Creamy Lotion), which has taken me forever to write about.
Before one could talk about Tunemakers’ products, however, one has to mention Tunemakers’ system. Tunemakers sells carriers (2 lotions and 1 cream) and boosters (various “star” ingredients, with a range so wide that they can afford to have fullerene and EGF standing next to centuries-old staple like honey). All of their products are astoundingly simple; the basic formula seems to be one of each on the list: solvent, skincare ingredient, the occasional penetration enhancer, and preservative. The idea is that you can mix and match your toner or cream to accommodate your skin’s needs. The boosters can be mixed into a carrier or used alone.
Appended below are brief reviews of the Tunemakers products that I have used so far, and my experience with the Tunemakers setup.
原液保湿クリーム液 (Concentrated Moisturising Creamy Lotion)
Ingredients
Water, butylene glycol, glycerin, triethylhexanoin, squalane, rice bran-derived sphingoglycolipids, argan oil, solubilised collagen, sodium hyaluronate, honey, lysolecithin, hydrogenated lecithin, 1,2-hexanediol, PEG-60, hydrogenated castor oil, potassium hydroxide, (acrylates / alkyl acrylate (C10-30)) crosspolymer, citric acid, sodium citrate, phenoxyethanol.
Price
JPY 2,376 for 120 mL.
The lotion is a slightly viscous milky liquid. With its blend of 5 squalene : 3 ceramides : 2 argan oil : 2 collagen : 1 hyaluronic acid : 1 honey, it is both hydrating and moisturising. My easily dehydrated skin enjoys this type of products more than purely hydrating toners, which confers approximately a couple of hours of hydration before it is lost on my skin. However, others might prefer to layer this on top of a hydrating toner. It is not moisturising enough to function as a milk replacement, but it might work as an all-in-one or an essence step.
It takes several seconds for to sink in. There is a very slightly tacky finish — perhaps from the honey — that lingers for a minute or so.
Honey
Ingredients
Honey, glycerin.
Price
JPY 1,620 for 20 mL.
The honey booster is a transparent, viscous, and extremely sticky (please do not make the same mistake as I did: I swatched it in the store) liquid. It has a hint of a sweet smell.
This is quite literally honey, diluted and texturally improved by glycerin. It is moderately hydrating and very soothing. Although according to Tunemakers, the boosters can be used as standalones, I would not recommend using the honey on its own, due to its stickiness.
My Tunemakers toner blend contains quite a large portion of honey. I have very sensitive cheeks that used to be in a constant state of mild irritation; however, largely thanks to the honey-infused toner, I have seen a marked reduction in redness and heat. I am mildly allergic to certain bug bites; the bites swell up into hot, red, hard, and painful large welts. The inflammation could last for two or three weeks, but applying the honey-containing toner makes the swelling go down in a couple of days.
Ceramide 200
Ingredients
Water, 1,2-hexanediol, rice bran-derived sphingoglycolipids, phenoxyethanol, hydrogenated lecithin, lysolecithin.
Price
JPY 1,944 for 20 mL.
The Ceramide 200 booster is a transparent, runny liquid that is rapidly absorbed into the skin. If I am not mistaken, this is one of Tunemakers’ top-sellers. Week-long direct comparison of ceramide-infused toner and toner without ceramide revealed that the ceramide booster helps with my skin’s suppleness.
Licorice Extract
Ingredients
Water, butylene glycol, licorice extract.
Price
JPY 1,296 for 10 mL.
The licorice extract is a runny brown liquid. It is rapidly absorbed into the skin. It does not have any distinct scent to me. In conjunction with the honey, it functions as an anti-inflammatory ingredient in my toner. Unlike the honey, however, a smaller portion seems to go a long way with this extract. It aids in the fading of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentations.
There is no preservatives listed amongst the ingredients, which makes me a bit wary of the extract. However, I do have to admit that it is very effective, and I am currently on my second bottle.
Aloe Vera Extract
Ingredients
Water, butylene glycol, aloe vera extract.
Price
JPY 1,296 for 10 mL.
The aloe vera extract is a runny, transparent liquid that is absorbed immediately into the skin. It does not have any distinctive scent. This is the newest addition to my Tunemakers kit, and so far, I find that it adds some hydration. It is also mildly soothing. I got this because my previous blend was becoming a bit too heavy for summer; now, I have slightly reduced the amount of honey and substituted it with some aloe vera extract instead. The result is a no less anti-inflammatory but more refreshing and less sticky blend.
Toner Blend
Previous blend
5 lotion : 3 honey : 1 licorice extract : 1 Ceramide 200
Current blend
5 lotion : 2 honey : 1 licorice extract : 1 aloe vera extract : 1 Ceramide 200
Note
I mix 2 portions of the toner every night: one portion for immediate use and the other for the next morning’s routine.
Besides the toner blend, which has become a determined constant in my routine, I have also tried the following Tunemakers products.
Fermentation-derived AHA
Ingredients
Lactobacillus / fermented grape juice filtrate, butylene glycol.
Price
JPY 1,728 for 10 mL.
I am not well-versed in acids. I know that my skin does not respond well to physical exfoliation (RIP, konjac sponge), and I am only venturing into chemical exfoliation with this AHA with great caution. The AHA is a watery liquid with a fermentation scent that surprisingly reminds me of SK-II Facial Treatment Essence — they share that deep, slightly soured note. The liquid is absorbed immediately into the skin. The percentage of acid is not mentioned in the ingredient list. Although this is supposedly safe to use as a standalone, I find that it is strong enough to heat up the skin on swatches. I have only used this three or four times, at a weekly frequency. In general, my skin texture has seen some improvements, but due to the infrequent use, I really cannot say whether the progress can be attributed to the AHA or not.
Tunemakers also sells another variant of the AHA, which is supposedly gentler on the skin.
While all of these products have given me beneficial effects so far, I have also learnt valuable lessons from using Tunemakers simple boosters: namely, that I am sensitive to ginseng and large amounts of royal jelly.
Ginseng Extract
Ingredients
Water, butylene glycol, Panax ginseng extract.
Price
JPY 1,620 for 10 mL.
The ginseng extract is a watery, brown-tinged liquid that is quickly absorbed into the skin. It has ginseng’s characteristic smell, and it is not for the faint of heart: the odour is strong, and resembles damp, musty earth that has been dug out from the deep.
While I was using this in my toner for a week or so, I noticed that my under-eye regions were becoming less hollow, and there was a new firmness to my skin. However, it also wreaks havoc with my sebum production and heats up my skin like no other. I tried diluting it with more and more toner, but in the end, the benefits disappeared long before the side effects did.
Royal Jelly Extract
Ingredients
Water, butylene glycol, 1,2-hexanediol, hydrolysed royal jelly extract.
Price
JPY 2,592 for 20 mL.
The royal jelly extract is a watery liquid without any particular scent. It is absorbed immediately. Tunemakers recommends using this as a serum, 2 or 3 drops a day, as an anti-aging step. I only managed to use this for a few days: the standalone and the 1/10 toner dilution both broke me out in large, angry pimples that are very uncharacteristic to my skin within less than a day. I was not convinced that royal jelly could be a problem, since I had used Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence (2016), which contained royal jelly, without any problems. Later on, I discovered that if I brought the concentration low enough, my skin would not react to it. Suffice to say that nowadays I evade products touting royal jelly as their star ingredient like a plague. This revelation also caused me to stick with infusing my own toner with honey instead of to search for a full-fledged honey product; most honey products inevitable contain royal jelly extract as a companion.
Closing Remarks
My Tunemakers kit is probably my favourite part of my skincare routine: I love the ease of personalisation, the experimental aspect of trying out new combinations, and the ingredient accuracy it provides for sensitivity tests. As a cherry on top, most of their products seem to be fairly effective.
Friends have asked me: “Why bother?” Ultimately, building my own toner costs more money, time, and effort than simply grabbing a bottle from the shop. However, the moment we take my sensitive skin into consideration, it is apparent that — above all — Tunemakers has provided me with a platform on which I can explore mysterious skincare ingredients with a metaphorical safety net. And if there is a price to pay for that unshackling from fear, I will gladly pay as long as I can afford it.
Lost Duck Inc. 
Hi, where can you buy these online? I’ve been looking but haven’t found anything that ships easily to the US. Thanks 🙂
LikeLike
I’m sorry; I have no idea 😣 I live in Japan, you see.
LikeLike