useful Japanese expressions 4: Kekko desu (No thank you)

Hi everyone!

I sometimes think Japan is not a very eco-friendly country. When you buy a sweater at a department store, for example, they nicely wrap it with thin delicate paper, then put in a white plastic bag, and finally put it in a paper bag with the logo of the store printed.

That would be OK if it's a gift for someone. But if you buy it for yourself, you will probably throw away all those wrapping materials once you arrive home. What a waste!

At many supermarkets as well, they automatically give you plastic bags, so if you have your own shopping bags or you simply don't need them, please say:  けっこうです。　Kekko desu. = No thank you.

To specify what you don't need you can say as follows:
袋は　けっこうです。　Fukuro wa kekko desu = I don't need a bag, thank you.
はしは　けっこうです。　Hashi wa kekko desu = I don't need chopsticks. 
スプーンは　けっこうです。　Supu-n wa kekko desu. = I don't need spoons.  

At some supermarkets started to charge customers 2-10 yen for a single-use plastic bag. At those places they may ask you: 袋はお持ちですか。　Fukuro wa omochi desuka. = Do you have your own bag? 

If you want one, please say: いいえ、一枚お願いします。　Iie, ichimai onegai shimasu.  = No, can I have one?  


By the way, the single-use plastic grocery bags are commonly called レジ袋（reｊi bukuro), because you can get those bags at the register. (＝reji) 

5 shampoos available in Japan, recommended by LDK magazine

Hi everyone!
みなさん、こんにちは！

If you are living in the countryside of Japan where your favorite shampoo from your country is not easily available, what do you do?

Order from Amazon is one choice. They'll deliver it to you within a couple of days. But buying a Japanese shampoo from your neighboring drugstore is much easier. Why don't you try just once?

You might say there is so much variety on the shelves that you don't know which to choose. I totally agree with you. I change my shampoo pretty often because I myself don't know which one is good.

Several days ago I happened to find a ad-free products review magazine called "LDK." What is wonderful about this magazine is the fact that they have no sponsors, which means they can write anything they want. In the March issue they feature skin and hair care products that can be bought at drugstores. When the shampoo I'm currently using runs out, I'll definitely buy one of the shampoos they recommend.

The shampoos the magazine gave the thumbs-up are mainly silicone-free, but silicone is not that bad after all. It reduces friction, makes combing easier and prevents tangles. Moreover, contrary to popular belief, it does not clog pores and is unlikely to cause skin problems.

Whether it has silicone or not, some products get you down. Shampoos with too much silicone, such as Shiseido's Tsubaki and Lax Bio Fusion, make your hair feel sticky and oily, says LDK.

The following is the shampoo LDK recommends:

 

Je l'ame by Kose Cosmeport (945yen, 500 ml)

available at any drugstores.

 Premium Bluria  by Bené (987yen, 500 ml)

available at any drugstores.

Argelan Scalp Clear shampoo by MKB(1,580 yen, 550 ml)

 Silicon-free, paraben-free organic shampoo, available at nation-wide drugstore chain Kiyoshi Matsumoto.

  NA by Nudy Aura Moist Non-silicone Shampoo (900yen, 500 ml)

Get "Most Shampoo," not Nudy Aura shampoo (1,943 yen 600 ml), which contains some petroleum-derived materials

 

 

Bodyshop's Rainforest Moist shampoo (1,890 yen, 400 ml)
A little expensive, but Bodyshop is always reliable.