This is a series of posts originally published on Rakuten Gold's "Mirobina Selected Products Story" page, republishing the stories behind the creation and origins of our products for our official blog.
What kind of encounters and thoughts led to the creation of each product, and how did it end up being sold at Mirobina?
We hope you enjoy the "story of encounter and creation" that cannot be fully conveyed on the product page alone.
You can find the stories behind all 12 products here.
Each one has a story
Hello. This is Nonko, the store manager of Mirobina.
Mirobina carries original products that you can't buy anywhere else, as well as carefully selected natural items that you can also buy elsewhere.
Each of these products has a story behind its creation and sale, and we thought that sharing these stories would help convey our feelings, so we introduced them in our email newsletter.
Here, I'd like to share an excerpt from our email newsletter from that time, telling you about our first encounter with these products.
I would be happy if you could come to like Mirobina's products even just a little.
Also, the store name used is the old store name. Furthermore, the information may not be up-to-date. Please enjoy Mirobina's story of struggle.
My encounter with Kucha Pack...
Last time I talked about Okinawan cosmetics, specifically ginger lily water, and it turns out that I had a fateful encounter with this kucha pack at that time!
My beloved rose water was no longer available, and I was searching for a similar 100% natural water with high skin-beautifying effects.
I received information that "Okinawan ginger lily water is good," so I immediately flew to Okinawa alone, but...
Where I met people on my trip to Okinawa
After all, it was my first solo trip and my first trip to Okinawa (!?), and the plane was so cramped and I was so nervous that I almost fainted.
While being surprised to encounter Squall, I somehow managed to meet various people and gather information about ginger lily water.
Amidst all that, I ventured further into the main street called Kokusai-dori, which was near the hotel.
I came across a neat and bustling shop that sold natural foods and cosmetics.
There, they sell several types of ginger lily water, which is popular in Okinawa, including two types: one with a beautiful package and another with a simple package.
It was for sale. (The one with the nice packaging is La Moon Water, which I'll be discussing later.)
Drawn in by a wonderful shop
Actually, that's where I first encountered Lamoon Water, but there was one more thing that caught my eye.
A cute sign that read something like, "Testimonials from people who are happy with A●P and N●B."
Upon closer inspection, I noticed that they had posted various experiences, which turned out to be a collection of customer testimonials for that shop.
It's like a review on Rakuten, for example.
I'm usually quite skeptical of things like this, but somehow this way of writing makes me feel like I can believe it.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be about a mixture of "kucha pack" and "ginger lily water."
pack!!
At the time, Aromatic Life Magic Soap also had a face mask,
This "kucha" thing seems like it's going to be even more amazing...
At that time, it seemed that kucha and ginger lily were the shop's recommended products, and they had a kucha pack available for customers to try out.
There was a tester available, and several female customers were applying the Kucha pack to their hands and saying things like, "Wow, it really works! (・.・;)"
You might hear comments like, "Just apply a very thin layer. Rinse it off before it dries completely."
I actually tried it myself...
Then, noticing my serious expression, the shopkeeper asked, "Would you like to try the Kucha Pack?"
She applied a thin layer of the pack to the back of my hand. Meanwhile, she mentioned that some people with skin problems found relief with it.
Hearing stories about how they even deliver to rural areas made me incredibly interested!
Then, after applying it for 2-3 minutes, they said, "That's enough, so please remove it before it dries." I was surprised when I removed it!
Doesn't the skin where you applied it look whiter and more refined?!
What kind of pack is it?!
I've always liked face masks, but seeing how effective they are really piqued my interest, and I started asking all sorts of questions.
"What are the ingredients?", "Is it irritating?", "What skin type is it suitable for?", and so on... (^_^;)
It turns out that it's a 100% natural product, containing absolutely no preservatives or anything other than natural ingredients!
"This product is really effective, and our customers have a high rate of repeat purchases." From the way he spoke,
I could sense the store staff's high level of confidence in this product. And, as expected, it's their best-selling item.
In the end, we talked passionately about various things for over an hour, and I bought some kucha packs, various kinds of ginger lily water, and some other delicious Okinawan treats as souvenirs before we parted ways.
I immediately tried this Kucha pack at the hotel that night!
The kucha packs of that time were small, flat, solid pieces, and you would make them by adding an equal amount of ginger lily water to them.
This "equal amount" is difficult (>_<) It ended up too runny, so it was a failure.
Having no other choice, I added another piece to somehow make it into a pack. I left it on for a while, then washed it off before it dried...
Wow! My complexion is brighter!! This pack is really amazing because it's so effective. I don't feel any irritation either, this might be good!
While I was lost
Tomorrow is the last day of my trip to Okinawa!
Up until now, I haven't found any ginger lily water that really resonated with me, and to be honest, I'm still very confused about which one to choose.
Anyway, let's go and check out the Kucha and Ramoon Water company.
I called her during the day, and she kindly agreed to meet.
I've finally made up my mind!
The next morning, I checked out of the hotel and took a taxi for about an hour and a half to a factory called Okinawa Sugarcane.
I did have the mishap of forgetting my luggage in the taxi trunk, but I was able to see the factory,
After hearing various stories, I had a gut feeling that this was the real deal.
Actually, I think I had already decided in my heart to release Kuchapack and Ramoon Water at that time.
◆The Kucha Pack's rapid progress! And a sudden farewell.
Lamoon Water has received a much greater response than expected... and has become a hugely popular product!
Similarly, this Kucha Pack is also selling incredibly well!
Whenever my skin was in bad condition, I would use it almost every day, and I had completely come to trust and rely on this Kucha.
The parting came suddenly...
Customer satisfaction was high, and I was thinking I had found a great product.
Due to circumstances on the manufacturer's end, we are suddenly unable to receive the product (+o+)
We received many inquiries from customers when the product went out of stock, and we were truly disappointed.
My feelings only grew stronger...and then!
Even after several years, my feelings towards Kucha packs remained unchanged.
I've always hoped that we could meet again someday... no, I really want to meet you!!
Then, I received some information that felt like a miracle! "Kucha Pack is being sold again!"
Wow! I'm absolutely ecstatic!
I remember as if it were yesterday when I immediately contacted them and celebrated the return of Kucha Pack...
And the Kucha Pack is back!!
Kucha Pack has discontinued the inconvenient solid form, significantly lowered its price, and redesigned its packaging.
I was once again amazed by its skin-beautifying properties, and it occurred to me: if I added it to soap, maybe it would enhance the skin-smoothing effect!?
◆Kucha Soap is born
Kucha is mud that has accumulated in the sea off Okinawa.
It is extremely rich in minerals and has excellent skin-beautifying and health-promoting effects.
Modern people tend to be deficient in minerals, which often leads to various skin problems and other physical ailments.
What about minerals?
* Removes waste products from the body
* Activates cells and enhances their function.
* Improves blood circulation.
* Accelerates skin cell turnover and offers excellent anti-aging benefits.
* Excellent antibacterial properties, cleanses the skin.
* Has an anti-inflammatory effect.
It has a variety of surprisingly high-performance effects, including not only improving skin condition but also being extremely effective in treating skin problems.
Also effective for various skin problems
It's also good for summer heat rash, and if you use it regularly, or continue using it on skin damaged by UV rays, your skin will recover much more quickly.
For preventing blemishes, it's recommended to dissolve it in Getto no Izumi (a type of herbal medicine) and use it.
Also, one of the features of this kucha pack is that the particles are extremely fine.
Even when used like a scrub, it won't damage your skin.
When I tried using it myself, I found that it easily removed unwanted dead skin cells and left my skin soft.
It gives my skin a translucent look and refines its texture, so it's become one of my favorite methods.
So that means...?!
If you put it in soap, wouldn't it be easy to exfoliate unwanted dead skin cells every day without any effort?
That's why I created this "Kucha Soap".”
I entrusted the creation of this finished soap to SPH, the company that makes magical soaps, and they, being soap professionals...
”"This is really good!" he exclaimed, giving it rave reviews. The effect of the kucha (crushed clay) is truly remarkable!
Adding essential oils completes the dish perfectly!!
But since we're at it, I'd like to add an Okinawan scent. After all, scents really do make you feel good.
I think customers would be happy if we added the skin-beautifying and anti-aging effects of aromatherapy...
So, I created a fragrance by blending my favorite ylang-ylang and lavender, and had it incorporated into this soap.
After that, we collaborated on designing the labels, and finally, it was finished!
Thanks to your support, this soap has been very well received, and I am very grateful.
Thus, the soap that I created, from the idea to the label, was something I was involved in every step of the way.
This was my first time experiencing something like this, so I was a little happy (^O^)/
Polish your skin for vibrant, radiant skin.
"Kucha," the sea mud from Okinawa, boasts overwhelming adhesive power.
It gently removes old dead skin cells that hinder skin clarity without damaging the skin, leading to fresh, radiant skin.
▼beauty kucha soapClick here for the product page.
New articles and seasonal care information are available on LINE.
New articles and seasonal care information are also available via LINE.
🌿 "The Story Behind Our Carefully Selected Products" (12 episodes)
Next story:I finally made it to Okinawa cosmetics.
*The following pages will be released sequentially.
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