When it comes to skincare, Japan has tons of amazing products and variety. However, one of the things that people not from Japan often struggle with is how to incorporate them into their own routine. Well, we’ve got you covered with a detailed look at the typical Japanese skincare routine that women, men and our nonbinary friends all swear by!
Read on to learn all about the standard skincare steps that Japanese folks use, along with a detailed breakdown of each one!
Japanese Skincare Basics and Why We Love it
The standard Japanese skincare routine can actually be pretty simple, especially when compared with the 10-step Korean skincare routine. (Although, the 10-step routine is said to be mostly a marketing ploy.) The Japanese version can be done with as little as six products for the morning and five for the evening, making it a little more accessible and easier to keep up with.
So, what makes the Japanese routine unique to Western or Korean skincare. Well, the main difference comes in the products. Japanese skincare products boast tons of natural ingredients, including traditional ingredients used for generations. Plus, these products are often great for making clear, plump, youthful skin, also known as mochi skin.
While no one has "perfect skin", high-quality products that suit your skin's needs can help a lot to maintain your skin's health. Image by Ron Lach via Pexel
Another interesting thing is that many Japanese folks have sensitive skin. That means that tons of Japanese beauty brands either create versions of their products for sensitive skin or create their products with sensitive skin in mind.
You may also notice that Japanese skincare products tend to be pretty light. This is due to the fact that Japan gets very hot and humid during the summer, so having lightweight products feels better on the skin during that scorching season.
But enough praise for Japanese beauty products. Let’s dive into the routine! Mochi skin is accomplished through a combination of cleansing, hydrating, skin treatments and, of course, sunscreen. We’ll give you the standard six steps first and include extra steps that you can add in if you want a bit of extra care!
The Japanese Skincare Routine
Double Cleanse (Oil & Foam)
Clean skin is always the base for any good skincare routine no matter where you’re from. And with many Japanese women (and an increasing number of Japanese men) wearing makeup every day, the standard is a double cleanse. This double cleanse, in many people’s minds, ensures that any dirt, impurities and makeup are properly washed away.
For makeup users, the cleansing step starts with a solid oil cleanser of your choice to remove the makeup and start the cleansing process. Some really popular oil cleansers at the moment are Shu Uemura’s Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil and Fancl’s Mild Cleansing Oil and Black Cleansing Oil.
Then, once that step is done, a foaming cleanser is used. This second step helps to gently cleanse the skin and get rid of any remaining makeup or dirt.
Japanese folks love foaming cleansers because the bubbles pop deeper into the skin for a great clean feeling. The Kanebo Suisai Beauty Clear Powder Wash and the D-Program Essence-In Cleansing Foam are currently taking up two top spots in @cosme’s rankings.
Tip: Avoid irritation from bubbles by using a foaming net. They help to create smaller, finer bubbles that help reduce potential irritation. They also help you use your product more efficiently!
Lotion and/or Essence
Lotion is a confusing word in Japan. It can mean something similar to a toner; a body lotion; or a lubricant for adult fun times. In this case, we’re talking about the one used for facial care.
Lotion and toner are very similar but actually not the same thing. While both are used to prep the skin for everything else that comes after, toner tends to use more alcohol, leaving the skin a little bit drier. It also removes impurities, tightens pores and lowers oil production.
Lotions, however, focus on hydration and nourishment to put back any moisture that was lost in the cleansing process and control sebum production. They’re also super lightweight and absorb into the skin super quickly.
SK-II’s Facial Treatment Lotion is a great example as it absorbs so quickly and adds tons of moisture. The Elixir Brightening Lotion WT and the IPSA The Time R Aqua are two more of @cosme’s top 10 lotions!
If you want, you can also opt for an essence, which Japanese brands sometimes call a “milky lotion.” Either is okay as they both do the same job.
Serum
Serum is a great step to fit the Japanese skincare routine to your personal needs. The current trends favor serums that brighten the skin and prevent dark spots with Vitamin C. However, serums with collagen are also very popular as it helps to improve skin texture. You can also find serums for moisture, acne care and more!
The Cle de Peau Beauté The Serum and the Cosme Decorte Liposome Advanced Repair Serum are well-loved high-end serums, but it’s okay to go for a more budget-friendly serum to target your needs.
Moisturizers (Emulsion or Cream)
If you’re doing your routine at night, a moisturizer is the last step in your routine. A good moisturizer is paramount for locking in all that lovely moisture you just put into your skin. In Japan, they tend to come in two different forms: emulsions and creams.
Creams are better for drier skin. The Kanebo Day-Cream (or the Cream-In Night version) and Kao Curel Intensive Moisture Cream are great examples of a Japanese cream that care for the skin.
Meanwhile, emulsions are lighter and more liquid-y and are better for more oily skin types. The Shiseido Aqua Label Aqua Cream and the Elixir Bouncing Moisture Emulsion are great emulsions to try. However, there’s plenty of variety of both creams and emulsions to fit your skin needs!
Eye Gel/Eye Cream
If you’re someone who uses eye gels or eye creams, here is where you’d use one. These are great for helping to preserve moisture in the eye area and prevent fine lines and wrinkles.
There’s a lot of eye serums and creams on the market, but the current trending products are the Sana Nameraka Honpo Wrinkle Eye Cream, the Decorte Liposome Advanced Repair Eye Serum and the POLA B.A Eye Zone Cream.
Sunscreen
If you’re doing a morning routine, you should finish with a sunscreen. Japan takes UV protection very seriously, and Japanese sunscreens are very popular for their amazing protection and lightweight feel.
While there are tons of options on the market, the most important thing is aiming for an SPF50+/PA++++ sunscreen to get the strongest level of UV protection.
The next important thing, in our opinion, is what you’re doing that day. Japanese sunscreens tend to be either everyday sunscreens (going to work, going out to eat, etc.) or sports sunscreens (for working out, swimming, etc.).
The rest is just preference, and with the huge variety, you’re sure to find the perfect sunscreen for you. The Shiseido Anessa Perfect UV Skin Care Milk and the Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence are two great places to start your Japanese skincare journey!
Extra Japanese Skincare Steps
These steps aren’t always included in the standard skincare routine, but some Japanese folks swear by these extra steps. Plus, these steps can supplement your skincare routine by targeting your skincare needs further. Let’s explore!
Exfoliate
This step goes after cleansing but before lotion, but you shouldn’t do it every day. Once or twice a week is fine for normal or combination skin types. You can bump it up to two to three times for oily skin. Meanwhile, sensitive skin types can go for two to three times every month and be fine.
Of course, Japan has plenty of both physical and chemical exfoliants. The popular physical exfoliants include cleansing brushes, konjac sponges (literally made from konjac root) and scrubs, perfect for exfoliating and cleansing at the same time. However, scrubs are more popular among Japanese men. Meanwhile, chemical exfoliants are popular as they don’t irritate the skin as much.
The Takami Skin Peel Lotion is a gentle chemical exfoliant designed for everyday use and doesn’t need to be washed off. Meanwhile, the popular Kanebo Scrubbing Mud Wash is a simple, easy mud wash for physical exfoliation.
Boosters
Boosters recently started gaining popularity in Japan, so this may one day become a standard part of the routine. Boosters have the effect of softening the skin, allowing other products to penetrate more easily into the skin, so you usually apply them after washing the face and before your lotion.
You can find both oil types and liquid types that feel just like Japanese lotion, but both have the same effect. They’re mostly recommended for people with dry skin as it helps the moisturizing ingredients to really get in there in the next steps.
If you want to try a booster, the Albion Eclafutur Skin Booster is a great luxury option, and the Fancl BC Intensive Skin Booster is another option that’s slightly less expensive.
Masks
Japan loves a good mask. Walk into a Japanese drugstore and you’ll find tons of masks, both sheet masks and overnight gel masks. The variety of masks is truly astonishing, so you just have to find a mask that you like.
You can find masks to add hydration, minimize pores, cleanse the skin, brighten the skin, fight redness and so much more. Most masks are really only necessary a couple of times a week, but you can also find types for daily use and daily relaxation. The standard mask goes on after lotion but check the directions to make sure.
The PDC Sake Lees Pack is a great wash-off mask made from a byproduct of sake creation. Meanwhile, masks like the Kose Clear Turn ‘Sorry for No Makeup’ Face Mask and the Derma Laser Super VC100 Face Masks are two popular products in Japan.
And that’s the Japanese skincare routine and how tons of Japanese folks get that mochi skin look. Whether you go for the whole routine or the basic version, you’re sure to finish with a well-hydrated and youthful feel either way. Give the skincare routine a try with any of the amazing skincare products available here on MiauMall!
