The 10 Best Japanese Moisturizers: Reviews & Guide 2020

Renowned for their beautiful skin, the Japanese have different kinds of skincare products that are effective and top-rated. Most of the cosmetic brands there are considered high quality yet affordable for the many.

One of the things that the customers loved about Japanese beauty is their facial moisturizers. Made up with nourishing formulas from their state-of-the-art technologies and innovations, their moisturizers are potent for making skin look healthier and more radiant.

Looking for the best Japanese moisturizers to brighten up your dull skin? Today, we are going to provide you information and buying guide about our recommended products. Feel free to read the informative article below.

Our Top Picks for the Best Japanese Moisturizer

#1 Hada Labo Rohto Goku-jun Hyaluronic Milky Lotion

Do you have a complicated skincare routine that makes you tired? Are you a minimalist when it comes to beauty and skincare? Hate the sticky residue from your usual moisturizing cream? For people who like to simplify everything, this is one of the best options that you need to grab right away!

Thanks to Hada Labo, a famous Japanese skincare brand for creating this wonderful and unique facial moisturizer. The brand has significantly done a great job in formulating skin care products. They enormously prioritize science over fillers and lavish packaging design. The brand’s star ingredient in their skin care line is Super Hyaluronic Acid. So, what makes this ingredient more powerful than others?

Patented by Shiseido, Super Hyaluronic Acid is supposed to hydrate the skin twice the power of your regular hyaluronic acid. For a brief review about hyaluronic acid, it is a beneficial component that is also found inside the skin. This type of substance has the ability to hold 1,000 times its weight in water. This means that it does not only maintain all that moisture inside the skin but it can also prevent moisture loss. Thus, it will make the skin appear more dewy and younger. Because as a humectant in your skincare, it improves skin elasticity.

Plus, hyaluronic acid is a good antibacterial agent on the skin to help heal wounds like burns and skin ulcers. It is capable of shrinking enlarged pores. So, this milky lotion from Hada Labo is definitely will be a real game-changer to your skincare routine! If you want a no-fuss, affordable yet effective moisturizer, this product will be super worth to buy!

#2 Hada Labo Tokyo Skin Plumping Gel Cream with Super Hyaluronic Acid

What if you have dry and dehydrated skin? Are you irritated from having some lines, wrinkles, and flakes on your face? To bring back the hydration and moisture inside your skin, we present you a new deeply hydrating gel moisturizer. Introducing another fan favorite product from Japan: Hada Labo Tokyo Skin Plumping Gel Cream!

This facial moisturizer also contains Super Hyaluronic Acid. We discussed earlier that it is Hada Labo’s trademark blend of 3 types of Hyaluronic Acid. It is a powerful ingredient to make your skin well-hydrated. Other than this, this product also has many other healing and restoring ingredients.

It has collagen that is necessary for improving the skin’s texture as well as reducing fine lines. Then, it has arginine which is a type of amino acid, responsible for making skin smooth and supple. Finally, it has ceramide which is a naturally occurring lipid that holds skin cells together. It creates a protective layer against moisture loss, bacteria, and environmental pollutants.

When you use it, you will notice that it’s very lightweight and absorbs into your skin really fast. So, applying this moisturizer will help your skin feel quenched, bouncy, and plump. With regular use, you will see that your fine lines and wrinkles are beginning to minimize. You will see a vibrant glow in your skin!

#3 Curel Kao Intensive Moisture Cream

After trying many jars and bottles of facial moisturizers in the market, you still have dry and dehydrated skin. On top of that, your skin negatively reacts when you apply every single product you buy from drugstores and beauty shops. Although there are some wonderful, additional benefits such as brightening and anti-aging from other products, they are still a big no to your skin.

So, what about for those who have sensitive skin? As one of the leading Japanese skincare brands, Curel is a skincare series created by Kao. This skincare line is especially made for those people who have inflamed, irritated, and sensitive skin. It is formulated with ceramide and eucalyptus that effectively hydrate and soothe skin. All products in this line are mildly acidic, hypoallergenic, and free from fragrance, colorants, and alcohol that are usually the enemies of sensitive skin. It is cheap compared to other high-end moisturizers which is another good thing here.

What are the other benefits of the ingredients inside this product? Ceramide replenishes your own skin’s ceramide function to keep your skin healthy and hydrated. Eucalyptus is well-known for its antiseptic and antibacterial properties, great for those who have redness and acne. This moisturizer also has allantoin that soothes and protects the skin from environmental aggressors.

When you scoop the cream with your finger, you will feel that it is weightless, easy to spread and absorbs quickly into your skin. Great for hot summer and humid days, this is a perfect facial moisturizer that is non-oily, non-sticky, and makes your skin plump and nourished. It also soothes your inflamed, dry, itchy, and flaky areas of your skin. Also, all skin types can use this especially acne-prone skin who also have dryness caused by strong acne treatments.

#4 Yu-Be Deep Hydrating Moisturizing Cream

Do you hate having too much skincare products cluttering on your cabinet? Do you wish to have an all-in-one moisturizing product that you can use for both face and body? Don’t worry anymore! This glycerin-based moisturizing cream from the brand Yu-Be was invented by Japanese pharmacist Yoshikiyo Nowatari. His purpose for this skincare line is to heal and nourish dry skin.

Yu-Be is one of the longest-selling and best-selling skin care lines that address all types of dry skin issues anywhere on the body. For those who have dry and sensitive skin, this is an effective product in fully hydrating and healing your skin. Why? Because it has some key ingredients: glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, vitamin B2, vitamin E, and vitamin C.

Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate both work to increase the moisture levels of your skin. These ingredients also lock all the hydration goodness inside. Vitamin B2 or riboflavin is an essential vitamin for people who are acne-prone. It prevents acne breakouts and dry skin. It can even help to clear up those annoying spots and revitalize the skin by promoting healthy cell turnover.

Moreover, vitamin C has a significant role in the collagen synthesis of the skin. Its antioxidant properties may help prevent and treat ultraviolet (UV) induced photodamage. While vitamin E is also a powerful antioxidant to reduce the appearance of scars and also effective in reducing free radical damage on the skin. Thus, this opaque yellow cream from Yu-Be is a lightweight and nongreasy formula to soothe and nourish your skin.

#5 Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Perfect Gel

Hate the greasy feel from your oily skin? Do you have large pores on your face? Let these unwanted guests on your skin get away with the use of this another unique and best-selling product from Hada Labo! As a 3-in-1 gel, this facial moisturizer works like an extra nourishing and hydrating sleeping mask unlike other moisturizers out there.

Usually, most of the gels and creams in the drugstores and beauty shops are considered nourishing. But when you apply them on your skin, they just sit there on top and don’t even hydrate your skin well. Well, this gel from Hada Labo is a one-of-a-kind product among the rest of your conventional moisturizers.

Like a smooth jelly when applied on the skin, it really hydrates deeply without that overly sticky feeling. Your skin isn’t clogged at all and you will experience zero dryness or flaking. You just only need a small amount to moisturize your face. Also, remember that when moisturizing your skin, you need to tone and damp your face with a hydrating toner for optimal results.

So, this hydrating gel composed of Super Hyaluronic Acid, collagen, and ceramide will deliver long-lasting hydration to your oily, dehydrated, skin minus the stickiness!

#6 Sana Nameraka Honpo Isoflavone Soy Milk Cream

Soy milk is known to preserve skin-firming collagen and elastin which decline as we age. It contains protein, iron, calcium, fibre, folic acid, B vitamins and potassium which are all vital for the benefit of your skin health. Being rich in vitamin E, it has the ability to renew dead skin cells and moisturizes the skin.

Do you know that Sana stars soybean essence as the main ingredient in their skin care lines? Soy milk facial cream is one of their products that is loved by many customers worldwide. It has an almost buttery texture with slight thickness that glides over your skin. After applying on your skin, it leaves your skin feeling immediate moisturized. You will notice a long-lasting hydration when you use this throughout the day.

Moreover, this cream has isoflavones that are almost exclusively sourced from the legume (or bean) family and have molecular similarities with human oestrogen. As an antioxidant, it protects the skin against oxidative stress caused by UVB radiation. Also, studies have shown that anti-aging and production of dermal collagen are manifested in isoflavones.

For people who have problems in their dry and dehydrated skin, this cream will definitely save you from intense drought. With continuous use, you will see improvement in facial dryness and increased hyaluronic acid for skin elasticity. But,  it contains fatty alcohols that can be irritating. So this is not recommended for skin who have sensitive skin.

#7 DHC Extra Nighttime Moisture Facial Moisturizer

After those stressful days of work in the office, your face seems to look dry and dehydrated. Looking for a nourishing cream that intensely hydrate your skin while you sleep? To replenish hydration during overnight, here is a unique Japanese beauty product from a famous skincare brand, DHC! This is a concentrated night cream that will renew and refresh your exhausted skin overnight.

DHC Extra Night Time Moisture is a deeply moisturising and reinvigorating cream. This product is infused with strengthening olive oil, squalane and tons of emollients which are essential to sustain your skin hydration and polish your skin’s texture. This cream intensely performs in corresponding with your skin’s natural overnight regeneration cycle. In this way, you will attain a dewy, radiant and supple skin. There is enhanced collagen production to ensure elasticity and ensure younger-looking skin.

A little goes a long way with this rich formula, so one jar should last you a while. Many customers said that it doesn’t irritate their sensitive skin, so even if you’re acne-prone, you should be safe. One fan made a comment and even compared it to a pharmaceutical-grade cream. She said that it’s exactly what her skin needs to be healed after microdermabrasion treatments.

For those who have super dry, fatigued, and hypersensitive skin, this is your must-have skincare product!

#8 Shiseido SPF 18 Benefiance Wrinkle-Resist 24 Day Cream

Do you have mature and aging skin? Are you still looking for a nourishing daytime moisturizer? Shiseido has a sophisticated skincare product that helps protect skin from damage caused by external aging factors such as UV rays. Say goodbye to those creepy lines and wrinkles that will dramatically reduced.

This newly reformulated cream is an age-defense daytime moisturizer that targets every step of wrinkle formation. This helps you to have youthful looking skin that can resist signs of aging. Even under dry conditions, your skin will be hydrated and moisturized all day because of the maintained rich moisture.

The difference it has compared to others is that it contains a revolutionary breakthrough ingredient, Mukurossi Extract. This particular component directly inhibits the activity of a wrinkle-triggering enzyme. Signs of aging will eventually be gone while you consistently use this cream daily. Despite being in your late 40s to 50s, you will attain a younger-looking skin like no other!

#9 DHC Rich Moisture Facial Moisturizer

Do you have dullness in your skin that stresses you so much? To regain a soft and supple texture, try this DHC Rich Moisture Facial Moisturizer! It is a nourishing day cream for normal to dry skin. This will give you a natural-looking, healthy glow.

Featuring a blend of restoring botanicals, moisturizing olive oil and re-balancing squalene, your skin will receive amplified hydration. 100% olive oil maintains the skin’s moisture barrier. Because it is rich in antioxidants that help fight damage caused by free radicals without clogging pores. On the other hand, squalane is a hydrating, soothing, non-irritating and non-comedogenic component that protects skin’s natural moisture barrier.

It has tocopherol or vitamin E that protects skin against free-radical damage that accelerates signs of ageing. Sodium hyaluronate from the product helps to restore the skin’s moisture. An added mixture of restorative royal jelly extract and healing ginseng keeps your skin comforted. Your skin be filled with nutrients day after day because of these ingredients.

#10 Naturie Hatomugi Skin Conditioning Gel

Most products on the market today boast about their use of hyaluronic acid to make skin hydrated and plump. This exceptional moisturizer from Naturie uses Job’s Tears extract as the moisturising ingredient in their skincare line. But, what is great about this extract?

Also known as adlay or adlay millet, Job’s Tears extract is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant that has been reported to show various pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects. Moreover, because of its ability to clear systematic toxin, Chinese has used it as a “beauty food” or skincare food for centuries.

When used regularly, the herb is believed to smooth, refine, and tone the skin, shrink pore size, prevent and treat pimples, prevent and treat dark spots resulted from over exposure from the sun, even skin tone, moisturize the skin, and prevent dry skin which causes chapping and roughness.

Job’s Tears extract has a rich content of essential fatty acids such as linoleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid. Essential fatty acids are responsible for the herb’s anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects. It also has protein and Vitamin B1, B12, and E which can reduce wrinkle formation, smooth skin, and remove dark spots.  In addition, it strengthens skin against external stresses and anti-aging with its moisturising strength.

How to Choose the Best Japanese Moisturizers

After knowing the best Japanese moisturizers, the next thing to do is to be knowledgeable about choosing the right moisturizer for your skin type. To help you evaluate and make the right decision, below are some important reminders that you need to consider before you buy:

• Ingredients: Search for potential aggressors that might potentially trigger some allergic reactions, irritation, redness, and inflammation to your skin. Avoid harsh ingredients and chemical ones made for moisturizing but has possible side effects. Look for pure, organic, and safe botanical ingredients as much as possible, such as flower or plant extracts, hyaluronic acid, etc.
• Form: Milky lotion, emulsion, gels, gel cream, creams, and balms are various forms of moisturizers. Oily, dehydrated, and sensitive skin are recommended to use milky lotions and emulsions. These are suitable during hot summer days as well. Gels and gel creams are great for oily and dehydrated skin, and also appropriate during summer season. Creams are best for mature, dry, and aging skin. Balms have much thicker texture than creams. Used specifically for targeted areas or spots, they are lighter versions of ointments.
• Reviews: Still have no clue on what’s best to buy? Search and read sensible reviews and learn from the experiences of several reliable YouTube skincare and beauty experts and enthusiasts about the products.

Important Factors to Consider

Types of Formula and Ingredients

Moisturizer is an essential product when it comes in providing hydration and moisture to your skin. Our skin tends to get irritated and parched because of several environmental aggressors such as pollution, irritants, chemicals, dust, heat, and many more that constantly affect our bodies. So, we need moisturizers to make our skin comfortable and healthy again.

There are 3 main types of ingredients that common moisturizers have:

1. Humectants – These compounds attract water from the environment and fill it up inside our skin. It can also pull water from the deep layers of the skin or dermis to the surface layers of skin or epidermis. Some examples of humectants are honey, propylene glycol, propanediol, hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate), and glycerin.
2. Emollients – These ingredients are composed of lipids or fats that help supply and lock moisture to fill in the gaps of the skin. They also work mildly as occlusives. Some examples of emollients are jojoba oil, castor oil, vitamin E, cholesterol, caprylic/ capric triglyceride, sqaulane, and some silicone.
3. Occlusives – These components are capable of locking hydration inside the skin by forming a protective, thin, oily layer over the skin. Some examples of this type are petroleum jelly, lanolin, beeswax, cholesterol, cetearyl glucoside, glyceryl stearate, and fatty alcohols such as cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol.

FAQs

In this section, here are the most common questions that people have about moisturizers. So we will give you some simple answers about them.

What is the difference between the lotion, milk, and cream in Japanese skincare?

In Japan, they have various skincare terms or labels when it comes to moisturizers. The lotion acts like a hydrating toner that moisturizes the skin’s surface with several other moisturizing ingredients. So, it can be easily applied to your face and entire body. Similar to an emulsion, the milk contains a moderate amount of oil, plus it has several other moisturizing agents. Finally, the cream has buttery texture which contains oil and other moisturizers. This helps retain moisture for dry skin. It goes on adequately and does not feel heavy even though it is a cream, making it easy to apply to the skin.

What are the different types and forms of Japanese moisturizers?

Japan has a wide-range of moisturizers that has its own specific use according to the customer’s skin concern. Anti-aging, whitening, and sensitive skin are some different types of moisturizers mostly used there. Also, these moisturizers have various forms. Milky lotion is a type of moisturizer similar to an emulsion. Gel is a type that has a pudding or jelly-like consistency and texture. While creams are thick like a butter as they commonly have nourishing fatty acids like shea butter.

Conclusion

To sum this all up, Japanese facial moisturizers are simply moisturizing products that are used to balance the drying effects of cleansing and to protect the skin against harsh elements from the environment. These products have become the vehicle to address other facial skin problems, specifically those age-related changes. With so many different kinds of moisturizers out there, we hope that this guide will practically assist you to have better choices especially in buying the best Japanese moisturizers.