In Japan, having bright and beautiful skin is a must for women, and many spend a lot of time on skincare products and treatments to achieve that.

However, not so many foreigners are familiar with what products people use here, what brands there are on the market, as well as where we can purchase them when visiting Japan.

For me, the morning routine and night routine are very important when it comes to skincare.

In this article, I'll try to give you a guide of the most popular products and recommended shops and drugstores, as well as a bit of advice. I’ve been trying out Asian brands since high school so I have gathered quite a bit of knowledge in that particular field and I'd like to share it with you.

To begin with, many Japanese people buy makeup from drugstores or cosmetic shops.

Before presenting various moisturizers and serums, however, I’d like to start with the first thing we need to do when we wake up and that is washing our faces.

Facial Wash

For washing your face, I recommend Mentholatum Acnes. You can find it in a cream type form or as foam, so you can pick your favorite and see which one works best. For me, Acnes has been my favorite out of everything I tried so far. It washes away sebum and dirt from deep down in your pores, and also contains an anti-bacterial agent. Since I began using it, my skin has become a lot more radiant and softer.

I usually buy Acnes from the Matsumoto Kiyoshi (drugstore chain), but you can also find it in Don Quixote or other drugstores.

For those who have sensitive skin, it might be better to use Kenkou's Doro Awawa Facial foam or the foam version of Acnes. Doro Awawa Facial foam has soy milk and brown sugar extract as its main ingredients and is very gentle on your skin.

Together with the facial wash, I like using a cleansing brush from the shop Francfranc that also helps to exfoliate my skin.

Toner / Lotion

In Japan, toner is a mix of lotion and toner and the Japanese term for it is 化粧水 (keshōsui).

Keshōsui has a watery texture but also leaves your skin soft as it is also used as a moisturizer.

I like applying it twice. First, I do it with a cotton pad and remove excess dirt from my face, then I apply it again with my hands and pat it until it gets absorbed into my skin.

One of the most popular brands is Kosé's Sekkisei Lotion, which catches everyone’s attention with their blue bottle design. After using it a couple of times, I felt that my skin was getting brighter and had a lot of moisture.

Another popular brand is Curel.

Recently, I’ve been using their brand quite often because I feel that it is a good match for my skin and I am pleased with the results.

You can find both in most drugstores and beauty shops in Japan.

Serums/ Facial treatment essences

SK-II Facial Treatment Serum is a more expensive option, but I tried it a few times and I must admit that it was the best out there.

However, nowadays I use matsukiyo LAB's Fermented Placenta Serum, which also works perfectly well (and the price is a lot more reasonable).

I like massaging my face in a circular motion after applying it. At night, I use it with pour-A-soigné's aQua Queana Qlean Platinum S2 water peeler.

Moisturizer - Creams and Masks

For masks and even cleansing gels, Lush is a good option for those in Japan.

Japanese people love using Lush. I recently purchased the Mask of Magnaminty and the BB Seaweed fresh mask, both of which I am very pleased with.

I also like applying any type of mask if I dry my hair with a hairdryer so my skin won’t get too dry.

For moisturizers, I recommend Namerakahonpo's eye cream and moisturizer.

The creams from L’Occitane are also a must-try, so I wholeheartedly recommend finding the one that works best for you. Twice a week, I like using Tsubaki oil for my skin (it can also be used on your hair) and I also apply some lash toner after exfoliating my face with the face scrub from The Body Shop.

I genuinely hope that my recommendations of the most popular Japanese brands and skincare products you can buy in Japan will help you next time you visit and want to buy some and try it out.