29 Best Japanese Beauty Products You Should Try
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Although K-beauty products are getting a ton of global love these days (Sheet masks! Snail slime! Toners galore!), we’d be remiss not to shine a light on Japanese beauty products, too.
Japan is the land of matcha, magical moisturizers, fan-favorite cleansers, and a few products that truly have no equivalent in the states. (Here’s to looking at you, Bioré UV Aqua Rich SPF 50+/PA++++.) All have an emphasis on gently treating skin with care and detail, which is the essence of J-beauty. We combed through the East Asian country's beauty blockbusters and compiled an impressive roster of the most sworn-by classic brands — including Shiseido, Canmake, DHC, and even SK-II — plus some notable newness from a 100-year-old company.
Take a tour of these niche novelties, and you might just discover a formula that you didn’t even know existed. Time to pack those (beauty) bags and get glowing. No cross-continent plane ticket is required for these incredible Japanese skin-care products.
All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Courtesy of brand1/29Canmake Marshmallow Finish Powder
Typically, Japanese makeup artist Yuui Vision isn't into powder foundation, but the Canmake Marshmallow Finish Powder is "a treasure in Japan," she shares from Tokyo. The buttery-smooth powder blurs away pores with an airy, barely there finish. Unfortunately, it's only available in four light shades, but the value is unbeatable.
$11 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand2/29Kate Designing Eyebrow 3D
A must-have brow product for people in Japan is undeniably the Kate Designing Eyebrow 3D, according to Vision. The tri-colored powder is versatile enough to draw on both soft and strong brows. "The tiny angle brush included allows you to define your eyebrows while the other end of the brush lets you blend in the pigment and also add nose contour," she explains.
$15 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand3/29D.Up Eyelash Fixer Ex
When adhering falsies, Vision reaches for the D.Up Eyelash Fixer Ex. The clear glue is simultaneously the easiest lash glue she's ever worked with and touts a super-strong hold while being simple to remove, she says. "What is that — magic? Yes, it is," Vision adds.
$13 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand4/29Suqqu Eyelash Curler
No matter what your eye shape may be, Vision suggests the Suqqu Eyelash Curler for lifting your lashes to new heights. Its base is straighter than other lash curlers on the market, "so it allows the tool to go as close to the lash line as possible," she says.
$23 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand5/29Shiseido Hanatsubaki Hake Polishing Face Brush
The floral shape of the candy-apple red Shiseido Hanatsubaki Hake Polishing Face Brush is as adorable as it is functional. "Having this brush on my beauty table always makes me very excited, but don't be fooled with the cute look," Vision says. "The design allows foundation to go on smoothly, effortlessly covering the three-dimensional areas of your face with a super-elegant finish. Your foundation will be elevated to the next level with this brush."
$49 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand6/29Majolica Majorca Shadow Customize
The Majolica Majorca Shadow Customize hails from one of Shiseido's sister brands sold at Japanese drugstores. Vision loves the eye makeup product due to its fun range of colors and its soft texture, which "allows you to create a dimensional look without layering on multiple colors," she says. "It's amazing elevating minimalist makeup."
$9 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand7/29Chacott Finishing Powder
To put it simply, the Chacott Finishing Powder is the "best setting powder ever," according to Vision. "That's it." On a more micro level, the translucent formula dusts a grease- and sweat-defying veil over makeup and locks it in place until you're ready to say goodbye to it.
$20 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand8/29Shu Uemura Hard Formula Eyebrow Pencil
Ask any makeup artist who works with K-pop stars what their favorite brow grooming product is, and chances are high they'll say the Shu Uemura Hard Formula Eyebrow Pencil. The formula, which launched almost 30 years ago, isn't waxy and hard to draw on. Instead, it works with the natural oils on your brows to glide on artificial strokes of hair.
$26 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand9/29Canmake Cream Cheek
The undereye blush look that’s all over Tokyo is typically executed with the Canmake Cream Cheek. The beloved drugstore beauty product melts into skin like a cream but dries down like a lightweight powder that lasts all day long. However, the formula’s squalene and amino acid will ensure that it won’t dry out with skin along with it.
$8 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand10/29Tatcha The Water Cream
If you have oily skin, you’ll love Tatcha’s lightweight, oil-free moisturizer, The Water Cream. This 2020 Readers’ Choice Award winner is packed with clarifying ingredients, like Japanese wild rose and Japanese leopard lily, to keep excess oil in check and tighten pores — not to mention green tea, rice, algae, and a bit of 23-karat gold for a radiant glow you can’t miss. But the best part might be how cooling and refreshing it feels upon contact with your skin.
$68 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand11/29Hadalabo Gokujun Hyaluronic Lotion Moist
In Japan, lotion has a different definition from what we are familiar with in America. Instead of being a thin cream, Japanese lotion has the consistency of a viscous toner, and you pat it on before slathering on moisturizer. Think of it like this: Korea has double cleansing; Japan has double moisturizing. And the Hadalabo Gokujun Hyaluronic Lotion Moist is one of the most popular lotions that people grab to plump and instantly hydrate skin, with its three different kinds of hyaluronic acid.
$13 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand12/29DHC Deep Cleansing Oil
Cleansing is a ritual in Japan, and many folks repeat the process two or three times using a gentle-yet-effective cleansing oil as the first step, like the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil. The beloved olive oil-based cleanser removes even the most waterproof makeup formulas without leaving skin feeling parched or greasy.
$28 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand13/29Saborino Morning Face Mask
No matter if you overslept or are just not feeling well, the Saborino Morning Face Mask and 60 seconds are all you need to cleanse, tone, and prime skin. The bright yellow package looks like it would be filled with wipes, but it actually contains 32 sheet masks to get you through a whole month. They’re soaked in an essence packed with hydrating ingredients, like honey, avocado extract, and hyaluronic acid, as well as anti-inflammatories such as tea tree and orange oils. Vision swear by them as her pre-makeup ritual.
$18 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand14/29Original Baby Foot Peel
This Japanese exfoliating foot mask made its way stateside a while ago (you can now find English packaging), but it’s worth mentioning because it's so grossly satisfying. The Original Baby Foot Peel consists of plastic booties filled with exfoliants, including glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acids.
After wearing the booties for an hour, remove and rinse. Within a few days, the product takes effect, and the foot's rough exterior sheds in snakeskin proportions. You may want to swap sandals for booties during the shedding process, but consider it a small price to pay for supersoft feet.
$25 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand15/29UZ Eye Opening Liner
Before America was officially introduced to the intensely pigmented rainbow assortment of the UZ Eye Opening Liner, it was a part of a mysterious ad campaign called Unframe the Beauty. Unlabeled tubes of white and black liner were given out at NYFW, and professional makeup artists quickly fell in love with their paintbrush-like applicators and streak-free color payoff. Weeks later, Allure exclusively revealed the J-beauty brand behind the secret liner: UZ. UZ was formerly called Flowfushi, and the brand rose to popularity in Japan with its precise liners and innovative mascaras. Now, Americans get a taste of the hype with the Eye Opening Liners.
$16 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand16/29Kitao Matcha and Chia Cleansing Cream
Beyond all the matcha drinks and desserts you can find in Japan, the antioxidant-rich green powder has also made its way into beauty products too. Rub the luxe Kitao Matcha and Chia Cleansing Cream onto dry skin to dissolve makeup and other impurities on your skin before rinsing it off or wiping it off with a cotton pad. In true J-beauty fashion, it won’t strip moisture from your skin. Instead, the cleanser nourishes it with ceramides and chia seed oil.
$25 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand17/29Bioré UV Aqua Rich SPF 50+/PA++++
There are hardly words to describe this fan-favorite Japanese sunscreen because it’s unlike any SPF formula on the U.S. market. Firstly, the Bioré UV Aqua Rich SPF 50+/PA++++ dispenses as a semi-opaque white gel-like cream and becomes truly invisible the instant you rub it in. Most notably, however, is how the formula feels more like a cooling, water-based moisturizer than a sunscreen (read: the opposite of greasy or chalky) and contains hydrating hyaluronic acid.
Some caveats: This stuff is not waterproof (you’ll need a backup SPF for pool sessions and super-sweaty outdoor runs) and it contains alcohol, so beware if you’re sensitive to that.
As if this stuff didn’t already seem too good to be true, it offers a whopping SPF 50 to boot. In case you were wondering about “PA,” it’s part of an additional UVA-protection measuring system in some Asian countries; more plus signs equals higher protection.
$17 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand18/29Muji Thin Stem Cotton Buds
If you look in almost any makeup artist’s kit from here to Japan, you’re sure to find the Muji Thin Stem Cotton Buds. The teeny-tiny tools have narrower tips than your standard cotton swabs, making them prime for easily wiping away mascara smears and sharpening winged liner.
$3 for 200 cotton buds (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand19/29ReFa S Carat Roller
No, this is not a sex toy. It’s the ReFa S Carat Roller, a platinum face roller that helps tighten and tone skin as you run it along the contours of your face. Makeup artist Val Garland loves sticking it in the fridge for instant de-puffing, especially around the eyes. “When I’m working on a celebrity or a nervous client, it’s also a great way of making them feel relaxed,” she’s told Allure. The members of Japanese girl group Perfume are also fans of the brand and its high-tech scalp massager.
$160 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand20/29SK-II Facial Treatment Essence
The SK-II Facial Treatment Essence is a favorite in the U.S. — and a staple in Japan. It’s light as water and just as hydrating, and it contains an ingredient called Pitera, which is derived from yeast. Apply a few drops to clean hands and then gently press onto the skin; count for 15 seconds until you’ve pressed it in evenly all over your face and neck. You’ll notice your skin glows more after applying it this way.
$99 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand21/29Kiss Me Heroine Make Long and Curl Mascara
The Kiss Me Heroine Make Long and Curl Mascara is omnipresent in Japanese beauty stores due to the intense curl and lift it provides. The ultra-black formula doesn’t flake or smear, and it certainly doesn’t come off without some heavy-duty makeup remover, which could be a pro or con, depending on how you look at it.
$16 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand22/29Tatcha The Deep Cleanse
The Best of Beauty Award–winning Tatcha The Deep Cleanse is an oil-free cleanser made with Japanese luffa fruit, which acts as a gentle daily exfoliant. The formula dispenses as a gel and lathers into a creamy foam, leaving skin incredibly clean without feeling tight. Not to mention, this iridescent aqua packaging adds a touch of chic to any shower.
$38 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand23/29Rohto Ice Cooling Eye Drops
Many celebs, models, and makeup artists swear by the Rohto Ice Cooling Eye Drops, which work to brighten dull, red, or otherwise less-than-sparkly eyes. Warning: These sting when you first use them, but they’re totally safe (think of it as a Listerine-esque cooling effect).
$12 for three (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand24/29Kanebo Suisai Beauty Clear Powder
These tiny pods of Kanebo Suisai Beauty Clear Powder only look like Nespresso capsules. They actually contain an enzyme-spiked cleansing powder to gently exfoliate, hydrate with hyaluronic acid, and brighten skin with tofu extract and royal jelly. All you need to do is add a splash of water to the granules and froth them together.
$22 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand25/29Kosé Sekkisei Emulsion Excellent
Courtesy of brand26/29Lululun Balance Moisture Masks
The Lululun Balance Moisture Masks have taken Japan by storm thanks to its cute packaging and effective formulas. The tissue box–like package of 36 serum-soaked sheet masks is specifically made for nightly use. Honey, aloe, and passionfruit help soothe and nourish skin in 10–15 minutes.
$25 for 36 masks (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand27/29Shiseido Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen SPF 50+
Preventing UV damage and dark spots is a huge priority in Japanese skin-care regimens. The Shiseido Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen SPF 50+ won’t disturb your makeup or cause oiliness. Plus, the water-resistant liquid can be easily reapplied throughout the day.
$31 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand28/29Rohto Melano CC Vitamin C Intensive Anti-Spot Essence
The Rohto Melano CC Vitamin C Intensive Anti-Spot Essence is practically magic for fading post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (also known as ghosts of pimples past). The formula’s vitamin C and E derivatives work overtime to brighten dark spots. The applicator has a teeny-tiny tip, which makes it easy to dot the perfect amount of the clear, serum-like product onto face or body.
$16 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand29/29Adsorb AntiBody Gel Cream
Adsorb is the first line to contain AntiBodies, which are kind of like antibiotics for your skin (i.e. they thwart elements that could wreak havoc on your dermis). The AntiBody Gel Cream feels like a mix between a primer and a moisturizer. Initially, it has a lotion-like consistency and settles as a velvety finish that plays well under makeup. Plus, the formula is free from potential irritants, including fragrance and parabens, so it’s great for all skin types.
$130 (Shop Now)
