Get Glowing Skin This Summer — 10 Japanese Skincare Products To Try
I love trying new skincare products, but when it comes to a glowing complexion, I stick to my favorites. Here’s my selection of 10 Japanese skincare products to try in order to get glowing skin this summer.
What’s So Special About Japanese Beauty Products?
Japanese skincare products are a wonderful addition to a summer skincare routine. This is especially if you don’t have the time to invest in a multi-step skincare routine.
It’s important to remember the basis of a Japanese skincare routine: SIMPLICITY, PREVENTION, and QUALITY. These three steps are the “secret” to an effective anti-aging skincare routine.
The ingredients in Japanese skincare are all about moisturizing, preventing damage, reducing the signs of aging, and creating a unified skin tone and healthy glow.*
*Rather than a “sun-kissed” glow, the Japanese glow is a uniformly radiant and luminescent skin tone known as “tsuya.”
Tsuya is written in Japanese as 艶, but you’ll often see ツヤ on the packaging of cosmetics and skincare products. (Tsuya, by the way, is an interesting character if you break down the radicals: 豊=abundant and 色=color)
Notes:
For more information on the “whitening” products on this page, please refer to this post: The Truth About Japanese Whitening Cosmetics
Lastly, this post contains affiliate links. For more information, please refer to my Disclosure Policy.
First, start with these 5 tips to glowing skin this summer:
Get Glowing Skin This Summer — 10 Japanese Skincare Products To Try
Day
Sun damage is a major accelerant in the skin’s aging process (photoaging). It contributes to dullness, lack of elasticity, fine lines, wrinkles and blemishes.
My AM skincare routine is all about Vitamin C and products with SPF to minimize damage from harmful UVA and UVB rays. For a list of my favorite Japanese sunscreens, please see this post: 7 Japanese Sunscreens To Try This Summer
There’s a lot of debate on whether Vitamin C serums, masks, and other products should be used in the morning and night. I personally prefer to use my Vitamin C products in the morning because it prevents sun spots from forming and it gives sunscreen a boost.
1. Saborino Morning Sheet Mask in Kiwi Yogurt
There’s a reason why you see this series on nearly every skincare post. I’ve been using Saborino Morning sheet masks for years, and this brand still remains my favorite Japanese morning sheet mask. They’re perfect for a busy mom like me who doesn’t have time to commit to a full skincare routine. All you need is one sheet and 60 seconds, and you’re good to go! Plus, I love that the packaging and ingredients change periodically. This Kiwi Yogurt edition is perfect for summer because yogurt soothes sunburns and controls oil production.
Available on Amazon | Amazon Japan
2. Tunemakers VC-3 Vitamin C Serum
I’ve heard that Tunemakers is the closest thing to The Ordinary in Japan. While I’ve never tried The Ordinary, a few months ago I got a full sized bottle of Tunemakers AHA serum in my Rakuten Beauty Box. Since then, I’ve been hooked on this brand!
The formula of Tunemakers VC-3 Vitamin C Serum is 3% Vitamin C. This bottle is tiny (10mL), but a few drops go a long way. I add a few drops to my toner or pat onto my face after using Saborino Morning Sheet Masks. Tunemakers has a flagship store in Omotesando, and when things calm down, I’d love to go in and take a look!
Available on Amazon | Amazon Japan
3. Rohto Melano CC Mask
After I’ve applied my Tunemakers VC-3 Vitamin C serum, it’s time for another sheet mask! Up next is a Melano CC Mask, which I put on my face for 5 minutes.
This sheet mask is featured in many Japanese beauty bloggers’ morning routines, so I started using it in the morning as well. It’s very effective in tightening pores, and reducing the appearance of fine lines and blemishes.
The Melano CC Masks have a funny, artificial lemony scent, but it’s thankfully not as potent at the Kose Clear Turn Morning Masks. One thing that I don’t like about these packages is that there’s only 20, whereas most giant packages of sheet masks have at least 28 or an even 30. However, if you’re in Japan, you can buy a package of 30 at Matsumonto Kiyoshi.
Available on Amazon | Amazon Japan
4. Shiseido Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen
Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen is my favorite sunscreen EVER (sorry Lagom!) and it just happens to be one of Japan’s best-selling sunscreen. (And I love that Shiseido has tennis star Naomi Osaka as a Global Ambassador. )
I love the smooth, powdery finish of this citrus-scented milky sunscreen, which does wonders for my shiny forehead. Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen is free of alcohol, fragrances, and parabens, and it’s SPF 50+/PA++++ which means its effective in blocking UVA and UVB rays. This stuff is expensive, (but it works!) so I dare not use it on my entire body, just my face, neck, and chest.
Available on Amazon | Amazon Japan (Check out the Summer 2021 Pokemon edition featuring Eevee, Pikachu, Squirtle: Amazon | Amazon Japan)
5. Nivea Sun Super Water Gel Sunscreen
When we say skincare, we often focus on the face/neck. But, I’m adding this Nivea Sun Super Water Gel in my summer skincare routine because it’s super important to protect our skin from sun damage. Anessa is what I use on my face, chest and neck, and Nivea Sun Super Water Gel is what I use on the rest of my body.
While it’s not waterproof, it’s just what I need for my arms, back, and legs. Nivea Sun Super Water Gel is made in Japan and developed for the domestic market. It’s free of artificial colors and fragrances and rated SPF 50 and PA+++ to block UVA and UVB rays.
Available on Amazon | Amazon Japan
Night
Nighttime is all about exfoliation and getting rid of dead skin cells to reveal brighter skin. It’s also my time to unwind after my daughter is asleep.
6. Skinvill Hot & Cool Cleansing Gel in Lime Citrus Mint
A long time ago, back when this blog was Baby Kaiju, I had an amazing review of Skinvill’s original gel cleanser…and then my blog was deleted and I couldn’t salvage that post. Monving on…
Skinvill Hot & Cool Cleansing Gel in Lime Citrus is a summer-only edition that feels refreshingly cool on humid nights, and it gradually warms up as you gently massage it onto your face. The honey-like scrub has Vitamins A, C, and E to moisturize and brighten. It also has soft granules to exfoliate, remove sunscreen, and deep cleanse pores.
Available on Amazon Japan
7. Meishoku Detclear Bright & Clear Facial Peeling Gel
I’ve always wanted to try chemical peels at an aesthetic salon, but I’m worried about hyperpigmentation. So I just stick to my favorite peeling gel, Meishoku Facial Peeling Gel, which uses both AHA and BHA to brighten and even out the skin’s surface. I use it twice a week and it’s part of my skincare Sunday routine as well.
Available on Amazon | Amazon Japan
8. Tunemakers AHA Fruit Extract Serum
This is another serum from Tunemakers. It removes dead skin cells through a blend of alpha hydroxy acids extracted from limes, oranges, lemons, apples, and grapefruit seeds, nutmeg seeds, and Japanese hawthorn. I use this as a wipe-off toner to boost the effects of the Meishoku Facial Peeling Gel.
Available on Amazon | Amazon Japan
9. Transino Medicated Whitening Facial Mask
For me, I’m all about preventing and correcting any sun damage to my skin. This is where the Transino Medicated Whitening Facial Mask comes in.
I originally got this in a Raxy Beauty Box, and was hesitant to try it because Transino is one of Japan’s premier whitening skincare lines. (The brand also produces Japan’s only OTC whitening tables that use tranexamic acid and l-cysteine to block melanin production.)
Thankfully, I didn’t notice any drastic change in skin tone, but I loved how bright and dewy my skin looked in the morning!
Available on Amazon Japan
10. Rohto Melano CC Serum
Affordability and effectiveness are two reasons why Rohto Melano CC Dark Spot Corrector continues to be a fan favorite in Japan and the global Asian beauty community.
The formula uses a purer form of Vitamin C to gradually fade acne scars and brighten the skin. Vitamin E stimulates blood circulation/cell turnover and minimizes the appearance of pores while isopropyl methylphenol and dipotassium glycyrrhizate and work together to fight acne. Use at night and morning to boost results.
Available on Amazon | Amazon Japan
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