Since ancient times, the Japanese have made use of the blessings of rich nature and the power of fermentation, not only in food but in all aspects of daily life. Japan’s unique beauty culture, which is gentle on the skin and resilient to environmental changes, has recently been gaining renewed attention worldwide as “J-Beauty.”
Japanese cosmetics are said to be especially compatible with readers in Asia. This is because they often contain natural ingredients that are gentle even on sensitive skin, which can be affected by high humidity, seasonal changes, or wearing masks.
In this article, we will focus on eight Japanese beauty ingredients that are currently extremely popular among visitors to Japan and fans of Japanese culture, introducing their appeal and some recommended products.
If you find a product that interests you, you can purchase it directly from the links provided. In the latter half of the article, we also introduce information on tax-free coupons for stores like "Don Quijote" that you can use while traveling in Japan. Please use this article as a guide for your trip or as a shopping list.
*If you purchase or reserve a product introduced in this article, a portion of the sales may be returned to FUN! JAPAN.
1. The Heart of Japanese Culture: Rice
Features
Rice has been deeply connected to Japanese beliefs and culture since ancient times. In the Edo period, beauty methods using rice bran, which is the skin and germ removed when polishing brown rice, were also well known.
Some ingredients extracted from rice and then fermented and matured using special methods have been approved by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as active ingredients for improving the skin’s moisture retention in quasi-drugs.
Many products that use these ingredients are known for their moisturizing power.
Recommended Products and Why They’re Popular
RICE FORCE
Launched in 2005, RICE FORCE is a pioneer in rice-derived cosmetics. With 100% rice-derived "Rice Power® No.11," it leads to healthy, youthful, and hydrated skin.
👉Click here to purchase RICE FORCE products (Yahoo! Shopping)
MAIHADA／KOSE
A cosmetics brand established in 1946 by a Japanese cosmetics manufacturer, featuring rice-derived ingredients. The lineup includes moisturizing cosmetics formulated with ingredients such as "Rice Power® No.11," as well as fermented soybean extract, bifidobacterium fermented extract, and glycosyl trehalose.
👉Click here to purchase MAIHADA products (Yahoo! Shopping)
SK-II
A foundational skincare brand. Research began after noticing that the hands of Toji, the master sake brewers, remained beautiful even as they aged, leading to the creation of the proprietary ingredient, the rice fermentation extract "PITERA™." This ingredient is impossible to create artificially, as it contains over 50 components, including vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and organic acids. It rapidly penetrates deep into the stratum corneum, maintaining the skin's healthy condition.
👉Click here to purchase SK-II products (Yahoo! Shopping)
NADESHIKO Rice Series
This skincare line contains four types of 100% domestically produced rice-derived moisturizing ingredients called “Rice Serum®︎.” The face masks are especially popular, leaving your skin moist and plump thanks to the generous amount of beauty essence.
👉Click here to purchase NADESHIKO products (Yahoo! Shopping)
2. Once Loved by Geisha: Sake
Features
Sake, which is made by fermenting rice, is rich in skin-beautifying ingredients such as amino acids and kojic acid. It is said that during the Edo period, geisha* in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, used sake to care for their skin.
Today, many sake breweries offer sake-based cosmetics.
*Women who entertain guests with traditional performing arts such as singing and dancing
Recommended Products and Why They’re Popular
Kiku-Masamune
This is a cosmetics series from "Kiku-Masamune," a sake brewery that has been brewing sake for over 360 years. The lineup includes lotion, cleansing products, emulsion, cream, as well as bath additives and men’s cosmetics. It contains Kiku-Masamune’s pure rice ginjo sake (rice ferment filtrate) and the amino acids found in sake as moisturizing ingredients. The “Moisturizing Sake Skin Care Series” is available in large sizes at reasonable prices, making it a great choice for bulk purchases.
👉Click here to purchase Kiku-Masamune Sake Skin Care Lotion (Yahoo! Shopping)
Nihonsakari
This long-established sake brewery, with a history of over 130 years, has been offering a series of basic skincare products made with sake since 2015. Using rice ferment filtrate from junmai sake( pure rice sake) , these products provide plenty of moisture to the skin. The lineup includes lotion, serum, gel cream, and more.
👉Click here to purchase Nihonsakari skincare lotion products (Yahoo! Shopping)
Japanese Sake Lees Face Pack / Wafood Made
Wafood Made is a skincare brand that modernizes traditional Japanese beauty methods using food ingredients. Their face pack, which contains sake lees extract, a byproduct of sake brewing, is a popular item that won the 2025 Best Cosmetics Item Award on Japan’s largest cosmetics website, "@cosme."
👉Click here to purchase Wafood Made products (Yahoo! Shopping)
👀Check out this article too! 👉What are the Top 10 “God Cosmetics” Truly Loved by Japanese People? @cosme Best Cosmetics Awards 2025 Announced!
3. The Secret to Japanese Women’s Beautiful Hair: Tsubaki (Camellia) Oil
Features
This plant oil, extracted from the seeds of Camellia japonica, has long been used for scalp care, skincare, cooking, and even maintaining blades. It is rich in oleic acid, which is similar to human sebum, making it resistant to oxidation and highly compatible with the skin.
This versatile oil can be used not only for hair but also for scalp cleansing and moisturizing the skin.
Recommended Products and Why They’re Popular
Oshima Tsubaki
This pure oil is made by a specialty camellia oil manufacturer from Izu Oshima Island and is 100% naturally derived. It has been a staple in Japanese hair care for nearly 100 years, and the brand also offers a wide range of hair care products using this oil. The retro packaging is also charming.
👉Click here to purchase Oshima Tsubaki products (Yahoo! Shopping)
Kazurasei
This long-established store in Kyoto Gion has been in business since the Edo period. Their 100% pure, special camellia oil is made using a traditional method that involves hand-picking and hand-selecting camellia seeds from their own farm in the Goto Islands of Kyushu, followed by filtering with Japanese washi paper before pressing the oil. They also offer a wide range of Japanese accessories such as boxwood combs and hairpins, and have a history of adding elegance to geiko and maiko.
👉Click here to purchase products from Kazurasei (Yahoo! Shopping)
TSUBAKI / FineToday
This hair care brand contains beauty ingredients such as camellia oil (Camellia japonica seed oil). You can choose the type that best suits your hair concerns. From September 2024, Korean model and actress Lee Sung Kyoung became the image model, drawing increased attention across Asia.
👉Click here to purchase TSUBAKI (Yahoo! Shopping)
4. The All-Purpose Remedy for Dryness: Horse Oil
Features
Horse oil, which is believed to have originated in China, is also known as "bayu" or "mayu" and has long been used as a folk remedy for burns and wounds. However, Japan was the first country to approve it as a cosmetic ingredient.
It contains oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, palmitic acid, and palmitoleic acid, which are similar to the components of human sebum, allowing it to be quickly absorbed by the skin. If it is fresh and free of additives, it can also be used for lips, mouth ulcers, and nipple care during breastfeeding.
In recent years, it has also become popular thanks to Japanese beauty expert IKKO, who is known for using it regularly.
Recommended Products and Why They’re Popular
Sonbahyu / Yakushido
This product offers a simple skincare routine focused only on "cleansing" and "moisturizing" to protect the skin’s natural functions without interfering with its natural turnover. It uses 100% highly refined, domestically produced horse oil with no added ingredients, so it can be used on the face, body, hair, and the entire body.
👉Click here to purchase Sonbahyu (Yahoo! Shopping)
Horse Oil Shampoo & Conditioner / Kumano Yushi
This non-silicone formula is gentle on both hair and scalp, giving your hair a natural shine. In addition to horse oil, it also contains highly moisturizing camellia oil.
👉Click here to purchase Horse Oil Shampoo and Conditioner (Yahoo! Shopping)
5. For Skin Troubles and Pore Care: Green Tea
Features
The catechins in green tea are said to help prevent skin troubles thanks to their antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Green tea is also rich in vitamin C, which is believed to promote brighter skin.
Drinking green tea is considered healthy, but some people also recommend using actual tea leaves for facial cleansing, face masks, or bathing as a beauty treatment.
Recommended Products and Why They're Popular
Medicated Deep Cleansing / Santa Marché
This is a green tea cleansing serum with a quasi-drug formula. It not only removes the need for double cleansing and has strong pore-cleansing power, but is also gentle on the skin, being free from mineral oil, parabens, petroleum-based surfactants, and alcohol, and has passed patch tests. It is ranked among the most popular cleansers on Japan’s largest cosmetics website, "@cosme."
👉Santa Marche Medicated Deep Cleansing can be purchased here (Yahoo! Shopping)
Tea Moisture Lotion / Green Tea Skincare G&A
From Uji, Kyoto, the home of Japanese tea. This lotion is packed with a high concentration of extract from JAS-certified organic Uji tea, keeping your skin clean and moisturized. In addition to Uji tea extract, it contains 19 beauty ingredients including yeast extract, coenzyme Q10, and adsorptive hyaluronic acid.
👉Click here to purchase Tea Moisture Lotion (Yahoo! Shopping)
6. Absorbs Pore Impurities: Charcoal
Features
Charcoal has a high adsorption capacity and is used in facial cleansers, scrubs, and peeling products. It is also sometimes used in food and supplements.
In addition, charcoal has been utilized in all aspects of Japanese life, such as in cooking, hibachi for warmth in winter, deodorizing, humidity control, and water purification.
Recommended Products and Why They’re Popular
Ouchi de Este Massage Cleansing Gel that Softens the Skin Charcoal / Kao Biore
A facial cleansing gel that cares for rough, oily skin and clogged pores. It leads to smooth skin and is highly rated for improving makeup application when used in the morning.
👉Click here to purchase Ouchi de Esthe Smooth Skin Massage Facial Gel Charcoal (Yahoo! Shopping)
Charcoal Facial Scrub / Mandom
This medicated facial scrub contains charcoal and thoroughly removes sebum and pore impurities. The addition of menthol provides a refreshing sensation.
👉Click here to purchase Mandom Charcoal Facial Scrub (Yahoo! Shopping)
Blanc:Chroma Lightening and Polishing Cleansing Oil / Shu Uemura
This cosmetics brand was founded by Japanese makeup artist Shu Uemura and is now part of the French L'Oréal Group. It contains Binchotan charcoal and three plant-derived ingredients. While cleansing makeup and impurities, it also refines the skin's texture.
7. Blessings of the Bubbling Earth: Onsen (Hot Spring) Water
Features
Japan, a country of many volcanoes, is home to around 3,000 hot spring resorts. Since ancient times, Japanese people have used hot springs for "toji", a traditional practice of bathing in hot springs to recover from illness or injury.
Hot spring water is rich in minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and sodium. These minerals are believed to help soften dead skin cells and moisturize the skin, improving its texture and appearance.
There are many hot springs known as "Bijin no Yu" or "beautifying hot springs." Mists and bath additives made with these hot spring waters are popular souvenirs, allowing people to easily bring a piece of Japanese hot spring culture home with them.
Recommended Products and Why They're Popular
Onsen Mist Series (Gero, Beppu, and more)
This spray toner is bottled using 100% natural hot spring water from Japan’s most famous hot springs, such as Gero Onsen, Arima Onsen, and Beppu Onsen. No preservatives or chemical ingredients are added, so the power of the hot spring water is delivered directly to your skin. Reviews say, "When used as a pre-lotion after washing your face, it helps your regular toner absorb much better."
👉Click here to purchase Onsen Mist products (Yahoo! Shopping)
Oh! Baby Body Smoother / House of Rose
This long-selling body scrub has been loved for over 30 years. The scrub contains alkaline simple hot spring water from Yufuin in Oita Prefecture (an ingredient that softens dead skin cells) and has a mild texture that starts to melt at body temperature (37°C). Massaging it into your skin leaves it feeling smooth and silky. Recognized as a long-standing award winner at the @cosme Best Cosmetics Awards 2015.
👉Click here to purchase Oh! Baby Body Smoother (Yahoo! Shopping)
8. Ancient Wisdom: Traditional Ingredients like Azuki Beans, Japanese Herbs, and Seaweed
Features
In Japan, people have long used familiar foods and plants to enhance their beauty.
The saponin found in "azuki" (red beans) is a natural cleansing ingredient and has been used for facial washing. The slippery component in "seaweed" is highly moisturizing, making it effective for preventing dryness in hair and skin. Japanese herbs such as "dokudami" (houttuynia) and "yomogi" (mugwort), which are commonly found in gardens and fields, are valued for helping to balance the skin. Because these are natural ingredients that are safe enough to eat, they are especially popular among those who prefer natural skincare.
Recommended Products and Why They're Popular
Skinable Essence / Komame
A natural skincare brand created by azuki bean specialists who have been in the bean paste business for over half a century. The moisturizing lotion is based on azuki bean extract, which is also used in "Azuki Bijin Tea," and is rich in polyphenols. It leads to plump, hydrated skin with a fresh, firm, and radiant appearance.
👉Click here to purchase Komame Skinable Essence (Yahoo! Shopping)
Natural Lotion / CEZANNE
Formulated with 27 plant-derived ingredients, including extracts from the leaves, stems, and flowers of Houttuynia cordata, as well as aloe vera leaf extract. This lotion is free from synthetic fragrances and artificial colorants, contains no mineral oil, is mildly acidic, and alcohol-free, making it gentle on the skin. It helps prevent rough skin and provides deep hydration. The large 360ml size is also a welcome feature.
👉Click here to purchase CEZANNE Natural Lotion (Yahoo! Shopping)
Seaweed Hair Essence / La Sana
Although it contains seaweed extract from Brittany, France, the brand itself originated in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. Focusing on the vitality of seaweed, this concentrated essence, made without water, provides intensive repair for damaged hair. It is well known as a high-quality hair care product that is easily available at drugstores.
👉Click here to purchase La Sana Seaweed Hair Essence (Yahoo! Shopping)
[Other] Enjoying Fragrance and the Seasons: Yuzu, Sakura, and More
Features
One of the charms of Japanese cosmetics is that you can enjoy not only the effects of the ingredients but also uniquely Japanese “fragrances” and a sense of the seasons. In particular, these products often feature packaging with a distinctly Japanese design, making them extremely popular as souvenirs.
Recommended Products and Why They’re Popular
Yuzu
Just as there is a custom of taking a yuzu bath on the winter solstice, “yuzu” is known for its warming, relaxing fragrance and its abundance of vitamin C. However, be aware that some cosmetics use authentic yuzu seed oil, while others only contain yuzu fragrance. Since yuzu is harvested in winter, many products are available only during the winter season.
Search for “Yuzu” cosmetics on Yahoo! Shopping 👉Here
Sakura (Cherry Blossom)
“Sakura” is a symbol of spring, and in recent years its anti-glycation (anti-aging) effects have also attracted attention. In Japan, many cosmetics containing cherry blossom fragrance are sold during the sakura season.
Search for “sakura” cosmetics on Yahoo! Shopping 👉Here
Lululun (Regional & Seasonal Limited Series)
The iconic souvenir face mask brand from Japan. There is a wide variety of products using local and seasonal ingredients, such as the spring-limited “sakura fragrance,” Kyoto-limited “tea flower fragrance,” and Tochigi-limited “Tochiotome (strawberry).” Individually wrapped masks that are easy to share and photogenic packaging are also reasons why these are popular with travelers.
Search for Lululun products on Yahoo! Shopping 👉Here
Where Can You Buy Them? Shopping Guide for Visitors to Japan
General Discount Stores (such as Don Quijote)
“Donki” has everything, and in recent years has expanded its cosmetics selection. There are also exclusive products that can only be found at Don Quijote, so be sure to check them out.
👉Check out tax-free coupons and best-selling products at Don Quijote!
Drugstores (such as Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Drugstore Cosmos, etc.)
A treasure trove of affordable cosmetics. Brands like Kiku-masamune, Rosette, Kracie, and horse oil products are easy to find. Tax-free counters are also well-equipped.
👉Click here for tax-free coupons at Matsumoto Kiyoshi
👉Click here for tax-free coupons at Drugstore Cosmos
👉Click here for tax-free coupons at Shinseido Drug Store
👉Click here for tax-free coupons at Sapporo Drug Store
Department Stores (such as Isetan, Takashimaya, etc.)
Brands like SK-II, Shiseido, THREE, and AYURA are available. You can take your time choosing products while consulting with beauty advisors.
Variety Shops (such as Loft, Tokyu Hands, etc.)
A great spot to find trendy natural cosmetics and unique local beauty products from around Japan.
Airport Duty-Free Shops
Perfect for last-minute bulk shopping before returning home. A wide variety of limited edition sets and gift boxes are available.
Let Your Skin Shine with Japanese Beauty Products
Why not achieve beautiful skin with Japanese cosmetics born from the country’s unique climate and traditions?
On your next trip to Japan, be sure to use this article as your shopping list and find the perfect cosmetics meant just for you.
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