Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (2024)

Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (1)

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

Japan has always been a rich source of beauty inspiration, from the ancient beauty traditions of geishas' clear skin, bold makeup and shiny hair, to the advanced technology and sophisticated packaging of modern times.

Now, thanks to the boom in online shopping and the rise of multinational brands, Japanese beauty (also known as “J-Beauty”) products are now widely available in the U.S. You can find everything from cutting-edge skincare, hair and makeup formulas and textures to traditional ingredients like rice water and camellia flower from Japanese beauty brands, all created with a respect for skin and hair as well as design.

The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab experts rounded up the best Japanese beauty products you can buy, including cosmetics, anti-aging, hair products and more, from luxury skincare and makeup brands to drugstore finds:

1

Best Japanese Beauty Anti-Aging Skincare

Shiseido Vital Perfection Uplifting and Firming Cream

Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (2)

Pros
  • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (3)Works for day and night
  • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (4)Firms skin
  • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (5)Rich formula
Cons
  • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (6)May be too heavy for some skin types
  • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (7)Pricey

This decadent Shiseidoanti-aging cream gives skin a lift with botanical ingredients. "I like adding richer moisturizers to my skin routine, and I love usingthis one day and night," says GH Beauty Lab senior chemist Sabina Wizemann."It smells nice,feels luxurious on skin, and keeps itbouncy and tighter."

2

Best Japanese Beauty Skincare

Curél Moisture Facial Lotion Enrich

Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (8)

Pros
  • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (9)Lightweight skin softening
  • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (10)Created for sensitive skin
Cons

    It's called a lotion, but thisCurél formula, from the best-selling skincare brand in Japanfor sensitive skin, is actually a liquid essence. Infused with softening glycerin, castor oil, and allantoin, and fragrance- and alcohol-free,it's great for lightly nourishing and refreshing skin without irritating."It just soaks into your skin,never makes my face oily or feels heavy, andmakes a huge difference for my dry skin," anUlta reviewer reported.

    Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

    Pros
    • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (12)High level sun protection
    • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (13)Works for face and body
    • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (14)No mess or spill risk
    • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (15)No visible residue on skin
    Cons

      From the iconic Japanese beauty brand Shiseido, this high SPFsunscreen stick for face and body is an example of the next-generation formulas the country is famous for:It's a completely clear solidgel, so it leaves no visible residue behind. The stick"applies onto the skin translucent without a white cast," a Dermstore reviewer said. "It is super convenient to throw in a bag (without worrying about potential leakage) and for reapplication purposes."

      4

      Best Japanese Beauty Skincare Exfoliator

      Tatcha The Deep Cleanse Exfoliating Cleanser

      Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (16)

      Pros
      • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (17)Cleanses and exfoliates at the same time
      • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (18)Doesn't dry out skin
      Cons
      • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (19)Pricey

      From a brand that honors the beauty secrets of Japanese geishas, Tatcha's face wash does double duty, sloughing skinwith the fibers of the Japanese luffa fruit as it cleanses. "This gently exfoliates, but I really love how non-drying the formula is," says GH beauty assistant Katie Berohn."I have dry skin and my face tends to feel tight and uncomfortable after cleansing, but not when I use this."

      Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

      5

      Best Japanese Beauty Cleansing Oil

      DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

      Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (20)

      Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (21)

      Pros
      • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (22)Removes makeup and cleanses simultaneously
      • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (23)Doesn't dry out skin
      Cons
      • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (24)May be too rich for oily or acne-prone skin

      A cult classic and one of the original facial cleansing oils, Japanese brandDHC's olive oil-based wash has more than 2,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. "You’re getting your face clean from deep down in your pores without it stripping away your face’s natural oils," a reviewer raved. "Ialways have the best skin when I use it regularly."

      6

      Best Japanese Beauty Lip Mask

      Tatcha The Kissu Lip Mask

      Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (25)

      Pros
      • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (26)Softens dry lips
      • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (27)Lightly fruit scented
      • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (28)Cushiony, soothing texture
      Cons

        Wear this jelly-like leave-on lip mask from Tatcha overnight to wake up to softer lips. Infused with Japanese camellia oil, "It leaves lips feeling plush with no sign of flakes or dryness," GH's beauty director says."I couldn't stop putting it on and used it until the last drop."

        Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

        7

        Best Japanese Beauty Tool

        Shiseido Hanatsubaki Hake Polishing Face Brush

        Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (29)

        Pros
        • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (30)Multi-use
        • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (31)High-quality
        • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (32)Smooth makeup application
        Cons

          A GH Beauty Award winner, this unique flower-shaped Shiseido powder makeup brush is crafted by hand. Its compact size and curved edges make it easy to grip and help it hug face contours seamlessly.“My makeup looks airbrushedand the bristles are so soft,” a fan said.

          8

          Best Japanese Beauty Facial Essence

          SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

          Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (33)

          Pros
          • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (34)Smooths skin
          • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (35)Brightens and evens skin tone
          • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (36)Large bottle lasts a long time
          Cons
          • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (37)Pricey

          Made bySK-II, a brand based on a proprietary yeast extract developed when Japanese scientists noticed that older sake brewery workers had smooth and clear hands from soaking them in the fermented yeast, thisgently exfoliating liquid has become iconicfor its skin-smoothing effects on mature skin. "My skin texture and tone really improved shortly after I started using this," a Dermstore reviewer said.

          Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

          9

          Best Japanese Beauty Hair Product

          MyKirei by Kao Conditioner with Japanese Tsubaki & Rice Water

          Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (38)

          Pros
          • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (39)Lightly conditioning
          • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (40)Soft scent
          Cons

            Made with softeningJapanese camellia seed oil and strengtheningrice water, MyKirei by Kao's conditioner works on all hair types. "My strands felt supple and smelled lightly floral after use," GH's beauty director says.

            10

            Best Japanese Beauty Highlighter

            Shiseido Aura Dew Highlighter

            Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (41)

            Pros
            • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (42)Multi-purpose color saves space and money
            • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (43)Portable size
            • Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (44)Comes in three shades (rose gold, silver, and gold)
            Cons

              These GH Beauty Award-winning weightless cream color potsfrom Shiseido are the ultimate makeup multitaskers and have a unique, futuristic bouncy texture. They can be used as eyeshadow, over lipcolor or as highlighter on cheekbones and more. “Foolproof application with fingers, and the subtle shimmer enlivened my face,” a tester noted.

              Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (45)

              April Franzino

              Beauty Director

              April (she/her) is the beauty director at Good Housekeeping, Prevention and Woman's Day, where she oversees all beauty content. She has over 15 years of experience under her belt, starting her career as an assistant beauty editor at GH in 2007, and working in the beauty departments of SELF and Fitness magazines.

              Amazing Japanese Beauty Products to Give You That Coveted "Glass Skin" (2024)

              References

              Top Articles
              Latest Posts
              Recommended Articles
              Article information

              Author: Msgr. Refugio Daniel

              Last Updated:

              Views: 6648

              Rating: 4.3 / 5 (54 voted)

              Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

              Author information

              Name: Msgr. Refugio Daniel

              Birthday: 1999-09-15

              Address: 8416 Beatty Center, Derekfort, VA 72092-0500

              Phone: +6838967160603

              Job: Mining Executive

              Hobby: Woodworking, Knitting, Fishing, Coffee roasting, Kayaking, Horseback riding, Kite flying

              Introduction: My name is Msgr. Refugio Daniel, I am a fine, precious, encouraging, calm, glamorous, vivacious, friendly person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.