japanese moisturiser

14 Best Japanese Moisturizers For Dry Skin | Get Supple, Soft Skin In A Matter Of Days!

May 07, 2024Shopify API

Longing for soft, supple skin? Check out the best Japanese moisturizers for dry skin to see visible changes in days!

Japanese are renowned for their flawless skin; it is the reason of envy for many. The reason for having such a beautiful skin is that the Japanese are very particular about their skincare regime. Also, the Japanese cosmetic industry is world-class.

They bring out skincare products that are the most effective and top-rated. All the products that are made in Japan are high in quality, and yet they come at quite an affordable range.

Types of Japanese Mosturisers

There are three types of moisturisers that you should know about: Occlusives, Emollients, Humectants.

Occlusives

Occlusives prevent water from evaporating from the skin and seal it. This is possible because occlusives large molecules. Occlusives are recommended for dry skin. People with oily skin should not use this type of moisturiser as it can be very heavy for your skin type.

Some examples of occlusives are shea butter and beeswax.

Emollients

Emollients, like occlusives also seal in moisture but aren't as heavy as occlusives so this type of moisturiser is better suited for oily skin. Emollients use hydrating lipids and oils to fill the gaps in skin cells giving your skin a smooth and soft finish.

Emollients help seal in moisture and hold on to the humectants on the skin. Some examples of emollients are jojoba oil, vitamin E, and ceramides

Humectants

Humectants pull water from the deeper layers of the skin to the upper layer of the skin where dehydration is most obvious.This type of moisturiser slows down evaporation and attract water to the skin.

Some examples of humectants are: glycerin and hyaluronic acid

How To Choose The Best Japanese Moisturizer?

There are three things you should look for when choosing a Japanese moisturizer - ingredients, form, and reviews.

Ingredient

This is really a no-brainer. The first thing you should look for in any moisturizer is the ingredients it is packed with. You may want to look for potential skin aggravators that can trigger allergic reactions on your face. Know the ingredients that may cause redness, itchiness, irritation or inflammation. Avoid ingredients that are too harsh as well as chemical ingredients that may possibly have a side effect. When looking for moisturizers, look for ones with pure, organic and safe botanical ingredients. Look for things like a flower or plant extract, hyaluronic acid, etc.

Form

There are various forms of moisturizers available - milky, emulsion, gel, cream, and balms. Know which type is the best for your skin. If you have dehydrated or sensitive skin, it is better to use a milky lotion. For oily and dehydrated skin, go for gels and gel creams. Balms are perfect for targeted areas or spots. Knowing what type may suit you is essential.

Reviews

Finally, it is important to read the reviews of the face moisturizer you are planning to buy. Know what others who have used it have to say about it. 

Benefits of using a Japanese moisturizer for dry skin:

Using a Japanese moisturizer for dry skin can offer several benefits due to the emphasis Japanese skincare places on high-quality ingredients, advanced formulations, and traditional beauty rituals. ‘

Here are some benefits of using a Japanese moisturizer for dry skin:

  • Rich Hydration

Japanese moisturizers are often formulated with a focus on deep hydration. They typically contain a blend of lightweight yet potent hydrating ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and glycerin. 

These ingredients help to lock in moisture and prevent dryness, leaving your skin feeling plump and nourished.

  • Quality Ingredients

Japanese skincare products are known for their use of high-quality and innovative ingredients. 

Many Japanese moisturizers contain natural extracts, plant-based oils, and traditional ingredients like rice bran oil, green tea extract, and sake, which provide antioxidant benefits and contribute to skin's overall health.

  • Gentle Formulations

Japanese skincare emphasizes gentle and non-irritating formulations. Moisturizers from Japanese brands are often suitable for sensitive and dry skin types, as they tend to avoid harsh chemicals and fragrances that can exacerbate dryness or cause reactions.

  • Advanced Technology

Japanese skincare brands often incorporate cutting-edge technology into their products. This includes advanced delivery systems that help the moisturizing ingredients penetrate deeply into the skin layers, providing long-lasting hydration.

  • Layering Technique

Japanese skincare involves a layering technique, where multiple lightweight products are applied in a specific order to achieve optimal hydration and nourishment. 

Using a Japanese moisturizer as part of this technique can help seal in previous skincare layers and create a moisture barrier.

  • Prevention of Premature Aging

Proper hydration is essential for maintaining skin's elasticity and preventing premature aging. Japanese moisturizers often contain anti-aging ingredients that can help address fine lines and wrinkles associated with dry skin.

  • Texture and Absorption

Many Japanese moisturizers have lightweight textures that are easily absorbed by the skin without feeling heavy or greasy. This is particularly beneficial for those with dry skin who may be concerned about feeling weighed down by their skincare products.

  • Holistic Approach

Japanese skincare often incorporates a holistic approach to beauty, emphasizing overall well-being and balance. 

This can extend to the use of moisturizers, which may include ingredients that not only hydrate the skin but also promote a sense of relaxation and self-care.

  • Cultural Tradition

Drawing from traditional Japanese beauty rituals, these moisturizers may incorporate elements like natural extracts inspired by traditional medicine or ancient beauty practices, adding to the appeal and uniqueness of the product.

  • Global Recognition

Many Japanese skincare brands are recognized internationally for their quality and efficacy, making Japanese moisturizers easily accessible to individuals seeking effective solutions for their dry skin concerns.

Best Japanese Moisturizer: Quick Summary

Best Japanese Moisturizer Best For
Hada Labo Rohto Goku-jun Hyaluronic Milky Lotion All Skin Types
Curel Kao Intensive Moisture Cream Sensitive Skin
Sana Nameraka Honpo Isoflavone Soy Milk Cream Wrinkles and fine lines
DHC Extra Nighttime Moisture Facial Moisturizer Sensitive Skin
Shiseido SPF 18 Benefiance Wrinkle-Resist 24 Day Cream Mature Skin
Naturie Hatomugi Skin Conditioning Gel Acne-prone Skin
Minon Amino Moist Charge Milk Sensitive Skin
DHC Super Collagen Combination Skin
KOSE Sekkisei Cream Excellent Mature Skin
Tatcha The Water Cream Oily Skin
HADA LABO Gokujyun Hyaluronic Perfect Gel  Dry skin
 Kikumasamune Sake Milk Skin Care Emulsion Sensitive dry skin

Which is the Best Japanese Moisturizer?

I tested several Japanese moisturizers to find the best one. I tested them based on its moisturizing power, hydration, ingredients, and application. I found that DHC Extra Nighttime Moisture is the best Japanese moisturizer.

DHC extra nighttime moisturizer provides intense moisturization to the skin as it works with the skin's natural regeneration cycle overnight. This improves skin's elasticity and texture. It is suitable for most skin types which makes it the best Japanese moisturizer. DHC extra nighttime moisturizer formulated with olive oil, squalene and other essential emollients and doesn't contain irritants.

One of the things that people love about Japanese cosmetics is their moisturizers. Face moisturizers play a huge part in Japanese beauty. They are made with super-nourishing ingredients from their high-class technologies and innovations. Moisturizers are one of the most crucial products that can help you achieve radiant and healthier skin. 

Are you looking for the best Japanese moisturizer too? You have landed in the right place. Read on to find some of the best Japanese moisturizers that will add life and glow to your dull skin.

Hada Labo Rohto Goku-jun Hyaluronic Milky Lotion

Best Japanese moisturizer for all skin types

The Hada Labo milky lotion is a great choice for people who love keeping it simple. Are you tired of your extra-long and complicated skincare regime? Or do you like to keep things to a minimum when it comes to your beauty routine? Or maybe you hate the sticky residue your current moisturizer leaves behind on your skin. Whatever the case may be, this lotion from Japan’s famous brand Hada Labo is here to the rescue.

The milky lotion really is quite a wonderful and unique face product from this brand. The star ingredient in this lotion is Super Hyaluronic Acid. This magic ingredient is patented by Shiseido and has twice the power of the regular Hyaluronic Acid

This is why this ingredient is so good for your skin; it hydrates your skin twice as better as the regular version. It maintains moisture in your skin and it also helps prevent moisture loss. 

With the use of this, you will notice that your skin appears more glowy and younger. Hyaluronic Acid also helps maintain your skin’s elasticity. Hada Labo moisturizer is definitely one of the best moisturizer in Japan and has been my holy grail for 2-3 years now. I love the changes it has brought to my otherwise dry and aging skin.

This amazing milky lotion from Hada Labo is surely going to become a game-changer in your skincare routine.

Hands down, one of the best Japanese moisturizers in the market! 

Pros: 

  • Benefitting ingredients 
  • Non-greasy
  • Lightweight 
  • Improves skin softness
  • Suitable for all skin types

Cons

  • Slightly overvalued price

Ratings:

  • Ingredients: 9.5/10
  • Texture: 8.5/10
  • Effectiveness: 9/10
  • Affordability: 8/10

Kao Curel Intensive Moisture Cream

Best Japanese Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin

If you have dry or sensitive skin, you definitely know the pain of going through jars and bottles of lotions to treat these issues. But, despite everything that you do for it, there seems to be no respite. 

Also, quite possibly, your skin reacts negatively to every drugstore product that seems promising. If that is the issue you have been fighting for long, there is no better product that the intensive moisture cream from Curel Kao. 

It is a leading Japanese skincare brand that has created this skincare line meant specifically for irritated, inflamed, and sensitive skin. Which is why this product is also one of the best Japanese moisturizers in the market!

The moisture cream is formulated with ceramide and eucalyptus. These ingredients are effective in deeply hydrating and soothing your skin. 

The moisture cream is mildly acidic, hypoallergenic, and free from fragrance, colorants, and alcohol. As compared to other high-end brands, this moisture cream is affordable. 

The cream also comes with ceramide, which helps to replenish the ceramides in your skin to keep it healthy and hydrated. Eucalyptus is a wonderful ingredient that is known for its antiseptic and antibacterial properties. So, if you are troubled by redness and acne, you must consider using this product.

Kao Curel cream just has my heart, it is affordable for the benefits that it has provided to me. The cream got absorbed in my skin in no time and didn't even feel greasy. Just, wow! It's one of the best Japanese face moisturizer.

The cream is weightless, easy to apply and it absorbs into your skin quickly. This moisturizer is non-sticky and non-oily, making it a great option for those hot and humid days. It makes your skin plump and nourished; it also helps to soothe the areas in your skin that are inflamed, dry, itchy, and flaky.

Pros: 

  • Hypoallergenic 
  • Antibacterial properties 
  • Lightweight 
  • Affordable
  • Easily absorbed

Ratings:

  • Ingredients: 10/10
  • Texture: 10/10
  • Effectiveness: 9.5/10
  • Affordability: 9/10

Related: Best Japanese Face Wash

Sana Nameraka Honpo Isoflavone Soy Milk Cream

Best Japanese Moisturizer for Wrinkles and Fine Lines

The soy milk cream from Sana Nameraka has soy milk as a key ingredient. Soy Milk is a great ingredient that helps to preserve the skin-firming collagen and elastin. 

Collagen and elastin production decrease as we start aging. The cream also contains protein, iron, calcium, fiber, folic acid, Vitamin B, and potassium. These ingredients are all vital for our skin’s health. Vitamin E in the cream helps to renew our dead skin cells and also moisturizes our skin.

The cream has a buttery texture with only a slight thickness. It glides on your face easily. After you apply it, your skin will instantly feel moisturized and hydrated which lasts the entire day. 

Apart from all these vital ingredients, the cream also has isoflavones. It protects your skin against the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. It also helps in anti-aging and collagen production. 

I found it to be one of the best moisturizer for dry skin in Japan because of how moisturizing it is. I also love the thick and creamy consistency it has that lasts a really long time on my face.

If you are somebody who is suffering from dry and dehydrated skin, this cream will be your savior. With continuous use, you will notice that the cream has helped hydrate your skin and make it more elastic, glowy, and youthful. Please note that this cream is not suitable for sensitive skin.

Make sure you give this best Japanese moisturizer a chance!

Pros: 

  • Great for dry skin 
  • Thick consistency
  • Has anti-aging benefits
  • No harmful ingredients

Cons

  • Not suitable for oily skin

Ratings:

  • Ingredients: 9/10
  • Texture: 9/10
  • Effectiveness: 8.5/10
  • Affordability: 9/10

DHC Extra Nighttime Moisture Facial Moisturizer

Best Japanese Moisturizer For Night Skincare Routine

We have all faced those long and tiring days at the office after which our skin feels parched, dry, and dehydrated. On those days and in general, it is important to help our skin replenish during the night. 

To replenish the hydration of our skin during the night, nothing is better than the Extra Nighttime Moisture Facial Moisturizer by DHC. DHC is a leading Japanese brand that keeps bringing to us innovative products.

The night cream from DHC is a concentrated formula that helps to renew and replenish your skin while you sleep at night. It deeply moisturizes and invigorates your skin; it is infused with olive oil, squalane and several emollients that help hydrate your skin and polish your skin’s texture. 

The cream works well over the night with your skin’s overnight regeneration cycle to give you skin that is supple, radiant, and dewy. 

You do not have to use a lot of product; a little goes a long way. A jar will last you a really long time, so it actually becomes quite an affordable product. 

You should definitely give this best Japanese moisturizer a try!

Shiseido SPF 18 Benefiance Wrinkle-Resist 24 Day Cream

Best Japanese Moisturizer For Mature Skin

Shiseido is one of the best Japanese brands that is known all over the world. The day cream by the brand helps protect the skin from damage caused by external factors such as UV rays that promote anti-aging. With this cream, you can bid a happy goodbye to your lines and wrinkles.

This age-defense day moisturizer targets wrinkles most effectively. It gives you youthful skin that stays away from signs of aging. Even if you use this cream on a hot and dry day, it will keep your skin moisturized and hydrated because it has a high concentration of moisture. 

The magical ingredient that makes this moisturizer so different from the rest is Mukurossi Extract. This component directly stops the activity of the wrinkle-inducing enzymes. 

With continuous use of this product, you will notice that the signs of aging have vanished from your face. Even if you are in your 40s or 50s, you will have younger-looking skin, no matter what.

This is the best Japanese moisturizer with SPF (one stone, two birds, eh?) 

Naturie Hatomugi Skin Conditioning Gel

Best Japanese Moisturizer for Acne-prone Skin

This is a multi-purpose skin conditioning gel and its main ingredient is Job’s Tears aka Hatomugi that intensely hydrates your skin. It has a lightweight, non-sticky formula. The gel feels refreshing and will quickly dissolve into your skin. Your skin will feel softer and soothed after application. Skin appears softer, fresher, plumper, and soothed. 

Minon Amino Moist Charge Milk

Best Japanese Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin

Minon Amino Moist Charge Milk is infused with nine amino acids to soothe, hydrate, and to improve skin elasticity. It’s also a hypoallergenic Japanese skincare product so it’s suitable for sensitive skin. It has a rich creamy formula infused with glycerin and butylene glycol to deeply moisturize your skin. 

DHC Super Collagen

Best Japanese Moisturizer for Combination Skin

DHC Super Collagen cream is infused with Dipeptide-8 that has skin-firming properties and provides your skin’s top layer with collagen. This is one of the best Japanese moisturizers with collagen-boosting properties. The formula is also infused with olive oil, rapeseed oil, and jojoba oil for its moisturizing properties. And ingredients like Vitamin E and Vitamin C derivatives take care of skin brightening. 

KOSE Sekkisei Cream Excellent

Best Japanese Moisturizer for Mature Skin

This Kose moisturizer will keep your skin looking young and fresh - thanks to the Angelica extract and Korean ginseng infused in the formula. The cream is formulated to brighten your skin and reduce dark spots, fine lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation. 

Tatcha The Water Cream

Best Japanese Moisturizer for Oily Skin

The Tatcha water cream is infused with skin-improving ingredients to visibly reduce the signs of aging. It’s am oil-free formula infused with Japanese botanicals like  Japanese leopard lily and wild rose extracts to help remove excess oil and tighten your pores. Which is why this is the best Japanese moisturizer for oily skin. It also works great as an anti-aging cream as it world to smoothen and improve your skin texture

HADA LABO Gokujyun Hyaluronic Perfect Gel 

Best Japanese Moisturizer for Dry Skin

Hada Labo Gokujyun Hylauronic gel moisturizer is perfect for hydration. It helps firm the skin and the moisturizing effect stays for a long time. It consists of hyaluronic acid that hydrates, smoothens and keeps the skin plumped up.

You have to use this Japanese moisturizer after face wash. It’s great for dry and dehydrated skin types. I love using this Japanese moisturizer as it keeps my skin fresh and doesn’t let it dry down soon. It has reduced my skin redness and calmed my skin to another level.

 Kikumasamune Sake Milk Skin Care Emulsion

Best Japanese Moisturizer for Sensitive Dry Skin

Kikumasamune Sake Milk moisturizer is great for sensitive and dry skin. It intensely moisturises the skin and is very gentle. This Japanese moisturizer is formulated with ceramide, fermented yeast from sake as well as glycine which protect the skin barrier and keep it healthy. 

It’s extremely affordable and the bottle is massive to go for for at least 2-3 months on a single purchase. The best part is that it’s not sticky or greasy. Kikumasamune skin moisturizer soothes and calms the skin. It’s the best moisturizer for sensitive dry skin.

Why should you choose Japanese moisturizer?

Japanese moisturizers are great and gentle on skin. They’re formulated with skin-benefitting ingredients that are mostly botanical, pure and organic. Japanese moisturizers are focussed on skin betterment and are intensely hydrating.

Which is the best moisturizer in Japan?

Here is a list of the best moisturizer in Japan that are result-rendering within no time:
- Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Gel Moisturiser
- DHC Super Collagen
- Minon Amino Moist Milky Moisturizer
- Naturie Skin Conditioning Gel

What is the best Japanese skin care?

Hada Labo Rohto Goku-jun Hyaluronic Milky Lotion is one of the best Japanese skin care products in the market. It’s one of the best Japanese moisturizers in the market and keeps your skin hydrated all through the day. This is because of the star ingredient in this lotion called Super Hyaluronic Acid patented by Shiseido.

Is Japanese skin care good?

Japanese brands produce some of the best skin care products in the entire world. Many brands use natural ingredients in the products - that coupled with the innovative technology used by the Japanese cosmetic industry results in some of the best skin care products!


Japanese face moisturizers are excellent in moisturizing your face, to protect it from the dryness caused by cleansing and the harsh elements of the environment that take a toll on our skin. Moisturizers really help target the skin concerns to give us youthful-looking skin that is radiant and glowing. With so many best Japanese moisturizers available in the market, I hope this article helped you choose the best one for your skin.

Also Read:

  1. Best Japanese Skin Care Products
  2. Japanese Toners For Different Skin Types
  3. Reviews: Japanese Serums

 

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