Have you ever heard of the Japanese skincare routine? I think that many people don’t really know about it because the beauty culture in Japan is very underrated. You may know that Japanese people are known to hold their values in respecting things around them, and they do the same for their own skin by taking care of it. The greatest thing about Japanese skincare and its routine is that it’s very suitable for anybody, no matter the skin-type. It’s minimal, simple and very effective for treating the skin but also made to be gentle for the skin. Believe it or not, there are so many people who use Japanese skincare as part of their beauty routine. You may have seen some celebrities who have used Japanese skincare for their routine: K-pop idol Jeon Somi using Senka Face Wash All Clear Oil to famous dance mom star Maddie Ziegler who uses the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. Japanese skincare is highly rated by many people, but unfortunately the products and the skincare routine doesn’t seem to get much hype. However, in this article, I am going to share with you the basic steps to perfect Japanese skincare routine in achieving “mochi skin.” What is “Mochi Skin?” For skincare, J-beauty’s core value is to nourish the skin with gentle and nutritious products, so that one can achieve “mochi skin.” If you are unfamiliar with mochi, mochi is a glutinous rice snack that is very soft and plump. A “mochi skin” is almost like baby skin, as it is very soft, hydrated and does not have any fine lines. What is the difference between J-beauty and K-beauty skincare? One of the biggest misunderstandings that I bet many people have is that the J-beauty and the K-beauty skincare routine is the same or fairly similar to each other. However, I can tell you that they are very different. While K-beauty often has ten or more steps to its skincare routine, J-beauty skincare routine only has five, which is fairly minimal. Also, although K-beauty skincare is similar to J-beauty skincare as both value in giving the skin great nutrients as well as keeping the skin soft and hydrated, rather than “mochi skin,” K-beauty skincare helps to achieve “glass skin.” “Glass skin” is a type of skin that is reflective and clear—but we’ll save that for an article next time. Steps in a Japanese Skincare Routine All my life, I’ve done my skincare routine the same as my mom who is Japanese. My routine is fairly similar to what many articles say is the “basic steps of the Japanese skincare routine,” but I don’t think I follow the steps exactly the same. However, here are the basic steps to master the Japanese skincare routine according to a Japanese beauty article: Cleansing, Lotion/Essence, Beauty Serum, Emulsion/Cream and Sunscreen. 1. Cleansing Cleansing is a very important part of the Japanese beauty routine. To achieve a great clear complexion, Japanese cleanse their face twice so that they can clear any dirt, residue, and makeup that may be on their skin. Double cleansing is done by many Japanese people, especially at night, after a long day of wearing makeup. For double cleansing, there are two different kinds of products that are used—an oil cleanser that is used to remove the majority of makeup and dirt, and a face wash that is used to remove and clear any remaining residue that may be beyond the surface of the skin (aka in the pores). Oil Cleanser (For Double Cleansing at Night) Although there are Japanese people who use micellar water to remove their makeup, oil cleansers are much more common to use. The reason for using oil cleansers over micellar water is that oil cleansers are known to cleanse the skin better, especially if you wear makeup on a daily basis. However, oil cleansers are also known to clear There are many Japanese oil cleansers that work really well for the skin. However, there is one in particular that is favored by many people—also mentioned by @cosme, a highly rated beauty review platform website—is the ultime8∞ sublime beauty cleansing oil. This product may be a little bit on the pricey side, but it lasts for a long time as it contains 450ml of product. This product is not only known for its quantity and long use, but also for its efficiency in cleansing the skin well, and clear of blackheads and other impurities. This product has the ability to cleanse skin effortlessly and gently, which is a key to Japanese skincare. Although many Japanese people may use oil cleansers as a primary product to remove makeup, there are an increasing number of Japanese people who use cleansing balms, as they work similarly to oil cleansers as both remove makeup efficiently. A cleansing balm that was awarded as a bestseller in Japan is the DUO the cleansing balm BLACK REPAIR. This cleansing balm is very unique to other cleansing balms as it contains charcoal which has the ability to minimize the pore visibility and any impurities that may be visible to the eye. Face Wash Most Japanese facial washes are foam-type cleansers because they are known to clean beyond the surface of the skin. Again, like oil cleansers, the key is being gentle to the skin when cleansing. The foam face wash is perfect when it comes to gently removing impurries that are deep in your pores. One thing to keep in mind when using a face wash is how you use it according to your skin type. If your skin is sensitive and dry, limit yourself from washing your face several times a day—you may only need to wash your face with a cleanser at night or once a day. If you have oily skin, you may need to wash your face twice a day. However, you can still damage your oily skin by washing your skin too much from stripping off your natural oils. So remember to wash your skin acknowledgingly. Of course, there are many different face washes in Japan that work very well. But this one product is a face wash that is highly rated by many people, as it works well for all skin types. As mentioned on @cosme, the top-rated facial wash is the Kanebo Scrubbing Mud Wash. As it is written in the product name, the facial wash is mud and is formulated with the highest Moroccan lava clay that works efficiently in cleansing your face by absorbing excess sebum and washing away dead skin cells and pore-clogging dirt, as it leaves the skin smooth, moist, and clear. 2. Lotion (Essence) Although it may be a little bit confusing to many people, toner is called lotion in Japan. Although they may serve similar purposes, such as regulating the secretion of the sebum, Japanese lotions and essences tend to be much more moisturizing and gentle to the skin and is lower in acidity. In Japanese skincare, lotion/essence is very important when it comes to moisturizing the skin, which is different from Western “toners.” Without using the lotion, the skin would lack moisture as it would cause the skin barrier, which protects the skin from moisture retention and external irritation to be dysfunctional. A recommended product is the very affordable Naturie Hatomugi Skin Conditioner. This lotion has been a bestseller for years because of its quality, affordability and quantity. This product contains coix seed extract as it has been an essential natural ingredient used to treat health and beauty from ancient times. Coix seed extract has nutrients such as 12 types of amino acids that would help your skin retain the moisture and maintain the