I'm a beauty editor of 15 years - these are the Japanese skincare products I buy every time I visit Tokyo

"Where much of Western skincare focuses on aggressive resurfacing and dramatic before-and-afters, Japanese skincare tends to centre on preserving bouncy, supple skin. It's about double cleansing, featherlight layers, serum-like sunscreens and formulas that strengthen the barrier, rather than challenge it. But unlike K beauty, there aren't stacks of confusing steps. J-Beauty is much more streamlined, making it much easier to slot into your existing routine."

"What makes Japanese skincare so good? First of all, it's rooted in ritual, history and respect for the skin. As early as the Heian period (794-1185), aristocratic women used rice water to soften and brighten the complexion - a practice echoed today in modern Japanese facial products featuring rice extracts for smoothing and hydration. During the Edo period (1601-1868), geishas perfected the art of double cleansing to remove heavy oshiroi makeup, using camellia oil followed by gentle washes."

Japanese skincare stands apart from Western and Korean approaches through its philosophy of preserving skin health rather than dramatic transformation. The approach emphasizes double cleansing, lightweight layering, barrier-strengthening formulas, and gentle sunscreens. Japanese beauty products are widely available in Tokyo through flagship stores, drugstores like Matsumoto Kiyoshi, and Cosme stores that rank products by user preference. This skincare tradition traces back to the Heian period when aristocratic women used rice water for brightening, and the Edo period when geishas developed double-cleansing techniques with camellia oil. Unlike Korean beauty's multiple steps, Japanese skincare offers a streamlined routine that integrates easily into existing regimens, combining historical wisdom with modern formulation.

Read at CN Traveller