Have you ever wondered how Japanese women have beautiful skin? What are the Japanese beauty secrets?

In this article, I’m going to share the 10 daily beauty habits of all Japanese actresses who are famous for their beautiful skin do. 

I’m a Japanese girl born and bred myself, and I grew up studying, learning and practising their beauty secrets. I can honestly say I agree with their beauty rituals after 25 years of practising them since the age of 13. 

It’s the little things that they do every single day make the difference!

Are you ready to find out the Japanese beauty secrets?

Let’s get to it!

 

10 Japanese Beauty Secrets for Flawless Skin

 

 

[1] Take Time To Remove Makeup & Do Skincare At Night No Matter How Busy It Gets

 

 

This is a must for anyone who wishes to have perfect skin like Japanese. All Japanese women who look much younger than their age swear by this rule.

 

Remove makeup thoroughly and gently. 

 

Makeup is made of oils and chemicals, and they get mixed up with the skin’s sebum and turn into some toxins as the day goes by.

 

When you wear makeup for more than 10 hours a day, it is highly likely you are damaging the skin with the chemical reaction between your makeup and skin’s natural oil.

 

In Japan, it is even said that you get 3 years older when you leave your makeup on all day long. Plus, you are prone to suffer from all sort of skin troubles like acne, blemishes, and wrinkles.

 

So, make it a rule of thumb: REMOVE MAKE UP NO MATTER WHAT at night! Also, try to wear no makeup once a week to let your skin breathe, rest and recover.

 

 

[2] Separate Eye Makeup From The Rest When Cleansing

 

 

The skin around the eyes is much thinner and very delicate. Regular makeup removers can be too strong, so make sure you use a makeup remover that is designed for eyes only.

Use cotton swabs and cotton pads if needs be so that you don’t rub your eyes and damage the skin. 

 

[3] Hand-Press A Lot of Japanese Lotion

 

 

After cleansing, applying some lotion is a must in Japanese skincare. It is very hard to find someone who does not use one in Japan.

 

It is a unique concept and also one of the Japanese beauty secrets. It’s similar to toners or essences in K-Beauty but not the same. (➝  read more on the concept in the related post)

✤ Related read ✤  What is Japanese Lotion?

 

Japanese lotions are primarily designed to enhance hydration and elasticity before the next steps (serum, cream, etc.). 

 

Japanese women hand-press lotion until the skin feels supple. They call it mochi hada (rice cake-like skin)! Mochi is rice cake and hada means skin in Japanese.

You want to achieve the soft and bouncy feeling you get when you touch mochi 🙂 

 

 

[4] Have A Few Moisturisers

 

There are 2 types of moisturisers in Japan.

Milky lotion and cream.

 

Milky lotions are called “Nyueki (乳液) in Japanese, and it is unique to Japanese skincare. It is a light version of cream. They contain more water than creams which make the texture lighter. 

 

Japanese women switch between cream and milky lotion (nyueki) depending on their skin condition and seasons.

 

For instance, if your skin feels dry in winter, you may want to use some cream. Whereas in summer, a milky lotion (nyueki) might be a better option for its light texture. If you are suffering from acne, a milky lotion is a good option as it is less oily than a cream.

 

The key is to be sensitive to any change in your skin and apply what’s best for the particular skin condition.

 

 

[5] Have A Bath EVERY NIGHT

 

Most Japanese people have a bath at night after having a shower. It is their tradition to take time to relax and do self-care after a long day.

 

There are nearly 3,000 hot springs (onsen) in Japan, and the number of fountainheads exceeds 27,000. Japanese people have a deep respect for nature and embraced the healing power of nature since ancient times.

 

It is also a part of Japanese skincare rituals for most Japanese women, and they take time to have a bath every night before doing their skincare.

 

When you have a bath BEFORE doing your skincare, there are several benefits:

1. Easier to remove dirt
2. Increase the blood flow and boost metabolism
3. Relaxation, stress relief

 

As your body warms up, the pores open and it becomes easier to cleanse thoroughly.

Also, the increased blood flow will help to release any toxins from the body, so you develop less acne and have fewer skin troubles. Most of all, you relieve anxiety and stress built up from the day.

 

 

 

[6] Wash Your Face With Lukewarm Water Only In the Morning

 

 

It may be going against the grain, but it’s best to not wash your face with a cleansing product in the morning, especially if you have sensitive skin.

 

You might sweat and become a little oily during the night, but that can be easily be cleaned by washing your face with lukewarm water. Water is more than adequate. 

 

Proper cleansing is only needed once a day at night.

 

This way, your skin’s natural barrier does not get stripped away too often, and you are less likely to develop skin troubles like acne, dry skin and sensitive skin.

 

Many Japanese women follow this rule to let skin’s natural healing power do the work instead of completely relying on skincare products.

 

 

[7] Never Ever Rub, Scrub or Scratch

 

 

The top layer of the skin is only 0.02mm. It is ULTRA THIN.

Imagine, you’re rubbing, scrubbing, scratching, massaging a lot. 

You are voluntarily making the skin age faster than necessary. 

In Japanese skincare, doing everything in the most gentle manner possible applies to every step of the ritual. It is also a way to show respect to your skin for Japanese women.

 

 

[8] Always Eat & Drink What Is Good For Skin – Mainly Japanese Diet

 

 

It comes quite natural for Japanese women to eat healthily because the Japanese diet is rich in fish and vegetables – basically mainly unprocessed food and very little refined sugar.

✤ Related read ✤ Why Japanese Women are Slim & Look Young – The Secrets of Japanese Diet

 

Most Japanese people do NOT like soft drinks, but they drink either tea or water (non-sparkling). Personally as a Japanese person, I was shocked to see how much soft drink western people drink when I first moved to Europe!

 

Also, another point worth mentioning is seasoning. In the Japanese diet, you hardly use butter, ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, jams, milk, or sugar as the primary condiment.

 

In most Japanese dishes, fermented seasonings (soy sauce, miso, vinegar, mirin, and sake) along with dashi broth are used, and they add beautiful aromatic flavour to foods without the heavy use of salt and sugar.

It is light on the stomach, easy to digest and most of all anti-ageing 😉

✤ Related read ✤  7 Best Vitamins & Nutrients for Dry Skin By J-Beauty

 

[9] Drink Sayu First Thing In The Morning

 

 

This morning ritual is very popular among Japanese actresses and models and gets featured a lot in magazines and all types of media. 

 

Sayu is basically hot distilled water, meaning the water is free of impurities and purified. It’s softer than bottled or tap water and easy on the digestive system.

 

In Japan, you let babies drink cooled down Sayu, and also people use it when feeling sick and taking medicines. 

 

Since Sayu does not have impurities or toxins, it helps to cleanse body better than any other type of drinks. 

 

Also, it warms up your body, which helps to improve your metabolism and digestion, so it’s good for keeping your weight off too.

 

 

How To Make & Drink Sayu

1. Put some water in a kettle and let it boil for 15 mins
2. Let it cool down to a temperature which is just above your body temperature
3. Drink it first in the morning and wait 30 mins until breakfast

 

J-Beauty Tips

• Recommended daily amount is 800ml
• Don’t drink it all in one go, but spread it throughout the day
• Drink slowly – take 10 – 20 mins
• never too hot, never cold, do not dilute by adding water

 

 

[10] Make Time For Self-Care With Beauty Rituals Every Day

 

Being able to take care of oneself and present yourself well to others is very important in Japanese society. It is a sign of your showing respect to others and of a person with high self-esteem.

The key is RESPECT.

It applies to beauty rituals and skincare routines too! 

Most Japanese women have their own beauty rituals. They make sure they take time at night even if it’s really a short while to do some self-care. 

There we are 😉 respect yourself, respect your body and soul.

 

 

Summary

 

Here is a summary of the 10 Japanese beauty secrets!

 

1. Take time to take off makeup and do skincare at night no matter how busy it gets
2. Separate eye makeup from the rest when cleansing
3. Hand-press a lot of Japanese lotion
4. Have a few moisturisers
5. Have a bath EVERY NIGHT
6. Wash your face with lukewarm water only in the morning
7. Never ever rub, scrub or scratch
8. Always eat & drink what is good for skin (and health) – mainly Japanese diet
9. Drink Sayu first thing in the morning
10. Make time for self-care with beauty rituals every day

 

All Japanese women who exceptionally have beautiful skin tend to be practising these 10 beauty rituals, so If you have yet to be doing any of the above, give it a go!

If you have any questions, just let me know in the comment section below. I can give you tips on how to do the rituals more in detail 😉