The Complete Japanese Skin Care Routine | 2018

Written by Aaron Guldager — May 07, 2018

The Complete Japanese Skin Care Routine | 2018

Over the last few years, Korean beauty practices have been all the rage in the Western beauty world. Less popular—but equally effective—are the beauty habits of Korea’s East Asian neighbor, Japan. But now, Japanese skin care routines are starting to steal the limelight and get some of the recognition they deserve!

You might not be familiar with Japanese skin care. No worries! That’s what the beauty experts at SiO are here for. In this post, we’ll bring you up to speed and reveal the complete Japanese skin care routine for 2018.

woman with gorgeous skin as a result of Japanese skin care

3 Japanese Skin Care Secrets

It’s no secret that Japanese women have smooth, beautiful skin. The real secret is what they do to achieve such gorgeous skin! Here are three lessons we can all learn from the doctrine of Japanese skin care.

1) “One Who Chases Two Rabbits Catches Neither”

This ancient Japanese proverb pretty much says it all. The philosophy of Japanese skin care is about simplicity and minimalism.

While there are many steps in a Japanese skin care routine, each product is meant to serve one (and only one) purpose. You won’t find any ‘three-steps-in-one’ lotions in the world of Japanese beauty. Instead, each product provides a single benefit and does its job extremely well.

2) Be Gentle And Respect Your Skin

In Japan, taking care of your skin is seen as a sign of self-love and respect rather than a practice of vanity. If you want to achieve beautiful, radiant skin, you’d better treat your skin well.

First and foremost, this means being delicate with your skin. Be gentle when cleansing, applying lotions, and drying your skin. It will thank you with a smooth, even complexion.

If you want to take extra special care of your skin, wear SiO Beauty patches every night while you sleep. They’re clinically proven to boost moisture and reduce the appearance of wrinkles!

3) Japanese Skin Care Is Just One Aspect Of Overall Well-Being

Skin care is really just a single component of health and well-being. In other words, it doesn’t make any sense to take great care of your skin if you’re not taking great care of your body in other ways, too.

Here are a few other healthy steps to consider:

  • Get at least seven hours of beauty sleep every night
  • Avoid smoker’s lines by quitting smoking and drinking alcohol in moderation
  • Find ways to relieve stress and be more confident throughout your day
  • Exercise for 30 minutes at least 3 times per week
  • Eat plenty of anti-aging foods, like sushi and green tea

Follow these simple tips, along with the Japanese skin care routine we’re about to reveal, and you’ll have gorgeous, glowing skin before you can say “Konnichiwa.”

Japanese skin care tea

10 Steps For The Perfect Japanese Skin Care Routine

Want to have skin that’s as dewy and smooth as a Geisha? Follow these 9 steps and you’ll have skin that glows like a Japanese lantern.

1) Use An Oil-Based Cleanser

The first step in a Japanese skin care routine is to use an oil-based cleanser to remove all of your makeup and other skin care products. Cleansing oils are amazing because they’re super gentle but wash off all the concealer, moisturizer, and sunscreen that’s built up on your skin.

2) Cleanse (Again) With A Gentle, Foaming Cleanser

Now that all the makeup and skin care products have been removed, you need to cleanse your skin. Double-cleansing is super important! The first round removes products to leave your skin bare, and the second one removes dirt and clears your pores.

3) Gently Exfoliate Your Skin

You only need to exfoliate once per week, or maybe twice if your skin is on the oily side of the spectrum. Use a natural exfoliator and remember to be gentle!

4) Try A Weekly Facial Mask

woman sitting on bed applying a Japanese skin care sheet mask

There are about a million different ways to mask. While Japanese skin care routines normally call for a simple sheet mask, feel free to get creative with this step.

Have some extra cucumbers or avocados lying around? Want to get rid of the last bit of yogurt or oatmeal in the container? Put it all to use with a DIY mask!

Masking is another step that you (obviously) don’t need to do every day. Once or twice per week is plenty. Also, it’s smart to experiment with different types of masks to meet your skin’s specific needs. Every woman’s skin is different, so find what works best for you.

5) Put On A Layer Of Toner

Many women aren’t sure whether or not they need to use a toner. Let us sum it up briefly: you do! Toners balance your skin’s pH level and prep your skin for the rest of your routine. Just make sure to use one that’s alcohol-free.

6) Use A Skin-Softening Lotion

This step is unique to a Japanese skin care routine. In fact, softeners (as they’re sometimes called) are relatively unknown in the Western world.

With that said, they’re a step you don’t want to skip. And, yes, softeners do just what you think they do—they make your skin soft and supple.

woman touching her face after using Japanese skin care routine

7) Apply A Serum

Serums contain most of the active ingredients that you’ll give to your skin. Look for serums with hyaluronic acid to fight wrinkles and plenty of vitamins for healthy skin. In particular, try to find a serum with lots of vitamin C and retinol (a concentrated vitamin A molecule). And if you want your serum to pack an extra punch, use one that aids collagen production.

8) Moisturize

A quick note about moisturizers: they’re meant to lock hydration in, rather than actually provide your skin cells with hydration. So the name is actually a bit misleading. If you have dehydrated skin, you’ll need to treat that separately before applying a moisturizer.

Since they keep hydration sealed in, moisturizers should always go on after the toner, softener, and serum in your Japanese skin care routine.

9) Dab On A Little Eye Cream

A little bit of eye cream goes a long way in fighting eye lines and other little wrinkles around your eyes. You’ll want to find an eye cream with hyaluronic acid and plenty of vitamins (specifically vitamins A and E). And make sure that you’re applying your eye cream the right way.

10) Apply Sunscreen

This step only applies to your morning beauty routine, but it’s one that cannot be left out. The sun’s UV rays cause real harm to your skin cells and can even lead to serious illnesses. There’s a reason Japanese women carry those cute umbrellas when it’s sunny out!

Always apply a layer of sunscreen every morning—even when it’s cloudy, even when it’s cold, even when you’ll only be outside for half an hour. It’s super important to never skip this step.

Beautiful Japanese woman holding a bright umbrella

Wear SiO Beauty Patches

Last—but certainly not least—wearing SiO Beauty patches is an essential step in your evening beauty routine. Made from the finest medical-grade silicone, SiO Beauty patches work wonders on your skin while you sleep.

Simply apply them at the end of your nightly skin care routine, get your beauty rest, and wake up to younger-looking skin!


SiO Beauty offers patches for your brow and neck, as well as the sides of your eyes and mouth. If you’re searching for products that provide real results, then look no further!

The efficacy of SiO Beauty patches has been proven in dermatologist-led clinical trials on 200 women. The results were clear: SiO Beauty patches are proven to boost hydration and reduce wrinkle depth overnight.

So what are you waiting for? Smooth, beautiful skin awaits you.