J-Beauty Skincare Regimen

In this blog, we’ll cover the two main aspects of J-Beauty—the art of the skincare ritual and the importance of simplicity.

Apr 29 2022 - 4 min read

Written by Shiko Beauty Collective

How to Build Your Best Japanese Skincare Routine

Crafting the finest Japanese skincare routine is akin to cultivating an artful masterpiece that harmonizes nature's wisdom with meticulous care. The best Japanese skincare routine embraces the essence of simplicity and intentionality.

After years of enduring lengthy, time-consuming skincare regimens with ten or more steps, J-Beauty is a breath of fresh air. Whether you’re simply curious about Japanese skincare (or J-Beauty for short), or are looking to streamline your own skincare routine, this article is a great place to start. In this post, we’ll talk about the two most important aspects of J-Beauty, the art of the ritual,l and simplicity. Next, we’ll go into each step of the best Japanese skincare routine. We’ll also highlight our favorite Shikō Beauty products, which are expertly curated for the best possible results for more youthful looking, glowing skin.

The Ritual

J-Beauty is about self-care, not an obligation, notes Shikō Beauty expert Hinako Sugioka. The best J-Beauty skincare routine is a skincare ritual that makes you feel zen, while also inspiring you to want to do it, stimulating all the five senses, she adds.

“Japan has the highest life expectancy of any country—Japanese people dedicate their time and soul each day to wellness,” Sugioka explains. The Japanese take tremendous care of their health and lifestyle, as well as their skin. “That’s our holistic approach already embedded in daily life,” she says.

Simplicity

Shikō Beauty offers a J-Beauty regimen that’s different from U.S.-based beauty brands and also from K-Beauty. It’s approachable beauty that’s “to you from Japan,” says Sugioka. Shikō Beauty offers simple, easy-to-incorporate skincare regimens that involve just a few steps and beautiful, curated products featuring potent ingredients to help your skin look its very best.

The Beginners Guide to J-Beauty Skincare

The best J-Beauty regimen always begins with the revered practice of double cleansing, employing an oil-based cleanser to dissolve impurities gently, followed by a water-based counterpart to purify without disrupting the skin's natural balance. This purifying ritual lays the foundation for a canvas receptive to the nourishment that follows. From there, your skin is ready to receive the full benefits of serums and heavier moisturizers. Let’s start by taking a closer look at a typical J-Beauty regimen in more detail.

CLEANSE

The “double cleanse” is a hallmark of Japanese skincare. When you double cleanse your skin, you first use a cleansing oil, or balm to remove makeup, dirt, oil, and impurities from the skin. Shikō Beauty is proud to carry FANCL Mild Cleansing Oil, the number one best-selling cleansing oil in Japan, with 1 bottle sold every 4 seconds.

The second step is to use a cleanser that provides deeper cleaning that primes the skin for the next steps in the J-Beauty regimen. At Shikō Beauty, we love Lala Vie Cleansing Balm. “It’s an oil-based balm that's a hot pour in a jar and you take a scoop out and you can massage it into your hands and put it on wet skin,” explains Shikō Beauty expert Jim Berkrot. “It breaks away makeup, along with sebum and grime from the day—you wash it away and it leaves the skin feeling soft and supple and not stripped from its natural oils, and it has a wonderful scent to it.”

REHYDRATE

The best J-Beauty routine requires that you rehydrate your skin with a light emulsion immediately after cleansing. “Using a light emulsion gets the skin ready to absorb the next products, which are the richer, more potent products. Those will deliver the beneficial active ingredients to give the results that you need on the skin,” says Berkrot.

In other words, it’s preparing the skin to take in the more potent “good stuff”. Think of it as applying a product to a sponge. If you put your serum and moisturizer right onto a dry sponge, it won’t absorb the ingredients. But if you apply the serum and moisturizer to a damp sponge, the product will absorb much more efficiently. We love Lala Vie Oil In Lotion which replenishes the skin’s oil with clean, skin-compatible lipids, delivering essential moisture. It creates healthy, hydrated, youthful-looking skin.

SERUM

After you apply your essence, serums are used next to address specific skin care concerns. Serums are used to target and aid in solving specific problems with your skin. Shikō Beauty recommends Ishii Clinic Beauty Labo’s Ishi Clinic Beauty Lab Full App Serum which is formulated as a super-skin brightener. It uses 2 potent molecules: one is for brightening, and is derived from stabilized Vitamin C, and the other is a super-antioxidant that contains more than 250x the antioxidant power of Vitamin C.

MOISTURIZER

Moisturizers help lock in moisture by reducing TEWL (Trans Epidermal Water Loss). Shikō Beauty has an excellent moisturizer for this purpose, the Lala Vie Chiffon Cream, which Berkrot describes as a bright white melting butter. “Think about taking rich, bright white butter that melts in your hands from your body temperature and it absorbs beautifully after application,” Berkrot explains. It reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while deeply nourishing and intensely hydrating your skin.

SPECIAL CARE

Some nights when your skin needs a little extra TLC, you may want to apply a mask. You can also do this before a special occasion or as a fun way to take care of your skin while you binge watch your favorite Netflix show. For deep hydration and skin brightening, try the Dassai Facial Mask, formulated with Dassai Sake Lee Essence and vitamin C derivatives.

How to Get Started with J-Beauty Skincare
Embarking on the path of J-Beauty is not merely about an external transformation, but a journey towards nurturing the soul and finding harmony within oneself. Embrace this ritual as an opportunity for self-care, mindfulness, and appreciation for the beauty found in simplicity.

Ultimately, the essence of the best Japanese skincare routine transcends beauty; it's a meditative practice fostering mindful self-care and reverence for nature's bounty. Begin by acquainting yourself with the core tenets—double cleansing, hydration, and protection. Embrace simplicity in your routine, focusing on quality over quantity when selecting skincare products. Ease into this ritualistic skincare practice by gradually introducing each step into your daily regimen, and get ready to meet a more nourished, radiant you.