Japanese beauty has a gentle approach to skincare––and is coveted for its hydrating, soothing and calming benefits. The beauty of a Japanese skincare routine lies in its simplicity. Instead of a ten-step approach, J-Beauty favours fewer products with active ingredients—just a few high-quality products in four streamlined steps, morning and evening.
The four-step J-Beauty skincare routine caters to every skin type, especially sensitive skin. It's timeless, straightforward and efficient. And simple to remain consistent with on a daily basis. Let these simple steps help you find your beauty balance.
STEP 1 — PURIFY WITH CLEANSING OIL
Cleansing is emphasized as key to healthy, clear and radiant skin in Japan. It is customary to cleanse the face with a gentle cleansing oil. Washing your face with oil might feel counterintuitive, but a cleansing oil thoroughly cleanses your skin without stripping it of its natural moisture.
How To Use
To use our cleansing oil, always begin with dry hands and a dry face. Fill your palm with a few powerful drops, and using your fingertips; gently massage it onto your face for 20 seconds. Wet face with warm water to emulsify the oil for 20 seconds to effortlessly melt away makeup and impurities. Rinse off with a few handfuls of warm water. Then, with a soft towel gently pat your skin dry (don’t rub).
STEP #2—PLUMP WITH LOTION
A true protagonist in a Japanese skincare ritual: lotion. This step is never missed. Lotion is a lightweight liquid that is quickly and easily absorbed into skin, directly delivering concentrated active ingredients.
Lotion rebalances the pH level of your skin after cleansing, floods your skin with a layer of hydration, and boosts performance of products that follow (serum, moisturizer). The most important function of lotion is to prep the skin for the next treatment. Serums and moisturisers must penetrate to the deeper layers of your skin for optimum efficacy. A lotion enables skin to better absorb these products.
How To Use
The lotion is patted onto the skin twice daily directly after cleansing, and before any other skincare steps. Alternatively, lotion can be applied on the skin using cotton.
STEP 3 — HEAL WITH SERUM
Biyoueki (which roughly translates to 'beauty liquid'), target specific conditions like fine lines, dark spots, dryness or dullness. Serums and beauty oils contain a high level of actives to target specific skin concerns, and are typically a thicker consistency and more concentrated than lotions—and in the Japanese mindset, multiple gentle layers are preferred.
How To Use
A few drops are sufficient when using serums since they’re so concentrated. Warm a few drops in the palms of your hands and apply by gently patting over the face, neck and décolletage, while giving yourself a facial massage. Allow to absorb well, and wait a few minutes before applying your moisturizer.
STEP 4 — NOURISH WITH MOISTURIZER
Nourishment is always beneficial, for dry as well as oily skin types. After plumping the skin with lotion, and healing it with serum, apply a moisturizer to form a protective barrier, and lock in active ingredients and hydrating layers.
How To Use
After prepping your cleansed skin with a lotion and beauty oil, take a coin-sized amount of cream and gently pat it evenly over your face. Using your fingertips, massage gently in upward and outward strokes.
EXTRA CARE / ENHANCEMENTS
You can tailor the classic routine with enhancements to care for specific skin care needs. The enhancements are based on your needs according to your skin condition, and can change from time to time. Your skin condition fluctuates because of environmental changes, hormonal changes, stress, age and lifestyle.
SHEET MASK – EXTRA HYDRATION
A sheet mask is a face-shaped sheet of material with cutouts for your eyes, lips, and nostrils. This thin layer of material is soaked in skin-boosting nutrients. A sheet mask offers the perfect opportunity to replenish the water reservoir of your skin. The science is actually quite simple: the sheet material creates an occlusive layer like a second skin that prevents serum from evaporating, allowing it to fully penetrate your skin.
EYE CARE
The skin that surrounds your eyes is more thin and delicate than the rest of the face. Skin around the eyes contains no oil glands, so it’s prone to dryness. For most people this area deserves special treatment to combat typical concerns like puffiness, dark circles or fine lines.
GENTLE EXFOLIATOR
Many exfoliants contain harsh abrasives and can be too aggressive on the skin. Instead, opt-in for a natural Konjac sponge for a delicate polish of your skin. Exfoliating your skin 2-3 times a week enhances skin radiance by stimulating blood circulations and removing small imperfections and dead skin cells.
SHIGETA
Velvety organic eye treatment enriched with eyelash boosting peptides
