Best Japanese Moisturizer for Oily Skin – Top 3
How to choose the best Japanese moisturizer for oily skin? The first step is very simple. For oily skin, the best type of moisturizer is in the form of gel texture. That’s what you should be looking for: A gel moisturizer!
Don’t bother with creams and emulsions as your skin does not need additional oily products because your skin has enough oil already. What you need to do is to supplement your skin with hydration (water) so the balance of oil and water content of your skin will be stabilized. If you use creams or emulsions, your oily skin might break out from them.
Now that we know you should pick a gel moisturizer for your oily skin type, the hunt for the perfect moisturizer is so much easier. Japanese has many gel moisturizers because unlike Korea, Japanese people are more into the matte skin look instead of the dewy skin look which is a trend in Korea. This is good news for oily skin folks! My dermatologist told me that if you have oily skin, ideally you should apply a product that doesn’t leave any greasy film on the skin. Basically, it should look like you have not applied anything on your skin.
Unlike Korean skincare trend, Japanese focuses on simplicity instead of many skincare steps. Hence, there are also many all-in-one products. All-in-one moisturizers tend to be gel-based and you can use it without the need of toner and serum. Are they good enough to be used alone? I would say yes, if your skin does not have any significant problem. However, if you have strong concerns like very dehydrated skin and dark spots, then you would need to use a toner and a serum. Serum is especially important to address those skin concerns.
The good thing about Japanese gel moisturizers is that many of them come in sizes of at least 90 gram which is huge for Japanese standard. Hence, they are pretty economical!
1. LITS Perfect Rich Gel
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I think many non-Japanese are not familiar with this brand so I would like to talk more about it. LITS is actually very popular in Japan. I think it was in 2017 when LITS toner, LITS Moist Shape Lotion, appeared in LDK magazine as the no.1 toner that performs best in hydration, beating many other more expensive toners like SK-II (other toners like SK-II might perform better for other functions though). With that ranking in the famous Japanese magazine, LITS toner became so popular it was constantly sold out in drugstores and online shops, so I only managed to obtain one when the hype died down a little.
Not only does LITS toner become popular, but also LITS brand as a whole. And this LITS Perfect Rich Gel is another product from LITS which is good in quality that has received great reviews. The star ingredients in LITS skincare products are collagen and plant-derived stem cell which are also present in this LITS Perfect Rich Gel. Therefore,the gel moisturizer does not only hydrate the skin but also provides anti-aging benefits.
Like many other gel moisturizers in Japan, LITS also market this moisturizer as and all-in-one moisturizer. LITS claims that it has 6-in-1 function as a toner, serum, emulsion, cream, pack, and makeup base. Pack means mask so you could also layer on this gel a little thicker when you want to use it as a wash-off mask or a sleeping mask.
LITS Perfect Rich Gel is a translucent gel that contains no fragrance and is safe for sensitive skin also. It hydrates the skin without causing stickiness and oiliness, which makes it perfect for oily skin individuals who are also looking for some anti-aging boost!
2. Mizu no Tenshi Skin Treatment Gel
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Mizu no Tenshi means “Water Angel”. And the Mizu no Tenshi Skin Treatment Gel has been a popular gel moisturizer for years. This moisturizer is a best-selling product which is not only popular among oily skin individuals but among anyone who likes to use a gel moisturizer that feels light on the skin.
Mizu no Tenshi Skin Treatment Gel is a basic, no-frills moisturizer. It works to deeply hydrate the skin without leaving any oily trace. It is a highly dependable product which many Japanese women place their trust on. The source of water used in this product comes from Anabuki River. The river has a reputation of being the cleanest river in Shikoku due to the title won for 11 consecutive years.
This hydrating gel also boasts to be an all-in-one moisturizer with the functions of toner, serum, emulsion, cream, pack, and makeup base. It contains hyaluronic acid which works well to hydrate the skin. Trehalose and allantoin also works to soothe and hydrate the skin. Phytocollagen acts as an anti-aging ingredient.
This moisturizer is also well known for its inclusion of pig placenta for anti-aging effect. This may deter those who are Muslims or do not want to use products with animal ingredients.
In addition, this moisturizer contains dipotassium glycyrrhizate which is a natural ingredient. Its other name is licorice root extract so don’t let that chemical-sounding name scare you! The purpose of this ingredient serves to brighten the skin. Therefore, this product also has whitening function which is ideal if you want to have brighter skin. It is also suitable if you want to eradicate some dark spots like acne marks.
3. Sana Nameraka Honpo Soy Milk Isoflavone All-in-one Gel
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Sana Nameraka Honpo is one of the really affordable Japanese drugstore brands. It is popular due to its price vs effectiveness. Sana Nameraka Honpo Soy Milk Isoflavone All-in-one Gel is a product which I would recommend to oily skin individuals. Like other all-in-one gel moisturizers, this product claims to have functions of toner, serum, emulsion, cream, mask, and makeup base.
Sana products focuses on soybean ingredients so this gel moisturizer contains soybean extract and soymilk. Soymilk is traditionally popular in East Asia as an effective ingredient for making the skin smooth and fair.
If you are just looking for a basic moisturizer without additional requirements like anti-aging, brightening, etc, then this moisturizer is excellent. It does not contain fragrance, mineral oil, and color. It is as basic as it can be. Thus, it is unlikely to cause negative reactions to the skin unless you are sensitive to soybean ingredients.
Sana Nameraka Honpo Soy Milk Isoflavone All-in-one Gel is a lightweight moisturizer that provides sufficient hydration to oily skin. It sinks into the skin quickly and does not leave a greasy finish. Best of all, it is very affordable!
