The Best Japanese Beauty Products

One of the most distinct elements of Japanese culture—one that can be seen, touched, tasted, and felt from the Arrivals terminal at Haneda airport to the mist-soaked streets of Kyoto’s Higashiyama—is the harmonious balance between the old and new.

The nation’s unique history offers clues as to why. Once an archipelago of different native tribes, the country began to unify some four-hundred years BC, and over the course of centuries would coalesce into a country with its own language, customs, and practices. Modern Japan even saw a period of sakoku, or closed borders, in which the country only traded with China and a select group of Dutch traders for some two hundred years. After sakoku, Japan would begin to export aspects of its culture to the Western at large, sparking a vogue for distinctly Japanese products—from art to pottery to clothing—which much of the world had never seen before.

In fact, many of these products have roots in traditions that span entire generations. Take green tea, for one. It’s believed that Buddhist monks traveled to China and brought the first green tea seeds back to Japan, planting them in the then-capital city of Kyoto. First noted for its medicinal properties, it was eventually enshrined in a highly respectful ceremony between hosts and guests in Japanese temples and palaces: the tea ceremony.

Now, green tea is drunk all over the country, and Japanese green tea is drunk all over the world. You can also find the ingredient dusted into face creams and serums, since green tea supplies antioxidant benefits that help repair cellular damage. If that sounds surprising, then you may be curious to learn about all sorts of other Japanese beauty products and tools that not only have long histories in Japanese culture but have found new, contemporary, and science-backed uses. 

A geisha beauty secret: Camellia oil

Camellia oil, or tsubaki, is a lightweight oil pressed from the seeds of the camellia flower, and has been popularly used in cooking. But it also has beauty applications since camellia oil is so beneficial for skin. According to texts that documented the routines of geisha performers, camellia oil was also used to remove thick stage makeup and moisturize skin. Its feather-light texture made it easy to mix with other ingredients, and its high vitamin content made skin luminous—a beautifying treat, inside and out.

An inside-out superfood: Rice bran

Rice is a Japanese diet staple. And when you look under the grain, you can see why: Komenuka, or rice bran, is a vital source of vitamins A, B, and E, as well as a complex blend of over a hundred antioxidant compounds—omegas 3 and 6, proteins, fats, fibers, ferulic acid, and minerals. Rice bran is also beneficial for the skin and has been used for centuries as a key ingredient in cleansers, masks, and bathing powders.

Try it in: The Rice Polish: Classic

It’s one of Tatcha’s most iconic products for a reason: The Rice Polish draws directly on the geisha beauty ritual of using rice bran as a gentle skin exfoliant. The nutrient-rich grain is finely milled suds into a soft cleansing cloud once mixed with water. 

A forest, bottled: Hinoki wood

Ever heard of “forest bathing”? Also known as shinrin-yoku, it’s a modern Japanese practice with ancient Shinto roots, and it may sound familiar: Being surrounded by nature makes us feel good. Scientists have hypothesized that this is due to benefits from the natural oils secreted by trees. But even without scientific explanation, the practice highlights the Japanese philosophy of living in harmony with nature. It’s good for us, in more ways than one.

Try it in: Forest Awakening Hinoki Body Milk

Formulated with the wood oils known to contain organic compounds proven to reduce stress, lift mood, and help improve well-being—including cedar, hiba, and hinoki—this lightweight moisturizing treatment helps relax the mind while it soothes the body.

Try it in: Hinoki Massage Set

Hinoki has been the chosen building material for sacred temples and soaking tubs alike. Its scent is embedded in the bathing rituals of Japan. This massage set of ergonomic massage balls and tray, crafted in untreated hinoki, brings a spa-like touch to your at-home body rituals. 

A superlative softener: Silk protein

Geisha saw the great value in silk for their skin early on, and would use the fabric to “wash” their faces and bodies. It’s no wonder that silk is good for skin: Both are delicate, water-binding fabrics. Silk’s benefits for skin come from proteins including fibroin, the inner part of silk that nourishes and balances skin, and sericin, the outer part of silk that hydrates and veils skin with moisture. Tatcha’s silk-infused formulas are made using these liquid proteins, which are extracted from natural silk.

Try it in: The Silk Serum

Retinol is a tried-and-true skincare ingredient that helps promote cell turnover, but it can be harsh on all skin types. In Tatcha’s The Silk Serum, natural retinol alternatives—from cranberry extract and sea fennel—meet moisture-binding silk proteins to visibly firm, smooth, and reduce the look of deep wrinkles while reducing visible redness; or, in other words, turn skin to silk.

Try it in: The Liquid Silk Canvas

Tatcha’s bestselling Japanese pore primer renders the softness of silk into a weightless primer. The easily-absorbed silk proteins pave a smooth “canvas” onto which you can apply makeup for all-day or all-night wear.

An everything essential: Matcha

Matcha, a form of powdered green tea, is an excellent source of antioxidants, which prevent and repair oxidative stress—otherwise known as the denaturing reactions between our inner skin cells and outer pollutants. But not all green teas are created equal. Some of the best in the world is still grown in Kyoto, where it was planted thousands of years ago. Tatcha’s matcha comes from here, and is grown under a parasol for a few weeks before harvest to increase its amino acid content—a practice which has earned Kyo-matcha the cheeky moniker of “princess of green tea.”

Try it in: The Matcha Cleanse 

Formulated for oily skin, this gel suds into a soft foam that decongests pores and balances oil without stripping moisture away. Green tea lends its antioxidant content, but also has been known to soothe visible redness. BHA alternatives, meanwhile, work to refine pores and keep skin looking clean and clear.

Try it in: The Essence

Green tea also helps form Hadasei-3, Tatcha’s proprietary complex of botanically-derived actives. The Essence is made of 100% Hadasei-3, and works to help nourish the skin while boosting the efficacy of other applied skincare products—and, like a cup of tea, gives a little health to your overall ritual.