If you're like me, my skin care routine before coming to Japan consisted of mainly washing my face in the morning and evening. Maybe adding some moisturizer if I felt like it. Sunblock on my face? There was no way I was going to leave my face smeared with white residue. Instead of taking care of my skin, I did my best to hide whatever blemishes or imperfections there were. And as a naive teen who didn't know better, this meant caking on layers of foundation and makeup. In hindsight, this is no way to treat your skin and it actually aggravated my skin even more. Then in Japan, I was introduced to many different kinds of skin care products--almost too many that I was overwhelmed. You've probably read articles floating around the internet with titles such as "10 Step Japanese/Korean Skin care Regimen" or "30 Secrets of Japanese Skin Care and Beauty." That sounds like a lot of steps, and honestly, you don't need to follow every single one. What I've learned throughout the years of experimenting with different products is that you only really need to stick the basics. You can opt to take extra steps depending on what your skin's needs are.
Morning Routine
1. Facial Wash
Rosette Cleansing Paste
Retail price: 453 yen
Where to buy: most drugstores like Matsumoto Kiyoshi; beauty/cosmetics section of Bic Camera, Loft, and Tokyu Hands; specialty cosmetics stores
Doro Awawa Facial Foam

As something you do everyday, washing your face can get mundane quite quickly. That's not the case for this facial wash which lathers up into a ginormous fluff of foam. Not only is it fun to apply, but the ingredients found in it--natural mud, soy milk, and brown sugar extract--are good for cleaning out dirt from pores and leaving your skin soft.
Retail price: 2,980 yen
Where to buy: most drugstores; beauty/cosmetics section of Bic Camera, Loft, and Tokyu Hands; specialty cosmetics stores
Suisai Beauty Clear Powder

A cult classic and highly popular amongst tourists, Kanebo's Suisai Beauty Clear Powder come in single-use pods which is convenient for when you're traveling or going to the gym. Also, there's a much lesser chance of it spilling inside your luggage compared to a normal bottle type cleanser. Ingredients found in each pod include a combination of enzymes to exfoliate, tofu extract to brighten up the skin, and hyaluronic acid to hydrate. You should use it after you've removed your makeup by pouring the contents into your palm and slowly adding lukewarm water to build up the foam.
Retail price: 1,900~2,000 yen
Where to buy: most drugstores; beauty/cosmetics section of Bic Camera, Loft, and Tokyu Hands; specialty cosmetics stores
2. Lotion
Kosé Sekkisei Lotion
Retail price: 5,000 yen for 200mL; 7,500 yen for 360mL
Where to buy: most drugstores; beauty/cosmetics section of Bic Camera, Loft, and Tokyu Hands; specialty cosmetics stores
Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion

If you live in East/Southeast Asia, chances are you've heard of Hada Labo as it's pretty well known and can be found in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. All of the products offered by Hada Labo are affordable and if you love a certain product, you can buy the refill version to save up on space and waste. The best way to apply the hyaluronic acid lotion is to take a bunch of cotton pads and separate them into thinner sheets then soak them in the solution. Take the soaked cotton pads and apply them over your face to fully moisturize.
Retail price: 700~800 yen
Where to buy: most drugstores; beauty/cosmetics section of Bic Camera, Loft, and Tokyu Hands; specialty cosmetics stores
Nameraka Honpo Soy Milk Lotion
Retail price: 850 yen
Where to buy: most drugstores; beauty/cosmetics section of Bic Camera, Loft, and Tokyu Hands; specialty cosmetics stores
3. Essence (optional)
Naturie Hatomugi Moisturizing Gel
Retail price: 900 yen
Where to buy: most drugstores; beauty/cosmetics section of Bic Camera, Loft, and Tokyu Hands; specialty cosmetics stores
SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

I thought about leaving this out of the article, but eventually gave in--there's no way you can make an article about Japanese skin care and not mention SK-II in it somewhere. It's just that well known and raved about that I don't even need to go into detail about its benefits. I admit I haven't tried the SK II Facial Treatment Essence since I don't have that kind of money lying around, but once I can afford it I'll be sure to try it out. If you've used it before, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
Retail price: really, really expensive (17,000 yen for 160 mL)
Where to buy: upscale department stores like Isetan and Takashimaya
Astalift White Essence Infilt

This essence prevents age spots from appearing by inhibiting melatonin generation while improving skin quality, making it more elastic and firm. Some of the ingredients found in the Astalift White Essence Infilt include Nano AMA, Vitamin C and collagen. It's a good option if you're looking for something within the price range between the products above.
Retail price: 6,804 yen
Where to buy: most department stores; select drugstores
4. Moisturizer- Creams & Emulsions
Decencia Saeru Whitening Cream Clearist

Retail price: 5,400
Where to buy: beauty/cosmetics section of Bic Camera, Loft, and Tokyu Hands; specialty cosmetics stores
Kosé Sekkisei Emulsion

Retail price: 5,000 yen
Where to buy: most drugstores; beauty/cosmetics section of Bic Camera, Loft, and Tokyu Hands; specialty cosmetics stores
DHC Medicated Face Cream
Where to buy: DHC boutiques
5. Sunscreen/ UV Creams
Anessa Sunscreen Series

Anessa is a line of sunscreen produced by Japanese cosmetic giant Shiseido and is perhaps the holy grail of Japanese sunscreens. They have many different types of products available depending on which consistency you prefer or how much coverage you need.
Retail price: ranges from 1,500 yen to 3,000 yen
Where to buy: most drugstores; beauty/cosmetics section of Bic Camera, Loft, and Tokyu Hands; specialty cosmetics stores
Allie Extra UV Protector (Whitening)

Allie is also another popular line of sunscreen products by Kanebo. As the bottle states, this particular sunblock can be used on both the face and body and protects skin from UV rays to prevent dark spots. It has a similar consistency to a lotion, which means it's more on the watery side.
Retail price: 1,400 yen for 25 mL & 2,800 yen for 60 mL
Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel
Retail price: less than 1,000 yen
Where to buy: most drugstores; beauty/cosmetics section of Bic Camera, Loft, and Tokyu Hands; specialty cosmetics stores
Thanks for reading and be sure to check out Part 2 for more on the evening skin care routine and recommended products.