Japanese Skincare

Japanese skincare, held in Canada and shipped from Markham, Ontario. Priced in CAD, no customs to pay, no six-week wait from Tokyo.

This is the part of our shelf that is genuinely hard to buy in Canada. Hada Labo, Minon, Rosette, Curél, Cow Brand, Kanebo, Kose, Rohto, Kracie, Club Cosmetics, SANA, BCL and Canmake are drugstore staples in Japan and almost invisible here. If you have come home from Tokyo with a suitcase of skincare and then found you could not replace any of it, this collection exists for exactly that reason.

What Japanese skincare does differently

Two things, mainly. Japanese formulating leans towards layered hydration — watery lotions applied in thin layers rather than one heavy cream — and towards restraint, with shorter ingredient lists and lower active loads than Korean equivalents. It tends to suit reactive skin better, and it tends to be slower.

The sunscreens are the other reason people seek it out. Japan's regulatory system permits filters that are not approved in North America, which is why Japanese sunscreen feels like nothing and leaves no cast. Ours are in Daily Protection.

Where to start

  • Dark spots: the Rohto Melano CC Vitamin C Essence. Pure ascorbic acid at a drugstore price, and one of the most-asked-for products we carry.
  • Dry, tight skin: Hada Labo's hyaluronic lotions, layered on damp skin.
  • Very sensitive skin: Minon, formulated around amino acids for skin that reacts to almost everything.
  • Cleansing: Rosette and Club Cosmetics for gentle daily washes, and the Japanese cleansing oils for removing sunscreen properly.

Not sure whether Japanese or Korean suits you better? Our guide compares them: Japanese vs Korean sunscreen, and double cleansing covers the routine most of this shelf is built around.