Clearing Up My Skin in Japan

Health

Lately, I have been trying to think of what I can do to feel good on both the inside and the outside. One of the reasons I’m focusing on health is because it’s fascinating to see how tiny adjustments to our habits and lifestyles can make a world of difference for our bodies. Recently health has been extremely important to me and learning about what I can do to improve my skin has been very fun.

Hits and misses

I have to start with a big disclaimer for this article as what works for my skin may or may not work for yours. It’s all about trial and error to understand what works best for YOU. We’ve all been there, and we’re all going to continue to experience this change as skin is ever-changing. What works for you today, may not work for you tomorrow~

My Skin and Goals

Skin

-sensitive

-oily

-prone to cystic acne

-prone to acne on my cheeks and chin

-my acne leaves scars that can last for 4+ months

Goals

-clear up hyperpigmentation on cheekbones

-have brighter skin

-less acne

Typical Japanese Skin Care Products

You’ve got to love how great of a place Asia is for skin care products. Many of the skin care lines in Japan have different ingredients to fight against blemishes and protect against various factors that may cause your skin to wrinkle, such as stress, sun, and natural aging.

Some of the top ingredients used in Japanese skincare are:

✩ Green tea

✩ Rice

✩ Yuzu seeds

Of course, there are other ingredients that are natural and that are extremely beneficial. It’s just a matter of looking into the problem that you want to solve with your skin and choosing products that have ingredients that would aid in that.

(Keep in mind that many Japanese products have whitening ingredients in them, so if that’s not what you’re going for, you have to properly read the label and make sure that whitening agents are not listed)

My Daily Skin Care Routine

For the most part, my skincare routine is very simple. I don’t like to have too many products on my face and I’m very sensitive to thick products, so less is more is always my rule of thumb. I’m also extremely lazy when it comes to my skincare, so doing the least amount of work is perfect for me. (All skin care products are hyperlinked)

In order:

Morning:

I only wash my face with water in the morning because I don’t tend to sweat so much during the nighttime. It’s best to use any washcloth, gentle paper towel, or even your towel to pat your face dry. Skin is extremely sensitive, so you don’t want to rub any time you wash your face unless absolutely necessary.

After, I apply both sunscreen and retinol. You want to use a sunscreen of at least 50+ PA +++ as that is what is best against Japan’s sun (Hey, they don’t call it the country of the sun for nothing). Almost as soon as I put these products on my face, my skin feels refreshed and moisturized.

Next, I go in with some vitamin C brightening serum that helps to brighten my skin (which aids with my hyperpigmentation). You should always incorporate vitamin C into your skincare regardless of if you are drinking tons of orange juice or taking vitamins.

From there, it’s pretty much smooth sailing as I just apply light makeup and go about my day.

Night

When I come home after a long day of work and exercise, I take off my makeup and use this amazing rice face wash. I’ve been through quite a few face washes and found that this one almost immediately did the trick with clearing up my skin and working to combat acne.

I gently work this product into my skin with the tips of my fingernails during the first part of taking a shower and by the time I finish cleaning my body, it’s ready to be washed off with cold water. You should always wash your face with cold water as it helps to keep your skin nice and firm.

After, I apply retinol again, or sometimes even both sunscreen in retinol with a little sunscreen, just to keep my skin feeling fresh after drying it out with the face wash.

Things to Consider

-You can always see a dermatologist about your skin so that you can get professional skin care guidance that is tailored to you

-One of the best ways to clear up acne is to start from inside and work your way out. You should make sure that you are eating healthy, drinking at least 2 L of water a day, and that you’re getting at least 20 minutes of sun to help you live a happy and healthy life.

-Lifestyle also heavily affects the skin, so make sure you’re living a lifestyle that causes of a stress as possible!

-I also incorporate a face mask about once or twice a week. There are great ones everywhere, but the best one for me is niacin (niacinamide) face masks that I ought from Tokyo Hands.

-VITAMINS VITAMINS VITAMINS. YOU DO NOT GET WHAT YOU NEED THROUGH JUST FOOD, EXERCISE, AND SUN A DAY. YOU NEED TO TAKE SOME VITAMIN OR SUPPLEMENT.

Good luck with your skincare and I really hope these tips help.:)