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Japanese toners, or lotions as they are called in Japan, are not the same as western toners, which tend to be liquids that contain high volumes of alcohol that can dry out your skin. Japanese lotions are designed to be gentle on the skin and act more like a watery moisturizer containing ingredients like hyaluronic acid.
As part of a complete four-step Japanese skincare routine, a liquid lotion is usually used as a toner in the third step before applying a final moisturizer. This helps to prepare the skin so that the moisturizer can be fully absorbed, resulting in maximum hydration. In this article, we’ll introduce some of our favorite Japanese lotions that will help to make your skin look and feel more radiant and discuss which toners are best for various skin types including:
- Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium Lotion – affordable and highly effective lotion formulated with 7 types of hyaluronic acid
- Kikumasamune Sake Skin Care Lotion High Moist – moisturizing lotion formulated with Japanese sake to brighten and hydrate skin
- Hakutsuru Japanese Sake Moisturizing Skincare Lotion – brightening lotion that contains Japanese rice extract to create smooth skin
- Cefine Smooth Clear Lotion Pore Minimizing Toner – gentle lotion that effectively removes blackheads and closes pores
- Haba G Lotion – made with high quality ingredients that penetrate and revitalize the skin making it glowing and firm
- Sukoyaka Suhada Urea Moisture Lotion – intensive moisturizing toner with botanical extracts best for dry skin
- Matsuyama Hadaru Balancing Lotion – a light textured lotion best suited for oily skin
- Elixir Superieur Lifting Moisture Lotion – best-selling anti-aging skincare range by Shiseido
- Muji Toning Water for Sensitive Skin Deep Moisture – a lotion designed for sensitive skin made with natural spring water and free from irritants
- Ishizawa Lab Acne Barrier Medicated Protect Lotion – specialist lotion designed to fight acne and leave skin feeling smooth
How we decided
- Intensive Hydration BoostLotons deliver deep moisture using hyaluronic acid, ceramides, urea, or sake extracts.
- Gentle Skin-Friendly FormulasProducts avoid irritants like alcohol, fragrance, or colorants for sensitive complexions.
- Targeted Skin SolutionsEach addresses specific needs—acne control, pore refining, brightening, or anti-aging.
- Proven Japanese FavoritesSelections are cult bestsellers from trusted brands like Hada Labo, Shiseido, and Muji.
Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium Lotion
One of the most popular Japanese lotions includes Hada Labo’s Gokujyun Premium Lotion, an affordable yet highly efficient product formulated with 7 kinds of hyaluronic acid to lock in maximum moisture, leaving skin feeling silky smooth and soft.
This lotion is a favorite skincare product among beauty bloggers and has a cult following on online platforms such as Reddit and Tik Tok, gaining rave reviews from consumers thanks to its fast absorption rate, ability to retain moisture, and skin plumping effects.
It can also be used on sensitive skin as the Hada Labo hyaluronic acid does not contain any perfume or fragrance, oil, alcohol, and colorants, so it won’t cause any breakouts.
Pros
- Deep, long-lasting hydration with hyaluronic acids
- Leaves skin soft, smooth, and plump
- Gentle, additive-free formula for sensitive skin
Cons
- Texture may feel heavy for oily skin
- Works best when layered; may not suit minimal routines
Kikumasamune Sake Skin Care Lotion High Moist
This highly moisturizing lotion contains Japanese sake from Kikumasamune brewery, ceramide, and placenta extract to moisturize, soothe, and tone your skin. Japanese sake is packed full of amino acids, and the high concentration of kojic acid found in rice wine hydrates, smoothens, soothes, and brightens skin by suppressing the production of melanin, helping to correct discoloration and dark spots caused by sun damage.
Sake has been used in Japanese beauty and skincare products for hundreds of years and was a beauty trick used by geisha to brighten and hydrate skin. It can also help to minimize pores and protect the skin from sun damage and premature aging thanks to the presence of ferulic acid, a plant-based antioxidant that fights against free radicals (unstable molecules that cause damage to skin cells).
Pros
- Lightweight quick absorb no grease
- Brightens tones with arbutin
- Colorant-free, mineral oil free
Cons
- Sake scent strong initially
Hakutsuru Japanese Sake Moisturizing Skincare Lotion
If you’re looking for a Japanese lotion that also has a brightening effect, try Hakutsuru Daiginjo Sake Moisturizing Whitening Lotion, which features natural ingredients such as Japanese rice extract and job’s tears – a kind of grass plant found in Asia which is high in vitamin B3, known for its skin brightening effects and evening out complexions.
The ceramides found in Japanese rice also benefits skin in several ways. They can help to increase hydration, restore moisture, and reduce redness and sensitivity. Skincare products that contain ceramides can also be of benefit to more mature skin as they can help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, leaving your skin looking smoother and younger.
Pros
- 8 plant extracts protect
- Watery fast absorb no residue
- For face and body
Cons
- Watery not for creamy fans
Cefine Smooth Clear Lotion Pore Minimizing Toner
For assistance in refining the look of visible pores and smoothing uneven texture, try Cefine Smooth Clear Lotion, a professional-grade toner designed to balance and clarify adult skin. This lightweight lotion is powered by 25 beauty serum ingredients, including botanical extracts and moisturizing agents that boost hydration from the surface down to the inner layers of the stratum corneum.
This gentle toner is free from added fragrance and colorants, making it ideal for daily use on sensitive or mature skin. It is formulated with skin-friendly ingredients like artichoke leaf and rosa multiflora fruit extracts, which have been specifically blended to visibly refine pores and enhance skin softness. With regular use, this lotion leaves you with a clearer, more refined complexion without the use of harsh additives.
Pros
- Refines visible pores gently
- 25 serum ingredients hydrate deep
- Smooths uneven rough texture
Cons
- Lightweight may need layers
Haba G Lotion
Haba G Lotion is a revitalizing skin treatment made with high-quality ingredients that penetrate deep into the skin to leave it glowing and firm. This Japanese lotion features a refreshing and moisturizing formula containing pure mineral water and essential minerals extracted from botanicals and seaweed. It also includes hyaluronic acid to increase the hydrating effect, ensuring your skin remains soft and supple after every application.
Haba’s lotion feels incredibly light and clean on the skin, as it is formulated to be paraben-free, mineral oil-free, and surfactant-free. For the best results, it is recommended to gently apply a coin-sized amount to your face after cleansing and follow with Haba Squalane Oil to lock in the moisture. This simple yet effective routine helps to maintain a healthy, hydrated complexion using the power of natural minerals.
Pros
- Mineral water refreshes deeply
- Hyaluronic acid boosts hydration
- Botanical minerals revitalize glow
- Paraben-free, Mineral oil-free
Cons
- Lightweight may need layers
Sukoyaka Suhada Urea Moisture Lotion
This intensive moisturizing toner is ideal if you are concerned about dry or rough skin. It features 9 botanical extracts such as chamomile flower which contains powerful antioxidants that help protect skin from damage, and peach leaf extract which reduces signs of pigmentation and boosts skin hydration.
Sukoyaka Suhada Urea Moisture Lotion also contains a blend of three highly moisturizing ingredients; urea, hyaluronic acid and ceramide, and the lotion’s unique formula not only moisturizes skin but also helps to retain moisture and protects the skin's barrier.
Pros
- Contains Urea, ceramides, hyaluronic
- Restores moisture
- Protects skin barrier
Cons
- Slightly watery
- May need layering
Matsuyama Hadaru Balancing Lotion
If you have oily skin, particularly in the T-zone area, then you’ll want to try Matsuyama Hadauru Balancing Lotion, a moisturizing lotion with a light texture that blends smoothly into the skin to leave it feeling healthy and hydrated.
This lotion contains ingredients derived from soybeans that help improve the function of the stratum corneum – the skin’s most outer layer that serves as a barrier between your body and the environment. Other ingredients include rice extracts that help to regulate your skin’s balance of oil and water.
Pros
- 5 ceramides support barrier
- Fresh moist gentle finish
- Alcohol-free, Paraben-free
Cons
- Multiple layers for deep dry
Elixir Superieur Lifting Moisture Lotion
Elixir Superieur Lifting Moisture Lotion is an anti-aging skincare lotion from Shiseido formulated with exclusive beauty ingredients to prevent signs of aging like dark spots caused by melanin, and promote firm, resilient, and incredibly soft skin.
The Elixir range of products are incredibly popular in Japan and became the top selling skincare products there for 14 consecutive years, from 2006-2020. The products feature an exclusive ingredient called M-tranexamic acid that has been developed inhouse which prevents freckles and mottled skin from appearing. Other ingredients include collagen and mandarin orange which together can help to improve skin elasticity and improve skin tone.
Pros
- Long-lasting resilient moisture
- 3 textures suit skin needs
- Gentle floral aroma relaxes
Cons
- Not fragrance-free
- Not alcohol-free
Muji Toning Water for Sensitive Skin Deep Moisture
This lotion from Muji is ideally suited for sensitive skin to prepare it for moisturizing without causing any irritability. Formulated using natural spring water as the key ingredient sourced from the caverns of Kamaishi City in Iwate Prefecture, the lotion is free from fragrances, alcohol, mineral oils, artificial colors, and has been allergy tested.
Use this lotion after cleansing to remove any remaining dirt and impurities and your skin will be left feeling soothed, refreshed, and hydrated. Muji’s toning water has been specially designed to treat sensitive skin susceptible to dryness and stress and transform it into hydrated and healthy-looking skin.
Pros
- Ceramides amino acids deep moist
- For sensitive skin
- Fragrance-free, alcohol-free, paraben-free
Cons
- Less for oily concerns
Ishizawa Lab Acne Barrier Medicated Protect Lotion
This lotion has been designed to help combat adult acne which can be a sensitive and complex issue to solve. When skin suffers from a lack of moisture, keratin blocks the pores, making it easier for acne bacteria to grow. This lotion prevents adult acne and dryness while suppressing excess sebum. It replenishes moisture to soften dead skin cells and prevent pore clogging and inflammation, maintains skin balance, and leaves skin feeling smooth and resistant to acne.
Ishizawa Lab Acne Barrier Medicated Protect Lotion has a pleasant herbal scent and is formulated with 14 kinds of herbs and plants including tea tree oil, chamomile, sage, lavender, rosemary, and eucalyptus.
Pros
- Tea tree herbs reduce breakouts
- Deep moisture no clog pores
- Mild acidity fragrance-free
Cons
- Distinctive tea tree scent
