Korean beauty speaks of skin that’s so glowy to the point that it’s reflective like glass – along with the thousands of steps to achieve it, of course. Japan’s take on its ideal of beautiful skin? Mochi hada, that translates to “rice cake skin” or “mochi skin”. Yes, we’re talking about the sweet delicacy that the Japanese – and all of us – adore.
And if you’ve ever gotten up close and personal with a mochi, you’ll know that there’s nothing out there that’s quite like mochi skin. It’s translucent, soft and plump while being neither too oily nor too dry.
Low maintenance girls, rejoice. If you thought that the 10 (or more) steps to achieve glass skin was arduous, you’ll be heaving a sigh of relief. Japanese skincare routine goes back to the basics of just double cleansing, hydrating with a lotion, putting on serums, moisturising and sun protection.
Below, the products that you’ll need to get on board with supple mochi skin.
Text: Chia Ying Na/FEMALE / Additional reporting: Engracia Ang
The first step to clear skin is none other than keeping your pores and skin properly cleansed off makeup, which is why just cleansing once might not cut it. The Japanese are sticklers for double cleansing because the second round of cleansing picks up on what’s leftover from the first round. This cleansing oil features sakura petal extract, sakura sake extract, green tea and hinoki wood that keeps the oils at bay.
A must-have to achieving the coveted mochi skin is a product called facial lotions, or kesho-sui to the Japanese. Waso’s version is an alcohol-free lotion that first dispenses as a jelly-like substance, it transforms into a softening liquid that locks in moisture for plump, dewy skin. Formulated with white jelly mushroom, the refreshing gel helps to mattify and reduce the appearance of pores while delivering rich hydration for a healthy look.
Lotions are also known as skin conditioners. They’re both of a watery consistency and are best applied to the face by gently patting it into the skin – not via a cotton pad. Albion’s skin conditioner has been well-loved for 45 years for its cell renewal prowess. Made with its star ingredient -Job’s tears extract – which Albion specially cultivates in Hokkaido, it boosts the skin’s self-recuperative ability and regulates cell renewal cycle to keep the skin healthy and less prone to breakouts, irritation and dullness. It also refines the skin texture and brightens up dull skin, delivering visibly more radiant, clear and translucent skin.
Reportedly mochi skin in a bottle, this lightweight serum (or biyou-eki, which roughly translates to beauty liquid) is said to improve the overall skin condition by brightening and rejuvenating the skin from within, reducing dark spots and redness, firms the skin, as well as tightening enlarged pores. This step can be personalised to fit your skin’s needs, just replace it with the serum that targets your skin’s concerns.
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Made to emulate the soft texture of souffle cheesecake, this moisturiser taps in on key porin booster, which has radiance-boosting properties; oat kernel extract, which has anti-inflammatory, soothing and moisturising properties; and thick water jelly, which has a full texture that feels like liquid petroleum jelly to deliver moisture to the innermost skin layer.
And if acne is deterring you from the elusive mochi skin, perhaps this blemish-controlling product might do the trick. It incorporates active ingredients to safely and effectively tackle the root cause of infections in acne – C. acne (Cutibacterium acne), the bacteria that can induce skin inflammation. In addition, vitamin A helps the skin achieve more elasticity and firmness.
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