10 Best Tried and True Japanese Emulsions of 2024 (Cosmetics Consultant-Reviewed)

Attenir's Dress Lift Day Emulsion is a product that’s meant to be used in the morning, allegedly helping maintain firm skin. The damask rose-based scent might be a little too strong for some, but it adds a floral flair to your skincare regimen.

The texture is thick without being sticky, and leaves a great feel by softening and conditioning your skin. In our moisturization ability test, we saw almost no water evaporation, with only a 1% difference in moisture content at the 30-minute mark and the 3-hour mark after application.

In terms of ingredients, this emulsion scored top-level marks, with a wide variety of beautifying ingredients that are also gentle on the skin. We can proudly say that this product is a great emulsion for all, thanks to its ability to retain moisture for long periods of time, and its high levels of beautifying ingredients.

Kao’s Curél Moisturizing Emulsion is a medicated emulsion that contains allantoin as an active ingredient to prevent irritation. The biggest draw of this product is its ingredients, which are gentle enough to be used on sensitive skin.

The texture is smooth and easy to use, even for those with oily skin, but it may not be enough for those with dry skin that need something thicker. The scent is hardly noticeable, making it easy to use for anyone.

In the moisturization ability test, this product showed top-level moisture retention. We also found that moisture levels increased by 101% after 30 minutes following application, which dropped to just +96% after 3 hours. This is a milky lotion that hardly lets any moisture evaporate, and can also moisturize without making your skin feel sticky.

Shiseido’s ELIXIR Lifting Moisture Emulsion II is a medicated emulsion that contains tranexamic acid as an active ingredient. It also contains natural moisturizing ingredients, vitamin C derivatives, and other moisturizing ingredients that are expected to have beautifying benefits.

It has a pleasant feel to it with its well-balanced texture that is moisturizing without feeling sticky. It has a subtle, soap-like refreshing scent that can be used by anyone.

In our moisturizing ability test, we found this emulsion has outstanding moisturizing abilities, earning high praise from our testers. We saw moisture levels in our tester's skin increase by a whopping 105% 30 minutes after application, where it remained high at +90% 3 hours later. This emulsion will likely help skin that is prone to drying out, retain moisture.

This is a great Japanese emulsion for those who want a highly moisturizing product with a refreshing scent.

Matsuyama Yushi’s Moisturizing Emulsion is an emulsion that is best for combination and oily skin. It offers a non-sticky texture that is able to add moisture without making the skin feel heavy from oils and is also great for use in the summer for those with dry skin. However, be careful not to drop the glass container, as it’s pretty heavy.

For its moisturizing ingredients, this emulsion uses ceramides, pseudo-ceramides, and raffinose. Moreover, it's also formulated with beautifying ingredients that help maintain hydration, making this product is highly moisturizing and gentle on the skin.

This is best for those who want long-term hydration and a light texture.

Shiseido's Clé de Peau Beauté Intensive Fortifying Emulsion comes in a luxurious package and is intended to be used as a nighttime emulsion. It also has a fragrance that is just as lavish, but it may be too strong for those who aren't fond of fragrances.

This emulsion features several effective ingredients, such as 4-Methoxysalicylic acid potassium salt, which has skin-brightening properties, as well as tranexamic acid, which helps prevent breakouts. It also uses organic moisturizing ingredients, making this an emulsion that will keep your skin moist and fresh.

Our testers commented positively on its feel, noting that it has a well-balanced texture that felt moist on their skin without feeling sticky. We also found this to have great moisturizing abilities, with hardly any changes in moisture content at the 30-minute and 3-hour marks. This is the best emulsion to keep your skin moist while you're asleep.

Shiseido's Aqualabel Bouncing Care Milk is an anti-aging emulsion that helps reduce the appearance of fine wrinkles caused by dryness. The container itself is soft, making it easy to adjust the amount of liquid dispensed.

Although it feels a bit sticky when blended into the skin, our testers commented that it feels like the product firmly coated their skin and provided moisture. However, the floral fragrance proved to be a bit too strong for some.

This emulsion features beautifying ingredients such as tranexamic acid, amino acids, retinol derivatives, royal jelly extract, and more, resulting in high moisturizing ability. Finally, it has a relatively affordable price tag, making it ideal for those who want to care for their skin without breaking the bank.

DHC's Nomitsu Urumi Hada Moisturizing Emulsion is designed for sensitive skin and can be used by those with all skin types.

The liquid itself isn't excessively sticky and blends easily into the skin. While it has a light texture that doesn't feel like it leaves a greasy film on your skin, some of our testers commented that it didn't provide enough elasticity as they'd hoped. Those who have dry skin, with little sebum on the surface of their skin, may find this to be a bit lacking.

Still, this emulsion passed our moisturizing ability test with flying colors. Our testers saw an increase in moisture levels by 88% at the 30-minute mark, only to see it increase further to 90% after 3 hours. Since this emulsion continues to help maintain moisture over time, it can also help your skin stay hydrated while you sleep, which is when the skin is prone to drying out.

As the name implies, Rohto’s CareCera AP Face & Body Emulsion can be used on the face and body. The container is a soft bottle, making it easy to squeeze out just the right amount of product. 

The gel-like texture is easy to spread, but it takes a second to blend into the skin, and eventually, when it does, the feeling can be described better as it creates a film on the skin, rather than blending in. This is a great emulsion for those who prefer a heavier product, but may not be the best for those who don’t like sticky moisturizers.

It contains ceramides, peptides, cholesterol, and other beautifying ingredients that assist the skin’s barrier functions, which is what makes this product truly stand out. Being also greatly moisturizing, this is a great emulsion for those who are concerned about dryness.

Shiseido's ELIXIR Reflet Balancing Milk II is a thick, viscous emulsion, and the manufacturer claims that using a cotton pad to apply it will prevent stickiness, resulting in a smooth and silky finish.

During our tests, we found the texture to be light and smooth, as claimed. Our testers we fond of how it made their skin feel pleasantly plump, but the firm container made it difficult to adjust how much product was dispensed. Additionally, some of our testers noted that the scent of this product was particularly strong, so this may be something to take into account.

In terms of ingredients, this emulsion is formulated with natural moisturizers, glycylglycine, and plant extracts, resulting in a strong moisturizing ability that kept skin moisture levels at +90% after 3 hours from application, making it ideal for preventing dry skin.

Shiseido's d Program Moist Care Emulsion MB is a medicated emulsion that helps improve your skin's texture and retain hydrated skin.

Containing active ingredients like tranexamic acid and dipotassium glycyrrhizinate, as well as yeast extracts and hyaluronic acid as beautifying ingredients, this emulsion is fairly gentle on the skin while incredibly moisturizing.

The texture is watery and on the lighter side, which might be a bit lacking for an emulsion formulated for dry skin. However, it excels at maintaining moisture, earning high marks in our moisturizing ability test.