10 Best Tried and True Japanese Hand Creams in 2022 (Shiseido, Nivea, and more)
For this article, we searched e-commerce sites popular in Japan such as Amazon, Rakuten, and Yahoo! Shopping for the best Japanese hand cream. We then chose the 47 most popular products and tested them all.
We tested each of the products for the following:
- Moisturizing ability
- Fragrance
- Ingredients
- Non-stickiness
- Feel
Based on our test results, we ranked the 10 best products and made a buying guide to help you choose the best Japanese hand creams available in 2022.
Quick List - Top Japanese Hand Creams
Kosé
Moisturizing Everyday Hand Cream With Refreshing Peach Scent
Kosé
Highly Moisturizing Cream With Three Fragrances to Choose From
Kaori is the representative director of Japan's Scientific Beauty Institute. She also runs the Beauty Science Blog, which sends out beauty science information in a way that's easy to understand. She operates with the mission of "wanting people to enjoy the process of finding skincare that works for them by offering a scientific perspective". Kaori broadcasts her expert knowledge from working with skincare and cosmetics societies and academic journals on her blog, social media, and more. She also works with PR, product development, and corporate support teams for cosmetics.
mybest US' editing team consists of experienced members who have backgrounds in writing, editing, translation, and more. We are dedicated to researching what makes a product or service the best to users in the US in order to create top-quality articles. From skincare, to kitchen appliances, and to DIY supplies, our mission is to find the best ones for you.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
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Why Use Japanese Hand Cream? How Is It Different From Body Cream?
Hand creams and body creams can differ in two major ways. First, their textures can be different. Body creams tend to be more spreadable since they are applied to the entire body, while hand creams tend to be richer and thicker in texture. Second, they may differ in the way they absorb into the skin. Although it varies from product to product, hand creams are characterized by how easily they can absorb into the skin.
Japanese hand creams are made with exceptional attention to detail and tend to be composed of medicinal ingredients more often than American hand creams. Among the many ingredients used, some common ones are petroleum jelly for intense hydration, mineral oils to protect and moisturize the skin, and squalane and meadow seed oil to gently heal any rough or chapped skin.
They may also offer a more varied array of fragrances, as nicely scented skincare products are always sought after in Japan. We highly recommend considering Japanese hand creams if you have irritated or sensitive skin or if you have to wash your hands frequently at work.
How to Choose a Japanese Hand Cream – Buying Guide
Here are three essential points to keep in mind when choosing a Japanese hand cream to purchase.
Choose Ingredients That Best Alleviate Rough, Chapped Skin
If you've got rough or chapped skin, there are particular ingredients you can look out for to help soothe and heal your skin.
Check the Ingredient Table to See What Needs the Product Serves
If you are concerned about dryness, choose a product that contains glycerin or petroleum jelly, which have strong moisturizing properties. In addition, when looking at the list of ingredients, paying attention to the order of ingredients can help you navigate how moisturizing a product is.
For example, if the first or second ingredients are oily ingredients such as petroleum jelly or shea butter, it's likely that the hand cream is moisturizing. As second or third ingredients, water-soluble moisturizing ingredients such as glycerin are common. This is great for adding and maintaining moisture in the skin.
Petroleum jelly protects the skin by applying a layer of oil over the moisturized area, keeping the skin hydrated for longer.
For Rough Hands, Look for Ceramide, Amino Acids and Anti-Inflammatory Ingredients
When your skin is rough and cracked, its natural barrier is impaired. Choose a product containing ceramide, which helps repair skin, or amino acids, which are often the main ingredient for skin moisturizers. It is also beneficial to protect rough skin with petroleum jelly, which retains skin moisture, and look for ingredients with anti-inflammatory properties to help rough skin recover.
Urea is a highly moisturizing ingredient, but it may irritate sensitive skin. When applied in high concentration to non-sensitive skin, it can effectively dissolve dead skin cells and make skin more flexible, so is recommended for shorter-term, intensive use.
If you use a urea-based product and experience redness or irritation of the skin, discontinue use immediately.
To Prevent Rough and Chapped Skin, Look for Vitamins C and E
Vitamin C and vitamin E prevent rough and chapped skin by preventing the formation of lipid peroxide and promoting skin regeneration. If you want to prevent cracks and chapped skin, check to make sure that the ingredients listed above are included in the product you choose. If you are constantly washing your hands, we especially recommend a hand cream containing vitamins.
Vitamin E is a proven medicinal ingredient known for preventing rough skin effectively.
Check What Kind of Fragrance It Has and How Strong It Is
Hand creams come in many scents, like vanilla, floral, fruity, and citrus, as well as unscented. In our tests, we evaluated how different age groups responded to each fragrance. Feel free to use the following as a reference when selecting a fragrance for your hand cream, particularly when you're gifting one to someone else or want a second opinion.
Fragrances that were rated highly by each age group:
- People in their 20s: Elegant floral fragrances that are sweet and refreshing.
- People in their 30s: Refreshing floral and citrus scents with only a hint of sweetness.
- People in their 40s: Subtle floral and peach scents.
In addition to choosing what kind of fragrances people liked, we noticed that discreet, subtle fragrances were most highly rated. Those with subtle scents can be used anywhere and in tandem with perfumes. But since everyone has different preferences, consider checking the reviews before purchasing or testing the product in-store to gauge the fragrance yourself.
Products With Smooth, Creamy Textures Tended Not to Be Sticky
Consider different textures for different occasions and times of the day. For example, you may want a non-sticky hand cream for when you're out and about, but you may want a thicker, denser cream for use at home before going to bed.
Our test results found that products with a light, creamy texture blend better with the skin and are less likely to leave a sticky residue. A denser, creamier texture was more difficult to spread and left a noticeably sticky residue.
10 Best Japanese Hand Creams
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kosé CoenRich Q10 Medicated Whitening Hand Cream | | Moisturizing Everyday Hand Cream With Refreshing Peach Scent | |
2 | Kosé Jill Stuart Hand Cream Floral White | | Highly Moisturizing Cream With Three Fragrances to Choose From | |
3 | Gelato Pique Peach Floral Hand Cream | | Versatile Hand Cream With Pleasant Fragrance, Great for Gifting | |
4 | BbyE Mama Butter Hand Cream | | Best Non-Sticky Hand Cream for Sensitive Skin | |
5 | Eisai Sahne Hand Cream | | Unscented Hand Cream Great at Preventing Rough Skin and Chilblains | |
6 | Kao Atrix Hand Gel | | Protective Hand Cream With Good Moisturizing Abilities, but a Bit Sticky | |
7 | Kosé Carte HD Moisture Hand Cream | | Hand Cream That Prevents Roughness but Doesn’t Help Retain Moisture Well | |
8 | Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Hand Cream | | Hand Cream With Luxurious Floral Scent and Smooth Texture, but Low Moisturizing Ability | |
9 | FANCL Hand Cream Whitening & Aging Care | | Whitening Hand Cream With Good Moisture Retention, but Sticky | |
10 | Curél Hand Cream | | Best Moisturizing Hand Cream for Sensitive Skin, but a Bit Sticky |
Moisturizing Everyday Hand Cream With Refreshing Peach Scent
Kosé's CoenRich Q10 Medicated Whitening Hand Cream focuses on caring for dry fingernails and chapped skin. It features niacinamide, an active ingredient that suppresses melanin production and lessens age spots and sun spots.
When we tested this product's moisturizing abilities, it demonstrated good moisture retention, with the skin's moisture content increasing by 0.8 percent three hours after application. Testers thought this was thanks to the petroleum jelly and mineral oils included in the formula. The product is also designed to be gentle on the skin, making it safe to use for those with sensitive skin.
It features a slightly sweet, refreshing peach scent, which was well-received, especially by testers in their 40s. The dense texture of the cream was spreadable and did not leave a greasy residue. All in all, we recommend this hand cream for daily use for its strong moisturizing abilities and subtle fragrance.
Highly Moisturizing Cream With Three Fragrances to Choose From
Kosé's Jill Stuart Hand Cream is distinguishable by its stylish packaging. It also comes in three fragrances to choose from to match your mood or occasion. For our tests, we used the white floral fragrance. Our testers commented that "The sweet fragrance allows the cream to be used as a substitute for perfume," and that the fragrance is "lovely yet subtle."
The texture was slightly firm, but the product blended well with the skin and was easy to apply. When we tested its moisturizing power, the skin's moisture content increased by an impressive 3.2 percent three hours after application. The meadowfoam oil and petroleum jelly in the formula help retain moisture.
We do not recommend this product for people with sensitive skin due to the high content of ethanol. We think the stylish packaging and three fragrances to choose from make this product a perfect choice as a gift for most, however.
Versatile Hand Cream With Pleasant Fragrance, Great for Gifting
Gelato Pique's Hand Cream is made with a base of moisturizing oils such as cupuaçu and squalane. In addition, the brand intentionally designed the packaging with neutral colors to let it blend in with your decor!
In our ingredients test, this product scored high marks for its combination of petroleum jelly, which is highly effective in helping retain moisture, and squalane, which is gentle on the skin. Three hours after application, the moisture content in our testers' skin increased by a significant 5.8 percent.
In our tests for feel of use, many testers commented that although the texture was a little firm, it was spreadable and easy to apply. It's also gently scented with a floral fragrance that testers thought was versatile. On the other hand, 15 beads adhered to the hand in our stickiness test, which meant it was relatively sticky.
Best Non-Sticky Hand Cream for Sensitive Skin
Mama Butter Hand Cream is a hand cream free from silicone, parabens, and ethanol and can be applied all the way down to your fingertips. It is made with lots of shea butter, a highly moisturizing emollient, making it easy to blend into skin even for sensitive skin.
It performed well in our moisturizing abilities test, retaining moisture content even three hours after application. While the firm texture made it slightly difficult to spread, it was rated highly for non-stickiness, with only five beads adhering to the hand. Since the product is fragrance-free, it's highly versatile and can be paired with your favorite perfume.
Unscented Hand Cream Great at Preventing Rough Skin and Chilblains
Eisai's Sahne Cream E is a light and comfortable hand cream that helps prevent rough skin and chilblains. Specifically, it contains natural vitamin E and dipotassium glycyrrhizate to help treat rough, chapped hands.
It also contains other highly moisturizing ingredients such as lanolin and glycerin. Our moisturizing abilities test demonstrated the effects of these ingredients, with moisture content being retained effectively on all of our testers.
It has almost no scent and its smooth texture blends well with the skin, making it very versatile. It also performed well in our non-stickiness test, with only seven beads adhering to testers' hands.
Protective Hand Cream With Good Moisturizing Abilities, but a Bit Sticky
Atrix Hand Cream is best known for being able to provide a protective layer of moisture to your hands to prevent irritation caused by dryness or repeated washing. It contains petroleum jelly, which protects the skin surface, and other moisturizing ingredients such as 2K glycyrrhizate and tocopherol acetate, all of which help prevent or alleviate rough, chapped hands.
Our tests showed that it helps with moisture retention, keeping your skin looking and feeling fresh. It did not perform very well in our stickiness test, though, perhaps due to its viscous texture that required more time to blend into the skin. On the other hand, it is nearly odorless, making it the perfect hand cream for any occasion.
Hand Cream That Prevents Roughness but Doesn’t Help Retain Moisture Well
Carte HD Moisture Hand Cream is said to prevent any issues related to rough skin and chilblains by providing hydration and maintaining healthy-looking skin. Specifically, it contains heparinoid to prevent dryness and dipotassium glycyrrhizate for preventing rough skin.
Although it contains petroleum jelly and glycerin, both of which are highly effective in protecting moisture, unfortunately, the results from our moisture retention test showed a slight decrease in moisture content after application. The texture was firm and slightly hard, but did blend well with the skin without getting sticky.
Hand Cream With Luxurious Floral Scent and Smooth Texture, but Low Moisturizing Ability
Shiseido's Ultimune Power Infusing Hand Cream includes ginkgo biloba extract to prevent dryness and perilla leaf extract to prevent rough skin. The formula is smooth and provides moisture retention without much stickiness.
It has a spreadable, stretchy texture that allows it to blend well with the skin. However, in our moisture retention test, we did notice that moisture levels decreased a bit after application. That being said, our testers noted that its floral scent gave this product an uplifting and luxurious feel.
Whitening Hand Cream With Good Moisture Retention, but Sticky
FANCL's Hand Cream Whitening & Aging Care is said to provide moisturizing, whitening, and anti-aging care all in one product. The main ingredient is macadamia nut oil, which blends in well with the skin to provide moisture.
Other ingredients include tranexamic acid, which inhibits melanin production and helps prevent age spots and scars, and many other non-irritating ingredients. In our moisturizing ability test, this product was able to retain moisture up to three hours after application.
In terms of texture, it was a bit on the firmer side, but testers didn't have a problem spreading it out. 18 beads remained stuck in that test, indicating that this cream is definitely on the stickier side. It is unscented, though, so it's versatile and suitable for anyone.
Best Moisturizing Hand Cream for Sensitive Skin, but a Bit Sticky
Curel's Hand Cream caters to those with sensitive skin, with a formula free of alcohol, fragrance and colorants. This hand cream contains active ingredients such as allantoin and vitamin E (tocopherol acetate) to prevent cracks in the skin and chilblains.
Testers found that the silicone base not only gave this product a pleasant and smooth feel but did a great job at retaining moisture in the skin. In our moisture retention test, it was able to maintain the same levels of moisture three hours after application.
Since it doesn't include any fragrance, it can be used by anyone and won't interfere with perfumes. That being said, while the texture of it was nice and smooth, we did find it to be a bit sticky. During our stickiness test, 16 beads stuck to our testers' hands.
How We Tested the Japanese Hand Creams
We searched e-commerce sites popular in Japan, such as Amazon, Rakuten, and Yahoo! Shopping, for the best hand creams. We then chose the 47 most popular products and tested them all.
We tested each of the products for the following:
- Moisturizing ability
- Fragrance
- Ingredients
- Feel
- Non-stickiness
Test ① Moisturizing Ability
First, we tested what we consider the most important thing: how moisturizing the hand cream was. To test this, we applied hand cream to the arm and used a special machine called a Corneometer CM825 by Courage+Khazaka to compare the skin's moisture content immediately after application and again three hours later.
Test Procedure
- Washed the area that will be tested with a facial cleanser.
- Maintained a constant room temperature and humidity for 20 minutes.
- Applied hand cream onto the test subject's arm.
- Measured the amount of moisture immediately after application and three hours later.
Test ② Fragrance
Next, we tested the fragrance of each product. We had three women of different ages use the products and judge them based on the following points:
Criteria for Judging Fragrance
- Whether the fragrance is pleasant
- Whether the fragrance is overpowering or not
Test ③ Ingredients
Another important factor to consider when purchasing any type of skincare is the ingredients used. We consulted a cosmetics expert, Kaori, who evaluated the quality of the ingredients. In particular, she focused on the following questions:
- Does it contain a good amount of oil?
- Does it contain ingredients that tend to cause irritation?
- Does it contain ingredients that moisturize and prevent skin irritation?
Test ④ Non-Stickiness
Next, we tested whether any of the hand creams felt sticky. To do this, we followed these steps:
- Applied hand cream to the back of the hand and leave it on for three minutes.
- Scattered 30 beads on a dish.
- Gently rocked the back of the hand from side to side onto the beads.
After this, we had testers gently shake their hands to see how many beads remained stuck on their hand.
Test ⑤ Feel
- Does the texture make it easy to apply?
- Does the product spread well?
- How comfortable does the cream feel on the skin?
How to Get the Most Out of Your Hand Cream
To get the most out of your hand cream, make sure you're applying it the correct way. Here is what we recommend you do:
- Apply all over the back of the hands, which are areas prone to dryness.
- Apply the cream in a circular motion all the way to the tips of the fingers.
As the photo above shows, you can be very liberal and apply the lotion all over your hand. Make sure that you apply the amount indicated on the package or on the official website for the best results.
Does Hand Cream Have an Expiration Date?
Once you open your hand cream it's exposed to air, which will lessen its effectiveness over time. For this reason, aim to use up your hand cream within half a year to a year.
Most cosmetics, if unopened, generally retain their quality for up to three years after the manufacturing date. But since the date of purchase is not the same as the date it was made, we recommend you try to use up any skincare product as soon as possible.
Give Your Hands Some Extra Care
There are plenty of other hand creams that help reinforce the elasticity and moisture levels of your skin. Check out some of these other articles to find the right one for the season and your skin type.
Top 5 Japanese Hand Creams
No. 1: Kosé｜CoenRich Q10 Medicated Whitening Hand Cream
No. 2: Kosé｜Jill Stuart Hand Cream Floral White
No. 3: Gelato Pique｜Peach Floral Hand Cream
No. 4: BbyE｜Mama Butter Hand Cream
No. 5: Eisai｜Sahne Hand Cream
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.