10 Best Tried and True Japanese Face Washes for Oily Skin in 2023 (Beauty Expert-Reviewed)

Kanebo Cosmetics' Kanebo Scrubbing Mud Wash is a face wash that absorbs excess sebum, removes dead skin, and unclogs pores.

This product's main ingredient is soap, but it also contains a large amount of Moroccan Lava Clay, which is said to absorb oils. It also contains a scrub that removed most sebum during our cleansing test. Skin moisture levels only decreased 24%, making it a good choice for moisture retention.

This product is meant to be lathered on the face, which can take a while to get used to. In addition, the product itself has a firmer texture, making it a little difficult to squeeze out. However, the lid opened and closed very easily. The floral scent isn't too overbearing and gives the product a nice, mild touch. Earning high marks in all our tests, this product is a well-rounded face wash for oily skin.

Kao's Curél Sebum Trouble Care Foaming Facial Wash is a product that claims to protect ceramides while cleansing the face. It is recommended for people with dry but sebum-ridden skin.

This amino acid-based formula is gentle on the skin. In our evaluations, around 80% of oils were removed from the skin, demonstrating high cleansing ability. With moisturizing ingredients like glycerine and sugars, this product only decreased skin moisture by around 16%, showing excellent moisture retention abilities as well. 

The foam was very fine yet fluffy, and one of our testers noted that their skin felt noticeably moist upon using this product. In addition, the pump bottle was conveniently designed, allowing you to use the product with even one hand. It's also fragrance-free, which is great for those with sensitive skin. This product strikes a great balance of being both gentle and cleansing.

Kanebo Cosmetics' Suisai Beauty Clear Black Powder Wash is an enzyme facial cleansing powder that is said to unclog pores and absorb excess sebum from the skin.

The cleansing ability of this product is high thanks to the main amino-acid-based ingredient being combined with a sulfate-based one. The charcoal and enzymes in the product were also proven to increase cleansing abilities based on our evaluations, and its moisture retention abilities were also decent. 

Our testers evaluated the dense foam highly, stating that it felt as if it was almost suctioned onto the skin. While the individual packages are not very environment friendly, being able to easily use this product, even with wet hands, was a notable convenience. The mild, charcoal-like scent was comforting and not too overbearing as well.

Fine Today Shiseido's Sengan Senka Perfect White Clay Face Wash removes dead skin cells and unclogs pores.

Although there isn't necessarily a large proportion of moisturizing ingredients in this product, only around 18% of skin moisture content was lost after using this product, making it a good choice for moisture retention. And yet, because it had a high proportion of ingredients with high cleansing abilities (even among soap-based products), around 70% of sebum was also removed. Although something a little bit stronger may be better suited for oily skin, this product still had decent cleansing abilities.

Our testers noted that it was easy to lather this product and that the foam was elastic and bouncy. However, the packaging of this product is slightly small and may be inconvenient. The floral scent was refreshing and highly evaluated by our testers.

Chifure Cosmetics' Scurb Cleansing Foam neatly removes sticky oils from the skin and leaves you feeling clean and smooth.

With soap-based ingredients, charcoal, and scrubbing ingredients, this product boasts high cleansing power; in our test, around 80% of sebum was removed. Moisturizing ingredients such as BG and glycerine are included in this product, allowing for good moisture retention, too.

One disappointing aspect of this product was its scrub which felt a bit harsh on the skin. One tester noted that grains were even a bit painful on the skin. However, with proper technique, you can form a dense foam, which our testers highly evaluated. The tube-shaped packaging was easy to open and close, adding to the convenience of this product. There was a slight charcoal scent, but it was gentle and not too overbearing.

Bioré The Face Oil Control Facial Wash is a good product for people who are concerned about shine caused by sebum.

The main ingredient is soap-based. Our tests showed that about 80% of sebum was removed, displaying a high cleansing ability suitable for oily skin. This product earned a high score in the moisture retention test, as skin moisture content remained nearly unchanged. However, it should be noted that this product contains the moisturizing ingredient propylene glycol (PG), which can be irritating to sensitive skin.

The foam made by this soap was fine and soft. Our reviewers described the experience of using this soap as comfortable and satisfying, with a refreshing post-wash feel. Although the pump is a little bit hard to push down, one push provides you with the perfect amount of soap, making it convenient to use. The orange soap scent was revitalizing and a highly evaluated feature by our testers.

Ryohin Keikaku's MUJI Mild Face Soap Scrub is a face wash that contains physical exfoliators claiming to unclog dirt and old keratin from pores.

Although the main ingredient is soap-based, the addition of amino-acid-based and betaine-based ingredients makes this cleanser mild. Despite this, around 70% of sebum was removed, showing it has a high cleansing ability. This product also boasted high moisture retention.

This face wash lathered up nicely, even with small amounts. The package was easy to open and close, and the transparent container made it easy to keep track of how much product was left. Since there's no fragrance added, it can also be an appealing choice for those with sensitive skin. Although it's advertised as a scrub, since the grains are subtle, this may not be a good choice for anyone looking for something more exfoliating.

Rosette's Facial Cleansing Pasta Glacial Mud Cleansing is a face wash that prevents sebum and shine on the skin.

This product combines a soap-based ingredient with clay to create a wash with high cleansing abilities. In our tests, most of the sebum was removed, even for oily skin, and moisture retention was also decent. However, some points were deducted as this product contains peppermint oil as part of its fragrance, which can potentially irritate sensitive skin.

The foam was fluffy and the product lathered up nicely even with minimal product. The packaging was practical and not too complex. The opinions on the "forest herb" fragrance were split, given that it isn't a very common scent for a face wash.

FANCL's Deep Clear Washing Powder is an enzyme facial cleansing powder that claims to unclog pores while maintaining skin moisture.

The main ingredient of this product is amino acid-based. Its relatively low cleansing ability makes it a mild face wash option. Much of the sebum on the glass plate remained during our evaluations, making it a bad choice for those with oily skin. However, the moisture retention was great, and it contains proteolytic enzyme protease, an important ingredient for those concerned with clogged pores.

Our reviewers noted that the product lathered up nicely and that the foam was very fine. It's fragrance-free, making it an easy-to-use product for anyone. However, some reviewers complained about the individual packaging, citing the excess waste produced and the difficulty to open the package with wet hands.

Gyunyu Sekken Kyoshinsha's Cow Brand Blue Box (Refreshing) is a long-selling product that claims to leave your skin refreshed and smooth after use.

The selling point of this product is how simple it is. Although not containing any moisturizing ingredients, moisture retention abilities were highly scored by our testers, and this product was best evaluated for its gentle ingredients. On the other hand, the cleansing abilities were low, with only around 30% of sebum being removed from the glass plate.

The foam is fluffy and gentle and easy to rinse off. The bar soap format makes it difficult to store, but the size of the product is just the right size, fitting perfectly in the palm and making it easy to lather up. The scent was a classic "soap" scent, making it a comforting product to use.