Foam Cleansers & Masks You Need to Try from Japan!

Foam Cleansers & Masks You Need to Try from Japan!

• 6.28.2018

Foam, it's something most skincare users would know that it tends to be abit more drying for the skin compared to normal types of cleansers. Most would often go for the gel type as it's said to be more moisturizing compared to the traditional ones which requires lathering. But over the years foam cleansers have came a long way and went through various reformulations to meet customer's demands. In Japan foam cleansers are a norm in fact it's designed to make life easier (faster), 1-2 pumps deposits enough foam to cleanse your face before rinsing. No lathering required.

Hotels mostly have these 2-in-1 hand and face foam cleansers provided for guests to use and i was also abit scared to use at first because who uses handwash for face, confirm my skin would dry out like mad! Like how we don't use our bar soap to wash our face as well, i know guys do this la but pH levels ain't the same so it's highly not recommended to do so.  

But to my amazement, these 2-in-1 hotel cleansers are also gentle enough for the face! It's designed specifically for that purpose, and if you noticed most hotels in Japan get their soap supply from companies like Shiseido (top ranking beauty & skincare company)!

I like foam cleansers because my laziness has brought me to a whole new level, when you are half asleep expecting yourself to muster enough energy just to lather your facewash seems abit unrealistic. Imagine those over steamed soft vegetables as your arms, definitely it's not going to get much lathering done. However pumping out ready foams and applying it to my face directly skipping one extra (mafan) step saves me about extra 5 mins in total lol.

I don't deny that i had my fair shares of foam cleansers that are just drying for the skin (i'm sensitive, thin and combination skin type) when i tried them in Malaysia however i'll be introducing a couple of Japanese foam cleansers that are WORTH GETTING and don't worry i'll also list out whether it's available in Malaysia or not or else you won't know where to find it 😅

Foam Cleansers You Need to Try from Japan!

1. Botani Grace

Like its name, all products under Botanic Grace is made from plant based ingredients, nature friendly while providing a natural skincare alternative to users. I first got to know about this brand thanks to Luxella (they sell handpicked premium Japanese beauty products in Malaysia), for a small bottle of their foam cleanser it lasted quite long, almost 2 months of everyday usage because all i need was a single pump for my whole face. It leaves my skin feeling fresh and soft, never had any problems with it because it's all natural and doesn't dry up my skin especially my nose corners!

Cleanses well enough, to remove remaining dirt or make up residues missed from make up remover (tend to sometimes miss because wiping off too fast). Compared to their Enzyme Powdered wash this is more suitable for sensitive skin type, the powder one was abit too drying for me and i think it's more suitable for those with oily skin type.

AVAILABLE IN MALAYSIA & JAPAN

2. Provinscia

This is a 2-in-1 cleanser as mentioned earlier commonly found in Japan hotels, the danna bought it to try and it was my first cleanser when i moved to Japan because all my stuff were still in boxes. Using it for both hand and face, for the first week took some getting used to because we confirm automatically reach out to our cleansers after washing out hands lol. It's gentle to the skin didn't face any skin drying problems with this as well and it removes up well but you'll need to use a face cleansing brush to do it properly. I tested it out with light make up it removes 80% of it but for waterproof stuff it barely budges like gel eyeliners/ eyeshadows and lip tints.

NOT AVAILABLE IN MALAYSIA, ONLY JAPAN

3. Hada Nature

This is a super brand new foam cleanser i've tested for the month of June, so far it's quite compatible with my sensitive pregnancy skin and it reminds me very much of my Tansan foam mask due to its compressed foam texture. It's light on the skin and it doesn't have that soapy feeling like most face washes. One can easily assume that the face isn't cleaned properly but it's actually cleansing our skin without removing the natural skin oil barrier. Leaves my face feeling really firm, supple, bouncy and silky like a boiled egg lol.  The benefits of carbonated skincare products, it helps reduces the appearance of blackheads, it cleans not only on the surface but within leaving your pores looking smaller. In fact it has higher concentration of carbonic acid content (x3 times higher) compared to a natural carbonic hot spring!

Super dense foam

Its said to remove waterproof make up but i highly doubt that part because to me it removes light make up effortlessly however it's best to always pre remove your make up first before cleansing unless it's a make up remover + cleanser product. It does removes normal impurities accumulated throughout the day. 

I can easily foresee thing being my no.1 favorite foam cleanser out of the list. 

AVAILABLE IN MALAYSIA & JAPAN

4. Senka

Instant foam pump (far right bottle in the photo)

Blogged about this brand last year, for a more affordable option i've found Senka's foam cleanser quite good as well but it lasts less than a month due to it's small bottle size however it's easily available at most major Malaysian pharmacies* and here in Japan it's often sold in a packet of 4 bottles as a souvenir in major tax free stores like Don Quijote. Senka brand promotes itself as Japan's no.1 foaming facial cleanser as their normal cleansers can even create tons of foam with the right lathering technique which i've failed to master after trying many times lol so thank god they came out with the speedy perfect whip which makes life so much easier!
For a drug store brand i found its performance rather impressive, almost on par with high end products but that's just my opinion after testing it out for a month.

*Watsons & Guardian Malaysia

AVAILABLE IN MALAYSIA & JAPAN

Foam Masks

1. Tansan Magic Foam

Ever since my hairstylist back in Malaysia (Daisuke Salon) introduced this brand to me as they use it in their salon as well, i was totally hooked unto the products, it removed blackheads and makes your pores smaller without having to go through any extraction!
Instant face brightening after each session as it strips away all the dirt piling on your skin and if you are not convince you can ask them for a demo at the salon on your hand, you'll be amazed that one side ends up fairer and without any bleaching products. This is why carbonated water is famous in Japan skincare products, it penetrates deep within the skin and it comes from a natural hot spring source. This is actually a beauty salon grade product but now made available to the local market due to overwhelming positive response throughout southeast Asia.

New users might be abit shock that your face feels a stinging sensation and red after washing, don't worry that's just your blood properly circulated to promote skin regeneration, totally harmless in fact it feels like applying mint fresh on my face lol.

I also use it for my scalp as it helps with my hair loss by balancing back my scalp oil. Too dry or too oily can cause extreme hair loss so it's always good to make sure that the levels are balanced. Also it helps to remove those pesky smoke smells from food court or the pasar malam, even pool chlorine stench! You can purchase it via their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/TansanMagicJapanMY

Buy 3 and get 5% off your total bill, ships within Malaysia & Singapore.


AVAILABLE IN MALAYSIA & JAPAN

2. Kanebo Evita Beauty Whip

Everyone was raving about this when it first came out because it earned its title as the "Most beautiful Foam mask" in the world before other random brands started copying its signature rose nozzle lol'
I got this during one of my travels to Japan last year and it isn't exactly that cheap though its found in a normal drug store, nonetheless the quality is exceptional. I bought the limited edition version which is rose & strawberry scented as i didn't fancy the default rose scented one, this was on a milder side with a hint of sweetness. Those who were asking me if this was worth getting, after a couple of tries i found it only good for moisturizing purposes, leaves your skin supple and brighter after each 10 mins session and can be used daily without any issues just like your typical cloth face mask, suitable for sensitive skin type.

Well for a insta worthy, pretty (only when dispense lol) face foam mask, it does make a great souvenir gift for friends and family as i've seen them selling in twin packs here in Japan. You can purchase it online easily in places like Luxella (legit), but be wary of fakes ya!

AVAILABLE IN MALAYSIA & JAPAN

XOXO,