What are the common misunderstandings about men's skincare?
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
The men's skincare market has grown fast in Japan, and visitors ask "what are Japanese men actually using?". This article looks at whether men's and women's skin differ, and what the minimum routine is, using public sources and the general explanations given in dermatology.
Points for judgement
| Item | General tendency (varies by person) | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Sebum | Generally described as about twice that of women | Wash no more than twice a day; do not over-wash |
| Water content | Tends to be lower than women's (partly because many men do not moisturise) | Do not skip moisturising (milky lotion or gel) |
| Shaving | A daily blade scrapes the outer layer: dryness, redness, folliculitis | Shaving gel, a clean blade, moisturise after shaving |
| UV | Many men spend long hours outdoors | Sunscreen (the Ministry of the Environment manual makes no distinction by sex) |
| Ageing | Spots and dullness follow the same mechanism in men and women | UV protection is the most effective prevention |
- Japan's men's cosmetics market has grown since the 2010s, and some surveys report that about 60% of men in their twenties do skincare daily (industry surveys).
- "Men's" and "for men" are not legal categories; the regulation and the permitted claims (the list of 56 items) for a cosmetic are the same. Men's products tend towards a cooling feel (menthol) and sebum control, which may not suit men with dry skin.
- The Ministry of the Environment's "UV Environmental Health Manual" recommends sunscreen, a hat and a parasol regardless of sex.
[Verify] Check the sex differences in sebum and water content against general dermatology references, and the market and usage figures against industry surveys (Japan Cosmetic Industry Association, private research).
Misunderstanding 1｜Washing the face is enough for a man
Washing away sebum and then applying nothing is generally described as causing dryness, which makes the skin produce even more sebum. Adding a single milky lotion (乳液, nyūeki) or gel changes that.
Misunderstanding 2｜Men cannot use women's products
The regulation for cosmetics is the same. The only difference is preference in scent and texture, and there is no problem using the moisturiser your family already has.
Misunderstanding 3｜Redness after shaving is razor burn and cannot be helped
It can be greatly reduced by a clean blade, shaving gel, shaving in the direction of hair growth, and moisturising afterwards. If red bumps persist, it may be folliculitis; see a dermatology clinic (covered by Japanese health insurance).
Misunderstanding 4｜Sunscreen is for women
UV damage does not depend on sex, and the longer you spend outdoors the more it builds up. Men's risk of pigmentation spots and skin cancer is dealt with in the same way in the Ministry of the Environment manual. Non-sticky gel sunscreens are the ones men in Japan tend to choose.
Misunderstanding 5｜Skincare is unnecessary when you are young
Accumulated UV exposure is the main cause of spots and wrinkles from middle age onwards. The general dermatological explanation is that the most effective care is sunscreen from a young age.
---
Sources
- Ministry of the Environment, "UV Environmental Health Manual 2020" [紫外線環境保健マニュアル2020]
https://www.env.go.jp/chemi/uv/uv_manual.html
- Japanese Dermatological Association, "Dermatology Q&A: Skincare" [皮膚科Q&A スキンケア]
https://www.dermatol.or.jp/qa/
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), "Revision of the scope of efficacy claims for cosmetics" [化粧品の効能の範囲の改正について] (Yakushoku-hatsu 0721 No. 1)
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/file/06-Seisakujouhou-11120000-Iyakushokuhinkyoku/kesyouhin_hanni_20111.pdf
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
About this article
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
Cosmetics are not medicines and are not meant to diagnose, heal or prevent any condition. If your skin reacts, stop using the product and see a dermatologist.
Sources
Tell us if this has changed
Approved contributions keep the contributor's name, shown in five languages.
Related questions
Other languages：日本語 ／ 简体中文 ／ 繁體中文 ／ 한국어
Value Village is not a government body. Always confirm procedures on the official site.
Written by Value Village from public sources. Nothing here is reproduced from another site.