If it seems like everyone on your social media feed visited Tokyo this year, you’re not imagining things. Japan has become a top destination—not just for travelers, but for beauty lovers too—and Japanese haircare, in particular, has been trending everywhere.
At the heart of Japanese haircare is a philosophy that treats the scalp like skin. Celebrity hairstylist Sky Kim explains, “When the scalp is balanced and cared for, the hair simply follows. Healthy hair is seen as a result of a healthy scalp, with routines designed to protect the hair and minimize damage over time.”
Culture also plays a big role. Japanese hairstylist Ritsuko Hotaka notes that grooming is taught from an early age. “People learn that personal grooming is important. In Japan, beautiful hair is often considered more important than wearing beautiful clothes,” she says. Influenced by the humid climate, there’s also a strong focus on keeping hair smooth, shiny, and well-maintained.
Below, we’ve worked with experts to select the best Japanese hair-care products across different categories. Think of this as a simple introduction to a J-beauty hair routine, from shampoo and conditioner to a clarifying scrub, gloss treatment, hair mask, and lightweight oil—if you want to go all in.
Best Shampoo & Conditioner Set
Silk The Rich Shampoo & Conditioner Set
$60 $42 (30% off) at AMAZON
Why We Love It: If you’re new to J-beauty haircare, this set is a great place to start. It’s popular for good reason, thanks to nourishing oils like jojoba and argan, which Hotaka says moisturize without weighing hair down. Kim adds that “the formulas focus on moisture and smoothing the cuticle, leaving hair hydrated, polished, and flexible.” The duo is safe for damaged or color-treated hair, helps soften strands, reduce frizz, improve manageability, and restore shine. The scent is clean and subtle, making it easy for daily use.
Key Ingredients: Jojoba oil, argan oil, ceramides, hyaluronic acid
Best For: All hair types
Size: 250 mL
Best Hair-Dye Shampoo
Kiwabi Root Vanish Color Shampoo
$48 at AMAZON
Why We Love It: As someone whose gray hairs are coming in strong, I just want them covered—without harsh chemicals. That’s why this Japanese hair-color shampoo has become a staple in my routine. Celebrity hairstylist Nicolas Flores says, “This dark brown shampoo gradually covers grays while cleansing and nourishing hair with 31 plant extracts and natural oils. It’s free from sulfates, ammonia, parabens, and silicones, making it gentle on sensitive scalps and safe for daily use.” He recommends using it instead of your regular shampoo for a natural-looking color that builds over time. Hotaka is also a fan, using it regularly herself. She notes that while it doesn’t provide the immediate intensity of henna, the color builds gradually with continued use, making it feel low-maintenance and forgiving.Key Ingredients: Centella asiatica, rosemary, chamomile, jojoba oil
Best For: Gray hair
Size: 300 mL
### Best Scalp Scrub: NatureLab.Tokyo Perfect Clean Scalp Scrub & Clarifying Shampoo
Price: $21 at Amazon
Why We Love It: If you regularly use dry shampoo or hairspray, you know how heavy and greasy hair can feel after a few days of buildup. This 2-in-1 scalp scrub and shampoo from NatureLab.Tokyo is a quick way to refresh an oily scalp. It gently exfoliates with sugar crystals to remove product buildup while cleansing, leaving your scalp clean and healthy without drying or irritating it. The formula contains hyaluronic acid, platinum fiber, sake water, and pearl extract to hydrate, soothe, and boost shine. Since sake comes from rice, it may help support scalp health and hair softness. Used once or twice a week, this yuzu-scented scrub leaves hair noticeably softer, smoother, and easier to manage.
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, platinum fiber, sake water, pearl extract
Best For: All hair types
Size: 8.1 oz.
### Best Hair Gloss: Shu Uemura Izumi Tonic Strengthening Gloss Treatment
Price: $62 at Amazon
Why We Love It: Shu Uemura is a well-known brand, and this hair treatment is inspired by traditional rice water. It helps repair damaged hair, restoring moisture, elasticity, and strength from root to tip. While it’s pricier than other Japanese options, the formula smooths the hair cuticle and reinforces the hair fiber, delivering visible shine and strengthening benefits. Clinically tested to improve shine and reduce breakage, it’s safe for all hair types, though those with fine to medium hair will see the most dramatic results. Application is simple: use the nozzle to apply the gloss in a zigzag motion through the mid-lengths and ends, wait five minutes, then rinse.
Key Ingredients: Rice water
Best For: Fine to medium hair
Size: 200 mL
### Best Hair Mask: Fino Premium Touch Hair Mask
Price: $15 at Amazon
Why We Love It: If your hair is rough, dry, or dehydrated, this Japanese hair mask is worth trying—especially at under $20. A staple in Japan, it’s a deeply conditioning treatment that improves softness and manageability, especially for dry or chemically treated hair. However, it works more cosmetically than reparatively, coating the hair surface to temporarily smooth and align the cuticle. The result is sleek, silky, and more manageable hair. With regular use, strands gradually become softer and easier to style, no matter what they’ve been through.
Key Ingredients: Squalane, royal jelly extract, glutamic acid
Best For: Dry, damaged hair
Size: 230 g
### Best Hair Oil: &honey Deep Moist Hair Oil
Price: $23 at Amazon
Why We Love It: As someone with frizzy hair, I’m always looking for a lightweight hair oil to smooth flyaways and add shine. While many formulas can leave hair flat or greasy, this one from &honey gets it right. It helps retain moisture, adds shine and smoothness, and feels lightweight on the hair. The formula is packed with argan oil, three types of honey, royal jelly, propolis, silk, hyaluronic acid, keratin, ceramides, and rose extract to strengthen and nourish hair.The formula moisturizes strands and is gentle enough for overnight use, even if it touches the skin. Hotaka adds that it’s also very effective when applied before blow-drying, as it helps lock in moisture and protect hair from heat damage.
Key Ingredients: Rose flower extract, keratin, ceramide, manuka honey, acacia honey, raw honey
Best For: Dry, damaged hair and frizz
Size: 100 mL
Everything You Need To Know
What do the Japanese do for their hair?
“Japanese haircare focuses on prevention through gentle cleansing, regular treatments, and maintaining scalp health to support long-term hair quality,” says Kim. According to Flores, common practices include using sulfate-free shampoos, nourishing conditioners, and hair masks with botanical extracts, rice proteins, and oils to strengthen and hydrate hair. Scalp care is also a major priority, along with minimizing heat styling and chemical damage—all to keep hair smooth, resilient, and naturally glossy.
What is the Japanese secret to healthy hair?
Hotaka explains that the Japanese “secret” is a holistic approach built on consistency and care. “Japanese people typically shampoo daily, apply hair oil or leave-in treatments properly, and make sure to dry their hair thoroughly,” she says. Regular salon visits every one to two months are common, as is investing in high-quality tools and products, from professional shampoos and hair dryers to silk pillowcases. Scalp health is key, with scalp massages often part of salon treatments. Beyond routines, she notes that nourishing hair from within is equally important, with many people eating hair-supportive foods like seaweed and sesame seeds to promote strength and shine.
How We Tested
When testing and reviewing products, we take a holistic approach to provide well-rounded recommendations. We start by consulting Vogue’s network of experts—from board-certified dermatologists to celebrity hairstylists—to learn which products these professionals actually use with their clients. We combine their expertise with our editorial standards to create the thoughtful selections you see on our site.
For Japanese hair-care products, we evaluated them based on ingredients, formula types, how hair feels after use, and the specific concerns they address. We paired our own hands-on testing with expert guidance and customer reviews to determine which products to recommend.
Meet the Experts
Sky Kim is a celebrity hairstylist based in Brooklyn, New York, whose clients include Gigi Hadid, Oscar Isaac, Uma Thurman, and Rachel Brosnahan.
Nicolas Flores is a celebrity stylist and owner of Flore Salon in Los Angeles, with clients such as Sofia Richie Grainge and Selena Gomez.
Ritsuko Hotaka is a hairstylist with over 20 years of experience in Tokyo and New York and the founder of On Session Salon in Manhattan.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs Top 6 Japanese Hair Products for a Full JBeauty Routine
Q1 What makes Japanese hair care different from Western hair care
A Jbeauty focuses on scalp health lightweight hydration and achieving tsuya It prioritizes gentle highquality ingredients and a multistep routine for repair and prevention rather than just masking problems
Q2 What are the essential steps in a Japanese hair care routine
A A core routine typically includes 1 A gentle clarifying shampoo 2 A deeply conditioning treatment or mask 3 A leavein treatment or hair milk for daily moisture and often 4 A hair oil to seal in shine and smooth the cuticle
Q3 I have fine flat hair Wont these products weigh it down
A Not at all Japanese formulas are famous for being lightweight Look for products labeled milk water or light oil They provide moisture without heaviness often adding volume and body
Q4 What is hair milk and how do I use it
A Hair milk is a lightweight milky leavein conditioner Apply a small amount to damp or dry hair midlengths to ends after washing It detangles adds softness and provides light hold and shine without stickiness
Q5 Can you give an example of a top Japanese shampoo and what it does
A A cult favorite is Shiseido Tsubaki Premium Repair Shampoo Its enriched with camellia oil to deeply nourish repair damage and enhance shine while gently cleansing the scalp
Q6 What is a treatment in Jbeauty and is it like a Western conditioner
A A treatment is a deep conditioning mask or pack used 12 times a week Its more intensive than a daily rinseout conditioner designed to repair severe damage restore elasticity and provide longlasting hydration
Q7 Are there specific products for colored or chemicallytreated hair