5 of the best Japanese Drugstore Night Creams

Finding a night cream at the Japanese drugstore can take a little investigating.

Firstly, not many of them are actually called night creams. In fact, only one of the products featured here is actually called a night cream! But no need to fret, there are plenty of options for you to try from the Japanese drugstore brands, you just have to know what to look for.

In Japan, a lot of night creams tend to have  a more gel like texture and can be called “all-in-one” face gel/ creams or more recently “sleeping packs” or “overnight masks”. By brand they can vary a great deal, but in this post I have collated products that are ideal to use on your skin overnight to give you skin some extra moisture, as well as other skincare benefits such as brightening or firming.

So to get you started, here are 5 great night creams/ sleeping pack/ overnight masks that you can find at the Japanese drugstore.

Astalift Night Cream ¥7,560

Ideal for dry and mature skin types. 

If you want a seriously hydrating and rich night cream then you need look no further than the red mirrored pot of Astalift night cream. Astalift is an intensely hydrating cream, has a pleasant light texture that nourishes and repairs the skin while you sleep. When my skin is need of some serious comfort in the depths of winter this is perfect.

Shiseido Elixir Sleeping Gel Pack ¥3,024

Ideal for targeting fine lines and lack of radiance. 

Newly released, Shiseido Elixir Sleeping Pack  is a highly elastic gel pack (mask) that contains a bevy of moisturising and beauty ingredients, including Shiseido’s signature blend of collagen and inositol, and plant-based rosemary and olive leaf extracts. Designed to tackle the most common signs of aging (fine lines, skin elasticity and radiance) while you sleep, this gel pack delivers maximum benefit from your beauty sleep.

 

Instream Night Shield Gel ¥4,320

Perfect for hydrating and plumping skin. 

Instream Night Shield Gel has a growing number of devotees, and is definitely one of the most sought after drugstore products in the night cream/ sleeping pack category. The Instream Night Shield has a light gel formula packed with active ingredients that repairs skin damage overnight, leaving the skin soft, smooth and plump when you wake.

 

Gekka Sleeping Pack ¥3,218

Perfect for soothing redness and reducing pores. 

Another lightweight gel formula sleeping pack, but the Gekka Sleeping Pack is anything but lightweight when it comes to results. Gekka Sleeping Pack contains an impressive combination of collagen,hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, amino acids and liquorice root. This all in one cream soothes inflammation, reduces the appearance of pores and pigmentation, as well as moisturising and firming the skin. Phew! This is a really great product for all skin types, but in particular a great find for those with sensitive skin.

 

Hada Labo Perfect Gel ¥1,980

Ideal for brightening the skin.

Hada Labo Perfect Gel  of course contains the brands signature blend of 3  kinds of super hyaluronic acid to promote the levels of hydration deep with the skin layers,  but also arbutin and allantoin to soothe and brighten your complexion. Perfect Gel is ideal to wear as a sleeping pack, and after a week of regular use you will notice the difference.

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Where can you buy these products in Tokyo?

Astalift– Astalift store in Tokyo Midtown, Japanese drugstores and Ainz & Tulpe.

Shiseido Elixir– Japanese drugstores and Ainz & Tulpe

Instream– Matsumoto Kiyoshi

Gekka– @cosme

Hada Labo– Japanese drugstores and Ainz & Tulpe