If it feels like everyone on your social feed went to Tokyo this year, you’re not imagining it. Japan has become one of the premier destinations—not just for travel enthusiasts, but for beauty lovers—and Japanese haircare in particular has been the talk of the FYP. Japanese formulas tend to be gentle, thoughtfully-formulated, safe for damaged and color-treated hair, and often more affordable than many of the luxury options we rely on in the U.S.
At the core 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 viewed as the result of a healthy scalp, with routines designed to protect the hair fiber and minimize cumulative damage.”
Vogue’s…
If it feels like everyone on your social feed went to Tokyo this year, you’re not imagining it. Japan has become one of the premier destinations—not just for travel enthusiasts, but for beauty lovers—and Japanese haircare in particular has been the talk of the FYP. Japanese formulas tend to be gentle, thoughtfully-formulated, safe for damaged and color-treated hair, and often more affordable than many of the luxury options we rely on in the U.S.
At the core 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 viewed as the result of a healthy scalp, with routines designed to protect the hair fiber and minimize cumulative damage.”
Vogue’s Favorite Japanese Hair Products
Best Shampoo & Conditioner Set
Silk The Rich Shampoo & Conditioner Set
Best Hair-Dye Shampoo
Kiwabi Root Vanish Color Shampoo
Best Scalp Scrub
NatureLab. Tokyo Perfect Clean Scalp Scrub & Clarifying Shampoo
Culture also plays a major role: Japanese hairstylist Ritsuko Hotaka notes that grooming is instilled early on. “From a young age, people are taught that personal grooming is important. In Japan, beautiful hair is often considered more important than wearing beautiful clothes,” she explains. Also influenced by the country’s humid climate, there is a strong emphasis on keeping hair smooth, shiny, and well-maintained.
Below, we consulted the pros to curate this edit of the best Japanese hair-care products across different formula types. Consider it a streamlined introduction to a J-beauty hair-care routine, from shampoo and conditioner to a clarifying scrub, gloss treatment, hair mask, and lightweight oil, should you choose to go all in.
In This Story
- What do the Japanese do for their hair?
- What is the Japanese secret to healthy hair?
- How We Tested
- Meet the Experts
Best Shampoo & Conditioner: Silk The Rich Shampoo & Conditioner Set
Silk The Rich
Shampoo & Conditioner Set
- Why We Love It: If you’re curious about J-beauty haircare, this set from Silk The Rich is a great place to start. It’s popular for good reason, thanks to nourishing oils like jojoba and argan, which Hotaka says help moisturize the hair without weighing it down. Kim adds that “the formulas focus on moisture and cuticle smoothing, leaving hair hydrated, polished, and flexible rather than heavy.” The hydrating and repair shampoo and conditioner duo is safe for damaged and color-treated hair and helps soften strands, reduce frizz, improve manageability, and restore shine. Unlike some overly potent formulas, the scent is clean and subtle, making it easy to use every day.
- Key Ingredients: Jojoba oil, argan oil, ceramides, hyaluronic acid
- Best For: All hair types
- Size: 250 mL
Best Hair-Dye Shampoo: Kiwabi Hair Color Shampoo
Kiwabi
Root Vanish Color Shampoo
- Why We Love It: I’m at the age where my gray hairs are coming in with a vengeance, and whether that’s stress, genetics, or both feels beside the point—I just know I want them covered. Most traditional dyes are packed with harsh chemicals, which is why this Japanese hair-color shampoo has earned a permanent spot in my shower rotation. According to celebrity hairstylist Nicolas Flores, “This dark brown hair-dye shampoo gradually covers grays while cleansing and nourishing the 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 in place of your regular shampoo for a customizable color that builds evenly and looks natural over time. Hotaka is also a fan, noting that she and her mother-in-law use it regularly. She adds that while it doesn’t deliver the immediate intensity of henna, the color builds gradually with continued use, which makes it feel more 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
NatureLab. Tokyo
Perfect Clean Scalp Scrub & Clarifying Shampoo
- Why We Love It: If you’re loyal to dry shampoo or hairspray, you’re probably familiar with how gunky hair can feel after a few days of buildup, especially if you stretch time between washes. One of the fastest ways to reset an oily scalp is with this 2-in-1 scalp scrub and shampoo from NatureLab.Tokyo. Flores explains that it gently exfoliates with sugar crystals to lift away product buildup while cleansing the scalp, creating a clean, healthy foundation for hair without causing dryness or irritation. The formula is infused with hyaluronic acid, platinum fiber, sake water (!!!), and pearl extract to hydrate, soothe, and boost shine. Hotaka notes that since sake is derived from rice, it may offer similar benefits, helping support scalp health and hair softness. Used just once or twice a week, this yuzu-scented exfoliant leaves hair feeling 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
Shu Uemura
Izumi Tonic Strengthening Gloss Treatment
- Why We Love It: You may already be familiar with Shu Uemura, as many of the brand’s beauty products have crossed into the mainstream by way of Sephora. Inspired by traditional rice water (kome no togijiru), this hair treatment helps repair damaged hair, and restore moisture, elasticity, and strength from root to tip, per Hotaka. While it’s pricier than other Japanese options, Kim notes that the formula “smooths the cuticle and reinforces the hair fiber, delivering visible shine alongside strengthening benefits.” It’s also clinically-tested to improve shine and reduce breakage. The treatment is safe for all hair types, though those with fine-to-medium hair will notice the most dramatic results. If the idea of a treatment feels intimidating, the application couldn’t be simpler: Use the nozzle to apply the gloss in a zigzag motion through mid-lengths and ends, wait five minutes, then rinse.
- Key Ingredients: Rice water
- Best For: Fine hair, medium hair
- Size: 200 mL
Best Hair Mask: Fino Premium Touch Hair Mask
Fino
Premium Touch Hair Mask
- Why We Love It: If your hair leans rough, dry, or chronically dehydrated, this Japanese hair mask is well-worth trying, especially considering it rings in at under-$20 on Amazon. A staple in Japan, the Fino hair mask is a “deeply conditioning treatment that improves softness and manageability, particularly for dry or chemically treated hair,” says Kim. That said, Hotaka notes that the mask works more cosmetically than reparatively. Rather than rebuilding the hair from within, it coats the surface of the strand, temporarily smoothing and aligning the cuticle. The result is hair that feels sleek, silky, and noticeably more manageable. With regular use, strands gradually become softer and easier to work with, regardless of what you’ve put them through.
- Key Ingredients: Squalane, royal jelly extract, glutamic acid
- Best For: Dry, damage repair
- Size: 230 G.
Best Hair Oil: &honey Deep Moist Hair Oil
&Honey
Deep Moist Hair Oil
- Why We Love It: As someone with frizzy hair, I’m always reaching for a lightweight hair oil to smooth flyaways and add shine. While, many formulas do the opposite–leaving my hair flat or greasy—this one from &honey gets it right. “Formulated to help retain moisture, it adds shine and smoothness while remaining lightweight on the hair,” says Kim. Ingredient-wise, Flores notes that it’s packed with argan oil, three types of honey, royal jelly, propolis, silk, and hyaluronic acid, along with keratin, ceramides, and rose extract to strengthen and moisturize strands. Hotaka adds that the formula is gentle enough to use at night, even if it comes into contact with the skin. “It’s also very effective when applied before blow-drying, helping lock in moisture and protect the hair from heat damage.”
- Key Ingredients: Rose flower extract, keratin, ceramide, manuka honey, acacia honey, raw honey
- Best For: Dry, damaged strands, frizz
- Size: 100 mL
Everything You Need To Know
What do the Japanese do for their hair?
“Japanese haircare emphasizes prevention through gentle cleansing, regular treatments, and maintaining scalp health to support long-term hair quality,” says Kim. Common practices include using sulfate-free shampoos, nourishing conditioners, and hair masks formulated with botanical extracts, rice proteins, and oils to strengthen and hydrate strands, according to Flores. Scalp care is also a major focus, along with minimizing heat styling and chemical damage, all in the interest of keeping hair smooth, resilient, and naturally glossy.
What is the Japanese secret to healthy hair?
Hotaka says the Japanese beauty “secret” to healthy hair is a holistic approach rooted in 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 explains. Regular salon visits, often every one-to-two months, are also common, as is investing in high-quality tools and products, from professional shampoos and hair dryers to silk pillowcases. Scalp health plays a key role as well, with scalp massages frequently incorporated into salon treatments. Beyond products and routines, she notes that nourishing hair from the inside is equally important, with many people eating hair-supportive foods like seaweed and sesame seeds to promote strength and shine.
How We Tested
When we test and review a product, we take a holistic approach to deliver well-rounded product recommendations. First, we lean on Vogue’s vast network of experts—from board-certified dermatologists to celebrity hairstylists—to gain professional acumen on the industry’s standout products, ones these specialists would actually use on their clients. We pair their expertise with our editorial best practices to curate the thoughtful edits you read on our site.
As it relates to Japanese hair-care products, we selected the best based on the following characteristics: ingredients, formula types, how the hair feels post-treatment, and the hair-care concerns they address. To do this, we paired our own personal tests of each formula with expert guidance and reviewer insights to determine which we would recommend to you.
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 including 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.