Transform Your Skin with this Revered Japanese Skincare Ritual

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Do the polished mirrors and gleaming glass and glamour of a luxury skincare counter draw you like a moth to a flame? Do you long for glistening gilded bottles filled not just with promises but results? Premium Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese skincare products fill my vanity. Not because they’re Instaworthy, but because they’ve transformed my self-care routine as well as my skin. And discovering Albion has only elevated that experience.

In 1956, Hideo Kobayashi founded Albion with the lofty goal of becoming the number one luxury cosmetics manufacturer in Japan and the world. Today, Albion continues to cause a stir in the beauty industry with their technologically advanced skincare products. The company is also deeply committed to giving back by investing in communities where they source some of their ingredients, such as Madagascar. 

Generations of women share a love of the brand’s iconic Skin Conditioner, and Albion boasts a low 2.6% return rate, one of the lowest in Japan, where a return rate under 5% is considered superb. Albion strives to help us embrace our individuality as well as celebrate our innate inner beauty. With locations in 10 overseas markets, their highly anticipated United States flagship store will soon be opening in Venice Beach, California.

“We are here to reveal the beauty within. #FindYourBeauty”

If the very thought of the 7-skin method or a 10-step skincare routine overwhelms you, then Albion’s 4-step ritual will put your mind at ease. J-beauty elevates the skincare routine not by increasing the number of layers of toner you apply or the number of steps you must complete; it does so by satisfying the skin’s core needs in a precise, yet mindful way with four key products: cleanser, balancing milk, essence, and serum/cream.

Most skincare-savvy consumers understand the role toners play in their routine, and Albion is an industry leader in the concept of “milk first.” The Infinesse Derma Pump Milk S is an ultra-creamy hydrator with the heft of an emulsion that should be applied immediately after cleansing, which seems contrary to the thin-to-thick application approach most people employ.

It contains carnosine, a biomimetic synthetic peptide that has led to “visibly tightened and more elastic, flexible, and moisturized” skin in a research study involving women 45–65 years old. Additionally, OSK9 – the standout ingredient in Infinesse – nourishes the skin with five amino acids and penetrates deeply to give skin “a more lifted, youthful look.”

Albion recommends applying three pumps to a facial cotton and circling it gently into the skin. It absorbs best when applied this way, far better, in fact, than when I used my hands. The experience was so luxurious that I promptly repurchased my favorite Japanese facial cottons just to enjoy the experience even more. Bonus: The elegant porcelain white and gold pump bottle even has a special protective cap instead of a twist-style locking mechanism, which allows for safe, efficient transport and a precisely dispensed amount of product each and every time.

Perhaps one of the least understood Japanese beauty products is the essence. To fully appreciate the ingredients in Albion’s iconic Flora Drip, apply it after the Infinesse Derma Pump Milk S (or your regular toner). Don’t let the word “serum” on the packaging throw you. This gorgeous, milky-hued, watery liquid is non-sticky, whisper-light, and contains:

• Artemisia Capillaris (aka mugwort) to reduce inflammation
• Artemisia Montana to boost collagen and stimulate wound healing
• Cornflower to provide both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits
• Lemon Balm, which “has the potential to protect human skin against UV-induced damage”
• Thyme for its astringent properties

Fermentation fans will delight at the way Albion has utilized white koji fungus to increase the bioavailability and efficacy of these tried-and-true herbs. All of them “are grown without agrochemicals and processed at Albion’s own research institute located in Akita Prefecture.” And what can you expect after using it? Plump, smooth, bright, hydrated skin with less visible pores and fine lines.

That’s a lot to live up to, so I applied this luxurious essence from my forehead to my decolletage area and never needed an additional serum because the Flora Drip hydrated my skin so completely. It absorbs beautifully, doesn’t feel tacky or sticky, and has made me feel more confident when wearing sun dresses and tank tops because my skin looks more plump and actually feels firmer. No small feat there!

In an industry filled with brands telling us that if less is more, then more must be better, Albion is a refreshing standout. Less isn’t necessarily more unless the technology, ingredients, and efficacy exceed consumer expectations.

If you appreciate those qualities as well as innovative formulations and ingredients from a company whose DNA is rooted in giving back, Albion is for you.