Nameraka Honpo: Japanese Cleanser Guide
Nameraka Honpo (なめらか本舗) is a Japanese skincare range produced under the Sana brand and manufactured by Tokiwa Pharmaceutical. The range is based around a unique ingredient; soy milk. The products contain soybean isoflavones, which have a moisturizing effect to leave skin feeling soft and supple.
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The signature ingredients in this range include fermented soy milk, soybean seed extract, soybean protein, soybean oil and squalane. The range is focused on natural ingredients so they are gentle on the skin; with no mineral oils, fragrances or coloring used.
This affordable range first debuted in 2004 and has since grown in popularity to include a wide range of products (quite a few of them bestsellers!) They can easily be found in drugstores and specialty stores all over Japan. Some of the products can be hard to distinguish as they have very similar packaging, so I’ve put together this little guide to outline the cleansers in the range, along with links to find them online.
What is the best Nakamura Honpo cleanser?
The following ratings are based upon the average product ratings across a range of Japanese (and global) beauty and shopping sites.
Nameraka Honpo: Japanese Cleansers
1. Nameraka Honpo Cleansing Milk
This soy milk cleansing milk is designed to remove makeup gently, without needing to scrub. Comes in a pump bottle for easy dispensing.
2. Nameraka Honpo Cleansing Cream
This soy milk cleansing cream helps cleanse dirty pores and provide firmness and elasticity to the skin. Some of the more critical reviews note that it can leave a slightly tacky feeling.
3. Nameraka Honpo Cleansing Wash
This soy milk cleansing wash is their highest rated cleanser and can be lathered up into a rich, fluffy foam using a foaming net. It helps to remove makeup and leaves skin feeling smooth and moisturized. Only a small amount of product needs to be used, or it can have a drying effect.
4. Nameraka Honpo Moist Cleansing Wash
This soy milk cleansing wash is based on the regular Cleansing Wash above, but with added moisture. It washes the face gently, leaves a moist finish and has some glowing reviews!
5. Nameraka Honpo Haritsuya Cleansing Wash
In addition to the signature soy milk ingredients, this cleansing wash also contains encapsulated coenzyme Q10. This has been a hero ingredient in Japanese skincare for years, and helps to even out skin tone and energize cell activity. It’s also rather highly-rated!
6. Nameraka Honpo Wrinkle Cleansing Cream
This product variation is designed to diminish the appearance of fine wrinkles that are caused by dryness. It contains retinol and ceramide to give skin a firm and elastic feel.
7. Nameraka Honpo Wrinkle Cleansing Wash
This cleansing wash is based on the Wrinkle Cleansing Cream above, but in a foaming format. It has a moisturizing effect to give dry skin a firm and elastic feel.
8. Nameraka Honpo Medicated Cleansing Wash
This medicated cleansing wash is designed to brighten and clear skin, while preventing rough skin and acne. It can be lathered up into a foam that removes light makeup. This product packaging has been redesigned and both versions are still on the market. The old packaging has a blue label, while the new packaging is predominately white (as shown above).
