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The Japanese are often at the cusp of wacky and wonderful trends. From Hello Kitty to anime, to 'kawaii' (the culture of being cute) their unique style is loved around the globe.

And in the world of skincare, it's widely known that for cutting edge trends, the latest in technology and highly effective anti-ageing concepts, you look to Japan. They're pretty serious about their beauty.

A case in point: the influx of skin brightening and anti-pigmentation products that has increased over the last three years has slowly filtered over to us from the east. Skin lightening technology has been favoured by the Japanese for their "clear, milky" Geisha-look complexion for centuries.

We are now seeing a rise in sheet or cloth masques soaked in serums and used to treat a variety of skin concerns - a practice long revered by Japanese women.

Sales of cleansing oils have soared above lotions and foams over recent years. It's a technique Japanese women champion and was brought over to us by Shu Uemura. And the BB, CC and DD creams that are all over the beauty brand radar at the moment? They, too, are Japanese by origin (although controversially Korea also claims to have originated BB creams).

So what will be the next big trends?

Carbonated cleansing

Think sparkling water, but incorporated into your skin and body routine. 'Fizzy' products are making waves in Japan. They use carbonic acid, an ingredient proven effective in penetrating the skin and activating cells by increasing blood flow. Carbonic acid also lifts dirt from pores (shrinking them in the process) and assists dry and acne-riddled skin. Carbonated products include bubbling cleansers, skin-perfecting sparkling drinks, aerosol moisturisers that spray in fizzy mists and sparkling bath liquids.

Placenta

Some beauty treatments from the region, like bird poo facials, or the snail facial, are just a bit icky for many people. This new treatment is in that basket, but the number of Japanese women who are taking placenta supplements, drinking blended concoctions (available readily from Tokyo pharmacies) or applying them topically is on the rise and they report glowingly on the beautifying effects.

Through the vitamins and nutrients contained (the sources vary from human to sheep to pigs) the active extract improves elasticity and firmness of the skin, and has a brightening effect.

Jennifer Lopez is said to be a fan of placenta facials, reportedly requesting them twice a week to stimulate and plump-up her skin.

The latest in texture: jelly

Will we soon see jelly moisturisers on our beauty counters? Time will tell. Jellies are all the rage in Japan, with Astalift, a leading premium skincare brand in the region (it was developed by camera company Fujifilm which applied the technology used to prevent image fading in film to skincare) now offering their best-selling Jelly Aquarysta product. The jelly texture allows for micro particles of antioxidants to penetrate faster and deeper into the skin, giving a tightened and plumped effect and targeting premature ageing.

Japanese women have embraced the jelly-based products because of their perfect consistency. Not as heavy as a cream, but more durable than a gel, they're the perfect texture for a fast-absorbing, easy-to-use skin applicator.

Hero ingredients

Home-grown and international brands are starting to take notice of cult Japanese ingredients. Australian brand La Purete recently launched their Wakeme range, which uses Japanese seaweed, commonly used in the Japanese beauty routine, to reduce signs of ageing and increase protection against sun exposure.

Another Japanese staple that features in diet and skincare is rice bran. Popular formulations in Japan (and now available internationally) feature the extract, including the ever-popular Tatcha Rice Enzyme Powder, which provides gentle exfoliation and cleansing. Rice Bran oil is commonly used in place of olive oil and is known for the moisturising properties that come from its high Vitamin E content.

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