Photo credit: Woman photo created by wayhomestudio – www.freepik.com
Hi there!
Pores is the biggest pain in the neck for me.. Does anyone agree with me? I guess there are many ladies who want to minimize pores..
This page gathered products that are effective in improving pore problems. #2 (Dr.Ci: Labo – VC100 Essence Lotion EX), 4 (Obagi C Serum Series) and 5 (Melano CC Series) are the products making the most of vitamin C. (Refer to this page for effects of vitamins.)
All of the products introduced in this page are famous and popular in Japan and have tons of positive reviews on reviewing sites, for example @cosme, so you can rely on this page. Hope you can find products most suited for you.
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—-Table of contents—-
- ALBION EXAGE – SEBUM CONTROL ESSENCE EX
- Dr.Ci: Labo – VC100 Essence Lotion EX
- ASTALIFT – Sparkle Tight Serum
- Obagi C Serum Series
- Melano CC Series
- TAKAMI – Skin Peel
- Keana Nadeshiko Series
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Size & Price |
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Official website | ALBION (eng) |
Search term | アルビオン エクサージュ シーバム コントロール エッセンス EX |
Rating | @cosme |
ALBION’s products are often introduced on this website, but this is a product especially for pores and sebum. This serum helps you get healthy skin by preventing dryness and excessive sebum production. Also, it removes pore gunk and blackheads to create clear and smooth skin.
This is to be used like a toner right after washing your face. Soak a cotton pad with the serum and gently swipe it over your face especially cheeks, nose and forehead where pores bother you. After this serum, treat your skin with your daily skincare items.
There are many product reviews on the biggest Japanese product review site, @cosme, which say that the bumpy skin was improved. Also, you would feel fresh after using this serum.

Size & Price |
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Official website | Dr.Ci: Labo |
Search term | ドクターシーラボ VC100エッセンスローションEX |
Rating | @cosme |
The characteristics of this product is that it includes plenty of vitamin C (APPS) which soaks into the inside of the skin very well as shown in the picture below. Since the vitamin C in the lotion has high permeability, it reaches a deeper layer than the other vitamin Cs. This lotion is rich and moist but not sticky.

Photo credit: https://www.ci-labo.com/shop/vc100lp.html
VC100 series has several skincare products which include vitamin C such as gel cream, serum and eye serum. If you wanna make the most of the power of vitamin C, it would be recommended to have a full set of VC100 series.

Price | 4,400 yen (tax included) |
Official website | ASTALIFT |
Search term | アスタリフト スパークル タイト セラム |
Rating | @cosme |
Size | 50g (for about 50 days) |
This is a brand new product from ASTALIFT. It is said that the product is great value for the price considering its quality. (I believe it deserves a higher price!) Foam comes out from the bottle and it pops on skin. The video below shows what it is like.
As written in other pages on this website, ASTALIFT is one of the best skincare brands in Japan. Search other good products by typing “ASTALIFT” into the search box on the front page of this webpage.
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Obagi C Serum series from Rohto Pharmaceutical is one of the best Japanese skincare products. Check this page (Japanese Skincare Products for Pore Care) for details of this series. This series has 4 different products, and the page explains how to pick up one for you.
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Melano CC is also one of the most popular skincare products in Japan. This series is from Rohto Pharmaceutical, too. While the Obagi C Serum series is relatively high-priced, Melano CC series is super cheap though effects are more than enough.
Serums are the most popular products among others from this series. There are two serums: normal type and premium type, and both serums amazingly include 4 active ingredients such as ascorbic acid and tocopheryl acetate. (It is quite tough for pharmaceutical companies to let the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare approve a product as a quasi-drug. (Quasi-drug is a skincare product which includes active ingredients.) In addition, there are just a few products at a low price that include 4 active ingredients.)
All the Melano CC products include Vitamin C or vitamin C derivatives. I’m using the serum with Panasonic’s electric facial device introduced in this page (Panasonic’s Best Facial & Body Care Devices (Top6)) so that the vitamin C soaks into skin well. As the serum is very cheap, I can use it as much as I want, and the Ion Effector enhances skin penetration of vitamin C. This is my best pore care because pores on my skin got smaller and my skin tone got clearer. I want everyone to try this way of improving pore problems.
Also, Melano CC series would be the best choice for those who think Obagi series is too pricey to use in a daily skincare.
See the following page for other products from Melano CC series: Rohto Pharmaceutical’s Melano CC Series
◆ Serum (Normal type)
Price | 1,210 yen (tax included) |
Official website | Melano CC |
Search term | メラノCC 薬用しみ集中対策美容液 |
Rating | @cosme |
Size | 20ml |
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◆ Serum (Premium type)
Price | 1,628 yen (tax included) |
Official website | Melano CC serum premium |
Search term | メラノCC 薬用しみ 集中対策 プレミアム美容液 |
Rating | @cosme |
Size | 20ml |

Price | 5,280 yen (tax included) |
Official website | TAKAMI Skin Peel |
Search term | タカミ スキンピール |
Rating | @cosme |
Size | 30ml |
As written in this page (Author’s Favorite Skincare Products), I’m actually using this product. This serum is effective in creating even skin texture by removing dead skin cells and blackheads. Use this product right after washing your face, and leave it for 3 minutes before the succeeding skincare items. Then, you will get clear and smooth skin.
This serum is not a pore care product focusing on vitamins but a very reliable serum as it was developed by cosmetic dermatologists. Try this product if you are looking for a serum for improving skin dullness, resilience and oily skin as well as pore problems.
⬆︎ TAKAMI’s official online shop on Rakuten Ichiba
*Keana (毛穴) means pore in Japanese.
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Keana Nadeshiko’s products are introduced in this page (Facial Sheet Masks Popular in Japan (for daily use)). These product were developed and designed to improve pore problems by the power of rice (米). It is said in Japan that water after rinsing rice has been used for skincare from long ago because rice has plenty of ceramides which moisturizes skin and improves moisture retention. Also, the essence of rice helps create even skin texture and obscure pores.
According to 毛穴撫子’s official website, both of the masks can be used every day. Since the price is quite low, there are many people who added the sheet masks to their skincare routine.
◆ Sheet mask
Price | 715 yen (tax included) |
Official website | 毛穴撫子 |
Search term | 毛穴撫子 お米のマスク |
Rating | @cosme |
Size | 10 sheets |
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◆ Face pack requires rinsing with warm water
Price | 1,250 yen (tax included) |
Official website | 毛穴撫子 |
Search term | 毛穴撫子 お米のパック |
Rating | @cosme |
Size | 170g |
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