You’ve heard of “glass skin,” “glazed donut skin,” and “cloud skin,” but have you ever heard of “mochi skin”? The Japanese skin-care trend of mochi hada (which translates to “rice-cake skin”) popular throughout Asia is synonymous with a bouncy, baby-soft face complete with a velvety, satin finish, true to the frozen dessert its inspired by.
Despite the matte finish of a mochi dough, hydration is a major component to mochi skin, which means you need a juicy, skin-plumping moisturizer to realize your mochi-hada dreams. That’s where DamDam’s Mochi Mochi Luminous Plumping & Hydrating Moisturizer ($48) comes in. The rich, pillow-soft cream is as scrumptious as it sounds—it packs on the hydration without the overwhelming dew, and it’s the secret to giving you sweet skin in seconds. Here’s why you’ll want to add it to your Sephora cart immediately.
Key ingredients: Japanese shiso, glycern, and phytic acid.
It contains Japanese shiso, a key source of antioxidants
One thing that makes the Mochi Mochi Moisturizer so special is its key ingredient, shiso, which is a Japanese variety of mint. “Traditionally, it is a staple ingredient in culinary dishes. For example, it is usually eaten with sashimi which helps keep the raw fish fresh,” explain DamDam co-founders, Giselle Go, and Philippe Terrien.
In the Mochi Mochi Moisturizer, shiso immediately refreshes skin (only without the tingle like you might expect from a mint ingredient), while treating it to essential nutrients that give it a healthy, plumped up appearance. “It has a very high content of omega-3 fatty acids [which help nourish skin for a plump appearance] as well as antioxidant properties,” explain the co-founders. Shiso is also reported to help prevent UV-induced signs of aging, according to research.
It *plumps up* dry, dehydrated skin
If your skin is feeling parched, the Mochi Mochi Moisturizer is guaranteed to hit it with a burst of mega-moisture thanks to the addition of glycerin, a moisture-binding humectant that dermatologists say belongs in everyone’s beauty routine. Glycerin gives the moisturizer a rich buttery texture that effortlessly glides over dry patches and fine lines for a smooth, bouncy finish without glazed donut levels of dewiness.
Mochi Mochi Moisturizer is so rich, in fact, that you truly only need the tiniest bit to revive a dry face—which only makes its $48 price tag more appealing, in my opinion. What’s more, the cream’s hydrating formula creates a smooth canvas for makeup—but be warned: you might love its mochi effect so much, you’ll want to skip foundation altogether, just saying.
It brightens and smooths skin over time
The Mochi Mochi Moisturizer has the subtlest hint of luminosity that instantly combats dullness, while supporting visibly brighter and smoother looking skin over time. This is from the final key ingredient: phytic acid.
“Phytic acid is a plant-based antioxidant that can help to defend the skin against sun damage while brightening hyperpigmentation,” explains NYC-based dermatologist Hadley King, MD-FAAD. The phytic acid in the Mochi Mochi Moisturizer is derived from rice, which according to DamDam’s founders, is core to the cream’s mochi skin finish. “It works as an exfoliator and blocks the synthesis of melanin in the epidermis,” adds Dr. King. What you get is a super gentle exfoliation that gradually reveals smoother, more even-looking skin every time you put it on.
Sweet, smooth, and so soft, Mochi Mochi Moisturizer is going to be a definite “yes” for me. If you want skin that’s good enough to eat snag a tub of the cream for yourself. Find it on the Sephora site, here.