| Ingredient | Studied for | Evidence in short | Usual form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astaxanthin | Skin moisture; eye comfort after screen work | Mixed for skin moisture, no effect on wrinkles; eye trials often tested combinations | Soft capsule (oil-soluble, light-sensitive) |
| Ceramide | Skin hydration and barrier function | Small trials, often industry-linked, show a real but modest hydration effect | Capsule, tablet, drink |
| Collagen peptide | Skin hydration and elasticity | Several meta-analyses positive; a 2025 analysis found the effect only in industry-funded trials | Powder, drink, jelly (gram-level dose) |
| Elastin peptide | Skin elasticity and hydration | Small trials; a 12-week placebo-controlled study and supporting cell research | Tablet, capsule |
| Evening primrose oil | Skin barrier and comfort measures | A 2013 Cochrane review of 27 trials found no benefit; individual trial results are mixed | Soft capsule |
| Glutathione | Skin brightness (purified form restricted as a food ingredient in Japan) | Not applicable to purified glutathione as a declared food ingredient in Japan | Purified form not permitted in foods in Japan; yeast-based route only |
| Hyaluronic acid | Skin moisture and elasticity | A 2025 meta-analysis of 7 small trials positive; larger trials needed; often industry-funded | Capsule, tablet, drink |
| L-cystine | Hair density and skin/hair keratin support | Small trials of L-cystine combined with other nutrients; not tested alone | Tablet, capsule |
| Lycopene | Skin response to UV exposure | Small trials positive; short, and results include molecular markers as well as visible skin measures | Soft capsule (oil-soluble) |
| Pine bark extract | Skin pigmentation and photoaging signs | Small trials, one open-label and industry-funded; positive but not independently replicated at scale | Tablet, capsule |
| Placenta extract | Skin water loss, elasticity and pigmentation | Thin: two small 4-week skin trials, both funded by the extract makers | Tablet, capsule, drink |
| Sea buckthorn oil | Tear film and eye comfort in small randomised trials | Mixed results across two trials in the same population; skin-specific human evidence is limited | Softgel, oil blend |
| Tranexamic acid | Skin pigmentation (medicine in Japan, not a food ingredient) | Not applicable — not permitted as a food ingredient in Japan | Not permitted in foods in Japan |
Japan-made supplement OEM
Beauty supplements made in Japan
Japanese beauty supplements are known abroad for drinks, jellies and small daily capsules built around collagen, hyaluronic acid, ceramides and astaxanthin. Most of the research on these ingredients looks at skin moisture and elasticity, and the size and funding of that research vary a great deal between ingredients.
The table below shows each ingredient, what it has been studied for and the usual dosage form. Each guide sets out the studies, their limits and how the ingredient is formulated in Japan, with sources.
Beauty ingredients at a glance
What each ingredient has been studied for, how strong the published evidence is, and the usual dosage form.
“Studied for” describes research on healthy functions. It is not a claim that any product prevents, treats or cures a disease.
Before you choose a formula
Dosage form selection How tablet, capsule, softgel, powder, jelly, drink and gummy compare for a Japan-made supplement Export labelling and documents Japanese vs destination-market labels, over-labelling, country-of-origin rules, and factory documents to request Food-medicine boundary (食薬区分) How Japan's shoku-yaku kubun system decides food versus medicine status, and what it means for an export OEM order Starting a Japan-made supplement brand The steps from concept to launch for a brand that wants a supplement made in Japan
Frequently asked questions
Which beauty ingredients have the most research behind them?
Collagen peptide and hyaluronic acid have the largest numbers of randomised trials on skin moisture and elasticity, but much of that research is industry-funded. Each guide states the size, population and funding of the studies it cites.
What dosage form suits a beauty supplement?
It depends on the dose. Collagen is taken in grams, so drinks, jellies and powder sticks are common. Hyaluronic acid, ceramide and astaxanthin work at milligram amounts and fit capsules and tablets.
Can a beauty supplement claim to reduce wrinkles?
Claims are set by the rules of the market where you sell. The research on most beauty ingredients supports describing them as studied for skin moisture and elasticity, not as treatments. We help you keep the wording within what the evidence and your market allow.
Contact
Tell us what you want to buy or sell — in Vietnam or Japan
Selling into Vietnam or Japan, sourcing from either, or a product made under your own brand. One Japanese-managed team in Ho Chi Minh City, working in English, Japanese and Vietnamese.