Japaralia May 2026 vol. 32

English translation below by Perplexity

Vol. 32 – Does it work or not? Nurturing your skin

The days have become much shorter, and the weather is finally more comfortable. At this time of year, as the seasons change, so do our skin’s needs. This isn’t limited to skincare, but we often hear people say, “This works” or “This doesn’t work.” But is it really that simple? This month, I’d like to talk about skincare in a way that may help you choose what your skin truly needs.

Just as human beings are alive, so is our skin. As the body’s largest organ, skin is like a highly complex, precision machine beyond human wisdom. And because it has a natural tendency to maintain balance, even skin problems can become habits that are not easy to reverse. For example, someone who has smoked for 10 years and someone who has smoked for only 10 days will naturally face very different levels of effort and time when trying to quit. In the same way, every person’s skin is different, so ideally we should care for it according to its type and condition, while also adjusting for changes in season, weather, and overall health.

For example, have you ever heard someone say, “If you keep using the same product, it stops working”? I’m not a scientist, and I wasn’t there, so I don’t know the full truth. But I do wonder: if the product itself hasn’t changed, hasn’t something changed in our skin instead? We change our clothes with the seasons, don’t we? If you wear the same T-shirt every day, you wouldn’t say in winter, “This T-shirt doesn’t keep me warm anymore.” That T-shirt is simply retired until summer comes around again.

What matters is choosing skincare according to the season, your skin condition, and your age. It is not wise to dismiss products too quickly as “working” or “not working,” and constantly switching from one product to another can only confuse your skin. When you first start using something, it may seem better than what you used before, or feel smoother, or even seem to work immediately. Before deciding it has stopped working, ask yourself: “Have I just become used to it?” “Has my skin improved?” “Am I unwell?” First, look for changes in yourself.

Skin should be nurtured patiently, like raising a child or caring for a plant. If skin were really as simple as “this works” or “this doesn’t work,” then even a drop of soy sauce on the skin would soak right in. But the skin is not that simple. It protects our vital organs and regulates body temperature, and it does its job faithfully and continuously. Brilliant scientists continue researching how to deliver active ingredients effectively through this strong protective barrier.

We should keep giving our skin what it needs, patiently and consistently. Rather than choosing products because “everyone is talking about them” or “a friend said they’re good,” we should take the time to truly understand our own skin and choose accordingly. Think of babies or pets, who depend completely on their parents or owners. If what you give them becomes part of their growth and well-being, then you understand how important it is. If a friend with a dog says, “This food is amazing!” and you feed it to your cat, that would not be appropriate. I also studied an animal welfare course, and each animal has different foods they can eat and different nutritional needs. If the wrong thing is given continuously, it can cause harm. Skin is the same. If we don’t understand what is in a product or what it is meant to do, it won’t help skin grow well.

The balance of the skin is also a matter of addition and subtraction. “Addition” refers to the problems we create ourselves, such as the speed and amount of melanin production that leads to pigmentation, or bacteria and hormones that contribute to acne. “Subtraction” refers to things like daily UV protection, skincare, and laser treatments. If this balance is not right, the results will not be visible. We need to understand our skin’s character and patterns, and work on the “subtraction” side properly. When subtraction is done well, the results become clearer. The real question is not “Does it work or not?” but rather, “Am I moving toward the result I want?” or “Is my equation simply wrong?” Keeping this in mind can help.

That said, continuing the wrong skincare routine can do more than just fail to help — in the worst case, it can make things worse. If you are not sure why the results are not appearing, it is best to seek advice from a professional like me.

Ask the right questions. What type of skin do you have? What is your skin concern? What do you want to improve? Of course, not knowing can feel frightening. It is important to listen to the voices of people around you, but first, listen to your own skin. And then, feed it the kind of nourishment it truly needs.