Curel Face Wash: Foaming Cleanser vs Rich Mousse, Ingredients, pH

Curel face wash usually means the Curél Intensive Moisture Care Foaming Facial Wash (キュレル 潤浸保湿 泡洗顔料), a weakly acidic, fragrance-free foaming cleanser from Kao for dry, sensitive skin. Curél sells two face washes in its Intensive Moisture Care (潤浸保湿) line in Japan: the Foaming Facial Wash (泡洗顔料), a pump foam that Kao says cleanses while protecting skin’s ceramides, and the Rich Mousse Facial Wash (泡ジェル洗顔料), a carbonated foam that turns into a gel to lift sebum dirt that makes skin look dull. Both are medicated quasi-drugs with dipotassium glycyrrhizate as the active ingredient to prevent rough skin. For oily, acne-prone skin, Curél also has a Sebum Trouble Care foaming wash.

What you’ll learn in this article:

• The Curel face washes sold in Japan and how they differ
• Which Curel face wash to choose for your skin
• The active ingredient and full ingredient list of each face wash
• How to use each one, and whether they remove makeup and sunscreen
• Sizes, refills, shipping and where to buy Curel face wash from Japan

Curel Face Wash Compared: Foaming Facial Wash vs Rich Mousse Facial Wash

The Foaming Facial Wash is Curél’s everyday foam cleanser for dry, sensitive skin, while the Rich Mousse Facial Wash is a carbonated foam aimed at dullness from sebum dirt. The table also includes the Sebum Trouble Care foaming wash for oily skin.

From Kao’s official Japanese product pages and Curél cleansing page (as of October 2026). All three are fragrance-free, colorant-free and alcohol-free (no ethyl alcohol). The English names are those printed on the boxes; Kao’s English news release calls the Rich Mousse Facial Wash the Carbonated Foam Gel Cleanser. Kao doesn’t publish prices, so store prices in Japan vary.

• Fragrance-free
• Colorant-free
• Alcohol-free (no ethyl alcohol)
• Allergy-tested

Which Curel Face Wash Should You Choose?

For most people with dry, sensitive skin, the Foaming Facial Wash is the everyday choice, and it is the face wash Kao recommends for removing Curél sunscreen. Choose the Rich Mousse Facial Wash if dullness from sebum dirt bothers you, or the Sebum Trouble Care foaming wash if your skin is oily and acne-prone.

Based on Kao’s official product descriptions and product Q&A (as of October 2026).

Curel Foaming Facial Wash (Foaming Cleanser)

The Foaming Facial Wash (キュレル 潤浸保湿 泡洗顔料) is a pump foam cleanser that Kao says protects ceramides, the skin’s essential component that tends to wash out in daily cleansing. Kao says it doesn’t strip the moisture skin needs, rinses away sweat and dirt that can cause rough skin, and leaves skin moist and smooth. Its fine foam spreads over the whole face, so you don’t need to rub hard. It comes in a 150 mL bottle, a 300 mL large bottle (twice the regular size) and a 130 mL refill.

Curel Foaming Facial Wash Full Ingredient List

Key ingredient / Worth checking if your skin is sensitive

Curel Rich Mousse Facial Wash (Carbonated Foam)

The Rich Mousse Facial Wash (キュレル 潤浸保湿 泡ジェル洗顔料), released in Japan on 6 September 2025, is a carbonated foam cleanser that Kao says removes the dullness caused by sebum dirt and leaves skin moist with a clearer, livelier look. Kao says the carbonated foam soaks into the sebum dirt that makes skin look dull and loosens it, then turns into a gel as you work it in, so you can wash gently. Kao describes it as a face wash made entirely of toner ingredients. It comes in a 200 g pump can, and its active ingredient is dipotassium glycyrrhizate.

Because it is an aerosol made with carbon dioxide, Kao classes the Rich Mousse Facial Wash as dangerous goods for air transport, so international airmail may not accept it. Ask us on WhatsApp before ordering it.

Curel Rich Mousse Facial Wash Full Ingredient List

Key ingredient / Worth checking if your skin is sensitive

Ingredient lists from Kao’s official Japanese product pages (as of October 2026), in Japanese quasi-drug order: the active ingredient first, then the other ingredients. The English names are our translations of Kao’s Japanese labelling names. Formulas can change, so always check the package.

Is Curel Face Wash pH Balanced?

The Foaming Facial Wash (and the Sebum Trouble Care foaming wash) are labelled weakly acidic by Kao, which puts them in the same range as healthy skin (about pH 4.5 to 6). Kao doesn’t label the Rich Mousse Facial Wash as weakly acidic, and doesn’t publish exact pH values.

How to Use Curel Face Wash

The Foaming Facial Wash goes on wet skin and the Rich Mousse Facial Wash on dry or wet skin. Kao says the Foaming Facial Wash isn’t a makeup remover.

Foaming Facial Wash

1. Wet your face and take 2 pumps of foam into your hand. Don’t shake or tilt the bottle, or it won’t foam, and don’t pump it under running water.
2. Without whipping it further, spread the foam over your face and wash gently, as if wrapping your face in it.
3. Rinse until your skin feels clean.

Rich Mousse Facial Wash

1. Use it on dry or wet skin; Kao recommends dry skin for a bouncier foam. Don’t shake the can, and hold it upright.
2. Take a dollop about 4 cm across and place it on both cheeks, your forehead, the sides of your nose and your chin.
3. Wash gently with your fingertips, massaging in that order. It may feel briefly warm.
4. Rinse with water or lukewarm water, working it off; when the gel feels light, you have rinsed enough.

To remove Curél sunscreen, Kao recommends a Curél makeup remover (the gel or oil makeup remover), followed by the Foaming Facial Wash. In cold weather, if the Rich Mousse Facial Wash doesn’t foam well, Kao says to stand the can in lukewarm water for a few minutes, never hot water. Follow either wash with a toner, such as Curel lotion, then a Curel serum if you use one, and Curel face milk or Curel Intensive Moisture Cream.

For Curél’s gel, oil and milk makeup removers, see our Curel makeup remover guide.

For the Curél sunscreens this face wash removes, see our Curel sunscreen guide.

Where to Buy Curel Face Wash

The easiest way to get Curel face wash is to order it shipped directly from Japan through kachicollect. Buy from the kachicollect catalog with no proxy fees, and if you can’t find the face wash you want there, search Japanese stores or marketplaces for its Japanese name (for example, キュレル 潤浸保湿 泡洗顔料) and paste the product URL into kachicollect for an instant quote, with no request fee. Duties are shown in your total before you pay, and orders ship worldwide with tracking in about 7 to 14 days.

The Foaming Facial Wash isn’t classed as dangerous goods for air transport, according to Kao, but the Rich Mousse Facial Wash is, so ask us on WhatsApp before ordering it. On marketplaces such as eBay, check the Japanese name, since 泡洗顔料 and 泡ジェル洗顔料 look similar.

Proxy services that buy from Japanese stores on your behalf are another option, but the service fee they advertise is only the starting point, and various other charges are added on top by the time you check out.

Curel Face Wash FAQ

Which Curel face wash is best?

For most people with dry, sensitive skin, the Foaming Facial Wash: Kao says it washes away sweat and dirt while protecting ceramides and leaves skin moist. Choose the Rich Mousse Facial Wash for dullness from sebum dirt, or Sebum Trouble Care for oily, acne-prone skin.

Does Curel face wash remove makeup?

Not the Foaming Facial Wash: Kao says it isn’t a makeup remover. To remove Curél sunscreen, Kao recommends its gel or oil makeup remover first, then the Foaming Facial Wash.

Is Curel face wash good for sensitive skin?

Both were allergy-tested and patch-tested with people who have dry, sensitive skin, according to Kao. That doesn’t mean no one will react.

Is Curel face wash fragrance-free?

Yes. Kao labels both fragrance-free, colorant-free and alcohol-free (no ethyl alcohol).

Is Curel face wash paraben-free?

The Foaming Facial Wash contains paraben as a preservative. The Rich Mousse Facial Wash doesn’t list paraben; its preservative is phenoxyethanol.

Does Curel face wash contain ceramides?

No ceramide is listed in either ingredient list. Kao says the Foaming Facial Wash is designed to protect the skin’s own ceramides while cleansing.

Can Curel Rich Mousse Facial Wash be shipped internationally?

Kao classes it as dangerous goods for air transport because it is an aerosol, so international airmail may not accept it. Ask us on WhatsApp before ordering it. The Foaming Facial Wash isn’t classed as dangerous goods.

Can I use the Curel Rich Mousse Facial Wash on dry skin?

Yes. Kao says you can use it on dry or wet skin, and recommends dry skin because the foam is bouncier.

Is there a refill for Curel face wash?

Yes, for the Foaming Facial Wash: a 130 mL refill pouch, and a two-pack of refills for the 300 mL large bottle. Kao doesn’t list a refill for the Rich Mousse Facial Wash.

Conclusion: Which Curel Face Wash to Buy

For most people with dry, sensitive skin, the Curel Foaming Facial Wash is the face wash to start with: a weakly acidic, fragrance-free pump foam that Kao says cleanses while protecting ceramides, in 150 mL, 300 mL and refill sizes, and easy to ship. Choose the Rich Mousse Facial Wash for dullness from sebum dirt, if it can be shipped to you, or Sebum Trouble Care for oily, acne-prone skin.

The simplest way to get it outside Japan is kachicollect: buy from the catalog with no proxy fees, or paste a Japanese store URL for an instant quote. You pay the item price plus shipping, and duties are shown before you pay.