Curel Intensive Moisture Cream: Ingredients, pH, Japan vs US

Curél Intensive Moisture Care Moisture Facial Cream (キュレル 潤浸保湿 フェイスクリーム) is Kao’s face cream for dry, sensitive skin, often searched as Curel Intensive Moisture Cream and also sold as Curel Intensive Moisture Facial Cream. In Japan it is a medicated quasi-drug with allantoin as its active ingredient to prevent rough skin, plus Kao’s ceramide functioning ingredient and eucalyptus extract for moisture. It is weakly acidic, fragrance-free, colorant-free and alcohol-free, and costs ¥2,970 for a 40 g jar on Kao’s official Japanese site.

What you’ll learn in this article:

• Curel Intensive Moisture Cream’s specs, pH and what it is free from
• What the ceramide functioning ingredient, eucalyptus extract and allantoin do, with the full ingredient list
• How and when to use it, according to Kao
• How the face cream differs from Curél Moisture Cream (the 90 g jar for face and body) and the US version
• Where to buy the cream sold in Japan

Curel Intensive Moisture Cream: Quick Specs

Japanese name	キュレル 潤浸保湿 フェイスクリーム
Name on the box	Curél Intensive Moisture Care Moisture Facial Cream
Type	Medicated face cream (quasi-drug in Japan)
Price in Japan	¥2,970 (40 g) or ¥4,950 (70 g large size) on Kao’s official site; a refill is also sold
Made for	Dry, sensitive skin (Kao)
Active ingredient	Allantoin (anti-inflammatory, to prevent rough skin)
Texture	Very moisturising but light and non-sticky, according to Kao; water-in-oil formula that resists sweat
Scent	Fragrance-free
When to use	Morning and night, after toner (Kao)
pH	Weakly acidic
Made in	Japan

Specs from Kao’s official Japanese product page, Curél face cream page and product Q&A (as of October 2026).

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

Is Curel Intensive Moisture Cream Acidic or Alkaline?

Curel Intensive Moisture Cream is weakly acidic, according to Kao’s label, which puts it in the same range as healthy skin (about pH 4.5 to 6). Kao doesn’t publish the exact pH value. Weakly acidic simply means it sits on the acidic side, close to skin’s own pH.

Key Ingredients in Curel Intensive Moisture Cream

The cream’s main ingredients are a ceramide functioning ingredient and eucalyptus extract for moisture, and allantoin as the active ingredient. Kao says these moisturising ingredients reach deep into the stratum corneum (the outer layer of skin) to keep it moist and less prone to rough patches.

Curel Intensive Moisture Cream Full Ingredient List

Curel Intensive Moisture Cream lists 15 ingredients on Kao’s Japanese site, with allantoin first as the active ingredient. The preservative is paraben.

Key ingredient / Worth checking if your skin is sensitive

Ingredient list from Kao’s official Japanese product page (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, matched to the INCI names on Kao’s US ingredient list where possible. Formulas can change, so always check the package.

How to Use Curel Intensive Moisture Cream

Use Curel Intensive Moisture Cream after toner, morning or night: Kao says it isn’t a night-only cream. In Kao’s Intensive Moisture Care routine, you choose a milk or this face cream after toner, and Kao suggests the cream if dryness concerns you. You can also layer it over the milk on dry areas.

1. After toner (and milk, if you use one), scoop out about a fingertip’s worth, a dollop about 2 cm across.
2. Dot it on five points: both cheeks, forehead, nose and chin, with a third on each cheek and the rest on the T-zone.
3. Spread it lightly, then smooth it outwards from the centre of your face with the warmth of your hands.
4. Smooth it over your forehead from the centre outwards, then down your nose and around your mouth, and finish around your eyes.
5. Layer a little more on any areas that feel especially dry.

Kao’s label says not to use it on cuts, swellings, eczema or other abnormal skin, and to stop and see a dermatologist if you notice redness, swelling, itching or other irritation. Keep it out of your eyes.

For the toner step before this cream, see our Curel lotion I vs II vs III guide.

For the milk you can use before or instead of this cream, see our Curel face milk guide.

For a serum to use before this cream, see our Curel serum guide.

For oily or acne-prone skin, see our Curel Sebum Trouble Care guide.

For daytime UV protection after this cream, see our Curel sunscreen guide.

For Curél’s aging care lotion, cream and gel-cream, see our Curel Aging Care guide.

For the eye area, see our Curel eye cream guide.

For overnight care of rough hands and heels, see our Curel hand mask and heel mask guide.

Curel Face Cream vs Moisture Cream (90 g Jar) vs US Version

The face cream (40 g or 70 g) is Kao’s daily facial cream, while Curél Moisture Cream (キュレル クリーム) is a 90 g jar for the face and body that Kao says can also be used on babies’ delicate skin. The US Intensive Moisture Facial Cream has a similar but not identical ingredient list.

From Kao’s official Japanese product pages and Kao USA’s official Curél site (as of October 2026). Whether the US cream has the same formula as the cream sold in Japan is not confirmed: the US list also includes tocopherol (vitamin E).

Where to Buy Curel Intensive Moisture Cream

The easiest way to get Curel Intensive Moisture Cream as sold in Japan is to order it from Japan through kachicollect. Buy from the kachicollect catalog with no proxy fees, and if you can’t find this cream there, search Japanese stores or marketplaces for キュレル 潤浸保湿 フェイスクリーム (40g or 70g) 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.

Kao lists the cream as not classed as dangerous goods for air transport. On marketplaces such as eBay, check the Japanese name on the box and whether the listing is the face cream or the 90 g jar.

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 Intensive Moisture Cream FAQ

Does Curel Intensive Moisture Cream contain ceramides?

It contains Kao’s ceramide functioning ingredient, cetyl-PG hydroxyethyl palmitamide, which Kao says supplements the work of ceramides and moisturises skin. Kao describes it as a ceramide functioning ingredient rather than a ceramide; it is often called a pseudo-ceramide.

Can I use Curel Intensive Moisture Cream in the morning?

Yes. Kao says it isn’t a night-only cream and can be used in the morning and during the day as well as at night.

Do I need to use a milk before the cream?

No. Kao recommends a milk or the face cream after toner, whichever you prefer, and suggests the cream if dryness concerns you. You can also layer the cream over the milk on dry areas.

Is Curel Intensive Moisture Cream greasy?

Kao describes it as very moisturising but light and non-sticky, with a water-in-oil formula that resists sweat.

Is Curel Intensive Moisture Cream good for acne-prone skin?

Kao Japan doesn’t label this cream as non-comedogenic or make an acne claim for it. Curél has a separate sebum trouble care line (皮脂トラブルケア) for skin that is dry but prone to excess sebum.

Is Curel Intensive Moisture Cream fragrance-free?

Yes. Kao labels it fragrance-free, colorant-free and alcohol-free (no ethyl alcohol). It does contain paraben as a preservative.

Is Curel Intensive Moisture Cream good for sensitive skin?

Kao made it for dry, sensitive skin, and says it was allergy-tested and patch-tested with people who have dry, sensitive skin. Kao adds that this doesn’t mean no one will have an allergy or irritation, so test it on a small area first if your skin reacts easily.

Can I use Curel Intensive Moisture Cream on eczema or atopic skin?

Kao says it depends on your symptoms and recommends asking a dermatologist first. Its label also says not to use the cream on eczema or other abnormal skin.

How long does Curel Intensive Moisture Cream last?

Kao says unopened Curél products stored properly are designed to keep their quality for at least 3 years from manufacture, and that you should use opened products up as soon as you can. Don’t use it if the contents look or smell unusual.

Can I use the face cream on my body or on babies?

For the body and for babies, Kao makes Curél Moisture Cream (the 90 g jar), which it says can be used on the face and body and on babies’ delicate skin. Kao’s face cream page doesn’t mention body or baby use.

Is Curel Intensive Moisture Cream the same in Japan and the US?

Not exactly. The ingredient lists are close, but the US list also includes tocopherol, and in Japan the cream is a quasi-drug with allantoin as the active ingredient. Whether the formulas are otherwise the same isn’t confirmed, so check the Japanese name (キュレル 潤浸保湿 フェイスクリーム) if you want the cream sold in Japan.

Conclusion: Who Is Curel Intensive Moisture Cream For?

Curel Intensive Moisture Cream suits people with dry, sensitive skin who want a light but moisturising face cream for morning and night: it combines Kao’s ceramide functioning ingredient and eucalyptus extract with allantoin to prevent rough skin, in a weakly acidic, fragrance-free, alcohol-free formula. Choose the 40 g jar to try it, or the 70 g large size if you use it every day; for the body or babies, choose Curél Moisture Cream instead.

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.