Curél Sebum Trouble Care (キュレル 皮脂トラブルケア) is Kao’s three-step line for dry, sensitive skin that also gets oily: a Foaming Facial Wash, a Moisture Facial Lotion (toner) and a Moisture Facial Gel. All three are medicated quasi-drugs with an anti-inflammatory active ingredient to help prevent acne and rough skin, and Kao says the toner and gel are non-comedogenic tested and oil-free. It is Curél’s line for oily skin, made for skin that feels greasy yet dry at the same time.
What you’ll learn in this article:
- The three Curel Sebum Trouble Care products and what each one does
- Whether Curel is good for oily and acne-prone skin, according to Kao
- The active and key ingredients, with each product’s full ingredient list
- How to use the line, step by step
- How it differs from Curél’s Intensive Moisture Care line, and where to buy it from Japan
Get It From Japan
Curél skincare shipped directly from Japan. Buy from the kachicollect catalog with no proxy fees: you pay the item price plus shipping, and duties are shown before checkout. Can’t find it? Send us the product URL for an instant quote.
Shop on kachicollectCurel Sebum Trouble Care at a Glance
The line is a cleanse, tone and moisturise routine: the foaming wash removes excess sebum while protecting skin’s ceramides, the lotion and gel moisturise without oil and contain an ingredient (a base) that Kao says controls stickiness. The table compares the three.
| Foaming Facial Wash | Moisture Facial Lotion | Moisture Facial Gel | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese name | 皮脂トラブルケア 泡洗顔料 | 皮脂トラブルケア 化粧水 | 皮脂トラブルケア 保湿ジェル |
| Step | Cleanser | Toner | Moisturiser (gel serum) |
| Size | 150 mL pump; refill | 150 mL | 120 mL pump |
| Active ingredient | Dipotassium glycyrrhizate | Allantoin | Allantoin |
| What Kao says it does | Removes dirt in pores and excess sebum while protecting ceramides; no tight feeling | Controls stickiness; moist but not sticky; helps later products absorb | Controls stickiness; moisturises deep in the stratum corneum while the surface feels fresh |
| Oil-free | — | Yes | Yes |
| Non-comedogenic tested | Not labelled | Yes | Yes |
From Kao’s official Japanese product pages and Curél’s Sebum Trouble Care page (as of October 2026). All three are labelled weakly acidic, fragrance-free, colorant-free, alcohol-free (no ethyl alcohol), allergy-tested and patch-tested. Kao notes that non-comedogenic testing doesn’t mean no one will get comedones (the start of acne). The English names are those printed on the boxes. Kao doesn’t publish prices, so store prices in Japan vary.
- Fragrance-free
- Colorant-free
- Alcohol-free (no ethyl alcohol)
- Oil-free (lotion and gel)
- Non-comedogenic tested (lotion and gel)
Dipotassium glycyrrhizate and allantoin
The active ingredients (in the wash, and in the lotion and gel), anti-inflammatories that help prevent acne and rough skin.
Eucalyptus extract
A plant extract that Kao lists as a moisturising ingredient in the lotion and gel.
Cetyl-PG hydroxyethyl palmitamide
Kao’s ceramide functioning ingredient, in the gel.
Amino-acid cleansing agents
Sodium cocoyl glutamate and potassium cocoyl glycinate, in the wash.
Is Curel Good for Oily and Acne-Prone Skin?
Yes, Curel has a line made for it: Sebum Trouble Care is for sensitive skin that gets rough from excess sebum as well as dryness, and all three products are medicated to help prevent acne, not treat it. Kao Singapore also says Curél products in general can be used on normal and oily skin.
If your skin is dry but not oily, Curél’s Intensive Moisture Care line, such as Curel lotion and Curel face milk, is the more moisturising choice. Kao doesn’t label the Intensive Moisture Care face cream as non-comedogenic.
Curel Sebum Trouble Care Foaming Facial Wash
The Foaming Facial Wash (キュレル 皮脂トラブルケア 泡洗顔料) is a pump foam cleanser for dry, sensitive skin that gets greasy yet dry. Kao says it contains a sebum-dissolving cleansing ingredient that removes dirt in pores and excess sebum while protecting skin’s ceramides, leaves skin smooth without roughness, and doesn’t feel tight. Its active ingredient, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, helps prevent acne and rough skin. It isn’t a makeup remover.
For Curél’s face washes for dry skin that isn’t oily, see our Curel face wash guide.
Foaming Facial Wash Full Ingredient List
Key ingredientWorth checking if your skin is sensitive
| Ingredient | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dipotassium glycyrrhizate | Anti-inflammatory | Active ingredient |
| Water | Base | — |
| Glycerin | Humectant | — |
| Sorbitol | Humectant | — |
| Sodium cocoyl glutamate | Cleansing agent | Amino-acid surfactant |
| PEG-8 | Humectant | — |
| Betaine | Humectant | — |
| Ethylhexylglycerin | Skin conditioning | — |
| Potassium cocoyl glycinate | Cleansing agent | Amino-acid surfactant |
| Sodium hydroxide | pH adjuster | — |
| PPG/PEG butyl ether | Solvent | — |
| Sodium laureth sulfate | Cleansing agent | Sulfate surfactant |
| Phenoxyethanol | Preservative | — |
| Paraben | Preservative | Not paraben-free |
Curel Sebum Trouble Care Moisture Facial Lotion
The Moisture Facial Lotion (キュレル 皮脂トラブルケア 化粧水) is an oil-free toner that Kao says controls stickiness with a base ingredient, moisturises with eucalyptus extract, and prepares skin so the serum or moisturiser you use next absorbs easily. Kao describes it as fresh and moisturising without stickiness, and it has allantoin as its active ingredient to help prevent acne and rough skin.
Moisture Facial Lotion Full Ingredient List
Key ingredientWorth checking if your skin is sensitive
| Ingredient | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Allantoin | Anti-inflammatory | Active ingredient |
| Water | Base | — |
| Butylene glycol (BG) | Humectant | — |
| Betaine | Humectant | — |
| Glycerin | Humectant | — |
| Eucalyptus extract | Moisturising | Moisturising ingredient (Kao) |
| 10-Hydroxyundecanoic acid | Skin conditioning | — |
| Zinc oxide | Skin conditioning | — |
| Methyl gluceth (POE methyl glucoside) | Humectant | — |
| PEG-32 | Humectant | — |
| Succinic acid | pH adjuster | — |
| Arginine | pH adjuster | — |
| PEG-hydrogenated castor oil | Emulsifier | — |
| Paraben | Preservative | Not paraben-free |
Curel Sebum Trouble Care Moisture Facial Gel
The Moisture Facial Gel (キュレル 皮脂トラブルケア 保湿ジェル), often searched as the Curel sebum care gel, is the line’s oil-free moisturiser, labelled as a serum (美容液) on the box. Kao says its water base moisturises deep into the stratum corneum while the surface stays fresh, with Kao’s ceramide functioning ingredient and eucalyptus extract for moisture, a base ingredient to control stickiness, and allantoin as the active ingredient to help prevent acne and rough skin.
It is a different product from the Intensive Moisture Care gel serum (Wrinkle Moisture Essence) in our Curel serum guide.
Moisture Facial Gel Full Ingredient List
Key ingredientWorth checking if your skin is sensitive
| Ingredient | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Allantoin | Anti-inflammatory | Active ingredient |
| Water | Base | — |
| Glycerin | Humectant | — |
| Butylene glycol (BG) | Humectant | — |
| Dimethicone | Silicone (texture) | — |
| Eucalyptus extract | Moisturising | Moisturising ingredient (Kao) |
| Cetyl-PG hydroxyethyl palmitamide | Moisturising | Kao’s ceramide functioning ingredient |
| Bis-methoxypropylamido isodocosane | Moisturising | — |
| 10-Hydroxyundecanoic acid | Skin conditioning | — |
| Zinc oxide | Skin conditioning | — |
| Sodium methyl stearoyl taurate | Emulsifier | — |
| Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose | Thickener | — |
| Acrylates/alkyl methacrylate copolymer | Thickener | — |
| Arginine | pH adjuster | — |
| Paraben | Preservative | Not paraben-free |
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. Kao doesn’t say which ingredient is the base that controls stickiness. Formulas can change, so always check the package.
Curel Sebum Trouble Care pH: Is It Weakly Acidic?
All three Sebum Trouble Care products 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 publish the exact pH values.
pH: Weakly acidic
pH 3–6 Neutral
pH 6–8 Weakly alkaline
pH 8–11
Source: manufacturer label (“weakly acidic”, 弱酸性) on Curél’s Sebum Trouble Care page. The exact pH value is not published.
How to Use Curel Sebum Trouble Care
Use the three in order: wash, then lotion, then gel. Kao says to use the lotion morning and night after washing, and gives these amounts and tips.
- Wet your face. Take 2 pumps of the Foaming Facial Wash and, without whipping it further, spread the foam over your face and wash gently, as if wrapping your face in it. Rinse until your skin feels clean. Don’t shake or tilt the bottle, or it won’t foam.
- Apply 3 to 4 pumps of the Moisture Facial Lotion gently over your whole face.
- Apply 3 to 4 pumps of the Moisture Facial Gel gently over your whole face.
Kao also sells a travel face care set with the lotion and gel in mini sizes, which it says lasts about 20 days. Kao’s labels say not to use the products on cuts, swellings, eczema or other abnormal skin, and to stop and see a dermatologist if irritation appears.
Where to Buy Curel Sebum Trouble Care
The easiest way to get Curel Sebum Trouble Care 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 product you want there, search Japanese stores or marketplaces for its Japanese name (for example, キュレル 皮脂トラブルケア 保湿ジェル) 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.
On marketplaces such as eBay, check for 皮脂トラブルケア (Sebum Trouble Care) on the box, since the Intensive Moisture Care products have similar English names. Kao says none of the three is classed as dangerous goods for air transport, so they can be sent by air.
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.
Pay Only the Item Price and Shipping
Buy from the kachicollect catalog with no proxy fees: you pay the listed price plus shipping, and duties are shown before checkout. Can’t find what you want? Paste its URL from any Japanese store or marketplace and get an instant quote, also with no request fee.
Shop on kachicollectCurel Sebum Trouble Care FAQ
Is Curel good for oily skin?
Yes. Curél’s Sebum Trouble Care line is made for sensitive skin that gets rough from excess sebum as well as dryness, and its lotion and gel are oil-free. Kao Singapore also says Curél products can be used on normal and oily skin.
Is Curel good for acne-prone skin?
Curel Sebum Trouble Care can help prevent acne, but it isn’t an acne treatment. The products are medicated to help prevent acne and rough skin, and Kao says the lotion and gel are non-comedogenic tested. They are for prevention; Kao doesn’t claim they treat existing acne, and non-comedogenic testing doesn’t mean no one will get comedones.
Is Curel non-comedogenic?
The Sebum Trouble Care Moisture Facial Lotion and Moisture Facial Gel are labelled non-comedogenic tested. Kao doesn’t give this label to the Foaming Facial Wash or to the Intensive Moisture Care face cream.
What is the Curel sebum care gel?
It is the Sebum Trouble Care Moisture Facial Gel (皮脂トラブルケア 保湿ジェル), a 120 mL oil-free gel moisturiser that you apply after the lotion.
Does Curel Sebum Trouble Care contain ceramides?
The gel contains Kao’s ceramide functioning ingredient, cetyl-PG hydroxyethyl palmitamide, which Kao says supplements the work of ceramides. The wash is designed to protect skin’s own ceramides while cleansing.
Is it alcohol-free and fragrance-free?
Yes. Kao labels all three alcohol-free (no ethyl alcohol), fragrance-free and colorant-free. They contain paraben as a preservative.
Which Curel is best for oily skin?
The Sebum Trouble Care line: the foaming wash, then the oil-free lotion and Moisture Facial Gel. For dry skin without oiliness, Kao’s Intensive Moisture Care line is the more moisturising choice.
Conclusion: Who Is Curel Sebum Trouble Care For?
Curel Sebum Trouble Care suits people with sensitive skin that is oily yet dry and prone to acne and rough patches: the foaming wash removes excess sebum while protecting ceramides, and the oil-free, non-comedogenic tested lotion and gel moisturise without stickiness. If your skin is dry rather than oily, choose Curél’s Intensive Moisture Care line 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.
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