Personal care and hygiene are essential parts of our daily lives. When learning Japanese, knowing vocabulary related to this topic can be particularly useful, whether you’re shopping for products, staying at a hotel, or simply discussing personal routines. Here’s a list of words and phrases that will help you talk about personal care and hygiene in Japanese:

身体 (からだ) – Body
This is a general term for the body in Japanese.
風呂に入ってからだを洗いました。
(I washed my body after entering the bath.)

手 (て) – Hand
The word for ‘hand’ in Japanese.
手を石鹸でよく洗ってください。
(Please wash your hands well with soap.)

歯 (は) – Tooth
This is the Japanese word for ‘tooth’.
毎日歯を磨くことが大切です。
(It’s important to brush your teeth every day.)

髪 (かみ) – Hair
This term refers to the hair, typically on the head.
髪を洗うのにどんなシャンプーを使っていますか？
(What kind of shampoo do you use to wash your hair?)

石鹸 (せっけん) – Soap
This is the word for ‘soap’, an essential part of hygiene routines.
せっけんで手がきれいになりました。
(My hands became clean with soap.)

シャンプー – Shampoo
‘Borrowed’ from English, this word is used in Japan to refer to shampoo.
新しいシャンプーを買いました。
(I bought a new shampoo.)

コンディショナー – Conditioner
Another ‘borrowed’ word, it refers to hair conditioner in Japan.
コンディショナーを使うと髪がなめらかになります。
(Using conditioner makes your hair smooth.)

歯ブラシ (はぶらし) – Toothbrush
The tool used for brushing teeth in Japanese.
新しい歯ブラシを買う時期です。
(It’s time to buy a new toothbrush.)

歯磨き粉 (はみがきこ) – Toothpaste
This compound word is used for ‘toothpaste’ in Japanese.
歯磨き粉はどの味が好きですか？
(What flavor of toothpaste do you like?)

タオル – Towel
This word in Japanese is pronounced similarly to the English word ‘towel’.
このタオルはとても柔らかいです。
(This towel is very soft.)

ボディーソープ – Body Soap
Another term borrowed from English, used to refer to liquid body soap.
ボディーソープを使い始めました。
(I’ve started using body soap.)

洗面器 (せんめんき) – Washbasin
This word is used to describe a sink or basin where one washes their face or hands.
洗面器の水を流してください。
(Please drain the water in the washbasin.)

化粧 (けしょう) – Makeup
The word for ‘makeup’ in Japanese, covering all cosmetic products.
彼女は化粧をするのが上手です。
(She is good at applying makeup.)

化粧水 (けしょうすい) – Toner
This term is used for a facial toner or freshener.
化粧水をつけると肌が潤います。
(Skin becomes moisturized when you apply toner.)

クレンジング – Cleansing
This is the process of removing makeup or impurities from the skin.
クレンジングできれいにメイクを落としましょう。
(Let’s clean off the makeup properly with cleansing.)

爪切り (つめきり) – Nail clippers
The tool used for cutting nails in Japanese.
新しい爪切りを買う必要があります。
(I need to buy new nail clippers.)

爪やすり (つめやすり) – Nail file
A tool used to shape the edges of nails after cutting them.
爪やすりで爪を整えました。
(I shaped my nails with a nail file.)

Understanding these terms can help you navigate through daily conversations and personal care shopping in Japan, making your experience less intimidating and much more enriching. Remember, practicing these words and phrases will improve your fluency and overall confidence in using the Japanese language.