Testing 13 different body wipes to see which ones will get us through Japan’s hot, sticky summer.

You know how sometimes people say “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity”? Well in Japan in the summer, it’s the heat and the humidity.

Recently, every time our Japanese-language reporter Mariko Ohanabatake steps out of her home and away from her air conditioner, whether it’s to walk to the station to catch the train to the office or just running errands around the neighborhood, she ends up hot and sweaty. Luckily for her, Japanese drugstores and convenience stores sell body wipes with special cooling properties to help you feel refreshed and pleasantly chilled. Unfortunately, though, there are so many different brands that it’s hard to choose between them.

So to solve that problem, Mariko has been testing out 13 different types of cooling body wipes, rating them in four categories: how cool they make you fell, how long the cooling sensation lasts, how easy it is to wipe off your whole body (neck, arms, torso, and legs) with a single sheet, and cost performance. After three weeks, she’s ready to release her results and rankings, so let’s take a look.

● Gatsby Ice Deodorant Body Paper (30 sheets per pack, 605 yen [$US4.40])

Cool: ★★★★★
Long-lasting: ★★★★☆ (35 minutes)
Full-body single-sheet wipe capability: ★★★☆☆
Cost performance: ★★★☆☆

“The king of coolness among body sheets, and super easy to find at just about any store. As you wipe, an unrivaled and invigorating cooling sensation gradually builds, and it also contains an antibacterial effect to prevent sweat odors. The only drawback is that the strong alcohol content means the sheets themselves can dry out quickly.” 

● Men’s Biore Body Sheet Chozetsu Cool Type (28 sheets, 400 yen)

Cool: ★★★★☆
Long-lasting: ★★★★☆ (25 minutes)
Full-body single-sheet wipe capability: ★★★★★
Cost performance: ★★★☆☆

“These are cool, but I think it’s a bit of an exaggeration to call them chozetsu (‘transcendent’). They stay nice and moist, though, so it’s easy to wipe yourself off with a single sheet, and they provide a consistent level of coolness throughout their effect. These only come in a scented version, and the aroma is a masculine, ocean-like fragrance.”

● AG Deo 24 Clear Shower Sheet (Cool) (30 sheets, 657 yen)

Cool: ★★★★★
Long-lasting: ★★★★★ (30 minutes)
Full-body single-sheet wipe capability: ★★★☆☆
Cost performance: ★★☆☆☆

“It’s like a cool wind is blowing over your entire body! These also do an incredible job suppressing the smell of body sweat, even if they’re a little on the expensive side.”

● Sea Breeze Face and Body Sheet (30 sheets, 539 yen)

Cool: ★★★★☆
Long-lasting: ★★★☆☆ (15 minutes)
Full-body single-sheet wipe capability: ★★★☆☆
Cost performance: ★★☆☆☆

“The individual sheets are big, but they dry out pretty quickly, so I could just barely wipe off my upper body if I only used one. These are supposed to be gentle enough to use on your face too, but with a cooling sensation that builds up over time, they can be a little uncomfortable near your eyes and nose.”

● Biore Hiya Sheet (20 sheets, 460 yen)

Cool: ★★★★☆
Long-lasting: ★★★☆☆ (20 minutes)
Full-body single-sheet wipe capability: ★★★★☆
Cost performance: ★★★☆☆

“The cooling sensation comes on right away after you wipe your skin, and keeps getting stronger, feeling downright cold in about five minutes. There’s a moisturizing powder in them too, making them a big seller with women. You don’t get many sheets in the pack, but that makes it compact and easy to slip into your bag to carry with you.”

● Biore Hiya Towel (5 sheets, 580 yen)

Cool: ★★★★☆
Long-lasting: ★★★★★★ (30-40 minutes)
Full-body single-sheet wipe capability: ★★★★★
Cost performance: ★☆☆☆☆

“These are individually wrapped, so it’s easy to stick just one or two in your bag. They’re as big as a face towel, so you can lay it on the back of your neck when you’re finished wiping, so they’re great for exercise sessions or outdoor events [and yes, they broke Mariko’s five-point scale in the “long-lasting” category”].”

● Biore Hiya Band (3 sheets, 580 yen)

Cool: ★★★★☆
Long-lasting: ★★★★★★★ (45-60 minutes)
Full-body single-sheet wipe capability: ★★★★★
Cost performance: ★☆☆☆☆

“At 92 centimeters [36.2 inches], these are so big that you can wrap them around your body or head! Even walking around in the hottest part of the day for 30 minutes, I didn’t get sweaty with this, and they’d be great to slip under the bottom layer of your kimono if you’re going to a summer festival. If only they weren’t so expensive…”

● Biore Z Sarahiya Hadakan Sheet (20 sheets, 500 yen)

Cool: ★☆☆☆☆
Long-lasting: ★☆☆☆☆ (5 minutes)
Full-body single-sheet wipe capability: ★★★★☆
Cost performance: ☆☆☆☆☆

“This is a new product that just debuted this summer. They feel cool at the moment they touch your skin, but that feeling fades almost immediately. At least the powder coating keeps them from leaving you feeling sticky.”

● Ban Sapparikan Premium Sheet Cool Type (30 sheets, 450 yen)

Cool: ★★★★☆
Long-lasting: ★★★★☆ (25 minutes)
Full-body single-sheet wipe capability: ★★☆☆☆
Cost performance: ★★★☆☆

“This is another one that just came out this year. The sheets are thick, but they’re also small, so they tend to ball up as you’re using them, making it hard to wipe. They work fine if you’re just doing your neck, arms, and armpits, though. About a minute after wiping, the coolness comes on so strong it gave me goosebumps, so these are a good choice to use a little before you leave the house to stay cool for your whole walk to the station.”

● Happy Deo Sheet Gokuhie (36 sheets, 495 yen)

Cool: ★★★☆☆
Long-lasting: ★★★★☆ (15 minutes)
Full-body single-sheet wipe capability: ★★☆☆☆
Cost performance: ★★★★☆

“These are made by Mandom, the same company that makes the Gatsby Ice Deodorant Body Paper. Despite the cutesy Disney packaging, these are powerfully cold. The sheets are small, so you’ll use a whole one just wiping your upper body. A lot of times you can find these on sale at drugstores for about 300 yen, which is a great price.”

● Matsukiyo Men’s Body Sheet Super Cool (36 sheets, 328 yen)

Cool: ★★★☆☆
Long-lasting: ★★★☆☆ (15 minutes)
Full-body single-sheet wipe capability: ★★★★☆
Cost performance: ★★★★☆

“These are exclusive to the Matsumoto Kiyoshi drugstore chain. You get a lot of sheets for a really good price. The sheets are soft and stay moist, but the coolness is middle-of-the-road. These are only available in a scented version, but the scent doesn’t last that long.”

● Tsuruha Kurashi-rism Reikan Body Sheet S (20 sheets, 327 yen)

Cool: ★★★☆☆
Long-lasting: ★★★★☆ (20 minutes)
Full-body single-sheet wipe capability: ★★★★☆
Cost performance: ★★★☆☆

“Exclusive to Tsuruha drugstores. The sheets are big and stay moist, so just one is enough to go from your neck all the way down to the bottom of your feet. They don’t feel incredibly cool, but the sensation lasts for a nice long time.”

● Sun Drug The Body Sheet 06 (30 sheets, 263 yen)

Cool: ★★☆☆☆
Long-lasting: ★☆☆☆☆ (5 minutes)
Full-body single-sheet wipe capability: ★★★★★
Cost performance: ★★★★★

“30 sheets for this price is a really good deal. There’s also a small size for these, but I got the large sheets, and doing a full-body wipe with them is a snap. Honestly, they don’t feel all that cool, but you can get all the sweat off of yourself easily. These are only available with a ‘white floral’ scent, but it fades away really quickly.”

So when all is said and done, what are Mariko’s top picks? That depends on which of the four evaluation criteria are most important to you.

● Coolest
1. Gatsby Ice Deodorant Body Paper
2. AG Deo 24 Clear Shower Sheet (Cool)
3. Ban Sapparikan Premium Sheet Cool Type

● Longest-lasting
1. Biore Hiya Band
2. Biore Hiya Towel
3. Gatsby Ice Deodorant Body Paper

● Best full-body single-sheet wipe capability
1. Biore Hiya Band
2. Biore Hiya Towel
3. Sun Drug The Body Sheet 06

● Best cost performance
1. Sun Drug The Body Sheet 06
2. Matsukiyo Men’s Body Sheet Super Cool
3. Men’s Biore Body Sheet Chozetsu Cool Type

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a way t cool yourself down from the inside, Starbucks Japan has their own way that’s helping us cope with the current heat wave.

Photos © SoraNews24
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