12 Best Tried and True Japanese Women's Cooling Undershirts in 2022 (Uniqlo, Wacoal, and More)

A cooling undershirt is a summer undershirt made from a refreshing, comfortable material. The best of the best have moisture absorbing ability, breathability and a cooling sensation on the skin you can feel the moment you put one on. 

There are many different types of women's cooling undershirts (camisole, tank top, bra-type, short-sleeved, long-sleeved, etc.) which means you can buy different ones to match all the different kinds of tops in your closet! 

We picked out some of the most popular products and tested them for moisture-wicking ability, breathability, and if they had a cool feeling. Then, based on our tests, we ranked the top 12 Japanese women's cooling undershirts available online.

Japanese prices for some of the products are given, but they've been converted into US dollars to make it easy for you.

And why they didn't quite make it. 

Atsugi's icedoll (8) rated 4.5 in the moisture absorbency category and comes with a large underarm pad, making it perfect for anyone dealing with sweat issues. However, because it doesn't provide great breathability or allow for good air flow, it could actually end up making you sweat more. 

Also, its cooling feeling doesn't really match the expectations you'd have from a product called icedoll. It's not really a cost-effective product if you take functionality into account. The body has a nice fit, but the bra cup could prove uncomfortable to some. The length also runs a bit short. 

Fujibo Holding's BVD Camisole ICE DEO (9) didn't really live up to the hype in the moisture absorbency category, even though it comes equipped with a large underarm pad. 

Although it has Ice in the name, its cool feeling rated only a bit above average. Its best qualities would have to be its breathability and comfortable feeling. The body fits well and the length is almost exactly that of a normal T-shirt. 

Gunze's Cool Magic (10) had a lot of expectations at the beginning but didn't rank in as we'd hoped in our tests. Breathability and cool feeling were below average, not living up to its Cool Magic name. 

With an above average score in moisture absorbency, the Cool Magic would be great to use as an undershirt you know will keep you dry. The body is rather slim and form-fitting, and the length is about that of a T-shirt. It's perfect for those with a slim body wishing to tightly cover their bellies. 

Triumph's Cool Mesh Top (11) has a mesh material you think would offer better breathability, yet it only scored a bit above average. It doesn't offer that much of a cool feeling, either. 

What's nice about this undershirt is that it won't show easily through your tops. The body is on the thin side but forms well to your body. The length is a bit long, so it might be visible with shorter T-shirts. 

Belle Maison's Dry Undershirt (12) has a nice, comfortable feel to it since it's made of 100% cotton but lacks in moisture absorbency. We felt it was more of just a regular undershirt than it was a cooling undershirt. We recommend it for people who prioritize material and comfort. 

The body is a bit on the slim side. The arm holes are also a little small, and we felt it was rather tight under the arms. And since the length is longer than expected, it might show out the bottom of a T-shirt of the same size. 

We put each of the undershirts through 3 tests.

1. How well could it wick away moisture?
   
2. Is it breathable?
   
3. Does it make our skin feel cool?
   

Then we gave them a score from 0.5 to 5 and ranked them.

First, we tested each product for how well each shirt absorbs moisture and wicks away sweat. 

With the help from an external organization, we measured each undershirt's ability to absorb moisture. 20 minutes after absorption, we checked the condition of the undershirts and rated each of them with a score of 1-5. 

Wacoal's Wing Dry took 1st place in this category! We set the average for absorption at around 30% for all undershirts, but the Wing Dry came in at an amazing 60.2%, showing us just how much moisture absorption it has. It's also the only undershirt from among the 12 we tested to exceed 60%. 

The Wing Dry uses a 40% composite cotton material proven light to the touch. Equipped with an underarm pad, we can say it's the best cooling undershirt around for heavy sweaters. 

Next, we tested each undershirt for how well they let in cool air while at the same time releasing hot air. 

With the help from an external organization, we measured the breathability of each undershirt and rated each of them with a score of 1 - 5.  

Wacoal's Wing Dry also took first place in the breathability category! Most materials have a breathability of about 50s/cm2, but the Wing Dry came in at a tremendous 300s/cm2, a ground-breaking 6x the average! 

If you're looking for the most breathable top with a bra cup, though, we'd recommend Triumph's Peace Fit. Tops that look mesh-like or have small holes in the material can generally be assumed to filter air pretty well.

Lastly, we tested each undershirt for the cooling sensation we were able to feel when putting them on. 

With the help from an external organization, we measured the cool touch of each undershirt and rated each of them with a score of 1 - 5. 

The undershirt that took 1st place in this category was Nissen's Bra-Top Camisole. Just a simple touch of our hand on the fabric was enough to know just how cool it really is! The average cool touch is about 0.200W/cm2 and Nissen's undershirt came in at a record 0.266W/cm2.

Nissen's Bra-Top Camisole was the only undershirt we tested to receive a score of 5 making it the number 1 choice for undershirt for those wishing to get that cool feeling sensation.

Here are 6 points we recommend considering when purchasing your women's cooling inner.

For those of you who hate when your undershirt sticks to your skin after sweating, choose one with good moisture-wicking ability. Not only will it get rid of that uncomfortable feeling but will also protect you from catching a cold due to cold sweats. 

Make sure to check the tag or package for things like Moisture Wicking or Dry. 

If you're trying to find an undershirt that doesn't store body heat, look for one with good breathability. It'll not only release body heat but will also let in cool air giving you that refreshing, cool feeling. 

Look for a material more on the rough side that your skin will show through. There are some undershirts with tight body designs and that hug the body a little too much, so be sure to try them on before purchasing to choose the undershirt that's right for you. 

There are a lot of undershirts out there that provide you with a cool feeling to the touch. With these, you won't need to apply a cooling spray since a cooling sensation is built right into the fabric. 

Be sure to check the tag or package for words associated with Cool, and if possible, try and feel the shirt at the store before purchasing. Just keep in mind that even if these undershirts promise or even prove to have a cool feeling, there's no guarantee of how long that feeling will last. 

Some of you out there may try not to wear too many layers in the middle of summer. If you're one of these people, buying an undershirt with a built-in bra would be the best way to weed out unnecessary extra layers. 

Doing so may relieve any uncomfortable feeling due to rashes caused by underwires or sweat building up in the cleavage area. Although, wearing these undershirts on consecutive days could cause the shape of the bust in the lining to deteriorate, so we recommend only wearing them 2-3 times per week at most. 

The biggest problem people face in the summer fashion-wise is underarm sweat. Wearing grey or light-fabric tops comes with the fear of sweat showing through at the underarm region, which we're sure most of you have experienced.

If this is something you worry about, make sure to check to see if the undershirt you purchase would easily be seen through thin or white-colored tops. 

Purchasing a seamless undershirt or getting one in beige or pink (one similar to skin color) would be the best option to prevent any see-through. You may think that white undershirts wouldn't be seen through a white top, but they do, so be careful when making your decision. 

For those of you searching for a way to combat the heat and sweat during the hot summer months, there are more products out there to consider. Check out the articles below to help you with your purchase of deodorants, antiperspirants, and skin-cleansing body sheets. 

Author: Sayako Suzuki/Translation: Andrew Tinkler/Photos: Yuuki Inagaki, Saaya Iwakami, Koichi Miura

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