The Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion is loved by so many Japanese people for its affordability and effectibility, and has recently caught more attention by many other people around the world. If you want to know why this product is so popular, read more to find out why!

As many of you guys may know, hyaluronic acid is literally a game changer when it comes to skin care. As someone who has a skin that leans towards being a bit more dry, it’s important for me to use a product that includes hyaluronic acid, which is an ingredient that is essential to keep your skin moisturized and hydrated.

This product has been with me since I was in highschool, and I specifically remember being so surprised the first time using it––how affordable and effective it was. Even being in my 20s now, I still continue to use this product because the ingredients in this lotion are so good, and I’m very excited to share with you all one of my favorite J-beauty products of all times. 

 

 

About Hada Labo

Hada Labo, a brand owned and created by ROHTO Pharmaceutical Co., is famous for its affordable skincare products that are loved by all ages. It’s also very famous for the main ingredient used in their skincare products, hyaluronic acid, which helps anybody with any skin type achieve the maximum capacity of moisture and hydration.

 

 

Quick Facts about The Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion

 

There are many things that are being considered by the manufacturer for this product. It’s known to be a “simple but perfect lotion,” how it helps your skin reach its maximum capacity of moisturization. Also, because of its simple design and formula, anyone is able to use this product with maximum effectibility. There are five different components that consider gentleness for your skin, as the lotion is fragrance free, colorless, alcohol free, oil free and that a patch test for sensitive skin has been conducted by the manufacturer. 

As it’s included in the name of the product, this lotion is best known for its main moisturization factor, which is the ingredient, hyaluronic acid. In this particular lotion, there are four different kinds of hyaluronic acid that are included, which are Hyaluronic Acid (Sodium hyaluronate), Super Hyaluronic Acid (Sodium Acetyl hyaluronate), Nanodiode Hyaluronic Acid (Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid), and Fermented Hyaluronic Acid (Lactic Acid Bacterium/Hyaluronic Acid Fermented liquid). According to the explanation on the official page, they mention that one of the key hyaluronic acids included in the lotion, fermented hyaluronic acid, would help improve barrier function and moisturization, as dry and irritated skin hardens the skin barrier. In addition to that, it would improve skin irritation, as weak inflammation of skin can cause aging, which means that this product would help with anti-aging.

 

Ingredients: Water, BG, glycerin, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid (nanohyaluronic acid), acetyl hyaluronic acid Na (super hyaluronic acid), sodium hyaluronate, PPG-10 methyl glucose, 2Na succinate, hydroxyethyl cellulose, succinic acid, Methyl paraben

 

Skin type: For all types of skin

Texture: Lighter than gel, watery, smooth, serum-like texture

Fragrance: Minimum to none

Packaging: 15.9 x 4.5  / 170ml

 

 

My Initial Impression

My skin is a combination type, as my cheeks tend to be a bit drier than many other areas of my skin. Also, my skin condition changes during the different seasons, as my skin tends to be on the drier end in the winter. Using this Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion all year long, I think that it keeps up with my skin, no matter what my skin condition may be. 

This product is very easy to use, and feels very comfortable on my skin––none of that heaviness on my skin, feeling of my pore being clogged up or my skin becoming irritated. Also, it makes my skin naturally glow without looking greasy. Just by dropping a small amount of product onto my skin, I can tell that it is very light and thin. Although this product may feel a bit tacky at first, the tackiness goes away as the skin absorbs the lotion. Even though this lotion is very light and thin, because it has a beauty serum-like texture, which is a little bit different from many other j-beauty lotion textures, it stays on my skin very well. 

 

Using it on my face

I was looking at the packaging to see if there was any explanation about applying the lotion on my face/skin. There is no real explanation for how much lotion I should apply on my face, as on the packaging, it just mentions that I should use an appropriate amount. However, as this product is very thin and light weighted, if you feel like your skin needs a little bit more hydration than the initial amount you applied on your skin, you can build up the product without having to worry about clogging your pores or your skin feeling heavy. There may have not been any explanation about how much product to use on my face, but there were a few words and graphics that explain how to apply the product on your face. Directly translating it from Japanese, it says to put the lotion on the palm of your hands, followed by putting it on your face, gently securing the lotion onto your face with your hands. 

On my face, I started out by putting a coin-sized amount of product into the palm of my hands, which has been the amount of product I’ve used since I started using this lotion in highschool. Then, by using my other hand, I spread the lotion out on both of my hands so I can apply it evenly on my face. This product glides on my face very smoothly onto my skin which makes it easier for me to secure the lotion on my face, which I did by gently pressing it with both of my hands. I personally don’t like missing that step because I think it speeds up the absorbing process. Sometimes, if I have time, I like to add a little more product on my face so that I can do a little facial massage to “de-puff” my puffy face. 

 

Using it with other products

My skincare routine is very simple because my skin tends to stress out and break out if I use too many products on my face. My skincare routine basically consists of using facemask once or twice a week, putting on lotion as my first step, followed by a cream moisturizer and sunscreen (only for my morning skincare routine). My skin does not have a problem when using this lotion and layering other products, such as moisturizing cream, on top because of how simple (in terms of ingredients) and thin it is. 

 

Effectiveness of the Product

This product really locks in the moisture on my skin, just like the same way a face mask does. My skin stays hydrated throughout the day if I apply it in the morning, and stays hydrated overnight if I apply this product at night. In the summer, since it is humid where I live, I can apply this product without having to necessarily put on any moisturizing cream because this lotion is very effective in hydrating my skin (on the contrary, if I apply moisturizing cream to my skin after putting on the lotion, my face tends to become very oily after a few hours). During the winter, when my skin becomes a bit drier, I think that this product is very effective when using it with moisturizing cream.

Using this product for a while, I think that this product really softens your skin. You can easily tell between a skin that has been applied with this lotion and a skin that has not. I can really say that what Hada Labo claims about this product, about using it to achieve a “mochi-like skin” and helping your skin reach its maximum hydration, is very true. 

 

 

 

The Pros and Cons

In my opinion, I found it difficult to think about any cons of this lotion because I thought that it really reached my expectations of what I would like in a hydrating skincare product.

The Pros:

• Contains key ingredient which is hyaluronic acid
• Good amount of lotion for the price
• Absorbs into your skin quickly
• Keeps moisture for a long time
• Minimal to no scent
• Very smooth and watery
• Very effective to skin
• Very lightweight and thin
• No parabens
• Colorless
• Alcohol-Free
• Oil-Free
• A patch test for sensitive skin has been conducted by manufacturer
• Works well even in humid climates/environments

The Cons:

• A lot of product may come out if not careful

 

 

 

Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion vs Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Premium Lotion

While there are many different kinds of Hada Labo lotion, I will be comparing between the two well known Hada labo hyaluronic acid lotions, the Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion and the Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Premium Lotion. 

While the texture is very similar to each other, the simple differences between these two products are the ingredients. While the Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion (non-premium) version has four different types of hyaluronic acid, the Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Premium Lotion has seven different types of hyaluronic acid, the premium version having three more types of hyaluronic acid compared with the standard one. The three additional types of hyaluronic acid added into the premium version are 3D hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronic acid crosspolymer), skin-adsorbing hyaluronic acid (hyaluronic acid hydroxypropyltrimonium), and penetration type hyaluronic acid (sodium hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid). 

 

The official explanation mentions that the premium version is rich (in terms of usability) and is a beauty essence like lotion. They also mention that it uses a penetration type hyaluronic acid (hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate), which Hada Labo has incorporated into their products for the first time.

Although the premium version may have more hydrating agents, as well as ingredients that may help to be more effective than the standard version, there isn’t a major difference between the moisturization effectiveness between these two products. However, if you are feeling like your skin might want a little more hydration boost or would like for the ingredients to absorb in your skin a little bit better, the premium version may be something you can try out.

 

 

Final Thoughts

For just $10 and considering that you can use it without having to worry about coming across problems that people might have with other skincare products, whether it’s clogging your pores or lack of moisturization/hydration, I think that this product is a must buy. 

This product can definitely be used by anyone, from people with sensitive skin, such as those with acne prone skin, to those who may have oily skin. So if you are looking for a simple skincare product to boost hydration, by either adding to or replacing any products from your usual skincare routine products, I think that this is a great product for anyone to get. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Kaitlyn C.