Hydrate Like the Japanese with Hada Labo!

I remember their launch last year because I was invited but I couldn’t go as I was in Tokyo at the time. The Hada Labo force is much much stronger in Tokyo, as virtually every konbini, drugstore, department store, and corner store would stock up on Hada Labo products. The product range in Japan is also much more comprehensive, as they also have anti-aging, whitening, and premium ranges. It’s their flagship “Gokujyun” (which literally means “very moisturizing” or would be copywritten in English as “Intense Moisture”) range that has been winning all the awards all these years, so at least, they have officially brought in most of the key products of this range. 

For those who are encountering this brand, Hada Labo’s key commitment is to harness Hyaluronic Acid in their skincare, as they believe that the core purpose of skincare is to hydrate skin. Their products contain 3 kinds of hyaluronic acid (hyaluronic acid, super hyaluronic acid, and nano hyaluronic acid). The brand’s philosophy is to offer products that can give everyone (young and old, male and female) healthy, moist, and bouncy skin. Their goal is to do away with all the unnecessary ingredients and instead, to stuff each bottle to the brim with all the goodness of Hyaluronic Acid. These are things they put on all the Japanese product explanations, so you might not see these on the English translations on the labels. 

I’ve been a long time user of Hada Labo and have found that their products have worked very well for my dehydrated oily skin. 

Hada Labo Hydra & Whitening Face Wash (Php295 for 100g)

This is a facial wash designed for those with normal or dry skin. Dehydrated skin is different from dry skin, and while all their products target dehydration, this targets dryness specifically. This has brown algae extract for hydration and resveratrol to brighten the skin tone and enhance skin fairness.  

Hada Labo Deep Clean & Pore Refining Facial Wash (Php295 for 100g)

This is something that I got intrigued about as I have never seemed to have seen this in Japan. This seems to be something they made for foreign markets, specifically for tropical countries. This has green tea extract to control and remove excess oil as well as bentonite clay to absorb dirt and impurities from the pores. Like other products, this is also enriched with hyaluronic acid to keep skin hydrated. This is fragrance-free, alcohol-free, and has no colorants, making it gentle to the skin.

Hada Labo Gokujyun Hydrating Lotion (Php685 for 170mL)

Of course, the most important part of the routine. This is the long time holy grail Hydrating Lotion from Hada Labo. This is among the first legit products I’ve tried when I was starting to build a full skincare regimen back in 2014. I was impressed by this product as I could really notice my skin texture improve and become more hydrated, and pore size has also shrunk through time. I have used up several bottles and have a refill pack waiting, and definitely plan to use more bottles in the days and years to come. This is written in Japanese as “Hyaluronic Liquid,” so the role can be quite flexible. I’d say this is essence, but someone else might say it’s balancing skin. But I’m pretty sure that this goes after toner and skin conditioner and goes before serum. 

Hada Labo Gokujyun Hydrating Water Gel (Php850 for 50g)

I also found this interesting because I have never seen this in Japan as well. Or maybe it was I who didn’t see it? I have used Hada Labo’s 3D Perfect Gel so far, and I also bought several creams and gels from the Japan, but this is the first time I am encountering this variant. This is a gel designed for normal to oily skin. This works by using 3D oil clusters to hold oil-in-water droplets to stably form a barrier to hydrate and moisturize the skin. This also has 4 types of hyaluronic acid to make sure that the product can penetrate as much layers of the skin.

This is also enriched with Ceramide, Vitamin V3, Aloe Vera, and other botanical extracts. It’s also pH balanced, fragrance-free, an ideal for sensitive skin.

I’m just so relieved that this brand is officially in the Philippines, so we no longer have to deal with all the hassles of shopping from resellers! The prices are understandably still a bit higher than Japan prices, but at least, there is a standardized SRP matrix for all the products in Watsons outlets. For me, I find it the most frustrating when I buy a product from a reseller only to find out another reseller was selling it from cheaper. At least, as long as Watsons and SM Stores are concerned, the prices will be the same wherever you are.

Doll Up Mari: Top Beauty and Female Lifestyle Blogger Manila, Philippines