Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Moist Essence EX

Posted by: beautyknot on: May 12, 2010

• In: Budget Skincare | Product Review | Treatment/Serum/Essence
• 14 Comments

 

Hada Labo is skin care line researched and developed by Rohto-Mentholatum Japan with stringent pharmaceutical standard. Gentle and simple formulated, skin pH balanced, non-fragranced, contains no mineral oil, alcohol and colorant. According to Hada Labo, the main ingredient – Super Hyaluronic Acid is able to retain twice the moisture of Hyaluronic Acid (1g HA can hold up 6 liters of water), intensely boost the skin hydration level.

 

 

Before I began reviewing the essence, I wanted to share my thought about the best-selling Hada Labo Moisturizing Lotion that achieved the hype of “one bottle sold every 4 seconds” in Japan (FYI, the sales data is taken from 30/6/2008 till 28/6/2009, during business hours). I spotted the Hada Labo line at Guardian pharmacy in Malaysia (It wasn’t available in Thailand at this moment) and I also tested the lotion on hand. The texture was slightly viscous, slippery and gluey. It seemed to need quite some time to be fully settled into skin. I revised my left hand (I tested on left hand only) again after half to an hour, compared with my right hand (bare), the left hand did appear slightly more hydrated and slight tacky, but nothing spectacular to convince me, plus I dislike the gluey texture so eventually I didn’t get one. Screening through the ingredient list, there were only three skin care and hydrating ingredients- Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate and Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, unless you count Butylene Glycol (acts as both solvent and humectant) in. Theoretically the lotion should be ideal for hydrating because the superstar ingredient – Hyaluronic Acid is undeniably an excellent water-binding agent for any skin types and the gel texture is ideal to retain moisture too.

 

 

Instead, I bought this Moisturizing Essence (MYR59.90/30g) which contained both water and oil moisturizing ingredients for my sensitive, easily dehydrated, pre-mature skin in less humid weather.

 

 

A similar viscous, slippery and gluey consistency like the Hada Labo Moisturizing Lotion. I used 1~3 squirts depending on skin condition for face and neck.  I don’t normally have good patience to wait 20 minutes until it fully settled, sunscreen/moisturizer can actually cover the stickiness. Nevertheless, for very dry weather such as autumn/winter,  this essence is fast-absorbing, leaves minimum/no stickiness and helpful to retain sufficient moisture together with a good moisturizer.

 

Pertaining below attached skin texture comparison, I just wanted to give you a little bit more general idea of this Hada Labo moist essence. Frankly, any hand cream or even lightweight body lotion that doesn’t contain Hyaluronic Acid can moisture the skin very well on below mentioned specified hot & humid testing day too.

 

”’ Sunny ~35^oC, humidity ~68%, windy, cozy room temperature ”’

(Skin texture comparison, same spot of the hand) 

 

 Hydrated skin texture with the Hada Labo essence

 

(Next day, similar weather) Dry skin texture without any moisturizing

 

Although my skin is quite stable  now after stopped continuing with those “wrong” products, this essence is still very helpful to keep my skin bouncy soft and moist. It even completely healed my minor flaky nose within a day! Fabulous! When my natural moisturizer failed to soothe the skin sensitivity, I used 4-6 squirts of this as moisturizer and it enabled the skin self-healing, calmed down the redness in just 2 days. Overall I’ve no breakout, no irritation from using it, but 1-2 oil zits/clog pores when using it together with other moisturizing skin care in humid weather.

 

Occasionally I also mix few squirts of this together with my body lotion for extra hydration, which worked really fine anyway, no temporary greasiness comparing to the mixture of treatment oil + body lotion.

 

 

Throughout the 3 months usage, I enjoyed its conveniency that can be used everytime & everywhere, its efficiency that can immediately replenish moisture, its compatibility that can be paired together with most other products (avoid silicone texture), and its gentleness that never irritated my sensitive skin. This Hada Labo moist essence is a nice budget option for purely hydrating, moisturizing and soothing. I would love to repurchase but now I’m more impressed with a much better but more costly option – Dr.Ci:Labo’s.

 

Rating: ….)))     Excellent. May buy again.

 

Ingredients:

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Pentylene Glycol, PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer/Squalane/Polysorbate 60, Sodium Hyaluronate, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Methylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Disodium Succinate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate.