Hada Labo Lotion: The Japanese Skin Care Product That's Crazy Popular in Asia

I'm past my mid-30s so preserving my skin's moisture balance is definitely a priority now. That's why I knew I had to try Hada Labo lotion. I have sensitive skin so having learned that the hydrating product is free of fragrance, mineral oil, alcohol and colourants, I was instantly sold on it. I'm already pale to begin with so I didn't care much for the skin-whitening range and got the basic Hadalabo SHA toner.

The lotion is clear, runny, and scent-free - it feels and looks like water except that its slightly denser. The liquid becomes sticky once you pat it on. Like in the commercial, my skin felt bouncy and elastic after the product has been fully absorbed. Hours later, it still felt very soft, smooth, well-moisturized and looks more radiant than before.

My only beef is that it takes a while to get fully absorbed by the skin - 3-5 minutes for me - so if I'm in a hurry, I might forego using it altogether. Otherwise, I think it's a great product. A bottle usually sells for $20 but as you only need 2-3 drops per use, it will go a long way and comes out quite cheap.

How to use Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Toner

1. Cleanse. Wash your skin with your usual cleanser (or with Hada Labo Facial Wash)

2. Tone. Shake a few drops of Hadalabo Toner onto both palms and pat it on to your face. It's pretty rich so 1-2 drops is enough to retain skin's natural moisture. The product contains no alcohol or any drying ingredient so you will have to keep patting until it's fully absorbed, otherwise it will just slide off.

3. Moisturize. Follow it up with your usual moisturiser (or with Hadalabo Milk Lotion). Yes, despite the lotion/toner's hydrating properties you still need to moisturize.

With a 'Perfect x Simple' Philosophy, HadaLabo uses only the purest ingredients that are beneficial to the skin with no unnecessary additives like colorants, fragrance, and oils that are present in other beauty products.

Hadalabo currently has three different product ranges and they are defined by each category's key ingredients.

* The Hada Labo AHA/BHA series is inspired by the smoothness of a shelled, boiled egg and features a combination of Alpha Hydroxy Acid and Beta Hydroxy Acid that gently exfoliates and polishes away dead skin cells and dullness to reveal smooth and radiant skin.

* The Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening series contains Arbutin, an extract of the bearberry plant which is natural, safe and widely accepted in Japan as a whitening agent, to enhance skin fairness and prevent dark spots, resulting in fair and even-toned skin.

* The Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizing series is the signature range. The key ingredient, Super Hyaluronic Acid, has twice the moisture retention capacity of Hyaluronic Acid (1 gram of Hyaluronic Acid can hold up to 6 litres of water) and effectively replenishes skin's lost moisture, leaving skin smooth, supple and incomparable soft.

Photo and information soruced from Hada Labo Singapore