A colleague asked me to smile a few days ago. Then she stared at my face really hard looking for something. I was curious but I kept smiling. then she exclaimed, “You don’t have it!”. I asked her back, “Don’t have what?”.

“You don’t have crow feet!”

I never actually realized that until she made the comment. Then she urged me to share what other beauty products I have been using apart from SKII Pitera Essence. Yes, she knew I was using SKII as well. It is after all a wonderful product. Anyway, I had wanted to move away from Korean skincare for a bit. I was looking for products from Japan with a lower budget than SKII. Although I love and am still spending money on its Pitera essence, I do feel that spending a few hundred ringgit on other skincare products in their range is burning a hole in my pocket. Especially when the amount is so little.

I did come across products from Shiseido, Kose and DHT. I was not keen on Hada Labo initially because I had an unpleasant experience with one of its products many years ago. However, looking at brands other than Hada Labo made me hesitant to get them. I was torn between the desire to get the results I yearn for when using skincare and the exorbitant price. Yes, I can afford to buy them. However, do I actually want to spend >RM250 for an eye cream or >RM 400 for a lotion? For the face? Not really.

I eventually gave in to the temptation of giving Hada Labo another chance. I was intrigued to do so because I found out that they had this beautiful bright blue packaging for their premium range. As premium as it is, it was still within my budget. It was a good decision in the end.

Hada Labo Facial Wash

Although the scent was ‘plant-ish’, it had a rich, smooth texture to it. I liked that it left a soft, supple after-wash feeling afterwards. I still use it interchangeably with my Mary Kay facial wash but I use Hada Labo in the morning as it felt more gentle on the skin. Once this one’s finished, would I get a new one? Ermmm no. I’d explore other options.

Hada Labo Gel

This product was marketed as a hydrating gel for oily/combination skin. I was hoping for it to tackle my uneven skin tone and lighten my acne spots. As I am approaching 40 (soon), I do feel that the scars heal very slowly as compared to how it was when I was younger. The collagen dilemma is real ladies. I try to incorporate more greens into my diet, greens are good to lessen the body odour too, but still, I needed a product that could help on the surface. I have to say this is one of the products that I enjoy applying on my face. I would repeat this purchase as I feel it is very hydrating on my skin. My skin barrier is very thankful to have this on board. As you can see, I am running low on this one.

Hada Labo UV sunscreen

I have been very consistent with my sunscreen use for the past 2 years. This sunscreen has an SPF50++ and I am so glad that it doesn’t leave a white cast on my South East Asian honey skin. The texture is milky and smooth to apply. Almost like a lotion. Almost like the viral BOJ sunscreen that I’ve used before. BOJ was a great product and I saw that it has widened its range – trying to conquer the sun category. I will look into that later. I recommend this Hada Labo sunscreen. It is a 5 out of 5 for me.

Hada Labo HA Supreme Vita

This is not from the premium range but I was attracted to its claim for deep hydration and brightening complexion. This is a serum I applied after using the gel. This concentrate has four types of Hyaluronic Acid that provide intense moisture. I was curious to trying the interesting plant extracts in it such as Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Brassica Rapa (Turnip) Leaf Extract and Algae Extract Sodium Citrate.

Hippophae Rhamnoides is sea buckthorn fruit which is well suited for mature skin. It stimulates the formation of new skin cells and metabolic processes. The fruit has high amounts of Vitamin C, Vitamin E and other skin favourites.

Rose canina contains high levels of antioxidants. The flower itself can be consumed in salads or preserved in honey. In the cosmetic industry, it serves as a microbial barrier. It also has calming properties for sensitive skin. In other words, it is suitable for acne.

Myrciaria dubia is a riverside tree growing in the Amazon rainforest. I don’t know how the Japanese chemist got a hold of it. Anyway, the tree has flowers with sweet-smelling aroma. Traditionally, the fruit is harvested directly into canoes due to its sturdy nature. It is used in skincare due to its high Vitamin C content and we all know in the world of beauty, Vitamin C is an antioxidant and it brightens the complexion.

Brassica Rapa is again another antioxidant to add up to the existing line of skincare barriers. See how powerful this little bottle is.

I don’t use night repair cream or anything of that sort as I am already using retinol in my night skincare regime. I apply retinol at least 2 to 3 times/week. Ironically, although Hada Labo is a Japanese product, on its packaging it is ‘Made in Korea’. I guess you cannot get away from the big giants of the skin care industry after all.