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Meet the Japanese skincare product that cured my dry skin for good

It’s a true holy grail.

Photo of Colette Bennett

Colette Bennett

Hada Labo bottle as The Holy Grail

The beauty world is so glutted with skincare products it’s hard to have a clue about what actually works. Women frantically grab at the newest and best things on the market hoping some magic elixir will age us backwards. I can tell you that while that magic potion doesn’t exist, there are a few products out there that do what they say they will.

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Unfortunately, a lot of buyers assume that the best products cost the most, which is a massive skincare myth that needs breaking. As I have explored the world of K-beauty the past five years, I have learned there is no reason to blow hundreds on your routine. All you need to learn is what works best for the skin you have. And for dry-skinned ladies, you need to get your hands on a miraculous little Japanese line called Hada Labo.

If the name sounds familiar, it’s because the American version of the line can be found in Walgreens, and it’s very nice. That said, the original Hada Labo line is absolutely incredible. Typically found in Japanese drugstores, it costs $15 or less. While the whole line is stellar, the holy grail of the line is the Gokujun Hyaluronic Lotion.

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What’s a lotion, you ask? In the Japanese skincare world, it follows your toner and adds a light layer of moisture that serves as a base for the richer layers to come later, such as your moisturizer. It also is a great vehicle for ingredients that can improve aging, sagging skin, wrinkles and brightness. It also plumps the skin giving it a younger appearance.

That brings us to the Hyaluronic Acid, which is Hada Labo’s star ingredient. One use of the Gokujyun Lotion and I saw immediate results the next morning: a brighter complexion and simply glowing skin. The lotion is extremely hydrating too (this is good news for me since I have the driest skin known to man).

hada labo
A no makeup pic the day after I used the lotion. Photo via Colette Bennett

I would pay SO MUCH MONEY to get results like this, but Hada Labo is cheap as dirt. A huge bottle of the Gokujyun Lotion costs a whopping $11.60 on Amazon AND ships Prime for members.

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If you feel like you could use even more moisture than the Hada Labo lotion provides, there’s a Premium version in a gold bottle that’s even richer. It’s ideal for older skin, since we lose moisture as we age. I use the white bottle in the summer and the gold bottle in the winter, and one bottle usually lasts me a whole season. Spending less than $25 in a year to keep my skin plump, happy and healthy? Um, yes please.

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