Review: Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion

I literally forgot I have not taken a single picture of it and had to crop it from my pics of skincare routine

I got this through Amazon, shipped from Japan ... so it fully Japanese, so information I got was from numerous reviews online and also Ratzillacosme which was really really helpful.
From Ratzillacosme:-

The ingredients here is pretty basic and that's what I love it for!

I heard of this product wayyy before but just never got interested until Hyaluronic acid become 'trendy'... lols... so since a lot of skincare brand started to emphasize how their formulation is so rich with Hyaluronic acid, I just went for this after reading numerous the great reviews.

10 years ago when it came out in TV ads while I was still in secondary school back home in Malaysia I never really think this product relevant to me because I was the acne-prone teenager who knows nothing other than killing acne with benzoyl peroxide and that hydration ? that ain't doing anything to my skin... so I thought. but now I've learnt. 

I found that this the most basic hyaluronic acid product, and basic is good. I would not say this is the best and maybe as a single product something else can be better but it is one of the best you can start with especially those who is new to  serious skincare. Especially for the price for the amount it just make sense!

Application:
It just slightly more viscous than water but and can felt a little sticky which do not last. It's clear and oh so easy to apply. No smell. You can just drop it to palm and swipe across face and neck, and pat it. I usually use it after putting on my vitamin C or my retinol in light thin watery formula, then followed by thicker serum.
It is perfect for layering, best use by adding more toners afterward or mist and finish off with a more occlusive products. You don't need to of course,  it perfectly fine to just leave it on and yes it's great for those DIY lotion mask.

Packaging:
Simple plastic bottle, quite squeez-y, non-leaking top in 170ml.

Performance:
It gives a kick to your complexion and plump it, great under makeup. Feel well hydrated all day. I have no reaction to it and not causing me break outs.
I have to say that if you are 'very' dehydrated and the weather soooo dry ie. low humidity you do find this is not enough. This is probably not the only solution. You need something richer or go into layering.
But if you live in Malaysia or more humid climate or has oily skin this should great and actually enough.

Price:
I got it for about 11 to 12 quids something on Amazon for 170ml with free delivery which is very affordable given it deliver direct from Japan. I do know this is cheaper in Malaysia and probably so in Japan.

Overall:
4.95/5.00

I have finish my last bottle and has no plan to repurchase is as I dabble the premium version which is really good and kinda plan to stick with that one. That's where I took off the 0.05, lols.

Review: Missha Geum Sul First Essence Booster

I bought this from my last trip in Korea after getting a sample of it. It was quite an impulse purchase as I didn't plan on buying this at all unlike the other products i got there. 
I was attracted to the texture of it as well it's herby smell and it seems like a premium line from Missha. Plus it was a good deal 2 full size bottles including full size day creams, travelling size of boosters and eye creams for the the price of 1. Seriously Korea, you are killing me.
I took the plunge resulting to 35kg luggage *though there were other products included, most of these essence and booster are in glass bottle. So you can imagine* Fast forward now I have finish 1 bottle of the booster and eye creams and i give away the day cream as I am not interested.

Bits of Missha claims (from MISSHA US website)

The highly-concentrated oriental Booster is for the very first step in your skincare regimen as it awakens your skin. It helps control oil-moisture balance, soothes to improve skin texture, nourishes, vitalizes, and purifies. Also provides wrinkle repairing and whitening benefits.
Made with wild ginseng, deer antlers and Reishi mushroom fermented and extracted based on gold. Contains Ginseng Water to nourish and moisturize dehydrated skin. Also contains Ginseng from Geumsan, Korea, which is famous for the best quality of ginseng around the world.

Sounds promising right! 

Ingredients:
Phellinus Linteus Mycelium Extract/Ginseng Root Ferment Extract Filtrate, Glycerin, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Ethanol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglutamic Acid, Arbutin, Propanediol, Betaine, Ginseng Water, Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract, Acorus Gramineus Root/Stem Extract, Ipomoea Hederacea Seed Extract, Codonopsis Tangshen Root Extract, Pinellia Ternata Root Extract, Eucommia Ulmoides Leaf Extract, Daemonorops Draco Extract, Astragalus Membranaceus Root Extract, Angelica Gigas Root Extract, Rehmannia Chinensis Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Extract, Poria Cocos Extract, Zizyphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Flower Extract, Foeniculum Vulgare (Fennel) Fruit Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-yuen Seed Extract, Ardisia Crispa Extract, Acanthopanax Sessiliflorum Bark Extract, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Flour Extract, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Velvet Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum (Mushroom) Extract, Honey Extract, Bacillus/Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Seed/Artemisia Annua Extract/Phaseolus Angularis Seed/Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed/Wheat Bran/Xanthium Strumarium Fruit Extract Ferment Filtrate, Asparagus Cochinchinensis Root Extract, Cynanchum Wifordi Root Extract, Lycium Chinense Root Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Extract, Mineral Salts, Gold/CI 77480, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Carbomer, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Glyceryth-26, Sucrose Distearate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ethyl Dimethyl Silane, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Dimethicone, PEG-2M, Cellulose Gum, Arginine, Adenosine, Benzophenone-5, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexyl Glycerin, Fragrance


I have to admit this is one of the longest ingredient list i encountered on a product I used... it does scare me a little. I do like that Ginseng is the first on list, and we got Sodium Hyaluronic and Arbutin up in the list as well. Lots of root extract which really give that oriental medicinal vibe or smell... although they do have Fragrance last in the list. Given the many extract I still wonder how much are really in it, especially when there is glycerin 2nd in the ingredient.

Personal Experience:
Colour, Texture and Packaging:
It is a water gel texture in light amber with gold specks infused through. It  does make me feel lush. Given the price, which was quite expensive, more so than the more popular Time Revolution line, it has to feel great.
The bottle is nice enough to display on vanity but the cap looks a bit tacky to me, lol. But the pump works great and it is an actual glass bottle, so quite heavy to travel with.

However, while this does feel good and I like the light water gel consistency... after a while I started to hate those gold specks. Since my skin is quite textured... I noticed some of the gold specks settle in my acne scars... I don't think the gold really does anything...
I heard about all these 24k gold facials etc... but in this case it does nothing... or maybe it just not obvious.
At first I use to wear this before serum, after acid tone/ mist... I think it works well in combination with my brightening serum... but on it's own it really does not do much other than hydrating and softening. But I guess in Missha defense it does what it supposed to do? Prep skin for the products to be absorbed better. I can't help  but started thinking it's basically a mix of ginseng extract and glycerin... which not to bad but not worth the price.

I don't want to say this product is bad, but I kinda felt slight tingling and irritating whenever I wear this, it might be the gold or the actual liquid itself. Overall it making me less excited to use especially when I have other better essence. But I just kept using so I can get rid of it. On the bright side it does not cause any bad reaction to my skin or flare up my acne.
Now I change to use after serum instead just before moisturizer which felt bit better. 
Another reason I change to after serum is because of the long list of ingredient and its texture. While it is quite watery,  the consistency is almost as thick as my current serums and my serums have shorter ingredient list so to be safe and wanting to get most pf my serum I believe it might be better to be worn after serum.

I even put on after moisturizer just so that I can finish it asap. But I think it's good under foundation especially the matte finish one. It gives an extra moist glow.

Neverthelesss it is still quite a dissapointment as a skincare product. Although I do notice a couple UK beauty blogger use it, so I am actually waiting for their review.

Overall I give it a 2/5.
Even if it is available to buy online in the UK, I will not repurchase.