Review: Hada Labo Perfect Gel (Koi-gokujyun)

Name: Hada Labo Perfect Gel (Koi-gokujyun)
Bought from: Watsons
Price: $38.90
Rating: 3.5/5



Introduction
If you only based your impression on my hada labo retinol firming & lifting cream review , you might think I hate Hada Labo products xD but no, I'm actually a pretty big fan of Hada Labo and was one of the first few (ok I exaggerate but you get my point xp) to jump onto the wagon when they first launched in Singapore a couple years ago.
 
Due to my poor skin condition then, I was constantly on a quest for the next best skincare product to save my skin. I am too poor for the expensive brands so I could only turn to the pharmacies.  And I dare say I've tried almost all of Hada Labo's products that are available in Singapore. Speaking of which, Japan has a whole range of stuffs we don't see here in Singapore...
Ok sorry I digressed.
 

 
So the Hada Labo Koi- Gokujyun  Perfect Gel is marketed as a moisturiser with multiple function and a higher price tag. It is intended to be an intense moisturiser that can last 24 hours and repair your skin while you sleep.
 

 
Packaging:
Much like the rest of Hada Labo's moisturisers, this product comes in a golden yellow coloured plastic jar. Unlike the other HL moisturisers I've used, this had a bit of extra bulk at the bottom circumference thus making the product and its content look bigger than 50ml (edit: Sorry for the mistaken, it's actually 100ml ). I guess this packaging design was to compliment the image of a premium product.


Texture & Colour:
The gel looks almost opaque white inside the jar but is translucent white on the fingers. It has no fragrance and that is one of my favourite aspect about Hada Labo’s products. Much like the other HL moisturisers I’ve used, it has a very gel like texture and goes on clear on the skin.
 
 
Absorption rate:
This product has 3 different types of Hyaluronic acid to pump moisture into the skin. It also has Collagen and Ceramine to boost the skin's hydration retention ability. However when compared to the HL Retinol firming & lifting cream and the HA moisturiser, this product is a lot less sticky! 
 
But I would be lying if I say it wasn't sticky at all. Perhaps it's due to my habit of piling products onto my face but even after a few minutes of tapping/patting the product into my face, I still feel some stickiness. And the stickiness remains for a long time. 

However as I mentioned above, it is a lot more acceptable than it's sister products and … I guess after going through all the other Hada Labo products (I tried all the 3 toners, HA moisturiser, Retinol firming & lifting cream and one of it’s serum) I am already used to their stickiness and look upon it as a norm.


Effects on the skin:
It hydrates pretty well for relatively dehydrated skin like mine. However when I was used it alone without any serums, I would notice my face drying out halfway through the day in an air conditioned room.
 
To put this product to the test, I also did another experiment. For a few continuous days, instead of using 2 moisturisers like I usually do, (I use a hydration one and top it off with a slightly more cream/grease based one), I stuck with just serum and the Gokujyun Gel. I have relatively dehydrated + combination skin and I’m in an air conditioned environment during the day. I used the Gokujyun Gel as both my Day and Night moisturiser and I’m a little disappointed to say that at the end of those few days, my skin actually felt drier.
 
When used with my regular Arsainte ECO-THERAPY ideal essence and another cream based moisturiser on top, the Goku-Jyun Gel performed very well. My skin felt hydrated and supple.
 
It did not react to my sensitive skin at all.
 


Overall:

Well I actually really liked it. I remembered 2 weeks into using this product and I was all like "yeah, I'm totally ditching the other HL moisturisers and getting this next time!" and mind you, the Hada Labo Perfect Gel is a lot more expensive than their other moisturisers! But  I really liked how it hydrates without that overly sticky feeling which some other Hada Labo moisturisers can give.

For someone with normal or oily skin, you can probably get away with just this product and sunscreen. But for people with dry skin, I think some essence/serum and cream based moisturiser is still required to seal the moisture in.
 
Don't get me wrong, i don't mean to imply that people with dry skin should replace all your water/gel based moisturisers with cream based moisturiser. I think every product have their own purpose and they all work together to compliment each other. 
 
Cream based moisturisers lubricates, conditions and seal the moisture in the skin. But for people with dry skin, it usually means your skin is unable to properly hydrate itself and would require the use of another hydrating moisturiser to pump some hydration into the skin.
 
It's like you hydrate with water and then prevent the water from evaporating by sealing it with a layer of oil. Hope all these made sense!

 
Overall I give this product 3.5 /5.
 
0.5 point deducted because I don’t think it lived up to the advertising claim of ‘deep moisturising’ for 24 hours. It hydrated very well but having my skin dry out by 3pm when this product is used alone, is not ‘24 hours of deep moisturising’.

The next 0.5 point is deducted because I cannot use it alone. Like I explained above, I must couple it with my usual serums and then top it off with another moisturiser to fully reap the product’s benefit. It didn’t become the holy grail one-product-does-all moisturiser I was hoping for. I don’t know, I just feel disappointed.

The last 0.5 point is deducted due to the price. $38.90 is  quite a bit of money. I know there are many other moisturisers out there that cost twice as much but comparing this price tag to other moisturisers under their label and it’s easy to feel the pinch even though there is twice as much product