i bought lots of origins sample last holiday and the lady at the counter told me that she would give me a bunch more freebies if i added a bit more, so i did. i don't think she counted the items that she gave me, so i can't know for sure about it. anyway.. i got some samples that i've had already, but there were some that i haven't got just like this one. anyway.. there were two origins moisturizers that i had in my stash, but this one is smaller so i decided to try this one first.

description at the back

the cream on my hand

after blending it

it's been quite awhile since local brands start popping out. i always want to try some of them, but i always have no idea where to start. then rollover reaction was having pop up store in one of the mall in my city, unfortunately it's not nearby, so it took awhile for me to visit it. but i managed to visit the store on its last day. at that time i was interested in their halo blush as well, but i have other cream cheek product at that time that i haven't finished yet, so i postponed that idea and only bought the cushion and their highlighter stick. i will review their cushion in other post, but for now, i will review their highlight stick.

this is the description from their website: luminous cream stick to highlight parts of face, leaves skin a natural, radiant glow. apply to cheekbones, browbone, cupid bow, and the bridge of the nose for subtle glow. mistake-proof color, quick and easy to apply.

the tube

i told myself that it's just a peeling gel. but since i stopped using cure peeling gel, somehow i became lazy to use peeling gel every week, and my last peeling gel almost gone bad before i managed finishing it. anyway.. after that i became reluctant to specifically get my peeling gel from japan. i decided to just buy anything from body shop, especially since i have birthday discount. but i don't know which one to get since there are a few types of them. i managed to visit the store just before the "stay at home" mandatory was put in effect, and i only saw the vitamin c one and the drops of youth one, so i decided to try the drops of youth first. i hope this one works well even though i don't have the same luck with the serum.

this is the description from the website: the drops of youth - youth liquid peel exfoliates and gently peels off impurities from your skin, lifting dead skin cells and residuals. infused with a blend of three plant stem cells, this revolutionary gel-to-peel leaves skin clean and purified from the day's pollutants. continued use will leave a fresh, smoother and more luminous youthful-looking skin. 100% vegetarian, with three plant stem cells (edelweiss from italian alps, sea holly and criste marine from the britanny coast), instantly feels like dead skin cells are lifted, peels off impurities and pollutants, skin feels cleansed from day's pollution, dermatology tested.
ingredients: aqua, alcohol denat, propylene glycol, glycerin, carbomer, PPG-26-buteth-26, palmitamidopropyltrimonium chloride, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, quaternium-80, parfum, behentrimonium chloride, linalool, citronellol, cetrimonium chloride, isopropyl alcohol, crithmum maritimum extract, leontopodium alpinum callus culture extract, sodium hyaluronate, citric acid, xanthan gum.

the bottle

the packaging: since i bought this in store, there's no box. it's only the bottle. it comes in green plastic bottle with pump that has unique stopper. the stopper is really secure, so you don't have to worry about it being spilled. you also have to turn the pump so you can pump out the product out. there's a description as well as ingredients list on the label. this comes in 150 ml size while cure comes in bigger size, 250 ml. there's a description at the back in indonesia.

back of the bottle

the scent: it smells like fruity acidic thing, just like my previous peeling gel from other japanese brand. it's quite strong at first, and i don't like it, but after using it couple times, i think i get used to it.

the stopper

the product: it's a milky white gel just like my other peeling gel. it spread easily and within seconds it starts to ball off.

the peeling gel on my hand

the result: after washing it off, somehow my face doesn't look super bright and clear, unlike when i was using cure or the other japanese brand. but i can feel that my skin is softer after using it.

the skin sloughs off

after washing it off

i'm still not sure about this one. it does work okay, but i don't like the acidic scent. it does a bit cheaper compared to cure peeling gel and it's easier to get, but it comes in smaller size. i think i will repurchase cure next time, but for now, this does the work. anyway.. i don't know what's the difference between this line and other peeling gel that body shop has, but this one works okay. it doesn't make my skin dry. but it's more expensive than other line. i think it's suitable for any skin types. if you have the budget, i think it's worth to try.

i've been to japan several times and each time i went there, i used that opportunity to purchase lots of skincare stuff. but i almost never tried their serum. this time i decided to try their essence/serum. i've tried the hada labo gokujyun essence, but i don't quite like it. this time i tried hadabisei serum. i only have tried their eye mask before, and it was so-so. so let's see how this one does.

this is the description from their website: a beauty essence that allows you to care for your eyes and mouth with plenty of beauty ingredients. 4 kinds of moisturizing ingredients and 11 kinds of organic moisture ingredients. a beauty liquid that concentrates plenty of beauty ingredients into one drop, moisturizes to the deepest layer of the stratum corneum. permeation type gold retinol ex blend.
it contains collagen, hyaluronic acid, plant placenta (melon placenta extract), plant ceramide (yuzu fruit extract), altea, aloe, sage, fennel, cucumber, centella asiatica, knotweed, liquorice, tea, rosemary, chamomile.

the packaging

back side

the packaging: it comes in a hard plastic packaging with a piece of paper inside that has a infographic about where you should use the serum for and a bit description at the back in japanese. the serum comes in light yellow glass bottle with dropper to dispense the product. it comes in regular 30 ml size but somehow it seems so little since it finishes quickly. there's another description at the back of the bottle in japanese too. the bottle is see-through so you can see the remaining product inside. the dropper is good, i don't have any problem with it so far.

the bottle

back of the bottle

the scent: i think it's scentless, but i can smell a bit alcohol scent in it. perhaps because it contains alcohol. but it's barely detectable.

milky white serum in the dropper

the product: it's a milky white serum, a bit viscous just like usual serum consistency, but it spreads easily and it's absorbed easily too. i use a full dropper for my whole face. i know.. it's supposed to be used on smile lines or under eyes, but why? aging signs don't just show on those lines so i'd better use it on my whole face. unfortunately, the serum seems to be finishing quickly since i only use it almost a month and it's just a quarter left. i guess it's meant to be used for smile lines and under eyes only.

after putting it on my hand

the result: it's a moisturizing serum just as promised and it's lightweight. it absorbs into my skin well and doesn't feel too sticky. but i don't think it would be enough on its own. it layers well over and under other products that i use without any pilling. and although it contains retinyl palmitate, it doesn't feel irritating at all. i also use other retinol product every other day, but even when i use it in combination with this serum, it works okay. but that doesn't mean you can be reckless, you still need to hydrate and moisture your skin well when you're using actives like retinol.

after patting it

anyway, i'm quite like this serum. it's quite affordable for a moisturizing serum. but i don't like that i finish this serum very quickly. it's almost gone in just under two months. which is not economical considering that this comes in regular 30 ml serum size. but if you're looking for anti aging serum, you might be disappointed since the retinyl palmitate is the weakest retinol product, so the effect is barely noticeable. so if you're a beginner in retinol world, this might be a good starter product for you to try. but if you're already used stronger retinol product, then you'd better skip this. as for availability, obviously you can buy it when you are in japan,  but i don't know about buying this online. i know that you can buy several japan famous brands online via rakuten or maybe ebay, but hadabisei is barely heard of so i can't be sure about it. as for me, if i could go back to japan, i'd like to repurchase it again. but if i can't, i won't miss it much either.

if you've read my other post, you'd know that i like to buy gift sets during holiday because it's my chance to try some high end brands for cheaper price. if it's worth it, i might consider buying the full size. anyway, somehow origins has better pricing for their gift sets, so i ended up buying some of them. i've tried their face wash, and now i'm trying their toner. actually, i knew this toner. i've heard about their mushroom line that's targeted for sensitive skin. so let's see how it does.

this is the description from their website: instantly refreshes and weightlessly hydrates all skin types, including sensitive. precious reishi mushroom helps soothe. chaga ferment helps calm and has 28% more anti-irritant power. visible redness is reduced after one use. skin is perfectly prepped for the products you apply next.
key ingredient: fermented chaga, reishi. recommended for: sensitive skin. benefit: visibly reduce redness and boost hydration.

the complete set

the packaging: i bought this in a set so it came in an envelope-like carton packaging that has the picture of all the products inside. at the back there's a bit description of everything. inside there were three items, the face wash, toner and moisturizer. i've tried the face wash, and it's the toner time. the toner is like a miniature of the full size version. it comes in opaque green plastic bottle with screw cap. i hate the cap because it keeps falling when i use it. and it would be troublesome to find it in the dark. i hope they use pump instead of screw cap. and the hole is too big so i often pour too much. i do hope that they use pump instead of just pouring it from a hole. anyway, this comes  in 30 ml.

the bottle

the scent: it has some herbal medicine scent to it. at first it puts me of, but after awhile, i become accustomed to it. afterall, the scent dissipates after awhile. it doesn't linger.

description at the back

the product: it's just a watery toner, clear liquid just like water. like any other toner. that's why it's annoying that they didn't put at least a stopper on the hole so i can control the amount of toner better.

look at that big hole

the result: it's hydrating but compared to kikumasamune toner moist that i also use, this one is less hydrating. it's absorbed quickly and doesn't leave sticky feeling afterward. i can layer it, but i feel it becomes slightly sticky when i put more, so i usually only do one or two layers. this is supposed to be soothing, so i use half of it on my husband who has more sensitive skin than i do. i noticed that it helps with the redness, but it does nothing else.

looks nothing on my hand because it's transparent just like water

after patting it

as you can guess, i don't think it's worth the money. this is super expensive for a toner that only moderately hydrating and only helps soothing a bit. i can find other toner that works as well as this one with cheaper price point. so definitely a no for me. anyway, if you love origins as a brand and has sensitive skin, it's a good option for you. but if you're tight on budget, then you should forget it. i don't think it's worth the money.

when i was shopping at guardian singapore, somehow there's a promotion going on and i managed to buy certain amount of goods and got a goodie bag. inside there were several minis from brands that i haven't tried before (oh well, there's only cetaphil that i've tried, but everything else is new to me). anyway, i have tried several items, and there are only a few left, mostly moisturizer. so after finishing medicube one, it's time to try this neutrogena one. i've heard lots of good reviews about this moisturizer, so let's see.

this is the description from guardian singapore's website: helps quench dry skin to leave it looking smooth supple and hydrated. absorbs quickly like a gel but lasts long like a cream. hydrating hyaluronic acid acts a sponge for dry skin cells. moisturizing skin with up to 1000 times its weight in water. oil-free and non-comedogenic formula. wearable under makeup.
neutrogena hydro boost water gel with unique light-weighted fresh texture that can be instantly absorbed, proven to effectively lock in abundant hydration deep within your skin & continuously quench your skin's thirst throughout the day. tested with hydro boost regimen. dermatologist tested, oil free and non-comedogenic.

the packaging: since i got this in a goodie bag, it comes with several other items and a pouch. there's no box whatsoever. the packaging is just like the full version but in mini size. this one comes in 15 g. it comes in a blue plastic tub with screw cap. no other seal inside. there's a bit description at the back in english.

the tub

the scent: it smells fragrant, floral scent. but as usual, i have no idea what kind of scent it is.

back of the tub

the product: it's a bluish water gel that spreads easily and changes into watery traces when you spread it around. it's absorbed easily and leaves matte finish. it has several types of dimethicone, that's why it feels smooth after it's being absorbed. since it's a mini size, there's no spatula included. and i don't think they provide spatula for the full size either.

the bluish gel

the result: it's a lightweight moisturizer so i think it's suitable for day and night, though i would say that if you have dry skin, it won't be enough for you. somehow i'm not quite sure that it's hydrating enough. because it gives matte finish, i don't feel that it's enough, like it absorbs the hydration that i've put before it. but i don't experience any bad reaction from it, so i guess it works okay. it just doesn't give you the glow that i usually have after putting on lots of skincare.

i can see why it's popular. there are many people that think they have oily skin, but in fact they have dehydrated skin. and back then, matte finish is more popular than glowy finish, that's why i can see why it gets so popular. i can say that if you're okay with loads of dimethicone, then you should try it. neutrogena is a well known brands and it's quite affordable so i think it's okay to try them. i think they still sell mini size in guardian, so maybe you'd want to try mini first. i think it's more suitable as morning moisturizer since it gives matte finish that would be okay for daytime since most of you would put on some makeup. but it won't be enough for night time. as for me, i don't think i'll buy the full size since i usually use emulsion at daytime and i like something more glowing and a bit more occlusive at night.

honestly, when i went to japan, i had no intention of buying their serums or essences, mainly because i never heard most of them. i only wanted to buy kanebo white serum which i've heard from @ryanroar. but then i saw hadalabo essence. and i'm curious to see whether it's worth a try or not, since the toner from the same line is very famous. so let's check it out.

this is the description from their website: hadalabo gokujyun hyaluronic essence is a moisturizing serum that contains two hyaluronic acids. a essence that tightly confines fresh moisture. plenty of moisture, sticky and sticky skin. same weak acidity as healthy bare skin. hypoallergenic, non-scented, non-colored, mineral oil-free and alcohol-free, considering gentleness to the skin.
moisture component: acetyl hyaluronate Na (super hyaluronic acid), hyaluronate Na.

the box

description and ingredients list on the box

the packaging: it comes in a white box that has similar design as the toner from the same line. there's no english text at front, so make sure you google first and take a screenshot before diving in japan's drugstore. on one side of the box, you can see the picture of the essence bottle. there's description and probably ingredients list on the box as well, but everything is in japanese. it comes in 30 g which is the usual size for essence/serum. the bottle inside is really just as pictured outside. it's a silverish plastic bottle with white pump head covered in another white plastic cap. at first i thought it's opaque, but when i almost finish with it, i can see the remaining product inside when i put the bottle under the light.

another text on the box

the picture of the bottle on the box

the scent: i think it's scentless. most japanese products are scentless, so it's no wonder that this one too.

the bottle

description at the back

the product: the essence is a white gel-like essence. it's quite viscous when being pumped out of the bottle, but it turns watery and spreads easily. i use one and a half pump for my whole face and neck.

the pump head

the result: this is where it gets weird. i remember the toner was similar to this. when i finish put it all over my face, i will pat it. and then it gets sticky as i pat the essence in. which i think it is similar to the toner. i remembered it gets sticky a bit when you pat it then you need to keep patting it until it doesn't feel sticky anymore. honestly, even when i almost finish it, i can't say anything good about it. it does hydrate my skin for a bit, but it's not enough. when i put more, it feels siliconey, so i think it messes with my pores. and even after putting more, it doesn't add any more hydration to my skin. sometimes i think it makes my skin more dehydrated than before.

the essence on my hand

after patting it in

anyway, if you love the gokujyun toner and want to try the essence, you should try it as it's quite affordable. but it's not easy to get. you have to go to japan to get it, or buy it online but with higher price. i think even though it might be suitable for all skin type, i don't think it would be enough for dry skin type. even normal skin probably won't like it as it's not super hydrating. as for me, i definitely won't repurchase.