The $15 Japanese Moisturizer That’s a Gamer Changer for Eczema | Well+Good

Winter is coming—not in the looming Game of Thrones type of way, but in the dreadful “oh no, my skin!” way. Having lived in Minneapolis for several decades through too many -30 degree polar vortexes, I know all-too-well about dry winter skin. Between the cracked lips, the flaky skin you find on the inside of your jeans (yuck!), and the overall blah-ness from the cold temperatures and whipping winds attacking your skin, it can be a rough few months.

But! Before you commit to a season indoors, we come bearing good news: We’ve found a bottle of lotion that will spare you from dry skin, whether the culprit is winter weather or eczema (or both). Best of all? It’s just $15. Meet the Hadalabo Japan Skin Institute Gokujun, a facial lotion that’s user-, dermatologist-, and esthetician-approved.

Take it from Lindsey G., a good friend of a W+G staffer, who raves about how transformative it’s been on her skin. “Not only do I have dry skin, but my skin is really sensitive and I’ve found that many of the fun and trendy and more expensive products irritate it more than help,” she says. “I finally found this hyaluronic acid for a great price on Amazon a few years ago and my skin is noticeably more hydrated when I use it consistently. I never run out and don’t think I’ll ever stop ordering it! It has become an essential on my vanity.”

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As Lindsey mentioned, the key ingredient in this lotion is hyaluronic acid. Not just one hyaluronic acid though. “This product contains seven types of hyaluronic acid, each of which will penetrate the skin at different levels, making it a high-performance product for dry winter skin,” says Deisy Suarez-Giles, founder of DESUAR Spa. “The hyaluronic acid will help the skin maintain moisture, keeping the skin hydrated and plump during the winter months.”

While anything with “acid” in the name may give you flashbacks of drying out your skin in middle school, hyaluronic acid has the opposite effect, explains Dr. Courtney Rubin, a board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of skin-care brand Fig.1. “This lotion contains multiple molecular weights of hyaluronic acid, which is a molecule that brings deep hydration and moisturization to the skin,” she says. “It also contains glycerin, which is another one of my favorite moisturizing ingredients.”

Back to the star, hyaluronic acid, though. It’s naturally found in our skin, and Suarez-Giles particularly appreciates it for its ability to “super hydrate the skin by binding to water and holding it within our skin’s surface,” she says. Come wintertime, when the humidity drops, the cold, dry air causes water to evaporate from our skin rapidly. Artificially heated dry inside air doesn’t help, either. All those factors team up to make it difficult for our skin to lock in moisture.

For those battling eczema, you might want to add one of these lotions to your everyday routine, too. “Hyaluronic acid is also great for eczema due to its hydrating ability, which can help reduce the visible effects of eczema,” says Suarez-Giles. “In addition, this product is fragrance-free which can be a major trigger for anyone suffering from eczema flare ups.”

Convinced? We sure are, and will be adding this Japanese lotion to our vanities immediately. Winter is coming, and that’s fine by us.

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