Hada Labo Masks Review Part I – Shirojyun Mask

Hi everyone, this is Ina with my first blog review (*^_^*) For the past few weeks I’ve been trying out Hada Labo’s face masks.

Hada Labo is well-known among beauty enthusiasts for their moisturising lotions, but how do their masks measure up? I looked at two different kinds, and today I’ll be giving my review of their Shirojyun Whitening Mask.

Brightening effects

Shirojyun means “white and moisturised”. Like many Japanese skin products, the masks are designed to reduce dark spots and freckles on the skin caused by uneven melanin production. Since many Japanese people are naturally light-skinned, this concept (“bihaku”) usually gets translated as “whitening” in English. However, these products can be used on all skin colours for brighter and more evenly-toned skin. They will not make your skin lighter than its natural tone!

The active ingredient in this mask is arbutin. What is arbutin? It’s a plant extract that prevents the production of melanin by inhibiting an enzyme called tyrosinase. Although arbutin is considered much safer than some other brightening ingredients like hydroquinone, there is still some risk of irritation or redness in the skin, so if you notice these symptoms you should stop using the product.

Of course, the reason your skin produces melanin in the first place is to prevent UV damage to your cells. Whether you use brightening products or not, sunscreen is a must.

Without further ado, let’s get to the review:

Hada Labo Shirojyun Whitening Mask Packaging

This is the outer box:

As I mentioned, the whitening (brightening) ingredient is high-purity arbutin. Actually the character for “white” is on the front of the packaging several times, so that is really the selling point they’re going for here.

It also says the product contains no mineral oils, artificial colorants or fragrances, and is gentle on the skin.

Looking at the ingredient list on the back, the liquid contains hyaluronic acid Na-2 and vitamin C magnesium phosphate. It does list ethanol and parabens as ingredients.

Putting on the mask

This is what the mask looks like when you take the mask out. It’s easy to unfold.

Now a word of warning – this mask is very liquidy! I advise putting it on over the sink to avoid it dripping everywhere.

Once it’s safely on your face it doesn’t drip. The liquid doesn’t have any strong smell.

The mask covers most of my face well although the forehead part is too large for me and the nose part a little too small. It was difficult to get it to lie flat perfectly.

“If I smile it’ll crease up even more…”

The instructions say to put the mask on after toner and leave it on for 5 to 15 minutes.

Taking it off

After removing, the instructions state that you should pat the remaining liquid into your skin. In my case I felt that the liquid didn’t fully absorb even after I did this.

Many people using Hada Labo’s lotions have complained that they make your skin sticky for a while after application. This mask gives a similar feeling. The stickiness goes away after say 30 minutes, but it does make the mask a bit unpleasant to use. It also seemed to make my face feel rather hot after I took it off?

I also saw some people online suggest that Hada Labo’s lotions should be used on slightly wet skin. This is because hyaluronic acid draws in moisture from around itself, and that’s what gives the sticky feeling. To test this out, I tried this mask on both dry (after toner) and wet skin. Wetting the skin does seem to reduce the hot and sticky feeling. In my case I don’t think it made much difference to the final effects, but if you find the mask is not working well for you, especially if you’re in a dry climate, it may be worth trying.

What about the brightening effects? Unfortunately it’s hard to tell without using these products over several months. In my case I don’t have many dark spots on my face to begin with. However, as far as immediate results go, I do believe the masks helped to make my skin look clearer and feel more hydrated.

To sum up after using Hada Labo Shirojyun Whitening Mask

Pros:

• Mask is easy to unfold and put on
• Moisturising effect is noticeable
• Price is reasonable
• Claims to be gentle on sensitive skin

Cons:

• Liquidy so can be messy to put on
• Somewhat unpleasant feeling after use
• Contains alcohol and parabens

With this mask, as with the Hada Labo lotions, I think it comes down to: do you prioritise how pleasant the product is to use or how effective it is? Personally I prefer a mask that feels cool and refreshing in the summer, but this one does seem very effective at moisturising.

Join me next time for part 2 where I’ll be reviewing Hada Labo’s Gokujun Alpha face mask!