It's taken me a long time to review the Hada Labo Gokujyun Super Hyaluronic Acid Foaming Wash, and not for interesting reasons. It's hard to write reviews of unremarkable products-- sometimes products are

really good

or

really bad,

but most of the time, they're just bland. Such is the case with the two self-foaming cleansers that I'm reviewing today as my newest "

Dirge of Duds

" post.

This outdoor image brought to you by SPF 50+ PA+++ sunscreen.

Ironically, my last Dirge of Duds post (linked above) also featured a Hada Labo product, but unlike the Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Lotion which I actively disliked, I actually emptied the entire bottle of the cleanser, which is a pretty amazing feat considering that

I've got a lot of cleansers in my rotation

. Part of it was just determination to empty a cleanser so I could purchase something fun that excited me more, and part of it was that it was an easy sell for my husband's nascent skincare routine, being both utilitarian and unoffensive.

Still, both of these cleansers were so boring that they added to, instead of mitigated, my ennui towards cleansing and that resulted in me skipping my routine more often than I'd like to admit. I purchased these with the intention to try a very famous cleanser (the Hada Labo is a

favourite of adoredee

and many others) and to compare it against a similar Korean product (the Medicean) which was a relatively rare animal-- an openly low-pH Korean cleanser.

In this post:

• Product details
• Ingredients
• pH results
• How they compare
• Final thoughts

Before we jump in, I'd like to take a moment and remind people that skincare doesn't work the same way for everyone; many people don't care about

Skincaretainment

and just want their products to do the thing they're supposed to do. I'm just jaded and can't get it up for bland products these days-- I need my products to motivate me to drag my exhausted backside into the bathroom and start my routine.

Both of the cleansers work just fine, and they're good options for beginner cleansers, which is why the Hada Labo cleanser appeared in my

Beginner Friendly: Simple K-Beauty Starter Kits for 4 Skin Types

series, which details 4 really simple beginner routines with only 5 products for a variety of skin types. I just need excitement in my bathroom, and not

the kind that evokes dead grandmothers and ignores safewords

.

Just as a quick reminder: this blog uses both affiliate and non-affiliate links, and if you choose to click the fomer before you shop, your purchase may contribute a tiny amount to the maintenance of this blog. See full details at the end of this post!

receipts

Hada Labo Gokujyun Foaming Cleanser Review

My new pH strips have a fancy flip-top opening, I like.

Just as a quick warning, this is the 2015 version, there is a 2016 version which I have not tried. I am not rushing out to buy it either; I'll likely wait until someone posts a comprehensive comparison of them and then link it here. It's still low pH, but the ingredients are slightly different. The 2015 version is still in circulation at the time of this post.

Product details

Full product name: Hada Labo Gokujyun Super Hyaluronic Acid Foaming Wash Because Lots Of Names Is Apparently Necessary With Products Especially If A Science-y Word Can Be Shoved In There Too. Not to be confused with the Hada Labo Rohto Gokujyn Foam Cleanser, which comes in a tube and is high-pH. Purpose: A"self-foaming" cleanser, which means that its foaming action is through a physical mechanism of the pump to agitate it into bubbles, rather than relying on foaming agents. More on this later. Scent: Like chemicals. It's not a strong scent, but it's definitely unfragranced and smells ... well, like chemicals/plastic. Texture: A loose cloud of foam that wimps out almost immeditely on contact with the skin, water, etc. I would not use this with any sort of cleansing tool, like a facial brush, because it doesn't have any buffering or lasting power at all. pH result: As promised, between 5.5 and 6, as you can see in the image above. Quantity: 160ml, and it lasts forever. Because it's a liquid-to-foam via pump action, it takes only a tiny, tiny amount of the solution to create a pump of foam, so emptying this was a slog. Rating: Oh jeez, this is hard. 4/5, because it's low pH, cheap, a huge volume of product, unoffensive, and easily sourced. Also comes in a refill! Where to get it:

Amazon $10, $12 on Prime

|

eBay $15 shipped

| Sometimes in local brick-and-mortar Asian markets! I purchased mine on Prime because well, Prime. Repurchase: No, but I'd put it in a care package for someone.

Ingredients

According to

, the ingredients are:

Water, PEG-8, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, TEA-Cocoyl Alaninate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Glycerin, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Methylparaben, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Starch Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Succinic Acid

It's also

on Cosdna

, and the analysis confirms there are very few skincare triggers in this cleanser. That's sort of Hada Labo's thing; reliable products without fanfare and without flags. I respect that approach, it's just not one that sends me running for my bathroom in excitement to put things on my face.

Medicean ER Nature Cleansing Foam Oily Skin Review

Although I prefer to use my own pH strips, this cleanser actually came WITH a pH strip and table right on the box!

This cleanser was purchased from a Korean buying service as part of my ongoing hunt for low-pH cleanser options. If you aren't familiar with what the deal is with pH, you can read more here:

Why the pH of Your Cleanser Matters

. I was pretty tickled when I got this, because although it has a very bland, dermabrand style, it actually had a tiny baggie with a pH strip taped to the box, and the

official product page

talks about pH directly.

Product details

Full product name: Medicean ER Nature Cleansing Foam Oily Skin version, there is another for dry skin as well. Purpose: Same as the Hada Labo, it's a self-foaming low pH cleanser which creates foam via the mechanical action of the pump. Scent: Much like the Hada Labo, it's unfragranced (which is relatively rare for a Korean product, in my experience) and has a faint chemical smell. It's not as strong as the Hada Labo, but still, don't get it in your mouth. Texture: Exactly the same type of fragile foam like the Hada Labo, just a bit softer. pH result: Between 5.5-6, as shown in the image above. Quantity: 150ml Rating: 3/5, because it's low pH, works fine, is non-irritating, but it's impossible to source and more expensive. Where to get it: From a buying service, such as

Avecko

or

Boyah Shop

. Repurchase: No, as it's difficult to source, fairly expensive at 15,800 KRW ($14 USD) before you add buying service fees and KR shipping costs, which hikes the overall cost.

I have to show the adorableness of getting a pH-strip-with-purchase though, this brand knows it's angle!

WerkThatChemistrySwag

So ready for

receipts that they preemptively provide one just in case you forget to ask.

I suppose I could have dug the box out of storage for this review, but it's already miraculous enough that I summoned the motivation to write this review, so here's the image from my original haul post showing the cuteness.

Ingredients

Thankfully, this product is on the Hwahae app, and I've transcribed it below:

Water, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Lauryl Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Yeast protein, Cocamidopropyl Betaine,, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Citric Acid, Isopropyl Alcohol, Hexamidine Diisethionate, Disodium EDTA, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Propylene Glycol, Allantoin, Biotin, Phenoxyethanol

I've also

entered it into Cosdna

, where the Isopropyl Alcohol was a flag, although it's so far down in the list that I'm not too terribly concerned.

How they compare

These products are very, very similar. Although the Hada Labo foam is a tiny bit more resilient and the Medicean foam is a tiny bit softer, they're both typical self-foaming cleansers. They look identical when dispensed, at least they would if the Hada Labo was not empty and sputtering the last drops:

Medicean at left, Hada Labo at right - as you can see, the Hada Labo is pretty much empty. They used to look the same!

I will give Hada Labo a shout-out for the design of their packaging; their pump is constructed in a way to dispense the product down to the last drops, which resulted in me abruptly running out of this product before I realized that it was too empty for me to get a good shot for review. Grumble.

The packaging is really the only difference, and the Hada Labo also has the eco factor covered-- it comes in refill packages, so you don't have to worry about throwing out a bulky plastic bottle, you can just refill it!

LOOK AT THAT EMPTY BOTTLE. LOOK AT IT. IT'S EMPTY! A BLOGGER EMPTY IN THE WILD!

The refill process looks like it would be pretty painless too, as the pump/lid just screws off and the bottle has a very wide mouth to prevent awkward fumbling when refilling it. It's so ... sensible. So pragmatic. So reliable. So no-nonsense.

Final thoughts

Sensible, pragmatic, reliable, no-nonsense. These adjectives are precisely why I'm not a fan of self-foaming cleansers; they're so damn boring that I can't motivate myself to clean my face, which defeats the purpose. I've been good and trudged my way through an entire (!!!!) bottle of the Hada Labo and am halfway through the Medicean, and I doubt I will ever repurchase a self-foaming cleanser unless it has at least two of the following traits in addition to the low-pH baseline I expect from all of my cleansers as a given:

• Pretty packaging
• Amazing scent
• Entertaining gimmick

Call me one of the hoi polloi, but I need to be entertained by my skincare. There are just too many interesting things out there waiting to be tried for me to waste my days and nights with drudgery. That being said, I readily give props to these kinds of cleansers for being the kind of low-maintenance, dependable, and serviceable cleansers that work well for beginners and for people who don't do well with chemical foaming agents. For that reason, I've recommended them for others even if they don't suit me.

Have you ever managed to grind your way through an unexciting skincare product for the principle of it? Hit me up on Facebook or Twitter and let me know!

Have something you'd like to share with me in general? Snap a pic and tag me on Instagram at @snowwhiteandtheasianpear because I'd love to see it!

**Disclaimer: All products reviewed/mentioned in my blog, are 100% purchased with my own money, with a single exception of a press sample I tested & reviewed in 2015 which swore me off of them forever. This blog contains both affiliate and non-affiliate links, and clicking the former before you shop means that this blog may receive a small commission to assist in this blog supporting itself. Please see my Contact Info & Disclaimer policy for more information.

How do you use Hada Labo cleansing foam?

Dispense 1 to 2 pumps of cleansing foam into your hands. Gently massage onto your face, using circular motions. Rinse thoroughly. Use twice a day or as needed.

What are the benefits of Hada Labo cleanser?

Benefits: Hyaluronic Acid Plus provides twice the hydration as regular Hyaluronic Acid. Ultra-gentle hydrating cleanser washes away dirt, oil and impurities. Sensitive skin facial cleanser creates a soothing soft foam and rinses easily with no residue.

What does Hada Labo Gokujyun do?

Rohto Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium Lotion instantly hydrates your skin and helps to preserve the optimum moisture balance. This moisturizing Japanese lotion features an ultra concentrated blend of 5 types of hyaluronic acid to replenish and lock-in moisture. It also helps to improve dry and dehydrated skin.

What is the pH level of Hada Labo foaming cleanser?

It's Hada Labo's Gokujyun Foaming Face Wash! Featuring the perfect pH level of 5.5, a short list of cleansing ingredients, and containing Hyaluronic Acid, this automatic pump foaming cleanser preserves the skin's natural moisture barrier while whisking away leftover residue, dirt, and oil.