Buying Guide: Hada Labo Shirojyun Lotion

Part of this blog's purpose is to provide guidance on how to obtain foreign products in China. While I'm advocating for the tolerance and acceptance of Chinese skincare products, I recognize that there are certain products that are irreplaceable for some, or have no Chinese equivalent. Such products include chemical exfoliants (AHA, BHA) and actives. In every International Buying Guide, I'll do my best to reference products with similar effects to the product in question.

The Hada Labo Shirojyun Lotion is a Lotion Toner that contains 2 kinds of Hyaluronic acid, Arbutin and a Vitamin C derivative to hydrate and brighten skin. This lotion does not bleach skin, and I will never advocate the use of bleachers, nor will I link to, review, or publicize any product that does more than fading dark marks.

The Japanese 'Moist' Hada Labo Shirojyun Lotion

Method 1: Buy the Chinese Version

Hada Labo's parent company, Mentholatum, has made significant advances into the Chinese market. Therefore, many Hada Labo products are widely available in Chinese supermarkets and drugstores. These products are manufactured in China, although an analysis of the ingredient lists do not suggest any difference in formulation.

The Shirojyun Lotion is available in a 170ml size, and should cost around ¥100 to ¥150 ($15-23) in a physical store. On Mentholatum's Tmall store, it costs ¥120 ($18), although discounts are frequent. You can also buy the lotion as part of a set with the milk and/or the Shirojyun sheet masks.

Buying from Tmall is very straightforward if you are shipping to China. If you are located outside of China, Hong Kong or Macau, I would recommend using a different service to obtain this product. 

Method 2: Buy the Japanese version from within China

If you are looking to buy the Japanese version of Hada Labo, you could use a seller operating over Taobao. Note that the sellers I link to are ones that are highly rated and are that I have used before. I will not link to suspiciously cheap products or products with bad reviews.

There are 2 versions of Hada Labo's Shirojyun Lotion: Moist and Light. They are available from different sellers. The Moist version is sold through WAGF108 and the Light version is sold over Sainta. Both cost ¥60 ($9), and WAGF108 sells refill packs for ¥2 less, while Sainta does not. While this is cheaper than the official mainland version, one must realize that Japanese brands are coveted in China, therefore the brands' products are usually marked up extensively. The Hada Labo lotions cost around JPY850 (CNY50, $7.50) on Rakuten, so the products are not suspiciously cheap. 

The process of buying from Taobao is nearly identical to buying off Tmall. Only the reviewing process is slightly different. 

Method 3: Buy the Japanese version directly from Japan

I have not done this personally, but I have looked into it. Using Rakuten, you can buy Hada Labo products directly from Japan and have them shipped to China. Look for sellers that advertise SAL shipping, which is cheaper. China is in Shipping Zone 1, so it costs less to ship to China than most other countries, and shipping should take less time.