Can we talk about Japanese skincare?
I feel like lately, it’s all about Korea, Korea, Korea. But before SoKo got good at marketing, Japanese skincare was the talk of town.
So what happened? Are they so confident in their products, they don’t feel the need to market them as heavily? Or was it all just hype anyway?
I got my hands on a couple of DHC products – Astaxanthin Collagen All-In-One Gel and Beauty Lift Eye Care Essence Roll-On, to be exact – to find out:
Astaxanthin Collagen All-In-One Gel
Asthaxanthin is one of those super powerful antioxidants you rarely see in skincare products (I know, don’t get me started on that…).
Studies show it’s 1000x more powerful than vitamin E and 6000x than vitamin C at destroying the free radicals that cause premature wrinkles. Plus, it can easily penetrate skin – something that vitamin C and other antioxidants struggle to do – so you know it works.
While it’s at it, it also soothes irritations and boosts sun protection.
Fun Fact: astaxanthin is what gives salmons, flamingos, and some algae their pinkish-orange colour.
DHC Astaxanthin Collagen All-In-One Gel doesn’t have astaxanthin. Whatttttttt? It has haematococcus pluvial extract, an algae that’s rich in astanxanthin.
But only a drop of it. You know what that means? You can’t rely on it to keep wrinkles at bay. 🙁
It’s not even a gel. It’s more like a heavy cream that turns into a gel as you apply it. I can feel it sitting on top of my face for a good ten minutes before it finally starts to absorb.
I admit I’m not a big fan of the texture. It seems to work well on the drier areas of my face. But my oilier t-zone prefers something more lightweight. Still, it does a great job at moisturising my entire face.
The cream relies on a mixture of humectants (like glycerin) and natural oils (like palm oil) to attract moisture into the skin and seal it in. Squalane is in there to strengthen this protective sealing shield too.
Together, this combo keeps skin soft and moisturised even on the coldest days of the year. They also plump up my skin, so that my fine lines look smaller. And my skin has a youthful glow.
If you have dry skin that needs the extra moisture, this’ll do. Just put on a separate antioxidant serum first.
Related: Is Astaxanthin The Most Powerful Antioxidant Of All?
Not sure what you ingredients and products you can use together? Download the “How To Combine Actives Like A Pro” cheatsheet to find out:
Beauty Lift Eye Care Essence Roll-On
The texture of DHC Beauty Lift Eye Care Essence Roll and I get along that much better. It’s so lightweight, it sinks into my skin quickly and didn’t give me any milia seeds.
It features a little bit of Shea butter and an emollient derived from coconut oil (caprylic/capric triglyceride) that makes my undereye area soft and smooth. If your skin there is particularly dry, you’d still want to follow up with moisturiser. I do.
That’s why I don’t use it every day. Instead, I keep it for those days when I wake up with puffy eyes. It has a roll on applicator that feels cool on the skin and performs a gentle massaging action that takes down the puffiness a notch or two.
It works like this: you place the pen-like applicator on your undereye area, press the bottom button to release the product, and massage it all over the eye area in a circular motion for a couple of minutes. Then, you pat the serum into your skin.
I use it in the morning, but I guess you could do double duty and slather it on at night. But, as reducing puffiness is its forte, I find that’s a bit of a waste.
Now for the bad news: it didn’t do any lifting for me. 🙁
Still, if you’re dealing with puffiness (and who isn’t?!) and you’re tired of wasting cucumbers on your face, this is worth a try. Plus, isn’t the packaging gorgeous?
Price & Availability
Astaxanthin All-In-One Gel, $49.00/£40; Beauty Lift Eye Care Essence Roll-On, $36.00/£24.00 at Dermstore, Escentual, and Feel Unique
I have used DHC Deep Cleansing Oil to remove makeup before cleansing with Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Cleanser . I find that makeup slides off your skin with the Deep Cleansing Oil. I have also used the 1 oz. bottle of Olive Virgin Oil for $42. Nice bottle, nice cap, nice pump, and it’s olive oil made from organic, hand picked olives, and ULTRA-purified in Japan. (Did I pay too much for olive oil?) I chose these products because they were best-sellers. Sometimes I use the oil in conjunction with a moisturizer after nighttime over-the-counter retinoI. I also have used the oil with a moisturizer during the cold winter days. I usually put the oil on top of the moisturizer. I probably would re-purchase these products, and may try the DHC Astaxanthin collagen product you reviewed above. DHC seems to have a “natural” aura with their products. I believe they are “drugstore” products in Japan, as is LaRoche Posay is in France. I like how DHC products are specific and targeted and do not contain the zillion ingredients that Strivectin and Olay contain. You can also get a free catalog that always have samples of their products, and you can even request they send you samples.
Holly, I love their cleansing oil too. Works very well. Olive oil may be a little overpriced but at least it’s ultra purified. Olive oil is very good for the skin but a lot of brands use cheap, diluted olive oil that’s full of impurities that could clog pores. Better pay a bit more (even just for marketing) and get the good quality stuff. 🙂