ABOUT FACE: SKIN SOS - New report reveals that a staggering nine out of ten British women are unhappy with their skin, and explains how to take the pressure off on a long-term basis

With no better way to get the lowdown on British beauty today than ask women themselves, Hada Labo Tokyo has commissioned a research poll of 1,000 UK women aged 35 and older to explore their attitudes to skincare issues with data reviewed and analysed into a new report about to be published: Fresh Faced: Mapping Out The Secret To Lifelong Healthy Skin. According to the research poll six in 10 women over 35 want their skin to look the best it can for the stage of life they’re in. Yet on a less positive note, fewer than one in 10 of us (just seven per cent) always feel happy with our skin’s appearance.

The good news is that most women (60 per cent) say they want to look good for themselves rather than for anyone else, and almost two thirds want to look good for their age rather than trying to look younger. Indeed, role models who’ve embraced their age were chosen as examples of women ageing well, with 57 per cent of respondents naming Helen Mirren as their skincare goddess, with Joanna Lumley second (42 per cent), and Davina McCall (40 per cent) third.

Common skincare issues
Fewer than one in ten of us (just seven per cent) always feel happy with our skin’s appearance.1 So what’s causing us to feel uncomfortable in our own skin? The survey poll shows that women in the UK can experience a wide range of different skin health issues. For around a quarter of us, sunburn (27 per cent), acne (24 per cent), or eczema (24 per cent) are a problem, while almost a fifth of us (18 per cent) get cold sores and nearly one in 10 suffer from psoriasis (9 per cent) or rosacea (8 per cent).

What is perhaps even more concerning is that the research shows that even women who aren’t necessarily suffering from a skin disorder were conscious of certain issues with their skin including:

● Dryness: 60 per cent
● Dullness: 42 per cent
● Dark eye circles: 35 per cent
● Fine lines: 27 per cent
● Uneven skin tone: 27 per cent
● Redness: 27 per cent
● Itchy skin: 26 per cent

The new report - Fresh Faced: Mapping Out The Secret To Lifelong Healthy Skin - reveals the pandemic’s impact on our everyday lives. Lockdown has caused more than a quarter (27 per cent) to drop their daily skincare routines, but over half (55 per cent) have managed to maintain one, with a surprising number of us (18 per cent) finding that their commitment to a routine has improved. Getting back out into the world with fewer restrictions is also prompting more of us (64 per cent) to bring our skincare back into sharper focus.

According to the Hada Labo report 68 per cent of British women take time out for skincare with over half following a cleanse-tone-moisturise routine, and 38 per cent using a scrub or wash followed by a moisturiser. Around 17 per cent of women opt for just soap and water and 25 per cent use a facial wipe instead of a cleanser.

As well as the natural ageing process both the perimenopause and menopause can have a considerable impact, with over a third (34 per cent) per cent of women saying that their skin felt drier then. Skin expert, Gina Akers explains: “Dehydration of the skin is a very real issue, especially as we get older. To keep skin looking healthy and supple, we need to add hydration. We need water-lock formulas to ensure deep hydration that actually lasts.”


GOOD TO GLOW
Here are five top tips for radiant skin from the experts:

1. Eat the rainbow: what you consume can make a real difference to your skin. Try to eat plenty of different coloured vegetables and fruits for a good mix of antioxidants and nutrients that will help skin repair.

2. Stay hydrated: drinking enough water is crucial for healthy skin but be careful not to overhydrate. How much you need to drink every day will depend upon several factors, including your activity level. One of the best ways to see if you are drinking enough is to check the colour of your urine – the optimum is the shade of straw.

3. Regular exercise: doing a workout increases blood flow around the body. This helps skin cells by nourishing them with oxygen and carrying away waste products, like free radicals, from working cells.

4. Wear sunscreen throughout the year: most people assume that sun damage only occurs in the summer, but that’s not always true. Using sun protection on a daily basis will help boost your complexion as you age.

5. Use hero products on your skin: help nature along by choosing the right skincare products for your skin. Hada Labo Tokyo’s range is known for its signature formulation of hyaluronic acid.

The benefits of hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid is a clear gel that’s made naturally within the body. Its job is to lock in water to keep our skin, connective tissues and eyes hydrated. Leading women’s health expert, Dr Catherine Hood explains why a moisturiser alone just won’t cut it: “With increasing age the body starts to produce less hyaluronic acid and what it does produce is lower quality. This results in drier, more dehydrated skin and stiffer, creakier joints. To keep skin looking healthy, smooth, and supple, we need to add hydration and it is important to realise that a moisturiser alone will not do that particular job.”

She adds: “Hyaluronic acid, is an effective hydrator but the size of the molecules is key. Large molecules moisturise the surface of the skin, but for deeper skin penetration smaller molecules are necessary.”

The hero products
According to Japanese beauty philosophy, products should work in harmony with the skin. Fully embracing this ethos, Hada Labo Tokyo’s skincare products are minimalist, blending quality ingredients for simple products.

Beauty experts like Caroline Hirons and Nadine Baggott are long-time fans of the Hado Labo Tokyo range. These products boast a next-generation multi-layer hyaluronic acid formula which penetrates the multiple layers of the skin with healthy hydration and includes anti-aging bioactives, like retinol and collagen.

Skin expert Gina Akers has this to say about the fragrance-free range: “As we age the amount of HA, collagen and elastin in our skin naturally drops and this can show as fine lines, wrinkles, dry or dull skin and loss of elasticity and firmness. Hada Labo Tokyo has a unique collection of best in class and much-loved skincare musts from anti-ageing moisturisers that also act as wrinkle reducers to body lotions, serums, and moisturising milks. And all with water-lock formulas to ensure deep, hydration that actually lasts.”

Their signature formula contains four different types of hyaluronic acid:

1. Super Hyaluronic Acid (HA+) provides double the hydration of regular hyaluronic acid to saturate the skin with moisture to help keep the skin hydrated and plumped up for longer.

2. Micro HA penetrates deep inside the skin and binds water to fill it from within. It works deep into the skin, providing the very best hydration to different layers of the skin and visibly smooths its surface by plumping the skin from within.

3. Macro HA forms a hyaluronic matrix on the surface of the skin, creating a sponge-effect Lock-in-Moist which prevents water from evaporating.

4. Standard HA is a powerful water absorbing molecule that can hold up to 1000 times its own molecular weight in water. It replaces water loss in the epidermis, to help plump up and firm the skin and reduce the signs of wrinkles. HA can also stimulate the natural development of collagen and elastic tissue.

FAST PRODUCT SUMMARY:

The Red Line
Hada Labo Anti-Aging Eye & Mouth Cream
Hada Labo’s Deep Wrinkle Corrector Eye & Mouth Area Cream has four types of hyaluronic acid, collagen, and retinol in a golden coloured cream that’s suitable for sensitive skin. Use it after cleansing in the morning and at night, patting around the eyes and mouth to help reduce deeper wrinkles.

Here’s a fast spot light on the clever, next generation hyaluronic acid ingredients used in the Hada Labo Red Line Range that the skin scientists as Hada Labo swear by:
Sodium Hyaluronate: A water-binding ingredient used for moisturizing and hydrating. The molecule can hold up to 1000 their own weight in water. Sodium Hyaluronate can replace some of the water lost in the epidermis.
Sodium acetylated hyaluronate: This is called super hyaluronic acid. It was developed with the aim of raising affinity with the skin based on hyaluronic acid. Compared with the same concentration of hyaluronic acid, it is characterized by a much greater capacity to retain moisture in the epidermis and good skin affinity. Because of this, it can keep skin moist for long times.
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid: Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is hyaluronic acid broken into smaller bits. The small molecules can easily penetrate and help replace some of the water lost in the epidermis, and potentially fight wrinkles and other signs of aging.
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer: A modified form of skin-replenishing hyaluronic acid attached to a polymer structure that keeps it within skin’s uppermost layers longer, allowing for enhanced hydration. This creates a “sponge” effect to restore the skin to its fuller, more youthful appearance and smooths out fine lines.

Hada Labo Anti-Aging Super Hydrator Lotion
Hada Labo’s Anti-Aging Super Hydrator Lotion is much more than a silky, fragrance-free drink of water for your skin. The power-packed lotion contains four types of hyaluronic acid Sodium Hyaluronate; Sodium acetylated hyaluronate; Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid; Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer; offering multi-layer hydration, plus anti-aging ingredients collagen and retinol. After cleansing, pat the lotion over your face, neck and decolletage before you apply your moisturiser.

Hada Labo Anti-Aging Wrinkle Reducer Day Cream
Hada Labo’s Anti-Aging Wrinkle Reducer Day Cream with Super Hyaluronic AcidTM, Collagen and Retinol offers multi-layer hydration with four types of hyaluronic acid Sodium Hyaluronate; Sodium acetylated hyaluronate; Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid; Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer; plus collagen and retinol. The supersmooth, fragrance-free cream is designed to be used in the morning, after the Super Hydrator Lotion to help lock in moisture for a glowing complexion.

Hada Labo Anti-Aging Repair Night Cream
Hada Labo’s Anti-Aging Repair Night Cream is packed with more than 20 carefully blended active ingredients, including three types of hyaluronic acid - Sodium Hyaluronate; Sodium acetylated hyaluronate; Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid; retinol and an intensely regenerating complex of tetrapeptide-5 and collagen to reduce wrinkles and restore radiance and hydration. With its ‘Lock-in Moist’ formula, skin retains more moisture.

Hada Labo Anti-Aging Facial Sheet Mask
Hada Labo’s Anti-Aging Facial Masks double the levels of skin hydration, leading to a tighter, brighter, and smoother complexion and a more youthful appearance. The best part is that it feels like a real facial, which gives you that radiant skin treatment look and feel, without having to leave the house.

 
The White Line

HADA LABO WHITE LINE HYALURONIC ACID SCIENCE: Here’s a fast summary on the smart, must have, hyaluronic acid ingredients used in the Hada Labo White Line Range bottled up by the Japanese skin specialists that users swear by:
Sodium Hyaluronate: A water-binding ingredient used for moisturizing and hydrating. The molecule can hold up to 1000 their own weight in water. Sodium Hyaluronate can replace some of the water lost in the epidermis.
Sodium acetylated hyaluronate: This is called super hyaluronic acid. It was developed with the aim of raising affinity with the skin based on hyaluronic acid. Compared with the same concentration of hyaluronic acid, it is characterized by a much greater capacity to retain moisture in the epidermis and good skin affinity. Because of this, it can keep skin moist for long times.
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid: Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is hyaluronic acid broken into smaller bits. The small molecules can easily penetrate and help replace some of the water lost in the epidermis, and potentially fight wrinkles and other signs of aging.
Hydroxypropyltrimonium hyaluronate: A conditioning agent for skin and, helps deposit active ingredients on skin.

Hada Labo Gentle Hydrating Cleanser
Hada Labo’s Gentle Hydrating Cleanser gives the rest of your skincare toolkit a chance to work their magic on a squeaky clean skin. This creamy cleanser contains three types of hyaluronic acid, formulated to cleanse, protect and lock in moisture, leaving skin silky smooth.

Hada Labo Super Hydrator Lotion
Hada Labo’s Super Hydrator Lotion is a light lotion that penetrates the skin within seconds. With deeply moisturising active ingredients, including Super Hyaluronic AcidTM, its LOCK-in-MOIST formula seals hydration inside the skin, stopping water from evaporating, to hold back the appearance of wrinkles.

Hada Labo Absolute Smoothing & Moisturising Cream (Day & Night)
Hada Labo’s Absolute Smoothing & Moisturising Cream may feel light and fluffy but it harnesses outstanding power. Its high concentration of Super Hyaluronic AcidTM allows it to intensely moisturise and smooth the skin, leaving it feeling refreshed, radiant, and super soft. Suitable for sensitive skin, it also helps put the brakes on the aging process.

Hada Labo Intense Hydrating Skin Plumping Gel
Hada Labo’s Intense Hydrating Skin Plumping Gel is a luxuriously delicate gel, combining the complexion enhancing properties of a cream and a serum. Its high concentration of Super Hyaluronic AcidTM makes it intensely moisturising, filling in the skin to create a smooth, ultra-soft complexion.

Hada Labo Smoothing Anti Fatigue Eye Cream
Hada Labo’s Smoothing Anti Fatigue Eye Cream intensely moisturises and smoothes the skin around the eyes. It contains Super Hyaluronic AcidTM, to reduce wrinkles and signs of fatigue, as well as collagen and pink silk tree extract to rejuvenate and firm the skin, and caffeine to eliminate under-eye circles and puffiness.

Hada Labo Moisturising Sheet Mask
Hada Labo’s Moisturising Sheet Mask is saturated with serum containing three types of hyaluronic acid to intensely moisturise, revive and smooth the skin. Simply unfold the mask and carefully position the eye, nose, and mouth openings as you gently press the mask to your face. Leave it on for 15 minutes before removing gently, with no need to rinse.



Hado Labo Tokyo is available at:
https://www.gettheglowuk.com/super-ha-anti-aging
https://www.superdrug.com/b/Hada%20Labo
https://www.facebook.com/HadaLaboTokyoUK
https://www.instagram.com/hadalabotokyo_uk/

All Hada Labo Tokyo products are manufactured based on original Japanese formulas. Hado is Japanese for skin and has been the number one brand in Japan for over a decade; Labo stands for laboratory; so Hado Labo Tokyo means Skin Lab Tokyo. Hado Labo Tokyo was created in the modern pharmaceutical and cosmetic laboratories of Rohto Pharmaceuticals Japan in Kyoto. Rohto Pharmaceuticals Japan has over 100 years of experience in developing cosmetic, health and wellness innovation. The company is renowned for its advanced research, constant improvements in quality, and high levels of product safety. Since its inception, Hado Labo Tokyo has achieved success in almost 20 markets worldwide, including Asia, the USA, Central and South America.


1 Omnibus survey of 1,000 women, Winter 2021
2 Data on file
3 Omnibus survey of 1,000 women, Winter 2021
4 Data on file
5 Data on file