JAPANFUSION HYDRA PREP LOTION (STEP M1)

I'm probably a bit biased from my years studying Japanese, but I don't think j-beauty/skincare gets as much attention as it deserves; it's an incredible nexus of ancient traditions and cutting edge technology. No shade to k-beauty, which I also love, but I wanted to talk about Japanese lotions since they're often confused with other products because they share the same name. Lotions are, for the most part, a toner/essence hybrid that provides hydration and preps the skin for the products applied next. By that description, they lean towards being more like toners, but it varies- most are thin and watery in texture, but some are more viscous, so coupled with the fact that some lotions brighten or soothe in addition to providing moisture, the terms are used somewhat interchangeably. Here are some that I've used: ▪️ SHISEIDO - Eudermine Revitalizing Essence obviously isn't labelled as one, but it's described as a softening lotion since it both hydrates and contains enzymes to gently exfoliate/brighten ▪️ DHC - CoQ10 Lotion is listed as a toner, but also has anti-aging properties from the antioxidant coenzyme Q10 ▪️ LenaJapon - Moist Balance Lotion Rich is super thick, and actually meant to be used in lieu of a moisturizer, so it's not as easy for serums to sink in afterwards ▪️ BEAUTY PIE - JAPANFUSION HYDRA PREP LOTION (STEP M1) does pretty much exactly what its name says, but can also be applied multiple times (as some mists or essences are) for extra moisture ▪️ SEKKISEI - SEKKISEI Lotion also identifies as a toner, but does way more than just hydrate- it reduces pigmentation, evens texture, and refines pores