Akaran Essential Water Gel review

One of the recent bestsellers in Japanese drug stores (I bought mine from Don Quixote) is the Akaran Essential Water Gel. I love things that are labelled "Cosme's Number 1 Best Sellers" because I actually have had a pretty good experience with most of the skincare/makeup products that Cosme talks about! The reviews for this product actually go all the way back to 2015 - so this has actually been around for quite a while, like the Anessa sunscreen, but just suddenly had a burst of popularity and is making the rounds. So here's a little information about the product. 

What it does: 

Penetrates smoothly into the skin and freshly moisturizes without any stickiness. A handy moisturizing gel we encourage busy women to use. Non-silicone yet, despite having no coating sensation, provides a high level of moisturization and keeps your skin soft for a long time.

It is also described as :  the latest All-in-1 gel from Japan that will meet all your skincare needs! Just imagine your toner, lotion, serum, moisturiser and facial mask all in one, it’s that convenient. Colourless and odourless, it is gentle enough for all skin types. It is also free of parabens, silicones, mineral oil, oil, dye, fragrance or surface-active agents. 

Ingredients/Materials : 

water, glycerin, BG, diglycerin, trehalose, pentylene glycol, sodium acetylated hyaluronate, sodium hyaluronate, hydrolyzed hyaluronan, succinoyl atelocollagen, hydrolyzed collagen, cladosiphon okamuranus extract, chlorella vulgaris extract, pueraria root extract, allantoin, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, citrus junos fruit extract, aloe vera leaf extract, dipotassium glycyrrhizinate, 1,2-hexanediol, xanthane gum, carbomer, potassium hydroxide

There are some other reviews about this cream here and here, but to be honest, they're not particularly that useful or detailed. 

I'm sure many people also had the same experience, but for me, when I first read the name, I assumed this product was going to be very similar to the Tatcha water cream which was both, extremely popular, and also not very cheap as well (for reference, the 50ml Tatcha retails at $109 AUD, and YesStyle sells the Akaran gel at $69 AUD.) They both are water based, but the Tatcha cream is pretty cool in the way that, once you spread it on your skin, it goes from a cream to a watery lotion. However, it's very not effective. But it is relatively cheaper, which is why I picked up the Akaran, but to be honest they're not very similar at all. So if you own the Tatcha, liked the formula and want a dupe, this is not it. In my opinion, this is much better. 

What I like about this product: 

- It comes with a little spatula. 

- I like water based moisturiser, so this is absolutely it. 

- it is VERY hydrating in comparison to the Tatcha. 

- Turns out, it's also a All in One. You can skip toners and serums with this one. You can also double up and use it as a mask. 

- It is lightweight. Applying it heavily will still give you a bit of a sticky feeling afterwards, but light layers are still fine. 

- It absorbs super quick. 

- Works on sensitive skin! Doesn't break me out. 

- Comes in a jar, so you don't have to waste anything. 

What I don't like: 

- It's a little on the expensive side in comparison to a lot of skin products. 

- If you live in a humid area, this might be too heavy for your skin. 

- 50g does not seem to last long enough.
- The jar isn't the most hygienic option, and the spatula can be a little fiddly. 

All in all, I have to say, my experiences with this cream have actually been pretty good. I bought this in early November 2019 and I was using it in tandem with a few other products (Jurlique's Herbal Recovery Signature Serum, Elixir Sleeping Gel Pack and the Momopuri lotion), but in the drier and colder climates, this is definitely the product that I'd go to as moisturiser. Depending on how thick you layer it, you can get some really intense hydration and so if you'd like to combat stuff like dry patches and rough skin, this will work really well. If you live in a slightly muggier climate, I probably wouldn't recommend this as much because it does take a while to sit in and is a little thicker and denser, and in those areas I tend to use other, thinner and more watery products. 

I have used the Akaran gel alone and also layered with other products, and it does work really well just as an all in one, but of course, if you are a skin care fanatic, I would advise you to also keep using your other products as well. I have found that this is a very easy to use product, and delivers on its promise - it absolutely helps with hydration and works really well with my normal-oily t-zone skin. I would say it absolutely delivers on the product claims, and is well worth the price and the "BEST" signs!

Another shop I went to was also selling this in a 250g bottle with a pump for half the price - looking back, I'll definitely pick this up if they're still selling it! 

How to buy this? 

If you're in Japan, duck down to any drug store or makeup/skincare areas. I found this sold in a lot of places. 

If you're overseas, you can try getting this from Don Quixote's store which only ships to a few countries at JPY 3500, or the more expensive option from YesStyle at JPY4300, but they do standard free shipping and also occasionally have discount codes! I also can vouch for YesStyle, they have quick shipping, are based out of Hong kong, and they stock a ton of stuff (with a bit of a mark up) so you can do your all in one shopping there. They don't sponsor me, but I do genuinely find that their site is very reliable and the services are relatively easy to use.