SANA Namerakahonpo Moisture Skin Lotion NA, in theory, is an excellent, rich lotion that harnesses the power of Soy Isoflavones to deeply moisturises and smooths drier skin without stickiness. Perfectly suited for drier skin — you should be able to see visibly replenished, plumped, baby-soft skin. In theory.
But this isn’t what happened on my usually normal, but now slightly dry winter skin at all. On my skin, it was far too light and fresh-feeling to be thirst-quenching. It didn’t pack a punch. The lotion has the colour and viscosity of rice water, so I’m not surprised. I know that I’m being harsh here, because this lotion is perfectly decent, and I know that I would find its refreshingly light texture enjoyable in warmer weather… but I feel as though if I’m going to judge one product against its own claims then I need to do it for all of them. That’s what I try to do for each and every review that I put up.
If you’ll excuse the hazy analogy, SANA Namerakahonpo Moisture Skin Lotion NA is the equivalent of a cake being advertised as rich, decadent and dense, but in reality, it’s soft, fluffy, and light-as-air. Japanese cheesecake is perfectly lovely, but it’s disappointedly underwhelming if you were hankering after a New York style instead. The lotion’s labelling bears product claims like “rich” (red round seal) and “double concentrated” when it is about as rich as a chiffon cake.
My feelings on this are a bit of a mixed bag. This would give normal or combination skin just enough moisture yet still feel comfortably light even in the summer, which is always a good reason for giving it another try when it’s less cold and dry. For now, it’s a no-go.
SANA Namerakahonpo Moisture Skin Lotion NA is ¥900 (RRP) for a 200ml bottle in Japan. A 180ml refill pouch is also available for ¥787.
