Shiseido Skincare

Shiseido Skincare

Background:
Pronounced SHE-SAY-DO, Shiseido is the oldest cosmetic company founded in 1872. It is a company rich in Japanese tradition yet fiercely contemporary, for people of all nationalities, backgrounds, ethnicities and cultures. Shiseido is dedicated to high quality, high image and high service and has created skincare products and regimens for every phase of a woman's life. Within its full range of product offerings are three basic skincare lines, a high-performance category for special care and a brightening line. All Shiseido products are ophthalmologist and dermatologist tested.

My Experience:
The Shiseido Skincare line has been in my beauty arsenal for the past 4 months and I must say I am HIGHLY impressed! This is now my go-to Holy Grail skincare regimen. For reference I have oily/combination skin. My T-Zone gets really oily during the day but I can sometimes get dryness on my cheeks and nose. I am not prone to acne but I can have one or two pimples pop up every few weeks.

Here are the different products I have been using and what makes them great!

Shiseido Pureness Foaming Cleansing Fluid, 5 fl. oz - $21.00


A liquid cleanser that transforms into airy lather for gentle removal of the pore-clogging impurities, makeup, and oil that can lead to imperfections. Leaves skin feeling silky smooth and comfortable and is great for oily, combination or normal skin.

This is THE best cleanser I have ever tried. It is a luxurious liquid that lathers to a rich foam. It produces a thick foam when compared to the likes of Philosophy Purity Made Simple Foaming Cleanser, which has much lighter foam. You only need to use a drop at a time and there is no need to rinse and repeat. It cleans deeply and feels silky smooth when applied to the skin. It rinses clean and leaves your skin feeling refreshed, clean and smooth. Since it's not toted as a makeup remover, I did not expect it remove all my makeup. But, it does remove all my face makeup and about 95% of my eye makeup, which is a definite plus.  I have noticed a brightened skin tone and reduced pore size on my nose and cheek area. There is also less sebum and blackheads across my nose. After about 6 weeks of use I realized that my skin was producing less oil but...this was leading to drier skin. I had to adjust my regimen just a bit to compensate for this side effect.

READ MORE....

Shiseido Pureness Balancing Softener Alcohol-Free, 5 fl. oz - $23.00

A refreshing alcohol-free lotion that brings new radiance, softness, and balance to blemish-prone skin. Lightly rehydrates and leaves skin smooth and comfortable. Absorbs quickly to deliver an immediate sensation of dewy freshness. Balances skin to help reduce the tendency toward imperfections. Recommended for oily, combination and normal skin. Use daily morning and evening after cleansing.

This liquid softener is the follow-up to cleansing and replaces a toner in my line-up. A softener is part of the moisturizing process, while a toner is part of the cleansing process. Shiseido has developed softeners in each skincare line that are formulated to soften, rehydrate and enhance the effectiveness of a moisturizer. This for me works somewhat like a toner since it removes some left over makeup from my skin. I didn't believe this step was necessary until I skipped it a few times and noticed that my moisturizer absorbs a lot better when the softener is used. It’s alcohol-free so it does not burn and does not feel harsh on the skin at all. Apply a couple of pumps to a cotton pad and apply to skin. It sinks right into your skin, leaving it refreshed and prepped for moisturizing. I only use this softener at night or during the day when I apply moisturizer and alternate with the Nourishing Softener during the day when I skip moisturizer.

Shiseido The Skincare Hydro Nourishing Softener, 5.1 oz. - $35.00

A dual-action hydrating and exfoliating lotion that transforms the skin’s texture in an instant. Improves clarity, radiance, and moisture retention. Recommended for normal and combination skin. Use daily with Shiseido cotton after cleansing and before moisturizer.
 
This was added to my regimen after about 6 weeks of using the regular Pureness Cleanser and Softener. My skin got much drier after cleansing so I needed a more nourishing softener to balance my skin out. What a difference this made! I use this during the day only and skip on the moisturizer. It is a clear gel rather than a liquid that absorbs quickly into the skin leaving it moisturized and refreshed. I skip the moisturizer during the day after using this because I just don’t feel like I need that added step. Two pumps onto a cotton pad (and no you don’t have to use Shiseido cotton) and my foundation goes on smoothly with little to no oiliness after 8 hours of wear.
 
Shiseido Pureness Matifying Moisturizer Oil-Free, 1.6 fl. oz - $32.00

A lightweight moisturizer, with oil-absorbing powder, that helps reduce surface shine as it provides exceptional hydration to skin. Promotes a smooth texture keeping skin shine-free. Protects the skin’s natural moisture balance with Shiseido-exclusive ingredient Hydro-Balancing Complex in a pH-balanced formulation. Recommended for oily, blemish-prone and combination skin. Use daily morning and evening after cleansing and softening.
 
This is indeed a lightweight lotion that absorbs quickly into skin without leaving a greasy residue. It leaves my skin matte but with a healthy glow. I apply a couple of pumps to my fingers and gently massage into my skin. I use this at night or during the day when I skip foundation (which I can do easily now). When using foundation I skip this step because the foundation absorbs beautifully with just the softener. Otherwise I still get a little oily by the end of the day (although not as oily as before!).
 
Shiseido The Skincare Multi-Energizing Cream, 1.7 oz - $43.00

This multi-function cream provides effective treatment to dehydrated, dull or fatigued skin. Intensively nourishes, energizes and fortifies skin, leaving skin soft, revitalized and healthy looking. Spreads on smoothly, and absorbs effortlessly for beautifully soft skin. Recommended for normal and combination skin. Use daily morning or evening after cleansing and softening skin.


I use this as my nightly moisturizer. It applies cleanly and absorbs quickly. It leaves skin soft and dewy so I would not use this during the day as it can accentuate oiliness. I have noticed some brightening in my skin but I think that is as a result of the other products as well. This is the one step I feel I can skip but I try not to since we all need to use a more intense night moisturizer to keep our skin healthy. You only need to use the smallest amount and apply with you fingers. After 4 months the jar is still 90% full so it's worth the money.

Shiseido Pureness Refreshing Cleansing Sheets Oil-Free/Alcohol-Free, 30 Sheets - $17.00

Convenient, ultra-soft, 100% cotton cleansing sheets that maintain skin’s natural balance while whisking away impurities, makeup, and oil that can clog pores and lead to imperfections. Instantly refreshing. pH-balanced formulation. Recommended for oily, combination and normal skin. Use daily morning and evening. Great for when you are "on the go." Oil-Free. Alcohol-Free.
 
I received this as a free gift with purchase and I am happy I didn't spend money to get it. The sheets are very soft and they are good at removing makeup but not better than my MAC wipes. They have a harder time removing waterproof makeup and are drier to the touch. While it's a good product, you can still find the cheaper makeup remover wipes that do relatively the same thing.
 
Overall:
I am extremely happy with my Shiseido products and will keep purchasing (except for the wipes) when I run out. I still have half of the cleanser, softeners and lotion remaining after 4 months of nightly/daily usage so they are well worth the price.
 
If you have large pores, oily dull skin, definitely look into this brand for your skincare. This comes highly recommended by moi!