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Shiseido Compact Foudation
by Happyjaw
This is one of a range of products which will undoubtedly be a timeless classic.
It's a basic foundation/powder blend which you apply on your bare skin and as it dries, although so subtly that 'dry' is too strong a word. There's a thick curved brush applicator which looks and feels good quality and, despite my original ... misgivings, is the ideal tool for applying this product.
I love the packaging, the simple plastic compact it comes in, despite being plastic it's classy. Despite being a stereotype Chanel type package, it has its own identity.
The product is simplistic, scentless, which I appreciate and sits invisibly on the skin, no clumping or giveaway tide marks. When I say invisible that's not strictly true, it's visible as it appears to even out my skin tone and imperfections but it isn't obvious as a coverage. The shade fits, instead of these slightly random colours which approximate skin tone, this really does look the the part and very naturalistic.
I like the separation between brush and product though the interior lid can cause issues for ease of use to access the mirror, still, we humans adapt do we not? It does mean you don't end up with the applicator sitting in the product, becoming unhygienic and passing germs back and forth, hand to product.
The product remains grease free, possibly as a result of the interior design, but either way, giving it longevity and increasing the useful shelflife. No stubborn solidified patches created by drawing moisture or grease off the face during application.
You'll find refills at around £16 - £25, the difference between eBay and John Lewis for example. Or a new compact will be in the region of £24 - £30, again depending where you get it.
Mine was from John Lewis. Be sure to enquire about samples of other products and you may very well be given a gift box of miniatures to further experiment with the brand.
A modern classic in my opinion.
My reviews may appear in the same or a slightly different format on other sites.
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Shiseido Body Creator Aromatic Sculpting Gel Anti-Cellulite
by seldom
Okay, that's another anti-cellulite treatment that appeared on my bathroom table. I don't really believe you can beat celulite with all these creams and gels and stuff, but I find it comforting to buy some expensive stuff now and then and think that at least I'm doing something :)
So, the Body Creator is a really nice product. ... Just like any luxury product from a luxury brand should be. It smells divine - some fresh citrus fruit aroma. It feels divine - a silky texture, quite liquid, easy to spread all over yourself. I costs divine as well. But it doesn't really work that divine.
The main ingedient of this gel is quite common for anti-cellulite treatments: it's caffeine. But I'm quite confused by the fact that the main advantage of this product, as Shiseido emphasizes, is its aroma-therapy power. "Take deap breaths while applying this product!" Do you believe that a smell can beat your cellulite?! I'm rather doubtful as well. Their marketing seems just ridiculous to me.
Okay, now what this product does. It really smoothes and firms your skin a little bit. And, to be honest, I really like it because it smells nice and it's nice to apply. But it's more about general pampering yourself with something luxurious. It's a nice product, it softens and moisturizes, but it just won't do anything about your cellulite!
No, really, if they wrote on a bottle "a great-smelling skin-firming and softening moisturizer", it would be honest and I would buy it occasionally in a duty-free shop. But it's not an anti-cellulite treatment, no way. At least for me it didn't work, that's all.
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Shiseido The Skincare Essential Tinted Moisturizer
by carly_pussycat
I don't like wearing foundation - and I'm 23 with pretty good skin so I don't NEED to wear it - so what should I wear instead to slightly enhance my skin? Tinted moisturiser.
After a rather unpleasant experience with BeneFit's oily-as-hell You Rebel tinted moisturiser I thought I had explored the wrong avenue. However, I soon ... changed my mind when I gave it a second chance with Shiseido's 'Essential Tinted Moisturizer' which claimed to be semi-matte (ie. not look as powdery as matte but not as prone to shine as a fully moisturising formula).
ESSENTIAL TINTED MOISTURISER
The only thing I knew about Shiseido when I came across this product on strawberrynet.com was that they have a counter in my local John Lewis. They have a lot of different Shiseido ranges on strawberrynet and this product is from The Skincare range (which sounds a bit pretentious, I know…) I checked it out on makeupalley.com (makeup reviews) and it sounded like a perfect match for me so I took the plunge.
The tinted moisturiser comes in a rather retro looking brown and white box with a pearly purple tinge to it. Inside is a smart minimalist glossy white plastic tube which will stand on its lid if you wish, and still looks good when half the product is gone. Already you'll find yourself liking it more than BeneFit's You Rebel which looks like a cheap battered old paint tube. It's classy enough to have on show if that's where you keep your makeup, but also made from functional thick durable plastic so it'd happily live in your handbag for any touch-ups.
I can't help but carry on making comparisons to You Rebel, but this is SO much better! You Rebel had a ridiculously large hole to squeeze the product out of - the size of a tube of toothpaste. This Shiseido one, on the other hand, has exactly the right idea: it's dispensed from a tiny little nozzle which has an opening about the size of a needle head. This dispenser means that you can use a tiny little bit or a lot if you need it (could be useful if you just wanted to touch up a small area like your nose or something). Although quite fluid in its consistency (unlike the thick mess of You Rebel) it won't leak even if turned upside down without its lid on. And the colour, although slightly dodgy looking brown when it comes out of the tube, is really natural looking and perfectly blended when on. With an Olive skin tone I chose Medium, which also matches my slightly paler sister. There is also Light or Dark to choose from if you feel you're closer to either extreme.
The product is so easy to use when compared with normal foundation. With foundation you have the hassle of using a sponge (which is a pain to keep clean) or carefully blending step by step with your fingers. I find that with this after I have applied a little skin primer I can just squidge out a tiny little amount for four different areas - one for forehead, one for each cheek and a tiny blob for my nose - and then just spread it out as I would a normal moisturiser. Once this is complete there are never any obvious joins or 'tide marks' going from my face to my neck because I just put it mainly on the middle bits of my face, avoiding the edges to stop the 'mask' effect. Even when I don't apply it to the whole of my face it blends perfectly every time because it's so light.
It feels lighter than some moisturisers I own when I have it on, and really doesn't *feel* at all like wearing makeup. It claims to have an 'aromachology-based fragrance' - I couldn't for the life of me tell you what that is but it's not at all strong, just sort of pleasant as you apply it and then you can't smell it any more, which is good. I find that once on, it stays put for as many hours of the day as I wish to wear it, and when it's time to remove it, I can use a facial wash or cleansing wipes as both remove it easily and thoroughly.
CLAIMS:
* "Gives immediate and long-lasting hydrating benefits and retexturises skin"
Yes, I can't deny them this. I don't have particularly dry skin but it does feel slightly dry in winter and this is enough to keep it feeling plump and moist. It also gives the visual illusion of having smoother skin (although I doubt would do anything for wrinkles, lines etc.)
* "Shields against UVA/UVB rays with SPF15"
I'm sure this provides as much protection as an SPF15 normal moisturiser but I am also aware that I don't use very much at all so I don't have enough coverage to get the full factor 15 effect. I don't rely on this for proper sun protection; I just think it's a minor bonus if I find myself in the sun.
* "Contains Thiotaurine, an antioxidant to neutralize free radicals"
Well, that's nice for them.! Hah. Obviously I can't comment on this because neutralizing free radicals would mean preventing damage to your skin in the long term and I've only been using this just under a year. It's all good though!
* "Minimizes the appearance of pores and fine lines and promotes a flawless vibrance through Shiseido light-controlling powder technology"
I can't comment on the pore (or line) situation as mine are not a problem. I do think that this gives the illusion of naturally flawless healthy skin though, as I have received complements on my skin from people who thought I was bare skinned.
* "Leaves skin soft and supple with a semi-matte finish"
Yes it does that. It never feels like you're wearing a full face of makeup so your skin feels naturally supple. It doesn't create any oil/shine problems despite being slightly moisturising, and I keep the same slightly matte slightly dewy skinned natural look all day.
* "Ideal as a lightweight alternative to foundation, perfect for weekends and outdoor activites"
This is definitely true as I can still wear it at the height of summer without feeling like I'm wearing heavy makeup or suffocating my skin. It also stays nice looking even if I mist my face with water spray.
* "Non clogging to pores"
Definitely, as I have no more or less spots than before. I am also not afraid to wear this if I already have a spot as I don't think it makes it worse (as foundation does).
VERDICT
This is 100% what I have been looking for as an alternative to heavy foundations and I cant fault a single thing (apart from the true RRP) so I will see myself repurchasing this when mine runs out. The 50ml tube retails at £22 but lasts really well as mine is half full after nearly a year's use about 3 or 4 times a week. Mine cost me £14.50 from strawberrynet but they're currently sold out so I'll have to snap one up again if they have it in future!
This would be perfect for anyone who, like me, wanted something to slightly even out their skin tone but didn't wish to wear heavy makeup or foundation.
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