Never heard of the brand…
Before our current K-beauty obsession, the only drool worthy skincare brands were premium Japanese brands. This includes Kanebo (or Sensai), Shiseido and for make-up, shu umera. The Japanese, were the original purveyors of double cleansing, clay to oil to water cleansers and multiple step skincare routines.
Shiseido is one of the oldest Japanese brands around (founded in 1872) and soon after started manufacturing and selling cosmetics. The featured imaged is from a 1930s Shiseido beauty manual. Not impressed yet?
Well this brand has been developing cutting skincare technology for some time. For example, you may think Hyaluronic Acid is a very now and trendy ingredient, but Shiseido started commercial production of its Bio-Hyaluronic Acid 36 years ago in 1984.
Today, Shiseido is one of the largest beauty conglomerates globally – and importantly, its neither French or American.
What am I testing?
Over 30 days, I am product testing Shiseido’s Vital Perfection line, which is an anti-aging and skin lightening /whitening/brightening range. The 4 products I bought easily cost over US$ 500 and there is a cheaper Shiseido alternative for skin brightening in their White Lucent line. However, the Shiseido sales rep told me that this range was more appropriate for folks in their 20s.
The products I am testing are a Cleansing Foam, Softener (or toner), Whitening serum and Face cream.
(L to R: White Revitalizing Softener, Treatment Cleansing Foam, White Circulator Serum, Sculpting Lift Cream)
What are my expectations?
Shiseido sets the expectations for you: I’m supposed to look younger (anti-aging) and secondly, fairer (skin brightening). Personally, my expectations are high and I’m excited about this brand.
This is what I look like post my Biotherm fiasco.
I’ll update you in a month’s time.
P.S. I should point out…
Based on past experience, I don’t expect the softener to last more than 30 days. I physically can’t buy more product because its out of stock everywhere. If I were a betting man (which thankfully, I am not), I’d blame supply chain disruption on the coronavirus and not the brand relaunching/discontinuing etc the Vital Perfection line.
Sources:
The featured image is courtesy of Glamour Daze, which has a fabulous article on Japanese Beauty in the 1930s at this link. Thank you.