It's been years since I last used any Shiseido products. Even though my mom isn't into beauty anything, I always associated the brand with a more mature audience since I grew up seeing it fill my aunt's vanity. Especially the thick and rich Benefiance line, which also has a grandma-esque aroma IMO.
Shiseido Pureness Mattifying Moisturizer Oil-Free was one of the first higher-end brands I tried as a teenager as per said aunt's recommendations. She thought it would suit my then skin type well since she very much trusted the brand with their anti-aging products. I might have accompanied it with the Pureness Balancing Softener Alcohol-Free but perhaps I didn't; I don't have any memories of it in particular, good or bad, and I think I know why after using it for the last month or so.
Shiseido's description:
Give your skin power over shine and imperfections.
Bring new radiance, softness, and balance to blemish-prone skin with this refreshing, alcohol-free softening lotion. Lightly rehydrates, leaving skin smooth and comfortable.
For all skin types.Dermatologist-tested.
Directions
Saturate a cotton pad and smooth over face after cleansing.
Ingredients
WATER(AQUA/EAU), DIPROPYLENE GLYCOL, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, GLYCERIN, XYLITOL, PPG-13-DECYLTETRADECETH-24, PHENOXYETHANOL, METHYLPARABEN, SODIUM CITRATE, FRAGRANCE (PARFUM), SODIUM METAPHOSPHATE, CITRIC ACID, DIMORPHOLINOPYRIDAZINONE, BUTYLPHENYL METHYLPROPIONAL, HEXYL CINNAMAL, LINALOOL, LIMONENE, MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE, PAEONIA ALBIFLORA ROOT EXTRACT, SAXIFRAGA SARMENTOSA EXTRACT, ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS (ROSEMARY) LEAF EXTRACT (ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS LEAF EXTRACT), TOCOPHEROL, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, GREEN 3 (CI 42053), HAMAMELIS VIRGINIANA (WITCH HAZEL) LEAF EXTRACT, YELLOW 5 (CI 19140), BENZOIC ACID
Toner 150 ml / 5 fl oz
Shiseido (USA retail): USD $24.50
Macy's & Sephora: USD $24.50
Packaging
Comes in a light blue bottle with a pump dispenser and an accompanying cap. A fresh bottle does come with a sliver of a security seal sticker to indicate if it's been opened or not. I have come to appreciate watery toners that come in pump bottles since it controls how much product I use and reduces the chance of creating a mess because of stray droplets.
Color, Texture, Finish & Scent
The watery liquid is blue-tinged and has a light/clean perfumy scent (that doesn't linger long). It doesn't leave any residue or tackiness.
How I Apply
I use 2 pumps of the toner on a cotton round and wipe my entire face and neck, mostly after my morning cleanse...sometimes also at night (but I usually prefer something with AHA or BHA in the PM).
Thoughts & Recommendations
In my younger years, this kind of softener a.k.a. toner would have been the type of product that made me question whether a toner is a necessary step in the routine. For one, it is pricey! It also doesn't seem like it does much other than wipe remaining dirt, if any, off my face.
While those two thoughts don't just change with age, I have just grown accustomed to the act of using a wipable toner...because I like to see that it does pick up stuff sometimes even after a double cleanse. Price-wise I think there are cheaper options available that does essentially the same thing, has a similar ingredients list (i.e. Thayer's Witch Hazel Alcohol-Free), yet still formulated without fluff things like fragrance and color.
I haven't used the Thayer's toners in a very long time so I can't attest to how it'll actually compare.
I didn't have any issues with it; no rashes, no breakouts, etc. Since I don't typically follow-up with my skincare products right after cleanser, my face does dry up between the cleansing and toner steps. In that regards, the softener did what I wanted—refresh and rehydrate my face while picking up any residual dirt and dust. The hydration effect isn't long-lasting but that is what the rest of my skincare routine is for. I could see it suitable for oily, combination, to normal skin types; those with drier skin would probably want something more nourishing.
If my aunt hadn't gifted me with a bottle of the toner, I would definitely not have dropped almost USD $25 on it for myself. The Shiseido's Pureness Balancing Softener is pleasant to use, just nothing spectacular in my books. Having it be alcohol-free and pH balanced is great but then there are things like fragrance and color in it which seem a little unnecessary. I am not sensitive to them but there are people who are. Unless you are someone very brand loyal to Shiseido, I would skip this toner. Maybe it's time for me to revisit Thayers again?
So many other bloggers shared their amazing finished products lists for the last couple of days. It reminded me of all the empties that I had in comparison...haha. My collection is very modest, embarrassingly to say. For the last 6 months, I was only able to complete 10 products. Many that I have currently are on the verge of being finished as I type this, but I tend to leave them hanging because I think I'll get to reviewing it soon so I'll need to revisit the product...My bad procrastinating habit got the best of me. *sigh*
What I was able to finish:
1. Garnier Fructis Nutritioniste Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream
I got this, I believe, shortly after it came out and many people started to review the product. I thought it was okay while it lasted. It was nothing to run and scream about. It made my skin nice and soft after I applied it, but didn't do much for my flakiness during the winter months that I used it. Also, if I remember correctly, it contained alcohol (?) of some sort which made the product dry down ("soak in") quickly but I'm pretty sure it's not good in the long run...I will not repurchase this because I like something better :] and this was just an average product for me.
2. H2O+ Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment
I've reviewed it already. Click to see review!
3. H2O+ Night Oasis Oxygenating Rejuvenator
Same as No.2 :]
4. H2O+ Face Oasis Cleansing Water
Click click click! ^^
5. Lush Sweet Lips Lip Scrub
This was my first lip scrub and it wasn't a very pleasant experience. It smelled and tasted nice...since it was basically just sugar and some oils, I assume, put together. But it didn't really do anything in the exfoliating department. I would rub and rub until my fingers were sore and the chapped skin on my lips just wouldn't come off. I had better luck rubbing my lips with my fingers =X Also...maybe it was just this particular version...but the product had a lot of stages. First, the texture felt nice and fine. As I finished the topmost layer it started to I guess dry out and become rather chunky and difficult to use. When I dumped that layer out it became the slightly emollient texture it originally was. I think for the price, I could have just used sugar I had around my house and it may have worked as well...However, I am considering trying the Bon Bon lip scrub just out of curiosity heh =]
6. Crabtree & Evelyn Citron, Honey, & Coriander Skin Quenching Body Lotion (mini-size)
I found a few of these lotions hanging around and decided to give it a try as a hand lotion. And I LOVE how it soaks in without leaving a film of any sort!! This rarely happens for me with lotions (I wonder why...). The only negative is it's not a one time use and bye bye dryness sort of product. I have to keep remembering to reapply to keep my hands nice and soft. However, layering doesn't seem to leave a film either so it's alright (for me)! Also...Crabtree & Evelyn is on the expensive side so I am a little more hesitant on buying the full sized. I probably will though despite that fact. Right now I'm just deciding on whether or not to try a different version since I have some more of the Citron ones at home. Any recommendations?
7. Genie in a Bottle Hyaluronic Acid Moisture Serum
I finally got around to start using this serum when the Fall season kicked in. Although the weather was oddly warm for the past couple of months, my skin still suffered (in addition to using an anti-spot treatment again). I went through one of the four bottles that came in the set and I can say that I like it. It helps keep my face moisturized, but it isn't deep moisturizing. Because after I wash my face and such it would be dry again =.= But whenever I put it on, my skin feels very soft and supple. But just for the fact that it has a low price for 4 30ml bottles of serum, I would consider repurchasing. My one complaint is after I opened the second bottle, I actually had to pour the product into the empty bottle because the dropper wouldn't fit into the new container. If I was rash and threw the empty bottle away I wouldn't have any way to keep the new one closed.
8. Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Swivel Stick
This was one lip product that I really liked. If I remember correctly, I kept my lips very soft and moisturized without drying it out. Due to the size of the swivel stick, I found it hard to finish completely because the product wouldn't completely swivel back down and I had to forcibly close the cap to prevent it from drying. It created quite a mess. I do not know if it's because mine was faulty or not but that was the only unpleasant part of this product. There may be a smaller lip balm version of the product but I'm not too sure if it's still around. I may repurchase this if I come across it (it was difficult to find!) but not soon since I have a gazillion other lip balms to finish up.
9. Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream for Face SPF55 PA+++
Sunscreen takes forever for me to complete. I was very glad I finished this one! Not because it was bad but because I was tired of it and wanted to try something new =X I really think this product worked because while I was using this my face stayed pretty light throughout the summer and my doctor kept saying I was Vitamin D deficient. The only thing really bad about this product was the white cast it could leave behind if not blended well. After I apply this my face does look rather white...but that could also be because I tend to apply it heavy-handed. I may go back to this product. Depending on if I come across something I like better or not.
10. Hada Labo Tamagohada Daily Face Wash
A cleanser that I really liked! I was very sad when it got to its end...I've had many good skin days with this product. Although it didn't give me the hard-boiled egg skin that I was hoping for haha It also doesn't completely stop me from breaking out but my skin felt very clean and fresh whenever I used it. The main winning point was it did not dry my skin out. This is also rare when I use cleansers =.= I just wish it was easier to get and the price isn't so jacked up. *sigh*
11. Laneige Pore Trouble Cleanser
Click!!! :D
It isn't shown in the picture because I cut it open to get the last bits of it...but my mom thought it was garbage after a couple of days =.=
