Shiseido Pureness

Credit to Google Images

Last March I was looking for a new skincare line and it was recommended to me by a rep in Saks Fifth Avenue to try the Shiseido Pureness skincare line. It turned out to be far to drying for me, so I gave the stuff I hadn't finished to a friend who found it to be perfect. Of the line I tried the deep cleansing foam, balancing softener, blemish clearing gel, moisturizing gel cream, and pore purifying warming scrub. By that I believe I can give a good, general feel to the line.

The Pureness line is the cheapest of Shiseido's skincare lines. It is recommended for teens to young adults with acne. I was originally told that it was a line that would clear up my skin while not being too drying, but found out later that I was given wrong information. Which is why I stopped using it. It is a line more towards those with normal to oily skin. The line is described as having "oil absorbing technology and hydro-balancing complex, with botanical extract Palo Azul that work together to keep skin shine-free and hydrated."

The deep cleansing foam was my favorite aspect of the line and I used this the longest out of the line. This is an "ultra fresh foam with blue purifying granules. This rich lathering foam lifts away the pore clogging impurities, makeup and oil, that can lead to imperfections." I figured that I could switch my lotion to something really moisturizing and it would make up for the drying nature of this product, but alas it was just too stripping for me. The stuff lathers up a lot, so you only need a small dollop. I have had it since March and then gave it to my friend who is still using it now. So you really get a lot of bang for your buck. The little cleansing granules really get into your pores for a nice clean. It really started clearing up my friend's face who has a decent amount of acne. This product really gives you a nice clean feeling and leaves no residue behind. If you have acne and skin that leans more towards the oily side, you will love this product.

I am just going to give a quick general revue of the balancing softener as I did not find it to be any different than really any other toner I have tried. It is alcohol free and Shiseido states that this lotion brings "new radiance, softness, and balance to blemish-prone skin. It lightly rehydrates and leaves skin smooth and comfortable." I do not think it hydrated that much, but it did clean anything that was left behind by the cleanser and balanced my skin. Basically what any toner is supposed to do. Nothing special, but nothing specifically negative either. This product I used up in it's entirety because I didn't think it specifically stripped my skin either.

The Blemish Clearing Gel is a spot treatment. I found that it did it's job in that it dried out any acne that I had. The only problem is a dry pimple is incredibly hard to cover up. I have since switched to a spot treatment that works to clear up the acne without drying it out so that as it is minimized it can still be covered up with makeup. This is described as a clear quick-absorbing gel that minimizes the appearance of blemishes as it purifies and refreshes the skin. It is formulated with salicylic acid, which is what dries out the pimple and what I have since realized I do not specifically like. However, those with oily skin probably love the stuff as much as my friend does. So I suppose it all depends on where you are standing.

The Moisturizing Gel Cream was another of my favorites even though it was not as moisturizing as I needed it to be. I ended up just using this as a really light day cream under my makeup. This is described as a "lightweight creamy gel that absorbs quickly for immediate retexturizing benefits and a dewey fresh look and feeling." This stuff is incredibly lightweight, smells so fresh and clean, and just feels really great on your face. It is not a cream, but a gel and so is not heavy in any capacity. It just kinda melts into your skin. I cannot say enough good things about this. I was sad when I finished it, but will not be rebuying as I do need something more moisturizing. However, for you gals with more oily skin, you will love this!

The last product i tried, the Pore Purifying Warming Scrub is an exfoliator that warms the skin to open the pores. You first apply this dry as the moisture ruins the warming effect. I have to say, it was yucky putting this on without water. The stuff is really thick and gooey and I really did not like putting it on before I wet my face. Shiseido describes this as "a self warming gel scrub that unclogs pores and removes excess oil for a feeling of fresh, deeply cleansed skin." Personally, I feel there are much better exfoliators out there, but if you are using the whole line, like I was, I suppose it makes sense to use their scrub as well. My opinion? Ditch this item and try another. I do have to say though, as someone with sensitive skin, this product was a very mild exfoliator. It did not irritate in the slightest.

Conclusion: For someone with acne and oily skin, this line is definitely a keeper. My friend has seen amazing results with it. Keep in mind though that it does strip the skin, which is good for those who need it, not for those like me that don't. I would absolutely recommend this line! This line introduced me to the world of Shiseido and I have never looked back. I really do love this company.

These products can all be bought on http://www.shiseido.com, http://www.macys.com/, http://shop.nordstrom.com, and some can be bought from http://www.sephora.com/. They can also be purchased in-store wherever Shiseido products are sold!