Shiseido, No Shi-Thank You!

I have heard a lot about Shisiedo products, every beauty blogger I checked out praised their products - stating that this brand was their 'holy grail' product.  When my StriVectin SD ran out I wanted to try something new, StriVectin SD is just fine but I wanted to explore what else was out there.  I wanted to find my 'holy grail' face cream.  Because I had heard so much positive feedback with regard to Shiseido products I dove in feet first and bought face cream, 2 eye creams, facial wash, and face scrubbing brush.

One of the products I tried was the Shiseido's Bio-Performance Super Restoring Cream. This cream claims to contain an 'unprecedented contour-recalling technology' which dramatically smooths and firms the skin - therefore instantly rebuilding a youthful look.  Sounds great, right?  I thought so too.  One beauty blogger said that if she goes without using Shiseido cream one day, she can tell the difference in her skin.  It's a nice cream - comes in great packaging with a little spatula to take the cream out with.  Its a thick cream where a little goes a long way.  It takes a while to soak in so I usually put this on first thing in the morning and then go about getting ready for work before I start putting my make up on.  I've been using it everyday for about a month and I have to say that I haven't noticed anything special about it.  Perhaps this product is better for people with dry skin or have a lot of noticeable wrinkles and loose skin.  But being that I only have a few fine lines, my skin isn't dry, and the only firmness I need is under my eyes - perhaps I'm not the ideal candidate for this product.  Though I do put this on under my eyes and nothing is different.  My personal opinion is that people are more dazzled by the Shiseido name and its packaging then the actual benefit it has by using it.  I think the only person who should use it is someone young with no issues who just wants to maintain their skin and needs a good moisturizer.

I bought all these Shiseido products not too far apart.  I guess I should've waited to see how well the first product worked before I bought more from this brand.  But I was so sold on the product line based on all the reviews I read, I couldn't wait to try each thing.  I've been using two of Shiseido eye creams for about two months.  I couldn't decide which to buy after reading the reviews.  I was deciding between the Benefiance Wrinkle Resist 24 and the Bio-Performance Super Eye Contour creams.  The Benefiance cream sounded great with claims that it had  an extract to revitalize cells and counteract loss of firmness.   And stated this formula provides intense moisture and promotes collagen production.  The only con is people stated it was super thick and slow to absorb, being better used at night.  With the Bio-performance eye cream the con was primarily the packaging. Everyone stated they loved it but half way through you have to pull apart the packaging to get at the remaining cream.  The cream does not claim anything special other then to be good at fighting wrinkles and dark circles.  People also said it was fast absorbing.  So I figured I'd get both - using Benefiance at night and the Bio-performance for daytime.  And again, as with the face cream, I haven't noticed anything special about the eye creams.


The last of the Shiseido products I bought was the Benefiance Wrinkle Resist 24 Extra Creamy Foaming Cleanser and the facial cleansing brush.  While the cleanser does lather very nicely and does clean my face - I find nothing special about it.  For $35 I am confident that I can find a cleanser I like just as well for a lot less money.  Regarding the brush - its a nice little tool to wash your face - though pricey at $25.

Shiseido has more then it's fair share of loyal followers but as for me I don't get it and will never buy a product from this line again.  If you're looking for a great face cream - the only one I've found thus far is Dr. Brandt Glow Overnight Resurfacing Serum.  I found instant results and love it!  Please feel free to read my linked review for more details.

Glow by Dr. Brandt Overnight Resurfacing Serum Review

This is the only face cream that is on my 'holy grail' list.  I initially got this as a sample along with the companion day cream "Ruby Crystal Retinol Hydracreme".  After one use I saw an immediate difference and ended up buying it.

It is very light and absorbs quickly; the scent reminds me of lemon drop hard candy.  A little goes a long way so even though there is only 1.7oz, it should last.  I'm not sure why they call it a serum when its a cream, but oh well.

After using this one night, the next day my face had this healthy, youthful glow and felt so soft.  There is a noticeable difference when I don't use this cream, without it my skin looks dull.  And the fact that it has retinol in it means my skin is just going to continue to look even better over time.  As you probably know, retinol is made from vitamin A and helps the collagen and elastin in your skin to repair and prevent wrinkles as well as help firm your skin.  I am definitely going to re-purchase this once it runs out.

Next time I buy a day cream I am going to try Dr. Brandt's "Glow, Ruby Crystal Retinol Hydracreme" and see how I like it after using it on a daily basis.  I liked it well enough when I used the free sample - but there was only enough in the sample for one use so I'm not really sure how good it is.  The only thing I can say for sure is its light and absorbs quickly, if all you're looking for is to keep your face moisturized it's probably a good product.  I will know more once I buy and use the full size product.

Right now I am using Shiseido's "Bio-Performance Super Restoring Cream", I plan to write a review on it and will link it to this blog post once I'm done.  If anyone has any suggestions for a great daily anti-aging moisturizer I'm open to suggestions.