Shiseido Water in Lip (Pineapple)

Since my foray into Japanese cosmetics, I have been consistently awed with the quality of their products from the humble drugstore lines to the shiny department store brands. Shiseido's Fine Toiletry brand is a self-select (drugstore) line that is always such a pleasure to use.

Water in Lip is a famous lip balm range from Shiseido's FT line. It comes in many flavors with corresponding tubes reflecting the inspired fruit/scent. I've tried the blue (Mint, one of the original flavors), the green (French Pear, smells divine!), and featured in this review, the yellow tube (Pineapple).

The packaging looks simple but is actually well-thought out. The delicate vertical waves, paired with the dotted oval ring around the words "Water in Lip," together with the perfect pale yellow shade of the tube makes this lip balm look special and elegant. It may be a drugstore product pressed to sell at a certain price point, but the Japanese belie with good quality and beautiful design. Those unfamiliar with Japanese cosmetics could never guess the price of this lovely lip balm (around HK$25).

The balm mimics the tube's color -- a pale yellow shade. It smells unbelievably like fresh pineapples! It glides on the lips easily and leaves a slight glossy finish. I immediately notice some lip lines diminish. Like most lip balms, it does get wiped off easily, but if this is avoided, lips are more hydrated throughout the day. It also doesn't feel sticky or gooey. The effect is like a light gloss leaning more toward a balm. It can be applied anytime of the day with no fuss or worries. This is my favorite lip gloss of the moment (and it has been more than 3 years since I discovered this line). Overall, I would definitely recommend this gem of a lip balm!

Some Japanese description. It contains 3.5g of product. I usually finish mine in a year, with usage of approximately every other day.

For those lucky to understand the above Japanese text!

Shiseido Fine Toiletry Hand Cream

Hand cream is something I am always running out of. While I generally do not practice impulse buying, the bug usually catches me overseas when everything feels "now or never." It was one of those moments in SaSa when I spotted a glass jar stocked full with this Hand Cream while checking out at the cashier. I looked at the HK$20 tag, grabbed one and off it went with my other purchases.

I knew i wouldn't be blown away. After all, it is from Shiseido's FT (Fine Toiletry) line, which is the brand's humble drugstore offering. I was sure it was not going to be bad, but I also knew it was going to be basic, just like my one-time FT Cleasing Oil favorite.

The white translucent gel feels very light, quite different from the many hand creams I am accustomed to. I honestly didn't expect it to provide moisture. Blended out on bare hands it leaves a slight sticky film that eventually dissipates. While it did not moisturize my hands, I felt that it hydrated them. In face care analogy, this hand cream is a balancing water or a light serum as opposed to a cream. I am surprised though, for when I wake up in the morning my hands are noticeably softer and some lines are smoother. During the course of the day my hands go back to their original state after some labor, but this product always restores them unfailingly.

From my experience with Shiseido's FT products, I can glean that it offers reliable products at reasonable prices. While I would like to try other brands of hand creams (because there is so much out there), I wouldn't mind revisiting this one once in a while. 

Shiseido Tsubaki Shining Hair Mask

Shiseido's famous Tsubaki haircare series is inspired by the camellia. The Tsubaki brand claims to include camellia oil extracts in its ingredients which make hair beautiful and healthy. There are three ranges: Shining (red), Damage Care (white), and Head Spa (yellow) with their own full lineup of shampoos, conditioners, and hair treatments.

Tsubaki Shining Hair Mask with Tsubaki Oil EX is meant to be used as a weekly treatment mask that nourishes hair by replenishing it with moisture. I've had mine for over two years and I still have a few good uses left. It's amazing how far this 180g product stretched out when used once a week.

The product come in a deep tub with a screw-cover cap. It's a thick, yellow substance that has a very rich texture. One small scoop is enough to cover an entire head of medium-length hair. I apply hair treatments beginning three inches below the scalp, typically avoiding the area above that and the scalp itself. I find that the first three inches of hair doesn't need repair as it's an area with relatively new hair growth, and my scalp itself is too sensitive to take in any rich product.

I put this on for about five minutes in the shower and though I think it should be applied on for longer, I can't be bothered. Rinsing takes around another good five minutes to cleanse out the product completely. I notice my hair looks healthier each time after use. This products makes my hair softer, shinier, and much smoother (but there are still some frizzy strands of hair). Overall, this is an effective product otherwise I wouldn't be diligently using this once a week for more than two years. It does not have the months-long effect of salon treatments, but I am quite satisfied with the weekly repair it provides as I definitely see solid results each time.

Dior x 2(Maquillage) Lips

I grew up accustomed to seeing my mother use branded cosmetics, and Dior was one of her staple lipsticks. In one of her rare moments to share ideas that would genuinely do someone good, she disclosed that Estee Lauder and Christian Dior make the best lipsticks in the market. Of course, this was during her time, and though it is still true today, many other brands can now hold their own in terms of lipstick quality. Among Japanese brands, Shiseido Maquillage is widely regarded as the lipstick connoisseur.

Seen here from left to right are Rouge Dior in Pink Scene 568, Maquillage Moisture Rouge (Color On Type) in BE231, and Maquillage Lasting Climax Rouge in RS208.

Among the three, Dior feels the most luxurious with its sturdy and heavy packaging. The dark blue quilted design also adds to its chicness and elegance. Both Maquillage lipsticks have bejeweled caps on top, but the Moisture Rouge is made of the flimsiest material. The Lasting Climax Rouge has a sleek, solid feel to it, which I quite like. These Maquillage lipsticks were all released two or three years ago, but I believe the ranges are still sold on adambeauty.

Shades of mauve, beige, and pink. 

Rouge Dior (on the left) applies so easily, like velvet coating the lips with rich color right away. The above color was swatched only once. Pink Scene is a rosy mauve veering on violet speckled with gold. I wouldn't say this is an every day lipstick. It is a more dramatic color therefore I would usually wear it for evening affairs paired with a dress in the purple/black family. I also like that this is a moisturizing lipstick. 

In the middle, Maquillage M Rouge in BE231, is my go-to lipstick for a pale look. The nude in it is balanced with a peachy orange so it does not wash out the complexion. Japanese lipsticks are more often sheerer than their Western counterparts. This was swatched around four times. It can be drying on the lips, that is why I always apply a lip balm before hand. 

Lasting Climax Rouge in RS208 on the right is a very cool toned pink/rose lipstick. It is great for a rosy pale look. This one is moisturizing, but the color applies on the sheer side. It was swatched four to five times. 

These aren't no-brainer lipsticks. I would say they're more "occasion" lipsticks that need to be paired with a look or an outfit properly. For their price and quality, I think they are well worth to have in one's collection. Both brands have a wide range of colors to choose from which can cater to most tastes and needs.

Shiseido Hydro-Powder Eyeshadows in H2 Whitelights & H7 Green Exotique

These are some of the best eye shadows ever made; creamy in texture, soft on application, smooth in finish. The colors are unique and glitters/shimmers are understated yet alive. Truly, Shiseido made a technological breakthrough with the Hydro-Powders.

H2 Whitelights feels like whipped cream. It is somewhat softer and lighter compared to Green Exotique. I think this can be used as a great all-over wash of color on the eyelid or as a highlighter on specific parts of the eye. The glitters in it are bigger and more noticeable than the other Hydro-Powders, yet the effect is pretty set behind a shade of pure, clean snow white.

H7 Green Exotique, on the other hand, is rich and creamy...like green tea milkshake. Its shimmers are considerably finer in contrast to Whitelights. The pigment is rich in this pot, so a little of it goes a long way. Its chameleon-like shade makes it easy to tone down or play up by adding different colored powders on it. It can be deceptively yellow-green, greenish gray, or plain forest green depending on how light hits it.

Each Hydro-Powder comes with a sponge-tip applicator in its own plastic case. I usually use my fingers or a MAC 219 as it is easier to control shadow application. The sponge seems to absorb much of the product and layers the colors in streaks. Sponge aside, these Hydros are great buys. There are a dozen colors available so surely there is at least one to catch your fancy. The nearest similar products to these that I know of are Jill Stuart's Jelly Eye Color N.


~ I have also reviewed H9 Glistening Sand, H10 Languid Lagoon, and H1 Goldlights in Makeupalley.