Shiseido’s Pureness range is a line of products aimed at those of us with combination, oily or acne-prone skin types. This week I tried out two products from Shiseido’s Pureness range; the Foaming Cleansing Fluid and the Balancing Softener.
I believe that there is only so much a facial cleanser can achieve. For me, a quality cleanser will remove all dirt and grease and leave skin feeling soft and smooth without that horrid tight feeling you get with a lot of cleansers aimed at oily/acne prone skins. This cleanser easily achieved this and smells divine. It’s got a slightly floral but mainly clean fragrance that makes you feel as if you are using something that isn’t full of chemicals. This cleanser has an interesting consistency, as from the name and the pump dispenser, I was expecting a foam. However, the cleanser is more of a pearly cream that gently foams which I personally prefer as I always find overly foamy cleansers too drying. This also worked wonderfully with my Nutra Sonic facial brush as it created enough of a lubrication for the brush to move around comfortably. I’m really happy with this as it not only meets my expectations of a luxury brand cleanser, but also keeps it’s promise of being suitable for combination skin, as it isn’t drying but it isn’t overly moisturising either, so it gets the balance just right. There are two foaming cleansers in the Pureness range, the other being the Deep Cleansing Foam. There is also a Cleansing Water which is currently on my shopping list.
The next Pureness product I tried was the Balancing Softener. There are going to be people out there who see no point in this product and I’m guessing these are the people who also see no point in toners. I personally think toners are essential, as is this softener. I read about this quite a while ago and was excited to try it but I didn’t think there would be one aimed at my type of skin. It’s dispensed in a similar way to the cleansing foam which I really like as it’s so easy to pump some out on to a cotton pad. The idea of a softener is that it’s a product that softens the skin (obviously) but also can be used to prepare skin for the addition of moisturising products. It’s basically a moisturising water and I cannot get enough of it as it’s perfect for my type of skin. If you’re the type who tends to overdo it with cleansing then this is the product for you too. I was slightly cynical when I first got it, as I wondered how much a softening water could do, but it really does make such a difference to my skin and leaves it looking and feeling smooth and moisturised, so this would also be ideal for people who either don’t like or are avoiding moisturisers as it gives a real hit of rehydration. I also used this on my eyes (but this isn’t mentioned in the instructions so if you’re unsure, test it out first) so this is ideal if you’re running late and can’t be bothered to go through your usual morning ritual, you can just wipe this all over and crack on with your make-up. As you can probably tell, I’m really happy with this product as I can see it fitting perfectly into my skincare routine.
