I received four sachets of samples from Shiseido's new Ibuki line (2 sachets of the Softening Concentrate and 2 of the Refining Moisturizer) from Sample Room yesterday. I'm testing these today!

When Liz blogged about the Ibuki line, I knew I had to try out the softener and the refining moisturizer. I would have really wanted to try the protective moisturizer but out of practicality, I veer from SPF-ed moisturizers so that I can use them at night if they prove to be too oily for my skin at daytime.

These samples are probably going to last me 4-6 days' use (softener: 2x/day, moisturizer: 1x/day). I hope I don't break out as they smell and feel so luxuriously good!

Samples from the Ibuki line are still available at Sample Room.

Before discovering the Shiseido Oil-Free Bronzing Powder, bronzers are my least favorite makeup because I have had horrific experiences with it turning either too orange, unflatteringly ruddy, or dirty brick brown on me as my skin gravely oxidizes makeup. Add to that, since bronzers are more popularly used for contouring and I don't see myself developing a substantial amount of skill in it anytime soon, I cared less about them.

Luckily, I learned about the Shiseido Oil-Free Bronzing Powder and I finally realized that bronzers are not monsters but friends. Shiseido describes this product as an oil-free bronzing powder that provides an all-day, air-brushed finish to create a natural, radiant & sun-kissed look.

   Comes in 3 shades: Light 01, Medium 02, and Dark 03. P1998 for 0.42 oz compact, $35 at Sephora

   "With flash" photo of the bronzer on the pan is color-accurate. See last photo below for a zoomed-in pic

The Shiseido Bronzing Powder in Medium/02 is a flattering true brown for my skin. On the pan, it has microglitters but isn't shimmery at all when brushed against the skin. You must know that I shy away from anything glittery as shimmers almost always provide my acne scars an unsolicited emphasis, but this powder's an exception.

It's nice to find a bronzer that's not heavily pigmented at first swipe. I can lazily wear Medium/02 as a blush without minding if I'm using a heavy hand. This is a  feature which bronzer noobs such as myself can immensely benefit from. I sweep the brush thrice to get some pigment, tap it out once to take out the excess, and then brush under the apples of my cheeks. After, I take a big powder brush to blend the bronzer upwards to further diffuse it up to the apples of my cheeks. Note that the Shiseido bronzer fairly wears long as I see minimal fading on my oily cheeks only after 4-5 hours.

    Shiseido Bronzing Powder used simply as a blush to add warmth & colour to cheeks (no other cheek prods used)

Products used in the FOTD above are: Nature Republic The First Clarifying Toner, ZA True White Liquid Foundation (OC30), Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited (RD 160), Shiseido Oil-Free Bronzer (Medium). It's a quick way to look somewhat made up. The bronzer made a huuuuuuuge difference I tell ya!

It wouldn't be fair not to make a special mention that the compact comes with a soft and densely packed kabuki-style brush. I have not used any other brush other than this as it works extremely well. I only wish it was sold separately so I can get back-ups (not that this brush can't handle the whole 0.42oz of bronzing brilliance; it is actually quite sturdy and has not lost its earlier softness even after several washes).

I have already used this product severaaaal times and I can't believe hetchmarks are still visible near the edges

If only this bronzing powder was tagged several hundreds of pesos lower, I would recommend it to makeup newbies in a heartbeat to avoid the bronzing horrors I went through. I know that NARS Bronzing powders are cheaper-- locally, so they may want to check that out first. Weirdly enough, NARS bronzers are a dollar more expensive than Shiseido's at Sephora but contain lesser product in the pan ($36 for 0.28oz vs $35 for 0.42oz), meaning Shiseido is definitely a bang for the buck if you're purchasing in the U.S.!

In a twist of fate, the product I used to hate is now something I find myself using a lot. Thanks to the Shiseido Oil-Free Bronzing Powder in 02, I struck gold discovering an air-brushed finish bronzer that shows up nicely on my skin without failing to give me a healthy, natural, sun-kissed look. It's an added bonus that it photographs really well and has never broken me out!

I'm alive and baaaack from my 5-month long hiatus (long and tiring story...) and I can't contain my excitement on getting back to blogging and reading my fave blogs!

Over the course I've been absent from the blogosphere, I haven't stopped thinking about the stuff I wish I could share with you. Now that I'm finally and officially back, let me give you a rough picture of some of the beauty products I've been crazy about these past months. Presenting...

Six Products I Like So Much (with a short intro/ review about why I love each):

1. Relumins Advance White Oral Whitening Formula. Finally, an oral glutathione that doesn't make me too yellow like tathion 307. I've been on it for a week now and I have to say I'm quite impressed with the effects.

2. Avon Skin So Soft Lotion (especially the soft & white with marula variants). After basking under the summer sun from previous vacations, the intensive whitening lotions from Avon have aided me in evening out and actually improving my body's overall fairness. 

3. Tony Moly Acerola Sheet Masks. My cheeks have gotten so annoyingly dry lately and these sheet masks have done a good job in helping me wake up to better-looking skin. Too bad these red packets are almost always OOS in stores :(

4. Banana Boat Sport Sunscreen SPF 110. My second most awesome purchase for the summer. I use this for the face during trips to the beach and it has never failed me. Proofs in a lengthier review to follow!

5. Shiseido Sun Protection Liquid Foundation. I've purchased this last year, loved it back then but failed to blog about it. I'm still very much in love with it now especially since it fakes a fresh face in this sweltering heat. I top it off with Joppa MMU in Grecian Gold to improve its hold.

6. Clarisonic Mia. I consider this my best beauty purchase for the first half of the year (review coming up!!!). It just really works for me and the results are instant: I get cleaner, clearer and healthy-looking skin after using this. I use the Mia with Clinique liquid facial soap/ Neutrogena Mulberry Ultra Foam Cleanser and with the deep-pore cleansing brush head.

If you are keen enough, you may have noticed how these product faves are mostly about keeping the skin fair. I noticed that too just now and I don't have a damn good reason why. I will be reviewing each of these products in detail very soon and perhaps by then, I can tell you why I'm such a whitening whore!

I've had the Shiseido Perfect Refining Foundation for almost half a year now and during these times, it's mostly just sitting on my dresser. Not that it's a horrible product (I actually like how it performs and find myself wanting to use it on most days), but it has consistently aggravated pustules every time I use it.

I know it's a serious problem and that I should just get rid of the black bottle, but the advantages I get from it outweigh its most unnerving flaw. I seriously don't understand why Shiseido foundations are acting funny on my skin (even the Perfect Smoothing foundation, which I loved to bits until the day it broke me out). 

• Enjoy Paris' review of the foundation
• Miss Glitzy's compares it to Clarins Skin Illusion
• See why Claire thinks it's at par with NARS Sheer Glow 

I give you an ultimatum my dear Shiseido Perfect Refining foundation. Today, I have an almost clear skin and if you mess with that one pimple persisting on my cheek, I have no other choice but to let you go.

I'm currently loving Shiseido makeup and skincare on my skin! With this Asian beauty arsenal, I'm sure every Filipina can brave the metro's sweltering heat and still flash their best faces forward! So just imagine my delight when the brand announced a sampling campaign they're having!

Shiseido Perfect UV Protector

Recieve A Summer Skincare Set!

Shiseido's newest memeber in the suncare department, the Perfect UV Protector SPF 50+, is getting a re-introduction to the Filipino market through the Half-A-Million Trial Users Campaign. The brand currently releases this very water resistant sunblock in Asia only.

You can send your application to sample the Perfect UV Protector from today till mid-May, and Shiseido, through LuxAsia Philippines, will draw 800 entries who will receive a Summer Skincare Set by the end of May.

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