Shiseido – Ultimune Concentrate and Ibuki Collection

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Shiseido is the oldest cosmetics company in the world. The esteemed Japanese brand has been around for over 140 years…that’s a helluva lot of experience in skincare. The name ‘Shiseido’ comes from three Japanese characters; ‘SHI’ meaning resources, ‘SEI’ meaning life and ‘DO’ meaning house. Who knew?
I learned this and more when I recently attended the Shiseido Ultimune event at Harvey Nichols, in association with VIP Magazine. The Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate is a pretty big deal for Shiseido, with 20 years of research under their belt for this product alone. The ingredients of thyme, Japanese shiso and gingko work with your skin’s immune system to help strengthen cells, which in turn will create radiant, firm skin and a smooth and healthy complexion.

At the event we were given Shiseido samples – products from the IBUKI range, a 10ml bottle of Ultimune and a Kinder Bueno..hooray! I had never tried any Shiseido products before so wanted to see if I would be impressed, as I’m a diehard Kiehls girl! If the brand has been around this long, it couldn’t be anything short of wonderful.

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Just to mention, my skin is extremely dry, prone to redness and eczema. The IBUKI line is designed to help protect skin while infusing it with moisture..sounds great for gals (and guys!) who suffer from reptilian skin.

I start by removing makeup with micellar water (Bioderma), then use a tiny amount of the IBUKI Gentle Cleanser. You only need the tiniest bit, and this product foams up into a rich luxurious lather. I don’t normally use cleansers as they dry out my skin even more, so I was skeptical. But oh my..this product is amazing. It doesn’t dry out the skin at all, and cleans so deeply that it leaves your face feeling fresh for hours. Perfect for a morning pick up..it becomes addictive pretty quickly.

I then use the IBUKI Softening Concentrate, which is like a toner. I didn’t notice much difference with this and I could take it or leave it to be honest.

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I then apply 2-3 drops of Ultimune, which feels amazing the second it touches the skin. It has a light and fresh floral scent, its lightweight and makes skin feel incredibly soft and smooth. I have to stop myself from touching my face every…single..time I apply it.

I then sometimes apply the UBUKI Protective Moisturiser, which again I could take or leave. While it’s a gorgeous light cream and for some might be perfect to end the ritual, the texture wouldn’t be enough for my skin type. I also prefer the feeling of the Ultimune on my skin and enjoy the feeling of it sinking in for a while before I apply a heavier cream like Kiehls Ultra Facial Moisturiser or Embryolisse Lait Creme later on in the day.

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In the name of research, here’s me in the morning just after cleansing and using Ultimune, complete with old tshirt, ruffled brows and all. This is my skin just 7 days after using the products above, mainly the cleanser and serum. My skin looks better than it has in months (from just two days in) and I tend to only apply eye makeup at the moment.

I will definitely be purchasing the IBUKI Gentle Cleanser. I would like to keep using Ultimune (because it really is amazing) but at €85 per 30ml, I don’t think I could justify repurchase of a product designed to use before serum and moisturiser. Perhaps I’ll ask for it as a Christmas gift or save a little for a bottle some day…I don’t mind spending money on a hardworking product. I think it’s just a little bit of a shock as I spent the same amount recently on a winter coat, which put things into perspective!

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Either way, I’m really enjoying using these Shiseido products every day, I feel so refreshed every morning and I’m really impressed with the results! Do you have any Shiseido staples? Have you tried the much talked about Ultimune Power Infused Concentrate? I’m sure due to the price that Shiseido will be more than happy to provide samples if you are interested in trying this wonder product! Shiseido is currently available in Arnotts, Harvey Nichols and Debenhams stores.

For more information on Shiseido products, click here.

Have a wonderful weekend x

 

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