Kose Sekkisei Emulsion $48

I picked up this full-size bottle of Kose Sekkisei Emulsion after loving the sample packet I tried.

It's to be used following a toner to improve skin moisture, elasticity and to make skin more radiant and transparent. I think the "transparent" description is asian-speak for "glowing skin."

The Verdict: A-
I love how hydrating this lotion is but at the same time it is not at all oily or creamy. The consistency of this is a bit runny and it absorbs very quickly into the skin.


See how runny it is? This is just a tiny blob of the emulsion.

I've only used this at night (usualy after masks) but I don't believe it would make me shiny even if I applied it during the day. It is so lightweight and moisturizing. I would even be so bold to say that I'm adding it to my daily cleansing routine to replace my regular Shiseido nighttime moisturizer.

The Body Shop Haul

On this shopping trip I went to The Body Shop looking for a flannel washcloth that Lindi from over at http://www.bubzbeauty.com/ recommended.

Luxury Facial Flannel $6.50

I really didn't know what to expect of this thing. When I got to the store the SA helped me find this washcloth and it was packed in a ziplock baggy and was flexile and bendy. It did not look at all like..."cloth". It reminded me of a white shammy and looked silicone-like in texture. I was weirded out even more because the SAs had taken one out of it's packaging and it was dry and hard and looked like a piece of styrofoam. They assured me that once it touched water it would return to it's soft state and work just like new. But hey Lindi said it's fantastic so I bought it anyways. I was not at all disappointed by this thing. Remember I said it looked silicone-like? Well it works just like a rubber spatula for your face but it is also soft to the touch. I tried it with my normal cleanser and saw this guy in action. It wipes away all traces of the cleanser in one swoop! It's really amazing but I'd rather use it to wipe away a mask or something. I like splashing my face with water to rinse off my normal cleanser.

Vitamin C Skin Boost $26

Okay the SA told me that Vitamin C boost (one of their best sellers) would help diminish the appearance of acne scars. I really didn't have any faith in this product's claims but when she put some on my wrist I like the texture of it. It feels almost like a silicone primer. I figured if I could wear this as a primer without getting shiny and it's also doing good for my skin - why not? It also smells just like fresh cut oranges - which I happen to love. If you don't like orange citrus-y smells, it may be a bit overwhelming. Since it has that silicone feel to it, it really does help with evening out skin texture without the feeling of plugged pores.

The Verdict
I don't think this should be labeled a moisturizer. The gel texture of this sits on top of skin and is very slowly absorbed into the skin. Because of the slow absorption I'm loving it as a primer. It's weightless and does feel like it's clogging my pores. It leaves my skin silky smooth and prepped for makeup. Although it's not a cure, I find it does help smooth out dry patches around blemish so that makeup doesn't cake.

I'm not sure if it's working to diminish any dark spots- at least I can't really tell. I'm also still on the lookout for a primer as this one made me a bit shiny. I like to wear it alone when I'm in a rush just to even out the texture of my skin. I really really love the flannel washcloth though! I will definitely go back to get another one to stash away.

Freebies
I was pleasantly surprised when I went to check out and the SA added all these goodies to my bag! I received a Cloth Woven Makeup Bag filled with travel sizes of Strawberry Body Butter, Vitamin E Moisture Cream, Divine Calm Heavenly Shower Gel (not pictured), and Mulberry Hi-Shine Lip Gloss (not pictured). I gave the items not pictured to a friend before I could take these photos.

This smells just like strawberry icing! I need to be careful with this. The whole time I was wearing it I had a craving for cupcakes!


This is very fast-absorbing and non-greasy but nothing too special about it. I've been using it at night before bed.

Shiseido Skincare

I use the Shiseido skincare line for my daily 3-Step cleansing regimen. All their skincare products have a light fragrance that I find calming and pleasant. I can't place it but they smell wonderful!

Cleanse

The Pureness Deep Cleansing Foam $21 is my all-time favorite cleanser! It really deep cleans gently without making your skin feel tight. All you need is a little dab of this mixed with water. As you wash your face there are little blue scrubbing beads that dissolve once the cleanser has emulsified. I use this as a sign that it's time to rinse this off. I like to just splash my face with warm water until all the cleanser is completely rinsed off. I find this cleanser really washes away all traces of dirt, oil and makeup.

Tone

I follow with the Pureness Balancing Softner Alcohol-Free $23. I love how this is alcohol-free and doesn't dry out my skin. I used to think that a good toner draws out ALL the oil from my face - boy was I wrong! The toning step has 2 purposes: it removes any traces of residue from your skin that your cleanser may have missed and it preps your skin to soak up moisturizer fully. I like to soak a cotton pad and wipe this all over my face. I use 1 side of the pad for half of my face, then I use the other side of the pad for the other half of my face. The important thing is that you always wipe in 1 direction and not back and forth (you'll just wipe any residue that is picked up back onto your skin). I also tone before putting on any kind of mask that doesn't require rinsing off.

Moisturize
I use 2 different moisturizers: one for daytime and one for nighttime because during the day I look for a moisturizer that contains SPF or will help mattify my skin. At night I usually want something more hydrating.

I started off using the Pureness Matifying Moisturizer Oil-Free $32 during the day and the Pureness Moisturizing Gel-Cream $32 at night. Both these products are really great for oily skin but I found that they weren't moisturizing enough for my temples and cheeks as I have combination skin (oily T-zone and dry cheeks).

The great thing about Shiseido products is that you can combine the lines to customize for you own needs. This being said, I started using moisturizers from The Skincare line. The Skincare Day Moisturizer Protection SPF 15 PA+ regular $39 and The Skincare Nighttime Moisture Recharge regular $41. These are also wonderful and fast-absorbing.