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Shiseido Sheer Enhancer Base in Opalescent White

From Sephora:
This versatile, sheer fluid control base gives skin a brilliant inner glow and a natural yet intense effect. Naturally defines contours as it minimizes dullness for a flawless complexion. 3-D Powder and Full Saturated Color Powder give skin brilliance and dimension. SPF 15 protects skin from damaging UV-rays.

My Skin Type:
Actually very oily, but surpressed with BHA exfoliator. Results in generally ranging from very dry to normal/dry skin. Generally dehydrated, very sensitive, and acne prone.

My Skin Tone:
Some said I have very fair, Casper-ish complexion. Frankly speaking, that’s what you see in my FOTDs, but I personally think I look (much) darker in person than in those photos. Still, yes, I’m quite fair.

Bottomline: my skintone range is lighter than MAC NC/NW15 to NC/NW20.

I have neutral cool undertone.

Packaging:
See through glass bottle with blackened purple plastic, the signature color of Shiseido The Makeup. I have to say the packaging is not practical in the least. The opening of the bottle is not exactly big, and the texture of the product is not exactly runny. It’s pretty fine when the bottle is still new, but towards the end, I imagine you’ll have a bit of difficulty getting the last drop out.

I store mine upside down. So much for elegance

Color Selection:
2 colors available: Opalescent White for a lustrous, refined, sophisticated look. Golden Bronze for a warm, sun-kissed glow.

Mine is the Opalescent White.

Texture:
Lotion, but not runny. Not thick either though. For me, it doesn’t have enough slip.

Texture seems to be similar to Paul & Joe Moisturizing Primer, maybe with less slip.

Coverage:
It’s a base, so it’s not supposed to give plenty coverage. But since it’s brightening, I think it will help enhancing some dullness or brown spots.

Blendability:
For me, poor. I hate the texture since it doesn’t have much slip. I’m confused as of why some ladies in MUA think this is easily blendable. I guess they have oilier skin than mine? This kind of texture is easy to be spread on my T-zone, but it will have problem on my cheeks: pores, fine hairs….it’s a bit hard to spread this product evenly.

Finish:
Radiant, but not over the top at all. Gives right amount of glow to make a difference under foundation.

Oil Control:
I don’t know how this performs on very oily skin, but I know it’s slightly drying on dry areas. Works well on my slightly oily T-zone though. It’s okay for normal skins too.

My General Review:
This is one of the base that I’ve tried, during my younger days….when I strive to find a perfect primer

So, is this perfect brightening primer? Frustratingly no. But it wonderfully fulfills most of it’s promises, making it more frustrating to have to let go of this primer

First, let’s review the pros. It claims to give brilliance. Radiance. Inner glow. It did just that! Wearing this under foundation gives a difference. It’s subtle enough to be wear all over the face, but it’s prominent enough so that even my boyfriend commented on my how good complexion is when I wore this base. It’s healthy radiance, not oily kind of glow. Really pretty.

I love to wear powder foundation on top of this; mostly MAC Studio Perfect SPF15/PA+. MAC Studio Perfect is quite creamy for a powder, so it glides well, and I don’t have to set it with powder. Quick, easy, and pretty.

SPF15 is a welcome addition too. It won’t provide enough protection by its own, since you will only apply very small amount (while sunscreen needs to be applied in glob), but at least applying makeup with sunscreen prevents the sunscreen underneath from being diluted. I’ve also taken photos of me with this base, and it doesn’t give white cast.

Now to the ugly part. Texture, texture, texture. Sigh.

First, it will balls up if you use a lot. Since base makeup is not supposed to be used thickly, I won’t blame Shiseido for this.

Secondly, it doesn’t spread as easily as I would like. Fine, so I can use tools like Foundation Brush or makeup sponges. But honesly, it makes me a little lazy to apply this daily.

Thirdly, this is the killer. I don’t understand why there are no other ladies that complain about this: this base just wouldn’t absorb. I give it a couple of minutes, and it just sit there. If I try to apply foundation afterwards, the base would be shifted, giving cakey, messy look.

The only way to use this is to let the base stay on my face long enough (like an hour), until my natural oil blend it into my skin. It worked when I was a college student, when I can just whip out powder compact at school and start powdering my face, nothing else on top. But no way it will work now…What about my eyeshadows, blush, brow powder, that has to go after powder?

So in the end I swapped this away, even though I really like the end result. Judging from my experience, is this base made for oilier skin? Maybe. If you can get a sample, try this. It is wonderful, if it works for you.

Price:
I don’t remember the exact price. It’s around IDR300,000 though. Sephora retails this at USD32.

Availability:
Easily accessible in department stores that carry Shiseido The Makeup line, like SOGO, Metro or Debenhams.

Ingredients:
I’ve thrown the box away, so I can’t type it right now. Find none in Google too. If you can help me, I’ll be happy

Anyway, if I remember it right…I think it uses Titanium Dioxide as the UV filter.

Overall Rating:
4 out of 5. Everything about it is *love*, other than the texture/blendability. Ultimately, I can’t use this though But it may work for you, since the rating in MUA is also rather high.

*This review will be cross posted in www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.