Nov 17, 2014  •  In Asian, Beauty, Giveaways, Personal, Reviews

Shiseido Benefique Skincare Review and Giveaway!

It’s no secret that I’ve amped up my skincare routine in the past few months. As a result, my skin has never been softer, clearer, brighter, and smoother…and I can’t help heralding praises of Korean skincare products to everyone I know!

So impressed have I been that I started to look into popular brands and products from other beauty-obsessed parts of East Asia too: Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, to name a few.

As such, when a rep for Shiseido contacted me to see if I would be interested in trying out their latest skincare line, I couldn’t reply “YES!” fast enough.

shiseido_benefique_banner

Already available in Japan and Taiwan, Shiseido Benefique is a skincare collection that is catered to women in their 30s and 40s. This revolutionary line targets a newly discovered fourth contributing factor to aging (in addition to UV rays, dryness, and oxidation): temperature.

Researchers at Shiseido discovered that abnormal skin temperature causes keratin to build up on the surface of the skin, which not only prevents proper absorption of skincare products but also disrupts normal skin functions. The new Cellular Solution Theory seeks to improve skin functions by boosting circulation to normalize cell turnover, improve barrier function, and eliminate keratin buildup.

shiseido_benefique_temperature

 The Benefique system consists of 5 steps:

Step 1:  Hot Cleanser, 150g — a warming, deep-cleansing makeup remover that purifies skin for a smooth natural translucence. The thermal cleansing ingredients generate a warming sensation, while cleansing ingredients envelop and lift away makeup residue to reveal smooth, lustrous skin.

shiseido_benefique_hot_cleanser

This is my favorite item from the Benefique line. (And I love that Benefique uses the double-cleanse routine!) Upon initial application, the Hot Cleanser feels thick and a bit slimy. However, once you start massaging it into the face, it immediately heats up to the perfect hot-but-not-scalding temperature and feels divine. I can feel my sunscreen and makeup dissolving, the grit from my pores lifting away, and my pores opening up to prepare for the steps ahead.

Step 2:  Cleansing Foam, 125g — A rich, deep-cleansing foam that leaves skin feeling smooth and moist. To soften and prevent the skin from drying out, the cleansing foam contains sericin, a natural ingredient derived from silk with excellent moisture-retaining properties.

shiseido_benefique_cleansing_foam

A little goes a long way with the Cleansing Foam. Just a pea size lathers up my entire face, and rinses off to a squeak-clean finish I personally love, without drying out my skin.

Step 3:  Lotion I, II, III, 200mL — A brightening beauty essence water that cools skin and boosts circulation, giving skin a bright, healthy glow. There are three types of lotions based on seasonal and skin temperature. Lotion I is for hot weather and for those with higher skin temperature or oil-prone skin; Lotion II is best used during moderate weather or by those with normal skin temperature; and Lotion III is ideal for those with rough, dry skin or for use during cold weather.

shiseido_benefique_lotion

With my combination skin in mind, I use Lotion I in the mornings and Lotion II in the evenings. Although the consistency is a bit thicker than other essences I’ve tried in the past (with the II being a bit thicker than I, and the III thickest of the trio), it’s still pretty runny as you can see in the picture above, and I have no complaints about this product as it does exactly what it’s supposed to do. 🙂

Step 4:  Emulsion I, II, 150mL — A brightening emulsion that contains a new lifting effect formula combining powerful botanicals in a polymer that smooths and lifts while increasing firmness and resilience.

shiseido_benefique_emulsion

As is the case with the Lotion, the consistency of Emulsion I is a bit runnier than Emulsion II. I’ve only been using the first, and it sinks beautifully into the skin while leaving a slight glow.

Step 5:  Cream, 40g — A brightening beauty cream that addresses the signs of aging to reveal lustrous, smooth, firm skin. It contains raspberry leaf extract to define facial contours by lifting the skin and correcting sagging.

shiseido_benefique_cream

Shiseido is my mother’s favorite skincare brand, and when trying products like the Cream, I can definitely see why. The initial feeling and effects are typical of a night cream (thick but penetrates deep into the skin, leaves a bit of a shiny finish), but its overnight effects leave me with firm, bright, and nourished skin every morning. And I can swear that my face feels less puffy in the mornings since I’ve started using this!

As is the case with most multi-step skincare regimens, not every product is meant to be used every time:

shiseido_benefique_instructions

My personal take is that the Cotton Pad is not necessary; in fact, although the instructions for both the Lotion and Emulsion state that the user should apply the products via cotton pads, I have been using my hands with no problem. (And I suspect I’m saving some product in the process too.)

The bottom line…

With the illness of both kids back-to-back, then falling victim to the malady myself, my skin hasn’t been quite as nice lately with the added stress, sleep deprivation, and germs festering everywhere in the house.

My package from Shiseido arrived just in the nick of time. And within just a couple of days, my skin returned to its post-Asian-skincare-discovery, radiant self. 🙂

So all in all, the Shiseido Benefique line is Jenny-approved and wholeheartedly recommended for those seeking a luxurious, reliable skincare line, created by one of the oldest and most-respected cosmetics companies in the world!

shiseido_benefique_geekinheels

Unfortunately, the Benefique collection is not available at department stores, as it is an exclusive line limited to independent Shiseido boutiques. However, I can attest that it is worth tracking down, and the Benefique website has a handy store locator for this exact purpose.

The giveaway…

Shiseido has very generously offered one Geek in Heels reader their own set of Benefique products! That’s right — you can win THE ENTIRE Benefique line shown below:

shiseido_benefique_skincare_collection_giveaway

The retail value of these 8 items is over $500!  😯 

And as you can see, because you will be receiving all three Lotions and both Emulsions, you can stash some away for the warmer months, or gift them to others.

Even if you’re not interested in the Benefique collection for yourself, this set would make a great gift, especially with the holidays coming up!

To enter this giveaway, simply use the Rafflecopter widget below. Not sure how to use Rafflecopter? Watch this 52 second video for a tutorial on how to enter a giveaway using Rafflecopter. There are 7 methods of entry, with the first method (commenting on this blog post answering the question “What is your most pressing skincare concern?”) being mandatory while the third method (Tweeting about the giveaway) can be used once per day:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will end on Tuesday, December 9th, 2014, at 12:01am EST, at which point a winner will be randomly chosen and announced here. If the winner has won the drawing via a fraudulent or illegitimate entry (i.e., not commenting on this post, using different accounts to enter multiple times, using a Twitter account that is only used to enter contests on a frequent basis, using the same Tweet URL to enter multiple times) I have the right to choose another winner.

Sorry, this giveaway is open only to residents of the U.S. who are over 13 years old.

Please use a valid email address and/or Twitter handle so that I can contact you if you win! If the winner fails to respond within 48 hours of my contacting them, another winner will be selected.

Good luck, and thank you for entering!

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146 Responses to “Shiseido Benefique Skincare Review and Giveaway!”

  1. Evelyn says:

    I’m kind of obsessed with skincare, and Shiseido is my favorite brand! I’m mostly concerned with aging right now – wish I was better about using sunscreen and eye cream!

  2. Corey Ann says:

    Oooooooo this looks awesome!

  3. Lauren says:

    This would be great – my skin is really uneven and dry, especially in the winter.

  4. joy says:

    Wow, this set looks great… Haven’t been taking care of my skin lately.

  5. Sammi says:

    I think my most pressing beauty concern is having a nice complexion. I struggle a lot with spots due to stress and bad habits with touching my face, so products that minimise, prevent or conceal spots rate really high on my list!

  6. Laura says:

    This is such a great giveaway! My biggest skin concern is dryness – I’m always trying to get more moisture into my skin, so the lotion iii sounds great.

  7. Sarah says:

    Right now, my annoying combination skin is driving me crazy! Also, just wanted to say thanks for turning us all onto BB creams before they hit the drugstore. I still buy my Korean brands, shipped across the world!

  8. Katherine says:

    My biggest concern is blackheads and clogged pores. I’m intrigued by this extensive skincare line

  9. Amy Ryan says:

    My biggest concern is uneven pigmentation and small amounts of jawline acne. I’m looking into an Asian type of skin care regimen to try and help this now 🙂

  10. susan says:

    biggest skin concern- moisturizing during the harsh winter!

  11. Donna says:

    I feel that as I’m getting older – my skin is changing (plus having kids do something to it, too!) so worrying about fine lines and dryness/oily T-Zone. I’m doing more with toner and rose water now!

  12. Jeni says:

    I need to try this line!

  13. Palila says:

    With winter and extra stress at work, my skin’s been unhappy! I’d love to try it out.

  14. Arlene Meyer says:

    I would love to start using the Sheseido skin care collection. At this time, I only use coconut oil for moisturizer.

  15. Danielle says:

    We have the same birthday (and are the same age!) so I feel like I need to get with your skincare program… 🙂

  16. rosa says:

    It used to be acne but now that I’m older its the uneven skin tone and the dryness. I heart shiseido.

  17. Virginia says:

    Love your reviews!

  18. Adria says:

    Ooh I think I might buy this for my mom, I hope I can win it for myself.

  19. Elle says:

    I’m most concerned about dark spots and dryness.

  20. Kara C says:

    Not breaking out!

  21. EmNey says:

    Skin texture is my biggest concern, along with some breakouts.

  22. AT says:

    looks lovely 🙂

  23. Revanche says:

    I’m *still* breaking out occasionally when I don’t get enough sleep. You’d think this would stop after crossing the 30s threshold … 🙁

  24. Neha Kaul says:

    Dehydrated skin would be my primary skin concern; uneven skin tone a secondary one. Thanks for the consideration for the giveaway!

  25. Diana says:

    Im a new mommy and haven’t had time to take care of myself. This would be a great start and I’d love to try a new skin care routine.

  26. MrsW says:

    Trying to minimize adult acne.

  27. Jacinda says:

    I would love to with this! I tend to get hormonal acne around period time.

  28. I’d love to up my skin care regime!

  29. Karen says:

    My skin care routine is non existent. This would be great!!

  30. Vir says:

    Love your reviews Jenny! This sounds amazing. I’m especially intrigued by the hot cleanser!!

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