Hi everyone who is stopping by!
I got this set as a New Year’s gift and today it’s all about the Shiseido BENEFIANCE Extra Creamy Cleansing Foam.
I have mixed feelings about this stuff. It has plenty of cons, but it is still quite fascinating. It seems like I’ve finally got the hang of it, but again the setbacks are significant.
It happens so often… that when I grab a high-end product, I subconsciously ascribe to it some miraculous properties. I mean it. One will always think that a cleanser for $36 has to be "the one". However, it turns out to be such a humdrum in reality…
Full name: Shiseido BENEFIANCE Extra Creamy Cleansing Foam.
Price: $36
Volume: 125 ml, but I have a trial size with 30 ml.
Country of origin: France
Packaging.
There is no denying that the BENEFIANCE range looks amazing. It’s like a gem for my bathroom shelf.
There is at least one reason to love high-end products and it’s a presentable look, which means a lot for us. Even a mini version looks amazing let alone a full-size tube:
My tube is small and the plastic is very soft, so it loses its shape easily. It comes with a common nozzle and a screw cap. There is not much information on the tube. I learnt the list of ingredients from the package it was housed in.
Ingredients:
WATER (AQUA)･STEARIC ACID･PEG-8･MYRISTIC ACID･GLYCERIN･POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE･DIPROPYLENE GLYCOL･LAURIC ACID･GLYCERYL STEARATE SE･SORBITOL･COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE･PEG-60 GLYCERYL ISOSTEARATE･POLYETHYLENE･SODIUM METHYL COCOYL TAURATE･FRAGRANCE (PARFUM)･PHYTOSTERYL MACADAMIATE･POLYQUATERNIUM-39･TALC･TRISODIUM EDTA･BUTYLPHENYL METHYLPROPIONAL･LIMONENE･IRON OXIDES (CI 77492)･LINALOOL･CITRONELLOL･ETHYLCELLULOSE･ALPHA-ISOMETHYL IONONE･GERANIOL･SODIUM HYALURONATE･BUTYLENE GLYCOL･SODIUM BENZOATE･SERINE･SOPHORA ANGUSTIFOLIA ROOT EXTRACT･IRON OXIDES (CI 77491)･TOCOPHEROL･
The texture of the cleansing foam
On the one hand, the Shiseido BENEFIANCE Extra Creamy Cleansing Foam reminds me of Korean foaming cleansers and shaving creams:
On the other hand, there are yellow-orange micro-granules in it. Is it actually your Bio-Hyaluronic Acid then?
The texture is very soft, nice and not at all thick, although I can’t call it ultra-lightweight either.
Smell
It has an enjoyable fragrance to it, which is exceptional, because I’ve never encountered anything like this in any other product… I guess it’s a Shiseido specialty.
Use
The first method:
At first, when I received the Shiseido BENEFIANCE set, I used this foam like a Korean cleanser, i.e. I was lathering it in my hands or with a foaming net and applied the foam to my skin. I massaged it for about 3 minutes and washed it off.
I loved how it foams out, even though it requires more water than I’m used to adding. My husband uses a low-cost Korean Shinetree cleanser and it lathers literally with a single drop of water.
I DIDN’T LIKE that my skin doesn't feel completely clean after washing. Just fancy that: my skin looks visually clean, but I feel like washing it again...
This issue is gone when I use this product for the second time, but it doesn’t go a long way then. Moreover, it’s time-consuming, because it’s usually time to leave the bathroom, but you only washed your face.
The main advantage of this method is that the foam doesn’t dry out my skin even after the second go. The foam is really delicate, so it’s obviously a gentle cleanser, given that it doesn’t even remove all impurities in the first try.
The second method:
Apply the foam in a thin coat to your skin, add some water and lather it gently. Wash it off.
But this method is a pass for me. As a result my skin looks like the Sahara. If I use their Wrinkle Resist Balancing Softener after that, it gets even worse 
Hands down, I haven’t tried it this way more than once and I don’t recommend you do it either.
On the plus side, it cleanses my skin from the get go and makes it almost squeaky clean.
I would also like to notice, that the claimed Bio-Hyaluronic Acid in these mysterious granules does not really work… I haven’t noticed any moisturizing or softening properties. So, this cleansing foam is nothing special, even though it’s sort of high-end.
For whom?
It’s alright with extremely dry and definitely aging skin provided you use it occasionally.
For me, it doesn’t clean my skin sufficiently, even though it’s dry.
Under the bottom line.
The pros and cons of the Shiseido BENEFIANCE:
➕ Amazing packaging
➕ Nice and soft texture
➕ Lathers well
➖ My skin doesn’t feel clean after use
➖ Not easy to use: I have to wash my skin twice to get the required results
➖ Doesn’t go far
➖ Pricey!
In my opinion, 3 stars are more than enough. Yes, the Shiseido BENEFIANCE Extra Creamy Cleansing Foam is workable and it DOES work in the end, but it has lots of peculiarities.
I wouldn’t call this product a hit, especially given the price for a full-size tube. Therefore I won’t recommend you buy it. I believe you can find a more decent high-end cleanser for such a price.
