I have been curious about Shu Uemura skincare for quite some time, and finally decided recently to pick up a skincare starter kit and a few other goodies from beautyscene. The kit is $35 and comes with 1.6 ounce travel sizes of two cleansers, two toners, and two moisturizers (these are .5 ounce tubes).

Cleansing Beauty Oil Balancer (for dry skin) ($40 for 8.4 ounces)
This cleansing oil contains mineral oil, corn oil, safflower oil, jojoba oil, and macadamia nut oil, which makes it great for removing makeup but I basically felt like I was putting cooking oil on my face. It also contains wine yeast extract, which is actually in all of these products and I figured out after about a week that this ingredient was irritating my skin. I noticed it most prominently in the toners - the skin around my nose and near my eyes would burn and sting. It was so painful near my eyes that even the creams I applied to soothe it made the stinging worse.

Cleansing Beauty Oil Refresher (for oily skin) ($40 for 8.4 ounces)
I really noticed no difference in performance between this oil and the Balancer version. It is not quite as rich - it does not have corn or safflower oil - but I still had the same terrible stinging problem. Both oils do a great job of removing makeup, but both also leave a filmy feeling on the skin, as if it just did not rinse completely. I have a hard time seeing the appeal of either of these.

Hydrating Lotion (for dry skin) and Refreshing Lotion (for oily skin) $35 for 8.4 ounces
These toners were the unfortunate source of most of my discomfort. Every time I used either one my skin got red, felt really warm, and burned and stung near my eyes. I was shocked when I noticed the skin under my eyes was actually a bit raw! These two toners are very similar (both have wine yeast extract), and I really hope this is not the typical experience with them; based on my skin's reaction, I have trouble recommending either one.

Absolute Cream (for dry skin) ($40 for one ounce)
This is a fairly basic cream for normal to slightly dry skin. It contains macadamia oil, jojoba oil, and quite a few thickeners and the dreaded wine yeast extract. I did not dislike it nor was I particularly enamored with it - it's just rather plain. I would much rather spend $40 on something special and get a basic cream like this at the drugstore.

Hydrating Fluid (for oily skin) ($40 for 1.6 ounces)
This lotion is very similar to the Absolute Cream, although without the jojoba oil and several of the added emollients, it's not quite as rich. This is a more fluid, lightweight moisturizer that I also have a hard time recommending. For what you are paying, I expected more.

Nobara Cream Foundation ($19.50) in 754 Beige 4B
Several people who are foundation enthusiasts (like me) have raved about this makeup as both a foundation and a concealer. I knew I was taking a chance ordering it online, having never seen the colors, but I figured, what the heck, I can always return it. Unfortunately that's exactly what happened. I thought 754 Beige 4B looked like the lightest shade, but when my package arrived and I tried the makeup on, I looked like I had a serious mishap with way too much bronzer. None of the other colors looked quite right either, so I sent it back for a refund.

As for the texture, I was not that crazy about it. I found it to be thick, hard to blend, and rather dry. I imagine a dab mixed with a little eye cream might be fine as a concealer, but it's just not worth the trouble.

Sheer Lip Rouge ($15) in Wine 240
This was the only item from my Shu Uemura experience that I liked. I found there was (again) a risk of ordering color cosmetics online, as this was more of a rosy red than what I thought a "wine" shade should look like. Nevertheless, it is a pretty color and I like the barely-there texture.

You can find Shu Uemura products online at:
beautyscene
Visage Beauty Boutique

New Cosmetic Connection Feature for November
Our Reader's Survey is now over and we've got the exciting results! We've compiled all the answers you shared about your favorite cleanser, foundation, lipgloss, and more to bring you the 1999 Reader's Survey Results. I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by some of the results, like Best Acne Treatment Sage Miracle Zit, and Best Scrub Remede Sweep. Thanks to everyone who participated.

Product Review Spotlight
Check out this week's new review on Cosmetic Connection, Joey New York and Neutrogena makeup. You'll find it in the Spotlight section on the Product Reviews page.