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| Shu Uemura Tsuya Skin Youthful Radiance Generator Essence |
Shu Uemura have just released a new serum called Tsuya Skin Youthful Radiance Generator Essence* ("Tsuya" means "shine" in Japanese).
I'm not a huge fan of Shu's Depsea Hydrability serum (although together with the toner and the moisturiser the three together are nice).
Another serum, this one is aimed at anti-aging concerns and features Japanese Enju flowers and Rhamnose - a derived plant sugar which is supposed to activate the skin's "power switch" (per Shu Uemura) to promote youthfulness and anti-aging.
* what is it with brands coming up with extra-ordinary long-winded names for serums?
It's intended use is as a serum to be used after cleanse/tone and before primer (although the under-base primer mousse will now also feature as part of the Tsuya range).
Apparently it will give your skin a more even tone, reduce the size of your pores, and improve the texture of your skin by making it softer and more supple. And apparently all in seven days. I thought that the Shu Uemura SA was being particularly generous with the seven days' worth of freebies to try out, when I read up on it I realised why. So I've been using it now for the last six days (morning and night).
The colour (if that's relevant) is a pearlescent baby pink with the faintest hint of a shimmer running through it (nothing glittery however). How does it smell? Wonderful! A gorgeous subtle faintly flowery scent (which fades, if you're not a fan of scented skin-care). How does it feel? Gorgeous... really soft, lightweight, comfortable on the skin - not greasy or tacky, not tightening or drying. My skin felt refreshed and plumped up with it on.
The next day, my skin still felt softened and plumped-up. And each subsequent day since, my skin has continued to feel a little softer.
In terms of skin tone, I use a serum anyhow every day (morning and night) and have a good skincare regimen, so I haven't found that my skin tone or skin colour or skin texture looks any different. My skin has a natural glow anyhow, so there was also no change there. And the formula contains glycerin, mica and silicones, which are going to help with the claims about skin tone and texture, at least cosmetically. But my skin does feel both lighter and plumper after the weeks' use, it feels softer and more nourished, less stressed and crabby about the constant flip-flop-ing from the cold & wet miserable outside weather to the warm & dry central heating indoors...
Price per 30ml is €56 in Brown Thomas Dublin, which is roughly what I'm happy paying for a serum, so it's not crazy expensive (the Tsuya Under Base mousse primr costs €35 if you prefer to go the serum+primer+SPF in-one route; the bog-standard serum doesn't contain SPF, in case that's relevant).
Definitely highly recommended. If I didn't have a years' worth of serums in my bathroom cabinet to make my way through, I'd be out there purchasing...