MORE THAN SKIN DEEP
Elizabeth Soong travels to Amanemu in Nagoya, Japan to discover what Shiseido has unearthed to reawaken skin’s life-renewing force, and the answer lies in its latest Future Solution LX
Shiseido reveals the living energy that powers up its skincare
When it comes to physical appearance, there’s no denying that looking good plays a big part in how we feel about ourselves. Yes, we feel more self-confident and attractive, naturally, but can we only depend on outer beauty, for us to feel this way all the time? As the saying goes, beauty (eventually) fades, but for motivational expert Dr Carol Morgan, I prefer how she spun it positively as, ‘beauty changes.’ Our skin undergoes change with each passing decade—during our twenties, skin is firm, resilient and smooth (provided you use sunblock, eat right and take proper care of yourself ); when we hit the 30s, the first real signs of ageing such as crow’s feet and frown lines start to show as the skin’s natural process of exfoliation slows down while collagen and elastin fibres decrease; by 40s, skin imperfections such as freckles, age spots and discolouration begin to occur; beyond 50s, significant signs of ageing occur, as a result of hormonal changes and old age. Looking at the beauty timeline above, I’m sure we can all agree that skincare is a constant battle against time, the elements, and to some extent, heredity. Renowned Japanese brand Shiseido is a little more far-sighted than that—with its Future Solution LX range, it is not only about taking care of the skin for now, but also stimulates its innate ability to improve itself so that with time, skin gets better and better, moving forward into the future. It was during the global media launch at the serene, luxurious Amanemu resort in Nagoya that we discovered the powerful, new ingredient which gives renewed life to Shiseido’s most premium line of skincare. We were also introduced to Dr Eriko Kawai, the research scientist responsible for the discovery of the anti-ageing ingredient— Skingenecellenmei. Kawai revealed that it has taken them eight years to work on the formulation of this new ingredient, and that her work on Skingenecellenmei started even before the Future Solution LX was launched in 2009. Their research on plant longevity has brought Kawai and her team’s attention to the healing powers of the Enmei herb, which is drunk as tea and used in traditional Chinese medicine; plus it has energising properties and is said to calm the body as well. During the group interview with Kawai, a pot of this humble-looking plant sat on the table for us to take a closer look, as we were served hot Enmei tea. “In old Chinese pharmacology books, this herb is mentioned as having healing properties and was used as a drug,” says Kawai. “We researched thousands of plants but the Enmei has been shown to have the highest efficacy among them. Also, according to Japanese legend, Kobo Daishi, a Buddhist monk who is also known as Kukai, offered a sick traveller the extract of Enmei herb, which helped this person to recover. It is because of this discovery, that we have started to pay attention to the efficacy of this herb.”
Collected from Mount Koya where the Kukai legend originated, Shiseido carefully cultivated and nurtured the Enmei herb in the lab, which is then later extracted and paired with its proprietary Skingenecell 1P and vitamin C Ethyl II to create the Skingenecellenmei, the key ingredient in the reformulated Future Solution LX range. Marketed to women aged 35 and above, Kawai says, “Skingenecellenmei promotes the presence of the longevity gene Sirtuin 1, which brings out the skin’s own healing power and enhances regeneration, while also suppressing the production of Serpin b3, a skinageing protein. As a result, your skin’s longevity gene and immune system is enhanced; subdermal damage to the skin is lessened; and it becomes firmer and more radiant from within.” Shiseido also incorporated three other Japanese botanical ingredients to further reinforce the regenerative power of Skingenecellenmei: Uji green tea extract prevents cellular damage from UV rays by providing antioxidation effects; Hokkaido angelica root extract reinforces the epidermis by promoting ATP production—atp is a source of energy in epidermal cells; while sakura leaf extract taken from the leaves of Oshima cherry blossoms, reinforces the dermis by suppressing elastin breakdown. Designed to provide a holistic, sensorial experience, the Future Solution LX fully engages the senses of the user, even before the skincare experience begins. From the moment of unwrapping the packaging that unfolds like a furoshiki, a Japanese tradition of wrapping an important gift with fabric, you are greeted
Their research on plant longevity has brought the team’s attention to the healing powers of the Enmei herb
Shiseido’s concept of living, energetic beauty is where it harnesses nature’s vital forces and merges it with technology
with Shiseido’s camelliaellia logo and the appealing shimmer and deluxe feel of the black-and-gold container. Then, luxuriate in the smooth silky texture and fragrance of the product, which is infused with the delicate notes of cherry blossom, plum blossom and Japanese rose. These moments of opening, holding, even closing which uses the senses of touch, smell and sight, all accentuates the sensual richness of the Future Solution LX experience. Of course, any beauty ritual must begin with a clean slate, so to speak. Saeko Suzuki, Shiseido’s director of skincare product development emphasises that skin must be cleansed before applying the skincare. “The first thing Japanese women do is to thoroughly cleanse their face with water, before applying the essence or cream. Otherwise, the moisturiser won’t be as effective as it’s supposed to. This is one of the cardinal rules of beauty.”
THETH YUTAKA RITUAL
Ta Taking it a step further, t the skincare ritual is complemented with a signature facial called the Future Solution LX Yutaka treatment. It’s a complete sensory experience with a new dimension added to th the treatment—sound. The aur aural repertoire of the Yutaka Omot Omotenashi Sound, which includes natural s sounds recorded at Mount Koya Koya, flflowsflows w with the rhythm of the massage therapist’s arm movements. New tools have also been added to the treatment: the Yutaka Massager and Yutaka Stone, which are made of Imari Nabeshima porcelain. Both contraptions are heated and the former is massaged over the face, neck, décolleté and upper arms during the facial while the stone is placed on top of the belly button to warm the body. What I loved about the facial, apart from the light floral fragrance of the products and how they facilitated the smooth, deft strokes of the therapist, was the firm fingerpoint touches on the pressure points which relaxed me completely. I especially enjoyed the massage using the Yutaka tools; the therapist glided the two porcelain massagers over my skin in firm, circling strokes, lulling me to sleep. If you ask me, one hour is not enough for this decadent treat. And my skin afterwards? It was radiant and touchably smooth. The Yutaka facial is available at selected Shiseido counters.