What is it? What does it do? So when you properly wash your face, you open those pores and exfoliate dirt, oil, and dead skin off your face. A toner, just like the word, tones and infuses essential moisture back into your skin and balances skin retention…. Thus paving the way for the moisturizer or lotion to soothe and lubricate your skin.
Now that I got that out of the way, I’d like to introduce you to my friend, Shiseido Benefique NT Lotion. The word, Lotion is a bit misleading as it’s actually not a lotion, but a softener. This toning, clear liquid with refreshing mild scent of goodness, comes in a 6.7 fl. oz. reddish orange pump bottle. The bottle is literally straight from Japan and not available everywhere, but only sold through an authorized Shiseido boutique stores. As a matter of fact, the Benefique line doesn’t even show on www.shiseido.com, but has a separate dedicated site www.shiseidobenefique.com. So it feels a bit special.
Because the bottle is in Japanese and the product site has limited info on the product, I couldn’t tell you what the ingredients are. On top of that, I know some of you may feel that this step feels too feminine… and as a matter of fact, Shiseido even carries a Men’s line, so why bother you may ask. Well, just give it a try. This friend has wondrous benefits. I’ve been using this product for a few weeks now and I don’t think I can do without this “toning” process… my skin feels softer, more toned, and properly primed before I apply the moisturizer. Here in LA, our winter is mild, and in most cases for the past two weeks, I’ve been skipping the lotion / moisturizing step altogether; I’ve only been applying the post shave balm on the days I shave in following steps – wash, Shiseido Benefique (softener), then post shave balm. And my skin never felt better.
You can find a nearest Shiseido boutique store on www.shiseidobenefique.com. This bottle costs $45, so it’s not cheap… but if you’re man enough and feeling like you want to treat yo self, try it! Your skin / face will thank you for it. And I’m telling you, you can’t live without it! It’s a grooming friend with benefits.
by ManPossible