Shiseido Desert Rose 02 Medium Oil-Free Bronzer

I think I'm all set for a bronzed summer look in every finish and intensity, from shimmery summer night looks to a delicate "just took a walk in the garden to smell the roses" day. Of course, all this feels a bit weird considering we're in the middle of a week-long rain and thunderstorm weather and I'm fully snuggled in a gray sweater, but wearing a pretty bronzer brightens things up considerably.

Shiseido Oil-Free bronzer in Medium 02/ Desert Rose belongs to natural, just a little sun-kissed school of bronzing. It has no shimmer and doesn't try to make you even a tiny bit orange, just a little flushed and tan. The texture is as fine as it gets, smooth and soft, on the same level with the other top quality bronzers I swatched above. Shiseido Desert Rose (medium 02) is close to Edward Bess Daydream, though Shiseido is rosier while Edward Bess is decidedly more brown, thus on my skin it looks like a real full tan, "just got back from the coast" kind of color.

I also compared to other favorites, Guerlain Terracotta in Brunette, which is more of a shimmery glow (I also have the Blonde version which is among my favorite winter complexion fixers) and Burberry, the most intense bronzer I own. I didn't bother comparing to the limited edition Chanel and Estee Lauder Sea Star because the Lauder is quite shimmery and the Chanel can be applied in different ways by mixing the various shades. All the swatches here are relatively heavy and were done with my fingers for the sake of taking a reasonably decent photo. When actually applying Shiseido Desert Rose 02 to my face I prefer a dense bronzer brush- this color can use a confident hand as it's delicate enough and doesn't need to be carefully diffused.

Bottom Line: bring on the sun.

Shiseido Desert Rose 02 Medium Oil-Free Bronzer ($35) is available from Sephora (online only) and most department stores.

All photos are mine.

Shiseido Concealer Brush

I have to begin this review of Shiseido concealer brush by saying that this particular category of concealer brushes is not my favorite. I prefer either the tiny and very precise brushes such as Kevyn Aucoin's (and an ancient and discontinued Sephora one) or much larger and thicker brushes that let you to buff and blend your concealer as you apply it. My issue with these small and flat brushes is that they require extra blending and many of them are too stiff (such as the Sephora #46 you see above) so their performance is questionable.

Shiseido Concealer brush is better than Sephora #46 ($17)  in this regard, and if you're a fan of this brush shape but prefer not to pay the $35 for the Sue Uemura synthetic #10 (review coming soon) it might be the right choice. My own preference, though is the Hakuhodo G538 (again, review and more photos soon), as it's   softer and more versatile while being cheaper. The Shiseido concealer brush is better for applying an even layer of cream eye shadow or using just the edge and tip for minimal concealer touch ups.

Shiseido concealer brush ($20) is available from Shiseido counters at most department stores.

All photos are mine.

Shiseido Iron Maiden RS308 Shimmering Rouge Lipstick

The newest lipstick formula from Shiseido, Shimmering Rouge, is a lovely gloss-like lipstick that gives sheer but pigmented coverage (at least in the darker colors, I didn't test any of the nudes). Shimmering Rouge has tiny shiny particles that reflect the light beautifully but do not actually appear on the lips as glitter while the lipstick is fully on (there is left over shimmer once it wears off, so you really need to reapply). This is the most moisturizing and comfortable to wear out of all the Shiseido lipstick I own and has a spring/summer feel to it.

While at the Bergdorf Goodman Shiseido counter I was looking at the more subtle shades but didn't fall in love until I tried the somewhat menacing Iron Maiden RS308. I thought it would be too cool, too purple and unnatural, but was surprised to discover how well this true rose color works on my lips. Since the formula is sheer, if you have pigmented lips it lets your natural color show through enough to make Shimmering Rouge very wearable, even in this shade. If you're fair, the swatch on my deathly pale wrist (I was still sick when I took the pictures) should show you a good approximation on how the color of Iron Maiden RS308 would look on your lips.

Bottom Line: Love. Would be happy with more color options.

Shiseido  Shimmering Rouge Lipstick  ($25) is available now from most decent department stores.

All photos are mine.

Shiseido Zen (Vintage Black Bottle)

Let's ignore the fact Shiseido reformulated their original Zen countless of times, released different perfumes in various bottles (white and pink) under the same name and took it in and out of the market in some countries more time than I can track. I hear the current juice sold in the black bottle (apparently Nordstrom has it) is nothing like the 1964 version, so I haven't bothered with it as I have a couple of old eau de cologne bottles and they're very lovely.

A quiet woody floral is rarely my thing, especially poorly made modern ones (thinking of Lancome Magnifique), but Shiseido managed to bottle a delicate quality of a sheer rose over an even more sheer incense. The opening is a little aldehydic and has an abstract white floral veil. A bit later Zen takes on the zenish character that makes it for me a perfect nap time perfume- the wood is soft and smooth and the incense is subtle and barely there. I like both elements but somehow it's the rose that wins me in this case. It feels white or pale yellow, not the more common jammy red ones. It doesn't turn sour or takes over the room. I would actually say it's a rose many men would find wearable.

The sillage of Shiseido Zen (at least in the version I have) is almost non existent. It can only be smelled within one's personal space. I used to feel it didn't  last long and would reapply after a couple of hours, but eventually I realized that there's some type of musk there I can't smell unless I'm paying close attention. Once the rest of the wood takes over Zen is fully back and actually lingers nicely on my clothes (and blankets, considering I really like the calming effect).

I have no idea why Shiseido found it necessary to mess with this classic, but thankfully older bottles can still be found at vintage stores and yard sales. I wouldn't buy it on eBay because I have no idea how to verify the date of the bottles, so be careful if you are on the hunt for old juice.