Airy, moisturizing, and with SPF: The new Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Creams

This story is brought to you by Shiseido.

When I was younger, I can skip moisturizer for weeks and not feel like my skin is (figuratively) dying. Now, in my early 30s, a few days without moisturizer leaves my skin feeling tight and papery! My skin has become drier in the last couple of years too. This is normal as we grow older and our skin produces less collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. Plus, if you use strong exfoliating acids and actives, you can dry out the skin if it’s not properly moisturized.

So, I’ve been using more nourishing moisturizers than I did in the past. And guess what - Shiseido came up with not just one but two new moisturizers that I think you’ll love to add to your routine!

Shiseido just released the Essential Energy Hydrating Cream and Essential Energy Hydrating Day Cream SPF 20 PA+++ (P3,450 for 50ml at Lazada). Essential Energy promises 24-hour moisture for glowy, hydrated skin, while at the same time having a light, airy feel. I’m not kidding - despite it being a cream, this has a bouncy, jelly-like texture that doesn’t feel greasy to me. It moisturizes evenly without the heavy feel and gets absorbed fairly fast. It has a neutral, almost indistinguishable scent.

Essential Energy, based on the ingredients list (shared in the bottom of this article) is formulated to be an everyday moisturizer that will suit most skin types. It features micronized hyaluronic acid for hydration. What’s great about it is that it will not mess with your actives. For example, I use a glycolic acid toner most days, but because of that I can’t use any other product with strong actives since I don’t want to sensitize my skin. I’ve actually been using the Shiseido Vital Perfection for two months now (amazing moisturizer btw! Smells great and I feel like my skin is smoother because of it) but I was looking for something that’s more basic than Vital Perfection. That’s where Essential Energy fits in perfectly for me!

But here’s what I find most exciting: the Essential Energy Hydrating Day Cream has SPF20 and broad spectrum protection. This feels the same as the Hydrating Cream, but it uses chemical sunscreen filters and has that mild sunscreen scent. It has no white cast. I love that it has SPF20 which is enough protection if you’re staying mostly indoors. It’s also quite comfortable to wear under makeup the whole day although it does take a bit more time to get absorbed than the non-SPF Hydrating Cream.

I admit I find it a bit of a commitment to use a full SPF 50 sunscreen when I’m just at home and then have to use a moisturizer beforehand. I’ve often wished that there was something that could do both - something exactly like the Essential Energy Day Cream where I get moisture and where the SPF rating hits the sweet spot for mostly indoor use. I highly recommend this if you stay home a lot and don’t want to use two separate products!

Shiseido says that you get twice the hydration if you use Essential Energy with their flagship product, the Shiseido Ultimune. I agree - the Ultimune is a dream pairing for the new moisturizers especially when you need an extra boost. Ultimune features Fermented Roselle Extract, Heartleaf Extract, and Reishi Mushroom to boost hydration and help make skin feel plumper.

There are three other moisturizers that Shiseido offers: there’s the Vital Perfection for firming skin (I can testify to this), the Benefiance for smoothing wrinkles, and White Lucent (an old HG for me) for brightening. Choose according to what your skin needs, but Essential Energy is what I would recommend for foolproof everyday hydration.

Right now, Shiseido Essential Energy is only P2,750/ 50ml at a 20% off pre-order price only until February 18, after which it will be at its regular price of P3,450/ 50ml. There’s also the 12-piece Hydration Set that’s worth P9,350 now at only P2,950. Don’t miss it at Shiseido’s Lazada Flagship Store!

INGREDIENTS LIST

Essential Energy Hydrating Cream

INGREDIENTS:WATER(AQUA/EAU)･DIMETHICONE･BUTYLENE GLYCOL･ALCOHOL DENAT.･BETAINE･GLYCERIN･ISOHEXADECANE･HYDROGENATED POLYDECENE･PPG-3 DIPIVALATE･SILICA･BEHENYL ALCOHOL･STEARYL ALCOHOL･MYRISTYL MYRISTATE･GLYCERYL STEARATE SE･POLYSORBATE 60･PEG-100 STEARATE･PEG/PPG-14/7 DIMETHYL ETHER･PEG/PPG-17/4 DIMETHYL ETHER･PHENOXYETHANOL･DIMETHYLACRYLAMIDE/SODIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYLTAURATE CROSSPOLYMER･TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891)･SORBITAN TRISTEARATE･ERYTHRITOL･FRAGRANCE (PARFUM)･ALCOHOL･AMINOPROPYL DIMETHICONE･2-O-ETHYL ASCORBIC ACID･CARBOMER･TRISODIUM EDTA･XANTHAN GUM･CAFFEINE･POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE･ISOSTEARIC ACID･SODIUM METAPHOSPHATE･PHYTOSTERYL/OCTYLDODECYL LAUROYL GLUTAMATE･ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE･LINALOOL･TOCOPHEROL･SODIUM METABISULFITE･LIMONENE･CITRUS UNSHIU PEEL EXTRACT･SODIUM HYALURONATE･ANGELICA KEISKEI LEAF/STEM EXTRACT･ZIZIPHUS JUJUBA FRUIT EXTRACT･PANAX GINSENG ROOT EXTRACT･SODIUM ACETYLATED HYALURONATE･SCUTELLARIA BAICALENSIS ROOT EXTRACT･IRON OXIDES (CI 77491)･ALPINIA SPECIOSA LEAF EXTRACT･ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS (ROSEMARY) LEAF EXTRACT (ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS LEAF EXTRACT)･SANGUISORBA OFFICINALIS ROOT EXTRACT･PYROLA INCARNATA EXTRACT･

Essential Energy Hydrating Day Cream

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Purpose AVOBENZONE 2.0% ･････ Sunscreen HOMOSALATE 5.0% ･････ Sunscreen OCTISALATE 5.0% ･････ Sunscreen OCTOCRYLENE 5.0% ･････ Sunscreen INACTIVE INGREDIENTS:WATER･SD ALCOHOL 40-B･DIMETHICONE･GLYCERIN･DIPROPYLENE GLYCOL･ISODECYL NEOPENTANOATE･PEG-20･AMMONIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYLTAURATE/BEHENETH-25 METHACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER･ERYTHRITOL･PEG/PPG-14/7 DIMETHYL ETHER･PEG/PPG-17/4 DIMETHYL ETHER･LAURYL BETAINE･XANTHAN GUM･2-O-ETHYL ASCORBIC ACID･CAFFEINE･PHYTOSTERYL MACADAMIATE･SODIUM HYALURONATE･CITRUS UNSHIU PEEL EXTRACT･ANGELICA KEISKEI LEAF/STEM EXTRACT･ZIZIPHUS JUJUBA FRUIT EXTRACT･PANAX GINSENG ROOT EXTRACT･SODIUM ACETYLATED HYALURONATE･SCUTELLARIA BAICALENSIS ROOT EXTRACT･SANGUISORBA OFFICINALIS ROOT EXTRACT･PYROLA INCARNATA EXTRACT･BEHENYL ALCOHOL･SILICA･DIGLYCERIN･POLYSILICONE-11･BATYL ALCOHOL･BUTYLENE GLYCOL･BIS-BUTYLDIMETHICONE POLYGLYCERYL-3･CARBOMER･POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE･PEG-60 GLYCERYL ISOSTEARATE･ALCOHOL･TOCOPHEROL･BHT･ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER･SODIUM METABISULFITE･ISOSTEARIC ACID･DISODIUM EDTA･SODIUM METAPHOSPHATE･PPG-3 DIPIVALATE･SYZYGIUM JAMBOS LEAF EXTRACT･ALPINIA SPECIOSA LEAF EXTRACT･ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS (ROSEMARY) LEAF EXTRACT･PHENOXYETHANOL･SODIUM BENZOATE･FRAGRANCE･IRON OXIDES･