Shu uemura are a Japanese beauty line well known for their cleansing oils so I was excited to try this one. This product is a celebration of their 50th Anniversary of making cleansing oils so not sure if this is limited edition or not.

Since getting into k-beauty, I am a total advocate of the double cleanse method. I do it every night to take off my makeup + cleanse. I’ve used a few cleansing oils, some good and and some not so great. Keep reading to find out which category this nutri:nectar falls into.

Cost

$58 AUD for 150ml

My husband gifted it to me on my birthday in September.  He purchased it from shu uemura concept store in QVB Sydney

Ingredients

The shu uemura website states that it contains Essential oils, Acai, Magnolia and Reishi Mushroom. No ingredients list found on their site.

The list below I painstakingly typed from the packaging: Please reference my site if you use this.

ethylhexyl palmitate, acqua, glycerin, caprylic/capric triglyceride, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, propanediol, peg-20 glyceryl triisostearate, sucrose laurate, sucrose palmitate, sodium methyl stearoyl taurate, salicylic acid, tocopherol, sodium hydroxide, linalool, citronellol, geraniol, ganoderma lucidium extract, isopropyl lauroyl, sarcosinate, isopropyl myristate, dicaprylyl ether, dicaprylyl carbonate, euterpe oleracea fruit extract, butylene glycol, maltodextrin, hydrolyzed opuntia ficus-indica flower extract, citric acid, perilla ocymoides leaf extract, magnolia liliflora flower extract, sodium benzoate, phenoxethanol, potassium sorbate, ethylhexyglycerin, parfum.

It is non-comedogenic and has been opthalmologically and dermatologically tested.

Claims (from their website)

This extravagantly nourishing fusion is carefully composed to reboot skin barrier function while resisting the environmental stress. This cleansing oil in emulsion created with the power of nature help even dry delicate skin feels conditioned & strengthened.

Packaging

Like their other cleansing oils, the bottle is plastic and has a good pump. It is housed in a sturdy, slim and pretty pink bottle, though the product is semi-transparent.

Consistency

Its consistency is thicker than any liquid oil cleanser I have used. It is semi transparent in colour and looks a bit like gel. Because its an emulsion, it doesn’t run down my palm when I pump it out.

Emulsions can be described as a lightweight moisturiser/lotion which 
koreans apply before their more heavier moisturiser for dry skin 
types or used alone for oilier skin types.

Anyway, so the texture is alike and I quite liked that because there is no wasted product and its relatively mess free.

Scent

Their website describes the scent to be healing and comforting, as if taking a deep breath in the forest.

I would agree that it is comforting but not as refreshing as taking a deep breath in the forest as such. It is a complex smell, smells a bit florally (magnolia) but also with a hint of maybe lavender or derived from the mix of essential oils. Its not an obnoxious smell, I find it be quite pleasant and soothing.

How to use

I would usually use this at night as my first cleanse to remove my makeup. The instructions on the bottle say to pump 3-4 pumps into dry hands, then apply it in circular motions to a dry face. I only need 2 pumps, 3-4 is a bit excessive, especially for such a pricey product.

I would then massage it into my face, gently rubbing it in using circular motions as instructed. If you have used any liquid cleansing oils, the application method is the same. Then I would jump into the shower and apply a small amount of water to my hands and continue to massage my face. Adding water emulsifies it and turns it slightly milky. I would continue to massage for about 5-10 more seconds then I would rinse my whole face in the shower. My skin would feel soft, moisturised and smooth afterwards, no sticky residue at all.

To finish off the double cleanse, I would follow with a foaming cleanser. Loving the su:m37 Rose Cleansing Stick at the moment.

 

Final thoughts

Rating: 4/5 (really liked it)

I’ve only used about a quarter of the bottle (been using other oils as well in fear of this running out too soon!) and I already know that I really like it. The mess free application is great and you don’t need a lot of the product.

As mentioned earlier, it makes my face feel hydrated and soft afterwards without leaving any residue. I could probably do without a second cleanse when I use this but I always follow with a second cleanser anyway. I enjoy the fragrance, but if you don’t like fragrance in skincare you might not like this one.

I docked one star off due to its price. $58 is a bit too much for something that is just basically a makeup remover. I have used cleansing oils and balms at maybe half that price point which do the job just as well. I know that the shu uemura website (us) has regular sales which is great for people in the US. For us Aussies, shu uemura products are hardly ever on sale unless Sephora (the range is limited) or David Jones are having sales.

If you like the brand and you’re interested in trying out this cleansing oil in emulsion, I would highly recommend you to do so. It is also sold in a larger bottle (450ml) but if you are just curious I would recommend buying this size first.

Happy cleansing!