All about: Shiseido WASO Beauty Smart Water

An off shoot of the iconic Shiseido brand, WASO skincare is such a joy to behold – and to use – due to its totally unique take on beauty and the way it presents itself. Inspired by the Japanese philosophy of Washoku (which is usually applied to simple yet nourishing food), WASO skincare is crafted with the utmost respect for nature, using simple, pure ingredients, and working with zero regard for worlds, genders and styles. It draws inspiration from its distinct Japanese heritage and harnesses the power of natural ingredients that are extracted using Shiseido’s unique Whole Cell Release System W. This gathers up the raw actives in each hero botanical to work their magic on skin, and the end result is some pretty gorgeous products. And as for the brand name? WASO derives from two Japanese words, “WA” meaning gentleness and harmony, and “SO”, which stands for inspiration.
Which brings me to their latest release, which is a time-saving and multi-tasking little number called Beauty Smart Water. Already a J-beauty hero not long after its initial release, it has been formulated to gently cleanse, hydrate and prime skin, leaving it feeling soft as a baby’s proverbial.
Easily dismissed as a micellar water or similar, this baby really is that and so much more. The formula uses an ingredient called Amazake, which is a sweet, low-alcoholic Japanese nutrition drink made from fermented rice. Full of restorative nutrients, it is known to keep skin naturally beautiful, gently cleansing and encouraging a brighter-looking, hydrated complexion.

The three ways that Shiseido says you can use this beauty are as follows – making sure to always give the bottle a good shake to begin with…
CLEANSE : Gently removes light makeup, dead skin cells, excess sebum and dirt from the skin’s surface while moisturising
HYDRATE: Imbues skin with moisture that lasts for up to 12 hours, helping to make it feel smoother
PRIME: Helps to absorb sebum so makeup stays on longer and provides the perfect finish

This product has a beautiful lightweight texture and definitely freshens upon contact, and I’d been keen to hear from anyone who has success using it as a primer. I think it’ll be a huge hit in New Zealand with oilier skin types who want a ‘clean’ feel in the morning without stripping the skin, and the whole concept – like all things WASO – is super clever.
Shiseido WASO Beauty Smart Water is on counter now, with an RRP of $55.

Main image: by Linh Ha on Unsplash