Shiseido Skin Care

Arinobu Fukuhara, the son of a Eastern Herbal Medicine Doctor, was born in 1848 in Japan. He was educated in Western Medicine and trained as a pharmacist. Due to his successful military career he became the Chief Pharmacist of the Japanese Navy. He was a true visionary. He came up with the idea to start Japan's first Western Style Pharmacy. This pharmacy was very successful at bringing Eastern and Western ideas together.  This was the very beginning of what would be Shiseido.

Shinzo Fukuhara took over the pharmacy as President in 1915 and transformed it into Japan's leading cosmetic company. Shiseido was born. Shinzo studied pharmacology in Japan and studied at Columbia University in the US. He learned about cosmetics and manufacturing of cosmetics as well as marketing techniques. He used his knowledge to transform the successful pharmacy into a successful cosmetic company that is still producing top of the line product today.

Norboru Matsumato was the first President of Shiseido that did not have the Fukuhara name. He was recruited by Shinzo Fukuhara to take over the sales side of things while Shinzo continued to concentrate on the research and development of the product. Norboru studied abroad and spent a lot of his time working in department stores, managing department stores and studying the same. He was perfect to drive the sales side of the business.

These three men shaped the company into what it is today.  

• Shiseido has been the first at many things in the Beauty Industry. In 1907 they put out the first lead free face powder on the market in Japan. Nearly 28 years before Japan banned the use of lead in face powder.
  
  
• Shiseido was the first to come out with feminine looking packaging of a skin care product. Eudermine was put on the market in 1897 as a skin softening lotion. Until then most skin care products came in very medicinal looking containers. This product came in a very stylish feminine bottle. The product itself was red. It was very different from what was on the market. An advanced formula is still sold today to celebrate their 140 years of business.
  
  
• The first ever cold cream was developed by a Roman physician named Galen in approximately 150 AD. The first ever cold cream in Japan was developed by Shiseido in 1918.
  
  
• In 1917, Shiseido put Hydrogen Peroxide Cucumber Water on the market. It was designed to brighten and whiten skin. Skin brightening did not exist yet when this product was created.
  
  
• Shiseido developed Rainbow Face Powder in 1917 when all Japanese women knew was Porcelain White skin. The ideas was to apply the appropriate color to match the skin tone. White, yellow, flesh, rose, peony, green and purple were the available colors. It became very popular among the Geisha since it projected an appealing image under the stage lights.
  
  
• In 1923, a product called Uviolin was created by Shiseido. It was the 1^st sun protection product ever to appear on the market in Japan. They did extensive research over the years and put out a product called Intercept. It was the world's first UV protection product.
  
  
• In 1985, Shiseido was the first company to produce hyaluronic acid from non-animal origins.

Shiseido has several skin care lines that either target a specific age group and what their skin needs or uses different ingredients to achieve anti-aging effects.

• Future Solution LX – My opinion this is top of the line- Uses Skingenecell 1P complex
• Benefiance – For the mature woman with anti-aging ingredients for hormonal changes – Uses the WrinkleResist24 complex
• White Lucent – Multi-action skin brightening system
• The Skin Care – Focuses on hydration of skin with Asian Yuzu Seed Extract
• Purefree – For Oily and Younger Skin (20's age group) – Uses a hydro balancing complex and botanical extract Palo Azul
• BioPerformance – Uses bio-technology for anti-aging effect on the skin

In addition to their skin care lines they also carry hair care products, body products, makeup, and men's products. They are a one stop shop in the world of Beauty. All of their products can be purchased at Amazon at much better prices than the cosmetic counters.