Product Review: Shiseido Senka Facial Lotion

The Shiseido Sena Facial Lotion (from Essence) is amazing!!!! I've been using this product for about three months and it has become a staple in my skin routine. It gives me extra hydration while lightening my acne scars. It is a clear gel like consistency resembling a watered down serum and it's both fragrance free and color free. As I've mentioned in previous posts, skin suffering from acne is already irritated so it's vital to keep any additional irritation at bay like products containing fragrance and artificial color. This lotion is great for those who are suffering from acne scars or any kind of hyperpigmentation in addition to dryness. It took me about a week and a half to see the results. My skin was and is significantly brighter and more hydrated. Check out my skin routine in order to see which products I use in conjunction with this product! Also: check out my post on skin brightening and lightening for more info on fading acne scars! .-_-

Skin Whitening, Lightening, and Brightening

The concept of skin whitening and brightening can be controversial especially within communities where the complexion is predominantly dark. However, the face is different than the rest of the body. For a woman, there is a lot of damage throughout a lifetime of applying make up, removing makeup, tugging, pulling, excessive wiping, acne, and sun damage. If you look at the inside of your wrist all the way up to the inside of your elbow, this is the complexion your face should be.

So...what's the difference between whitening, lightening, and brightening? Whitening is the process to actually lighten the skin in order to change the actual shade. Lightening is synonymous with whitening. Brightening is the process of not changing the shade of your complexion but making the skin glow through proper hydration, exfoliation, and treatment. What am I trying to do? I am trying to repair the damage which has been done during my careless grade-school years through natural products.

After years of going to the beach with NO sun protection during my childhood, my face is about two shades darker than my neck, decolletage, and the inside of my wrist. Also: I suffered from acne during my teen years and currently suffer from minor breakouts from time to time. I tend to scar very deeply so I still have some scars left. After about a year of using natural products, my face is slowly being restored to what it should be. When the skin is protected from the sun, harsh chemicals, acne, and irritation, it will be naturally bright, supple, firm, and hydrated. I am on a quest to restore my skin and I refuse to accept the damage and just cover it up with make up. Some of the lightening and brightening products I use are listed in my post about clearing up my adult acne. Check it out and let me know what you think.


Photo by Africa