The Kose Sekkisui range has a special place in my heart as I remember reading about the launch of this range and told myself I would go and buy it, which I did. I felt a great sense of accomplishment for this as you could imagine!
Kosé introduced this new line (not so new anymore, it's been around for a few years now, but it was new at the time) called Sekkisui and marketed it as the "affordable" range, and for good reason, that being that their full sized products are not as large as their Sekkisei counterparts. This range is exclusively available for purchase at 7-Eleven convenience stores in Japan.
The main "ingredient' appears to be hawthorn essence 山査子, which apparently helps with moisturising. I'm not sure how much research was gone into it, but from my personal experience, I tend to choose products based on natural ingredients, and this fits this category well. Why? Because they tend to be more effective, and I feel that my skin absorbs it well.
This review is centred mainly on the travel sized set, and their corresponding full sized products no more than about 80ml. Having said that, it is still an affordable, pretty and great gift, considering it is a Japan exclusive, readily available (you don't need to trek specifically, but maybe not all 7-Eleven stores carry it), and made in Japan. 🇯🇵This means quality products, but at drugstore prices - not department store prices, which is exciting!
The travel set's resealable semi-clear, and rather pretty, zip lock bag ready for carry-on sets you back at just about ¥1000 plus tax, and has your standard "white washing cream" cleanser (20g), "medicated whitening lotion" toner (35ml) and "pure" emulsion (35ml). The trial package also tells you that the travel sizes last for about 15 uses (about a week on holiday), for good measure. You'll need to decide whether or not around $13AUD for a week of skincare is worth it or not, but if you use it sparingly or cut open packaging to get every dollop out, you can stretch this further.
The deal is further sweetened by some 7-Eleven stores offering Tax-Free shopping for foreigners if you purchase over ¥5000, so you can stock up on your snacks or more of these Sekkisui products to claim the tax-free price.
Cleanser
I bought a facial cleanser in its full size, and it worked well (I've already finished it so I don't have a photo, nor do I remember the actual price), which is affordable, but a bit expensive compared to your usual cheapo Japanese cleanser you can grab from the local drug store (by this I mean like ¥300, but well yeah).
After washing the skin feels clean, soft and not tight or try, which is a real plus. I would definitely repurchase as it is a high quality cleanser. In fact, it is an excellent cleanser. The extra cost completely justifies its price and actually makes this product an absolute bargain.
Lotion
The lotion is always the first to be finished regardless of whatever set you decide to purchase, but from memory this lotion size was not larger than the emulsion, so you will need to purchase more units or else you will run out.
The effect is a marshmallowy soft finish, which I really like. Personally though I rather spend my money on a cheaper lotion that "just does the job" and invest in a serum/essence that I can apply pre-moisturiser. That's just my personal opinion though, and I have tried purchasing expensive lotions/toners in the past if they are just really that good.
For me, the Sekkisui toner is not really in the that good category but it is in the very good category. If I was feeling generous and wanted to complete the set, I would certainly repurchase. For now though, I would still apply my previous theory about skin care and would hold off for another product instead as I think this is the product out of the three you could easily swap for something else.
Emulsion
The Pure Emulsion full size is 80ml and costs ¥1200 +tax, and comes in a really pretty plastic square bottle and metallic finish card packaging almost too pretty to dispose of. The texture of the emulsion is quite watery (be careful as it does have a large opening and you might tip too much out) - I would say the consistency is between a gel and liquid, and when you rub it into your skin it kind of "foams" up and whitens. The packaging has a diagram of how much product to use, and specifically asks you to apply it in a circular motion into the skin.
I'm not sure if it's an illusion or to prove a point it is working, but it does a great job moisturising and making your skin feel soft. You will feel a bit of stickiness but it is only slight, and I don't mind it. Maybe if I use even less that sensation will go away. The circular motion certainly helps your skin to absorb and reduce the sticky feeling to a minimum.
During the winter months and my stay in Japan, the emulsion felt like it was a little bit short of moisturising for my skin, perhaps I needed something a bit heavier like a cream. My verdict is that this product is likely aimed for those who have normal skin, and not dry skin trouble. If you had a higher budget, you would definitely be able to get something a bit more moisturising. Everyone's skin is different and at the end of the day, it really depends on your budget and being able to find something that works best for you within that budget! So in my case, yes, definitely, I will be able to find something that suits me better than this emulsion - taking into account this product is not that expensive to begin with.
As for any whitening effect, I did not particularly find there was any significant difference. I do wear sunscreen and I am quite pale to begin with, but if there were any whitening effects as such, I did notice a "tone up" or brightening effect. I think this effect will be good for the top layer of skin and with prolonged use you should be able to enjoy this effect. But I don't really know for sure as I didn't try it out for long enough to know. 🤷♀️
Overall these make fantastic souvenirs and are so well made. The downside is that they have the pricing marked on them so the recipient will know the price, but there is an advantage to this, particularly when shopping in Japan, is knowing you will be charged the same price regardless of wherever you go. This was the case for me when I was in Japan as I noticed different branches of the same chain (be it a pharmacy or electronics etc) would have different pricing for the same products, based on the demographic of its location.
As for personal use, I would repurchase as they are beautiful and look amazing. However there are a bunch of other amazing products that work better for me, so this is just one of those I would tick off the list, but again, they would make wonderful gifts.
Do you have any thoughts about the Sekkisui range? Do let me know in the comments below.
Yours,
I am also aware that there are more products in this range since its launch - I will need to simply purchase them in my 2020 trip so I can trial them out. Stay tuned!
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