“I’m a beauty writer and I’ve never had so many compliments on my skin – thanks to this foundation”

shiseido synchro skin radiant lifting foundation review

Credit: Courtesy of brand and Charlotte Bitmead

Make-up


“I’m a beauty writer and I’ve never had so many compliments on my skin – thanks to this foundation”

By Charlotte Bitmead

Updated 5 months ago

3 min read

Stylist’s senior beauty writer Charlotte Bitmead is extremely hard to please when it comes to foundations, but the Shiseido Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation won her over. Here’s why. 


In the world of make-up, nothing gets me quite as excited as a new foundation launch. I have more mascaras than I can count and finding a blush that melts into skin is (thankfully) the norm these days. Finding a good foundation, on the other hand, is a whole other kettle of fish.

Whether I’m struggling to procure one that matches my skin tone (and doesn’t oxidise) or being disappointed to see product sink into dry patches, I am a hard customer to please when it comes to base products. On average, I find them more mediocre than I do impressive, which is partly why I took a foundation break in the summer (the other part involved a primer so good, that I didn’t feel the need to apply it). So when Shiseido Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation SPF30 landed on my doorstep during this foundation hiatus, I didn’t expect to be wowed, but the brand proved me wrong.

Shiseido has been on a winning streak with foundation launches lately. Its Revitalessence Skin Glow Foundation went viral for its butter-like effect on skin, and while I do rate that one, its Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation SPF30 knocked it out of the park for me. 

Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation SPF 30

Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation SPF30

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The name may not be new, but the foundation itself was recently reformulated to include thirst-quenching ingredients such as glycerin, argan oil and star fruit leaf extract that supposedly leaves your skin looking more contoured, hence the ‘lifting’ claim in the name. The bottle has even changed – it’s now composed of 30% recycled glass.

Coming in 30 shades, the medium-to-full coverage foundation claims to be long-lasting, lightweight and ‘climate-adapting’ (the semi-matte finish won’t leave you a sweaty mess when you’re on the Central line at rush hour), all while promising to adapt to any lighting you throw at it – no need to squint in order to get the perfect selfie lighting. It sounded great on paper, but I was sceptical to see if all that could be achieved in real life. 

Upon first impression, the shade match was spot on and I couldn’t believe how easy and streak-free it was to blend. My skin tone looked immediately more even and it managed to counteract the redness around my eyes caused by dermatitis without sinking into the dry patches said flare-up caused. Impressive. 

In fact, my under-eyes suddenly looked like I’d had a healthy eight hours of sleep (instead of the five I’d actually managed to get). So much so that I didn’t even apply concealer – that’s how brightening the Shiseido Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation was.

Shiseido Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation review

Credit: Charlotte Bitmead

And I wasn’t the only one impressed. A barista at my local coffee shop commented on how glowy I was, while a fellow journalist claimed my “skin had never looked better”. If that wasn’t enough, the Shiseido Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation has got over 1,000 five-star reviews on the Boots website, with one customer writing: “This is the absolute best foundation I’ve ever used. Radiant, dewy, long lasting. Everything you want in a foundation. A gorgeous formula. I’ve never had so many compliments on my skin.” 

A few things to consider, though. Due to it being so glow-giving, I definitely had to powder my oily T-zone; I’ve got combination skin, and if you’re oilier than me, you might struggle to keep shininess at bay. However, the formula is non-comedogenic, so it won’t clog up your pores, which is a blessing. In terms of wear, it was impressive, considering how hydrating it was, but it didn’t manage to stick around my chin area the entire day (it’s rare for any foundation to do that, though). Overall, it’s a very small fault considering all that it has achieved. 

I’ve truly never received so many compliments about one foundation before, so I’m confident that Shiseido’s Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation won’t be disappearing from my make-up bag anytime soon. 


Image: Charlotte Bitmead; courtesy of brands

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