I really, really want to be able to use this makeup and maintain the appearance that it has when it first goes on. It's so blendable, has great coverage, a nice range of colours from which I found a perfect match, it does not clog my pores, and it has a very natural finish.

Ultimate downside: My skin is too oily to allow that to last. This product got very oily, very quickly. The good thing is, once it reaches a certain stage of oiliness, it kind of stays in an EXTREMELY dewy status instead of degrading into pure slick. Unfortunately, if I touch my face while it's like this, the cover comes away onto my fingers together with oil.

Like I said, I'd love to continue using this. I tried using compact powder in the morning and that helped a bit, but not enough.

I have oily skin but my main concern is to find a foundation that won't make my acne worse, have decent coverage without making me look like a painting - this foundation proved to be the answer. The lasting power and coverage is not like that of a Guerlain Parure Extreme or Revlon Colorstay but it is pretty decent and it has a huge advantage over them - it looks very natural. Really! If you have bad skin the best thing you can do is to get a medium coverage fdt and cover everything else with a good concealer - it is thousand times better than looking like a painting.
The only reason I am giving it 4 stars is only because the lasting power is not great on my oily skin and it's not going to work in hot humid weather but for a winter foundation it deserves 5 stars!
And the packaging is wonderful - it is 0,5 oz (30 ml) which is the standard size but without a heavy and bulky bottle which makes it more compact (it fits in a kid's palm and it is very light) and cheaper (I love fancy packaging but now is not the best time for my budget to be paying for it). It has a nozzle so it's hygienic. The only bad thing is that bottle is black which means that if you are not careful you are going to end up with finger prints all over it :( But it looks very minimalistic and cool :)

I bought this at the start of the month and so far I'm really loving it. I alternate using this one and the Shiseido Sun Protect liquid foundation, this being my nightime foundation and the sun protect one as my everyday foundation. I really love the finish and it really does last really long, even without primer. It gives medium to full coverage so the 30ml bottle (which is surprisingly really small--smaller than the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua or the Shiseido Sun Protect Liquid Foundation bottle) will last you a long time since I only use a pea sized amount for my whole face. I also like that this doesn't emphasize my dry spots, which the Sun Protect tends to do after a long time and with only SPF15, this photographs really well. Definitely recommend you guys try this out, it's very comparable to the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, but I find that I like the feel and finish of this more.

This is an excellent foundation. It has great, natural coverage.
I give it a four not a five because I don't think any foundation is perfect. But this is my fav so far, its a dry, matte finish which is great for my oily skin.
The foundation is harder than most to apply and you def need to moisturise first. I have some redmarks from acne and this doesn't cover them fully.

**UPDATE! (04/04/12) So i did try Chanel's Perfection Lumiere and it is beautiful to apply and up close it looks just like skin, BUT I will diff stick to my Shiseido cuz with it, i use way less concealers and it has a coverage that I can easily sheer out, I also bout Shisiedo Perfect Foundation Brush and they are my HG pair.

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I seriously cant believe this product is getting anything less than a 4 point something!!

I have a combination to oily skin with dry patches on my cheeks, large pores and discoloration. Asian, am a guy (so the less obv foundation is what I strive for), an NC42 with more beige undertones.

-I have tried MUFE Mat Velvet Plus (35/36), Diorskin Nude (020), all of Clinique foundations, Estee Lauder Doublewear, MUFE Face&Body, MUFE HD, YSL Tient Resist.

++And honestly this is my daily go-to foundation (still waiting for Chanel's Perfection Lumiere to launch here in Ontario so I cant say this is HG yet).
PRO: This foundation looks amazing under daylight and artificiallight, upclose and from afar, I yet have to test it on flash photo. The bottle is an easy-to-carry squeeze bottle, consistency is med thick, very blendable, and just hard to tell if youre wearing it even up sooo close. Its honestly like skin tattoo, it covers pores, plays as a medium coverage concealer and you barely have to use much; its so pigmented. It lasts for a good 12 hours on me which is a bonus!

CON: Price can be a bit high 30something but for the quality its not so bad, the color selection sucks, i currently use Shade#160 and its a bit tan but if blended n sheered well it still covers and not notable. It has a slight dewy almost greasy finish, so definitely use a powder unless you like the wet dewy look -- I use MAC Blott Powder only on my T-zone and keep everything else as is.

Its a very long review but if youre looking for a really good foundation thats barely noticeable, lasts long, and med-full coverage give this a try---so long as youre lucky enough to find a good color match continued >>

I really love this foundation! Firstly, I prefer a dewy look in summer which is why I think this is best used during winter months. It leaves a beautiful finish, semi-matte but somehow leaving a luminous result. It is light to medium coverage which is best for those with relatively clear complexions. I am combination (B40), with the tendency to dry out and this foundation does not accentuate my dry patches! It is extremely long lasting.
I received a "bonus gift pack" upon purchase, which included a travel size primer, concealor, translucent powder and blush. I am so impressed with all of these products and even more so at how they all work together so well! You don't have to use a primer with this foundation, it will still last all day, however adding their primer in makes the lasting power and overall coverage even better! I have a few acne scars and red patches so I add the concealor and set it with the powder and my skin looks and feels absolutely beautiful! It doesn't feel like I am wearing makeup, it's just so light on the skin.
Also worth mentioning, this is my first Shiseido foundation and I am very impressed! I tried it because of the reputation Shiseido has and I wondered if an Asian brand would better suit my Asian complexion. It really does!
Even though the product is liquid, applying and spreading it around does take some getting used to as it's a bit "dry" upon application. I use my fingers to apply it and believe the warmth does help it spread evenly and melt into the skin.
The price is a bit high for the amount in the bottle (30ml) and that's why it's not quite a 5 rating! BUT overall, amazing foundation, great coverage, long lasting, feels incredible on the skin, great colour match and would definitely re-purchase!!

Before I start, I just want to clear something up. There are a fair few people coming on here complaining that it didn't suit their oily skin type. Shiseido actually does a foundation *just for* oily skin called 'Dual Balancing Foundation SPF 17'. Perfect Refining Foundation never claimed to be an oil-balancing foundation, and *that* is why you didn't get what you wanted.

The texture:
This foundation feels thin and watery when you squeeze it out, but when blended onto the skin, it covers remarkably well. It isn't cakey, it isn't heavy, and it doesn't change colour as you wear it. And if you're pale like me (Mac NW15), then you'll find that the lighter shades don't make you look orange. (I'm using "I00 VERY LIGHT IVORY" - which made me chuckle.) I blend this with my fingers: I've tried a few brushes, but I find my hands the best method with this one. And you'll need much less than you think.

What it does:
It evens skin tone beautifully and the coverage is a bit more than medium, but a bit less than full. If you're like me and you have a tendency to get pink or red patches or dark circles, but your skin isn't particularly dry or oily, then you'll probably love it. It feels like there's nothing there. If I'm having a really bad dark circle day then I use a bit of concealer, but on the whole this is fine by itself - and once dry, you can gently dab a little more over the top and build coverage where it's needed. I also find that it reduces the appearance of my pores and doesn't leave me with little holes in my foundation if I do have a particularly oily nose day. And just for the record: I never bother to use primer unless it's a special occasion or I have a *very* long day ahead.

How it lasts:
I find that I need to use a little blotting paper by my lunch break even though I set this with a powder in the morning. But provided you're not having a marathon trying on clothes and you don't touch your face a lot, this stays put all day if it's been set in the morning. However, the reports are true about it transferring onto clothes, so be careful getting changed.

The packaging:
People say it's ugly because they're used to the glass bottles that most premium brands use. The fact is, guys, I'm sorry to break it to you but glass is actually cheaper than plastic - so technically you pay more for bargain packaging when you use glass. Plus the squeezy bottle gives you more control over how much you use, and means you waste less when it runs out because you can tap and squeeze the last of it out. However, I'm not sure whether the particular plastic this bottle is made of is recyclable in the UK.

Overall I love this foundation. It's light, it's quick and easy to apply, you don't need much, it gives you natural, even skin tone, it covers surprisingly well, and it lasts ages. I bought mine in August '11 and it feels like it's still about half full.

I have oily skin with acne scars and I really like this product because it's lightweight, yet it has really good coverage. This product doesn't clog my pores, and when teamed with loose powder, it's enough to keep my face matte for about 4 - 6 hours in the humid tropics. It's my HG product and I'm onto my 2nd bottle now.

Not long lasting - good color selection, excellent packaging.

I can't even imagine who or what skin type could use this. It does last the entire day, but requires blotting.
This goes on very dry- similar to estee lauder double wear..but this is WORSE.
It highlights every dry area and settles into pores. I look better without makeup. I normally wear o20, but this was too highly pigmented. Does not control oil. AWFUL.
Come on shiseido!