My cousin gave this to me on one of my visits to Hong Kong. She told me she bought it during a HUGE sale so the colour selections were limited. She randomly grabbed 345 which was way too dark for her. I like to be tanned and I play a lot of sports so naturally I was darker than her but 345 was too dark for me. So when I used it in Hong Kong I didn't really like it. It must have been the climate there cause when I'm in Hong Kong I'm OILY OILY OILY!!! Whereas in Canada I'm combination (oily tzone only normal cheeks) So in Hong Kong it gave me good coverage that was on the dewy borderline oily side which was not exactly the look I was going for since I prefer matte or a little dewy. It also slipped right off by the end of the day. It also felt heavy (but it seems like all make up feel heavy in Hong Kong :S)
Back in Canada, however, was a different story. Practically HG status! The colour is still too dark for me but when I mix it with Clinique's Dramatically different moisturizing gel it matches my skin perfectly (I don't know how but it just does!) When it dries it feels like NOTHING on my face and the finish is between matte and dewy (so not so matte that it looks like make up but not so dewy that it looks oily!) It also looks like I have no make up, just perfect skin! I don't like the foundation as much without the moisturizer though.
I guess on my next trip to Hong Kong I won't take this foundation with me. I have yet to find something that works over there!!

EDIT: bumped it down to a 4 lippy cause i look like an oil slick in the summer but at least i found my HG winter foundation!

Even though this is not my perfect foundation, it is a fantastic foundation even at its fairly steep price, and I will repurchase.

I've just gone through 2 bottles of Shu FA, but I just purchased Revlon CS instead of a third bottle of Shu FA. I will repurchase Shu FA in the future though.

Shu FA is a great foundation especially for people with blackheads. I have loads of blackheads on my nose, and so many foundations I tried, while covering the black color of the blackheads, emphasized the bumpiness of the blackheads and would sink into the pores, making my nose look even worse. Shu FA's formula is really worth the price in that it covers blackheads *without* sinking into pores, something I've found hard to find.

It is in my opinion light to medium coverage, so best for those with minimal skin flaws. Although the formula is buildable, in my opinion it's a waste of a pricey foundation and I would go for something with medium coverage.

Awesome as Shu FA is, I purchased Revlon CS for 3 reasons. Firstly, it was getting pretty costly and I wanted to try something that was supposed to be pretty good, at a much lower price. Secondly, when my skin is acting up, the light-medium coverage is not enough, and I don't want to waste so much product by building it up. Thirdly, I have combo skin with a very oily t-zone. Combined with the fact that I live in a tropical climate, when I'm running around the city, Shu FA's 'semi-matte' finish just doesn't cut it - Revlon CS has better oil-controlling properties and lasts longer.

However, comparing Revlon CS and Shu FA, Shu is definitely the winner in product quality and the look of my skin in terms of texture. I'll be using Revlon CS in the summer for its longlasting and oil-controlling properties, but I will be repurchasing Shu FA for the winter, when the semi-matte finish is enough.

Even though I'm Asian, I wear shade 554 (in the neutral line) so I'm pretty sure there are shades yellow enough for those with strong yellow undertones.

At first I really liked this foundation because it looked so natural but after a few months of use, I feel it is too drying. It makes my skin flake more and feels dry after wearing all day. I prefer the cream formula it also has more coverage.

This is a great foundation if you are in the market for a sheer, lightweight foundation that looks very natural. The coverage of the foundation is light, buildable to medium and the finish can be described as more satiny as opposed to matte. It's definitely not a dewy finish, but the look is very my skin but better.

I've owned this bottle of foundation in the shade 764 (I'm mac nc20) for a while now, and while I've strayed and purchased other highend foundations and even tried mineral makeup, I always find myself coming back to this one. It is low fuss, low maintenance, and never lets me down. The wear time is pretty decent if it is set with a powder, and application is a breeze. The texture is creamy and blends effortlessly.

Shu has a great color range too, especially for Asian girls who tend to be more yellow. The only thing this foundation lacks is an SPF, but on the positive side, it does photograph nicely.

Definitely check out this foundation if you like a natural finish with light coverage, I don't think you would be disappointed!

I have to say, I have first used this product 5 years ago when I was still in high school and in fact, still love it. Now... because there are only 2 drawbacks about this product I figured I might let you know about them first.

***CON'S

- this foundation is NOT long lasting.
I have oily/combination skin and I apply it for work at 7:30am and by the time it is around 11am a bit has already melted around the nose and my T-zone.

- Yes ladies and gentlemen, it is costly!! It's not the type of foundation where alittle goes a long way.

So now that all of you know the 2 negative sides of this product, I'd like to list what I love about it and what keeps me buying it bottle after bottle.

***PRO'S

- It is watery smooth. I've applied it with my fingers/ with a brush/ with the Shu Uemura sponge and with a cheap sponge. No matter how you apply it, this foundation is beautifully smooth and non-cakey/greasy.

- It is sheer, but extremely buildable. My cheeks tend to be red as I have mild rosacea and this product gives my skin a lovely coverage without looking too made up.

- I've broken out pretty much with every foundation but my skin hasn't broken out from this. No itchy feeling after application either.

- It covers pores perfectly. It sinks into the skin, and i must say this product is one of those you'd call 'SECOND SKIN' It's simply like having perfect skin! My skin (with no make up) is red in the cheeks, oily T-zone, I do get bumps here and there and yes I have those damn blackheads/whiteheads. UGH. So I'd like to say that after using this foundation it makes me look like I'm one of those lucky girls who do have perfect skin...just that it only lasts for a couple of hours till it melts :S

TIP:

DEFINTELY need to use the primer which is called Shu Uemura UV BASE mousse in beige if you have slight redness, or if you are abit pastey and want more colour, then the pink Shu Uemura UV base Mousse. There IS a dramatic difference, as the mousse is light and it prepares your skin and makes your pores more unnoticeable!!

So if you have normal/dry skin.. BUY THIS.
If you have oily/acne/combination skin give this a try as it will not make you break out! But .. don't buy this if you are living in a country that's humid. This foundation isn't recommended.

Sorry my review is super long. Hope this helps!
*Oh and do put on powder to set it if you want it to last longer, but it WILL take away the healthy glow and end up looking more matte. (obviously)

I really liked this foundation. It covers all imperfections and gives such a great finish without looking thick. And of course, being Asian, it was nice to finally find a foundation that matched my skintone perfectly. Unfortunately, I think this broke me out in little zits and gave me milia too after a couple weeks of use. Very few people seem to have my problem since both my sisters use it without any issues with clogged pores. I guess I'm just unlucky. I was very sad, but thank goodness I was able to return it since it's a pricey foundation.

I prefer the Shu Uemura NOBORA cream which works better for photography and special occasions/events.

IT is moisturizing and great for the winter when your skin is super dry. I use this for the winter along with my sephora matted powder foundation on top for more coverage and to stop shine. I dont like using this in the summer because my face gets really oily.

Overall, its a good foundation but probably wont be buying this again because i like to try new products all the time.

I bought this without any expectation, just on sale and I want to give it a try. However it suit my skin tone perfectly !! (I'm a fair Asian with yellow undertone) nice light creamy texture but not greasy. it stay on me at least 5 hrs and it makes my skin looks glow and healthy when i'm sweating!! The coverage is light to medium and it's about the right coverage for me (apply more if you want full coverage) I use this with Benefit get even press powder which I applied with brush, they both work great together,my face look so flawless!!!!

I've only tried a few foundations, but of those Shu's is by far the best. It really does live up to its name and make my skin look smoother, with no primer underneath. The color match (I'm a 784. For those of you confused about Shu's color system: the first number is how yellow or pink it is, 1 is pink, 10 is yellow, five is neutral. The second number is how light or dark the color is. 10 is white, 1 is black. I'm not sure what the last number is, but I don't think it matters, as most of the shades end in a four) is perfect for my fair, warm undertoned skin. It gives nice even coverage with out making my face feel like it's suffocating. I can adequately cover my whole face with just one pump, so I'm sure the bottle will last quite a while. The only real flaw I can find in it is that before I wear it, I have to make sure my skin is very well moisturized. If not it can really emphasize the drier patches in my skin, but I haven't found a foundation that doesn't do that. Curse my dry cheeks. Overall this is pretty much my favorite foundation. Too bad it'll only be available online in just a short amount of time. Stock up before it's too late.

I really have to agree with all those who complained that this product clumps and gets patchy. i too had trouble getting this to go on smoothly and i don't have this problem with most of the foundations i use. i've read that someone experimented using this with and without moisturises and primers and i have to come to the same conclusion. i also have trouble mixing this with moisturiser to make it more sheer.

overall it looked too dry on my face and i have combination skin. i do believe yes, it photographs well, has great staying power but its just too difficult to work with for me to get a truly flawless finish. its not a bad foundation, but for the cost i'd like it to be easier to use. i love liquid foundations and many other formulas i've tried just glide on seeminglessly and then set. believe this sets way too fast to blend in nicely.