A Wren Says

 I tried Shiseido’s Future Solution LX Regenerating  Eye and Lip Contour Cream and was able to come to my first impressions. I will get my first impression out of the way really quickly. It was a thick consistency, very hydrating. I didn’t get to try it for long enough to get to know how it really performs over time. I went to the site to learn more and they spoke about their proprietary Enmei herb extract. The ingredient should offer anti-aging benefits, support faster skin turnover, and reduce wrinkles. I went down a lengthy search to learn more about this herb I had never heard of.

Shiseido claims that the Enmei herb is legendary and is well known in Japan but not much so outside the country. I went on and tried to search for that. I couldn’t find anything. I had hoped to find additional sources to support Shiseido’s claims and give me a fuller story. However, most of the articles out there are either from Shiseido or by writers who were working with Shiseido on the project. Not exactly the unbiased background on this herb that I was hoping for. What I finally found that had nothing to do with Shiseido was about a Naruto character; a Buddhist text, the Fugen Enmei scripture; and a photo (then) Prince Charles drinking enmei tea in Japan.

Finally, though I can’t be certain if this is related at all because I don’t understand the structure of Japanese language, but I eventually learned of enmei-hi, which is referred to as Wu Huan Zi in traditional Chinese medicine. Enmei-hi was translated to “life-prolonging plant.” Wu Huan Zi is often used to address skin concerns.

As I try to get more knowledgeable about the skincare industry, proprietary blends can create a roadblock in that journey. I wish could have found more about the enmei herb and learned about its historical use. I would like to learn more about how it is used in traditional medicine. To be clear, my inability to find information about the ingredient doesn’t necessarily mean anything about its efficacy. It just means I can’t find information. But I also desperately want to learn more and will have to be even more determined to find the information I seek.