Earlier this year, Shiseido ZA‘s Airy Flawless Powder Foundation was renewed. (Read my review of the original version here.) Based on the official information I found on-line, it was not obvious to me how the new version was supposed to be different. (The descriptions of the features of the two versions were virtually the same, and it seemed to me that the main difference was just the packaging.) To know whether there was any actual difference, I decided to try the new version and compare the ingredient lists of the two versions.
The 2018 version of Shiseido ZA Airy Flawless Powder Foundation (資生堂 ZA 粧自然無瑕粉餅, shade selection varying from country to country, SPF 20, PA++, 8g, refill 330 NTD (approx. 10.78 USD)) was released in January. The refill of the new version contains the same double-sided applicator (with a sponge side and a puff side). The shade I got this time is OC10. (OC20 from the original version darkened quite noticeably over the course of wear, so I wanted to experiment with a lighter shade this time.)
Based on the ingredient lists, the only difference between the two versions is how they are scented. The original version contains fragrance (parfum), citronellol, alpha-isomethyl ionone, linalool and geraniol. (The latter four (which are all scenting agents) are towards the very end of the ingredient list.) The new version still contains fragrance (parfum) but it does not contain the other four ingredients. Except this difference (which is relatively minor for most people), the two ingredient lists (both the ingredients themselves and the orders in which they are listed) are the same. (The exact amounts of the ingredients in the two versions could still vary, but there is no way of knowing them from the two ingredient lists.)
When it comes to how the new version performs, I don’t see any noticeable difference. (This obviously didn’t really surprise me after I compared the ingredient lists.) All the descriptions of how the original version performed on me apply to the new version. The darkening over the course of wear is still fairly noticeable and it is still a slight issue for me. (However, as OC10 is a lighter shade, it looks lighter than OC20 at any point during the course of wear. Overall, OC10 is a more suitable shade for me.)
If you like the original version, then you will probably like the new version too. If the original version doesn’t work well for you, then you probably should not expect any substantial improvement from the new version. For me, the two versions are essentially the same, but I do appreciate the fact that the formulation was tweaked to be slightly more skin-friendly.
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Stash Debut (2): Sofina Primavista Ange Powder Foundation UV (Long Keep)
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