Shiseido Make Up - The Good, The Bad and The Discontinued

I'm big on mascara. It has to make a huge difference to the eyes otherwise, what's the point. I don't do brown or "defining" mascaras. I like to make the eyelashes THE thing that open up your eyes and not the eyeshadow. A lot of times I don't even use eyeshadow on clients, mascara done well can be just enough.

Women, as they age, lose the thickness of lashes, but some might not have had them anyway. Some lashes don't stay up when curled, they drop under the weight of mascara. Some are too sparse. Anyway, the list goes on.

Mascara formulations have advanced over the years, but one product is in my kit and I can't live without it. Shiseido Mascara Base.  It's amazing. And it's been discontinued and they have a new formulation one which is not as good. Why??? 

The "old" mascara base thickens up the lashes, lengthens them, keeps the lashes curled. It's like a miracle hair gel but for eyelashes. And the new one keeps the lashes curled and that's about it. It's supposed to be "nourishing". I mean, really? 

I'm seriously annoyed with Shiseido. This is the second time they are changing the formula of a product which is the staple in an average make up artist's kit. I honestly don't know what planet they live on. And it can't be the sales suffering - I championed the product left, right and centre, pretty much to anyone who would listen. Good products deserve it.

The first amazing product they fiddled with was their Automatic Eye Liner. It was incredible. The brush was so precise, the liner was refillable, the intensity of the pigment was stunning. So what did they do? They made it not refillable anymore, the formulation is now watery and blah. 

The brush is still the same, but you won't get that intensity of the black anymore. They just got average. That was the best liquid liner on the market. I know as I've tried them all. But now it's pretty much the same as the MAC one. Similar watery performance.

I really don't know what's the matter with some brands. And I understand when people get annoyed with discontinued lipstick colours that they'd used for years, although change can sometimes be good.


But a "niche" product that is just fantastic and best on the market? That is just plain stupid. 
They did so well with Tom Pecheaux when he was a creative director. And now I'm not sure.

So ladies and gentlemen, the progress is not always good. I still have some Mascara Base left as I stocked up on time, but once it runs out.... I don't want to think about it. 
I'll guess I'll only use it on "chosen" clients, sorry! A bit like my Dior concealer which also is no longer with us anymore.... 


Do you have any discontinued gems you want to share? Maybe we should start a revolution and get all those products back! Who's with me?