Shiseido pulled out all the stops to promote its new additions to the WASO line, which is launching exclusively at Sephora.  The Japanese cosmetic company threw a super food inspired cooking demonstration and tasting with celebrity chef Shirley Chung (Ms. Chi Café) at its Shiseido Malibu Beach House, which did not disappoint. The brand crafted an afternoon of vegan hors d’oeuvres, tonic drink specials, as well as yuzu mimosas and outfitted all guests with stylish tie-dyed cooking aprons. The backdrop for the gathering was the scenic Pacific Ocean, which provided a cool breeze and the sounds of waves washing ashore, adding ambiance of the event. 

The mostly female guests kicked backed to watch the energetic Chef Chung (complete with a WASO billboard behind her) demonstrate her culinary expertise. Inspired by the holistic and natural Japanese food tradition of Washoku (Wa – represents harmony and shoku – means food or to eat), the Shiseido WASO skincare line uses the power of foods and botanicals known to promote beauty and health in Japan that unveils the skin’s most unique, natural beauty.

Chef Chung really helped cement the connection between food and health as it applies to skincare.  WASO skincare uses key ingredients including: carrot, loquat (Japanese plum), honey, tofu, yuzu (a citrus fruit) and white jelly mushroom to help balance, hydrate and prevent the appearance of imperfections. She used all of these ingredients to create amazing dishes for guests to sample during the course of the afternoon. The recipes, printed on stylish folded Shiseido WASO folded cards included: honey roasted heirloom baby carrots with a whipped tofu aioli, a magical mushroom garden salad and steamed wontons served with a honey yuzu chili oil and fried shallots.

The guests were mesmerized by Chung’s personality, culinary skill and knowledge.  She was peppered with questions, and at points during the demonstration had iphone cameras joyfully invading her space.  When a bartender in the back of the room popped a cork of a champagne bottle, grabbing the attention of most guests, I was left saying to myself that this party was going to WASO hyper-drive.  And, it did just that. Guests mingled with Chef Chung, got to know each other and checked out the WASO products that were subtly interspersed alongside the natural ingredients they are based on.  These products included the new WASO Beauty Sleeping Mask ($40.00), an intensive overnight sleeping face mask with yuzu citrus to recharge your skin and your mind during the night.  Another new product introduced was a Purifying Peel Off Mask ($32.00) that is concentrated with the power of Red Shiso to reset your skin and mind after a long, stressful day. According to the Click and Grow website, Red Shiso from the Shiso plant holds incredibly potent antioxidant and antiviral properties due to the powerful anthocyanin pigments found in its red-purple leaves. 

Other WASO products re-launched include the super popular WASO Clear Mega-Hydrating Cream ($40.00).  This 24-hour moisturizing clear cream hydrates and helps reduce the look of pores as well as prevents dryness. A key component in formulating this cream, arewhole carrot cells. The nutrients are carefully extracted to keep their wholeness harnessed and to help hydrate skin.  Another re-launched product included, the WASO Quick Gentle Cleanser ($30.00), a gentle refreshing, alcohol-free, oil-free honey-gel that foams without water to remove impurities and makeup.  Formulated with honey extract, it helps nurture the skin and gives it a healthy look. Finally, a  WASO Color-Smart Day Moisturizer Oil-Free ($40.00) was re-introduced.  This product reduces the shine or oiliness of the skin's complexion. It is an oil-free, tinted moisturizer that adapts to your skin’s color to enhance skin tone with long-lasting hydration. This moisturizer is formulated with whole Loquat cells to help suppress sebum breakdown and balance skin’s oil levels.

I walked away learning a lot during my visit to the Shiseido Malibu House including (1) The proper way to eat a loquat fruit is to peel it like a banana before eating it (2) almond butter in a salad is delicious (3) Women love Champagne and (4) just as you are what you eat – to maintain a healthy lifestyle, the same applies to your skincare – It’s important to use products that are natural and nutritionally healthy.  Shiseido’s WASO’s skincare line does just that by incorporating Japanese super foods and botanicals into its products to unveil our skin’s most unique, natural beauty.

To purchase Shiseido’s WASO skincare products, visit Sephora.com.  Get social about WASO products on Instagram - @Shiseido, @Sephora, Twitter - @ShiseidoUSA, @Sephora, Facebook - @ShiseidoUSA, @Sephora #WASO #SuperfoodsSuperSkin  #jbeauty #WASOShiseido.