Examining the Sebum-Control Design and Feel of SHISEIDO MEN's "Skin Matte Serum"

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In men, sebum secretion increases sharply from puberty through the twenties, reaching roughly twice the amount secreted by women. Data show that while women's sebum levels gradually decline from their thirties onward, tending toward dryness by their sixties, men's sebum levels peak in their twenties and remain at nearly the same level, without decreasing, until their sixties. For this reason, managing shine and greasiness tends to be a long-term, common concern for men. In recent years, many women also struggle with excess sebum and shine, and they too need similar measures.

In conventional skincare, the following ingredients have been used with claims of sebum control:

• Azelaic acid: While it can be expected to have some effect on sebum control and acne, products in Japan that contain it at high concentrations (around 15–20%) in cosmetics tend to cause irritation, which makes them difficult to use for sensitive skin. Depending on the formulation design and degree of neutralization, its perceived effectiveness may also decline.
• Vitamin C derivatives: Widely used in hopes of controlling sebum, but they often fall short of producing a dramatic, noticeable change.
• Rice Power No. 6: The only ingredient approved as a quasi-drug for the efficacy claim of "suppressing sebum secretion," but few products use it, so options on the market are limited.

As such, skincare that tries to suppress sebum secretion itself through a physiological approach has faced the limitation that it is difficult to reach a level where users can actually feel that "the sebum has stopped."

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The Skin Matte Serum's approach is not the biological suppression of sebum secretion, but absorbing sebum on the spot as it comes out. Its approved efficacy as a quasi-drug is "prevents rough skin and acne," and it has not obtained an efficacy claim for suppressing sebum secretion. The active ingredient is dipotassium glycyrrhizate, which has anti-inflammatory properties, and the product is designed to calm minor inflammation caused by UV damage and daily irritation, preventing it from developing into acne or rough skin.

The product's central function is performed by "silicic anhydride," included in the base formulation. Silicic anhydride is a transparent powder commonly labeled as "silica" on cosmetic ingredient lists, and it has excellent sebum-absorbing capacity. Sebum-absorbing powders are typically used in makeup products such as primers and face powders, but in this product, silicic anhydride is listed immediately after purified water on the full ingredient list. Although the exact proportion has not been disclosed, the silica is included at a concentration high enough to turn the liquid opaque white (estimated at somewhere from a few percent to around 10%).

With this design, a thin layer of silica forms on the skin's surface and physically absorbs and soaks up the sebum that is secreted. It can be considered a novel idea in that men who are reluctant to use makeup products can prevent sebum shine by incorporating it as one step of their skincare, and in that, because it works physically, its effect is easy to notice.

In addition, zinc oxide, which has been used as a sebum-absorbing powder in conventional skincare products, has the property of reacting with sebum and hardening, and in some cases this raised concerns about clogged pores and skin problems. Silica, by contrast, does not solidify even after absorbing sebum, giving it the advantage of being less likely to clog pores.

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While the basic concept of applying high-concentration silica to the skin in liquid form is excellent, the ingredient composition strongly retains the stereotypical design seen in older men's cosmetics.

Ethanol is listed first among the moisturizing ingredients. It may be functioning as a solvent to improve the dispersibility of the silica, but ethanol carries the risk of causing a stinging sensation as it evaporates and drying out the skin, which is a major barrier for users with sensitive skin. If the goal is simply a light, silky feel, that can be fully achieved without relying on ethanol, for example with a formula based on 1,3-butylene glycol (BG), so the need to include a high level of alcohol is questionable.

The formula contains peppermint extract, which produces a faint tingly sensation (a menthol-like cooling feel) on application. A fragrance described as woody is also included at a fairly strong level. In men's skincare, the design of "refreshing with alcohol, adding a cooling feel with mint, and giving it a strong scent" has been around for a long time, but many of today's skincare users (regardless of gender) want fragrance-free, low-irritation formulas, so this gives the impression of being out of step with the times.

The following ingredients can be identified as skin-conditioning components:

• Aqua In Pool (PEG/PPG-14/7 dimethyl ether): A penetration-enhancing ingredient unique to Shiseido. It appears to be included to assist emulsification and to help ingredients penetrate the stratum corneum.
• Glycylglycine: Known as an ingredient that addresses enlarged, funnel-shaped pores caused by parakeratosis.
• Nicotinamide (niacinamide): A type of B vitamin responsible for skin-conditioning effects.
• Camellia extract: Included as a plant extract for moisturizing and skin-conditioning purposes.

Overall, rather than delivering medicinal effects or nourishment as a serum, the formulation centers on a base designed to fix the silica powder evenly onto the skin.

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The product comes in a clear dropper bottle with a gray cap. When dispensed, the liquid is not transparent but milky white, because a high concentration of powder is dispersed in it.

The scent is officially described as woody, but unlike citrus scents or the tonic-like smell of typical men's products, it has a floral nuance, close to that of a shampoo. It is quite noticeable at the moment of application, but it evaporates and settles down over time.

When spread on the skin, it does not behave like typical high-alcohol products that "evaporate and dry instantly"; surprisingly, it has a somewhat slippery feel, as if a moisturizing film different from oil remains on the skin. Immediately after application, there is also a gradual stinging sensation characteristic of ethanol and a slight cooling tingle from the peppermint extract.

The manufacturer's advertising emphasizes the figure "9 seconds," but this is a note indicating the time it takes to apply the product to the entire face, not that it dries to a silky finish in 9 seconds. In practice, it takes about 30 seconds after working it in for it to dry completely.

Once it has fully dried after about 30 seconds, the film-like feel on the surface disappears, and the skin turns smooth and silky to the touch. Despite containing a high concentration of powder, it leaves no white cast or powdery residue, giving a transparent finish where it is impossible to tell with the naked eye that anything has been applied. At this point, an even coating of silica has formed on the skin's surface, ready to catch and absorb sebum secreted afterward.

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The Skin Matte Serum contains 20 ml and is priced at 5,500 yen (tax included). The official usage guideline states it lasts "about one month," but this refers to the rate of consumption when using one dropperful every day, such as morning and night; it does not mean the product's shelf life is one month. Judging from its preservative design and ingredient composition, it is formulated to be usable without problems for about one year after opening.

Shiseido recommends the following two usage routines:

1. Cleanser → lotion → serum (such as Ultimune) → emulsion/cream → Skin Matte Serum
2. Cleanser → lotion → Skin Matte Serum (used on its own)

However, considering the product's sebum-absorption mechanism, using it after oil-containing products such as emulsions or creams is not recommended. Because there is a physical limit to how much oil silica can absorb, if it first absorbs the oils (emollients) contained in skincare, its capacity to absorb your own sebum secreted during the day is significantly reduced.

Therefore, to get the maximum anti-shine effect, the following routine is sensible:

• After cleansing, prep the skin with an oil-free, water-based lotion or water-based serum.
• Skip emulsions and creams, and apply the Skin Matte Serum to areas where shine is a concern (such as the T-zone).
• Then, apply sunscreen as needed.

For oily or combination skin, which does not easily dry out even without much added oil, this product pairs extremely well with a simple routine that eliminates emulsions and creams.

The Skin Matte Serum is an extremely sensible product in that it avoids the difficult approach of "trying to stop sebum with skincare ingredients" and instead offers a practical solution: "loading high-concentration silica at the serum step to physically absorb sebum."

On the other hand, it is unfortunate that it retains the formulation philosophy typical of older men's cosmetics, such as the irritation of ethanol, the cooling sensation of peppermint, and fairly strong fragrance. These pose a high hurdle for skin types that do not tolerate alcohol or fragrance, and if a low-irritation formula without these elements were developed, it could become a staple item for a much broader range of people regardless of gender. For users with oily skin who are not sensitive to alcohol or fragrance, it is a strong option for physically suppressing stubborn daytime shine.