Tsujimoto Market: Our Guarantees
Description
Shiseido Elixir Superieur Retinol Power Wrinkle Cream ba L 22 g
Overview
This is Elixir's retinol wrinkle cream, registered in Japan as a quasi-drug (医薬部外品) under the sale name クリーム ba. It carries two approved actives, not one: retinol and tranexamic acid. Retinol is the only retinoid Japan has approved as a quasi-drug wrinkle-improvement active, and the way Shiseido describes its action is that the skin produces its own hyaluronic acid, water content rises, and collagen density in the dermis increases — leading to improved wrinkles.
The L is the 22 g tube. The S is the 15 g tube. Same sale name, same formula, same cream — the difference is how much of it you get and roughly six weeks of use per tube at the directed amount. A refill cartridge is sold separately in Japan, which is why the cap and inner plug are worth keeping.
Retinol asks something of you in return, and Shiseido is direct about it: build up over four weeks, wear UV protection after morning use, and do not start at all if retinol products have caused you trouble before. The full instruction is in How to Use. For gentler options see our Japanese face creams.
Key Benefits
- ✓ Two quasi-drug actives declared: retinol (Japan's approved wrinkle-improvement retinoid) and tranexamic acid
- ✓ Shiseido's stated mechanism: the skin generates its own hyaluronic acid, water content rises, dermal collagen density increases
- ✓ Approved for the areas people actually crease — around the eyes and around the mouth — and usable on the neck with the same cautions
- ✓ Tube with an inner plug and a separately sold refill cartridge, so the outer container is designed to be reused
- ✓ Roughly six weeks per 22 g tube at the directed amount, twice daily
- ✓ Aqua-floral scent, allergy-tested, made in Japan; the full declaration is published below
Product Details
| Brand | Shiseido Elixir Superieur |
|---|---|
| Product name (EN) | Elixir Superieur Retinol Power Wrinkle Cream ba L |
| Product name (JP) | エリクシール シュペリエル レチノパワー リンクルクリーム ba L |
| Sale name | クリーム ba |
| Product type | Quasi-drug (医薬部外品) — wrinkle-improvement cream |
| Quasi-drug status | Quasi-drug. Actives: retinol, tranexamic acid. |
| Format | Cream in a tube, 31 × 170 × 24 mm, with inner plug; refill sold separately in Japan |
| Volume | 22 g (L). The S size is 15 g of the same cream. |
| Duration of use | About 1.5 months at the directed amount |
| Fragrance | Aqua floral |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Vendor | Tsujimoto Market, Kobe, Japan |
| Launch date | 21 September 2025 |
| JAN code | 4909978214685 |
Who Is This For?
- You have set-in lines around the eyes or mouth and want an approved wrinkle active rather than a cosmetic one.
- You are willing to follow a four-week ramp-up rather than starting daily.
- You already wear sun protection every morning, or are ready to start — retinol makes that non-negotiable.
- You have not had a bad reaction to a retinol product before. Shiseido advises those who have not to buy it.
- You are not pregnant or breastfeeding, and are not already using another retinol product on the same area.
How to Use
- Use at the end of both the morning and the evening routine.
- Take one small pearl-sized amount on the fingertip.
- Blend gently into the areas that crease — around the eyes, around the mouth.
- First two weeks: night only, every two to three days. Next two weeks: every night. Then build to the directed twice-daily use.
- After the morning application, always follow with a product that gives UV protection.
Frequency: Twice daily once your skin has been built up over four weeks. Do not use more often or in larger amounts than directed.
Full Ingredients
Active ingredients (quasi-drug): Retinol, Tranexamic Acid.
Other ingredients, the complete declaration as published by Shiseido, rendered in INCI-style English. The Japanese declaration on the package is the binding one: Purified Water, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, 1,3-Butylene Glycol, Concentrated Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Ethanol, PEG-1000, Dimethicone, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer / Isohexadecane / Polysorbate 80, Polypropylene Glycol, PEG Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG-20000, Glyceryl Triisostearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Stearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 20, BHT, Sodium Metaphosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Inositol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Paeonia Albiflora (Peony) Root Extract, Rose Extract, L-Hydroxyproline, Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract BS, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Thyme Extract, Garcinia Mangostana Bark Extract, Castor Oil, Diglyceryl Adipate Mixed Fatty Acid Ester, Tripropylene Glycol Dipivalate, Origanum Majorana Extract, Sapindus Mukorossi Extract, Rosemary Oil, Soluble Collagen (F), Algae Extract (4), Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Algae Extract (1), Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance, Yellow Iron Oxide.
Two entries deserve a note. Soluble collagen (F) is animal-derived, so this is not a vegan formula. Sodium metabisulfite is a sulfite, which matters if you react to them.
Cautions
- Contains retinol. Do not use it during pregnancy or breastfeeding without medical advice.
- Shiseido advises against buying this product if retinol-containing products have caused you problems in the past, or if your skin reacts easily.
- Sun protection after the morning application is part of the instructions, not an optional extra.
- Do not use several retinol products at once. Introduce one at a time and watch how the skin responds.
- Contains fragrance, ethanol, soluble collagen (animal-derived) and sodium metabisulfite (a sulfite).
- For the neck: follow the same cautions as for the face, and do not use it on the neck if the face reacted.
- Do not pull up the base of the inner plug except when changing to a refill.
- For external use only. Stop using it if redness, swelling, itching, irritation, or unusual lightening or darkening of the skin appears, and see a dermatologist.
- Do not apply to wounds, swelling, eczema or otherwise broken skin.
- Avoid the eyes. If it gets in, rinse immediately with water.
- Store away from direct sunlight, extreme heat and extreme cold. Keep out of reach of children.
- Allergy-tested. That is a test result, not a guarantee for every skin.
- A quasi-drug is not a medicine.
Package Contents
One tube, 22 g, in its outer carton with the Japanese leaflet. A separate refill cartridge is sold in Japan — keep the cap and inner plug if you plan to buy one.
Shipping & Store Notes
- Ships directly from Japan
- Processing time: 2–6 business days
- Tracking number provided after dispatch
- Import duties and taxes may apply depending on destination country
- Opened cosmetics cannot be returned for hygiene and safety reasons
Authenticity Guarantee
Every product at Tsujimoto Market is sourced directly from Japan and verified for authenticity. We never sell fakes or grey-market goods. Each order is carefully packed in Kobe, Japan and dispatched with full tracking.
FAQ
What is the difference between the L and the S?
The amount of cream. Both are the same formula under the same sale name, クリーム ba; the L is a 22 g tube and the S is 15 g. There is no difference in texture, concentration or intended area — buy the size that matches how long you want a tube to last.
Why does Japan call retinol an active when other countries call it a cosmetic ingredient?
Because in Japan it is one. Quasi-drugs (医薬部外品) sit between cosmetics and medicines under the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and retinol is the only retinoid approved in that category for wrinkle improvement. The status describes a regulatory approval, not a medical treatment.
I have never used retinol. Where do I start?
With the schedule Shiseido gives: the first two weeks, at night only, every two to three days. The next two weeks, every night. Only then the directed twice-daily use. Mild tightness or dryness in the first fortnight is common; visible peeling or persistent redness means slow down.
Do I have to use sunscreen with it?
Yes, after the morning application. Shiseido's own instruction is to follow the cream with a product that gives UV protection, to protect the retinol's effect. This is written into the directions rather than added by us.
Is this the Japan-domestic version?
Yes. We buy through Japanese retail and authorised distribution and ship from our own stock in Kobe. The carton and the label are in Japanese; the English you need is on this page.
