I found it has brightened my skin.. but not made it look pale or white. It has a healthy glow.

I have fair skin but not "porcelain" and I have not noticed any lightening. It is very gentle on the skin and will not dry out your skin. My only complaint would be that it doesn't remove heavy eye makeup but thats why they make eye makeup remover.

Never found that they have bleach like effect. Never believed that anything you but on your face for a minute or two can whiten your skin, just a good cleaning for your face not drying.

Not so much lightening as it is brightening and not with this product more so with their brightening line.

Nooo....
While the White Lucient formulation does have a brightening effect, with the goal of creating an even skintone and minimizing hyperpigmentation, it is nothing compared to its Asian counterpart. In Asia, most people want to essentially bleach their skin. Why? I don't know. I have friends from Chungking and no store there will sell a foundation shade darker than MAKE UP FOR EVER's HD Foundation 117. Otherwise you'd look like a "dirty farmer." Mind you, these people have that lovely golden asian skintone on their body with a white face. A friend of mine is about MAC's NC20-25, and regularly asks me what she should be wearing, but she proceeds to wear the lightest shade and she looks like a chalky ghost. People also can take special baths or injections that destroy their melanin and make their whole bodies whiter, however, they can't go in the sun at all afterwards.
So, since the Shiseido products offered to Westerners are completely different, use it as it is comfortable for you. I personally find the cleansers very harsh, drying and wrinkle-inducing even though I have very hydrated skin.

Actually, I have but didn't realize why until I read your question. My skin tone has definitely gotten lighter, which I liked because I had a bit of a ruddy complexion for a while, but it's also changing the texture. I seem to be getting a little bit of that orange-peel-skin look. I guess it must have some harsh chemicals in it.

No, been using their products for a long time! There is a line for skin brightening, maybe that's what she's referring to. The Japanese make superior products. honestly, it's a wonderful line!

No, there is a line that is supposed to "diminish the look of scars"...read:bleach your skin. But that is the "brightening" line. This is just fabulous face wash.

I am Asian, and don't notice any lightening effect of the cleanser.

my mom has used this for almost 10 years and no lightning of skin that i have noticed. I think that is not true. This are great products.

my mom uses the one that comes in the gold tube and i use the white tube. I think this one has a little bit of exfoliating but is gentle enough to use every day!