Fall 2009 was a good season for fans of Japanese cosmetics. It saw the launches of Addiction and THREE, both of which have been major players on the Japanese beauty scene. A few months ago, I shared my thoughts on Addiction’s Lip Gloss in 033 Factory Girl in my Stash Debut series, and today we will look at THREE and Shimmering Color Veil in 35 Shadowland, my first purchase from the brand.
First of all, a profile on THREE. Owned by Acro Inc. (which is part of Pola Orbis Holdings), THREE is a Japanese beauty brand that was launched in Japan on September 2nd, 2009. It is mainly available in department stores and it is also sold in some beauty boutiques. It was launched in Thailand in 2013, Taiwan in 2004 and Indonesia in 2015.
(image from www.urcosme.com)
Both the makeup and skincare ranges from THREE have a solid following in Japan. (Balancing Cleansing Oil (200ml, ¥4000) is one of the brand’s best-selling items.) The brand also carries bodycare products, haircare and hairstyling products, makeup tools (mainly makeup brushes) and health supplements. One of the brand’s main selling points is the inclusion of a wide range of botanical ingredients (including essential oils) in many of the products.
THREE’s products have a sleek, clean and minimal look with an earthy touch, and the overall brand image is demure, grown-up, sophisticated and stylish.
(THREE summer 2015 makeup collection)
(image from www.threecosmetics.com)
THREE’s flagship store in Aoyama in Tokyo showcases the lifestyle that the brand promotes. It carries the brand’s regular items as well as original items exclusive to the store, and it also carries products from other brands that share the brand’s philosophy. The store also includes a spa and a restaurant. The spa offers regular and seasonal treatments, and the restaurant serves dishes that incorporate organic ingredients grown in Japan.
Now, back to my first purchase from THREE. Shimmering Color Veil (シマリング カラー ヴェール/ 迷光眼采粉, 1.5g, ¥3500) is a range of loose-powder eyeshadows and was part of the brand’s launch lineup back in fall 2009. 35 Shadowland was one of the eleven additional shades released in fall 2012.
35 Shadowland is a medium-to-warm beige brown. It is moderately pigmented and has a pearly finish with multi-hued shimmering particles. There is a little bit of shimmer fallout during application, but it doesn’t bother me. Once applied, the shade has a good staying power.
What I like the most about this shade is that, under sunlight, the blue-toned shimmering particles really stand out against the neutral backdrop. (This contrast reminds me of SUQQU’s Powder Eye Shadow in EX-51 Daichi (大地) from spring 2007.) Under some artificial lightings, the shimmer doesn’t look particularly blue-toned.
35 Shadowland is a wearable shade that creates soft shadows for the eyes and is suitable for everyday wear. If you want more impactful shades, you will also find them in the Shimmering Color Veil range. There are some darker shades that will create dramatic looks, and some of the lighter shades are extremely sparkly.
Related posts:
THREE Fall 2015 Makeup Collection
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