Stash Debut (25): Chifure Eye Color in 72

Today, in my Stash Debut series, I will be talking about Chifure (a generally very affordable Japanese beauty brand) and I will also be sharing my thoughts on the brand’s Eye Color in 72.

Chifure was founded in 1968 by a cosmetics company established in 1947 as part of Mitsubishi Oil Co. Ltd.. The company became independent of Mitsubishi Oil Co. Ltd. in 1951, and it changed its name in 1955 and then again in 1991 to Chifure Corporation. (The company had been manufacturing and selling beauty products prior to founding the Chifure brand.)

The brand name “Chifure” comes from “Zen Chifuren” (“全地婦連”), which is the abbreviated name of National Federation of Regional Women’s Organizations (全国地域婦人団体連絡協議会). The organization entered a joint venture with the company in 1968 and the brand was born.

(image from www.chifure.co.jp)

Even though the brand has almost always had a low-key presence in Japan, the company itself has been at the forefront of the beauty industry in Japan in a number of ways. For example, it has been disclosing full ingredient lists of its products since its beginning in 1968 (before the laws in Japan required it from 2001). Also, in 1974, it became the first company in Japan to introduce refillable containers for skincare products.

(image from www.chifure-global.com)

Currently, Chifure carries base makeup, point (color) makeup, skincare, bodycare and haircare products. It also carries beauty tools (including makeup brushes). All of Chifure’s products are quite affordable (except a couple of fairly pricey makeup brushes).

In Japan, Chifure is available at drugstores, general merchandise stores and department stores. (Also, a couple of the brand’s popular products are sold at Lawson (a convenience store chain in Japan) and the brand has a skincare range exclusive to stores in the Aeon Group in Japan.) Currently, Chifure is also available in China, Taiwan and Thailand.

(some of Chifure’s makeup items)
(image from www.chifure.co.jp)

Chifure Corporation launched Ayaka, a mid-range beauty brand, in 1991, and it has a high-end sub-brand called Ayaka Prestige. Currently, Ayaka is available at general merchandise stores and department stores while Ayaka Prestige is mostly available at department stores. (It appears that Ayaka and Ayaka Prestige are currently only available in Japan.)

(The retail points in Japan that carry Ayaka and/or Ayaka Prestige also carry Chifure, and this is why I don’t describe Chifure as a drugstore brand. Even though it is mostly sold at drugstores in Japan, it can be found at high-end department stores in Japan as well.)

(The information on Chifure and Chifure Corporation above is from Chifure’s official Japanese website (link above) and official English website. The History page under the About Us page on the official English website is nicely put together and makes an interesting read.)

(Chifure’s fall 2017 makeup collection)
(image from www.chifure.co.jp)

As mentioned above, Chifure has been disclosing full ingredient lists of its products since its launch in 1968. At the moment, on the brand’s official Japanese website, the full ingredient lists also specify the purposes and the quantities of the ingredients. For example, below are Chifure’s Deep Moisture Lotion and its full ingredient list shown on the brand’s official Japanese website:

(Chifure Deep Moisture Lotion)
(image from www.chifure.co.jp)

(purposes, names and quantities
of the ingredients in Deep Moisture Lotion)
(image from www.chifure.co.jp)

(Note that some ingredients can have different purposes in different product formulations.)

I find this level of transparency very refreshing. While I certainly don’t expect other beauty companies to do exactly the same thing, I do hope that more and more of them will at least feature full ingredient lists of their products on their official websites (especially if they sell their products on-line).

(Not all of Chifure’s products feature the purposes or the quantities of the ingredients on the product packaging, but they are specified on the brand’s official Japanese website. On the brand’s official English website, there are full ingredient lists of the products but their purposes and quantities are not specified.)

Chifure Eye Color in 72 (ちふれ アイ カラー 72/ Chifure 雙色眼影盒 72, ¥360, replacement eyeshadow applicators (set of 2) ¥200) contains two shades. They are:

• light-to-medium khaki gold, lightly-to-moderately (towards moderately) pigmented, softly shimmery
• dark copper brown, moderately-to-intensely (towards intensely) pigmented, with pearly shimmer

(Eye Color was launched in Japan in October 2006 (according to Cosme.net). I am not entirely certain when this variation was released in Japan.)

Both shades have multi-hued light-reflective particles. They are both easy to apply and blend, and they both have an impressive staying power. Both the colors and the finishes of the two shades remain fresh throughout the wear, and there is almost no creasing towards the end of wear.

The light-to-medium khaki gold is not really dark enough to create shadows, but I like how it subtly brightens the eye areas with its luminous and softly shimmery finish. I prefer applying this shade with the sponge applicator that comes with the product (to applying it with an eyeshadow brush) because it layers the powder more efficiently and creates a slightly more shimmery and dimensional finish. (The sponge applicator is not optimally soft but it is serviceable.) I would prefer the shade to be slightly less yellow-y and slightly more bronze-y, but, in general, it works well for me.

The dark copper brown has enough color depth to work well as an eyelining shade, and I really like the warm copper tone of the shade. There is very minor fallout during applications, but, once applied, it is, as mentioned above, very long-lasting. I slightly prefer using an eyeliner brush to apply this shade (to using the sponge applicator that comes with the product) as it creates more defined lines with more color saturation and intensity. (The shade is quite light-reflective and not intensely dark so the defined lines don’t look harsh.)

Overall I do like this eyeshadow duo. I like both shades (especially the dark copper brown) and I am pleasantly surprised at how long-lasting they are. The application is generally quick and easy, and the very small size of the case should appeal to those who want their makeup products to be travel-friendly.

(The full ingredient list of this product printed on the back of the case does not specify the purposes or the quantities of the ingredients, but they are specified on the brand’s official Japanese website.)

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