(image from www.soniarykiel-cosmetics.com)
My post on Sonia Rykiel’s holiday 2010 makeup collection has been updated to include information on items that will be released in Japan on December 1st.
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beauty tools/accessories
SUQQU‘s holiday 2010 collection features two makeup kits, one base makeup and skincare kit, and a pressed face powder. Today I am featuring 2010 Christmas Makeup Kit A, with a particular focus on the limited-edition Blend Color Eyeshadow in EX-01 Yukiyo.
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(images/info from biteki.com)
Sonia Rykiel will release its holiday 2010 makeup collection in Japan on November 1st. The collection includes:
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(image from www.cosme.net
info from www.cosme.net
& www.joseishi.net/voce)
Anna Sui will release a new fragrance, Forbidden Affair, in Japan on October 1st. Classified as a floral fruity, Forbidden Affair (Eau de Toilette) features the following notes:
Top notes: lemon, redcurrant, black currant
Middle notes: raspberry, rose petal accord, pomegranate
Base note: violet, musk, cedarwood
The fragrance will be available in 30ml and 50ml.
The scent has some of my favorite citrus and fruity notes (lemon, black currant, and pomegranate), but I do wonder if the scent might be overall too sweet. Unlike Anna Sui’s makeup and skincare ranges, the fragrance line is quite widely available in the UK. I will be keen to try it out.
On the same day, Anna Sui will also release Hand & Nail Cream N, Nail Treatment Oil and Beauty Box in Japan. (See the images here.) I like cute nail and cuticle oils, and I may have to have this one…
Updated on September 14th, 2010:
Images of Nail Treatment Oil, Hand & Nail Cream N and Beauty Box:
(images from www.joseishi.net/voce)
Related posts on Anna Sui:
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(images/info from www.cosme.net)
On June 4th, Jill Stuart will release several more items for summer 2010 in addition to the two new variations of Mix Blush Compact. Jill Stuart’s items usually look very girlie and dreamy, and these upcoming items seem even more so.
The items include:
– Forever Brilliance Eye Pencil (4 shades)
– Double Ring Nail Collection (Diamond & Pearl)
– Flower Bouquet Hand Mirror
All the items are limited editions.
Related posts on Jill Stuart:
Spring/Summer 2010 Base Makeup Release
Spring 2010 Point Makeup Collection
Jelly Eye Color N in 08 Crystal Sky
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Earlier I posted the information on SUQQU‘s holiday 2009 collection. The collection features three limited-edition makeup kits, two for eyes and one for lips/nails. Today I am reviewing Christmas Makeup Kit A.
SUQQU Christmas Makeup Kit A includes Blend Eyeshadow in EX-06, Eye Lucent in EX-03, and a makeup bag.
Blend Eyeshadow in EX-06 is a cool-toned neutral palette. The case has the same deep violet shade as that of the other SUQQU Blend Eyeshadow palettes plus the snowflake details.
The four shades are (clock-wise from bottom right):
– moderately pigmented off-white with a pale yellow-toned pearly finish (base shade)
– pigmented dark brown with soft shimmer and a copper undertone
– sheer pale mauve with fine multi-colored shimmer
– pigmented medium warm grey with a soft pearly finish
SUQQU’s eyeshadows are renowned for their beautiful blendability, and, again, these shades blend seamlessly. Most of SUQQU’s eyeshadows are not very shimmery, and the Blend Eyeshadow palettes usually have either a softly glowy or a gently shimmery finish. EX-06, however, is overall more shimmery than many other Blend Eyeshadow palettes. If you like SUQQU eyeshadows but prefer them to be more shimmery, this palette is worth a look.
Compared with Blend Eyeshadow in #10 that I reviewed earlier this year, all the shades in EX-06 are more shimmery or pearly. The base is a lot more pearly, the lining shade looks a lot less matte, the lightening shade has more shimmer than pigment, and the warm grey has marginally more shimmer than the soft taupe in #10.
Also, the warm grey is more pigmented than the soft taupe in #10. This makes EX-06 more versatile, and it is easier to create a smoky-eye look with it. (But #10 is overall warmer and suits my warm-toned complexion better.)
The look that EX-06 creates is both chic and sophisticated. You can create a clean and demure look or a very sensuous look, depending on how you work the warm grey in particular.
If the finish of EX-06 is still not shimmery enough for you, you can layer Eye Lucent in EX-03 on top of EX-06. Eye Lucent is a loose powder eyeshadow, and it is one of the most shimmery eye makeup items from SUQQU. Two limited-edition shades (EX-01 and EX-02) were available back in spring 2008. EX-03 is a pale pink with a very pearly finish and very dynamic multi-colored shimmer.
One little nice touch I want to mention is that the seal stretches to the wall and the edge of the sifter (at the upper right edge of the pot in the photo above) with no glue underneath the extended part. With many seals that are firmly glued to the bottom of the sifters, I sometimes have to work hard to peel them off (and make a tiny mess). Little touches like this (at which Japanese consumer products excel) make things just a little bit easier.
The powder comes with a mini puff. It is particularly useful if you want to pack on the shimmer. If you want a sheer veil of shimmer, use an eyeshadow brush instead.
Christmas Makeup Kit A also includes a makeup bag. (It measures 12.5cm x 16.5cm x 6cm approximately.) I like the fact that the zippers come all the way down to the sides, which makes the bag easier and much less fiddly to use.
SUQQU’s holiday 2009 collection also includes Christmas Makeup Kit B (with a lip color palette, a nail color, and a makeup bag) and Christmas Makeup Kit C (with a mascara, a cream eyeliner, the popular eyelash curler, and a makeup bag).
(The product featured in this article is provided by SUQQU.)
Related posts:
SUQQU Cheek Brush & Eyebrow Brush L
Japanese Beauty Brand Profile – SUQQU
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(Pearl Powder in 01)
In October, I featured information on Paul & Joe‘s holiday 2009 collection, which includes makeup, fragrance, and bodycare products. Today I am reviewing two items from the collection as well as Pearl Powder in 01 (released in 2008).
Pearl Powder is a loose powder eyeshadow that feels soft and lightweight. 01 is a sheer pale beige with a very light-reflective pearly finish and multi-colored shimmer. It goes on much lighter than how it looks in the jar, and it is a brightening color that doesn’t create a shadow. It mainly shows up as a veil of pearly shimmer.
It can be used as an eyeshadow base if you like quite shimmery eyeshadow bases. Also, as a pale beige that happens to be quite sheer, it can also be used very light-handedly as a highlighter for the face or as a shimmering powder for the body.
Pencil Eye Liner in 001 is a dark blue-black. It has a velvety finish with a hint of shimmer. It goes on relatively smoothly and is waterproof. The staying power is satisfactory. (There can be minimal movement after a day’s wear.)
It is lovely to see purple, one of my favorite colors and a trendy makeup/fashion shade in the last few seasons, used in Paul & Joe’s holiday makeup pouch for 2009 (Pouch C IV). The purple goes well with the gold, and it nicely shows off the satiny sheen of the fabric. As I mentioned in the earlier post on the collection, I would have liked the gold pattens to be a little more delicate.
Paul & Joe’s holiday 2009 collection also includes two eyeshadow palettes, two new Pearl Powders, the other (of the two) Pencil Eye Liner, and two highlighting powders, and all these items, along with those two reviewed above, are limited editions. On the other hand, the new Lip Lacquer, the re-launched fragrances (Blanc and Bleu), the new bodycare items, and Cosmetic Pouch III are regular items.
(The products featured in this article are provided by Paul & Joe.)
Related posts:
Paul & Joe Spring 2010 Collection
Paul & Joe Fall 2009 Collection
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Last week, I reviewed some of the eye makeup items in Lancôme’s fall 2009 collection. Today, I will share my thoughts on some items from the rest of the collection.
(Color Fever Matte in (from left to right)151, 152, and 153)
A new range of Color Fever lipsticks, Color Fever Matte, is introduced to Lancôme’s lipstick lineup. Aaron De Mey wanted to create lip colors that would be richly pigmented as well as matte in order to maximize the color impact, and Color Fever Matte is the result.
To formulate Color Fever Matte, Lancôme tried to combine a matte finish and a smooth and nourishing texture, two things that don’t always co-exist. I think the end result is quite successful. While delivering a velvety matte finish, they glide on easily and don’t make lips feel or look dry.
Among the three shades, 151 Red Avant-Garde (left) is the most vivid and the closest to cardinal red. 152 Red Paris Paris (middle) is slightly cooler and more rose-toned, and it goes on slightly darker than 151. 153 Red Libertine (right) is the most muted and is perhaps the most wearable for those who don’t usually wear rich reds for the lips.
You can wear these colors with a lip liner for a defined and classic look, but my favorite way to apply them is to keep them just inside the lip line and use the fingertip to blend the color gently towards the lip line to create a softer edge and a more sensual look.
The two new Color Fever Gloss shades in this collection are 026 Pure Gold and 125 Aaron’s Red. Aaron’s red is a vibrant cool-toned shimmer-less red. (It goes on cooler than it appears in the tube.) While imparting a glossy transparency, the color (when worn alone) is very intense and the overall look resembles a lipstick-plus-gloss combination. I think the shade can be compared to that of strawberry jelly, which is color-rich but still transparent. Plus the shade does look mouth-watering…
Pure Gold has a completely different finish. It is a semi-opaque gold with fine multi-colored shimmer, and the richness of the color does resemble liquid gold. One coat of it gives the lips a yellow-based neutral tone. (It is a nice way to create a natural neutral tone for the lips without making them overly pale or ashy.) Two or more coats will start to create a rich gold-foil shine.
Both shades complement Color Fever Matte well. Aaron’s Red adds lip-plumping glossiness to the matte finish, while Pure Gold on the center of the lips makes the lips look stunningly luxurious. (If you don’t want any glossiness on the lips but still want a touch of gold, Aaron suggests using one of the golds in the eye palettes for a glistening gold-dust finish.)
Rose Liberté is created to add a veil of gold to the complexion. Some might be disappointed to know that the vibrant shimmer is an overspray, but I think the softly luminous gold-toned beige powder underneath is much more user-friendly. (I think the overspray, which has the same multi-colored shimmer as that in the Pure Gold Color Fever Gloss, is more suited as an eyeshadow.)
Also in this collection is the Powder Brush, which is designed to help apply not only Rose Liberté but also other loose and pressed powder products. The large fluffy brush feels soft on the face and is angled for more flexibility in the application.
Here are my personal picks from the collection:
– Palette Liberté in Bleu Royauté (signature item of the collection)
– Palette Liberté in Or Liberté (chic and wearable)
– Color Fever Matte in Red Paris Paris (vivid but elegant)
– Color Fever Gloss in Pure Gold (versatile and ultra-glamorous)
One of the demanding tasks of an artistic director of an international beauty brand is to express his/her unique vision as an artist and to create products with a mass-market appeal on a global scale. I think Aaron De Mey has done a great job with Lancôme’s fall 2009 collection. The creative vision is crystal-clear, and the products, thorough which we are able to see his original ideas, not only aim to set trends but also attempt to create classics. I wonder what is going to wow us in spring 2010…
Other fall 2009 makeup collections:
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(SUQQU Cheek Brush and Eyebrow Brush L)
When I first stopped by SUQQU‘s counter in London’s Selfridges in 2006 (which happens to be around the time I started my blog), I was very impressed with the brand’s makeup brush range. The hair of some of the brushes is luxuriously soft, and the range has a good attention to detail. (There are four types of eyebrow brushes and eyeliner brushes.) Today I am reviewing Cheek Brush and Eyebrow Brush L.
– Cheek Brush
This is probably the softest blusher brush that I have ever come across. It is impossible to show the softness of the bristle-heads in the photo, so I will try to describe it in words. The sensation felt from running through the brush hair through the fingers is somewhat similar to that from a gentle breath on the back of the hand. The fingers almost feel a sense of soft, airy and velvety warmth.
In terms of application, there are two things I like about this brush. Firstly, it is smaller than most blusher brushes. The widest part of the brush measures about 2.6 cm, while the longest part (of the brush hair) measures about 3.4 cm. (It is not a blusher brush that can double as a powder brush or a contouring brush.) The fact that it is not too big makes it very easy to focus on the cheek bones and gradually blend the blusher outwards to create a delicate and natural finish.
Secondly, the bristle-heads pick up the blusher powder gently, so it is suitable for applying a very pigmented blusher (especially for someone like me, who can often be (accidentally) heavy-handed with blushers).
– Eyebrow Brush L
SUQQU has four eyebrow brushes. Eyebrow Brush S is the usual small angled brush, and the other three are soft-edged ones, which I think are quite unique. Eyebrow Brush L is the largest one of the four.
I don’t often use the usual eyebrow brushes. I think the hair tends to be rather hard and the lines it creates is usually quite harsh. (I also don’t use an eyebrow pencil.) I usually use a small eyeshadow brush to run through the core/bones of the eyebrows. The look is softer, more natural but still defined.
Eyebrow Brush L is very similar to the eyeshadow brush I use to apply eyebrow powder. It looks like an eyeshadow brush, but the hair is harder so the brush can still give ample core structure to eyebrows.
The photo above is taken from another angle to show the bulk of the brush and the shape of the bristle-heads. There are no hard edges so the brush doesn’t create any harsh lines. It blends the eyebrow powder seamlessly, and it also makes it very easy to fill in gaps in the brows.
Without a doubt, SUQQU’s most popular makeup tool is the Eyelash Curler. However, with their superb quality, I personally think these two brushes, which are beautifully shaped and sized, are definitely among SUQQU’s best products. If you have a chance to stop by a SUQQU counter, do have a look at the brush collection.
(The SUQQU counter in Selfridges regularly holds events for the seasonal makeup collections. You will have a chance to experience the brushes when you book a makeover session during the event.)
Related posts:
The Only Lash Curler I Ever Need
Can’t Live Without – Starbucks Napkins
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(images and info from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)Designer beauty brands like Anna Sui and Paul & Joe often cash in on their fashion roots and release beauty accessories featuring original designs. On February 20th, Jill Stuart will release Pouch Large (Sweet Ribbon). It is a set of a bag pouch and a mini pouch with pink-ribbon pattern and Jill Stuart’s signatures. It will join the brand’s beauty tool lineup, which includes the very popular Compact Mirror and Hand Mirror. (However, the pouch, priced at 4725 JPY, will be a limited-edition item.)
(Jill Stuart Beauty is currently available in Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong. It is scheduled to be launched in the US with a small selection of products.)
Related posts:
Jill Stuart Available in the US
Jill Stuart Moist Silk Liquid Foundation
Loving Japanese Brands – Jill Stuart
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