beauty tools/accessories

Makeup Review – SUQQU Eyelash Kit

by PJ on Friday, December 5, 2008

in -SUQQU, all about Japanese cosmetics, beauty tools/accessories, makeup, makeup - mascara, skincare, skincare - cleansing/toning

Since SUQQU was launched in September 2003, some products have, one after another, become the brand’s most talked-about items. Among them, one that some of you have told me about is the Eyelash Curler. Currently, it is included in SUQQU’s Eyelash Kit, which I am reviewing today.

The SUQQU Eyelash Kit includes:
– Eyelash Curler
– Mascara Volume Long in EX-01 Green
– Screw Brush
– Eye Makeup Remover (travel-sized, 50ml)

The items come in a roll-up folder, which is presented a bucket pouch. The curler doesn’t come with refills but they are available separately at the SUQQU counter.

First, the Eyelash Curler. The problem I have with eyelash curlers of this design is that they simply do not get to the two ends of my lashes, and it seems that SUQQU’s version has the same issue. The curler does give a flattering curve to the lashes and the rubber pad seems very sturdy and durable, but I have to position the curler in so many angles to get to the two ends of the lashes that it takes a lot of time to achieve a finished look. Also, my middle lashes end up being curled for too many times and the curl looks slightly less natural.

According to what I have heard in the past few years, this curler does work well for most people, but unfortunately it doesn’t perform well enough for me. I have to say I still much prefer the precision lash curler that I previously talked about. It is much more efficient to use and I can achieve a natural fan-like curve in a very short amount of time.

SUQQU has three kinds of mascaras: Volume, Long, and Volume Long. (All three are water-resistant.) The one in this kit is a Volume Long version in a limited-edition green shade. On my dark lashes, the green pigment doesn’t show up very much, but I do like the soft look and it doesn’t clash with eyeshadows of other shades. For me, this mascara, which contains fibers, does a better job at building up length than adding volume. (The Separate Curl Mascara in RMK’s Christmas Palette 2008 delivers more volume.)

The Screw Brush and Eye Makeup Remover are very good additions to the kit. The brush is surprisingly soft and separates lashes nicely. (It is also a very good eyebrow brush if you find the bristles of most eyebrow brushes to be too hard and scratchy.) The Eye Makeup Remover has a bi-phase formulation, which I always like. It takes off the Volume Long Mascara very easily, and it doesn’t feel greasy or irritate my eyes.

Overall, this is a good kit to try if you are interested in both the Eyelash Curler and the mascara. (The Kit is priced at £40, which is the prices of the two items combined.) This kit is a limited edition and is currently still available at the SUQQU counter in Selfridges on London’s Oxford Street.

SUQQU Holiday 2008 Collection

SUQQU Spring 2009 Collection

Review: SUQQU Fall 2008 Collection Part 1 & Part 2

{ 4 comments }

Newsflash: EcoTools Available in the UK

by PJ on Wednesday, November 12, 2008

in beauty tools/accessories, makeup

(EcoTools makeup brushes)

Earlier in April, I reviewed makeup brushes from EcoTools, which are made of animal-free bristles and recycled aluminum. I particularly like the Blush Brush and Eye Shading Brush, as they are dense and very soft for the face. Now these products can be purchased in the UK at Tesco and Superdrug stores.

Purple Dot Makeup Brushes

The Only Eyelash Curler I Ever Need

{ 8 comments }

Can’t Live Without: Starbucks Napkins

by PJ on Thursday, May 15, 2008

in _Can't Live Without, beauty tools/accessories

(Face savers…)

“Why is PJ showing a photo of paper napkins?” you may ask…

These napkins are a hugely indispensable part of my daily beauty-maintenance routine, because they are the best oil-blotting paper I have ever used and only Starbucks has the kind that I like.

It all happened more than 10 years ago when I forgot to carry oil-blotting paper and I had to make do with one of these napkins to matte out the shine. But, to my surprise, it was so absorbent and worked so efficiently that my remaining stock of blotting paper was then left untouched for years.

Made with 100% recycled paper in a bleach-free process, these napkins work very well as blotting paper and normal tissue paper simply can’t compare. One sheet is more than enough for a whole day running around outdoors during summer.

If you have oily skin and need several sheets of blotting paper at a single “blotting session”, do try one of these next time. But do be gentle, since these napkins are obviously not designed for the face and the texture is coarser than the usual blotting paper. (But, interestingly, I have noticed that the Starbucks napkins are getting thinner and softer over the years…)

Other things I can’t live without:

ZA Two-Way Foundation

RMK Cleansing Oil N

Garnier Hand Cream

Dove Body Silk

{ 16 comments }

Product Review: Purple Dot Makeup Brushes

by PJ on Friday, May 2, 2008

in beauty tools/accessories

(From left to right:
Small Powder Brush, Foundation Brush,
Flat Blender, Lip Brush)

Purple Dot is a UK-based professional makeup brush and bag line. Today I am reviewing four makeup brushes from their collection.

First of all, all the brushes are very sturdily made, and there has been no hair fallout in the last few weeks of trial. Among the four, the Foundation Brush and the Lip Brush are my favorites. The Foundation Brush (with synthetic hair) is very well-shaped, as the tip is flat enough for a precise application around the eye, nose, and lip area. (With a foundation brush, I usually use a combination of very short strokes and gentle taps to avoid brush marks and foundation settling into the pores. This brush works well with this particular way of application.)

When I saw the Lip Brush (with sable hair), I knew it would be right for me. Some lip brushes have hair that is too long and slightly too soft and they make it hard to pick up color from a lipstick. The hair of this brush is short and has a good bounce, making lip color application efficient and precise.

The Small Powder Brush (with raccoon hair) and the Flat Blender (with sable hair) do their jobs decently, but I feel that some improvement will make them a lot better. Despite the good density, the hair of the Small Powder Brush (which I mainly use to apply a blusher) is a little too hard for a powder brush.

Even though the Flat Blender is ideally shaped, the bristle-heads are not optimally soft to the touch for the delicate eye area.

Overall the quality of the brushes is fair and there are a couple of very good ones. If you regularly use a foundation brush or a lip brush and want to invest in a good one, the ones from Purple Dot are definitely worth considering.

EcoTool Makeup Brushes
(If you are looking for a medium eyeshadow brush or a blusher brush, then do check out this review.)

My Seven Most-Used Makeup Brushes

The ONLY Eyelash Curler I Ever Need

{ 6 comments }

Too Cute – Daisy Marc Jacobs pour Sephora

by PJ on Wednesday, April 16, 2008

in -Marc Jacobs, beauty tools/accessories, fashion, fragrance

(Daisy Marc Jacobs pour Sephora)
(image from www.sephora.com)

When I saw the items from the Daisy Marc Jacobs pour Sephora collection, I found myself clicking on each of the items and doing that all over again…

Daisy is not my favorite Marc Jacobs fragrance, but I like the design of the bottle and these items are also seriously cute.

I think the two cases appeal to me the most, especially the round Treasure Beauty Case:

(Daisy Marc Jacobs pour Sephora
Treasure Beauty Case)
(image from www.sephora.com)

I know it is a borderline cuteness overload, but I really like the look of it. I wish Sephora could specify the dimensions of this case, so I can visualize it right in front of me…not that I haven’t been doing that enough already…

This is not my first time to write about Marc Jacobs, and it probably won’t be the last. I enjoyed my trip to the first Marc Jacobs boutique in the UK last year, and I think I will talk about one of my favorite Marc Jacobs fragrances later on…

(Thank you, Betsy (at Autumn Masquerade), for letting me know about this collection!)

Some doses of fashion:

“The new way of selling clothes seems to be not wearing them.”

Budget Favorite: River Island

UK Fashion Hotspot: Nottingham

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Product Review: EcoTools Makeup Brushes

by PJ on Saturday, April 5, 2008

in beauty tools/accessories, makeup

(From left to right: EcoTools Powder Brush, Blush Brush,
Foundation Brush, Eye Shading Brush,
Eyeliner Brush, and Lash and Brow Groomer)

When it comes to makeup brushes, I don’t mind if the hair is natural or synthetic. As long as the bristles are well-shaped, soft to the touch, and with the right bounce for the particular purpose, I think both natural and synthetic hair can potentially make good makeup brushes.

EcoTools is a line of makeup brushes and bath accessories made of materials that minimize the negative impact on the environment. With their makeup brush collection:

– The brush hair is made of animal-free taklon bristles.
– The handle is made of bamboo (which has a low impact on the environment and is highly sustainable).
– The metallic ferrule is made of recycled aluminum.

My favorites among them are the Blusher Brush and the Eye Shading Brush. The hair of the Blush Brush is very soft and dense and the brush picks up blusher powder easily and evenly. The brush is well-shaped so the blusher goes on very naturally and evenly.

The bristles of the Eye Shading Brush are soft and have a good bounce. I also like the fact that the tip of the brush is quite flat so it can help with a more precise eyeshadow application where needed.

I also like the Eyeliner Brush. The brush tip picks up powder easily and allows a fairly precise application. I generally find an angled eyeliner brush easier to use than a flat one. Plus the width of the brush tip is narrow enough for an easy application around the lash line.

The Foundation Brush and the Powder Brush are of fair quality, but I think it would be better if the Foundation Brush had a flatter tip and if the hair of the Powder Brush could be slightly denser.

The only item that might need some substantial improvement is the Lash and Brow Groomer. I feel that the bristles are quite hard to the touch and a little too stiff compared with some other brow brushes (even though a brow brush is meant to be relatively stiff).

The brushes are reasonably priced. The most expensive piece, the Powder Brush, is priced at 7.99 USD.

Overall, most of the EcoTools makeup brushes offer good choices at affordable prices. Whether your eco-friendly mindset extends to your beauty regime or not, these brushes are worth a look.

(Please check their website (link above) for the US stock list.)

My Makeup Brushes
(the sensational seven)

The Only Eyelash Curler I Ever Need
(precise and thorough)

{ 6 comments }

The ONLY Eyelash Curler I Ever Need

by PJ on Wednesday, November 14, 2007

in beauty tools/accessories, makeup, stash focus

(Here it is.)

One of my readers suggested that I review my eyelash curler, so I decided to share with all of you this little useful tool.

I bought this such a long time ago that I don’t remember which brand it is from. I only remember that it is from a very inexpensive Japanese drugstore beauty tool brand. There are many such brands in Japan as well as in other Asian countries, and it is generally not hard to get something similar.

(the narrower curler)

This is usually called a narrow curler or a precision curler. The curler itself measures about 0.8 cm. It doesn’t grab and curl all the lashes at the same time. Instead, it curls a portion of the lashes at a time.

(measuring about 0.8cm)

The best thing about this kind of curler is that it can really get to the lashes at the two ends. Also, I can have an optimal control as to the exact extend and angle of the curl I want from different sections of my lashes.

Plus, sometimes the curve of a normal curler might not suit everyone. This is absolutely not an issue here. This is something that I think everyone can use to get the most beautifully naturally curled lashes.

With all these wonderful merits, this is my first and only eyelash curler, and I have never needed another one!

If you are interested, Japonesque and Seki Edge carry very similar versions.

My Makeup Brush Stash
(See my beloved makeup brushes.)

You Mean It’s NOT Real?
(Have your say!)

Spotlight on Mascaras
(featuring Dior, YSL, Max Factor, and L’Oréal)

{ 20 comments }

My "Sensational Seven" Makeup Brushes

by PJ on Wednesday, September 26, 2007

in -Ayura, -Shu Uemura, all about Japanese cosmetics, beauty tools/accessories, makeup, stash focus

(my most used brushes…)

Last week, a reader asked whether I could talk about the makeup brushes I use. Then I realized I had never mentioned these “hairy” friends who have been helping me putting together my makeup.

One of the reasons that I haven’t talked about them is simply that I don’t have a lot of them. All I have are the basics, and I make do with them. Also, some of them are not really available now, but I will focus on what you can get your hands on.

First of all, a couple of years ago, I bought an Ayura set that included a limited-edition brush set. The brushes came in this lovely brown holder:

(my Ayura brush set)

The set has 6 brushes, for cheeks, eyes, and brows. These are not the kind of sparse, scratchy, and coarse brushes often included in many gifts with purchases. They are soft and fluffy, and they have proven to be durable and easy to use.

(the six brushes in the set)

I use the four on the right very regularly. They and three others make up my “sensational seven”:

(the Sensational Seven)

(a close-up)

(numbered for you)

— #1, #3, #4, and #5 are from the Ayura brush set. I don’t think the set is available anymore so I’ll be brief with these. #1 is a soft blusher brush that I have been counting on for all my powder blushers. #3 and #4 are solid and bouncy eyeshadow brushes that never feel scratchy. #5 is a great flat brush for lining the eyes.

— #2 is Ruby & Millie Eye Brush [Large]. (I remember it costs about £9 (about 18 USD).) Ruby & Millie is a makeup line sold exclusively in Boots stores in the UK. Last year and this year, the Ruby & Millie makeup brush collection is chosen by InStyle Magazine UK as “the best inexpensive brush line“. I can definitely see why. Budget brush hunters will love some of these brushes. In particular, this eyeshadow brush is thick and dense (thicker than #3). It is good for eyeshadow application for larger areas and for overall blending.

— #6 is Shu Uemura eyebrow brush (6 OB). I’ve had this for at least 7 years and it still performs well. This eyebrow brush is slightly softer than those from MAC and Bobbi Brown, both of which I think are too hard. The brush tip is nicely slanted for easy application.

— #7 is RMK Lip Brush. This one is retractable and very easy to carry around. The very flat tip allows a precise application. I’d like the hair to be shorter and slightly denser, but it is a minor complaint for a brush that I have been very used to for years.

I have some other brushes but these are the ones I depend on the most. I am not really on the lookout for any new brush, but sometimes I fancy an alternative blusher brush (I am a blusher person) and an angled face shading/contouring brush. Any suggestions? Let me know!

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