_Bring It Back

It’s Finally Here!! NEW Calvin Klein Beauty Line

by PJ on Thursday, September 27, 2007

in _Bring It Back, -Calvin Klein, makeup

(the new Calvin Klein ad display in Hong Kong)

Here is the first look of the new Calvin Klein Beauty!

A generous reader of mine, Sin, from Hong Kong, sent me these photos of the new Calvin Klein Beauty ad and counter display in Hong Kong. She has very kindly let me post them on my blog.

(the Calvin Klein counter)

(the Calvin Klein counter…
that blusher looks rather cute)

These are great photos, showing the printed ad as well as the makeup line-up. (I can feel my eyes getting closer and closer to the screen…)

Sin also mentioned that the Calvin Klein skincare line will be launched in Hong Kong in December.

Since I wrote about my memories of Calvin Klein cosmetics back in May, I have had some informative comments and e-mails. (Thank you all!) As many of you might already know, Calvin Klein Beauty is re-launching globally. You can read this post for further information. (The post mentions that it will be launched in the UK. Fantastic!)

Again, my sincere thanks goes to Sin for these exciting images! (The photos are from her on-line album. The two other ones, if you are interested, show items of Shiseido Inoui ID.)

I Got It! Calvin Klein Eyeshadow

by PJ on Thursday, September 13, 2007

in _Bring It Back, -Calvin Klein, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, stash focus

(Calvin Klein Eye Shadow in 06 Ivory)

Back in May, I wrote about Calvin Klein Cosmetics to mark the start of my Bring It Back! series. I mentioned I was aware that some on-line shops still carried the line and that I was concerned about the quality (since the line has been discontinued for quite a while).

But, during my trip to Nottingham in June, I was roaming around in a shopping mall and I came across some Calvin Klein makeup products in a cosmetics store! The store had a slightly similar feel to The Company Store in London, which is the Estée Lauder Group outlet store.

I checked the quality of some of the stock, and I was relatively happy. As most of the colors were too dark for my liking, I picked up this matte ivory shade, which is good as a base for other eyeshadows. It can also work as a subtle brow-bone or face highlighter.

This is the only Calvin Klein Cosmetics item I have, and it is a very welcome addition to my white eyeshadow collection!

Fashion City: Nottingham, UK
(Read about a fabulous fashion show I attended there.)

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Bring It Back! Shiseido’s Inoui ID

by PJ on Tuesday, September 11, 2007

in _Bring It Back, -Inoui, -Shiseido, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(one of the beautiful seasonal ad images from Inoui ID)
(photo from www.inouiid.com)

When I heard about Shiseido’s Inoui ID being discontinued earlier this year, my heart sank. (I also read that, upon knowing this, a shell-shocked Japanese Inoui ID fan felt that her nose was almost bleeding.)

I was transported back to Tokyo several years ago. I was in a Shiseido boutique in Shinjuku and sampled many beautiful lines like Emerger, Dignita, and Inoui ID. I picked some Emerger and Dignita items, but somehow decided to skip Inoui ID at the time.

What was I thinking??

Inoui ID was on my shopping list since the beginning of this year when I started to have the vaguest plan to go to Japan again. But sadly I had to cross it out from my list…

I love the bold red packaging. So chic and memorable. Some of their most popular products were the eyeshadow palettes, which featured smooth texture and some great color combinations (I want #30!):

(photo from www.inouiid.com)

I like many of the ad images as well. The one above is one of my absolute favorites. Soft, simple, airy, but still striking and stunning. (Loving the blue eyeshadow!)

I think the discontinuation is simply a marketing decision (a wrong one in my opinion), since Shiseido has been trying to cut down the number of lines by discontinuing some and merging some others. I hope that, Dick Page, the creator of Inoui ID and Shiseido’s current creative director, will come up with something even better!

If you are interested, read about the mourning of a like-minded.

What are your favorite Japanese brands?
(Inoui ID was mentioned!)

Other Bring It Back! posts:

Calvin Klein Cosmetics, Cynthia Rowley, Helena Rubinstein, Bulgari Skincare, and Sephora (back to the UK)…

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The "Bring Back Sephora" Campaign

by PJ on Thursday, August 16, 2007

in _Bring It Back, announcement

(Click on link to sign the petition.)

Oh…Sephora…why did you leave us in the UK?

There were several Sephora stores in the UK, but they all disappeared in 2005…and I miss them!!

Charlotte at Kiss and Makeup has started a “Bring Back Sephora” campaign. You can simply click on the banner above and sign the petition. (It really just takes about 10 seconds…)

It doesn’t matter where you are. Please support us! (Imagine how you might feel if the Sephora shops where you are all disappear suddenly…)

It might not make a huge difference, but we want the voice to be heard!

(At least, like Charlotte said, a Sephora.co.uk would be a great addition!)

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Bring It Back (Sooner)!! Bulgari Skincare

by PJ on Sunday, August 12, 2007

in _Bring It Back, -Bulgari, fragrance, skincare

(My all-time favorite fragrance:

Bulgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert )

First, let me indulge myself and take you through the Bulgari world…

It is a brand that appeals to me on so, so many levels.

Its jewelry is bold and striking but classic and elegant. The contrasts are sublimely complimentary. I can’t imagine anything more beautiful than the Sapphire Flower Collection. (Do have a look through the link above and through Jewels -> Collections -> Sapphire Flower.)

(the cover of the Bulgari jewelry catalog 2005/2006,
featuring a necklace from the Sapphire Flower Collection)

(the front cover/in-fold and back cover of the catalog)

Bulgari’s hotels in Milan and Bali (not that I have been there) look…familiar. I have seen them in my dreams, I think. It is as if the architects and interior designers knew me. Angular and masculine, but somehow feminine and cozy. Again, I love contrasts that gel together.

The staff in Bulgari boutiques are so polite, friendly, and professional, even though all I have done is marvel at the shining things I can’t afford and, once or twice, picked up a fragrance. If I ever have the good fortune and privilege to afford something luxurious, I will not look anywhere else.

I am wearing Bulgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert as I am writing this. It is Bulgari’s first attempt, back in 1992, to enter the world of fine fragrance, and it is still very popular today. With notes from green tea, lemon, orange, lily, rose, and coriander, it is fresh, uplifting, straightforward, and uniquely romantic. It is my perfect daytime scent.

(I love the design of the bottles as well.)

Also, I am wearing it because I am trying to remind myself of the wonderful sensation I got from their skincare line, HydraThé Vitalisant, in which all the items were infused with my favorite scent.

(the Bulgari skincare calalog)

(the Bulgari HydraThé Vitalisant skincare line-up,
from the catalog)

One of my favorite items is Neutralizing Cleansing Gel. Price-wise, it was as expensive as cleansers from Chanel and Dior, but this foamed so incredibly well with so little amount that no other cleanser has lasted longer.

(Bulgari HydraThé Vitalisant Neutralizing Cleansing Gel,
from the catalog)

As for makeup, I don’t think many people remember that Bulgari used to have foundations. (I think the whole skincare/foundation line was discontinued soon after the foundation was launched.) I happen to have samples of Total Performance Cream Foundation SPF 15 PA ++. They will always be part of my Permanent Collection.

(samples of Bulgari Total Performance Cream Foundation)

Unfortunately the line was discontinued several years ago. There are still websites that carry some of the products, but I am simply not interested because the stock must be very old.

Back in June, I planned to write about Bulgari Skincare for my Bring It Back! series. (Two more are planned for September and October.) Interestingly, a few days ago, I was surprised and delighted to find on Women’s Wear Daily that Bulgari will release a new skincare line!

After some brief googling, I found a post on Fashionese Daily (with a photo of part of the line) and another one on CCP Management Consultants Ltd. blog (with some relevant background information). In summary, the line will be launched in October and will only be available in Italy until next year, and there are no plans at the moment to expand the line into color cosmetics. (But I shall remain hopeful.)

I don’t think I will find my favorite scent in the upcoming skincare line, but I am still eagerly waiting for Bulgari to appeal to me on yet another level……

Related Posts:
My Fragrance Favorites
Sheer Stella 2007
Bring It Back: Calvin Klein Makeup, Cynthia Rowley, and Helena Rubinstein

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Bring It Back!! Helena Rubinstein Cosmetics

by PJ on Tuesday, July 10, 2007

in _Bring It Back, -Helena Rubinstein, makeup, skincare, stash focus

(pictured: my HR items…and I want more!)

Helena Rubinstein is the one that said “There are no ugly women, only lazy ones.” Whether you agree with it or not, it cannot be denied she more than made her mark in the beauty industry.

I always think there is a sense of sophistication and intelligence in her makeup line. The packaging during the 1990’s incorporated colors and finishes that resembled marble and gold. There was a great deal of quiet confidence and assertiveness about it, which really appealed to me. The current reflective copper-tone packaging has a very glamorous edge.

Helena Rubinstein’s mascaras (along with Lancome’s Extencil) started the craze for ultra long, voluminous, and curly eyelashes in Japan about a decade ago, lasting all the way until today. HR’s various mascaras have continued to be on the best-selling lists there as well.

Skincare-wise, I used to really like their cleansing and toning products, as they were gentle to my sensitive skin.

I am aware that her cosmetics line is still available in many countries (see the list on the Helena Rubinstein website), but it is no longer available in the UK or US. I really hope it will be available again soon! (By the way, it is available in Japan…that’s one more reason to go to Japan for……)

Any HR product that you have used and liked? Let me know!

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Bring It Back!! Cynthia Rowley Cosmetics

by PJ on Wednesday, June 6, 2007

in _Bring It Back, makeup, stash focus

(pictured: my Cynthia Rowley stash)

What would be the perfect things to say if your makeup could talk to you?

When you open some of the Cynthia Rowley Cosmetics items, the words are:

“You’re so pretty!”

“I Love your eyes!”

“How come you’re so pretty?”

Cynthia Rowley Cosmetics has been discontinued for a while, and I am missing it. It has the kind of beautiful packaging (without over-doing the cuteness) that I really love. The shade of blue is soft and refreshing, and the jewel detail adds a touch of glamor.

The colors are vibrant without being harsh or gaudy. There are a lot of pastel shades in their eyeshadows, and their lipsticks have a good selection of colors.

The brow powder set I have is great. It has two shades of brow powder, a tweezer, an angled powder brush, and a brow brush.

Photos from the Cynthia Rowley Cosmetics catalogue:

I am aware that Cynthia Rowley is launching a one-off collection in fall 2007 for Avon. But, packaging-wise alone, it is not as good as her original line.

If you have used Cynthia Rowley Cosmetics before, please drop me a line and share your experience. It’ll be nice to hear from you!

Also, our charity drive, Comments for a Cure, is still going on today for the final day (June 6th). Come and leave a comment!

Related post: Bring It Back!! Calvin Klein Cosmetics

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Bring It Back!! Calvin Klein Cosmetics

by PJ on Wednesday, May 16, 2007

in _Bring It Back, -Calvin Klein, makeup

(Pictured above and below: pages from
the Calvin Klein cosmetics catalog)

In the beauty world, Calvin Klein is known for some timeless fragrances. But I will always remember the time when their makeup and skincare line was available in department stores.

The packaging, silvery and transparent, is minimal, sleek, and classic, which is consistent with the Calvin Klein style in fashion. Even though I do tend to favor ornate packaging (like Anna Sui and Paul & Joe), minimal packaging, when done well, is just as exquisite.

The colors seem very neutral, grown-up, and sophisticated (in the Bobbi-Brown kind of way, I suppose). No garish colors or ones that are too experimental. I used to think the colors were too mature. But that was many years ago (and time has certainly passed…).

Once in a while, when I sort out my cosmetics catalogs, I’d glance through these pages and wish I could still see the products in shops.

I know that some of these are still available on-line. But the line was discontinued several years ago and I can’t help but be concerned about the stock quality. My wild dream, though, would be for Calvin Klein to re-launch the whole cosmetics line!

If you have used any product from Calvin Klein cosmetics (makeup or skincare) before, please do drop a line and let me know about it.

More posts in the “Bring It Back !” series to come!

Edited on June 3, 2007:
First of all, thank all of you who left comments on this post. Also, it seems that Calvin Klein is indeed launching a new cosmetics line very soon. Read about it here. (My personal thanks go to Jeffrey, who wrote this post and brought my attention to it.) Although I personally think the packaging is not as good as it was, let’s hope that the quality stays the same!

Edited on September 27, 2007:
The new Calvin Klein cosmetics line has been launched in Hong Kong. Read about it and see photos here!

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