-Chanel

News in Brief: SUQQU, RMK & Chanel

by PJ on Wednesday, June 3, 2009

in -Chanel, -RMK, -SUQQU, 2009 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics

(image from www.suqqu.com/global)

– SUQQU will release Perfect Eye Makeup Kit tomorrow (June 4th) in London’s Selfridges. The limited-edition kit, retailing for £68, includes a green-toned Blend Eyeshadow EX-02, Mascara Volume Long N EX-01 Green, Eye Make Up Remover (50ml), Eye Cream (4g), Screw Brush, and an original bag. (The eye palette, mascara and screw brush are available only in this kit.)

(image from www.rmkrmk.com)

– RMK‘s makeup collection renewal items will also be available in Selfridges tomorrow. The Ingenious Power/Jelly Eyes retail for £16 and the Ingenious Powder/Jelly Cheeks retail for £19.50. I swatched a few colors and was quite pleased with the texture of the powder. I particularly liked SH-07 Shiny Purple, which has beautifully dimensional shimmer.

(image from www.selfridges.com)

– I stopped by the Chanel counter in Harvey Nichols and one SA confirmed that the Chanel Studio (which used to carry items only available in Asia and North America) had left Harvey Nichols and would be moving to Selfridges. There was no sight of the Tokyo Happening collection in either counter. Instead, the London Madness collection is available.

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Chanel "Tokyo Happening" Collection Available in the US

by PJ on Friday, May 29, 2009

in -Chanel, makeup

(image from www.iswii.com)

Back in March, I posted about Chanel‘s Tokyo-exclusive collection that celebrated the opening of Chanel’s flagship beauty boutique in Tokyo’s Aoyama area.

Two months later, quite surprisingly, it is now available at the Chanel US site. The limited-edition Tokyo Happening collection is identical to the collection in Japan.

The link here will take you to the collection main page. If you are in the US and have been wanting to get your hands on the collection, it might be the time to start clicking…

(Many thanks to my friend Betsy for telling me about this. She has also posted the news and her thoughts on her blog Autumn Masquerade.)

Updated on June 10th 2009:

According to Autumn Masquerade, the Tokyo Happening page on the Chanel US site has been taken down as most items in the collection are out of stock.

Beautiful Lips with Blue Lip Glosses

Chanel No. 5 with Audrey Tautou

Chanel Spring 2009 Makeup Collection

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Chanel No. 5 with Audrey Tautou

by PJ on Thursday, April 30, 2009

in -Chanel, fragrance

Since Chanel No. 5 debuted on May 5th, 1921, it has acquired an iconic status and a cultural significance. Famous faces, such as Marilyn Monroe, Catherine Deneuve and, more recently, Nicole Kidman, have been spokespersons for this timeless creation.

On the coming May 5th, French actress Audrey Tautou will become the new face of Chanel No. 5. The campaign certers on the short firm directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, who also worked with Tautou on Amélie and A Very Long Engagement.

Here is a behind-the-scene preview of the short firm, which will be shown at www.chanelno5.com from May 5th:

(from Chanel)

My Personal Take on Chanel

Chanel Spring 2009 Makeup Collection

Chanel Tokyo-Exclusive Makeup Collection

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Chanel Tokyo-Exclusive Makeup Collection

by PJ on Wednesday, March 25, 2009

in -Chanel, makeup

(images and info from www.iswii.com)

To celebrate the opening of the Chanel beauty boutique in Aoyama, Tokyo, Chanel will release a limited-edition Tokyo-exclusive makeup collection. The collection will include a pressed powder, four shades of Glossimer Lèvres Scintillantes and four shades of Nail Colour. Pink, blue, gold, and silver are the chosen shades for the collection. Everything looks very fresh and lovely, and I can’t take my eyes off the blue-tinted lip gloss!

The boutique in Aoyama will be the largest Chanel beauty boutique in the world and will showcase Chanel’s makeup, skincare, and fragrance products.

If you can’t make it to Tokyo, you might want to know that a very limited quantity of the collection will be available in SOGO (Chung-Xiao branch) in Taipei from April 9th.

Sometimes, Chanel’s Asia-exclusive items are available in the Chanel Studio in Harvey Nichols, London, but I doubt it would be the case with this collection.

Updated on June 10th 2009:

Please check the two posts on further information on this collection here and here.

Updated on June 22, 2009:

Please check out this post for more information on the UK availability.

Beautiful Lips with Blue Lip Glosses

Beauty City Guide: Tokyo

Beauty City Guide: Taipei

Beauty City Guide: London

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Chanel Huile Confort & Lotion Confort

by PJ on Tuesday, March 24, 2009

in -Chanel, skincare, skincare - cleansing/toning

Last month, a reader asked me whether I could talk about products from the slightly revamped Chanel skincare line. (It is mainly the cleansing and toning products that were revamped.) I happened to have got two 12ml trial samples at my local Chanel counter a few months ago, so I had a chance to try out the products. Today I will share my thoughts on them.

The new Chanel cleansing and toning lineup has three sub-ranges: Confort (for dehydrated and sensitive skin), Douceur (for normal-to-combination skin) and Pureté (for combination-to-oily skin). The two products I tried are both from the Confort range.

– Huile Confort Silky Cleansing Oil

This is a typical cleansing oil that is used on dry skin with dry hands to remove all the makeup at once. It makes sense to me that the cleansing oil is in the Confort range. Cleansing oils should suit all skin types but they can be particularly good for those with sensitive and reactive skin, since there is generally less massaging and tugging involved in the application as opposed to using a cleansing gel/milk.

The texture of the oil is relatively light, and it is quite easy to manoeuvre on the face. However, it doesn’t emulsify very well and leaves the face rather filmy and greasy. A face wash is a must in getting all the oily residue off the face. Overall it doesn’t work nearly as well as a few of the other products I have tried, including RMK’s Cleansing Oil, which is among my favorite cleansing oils.

– Lotion Confort Silky Soothing Toner

This alcohol-free toner has an emollient feel on the skin, but it does not feel filmy. It conditions the skin well and doesn’t irritate my skin. Some of the moisturizing ingredients are sodium PCA, alpha glucan oligosaccharide, hydrogenated castor oil and butylene glycol.

This toner should suit most skin types but I think some people with oilier skin types might find to be too emollient. Overall this product works a lot better for me than Huile Confort, but I still prefer Lancôme’s Tonique Douceur, which is less emollient and more calming. I am not considering picking up the full-size product at the moment, but it can be a reasonable backup for me if my preferred toners are discontinued.

Foundation Face-Off: Chanel vs. SUQQU

Chanel Irréelle Blush in Tea Rose

Chanel Ombre D’Eau Eyeshadow in Bay

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Spring 2009 Makeup Trend Report

by PJ on Monday, January 26, 2009

in -Ayura, -Chanel, -Clarins, -Clé de Peau, -Cosme Decorte, -Dior, -Elégance, -Esprique (Precious), -Giorgio Armani, -Jill Stuart, -Kanebo, -Kosé, -Lancôme, -Lunasol, -Magie Deco, -Shiseido, -Shu Uemura, -YSL, 2009 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup trend reports

Partly due to the current world economy, many people are not spending as much money on makeup as before. It is also not surprising that many of us are looking for classic, wearable and trend-resistant colors.

If you are the kind of makeup fan that looks forward to unique shades, you might have already been disappointed with most of this season’s lineups. It seems that, for spring 2009, many brands are coming up with wearable colors that don’t easily date. But I find it very interesting to look into how various brands interpret “wearable colors”, and here are three shades from spring 2009 collections.

– Soft neutrals

(image from www.shiseido.co.jp/cpb)

Brown-toned neutrals will probably never date. This season, neutrals are soft, milky, and not overly intense. Neither too bronze nor too gray, these neutrals have maximal appeal for most complexions.

Some of the loveliest neutral palettes I have come across are from Clé de Peau and Dior. They are soft, elegant, chic, and easy to wear.

(Shiseido Clé de Peau Eye Color Quad
in 121 (top) and 120 (bottom))
(image from www.shiseido.co.jp/cpb)

(Dior 5-Color Eyeshadow in 553 Elégante)
(image from www.iswii.net)

If you want something slightly more intense, try Chanel‘s Les 4 Ombres (Quadra Eye Shadow) in Mystic Eyes from the spring 2009 Bohemian Fantasy collection.

(image from www.iswii.net)

– Pinks

(image from www.giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com)

If you think neutrals are too predictable, try a little bit of pink. Soft light-to-medium pinks that are very slightly on the cool side should give you a youthful and gentle look, as seen above in the ad image from Giorgio Armani‘s Pink Light collection for spring 2009.

Like Giorgio Armani, YSL includes pink in the brand’s only new quad for the season. (Check my previous post to see the main makeup look).

(Palette D’Artiste Colletor Powder for the Eyes)
(image from www.cosme.net)

Jill Stuart regularly brings out pink shades, and this season’s Blossoming Pink collection adds two pink-toned palettes to Jill Stuart’s eye palette lineup.

(Seductive Eyes in 06 Romantic Goddess)
(image from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

(Illuminance Eyes in 06 Blossoming Shine)
(image from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

For an edgier look, try Lancôme‘s Irreverent Madame palette from the brand’s Pink Irreverence collection.

(image from www.lancome.co.uk)

– Lilacs

(image from ep-bko.com)

I think lilacs are just as wearable as neutrals and pinks. Like how we find the right neutrals/pinks, as long as we find the shades with the right color intensity and the right amount of warmth/coolness for our complexions, lilac can be a great everyday eyeshadow color.

Lilac was part of the spring 2008 makeup trend, and, as a lilac fan, I am pleased that it is still a very prominent shade this season, especially in Japanese beauty brands. Beauté de Kosé’s Esprique Precious is using the lilac-toned palette (from the new True Impact Eyes range) in the ad campaign. Lunasol‘s Layer Bloom Eyes in 03 Purple Gradation is also the feature item in the brand’s Floral Purification collection. (In the image below, it seems that the palettes are blossoming under the fresh spring sun.)

(www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lunasol)

In addition, AYURA‘s only new eye palette for spring 2009 is a cool-toned lilac/gray palette, somewhat reminiscent of Maquillage’s Clean Contrast Eyes 2 in SV844.

(image from www.ayura.co.jp)

– Mix & Match

(image from woman.excite.co.jp)

There are quite a few collections that feature two or more of the three colors mentioned above. For example, all four of Elégance‘s eye palettes incorporate pinks, lilacs, and neutrals. (There are one neutral palette, one pink palette, one lilac palette, and one with an off-white pink and an off-white lilac.)

Beauté de Kosé‘s two new Eye Fantasist liquid eyeshadows are of pink and lilac hues:

(image from www.iswii.net)

If you want pink and lilac in the same product, look into Shu Uemura‘s Spring Mode Makeup Eye Palette in Fantasia and the Nature Temptation Eye Palette from Clarins, which also includes some neutrals. (The picture below shows the version sold in Asia. The European/American version also has a pink and a lilac, which are paired with slightly darker shades.)

(image from www.shuuemura-usa.com)

(image from www.joseishi.net/voce)

If the pinks and lilacs above are too pale for your complexion or if you want a more striking look, try Magie Deco‘s Shadow Brilliance palette in 022 Flower Show.

(image from www.cosmedecorte.com/magiedeco)

So, do you like this spring’s trend (or non-trend…), and what colors will you be wearing this season?

More information on the spring 2009 collections featured above:

AYURA
Beauté de Kosé
Chanel
Dior
Elégance
Esprique Precious
Jill Stuart
Lunasol
Magie Deco
Shu Uemura
YSL

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Chanel Spring 2009 Collection

by PJ on Friday, December 5, 2008

in -Chanel, 2009 Spring, makeup

(images and info from www.iswii.net)

Here is a quick look at Chanel‘s spring 2009 makeup collection, titled Bohemian Fantasy. The limited-edition star item for the season is the lip palette, seen below.

(Hydrabase, 6 new shades)

(Aqualumière, 2 new shades)

The collection also includes one new shade of Le Crayon Yeux and one new shade of Inimitable Mascara Waterproof.

Chanel Irréelle Blush in Tea Rose

Chanel Quadra Eye Shadow in Stage Lights

Chanel Irréelle Duo in Désert-Rose and River-Light

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Chanel Holiday 2008 Collection

by PJ on Wednesday, September 24, 2008

in -Chanel, 2008 Holiday, makeup

(all images from www.joseishi.net/voce/)

Chanel will release its holiday 2008 collection in Japan on October 31st in Japan. The star item is Poudre Précieuse Or (above), which is a loose illuminating powder for the face and the body.

The rest of the collection includes:

– Rouge Allure (6 new shades)

– Aqualumière (1 new shade)

– Lèvres Scintillantes (2 new shades)

– Ombre D’Eau (1 new shade)

– La Ligne de Chanel (eyeliner)

– Le Crayon Yeux (1 new shade)

– Le Vernis (1 new shade)

All items are limited editions except the six new Rouge Allure lipsticks.

I think these items will be released in other Asian countries as well as in Japan. For Chanel’s holiday 2008 release information in the US (which slightly varies), please check out the post at Makeup Bag.

Other Holiday 2008 Information:

Dior

YSL

Bobbi Brown

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Thoughts in Brief – Blusher, Primers, and Jasmin Noir

by PJ on Friday, September 12, 2008

in -Bulgari, -Chanel, -Paul & Joe, all about Japanese cosmetics, fragrance, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - blusher

(Les Tissages de Chanel)
(image from www.iswii.net)

I came across some items I was looking forward to testing out in shops earlier this week, and here are my thoughts in brief. (I only tested them on the back of my hands, not on my face.)

– Chanel (Les Tissage de Chanel)

Those of you who find the Irréelle Blush range to be too sheer might be interested in knowing that the powder of this new range is soft and more pigmented. Among the four shades available at the moment, Pink (seen above) and Rose are more of my shades. But Pink is a little too Barbie-pink for me (it is brighter than the color seen above) and Rose is a little too warm for me. Plus, all shades come with gold flecks (I prefer matte blushers). I personally still prefer the Irréelle range and Les Tissages de Chanel is now off my shopping list for the moment.

Even though they are priced at 29 GBP, which is expensive, I think the smooth texture and the shimmer should still tempt many people.

– Paul & Joe (Moisturizing Foundation Primer)

As I was expecting, 01 and 02 seem similar to the previous versions (Foundation Primer N in 01 (reviewed earlier) and 02). I was under the impression that 03, the new shade, would be sheerer and more shimmery, but I wasn’t totally right. It goes on sheer, but it has more or less the same level of (subtle) shimmer as 01 and 02, which is good to know. It is supposed to further condition the skin without adding any color before your foundation and to help the foundation stay on longer.

However, even though the texture of all three shades are basically the same, 03 is formulated differently and has alcohol. It is a real shame. (I nearly decided to buy it.)

– Laura Mercier (Eye Basics)

I tried Eyebright (light blue) and Cotton (off-white cream). I was delighted with the light and almost fluffy texture. It was very easy to blend and I was impressed by how quickly and firmly it set. Also, it didn’t seem to budge, even under a bit of rain. It does seem to be water-resistant, as the Laura Mercier website claims.

– Bulgari (Jasmin Noir)

I like Bulgari’s Voile de Jasmin, and I was looking forward to the new Jasmin Noir. It is deeper and more intense, and it is more of an evening scent that is launched for the right season. It seems to be more complex than Voile de Jasmin and overall it feels less floral. It also smells far less of jasmine than Voile de Jasmin, which I think I like a lot better. (By the way, Harrods was launching B de Boucheron in the fragrance hall. I didn’t like it enough to want to buy it, but to me it was quite appealing.)

You can read more about both Jasmin Noir and B de Boucheron on Now Smell This. (It seems that the reviewer also thinks Jasmin Noir’s jasmine note is faint.)

Chanel Irréelle Blush in Tea Rose

Paul & Joe Fall 2008 Base Makeup Collection

Bulgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert

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Fall 2008 Makeup Trend Report

by PJ on Wednesday, August 13, 2008

in -AQ, -Chanel, -Cosme Decorte, -Dior, -Est, -Kanebo, -Kao, -Kosé, -Lancôme, -Laura Mercier, -Lavshuca, -Lunasol, -Magie Deco, -Maquillage, -Shiseido, -SHISEIDO (Global Brand), -Shiseido The Makeup, -SUQQU, 2008 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, seasonal makeup trend reports

(image from www.chanel.com)

If there is one word that sums up the makeup trends for fall 2008, it is “warmth”. We had grey from fall 2007 and cool lilac and blue from spring 2008, and now we are greeted by opulent gold and red.

Fields of Gold

Chanel leads the pack with a collection with gold in the eye palette, lip gloss, face highlighter, and nail color. It is a decadent shade of gold, although it can be too warm for some complexions. If this is the case with you, items from Lavshuca (Grade Color Select in GD-1) and Shiseido The Makeup (Lip Gloss in G29 Mellow Gold) might suit you better.

(Lavshuca Grade Color Select in GD-1 (among swatches))
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lavshuca)

(Shiseido The Makeup Lip Gloss in G29 Mellow Gold)
(image from www.shiseido.co.jp/themakeup)

Gold is also seen in Vernis Crème de Nacres, two nail products in Lancôme‘s fall 2008 collection that are applied with a special applicator. (I am not entirely certain whether they are sold in North America, but they are already available in the UK.)

(Lancôme Vernis Crème de Nacres)
(image from www.lancome.jp)

Shades of Red

If you are fans of purples, there are still some nice shades from Givenchy, Clarins, Awake and Sonia Rykiel as these beautiful hues continue the trend in spring 2008. But many purples are taking on a much warmer tone for fall 2008 and turning into plum purples. We are also seeing shades of burgundy and red, which, just like gold, are the key shades for this fall.

For plum and burgundy, which still somewhat echo the spring trend, look into the palettes from Laura Mercier, EST, and Magie Deco:

(Laura Mercier Eye Color Trio in Mauve Sunset)
(image from www.lauramercier.com)

(EST Emotional Aura Eyes in 07)
(image from www.kao.co.jp/est)

(Magie Deco Shadow Brilliance in 021 Bordeaux Shadow)
(image from www.cosmedecorte.com/magiedeco)

Apart from gold, Chanel‘s fall 2008 collection also features delicious plums in Rouge Hydrabase in Fantastic Plum and Nail Colour in Fantastic.

While warmer reds are seen in major Japanese brands (like Lunasol and SUQQU below), Dior, always a trendsetter, features a muted warm red in 5-Colour Eyeshadow in #673 Earth Tones:

(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lunasol)

(image from www.suqqu.com/japan.html)

(Dior 5-Color Eyeshadow in 673 Earth Tones)
(image from www.sephora.com)

Mix & Match

If you love experimenting with makeup trends, why not try wearing gold and warm purples/reds to sport both trends at the same time?

(Magie Deco Pure Color in GD076 and RD470)
(image from www.cosmedecorte.com/magiedeco)

(Cosme Decorte AQ Shadow Supreme in 015)
(image from www.cosmedecorte.com/aq)

(Maquillage Forming Shiny Eyes in 54)
(image from www.shiseido.co.jp/mq)

If reds around the eyes don’t suit you, try gold with deep cool violets. It is a beautiful and modern way to wear violets. I am thinking about trying the items below:

(Maquillage Forming Shiny Eyes in 52)
(image from www.shiseido.co.jp/mq)

(Lavshuca Dual Prism Eyes in PU-1 (among the swatches))
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lavshuca)

Last but not least, the two makeup looks for fall/holiday 2008 from Shiseido The Makeup epitomise the key trends for the coming seasons:

(Eyeshadow Quad Shimmer in Q11 (left) and Q12 (right))
(image from www.shiseido.co.jp/themakeup)

This season, I think I will be trying slightly deeper purples (than the ones I have been wearing) as well as platinum golds (not bronze golds). What about you? What shades are tempting you?

Related posts (more red, plum, and lilac):

Coffret D’Or Trance Deep Eyes in Grey Variation
(with a cool medium lilac)

NARS Fall 2008 Collection

ck Calvin Klein Fall 2008 Collection

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