-Coffret d’Or

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

Do have a look at the update of my post on Coffret D’Or’s early fall 2010 collection swatches for more links to swatches of Beauty C Curve Eyes palettes.

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

If you are interested in Coffret D’Or‘s late summer/ early fall 2010 collection, there are (finally) some swatches of the items at Iswii.net.

Among the five variations of Beauty C Curve Eyes, I am more interested in 02 Rose Pink and 04 Peach Beige. The swatches are very helpful, although they are not really making the decision easier for me.

All the colors in the two palettes other than the lining shades are quite light. I usually base my decision to purchase an eyeshadow palette on the medium (shadowing) shade, and neither of the two palettes has one. (01 and 05 are not really my shades and I seldom wear dark grey (like the one in 03).)

At the moment I am leaning towards 04 but I will probably make the decision after seeing more photos. (I have at least one palette from each eyeshadow palette series from Coffret D’Or and I am not planning to leave a gap in my collection…) I will include other links to photos in this post if I come across any.

Updated on June 29th 2010:

See swatches of 04 Peach Beige at Makeup And Life. Also, see swatches of 01 Gold Brown here and swatches of all the palettes here and here. I still think I will be going for 04…

Other posts with links to swatches:

Lunasol (Nature Color Eyes for Spring 2010) & Addiction

Lunasol Eyeshadow Palette Swatch Galore

RMK Ingenious Powder Eyes & Ingenious Jelly Eyes

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The Color Mixing Eyes (/幻妝眼彩盒) series is part of Kanebo Coffret D’Or‘s summer 2009 makeup collection. Even though 04 Lavender Purple Mix, which I tried first, was not my favorite Coffret D’Or palette, I liked it enough to want to try another one. Also, I was looking for eye palettes with warm neutrals, so I decided to pick up 01 Orange Brown Mix.

The four shades in this palette:

Bottom left: sheer off-white with soft shimmer
Top left: moderately pigmented warm champagne gold with a mildly sparkly finish
Top right: moderately pigmented light-to-medium bronze with soft shimmer
Bottom right: pigmented dark brown with mild shimmer

One of the reasons I decided to go for Orange Brown Mix is that I wanted to try something a little warmer than Coffret D’Or’s 3D Lighting Eyes in Gold Variation. Orange Brown Mix did turn out to be substantially warmer. Between the two champagne golds, the one in Orange Brown Mix is slightly warmer. The bronze in Orange Brown Mix is also warmer than the neutral (not too warm/cool) gold in Gold Variation.

(Even though, with Color Mixing Eyes, the two colors on top of the palettes are supposed to be mixed together, I tend to use them separately for more versatility.)

The light-to-medium bronze can look a little too bronze-y on me at first. But after half an hour or so, the color relaxes and merges with the skin tone. Still looking very warm, it is more of a soft orange-toned bronze than a true bronze.

When the champagne gold and the bronze are mixed together, the champagne gold adds a touch of coolness to the bronze. Plus, the different sizes of shimmery particles give the mixture a nice dimension.

It is hard to decide whether I prefer Orange Brown Mix or Gold Variation. Orange Brown Mix is more vibrant and summery, while Gold Variation is more understated and elegant. They suit different needs and different moods. But, in terms of the texture of the powder and the overall finish, I slightly prefer Gold Variation. The powder is very silky and the gold shade has a beautiful pearly finish.

Overall, Orange Brown Mix is a nice eye palette for warmer months, as the shades bring a summery warmth to the eyes and help brighten up the face. But I think some people will like the palette for winter for exactly the same reason. While I will go back to this palette (regardless of the seasons) from time to time, I will continue to explore warm neutral-toned palettes.

Related posts:

Magie Deco Shadow Brilliance II in DC025 Foxy Lady

RMK Spring Modern Eyes in 03 Orangy Brown

SUQQU Blend Eyeshadow in 10 Sakuragi

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(continued from Part 1 and Part 2)

3. Magie Deco

(image from www.cosmedecorte.com/magiedeco)

(image from www.cosmedecorte.com/magiedeco)


Earlier this year, I finally got my first item from Magie Deco (Shadow Brilliance II in Foxy Lady). It didn’t disappoint me, and I will definitely look out for other things to try. For spring 2010, there are blue, green, and purple as well as more soft neutrals. I particularly like
LC033 White Crystal Opal and DC031 Pink Opal. (White Crystal Opal looks a lot warmer in photos in Biteki than it does in the image above.)

2. Lunasol

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

I tend to be more excited about Lunasol’s palette series for spring than those for fall, and Nature Color Eyes from the spring 2010 collection is another beautifully colorful range from one of my favorite makeup lines in the last ten years. I like the warmth in 03 Nature Brown and the soft colors in 05 Nature Colorful. (If the liner shade in Nature Colorful were a deep purple, I would probably consider buying it.)
1. Coffret D’Or

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

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

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

Among Coffret D’Or’s purple eye palettes, 3D Lighting Eyes in 04 Purple Variation (from the spring 2008 collection) is my favorite and Jewelcious Eyes in 05 Purple Amethyst from the spring 2010 collection is my second favorite. The tone of the purple in Purple Amethyst suits me well and I like its moderate pigmentation level and pearly shimmer. I also like the case design of this palette series.

The Innocent Color Blush reminds us again that Coffret D’Or is the successor to T’Estimo, which released Pure Layer Blush, a loose-powder blusher, for spring and summer 2007. (The cases look nearly the same.)

As I mentioned before, Coffret D’Or overall appeals to me a lot more than T’Estimo. This collection is one of the many reasons why the line has kept me interested for the last few years.

Related posts:

Lunasol Sheer Contrast Eyes in Lavender Coral

Lunasol Summer 2010 Collection

Coffret D’Or Late Summer/ Early Fall Collection

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(Coffret D’Or Beauty C Curve Eyes in 01 Gold Brown)
(images from www.kanebo-cosmetics.co.jp)

The Kanebo website now has the images of the five variations of the upcoming Beauty C Curve Eyes from Coffret D’Or’s late summer/ early fall 2010 collection.
(02 Rose Pink)

(03 Monotone Blue)

(04 Peach Beige)
(05 Khaki Green)

Even though there is no purple palette this time, I am still interested in trying one palette from the range. At the moment I am drawn to the (rather subtle) 04 Peach Beige.

(The Coffret D’Or website has also been updated to feature the late summer/ early fall 2010 collection.)

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(Chanel’s spring 2010 makeup collection)
(image from www.iswii.net)

I nearly decided not to post a round-up of the makeup trends of spring 2010 because, unlike some of the previous seasons, there are not many clear makeup trends for spring 2010.

Nonetheless, one noticeable trend for this season is the continuation of medium-to-warm neutrals from previous seasons. They are relatively easy to wear and they suit many types of complexions. They also suit most occasions and you can wear them later on in summer and in the rest of the year. Chanel and Estée Lauder are two of the brands that have released these wearable neutrals for spring 2010.

(Estée Lauder Michael Kors
Eyeshadow Duo in Blonde Mink)
(image from www.esteelauder.co.uk)

Also, Kosé’s Visée released Glam Nude Eyes, in which all five variations are neutral-based, many of which are warm-toned.
(Visée Glam Nude Eyes)
(image from www.visee.jp)

One related trend that is worth mentioning is the appearance of orange-toned eyeshadow shades from Japanese lines. (All of the three lines mentioned below happen to be under Kanebo.)

Firs tly, apart from the usual neutral options such as BR-1, BR-2, and GD-1 in Kate‘s Gradical Eyes A, there is an OR-1, which is the kind of variation that is less often seen in Japanese cosmetics. I think it is an interesting reinterpretation of wearable warm neutrals.

(Kate Gradical Eyes A in OR-1)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.co.jp)

(Kate Gradical Eyes A)
(image from www.iswii.net)

Coincidentally, the Spring Modern Eyes series from RMK (which is ultimately owned by Kanebo) includes the Orangy Brown variation.

(RMK Spring Modern Eyes in Orangy Brown)
(image from www.rmkrmk.com)

Coffret D’Or already released an orange-toned shade in Color Mixing Eyes’ Orange Brown Mix from summer 2009. The orange trend seems to continue into summer and fall, as it appears that the line’s late summer/ early fall 2010 collection will also feature an orange-toned shade in one of the new Beauty C Curve Eyes palettes.
(Coffret D’Or late summer/ early fall 2010 collection)
(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)

(I will be featuring Coffret D’Or’s Color Mixing Eyes in Orange Brown Mix and RMK’s Spring Modern Eyes in Orangy Brown later on.)

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In the last few seasons, I have been picky about what makeup items to buy. However, I couldn’t resist Coffret D’Or‘s Jewelcious Eyes in 05 Purple Amethyst. Firstly, it is purple, and, secondly, it is Coffret D’Or.

The Jewelcious Eyes series is part of Kanebo Coffret D’Or’s spring 2010 collection, and there are five variations available. I was also interested in 04 Amber Beige, but, after seeing some photos of the palette, I thought that it might be too cool-toned for me.

The four shades in 04 Purple Amethyst are:

Left: sheer off-white with subtle shimmer
Right: moderately pigmented medium purple with pearly multi-colored shimmer
Bottom: well-pigmented dark charcoal-toned purple with sparse shimmer
Center: multi-colored sparkles (with little pigment)

All the colors have a good staying power.

I thought the medium purple might be a little too cool for me, but it actually goes on warmer than it looks in the pan and it turns out to be a shade that suits me quite well.

One of the selling points of this series is the “Jewel Shower” shade in the center of the palette. It is meant to be used over the eyelids as well as along the inner corners of the eyes to add some intense sparkles. I was worried that the sparkles would not stay put on my lids, but they do have a good adherence to the skin and there is very little fallout. The sparkling effect lasts throughout the day. (Personally, I think the shade is better suited for evening makeup.)

(I like the design of the case.)

In terms of the purple shades in the Coffret D’Or palettes that I have, the one in this palette is warmer than the one in Trance Deep Eyes in 04 Grey Variation and cooler than the one in Shine Accent Eyes in 02 Pink Variation. Overall, I prefer this palette to the other two, but I think 3D Lighting Eyes in 04 Purple Variation is still my favorite Coffret D’Or palette.

Related posts on Coffret D’Or:

Late Summer/ Early Fall 2010 Collection

Summer 2010 Collection

Color Mixing Eyes in Lavender Purple Mix

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After talking about items for eyes as well as cheeks and lips, today I am posting the final part of my natural makeup recommendations. The items below are likely to work well for those with combination or oily skin who want a decent semi-matte coverage as well as a fair deal of pore coverage. (I have oily skin and I find it a little easier to recommend products that suit those with combination or oily skin.)

– Estée Lauder Idealist Pore-Minimizing Skin Refinisher (bottom left)

This product is obviously not designed to be a primer, but the silicone-rich formula makes it a good primer. It helps disguise the appearance of pores and creates a soft-focus finish. (If you have very oily skin, be very light-handed with it.)

(I very rarely use primers and Idealist is the one I use the most (only a couple of times a year at most). Also, I don’t use oil-control primers so I don’t really have a personal recommendation.)

ZA Two-Way Foundation (top)

I think this is one of the best powder foundations for those with combination or oily skin and it has been my favorite foundation for years. It has a semi-matte finish, a decent coverage, and a good pore coverage. The sebum-control efficacy and the overall lasting power are fairly good too.

Coffret D’Or Beauty Lasting Pack UV (center)

Compared with ZA Two-Way foundation, it has less coverage but controls sebum better. I like it slightly less mainly because it doesn’t have the level of coverage that I want, but this is an outstanding powder foundation if you need a good deal of sebum-control.

Lavshuca Finish Powder in Lucent (left)

This is the new version of the discontinued Face Powder in Lucent. (The two are very similar.) It mattifies the skin well and has a fairly good pore coverage. It has a subtle redness-neutralizing effect.

Kiss Mat Chiffon Powder (bottom right)

It is as good as Lavshuca’s Finish Powder in Lucent. Between the two, Mat Chiffon Powder is sheerer but has a marginally better pore coverage. I quite like its skin-brightening finish.

Coffret D’Or Makeup Powder (right)

Among the three loose powders here, this is the most natural-looking one. It has a very airy and translucent finish that almost never looks powdered, but it doesn’t control shine or disguise the appearance of pores as well as the two above. (Among the three loose powders, this is the most likely to suit those with a none-oily skin type.)

Related posts:

– If you have a drier skin type, then these items might be worth considering:

Jill Stuart Moist Silk Liquid Foundation

SUQQU Powder Foundation Glow

Lunasol Skin Fusing Powder Foundation

Sofina Powder Foundation Moist Touch

RMK Powder Foundation EX

SUQQU Loose Powder in Natural

– Have a look at my Japanese Base Makeup Week series.

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(image/info from www.nikkei.co.jp)

Kanebo Coffret D’Or will release its late summer/ early fall 2010 makeup collection in Japan on June 16th. The collection features:

– Beauty C Curve Eyes (5 variations)
– Moist Beauty Rouge (10 shades)
– Gloss Coat Stick (5 shades)
– Dual Beauty Blush (3 variations)

Updated on May 12th 2010:

Photos of the five Beauty C Curve Eyes palettes.

Updated on June 25th 2010:

Links to swatches.

Related posts on Coffret D’Or:

Summer 2010 Point Makeup Collection

Spring/Summer 2010 Base Makeup Collection

Spring 2010 Point Makeup Collection

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Late last year, one of my readers suggested that I recommend items for a complete makeup look. I thought that I would recommend items that create a natural look that is suitable for daily wear. Today, I will focus on eye makeup items.

Coffret D’Or 3D Lighting Eyes in Purple Variation (right)

Released in December 2007, it is still one of my favorite eye palettes. The dusky pink and the light lilac are a winning combination. The violet lining shade is one of the most beautiful lining shades I have come across.

Coffret D’Or Trance Deep Eyes in Rose Variation (left)

Try this one if you want a palette that is similar to 3D Lighting Eyes in Purple Variation but with more warmth. (Do note that this palette is more shimmery.)

Magie Deco Shadow Brilliance II in Foxy Lady (top)

This is my recent favorite. It includes soft warm neutrals that create a natural depth for the eyes.

Clinique Naturally Glossy Mascara in Jet Black

It is one of the most natural-looking mascaras that I have come across. It creates subtle length and volume for the lashes, and it has never clumped on my lashes.

SUQQU Eyebrow Brush L

I think this is one of SUQQU’s finest creations. Use this brush with any eyebrow powder that suits you. I like the fact that the brush is able to enhance the structure of the eyebrows without leaving any hard edges.

More recommendations for cheeks & lips as well as the complexion!

(The SUQQU Eyebrow Brush L featured in this post is provided by SUQQU.)

Related posts (other wearable items):

Coffret D’Or 3D Lighting Eyes in Gold Variation

SUQQU Blend Eyeshadow in 10 Sakuragi

Chanel Irréelle Duo in Désert-Rose

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