-Dior

Dior Pro Face & Eye Creators

by PJ on Tuesday, January 27, 2009

in -Dior, 2009 Spring, makeup

(images and info from www.cosme.net)

On March 6th, Dior will launch Pro Face Creator and Pro Eye Creator in Japan, two luxury items with rather hefty price tags.

The Pro Face Creator includes a blusher, a concealer, a highlighting powder, a shading powder, Backstage Mini Cheek Brush, Backstage Concealer/ Highlighter Applicator, and a gold cannage case.

The Pro Eye Creator includes a choice among 5-Color Designers, 5-Color Eyeshadow Palettes, and 5-Color Iridescent Eyeshadow Palettes, as well as DiorShow Iconic mascara (090), Backstage Eyeshadow Brush M, and a gun-metallic silver cannage case.

It seems that, since Night Diamond and Lady Dior, Dior hasn’t stopped coming up with pricey items. The Pro Face Creator is priced at 12,600 JPY (142 USD, 100 GPB), while the Pro Eye Creator is priced between 16,590 and 16,695 (187 USD and 132 GBP on average), depending on which eye palette a customer chooses. (It doesn’t help when yen is very strong at the moment. This time last year, 12,600 JPY equaled 118 USD and 59 GBP.)

At the moment, I am not sure if both items will be sold outside Japan. (Any Dior set that involves a customer’s choice of color is usually exclusive to Japan.) If the Pro Face Creator is available internationally, I will be very interested in its prices in various countries.

Dior Luxury Holiday Collection 2008

TOTALLY DIOR Cannage (Holiday 2007)

My Personal Take on Dior

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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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Stash Update – Lady Dior

by PJ on Monday, January 26, 2009

in -Dior, 2009 Spring, makeup, stash focus

(image from www.iswii.net)

After a lot of consideration (including three visits to my local Dior counter and deleting a few items on my spring makeup shopping list), I picked up Lady Dior from Dior’s spring 2009 collection last week.

I will be sharing my thoughts on it with you next week, so do stay tuned!

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NEW SERIES: From My Treasure Chest – Dior Princess Ring

by PJ on Tuesday, January 13, 2009

in _From My Treasure Chest, -Dior, makeup, makeup - lip color

As promised in my two-year anniversary post, I am launching a new series. “From My Treasure Chest” will take you through some of my favorite items in my makeup collection. It will give me a chance to share with you my thoughts on some of my makeup items that I got before I started my blog.

(This series is mainly an extension from my posts on Clarins’ Palette Impression and Aube’s Astral Rouge. It is also partly inspired by Betsy’s Archive series at Autumn Masquerade and The Muse’s posts on past holiday collections at Musings of a Muse. Do check out their wonderful posts.)

I decided to start the series with possibly my favorite Dior limited-edition item, Dior Princess Ring.

Dior Princess Ring was part of Dior’s summer makeup collection in 2005. It was not the first seasonal limited-edition item I bought from Dior, but it was probably the one I bought with the least planning and hesitation. I hadn’t come across any information on the collection before I saw them at a Dior counter, and I immediately went for the pink one (#001), which included a plum lip color and a pink lip gloss. (The blue one (#002) featured two eyeshadows.)

I remember that statement jewelry was very popular in that year, which is possibly partly why Dior came up with this design. As the princess cut is my favorite cut, I particularly like the shape of the ring. The tiny crystals and the mirror in the middle nicely bounce the light off, making this ring a lovely item to play with under the light.

The satisfyingly heavy and substantial-looking ring also comes with a short chain so the ring can double as a bag charm (although the face of the ring always faces downward when the chain is attached to a bag).

After the Princess Ring (and a few previous items), Dior continued to release “wearable” makeup products, which I have collected quite a few of, but this one has remained my favorite. Every season, I look forward to the new limited-edition star item, but, at the same time, I like this ring so much that, in a way, I almost don’t want Dior to come up with something even more lovely…

(However, I should be seeing Dior’s Lady Dior in person in a couple of days, and I do have high hopes for something that is about twice as expensive as the Princess Ring…)

Dior Night Diamond (Holiday 2008)

Dior Golden Dior (Summer 2008)

Dior DiorLight (Holiday 2007)

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Holiday 2008 Makeup Top 10 (Part 3)

by PJ on Thursday, December 25, 2008

in -Dior, -Guerlain, -Paul & Joe, 2008 Holiday, seasonal makeup top 10

(continued from Part 1 and Part 2)

Happy Holiday everyone! Today I will conclude my holiday 2008 makeup countdown.

3. Paul & Joe

(image from www.paul-joe-beaute.com)

I do like an abundant holiday collection, and Paul & Joe shows us how to bring out one. The collection includes a good range of makeup items as well as fragrance and body products. I saw these items in person last month, and both the Eye Gloss and Pearl Powder have a beautiful finish.

2. Guerlain

(image from www.guerlain.co.jp)

I think Guerlain’s 2008 holiday collection, with the beautiful silvery lilac cases and some gorgeous shades, is even more stunning than last year’s gold-themed collection. I like all the shades in the eye palette, but, in order to stay under my annual makeup budget, I decided not to buy it. But I might see it again in the summer/winter sale next year. (I found it surprising that I still saw items from Guerlain’s Pucci collection (from summer 2007) at the summer sale this year…)

(In Japan, the lipstick and the eye palette above are sold as a set, with a limited-edition clutch bag.)

1. Dior

Dior’s seasonal star item is always among the makeup products I look forward to the most, and this year Dior has done it again. Even though last year’s DiorLight pendant is equally nice and sparkly, I find it hard to display with its wobbly round shape and the non-detachable strap. (So it is stored in my makeup drawer at the moment). Not this compact, which is displayed next to some of my other Dior stash.

The rest of the collection, including some eye-catching palettes, is just as beautiful. The two 5-color eye palettes have also been selling well in the UK. I am quite sure that, in 2009, Dior’s new releases will still be worth waiting for.

Spring 2009 collections from:

Paul & Joe

Guerlain

Dior

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Dior Spring 2009 Makeup Collection

by PJ on Wednesday, December 10, 2008

in -Dior, 2009 Spring, makeup

(images and info from www.iswii.net)

Calling all Dior star item collectors…

Here is a look at Dior’s spring 2009 makeup collection. The star item of the season is Lady Dior, inspired by the iconic Lady Dior bag, which is among my favorite Dior accessory designs. The cream-based palette comes in two versions, both including a highlighter and a shade suitable for cheeks and lips. I have my eye on the one with the beautiful red (above).

(Lady Dior bag)
(image from www.dior.com)

The collection features soft milky beige tones for the eyes. I have to say these are the kind of neutrals that really appeal to me. There will be one new 5-Color palette (with beige tones) and one new 5-Color Iridescent palette (with slightly more varied shades.) I find the beige palette (below) surprisingly beautiful (and comforting) to look at. I can’t wait to see it in person.

The collection will also include new shades of Rouge Dior, Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss Reflect, Dior Addict High Shine, Crayon Eyeliner, Lip Liner, and nail colors.

I have been building up my Boots points, and I am ready for Lady Dior!

Do check out this report to see more photos of the collection (particularly the nice size of Lady Dior palettes).

Other Dior seasonal star items:

Night Diamond (holiday 2008)

Golden Dior (summer 2008)

DiorLight (holiday 2007)

Other spring 2009 makeup collections:

Chanel

YSL

Guerlain

{ 15 comments }

Dior Luxury Holiday Collection 2008

by PJ on Tuesday, November 18, 2008

in -Dior, 2008 Holiday, makeup

(image and info from woman.excite.co.jp)

For the holiday season in Japan, Dior usually releases a luxury set which allows customization of part of the contents. Last year, customers were able to choose the lipstick and nail varnish they liked for the TOTALLY DIOR Cannage set. This year, the Shimmering Party Makeup collection includes:

– any lipstick (from Dior Addict High Shine, Dior Addict High Color, or Rouge Dior range)
– eyeshadow single (limited-edition shade only available in this set)
– Diorshow Powder in 001
– silver mirror
– silver pouch

The set is priced between 8400 (87 USD) and 8610 JPY, depending on the choice of lipstick. It is a lot cheaper than the Cannage collection in 2007, which was around 300 USD and featured a much more luxurious-looking bag. Maybe this is partly due to the current economic climate…

Dior Holiday 2008 Collection

Dior Night Diamond for Holiday 2008

Golden Dior Luminizing Makeup Jewel

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Holiday 2008 Focus – Dior Night Diamond

by PJ on Monday, November 17, 2008

in -Dior, 2008 Holiday, makeup, makeup - base makeup - powder, stash focus

As some of you might already know, I like many of Dior’s seasonal limited-edition items. For holiday 2008, after seeing the initial images of Night Diamond Allover Diamond Dust, I was pretty sure I would be getting it. (Please also check the link above to see all the collection updates.)

Dior’s holiday 2008 collection was out in the US much earlier than in the UK. It was released here about two weeks ago and I got the Night Diamond powder as soon as it was available.

In the US, only 001 Beige Diamond is sold, but in the UK (and the rest of Europe, I think) and in Asia, there is also 002 Pink Diamond. The one I have is Beige Diamond.

Beige Diamond is a pale champagne gold with multi-colored shimmer. The finish is shimmery without being overly sparkly. (I also tested Pink Diamond at the counter. It goes on as a very shimmery platinum and looks noticeably more sparkly than Beige Diamond. It doesn’t look particularly pink when worn.)

I actually haven’t used Beige Diamond on my face yet. (Unlike a few other Dior seasonal limited-edition items, I will be using this one…but I will wait until a bit later to dip in.) Based on the light swatches on the back of my hand, it seems that the shimmery particles are quite fine and the effect looks dimensional rather than flat.

I also like the design of the case. With all the bling, the case still manages to look elegant and it definitely oozes glamour. The metal case is also quite heavy, which I like. It certainly has a very substantial look and feel.

The compact also comes with a brush (which is not stored in the compact). Both have their own velvet pouches.

Usually, Dior releases items for lips for the holiday season (wristband-style bracelet for 2002, ID tags for 2003 and 2004, dice charm for 2005, heart charm for 2006, and necklace for 2007). This is the first time in years that we are getting something pure and simple (although very bejewelled) that doesn’t double as something else. But my other half did say that it is heavy enough to be a paper weigh. (What a luxurious paper weigh it would be…)

(Both my friends The Muse at Musings of a Muse and Betsy at Autumn Masquerade have reviewed Night Diamond Beige Diamond on their blogs. It seems that we all like it!)

My Personal Take on Dior

Dior Eyeshadow Duo in DiorLagoon

Dior Diorissime Palette

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Dior Holiday 2008 Update (4)

by PJ on Thursday, October 23, 2008

in -Dior, 2008 Holiday, makeup

Just in case you haven’t seen them on-line or in the shop, here are some more images of Dior’s holiday 2008 collection. (All images are from woman.excite.co.jp.)

Please see my first post on the collection to see all the photos and the updates.

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Dior Holiday 2008 Update (3)

by PJ on Saturday, September 27, 2008

in -Dior, 2008 Holiday, makeup

(all images from www.iswii.net)

Here are a few more photos from Dior’s holiday 2008 collection. The photo above is a close-up of the Holiday Collection Makeup Palette that I mentioned in an earlier post.

The photos below show more palettes from the collection. These are similar to the ones from last year. I am not certain if they are global releases. If the ones from last year were available where you are, chances are that you are probably going to see these new ones later. (By the way, the 2007 ones were sold in the UK, and I’d say I will be expecting to see them in October.)