-Jill Stuart

Jill Stuart Cosmetics Available in the US Soon

by PJ on Wednesday, September 10, 2008

in -Jill Stuart, all about Japanese cosmetics

(Illuminance Eyes and
Mix Blush Compact Illuminance)

Thanks to The Muse at Musings of a Muse and Jazmin at Makeup Moxie, I learned that Jill Stuart Cosmetics will be available in the US next year.

The report comes from The Wall Street Journal, which also suggests that the line will be launched in Hong Kong soon. (Jill Stuart’s beauty line is currently sold in Japan and Taiwan only.)

According to the report, the prices of the small selection of the line available soon in the US will be between 15 and 50 USD. It appears that the prices will be similar to those in Japan. (The Illuminance Eyes palette (pictured above) is among the more expensive Jill Stuart items and is priced at 5250 JPY, which is currently about 49 USD.) But it will depend on exactly what will be available in the US.

I think it will be interesting to see how well this edited version of the line does in the US and, more importantly (if the full line is introduced to the US), whether the overall direction of the line, from colors to packaging, will be modified to appeal to customers in both Asia and the US. We’ll soon find out.

Again I ask the question…will it make it to Europe? At the moment, I don’t think so…

Possible Jill Stuart Launch in the US?
(back in June 2007)

Jill Stuart Breaks Record

Loving Japanese Brands – Jill Stuart

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Jill Stuart Fall 2008 Makeup Collection

by PJ on Wednesday, July 16, 2008

in -Jill Stuart, 2008 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(Illuminance –
Jill Stuart fall 2008 makeup Collection)

(All images are from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

Jill Stuart has updated the official website to include information and images of its fall 2008 makeup collection. The collection includes:

– Illuminance Eyes palettes (5 variations, #05 limited-edition)
– Mix Blush Compact Illuminance (2 variations, both limited editions)
– Lip Luster (3 new shades)
– Nail Color N (5 new shades)

(Illuminance Eyes and
Mix Blush Compact Illuminance)

(Illuminance Eyes)

(Mix Blush Compact Illuminance)

Jill Stuart obviously knows what works and has released new editions of eye palettes and blushers. Both are among the brand’s best-selling items. The packaging varies minimally, with slightly different case designs and an added charm for the blusher brush.

However, just like the packaging, I am not seeing anything substantially different from past collections. I feel that I have seen almost all these palettes before, and it seems almost as if the gold prints are added to existing shades of the blusher. (By the way, the information sent to Jill Stuart Club members in Taiwan very clearly (and commendably frankly) states that the gold prints will gradually wear off.)

There is no doubt that this is an extremely beautiful and dreamy collection and that these items will sell well. But I suspect some Jill Stuart fans might be slightly disappointed with the fact that the brand hasn’t been trying hard to come up with new and slightly more creative product designs. In a way, the brand has been so successful that there is probably no need to, at least for the moment.

Hopefully there will be nice surprises for the holiday and (especially) the spring 2009 collection. As a fan, I will remain positive.

Other fall 2008 makeup collections from Japan:

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Jill Stuart Fall 2008 Makeup Collection

by PJ on Wednesday, July 2, 2008

in -Jill Stuart, 2008 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

Please check out this blog post for photos of Jill Stuart’s fall 2008 makeup collection. The collection includes eye palettes, blushers, lip colors, and nail polishes.

I will share my thoughts on this collection after I see more photos of it on the latest issues of Biteki and Voce, which I will be receiving very soon.

Jill Stuart Breaks Record

Jill Stuart Moist Silk Liquid Foundation

Loving Japanese Brands – Jill Stuart

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Foundation Face-Off (3) – Jill Stuart vs. SUQQU

by PJ on Wednesday, May 21, 2008

in -Jill Stuart, -SUQQU, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation

(Jill Stuart Smooth Silk Powder Foundation
& SUQQU Powder Foundation Fresh)

Today I am bringing you the third foundation face-off, this time between Jill Stuart’s Smooth Silk Powder Foundation and SUQQU’s Powder Foundation Fresh. Both are spring/summer 2008 releases.

(A note on my foundation concerns, preferences, and habits to set the perspective for the review: I have oily skin which is prone to some slight redness. I prefer powder foundations that control shine well, offer at least medium coverage, and have decent pore coverage. I usually don’t wear a primer or a concealer.)

Basics

– Jill Stuart Smooth Silk Powder Foundation: SPF 20/ PA ++, 5 shades
– SUQQU Powder Foundation Fresh: SPF 27/ PA ++, 6 shades

Finish

Jill Stuart has a very soft-focus and glowy finish, while SUQQU gives a luminous matte finish. Neither has visible shimmer.

Texture

Jill Stuart’s powder is very smooth and velvety and has an almost-moist feel. SUQQU’s powder is slightly drier but it is still quite silky.

Coverage

Jill Stuart offers a nearly-medium coverage, which I am quite happy with. SUQQU offers a good medium-to-full coverage. I feel that SUQQU covers my mild redness better than Jill Stuart, but I think this might be only because the SUQQU shade I tried, #25, is more yellow-based than Jill Stuart’s #103.

Pore Coverage

Jill Stuart’s pore coverage is satisfactory, while SUQQU’s pore-concealing ability has some room for improvement.

Shine Control

For me, this is usually the deciding factor on a foundation. Here, the luminous and glowy Jill Stuart fails to impress me as it has very little shine-control ability. Even a good matte loose powder can’t keep the shine away (my face becomes shiny within an hour) and constant touch-ups are a must for me.

On the other hand, even though SUQQU’s shine control is not the best that I have experienced, at least it is what I would expect from a spring/summer powder foundation release from a Japanese brand, which is usually more about sebum control than a fall/winter release. (Again, out of all the foundations featured in the face-off posts along with the ZA Two-Way Foundation, Coffret D’Or’s Beauty Lasting Pact UV offers the best shine control.)

Staying Power

Neither of them darkens overtime or loses the coverage too quickly, but, as mentioned above, Jill Stuart’s silky smoothness turns shiny very quickly on me, making it a very high-maintenance foundation for my oily skin.

Between the two, I favor SUQQU Powder Foundation Fresh. It offers good coverage and decent shine-control, and it stays on well throughout the day. A good loose powder can easily enhance the pore coverage. I think this should be a good powder foundation for most skin types. As for Jill Stuart’s Smooth Silk Powder Foundation, I wouldn’t recommend it if any part of your face tends to be on the oily side, as it doesn’t control shine and the glowy finish will make shine appear more obvious.

(I’d like to thank my friend Betsy at Autumn Masquerade for very kindly sending these samples to me. Please head over to read her review on SUQQU’s Powder Foundation Fresh.)

Foundation Face-Off (1) – Chanel vs. SUQQU

Foundation Face-Off (2) – Lunasol vs. Coffret D’Or

My Latest Foundation Cases
(Anna Sui and Jill Stuart)

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Jill Stuart Summer 2008 Collection

by PJ on Tuesday, May 13, 2008

in -Jill Stuart, 2008 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(Jill Stuart Seductive Eyes in 05)
(image from www.iswii.net)

Jill Stuart will be releasing a limited-edition Seductive Eyes palette (#05) and two limited-edition Lip Lusters (#20 & #21) for summer 2008.

(Lip Luster in #20 Marguerite Glow)
(image from www.iswii.net)

The new Seductive Eyes palette, with a purple and a beige gold, should appeal to me, as I have been loving these two colors and I don’t have a palette with both shades.

However, the purple here looks a bit too warm for my liking. Also, perhaps more importantly, compared with most of my other eyeshadow singles and palettes, there is more glitter fallout (experienced by many, it seems) from the Brilliance Eyes series from 2007. It seems that things haven’t improved with the Seductive Eyes palettes this year, so it is hard for me to feel the heat from this new addition…

The collection will be in store in Taiwan on June 1st. At the moment I don’t have the information on the release date in Japan. But I will get my June issue of Biteki later this week, and I will then update this post with more information.

Jill Stuart Breaks Record

Jill Stuart Moist Silk Liquid Foundation

Jill Stuart Birthstone Nail Collection

Loving Japanese Brands – Jill Stuart

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Newsflash – Jill Stuart Breaks Record

by PJ on Saturday, April 26, 2008

in -Jill Stuart, all about Japanese cosmetics

(Jill Stuart Mix Blush Compact)
(image from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

Jill Stuart Beauty was launched in Taiwan on March 28th among much anticipation. As mentioned previously, Taiwan is the only place outside Japan where the Jill Stuart Beauty line is officially available.

There was no doubt that it would do extremely well. After all, so many beauty fans had been waiting for it. The brand hardly needed any promotion, as many items had been sold for up to twice the Japanese retail prices on local auction sites. (Now, somewhat ironically, many items are about 5% cheaper than in Japan.)

According to this blog post, Jill Stuart sold 125,000 USD (3.8 million TWD) worth of merchandise during its first three days of sale in SOGO Department Store in Taipei. This is the equivalent of nearly 1000 Mix Blush Compacts (seen above) sold in each of the three days. (I saw a couple of photos of the crowds taken by customers. I had not seen anything like this at a beauty counter.)

First of all, the sale figures smashed the record that Anna Sui made about 10 years ago when it was launched in SOGO. Also, it is especially amazing considering that there is a second Jill Stuart counter at Shinkong Mitsukishi Shinyi, which opened on the same day.

As if the line needed more fervor, Jill Stuart herself was in Taipei yesterday to promote the line.

The ultra-princessy Jill Stuart is not just for teenagers. A report indicates that it also has many fans in their forties and fifties in Japan. It shows that appealing packaging and good quality are for all to enjoy.

With the huge initial success in Taiwan in the bag, I think Jill Stuart is likely to expand the market yet again. Looking at existing patterns, I think Hong Kong might be the next stop.

Loving Japanese Brands – Jill Stuart
(my take on Jill Stuart)

Brilliance Eyes in Gem Amethyst
(my Jill Stuart eye palette)

All About Japanese Cosmetics
(Read more about other brands.)

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Jill Stuart Moist Silk Liquid Foundation

by PJ on Tuesday, April 22, 2008

in -Jill Stuart, 2007 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation, stash focus

(Jill Stuart Moist Silk Liquid Foundation)

Jill Stuart‘s Moist Silk Liquid Foundation was released in fall 2007. At that time, I was not sure if it would replace Tint Liquid Foundation (Jill Stuart’s first liquid foundation). But, at this moment, both are listed on Jill Stuart’s website.

The packaging is beautiful and very princessy, and it has almost become a permanent fixture on my dressing table.

Here is how it performs for me:

The Basics

SPF 18, PA +++, 30ml, 5 shades
(Mine is 103 Nude, a neutral light-to-medium beige. Ethanol is seventh on ingredient list, but this foundation doesn’t irritate my skin.)

Texture & Consistency

It has a light-cream consistency. The very smooth texture largely comes from talc, and the richness of the consistency is mainly down to squalene (which is a very effective moisturizing ingredient used in many moisturizers). The foundation is not very liquid-y and the bottle has to be tapped against the back of my hand to slowly dispense the foundation.

Slip & Blendability

The foundation has a good slip and blends relatively easily. It dries a little fast so swift blending is ideal.

Finish

The finish is smooth and satiny (neither matte or luminous), and it has a pleasing soft-focus look to it.

Coverage

This foundation gives a natural medium-to-full coverage. The level of coverage is a lot higher than Paul & Joe’s Light Cream Foundation reviewed earlier.

Pore Coverage

For me, among non-powder foundations (which almost always cover pores less effectively than powder foundations), the pore coverage is fairly good.

Lasting Power

The lasting power is relatively satisfactory. It doesn’t have an optimal lasting power for me only because it is quite emollient for my oily skin for most part of the year. Other than that, the color does stay true and does not darken overtime.

Overall, liquid foundations are more suitable for me in winter no matter whether they are spring/summer or fall/winter releases. This one is no exception. In colder days and when I need more coverage than what Paul & Joe’s Light Cream Foundation can give me, this is definitely the one I’d go for.

Loving Japanese Brands – Jill Stuart
(my personal take on Jill Stuart)

Jill Stuart Brilliance Eyes in 04 Gem Amethyst
(my very first lilac-based eye palette)

Jill Stuart Powder Foundation Compact S
(the latest member of my foundation case collection)

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Jill Stuart New Nail Collection

by PJ on Sunday, April 20, 2008

in -Jill Stuart, 2008 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, nail color/care

(Jill Stuart Birthstone Nail Collection)
(image from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

On April 25th, Jill Stuart will release the following items in Japan:

– Nail Lacquer N

The launch of the revamped nail collection will feature 20 colors. Most of them are fresh spring colors, including pink, peach, mauve, beige, and lilac.

– Nail Art Sticker II (limited-edition)

(Jill Stuart Nail Art Sticker II)
(image from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

– Birthstone Nail Collection

Starting from April 25th, Jill Stuart will release one limited-edition nail color based on the birthstone of each month. The first one features emerald for May (seen above). Each monthly birthstone addition will be released on the third Friday of the previous month. (So the next one (pearl for June) will be released on May 16th.)

I really like the look of the new nail color bottle, and it seems that there will be some great colors coming up in the birthstone collection. I might be tempted to get a couple of them……

Loving Japanese Brands – Jill Stuart
(my personal take on Jill Stuart)

Jill Stuart Brilliance Eyes in 04 Gem Amethyst
(my first lilac-based eye palette)

Coffret D’Or Summer 2008 Collection
(more nail colors)

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Anna Sui & Jill Stuart Latest Foundation Cases

by PJ on Thursday, March 27, 2008

in -Anna Sui, -Jill Stuart, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation, makeup - base makeup - powder, stash focus

Today I am sharing two latest additions to my foundation case collection.

First up is the case of Anna Sui‘s Loose Compact Powder UV, which is part of Anna Sui’s spring/summer 2008 base makeup release. This case is for the new loose powder refills and is designed to make Anna Sui’s loose powder slightly more travel-friendly. (Remember that Anna Sui’s original large loose powder case doesn’t have a screw lid and is very tricky to travel with.)

Even though white is my least favorite color for Anna Sui’s packaging, I like the thickness of the case compared with other Anna Sui’s foundation compacts.

The case comes with a purple powder puff which is very soft to the touch.

Please notice that the sift is included in the refill and not in the case. So this is not the kind of portable loose powder case in which you can put your own loose powder. But, size-wise, all the round Anna Sui foundation refills can fit into this case.

Next is the Jill Stuart‘s Powder Foundation Compact S, which is released with the new Smooth Skin Powder Foundation. Compared with the original Powder Foundation Case (released in spring 2006), the new case has a different design for the lid and features a charm with floral details.

Let’s see the two designs side by side. The spring 2006 case is on the left and the spring 2008 one is on the right:

All the Jill Stuart powder foundation and pressed powder refills are the same size, and the cases are sold separately. So what case to pick when you purchase a Jill Stuart foundation refill is entirely up to you.

Furthermore, since both Anna Sui and Jill Stuart (and Paul & Joe as well) commission Kosé (which owns Albion, commissioned by Anna Sui and Paul & Joe) to produce the makeup (and skincare) line, all their round foundation refills can fit into all cases.

My case collection does take up a bit of space. But, for me, it is a slightly less pricey way to chart the development of a brand’s image and there is no need to worry about products expiring. I shall continue to pick up the cases I like from my favorite brands.

More cases:

Sofina Raycious Foundation Case Galore

My Anna Sui Foundation Case Collection

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Japanese Cosmetics News in Brief

by PJ on Wednesday, March 5, 2008

in -Anna Sui, -Jill Stuart, -Shiseido, 2008 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, haircare

— For those following Jill Stuart’s Launch in Taiwan, see the initial price list of some of the items. As predicted, the retail prices in Taiwan are cheaper than those (including sale tax) in Japan. Most items are about 7% cheaper.

— Have a look at a large photo of Anna Sui’s new Oil Control Paper case on a Japanese blog. Check out the details and the enclosed mirror.

— Uno is Shiseido’s well-known male haircare/skincare drugstore line. Recently, Orlando Bloom has been their spokesperson and you can see some of the TV commercials on Uno’s website. Here is the latest mini-movie version:

(from http://www.shiseido.co.jp/uno/
via acdticojp at Dailymotion)

I know it is a little predictable…but I don’t mind. It’s Orlando Bloom.

(The actress in the commercial, Kuriyama Chiaki, is one of the four brand ambassadors for Shiseido Maquillage.)

You can see another extended TV commercial posted by The Punk Cat.

Must-Try Look for Spring 2008
(featuring another Japanese TV commercial)

Loving Japanese Brand – Jill Stuart
(See part of my stash.)

Anna Sui’s Sui Lip Gloss in 100
(the latest addition to my blue bonanza)

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