-Lavshuca

More from Lavshuca Holiday 2008

by PJ on Tuesday, October 14, 2008

in -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2008 Holiday, makeup

(image from www.cosme.net)

Apart from the Stick Eyeshadows, Lavshuca will release Antique Collection for holiday 2008. Each of the two versions will include a Liquid Rouge and an eyeshadow duo.

The Antique Sepia version features a brown-toned eye duo with a beige-brown Liquid Rouge, while the Antique Monochrome version includes a grey-based eye duo with a pink Liquid Rouge.

I think, overall, I prefer the look (and the originality) of the Winter Make Collection from Lavshuca’s holiday 2007 release, so I think I will be saving the money for some other holiday items.

Fall 2008 Makeup Top 10 (Part 3)

by PJ on Saturday, October 4, 2008

in -Coffret d'Or, -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2008 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

(continued from Part 1 & Part 2)

3. Maquillage

(images from www.shiseido.co.jp/mq/)

2008 is the year when Maquillage started to grow on me. The fall collection includes shades of purple, plum, gold, and gentle neutrals, which happen to be the shades I have been wearing the most lately. Later on I will be trying out Forming Shiny Eyes in 52 (seen above), with an alluring combination of purple and gold (with a pale pink cream base). The collection also features twelve new shades of Lasting Climax Rouge, which debuted in spring and has been selling well in Asia.

2. Lavshuca

(images from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lavshuca/)

When you don’t want to spend too much on makeup but still want quality and all the prettiness, you can almost always count on Lavshuca. A couple of items have been on my shopping list for a while (Dual Prism Eyes in PU-1 and Rouge Star Classics in (probably) PK-1). There are no limited-edition items in this collection so I will think about getting them after deciding which holiday 2008 items to have.

1. Coffret D’Or

For me, at this point, I think I can say that 2008 is the year of Coffret D’Or in terms of Japanese makeup. Launched just before the beginning of 2008 with a lot of expectation, Coffret D’Or has done well this year, both as T’Estimo’s successor, which continues to help shape the overall image of Kanebo, and for me as a makeup fan.

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

Coffret D’Or’s solid fall 2008 collection does what the line is supposed to do, which is to create beautifully wearable shades with dependable quality for a wide range of consumers, from those wearing makeup on a regular basis to those new to makeup. With a price point lower than those of brands like Lunasol, it does have its own advantage.

Coffret D’Or is still expanding, and I think in 2009 we will see more new products. (The point makeup range hasn’t included basic items such as pencil eyeliners, and there will probably be more base makeup products. I am expecting to see an under-eye concealer pen that Revue used to have.) I certainly hope it will be worth the wait.

Loving Japanese Brands – Lavshuca

Coffret D’Or Trance Deep Eyes in Rose Variation

Coffret D’Or Trance Deep Eyes in Grey Variation

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Lavshuca Holiday 2008 Release

by PJ on Thursday, September 4, 2008

in -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2008 Holiday, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)

Lavshuca will release Stick Eyeshadows on November 1st in Japan. Eight shades will be available.

They are mostly various tones of neutrals, plus a pastel pink and blue and quite a striking violet.

Their main appeals are the ease of use and the dual function. Apart from being eyeshadows, they can double as eyeliners.

Last year, Lavshuca released a cute lip and eye palette for the holiday season. I am hoping there will be more to come from Lavshuca later on!

Updated on October 21st, 2008:

Please check out this post to see more of Lavshuca’s holiday 2008 collection.

Related Posts:

Loving Japanese Brand – Lavshuca

Lavshuca Fall 2008 Collection

Lavshuca Face Powder

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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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Lavshuca Website Update

by PJ on Tuesday, July 22, 2008

in -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2008 Fall, makeup

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

Lavshuca‘s official website has been updated to include information on the fall 2008 collection. Enjoy! (Please check out my previous post for some quick collection details.)

Also, if you are interested, please have a look at my other Lavshuca-related posts.

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A Splash of Color – Gorgeous Gold

by PJ on Monday, July 7, 2008

in _I Love Colors, -Anna Sui, -Coffret d'Or, -Dior, -Elégance, -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, -Majolica Majorca, -YSL, all about Japanese cosmetics, fragrance, makeup, stash focus

I used to like gold more as a (glamorous and opulent) makeup packaging color scheme than as a shade to be worn. But I have tried a couple of gold-toned eye palettes this summer, and I have been enjoying seeing how various shades of gold can do for my eyes.

It seems that gold will be leading the makeup trend for fall and winter 2008, and I think there will be more dazzling hues of gold all the way through the holiday season.

Base
Anna Sui Fluid Foundation
Majolica Majorca Skin Remake Powder Foundation
Versace Concealer & Highlighter Duo

Eyes
Coffret D’Or 3D Lighting Eyes in Gold Variation
Lavshuca Summer Gradually Compact in Shiny Sandy Beach
Elégance Purity Eyes 11

Cheeks
Anna Sui Face Color Stick 302

Lips
Dior Sparkling Lip Gloss Duo
YSL Golden Gloss 03 Golden Pink

Multi-purposed
Dior Golden Dior Luminizing Makeup Jewel
YSL Gold Celebration Palette “Star Glow”

Fragrance
Dior J’Adore Eau de Parfum

Other splashes of color:

Lilting Lilac (Part 1 and 2)

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Summer 2008 Makeup Top 10 (Part 3)

by PJ on Saturday, June 21, 2008

in -Dior, -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, -Lunasol, 2008 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

(continued from Part 1 and 2)

3. Dior

(Dior’s summer 2008 makeup collection)
(from Biteki, June 2008, p. 138)

Dior’s summer 2008 lineup has a very coherent look, as warm hues dominate the collection. Even though I am not particularly fond of very warm neutrals, I generally like collections with a strong identity.

I decided to get the Golden Dior Makeup Jewel (in Lamé Pink), which looks as good as it appears on all the magazine pages.

The look of the 5-Color Eyeshadow palette in 589 (the lower one in the photo above), but the finish of almost all the shades is too metallic for my liking. If you like metallic finishes, many of Dior’s recent eye palettes would be must-sees. But I do hope Dior would cut back on intense shimmer just a little bit and go back to the more satiny and softly shimmery finishes.

2. Lavshuca

(Summer Gradually Compact in Windy Aqua Beach)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lavshuca)

(Summer Gradually Compact in Shiny Sandy Beach)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lavshuca)

With two very nicely packaged six-color eye palettes for summer 2008, Lavshuca consolidated its position as a drugstore-brand princess for me. (The collection also features two new shades of Rouge Essence Bar.)

Some of you were surprised (and rightly so) that I went for the neutral Shiny Sandy Beach rather than the cool-toned Windy Aqua Beach. (Hmm…some of you seem to know my makeup likes and dislikes very well…) I was in a short neutral phase earlier (which is gradually coming to an end now), and I did need to add more medium neutrals to my collection.

I was very happy with this palette, since I like soft medium neutrals that are not overly pigmented (or overly warm). I particularly like the shades second and third from the right. (Please check out the link above for my review.)

1. Lunasol

(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)

To me, in the last few seasons, Lunasol’s makeup collections appear to be invincible. Superb quality, stunning colors, and a clear story behind every collection.

Lunasol’s Summer 2008 collection continues the “Color Purification” theme with inspiration from colorful corals of the sea. The shades look bouncy and vibrant but still wearable. The collection features the Bronze Coral palette, but it is not ruled by neutrals.

I have the Sheer Contrast Eyes in Lavender Coral from the spring 2008 lineup, which I adore, and I don’t plan to pick up palettes from this collection. But I am quite interested in the Full Glamour Gloss in EX-01 (fourth from the bottom in the photo above, a limited edition). But I will have to act fast if I do decide to get it, since Lunasol’s limited-edition items for summer do tend to sell out.

You can see reviews of items from this collection on Autumn Masquerade and Lotus Palace. For swatches, please check out this post.

My summer top 10 brands’ fall 2008 offerings:

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Lavshuca Fall 2008 Collection – First Look

by PJ on Wednesday, May 14, 2008

in -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2008 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(part of the Lavshuca fall 2008 collection)
(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)

Lavshuca will release its fall 2008 collection in Japan on August 1st. The collection includes:

– Rouge Star Classics (11 shades)
– Dual Prism Eyes (8 variations) (More lilac, please…)
– Powder Compact Eyebrow (2 shades)
– Liquid Pen Eyeliner (2 shades)
– Eyeliner Pencil N (2 shades)
– Eyebrow Pencil N (3 shades)
– Creamy Liquid Foundation (5 shades)
– Color Conc Rouge (2 new shades)
– Grade Color Select (2 new shades)

Even though there were a couple of good items, I wasn’t very impressed with Lavshuca’s fall 2007 or spring 2008 collection overall. But they came up with a great summer collection this year and the beautiful packaging evolves towards fall. The look of both the lipsticks and eyeshadow duos is stunning.

For me, it is probably set to be Lavshuca’s best seasonal collection since spring 2007. I think I will surely pick up some of these items!

Lavshuca Eye Color Select in PU-2
(from fall 2007)

Lavshuca Color Conc Rouge in PK-1
(from fall 2007)

Lavshuca Winter Make Collection
(from holiday 2007)

Loving Japanese Brands – Lavshuca
(my personal take on my favorite Japanese drugstore brand)

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Lavshuca Summer Gradually Compact in Shiny Sandy Beach

by PJ on Tuesday, May 13, 2008

in -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2008 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, stash focus

(Lavshuca Summer Gradually Compact in Shiny Sandy Beach)

After teasing you with a photo of Lavshuca‘s Summer Gradually Compact two weeks ago, I have been trying on the colors. Today I am sharing my thoughts with you.

First let’s look more closely at the shades:

From left to right:
A pale yellow gold with pale gold sparkles (sheer; sparkling)
B medium bronze gold (well-pigmented; very shimmery)
C off-white with very pale champagne gold undertone (sheer; shimmery)
D light-to-medium taupe-brown (moderately pigmented; shimmery)
E medium brown (moderately pigmented; subtly shimmery)
F light beige (very sheer; satiny matte)

(All shades, except F, have very fine multi-colored micro-shimmer.)

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

You can see the instructions on Lavshuca’s website above, and the same instructions are printed on the back of the outer packaging.

In this palette (as well as the other one, Windy Aqua Beach), C, D, and E are the main shades. C is used as a base, D is the main shading color, and E is the eye-lining shade. The matte F is used to accentuate and add depth to the crease and the inner corner of the brow bone. (A tops up the sparkles, and B adds warmth where you want it.)

Here are some of my thoughts:

– The three main shades work very well for me. I don’t like neutral colors to be too warm, and D and E have a coloration very suitable for me. (I have a light-to-medium skin tone.)

– What I love the most about this palette is the soft watery-shimmer effect, which is great for summer. If the shades were too pigmented, the finish would be overly metallic, which I rarely like. (Only B (bronze gold) is very pigmented, while the others are either moderately pigmented or sheer.)

– The eye-lining shade E is only about a shade darker than the main shading color D. For me, E works well as a subtle daytime eyeliner and it blends seamlessly with D. But some people will probably want to use a separate eyeliner for extra depth.

– Both the colors and the shimmer stay on very well, and there is virtually no powder/shimmer fallout.

– I do have two slight complaints. The bronze gold (B) is a little bit too warm for my liking. Also, the shade-enhancing color (F) is very sheer and doesn’t show up on me very much.

Overall I am very happy with the palette. It is a great summer item for a soft and casual look. The soft shimmer does remind me of a glistening sandy beach under the afternoon sun. It might not be the most versatile palette due to the lack of a very dark shade, but for me it is wonderfully wearable.

Please see this post for swatches and the shades worn on the eyes. (Notice that Kate’s Gel Eye Liner in BR-1 is used in the photos.)

If you are also interested in the other palette, Windy Aqua Beach, please head over to Autumn Masquerade to see photos and a review.

Updated on May 26th, 2008:

If you are interested, please head over to My Women Stuff for another review of Shiny Sandy Beach.

Related Posts:

Coffret D’Or 3D Lighting Eyes in Gold Variation
(The gold in this palette is more wearable for me.)

Golden Dior Luminizing Makeup Jewel
(More gold!)

Lunasol Summer 2008 Collection
(another great-looking summer collection)

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Lavshuca Summer 2008 Collection – A Tuesday Teaser

by PJ on Tuesday, April 29, 2008

in -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2008 Summer, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, stash focus

(Lavshuca Summer Gradually Compact in 01 Shiny Sandy Beach)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lavshuca)

Lavshuca is releasing a gorgeous collection for summer 2008. Apart from two new shades of Rouge Essence Bar lipsticks (PK-4 and BE-3), the collection includes two limited-edition Summer Gradually Compacts, eye palettes with six coordinating shades.

(Lavshuca Summer Gradually Palette in 02 Windy Aqua Beach)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lavshuca)

I think both palettes are equally pretty, and I was tempted to get both. But, since I had been interested in gold and taupe at the moment, I decided to go for 01 Shiny Sandy Beach. (The official release date is May 1st, but many brands in Japan tend to put out new collections earlier by a week or two.)

I just received it and I haven’t tried it yet, but here it is!

(Golden Loveliness…)

The palette features, from left to right, pale champagne gold, bronze gold, off-white with a pale gold undertone, soft warm taupe, medium brown, and beige-brown. The middle four shades look nicely shimmery. The pale champagne gold on the left is quite sparkling, and the beige-brown on the right is semi-matte.

I am loving the look of the compact. It is made of metal and has a textured matte finish, so there won’t be any fingerprints. Like the eye/lip palette for holiday 2007, part of the fun is to put the colors into the compact.

I will try out the palette very soon, and I will be reviewing it in about two weeks’ time. Please do come back!

Updated on May 13, 2008

Please read my review of the palette here!

Other Lavshuca items:

Lavshuca Eye Color Select in PK-1, BU-1, and PU-2

Lavshuca Cheek Color in PK-1

Lavshuca Jewelry Lips in PK-1 & RS-1

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