by PJ on Monday, August 1, 2011
in _I Love Colors, -Givenchy, -Jill Stuart, -MAC, -Maquillage, -Shiseido, -SUQQU, 2008 Fall, 2008 Spring, 2009 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, makeup - lip color, stash focus
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It has been a very long time since I brought you the last A Splash of Color post (Sensuous Plum). Today I am finally back with more, and of course it has to be lilac.
My More Lilting Lilac was back in May 2008. In the last year or so, I have been in my warm-neutral phase and one of my only new purple purchases is the new 3D Glossy Eyes in 04 Pink Violet from Coffret d’Or (which I will review later). But I have got quite a few purple items in the last three years. Here are some of the new additions of lilac, mauve, and violet:
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For the last few summers, Lunasol has been releasing two eyeshadow palettes as an extension of the spring makeup themes. They usually consist of a neutral-toned palette and a more colorful one, and they are usually limited editions. I never went for these summer palettes until I decided to try Ocean Scene Eyes in EX01 Shelly Ocean for summer 2011.
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by PJ on Thursday, April 7, 2011
in -Coffret d'Or, -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, -Lunasol, -RMK, -SUQQU, -T'Estimo, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, stash focus
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As many of you know, Kanebo (currently part of the Kao Group) is one of the largest beauty companies in Japan. It features department store brands/lines (Coffret d’Or, Blanchir, Lunasol, Impress, Chicca, etc.) as well as drugstore lines (Lavshuca, Kate, Media, etc.). In addition, it ultimately owns brands like SUQQU, RMK, and Lissage.
Over the years, I have tried eyeshadows from many Japanese brands/lines, and it seems to me that there is something common among many of the eyeshadows from Kanebo-owned brands/lines: the shimmer.
I am certainly not saying that all of Kanebo’s eyeshadows have the same shimmery finish or that non-Kanebo eyeshadows (Japanese or not) look nothing like Kanebo ones, but there is a shared trait regarding the shimmery finish and that is the way the shimmer creates dimension.
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For spring 2011, Estée Lauder released the Wild Violet makeup collection, which features purples and muted neutrals for the eyes, vibrant shades for the lips and an on-trend grey for the nails.
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Pure Color EyeShadow in Untamed Violet (above) is one of the key items in the collection. It is a moderately pigmented muted blue with a hint of purple and a soft veil of multi-hued shimmer. Overall it has more of a velvety finish than a shimmery finish. I don’t find it as blendable as the ultra-blendable eyeshadows from many of the Japanese brands, and it may take a bit of layering if you want a highly color-rich finish. But the powder has a very good adherence on the skin and the finish lasts reasonably well.
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(image from www.rmkrmk.com)
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RMK‘s spring 2011 Spring Shimmer makeup collection is a whimsical and colorful collection with both vibrant and wearable shades. The items include those for eyes, cheeks, lips, and nails, and many of them impart a fresh veil of glistening shimmer on the face. Today I am highlighting some of the items in the collection.
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Crayon & Powder Eyes is one of the brand’s new products. Each of the double-ended eyeshadows contains one shade in two finishes, a color-rich creamy finish from the crayon and a soft and shimmery finish from the powder. The slim ring of color on the product allows speedy identification of the shade.
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Coffret D’Or‘s Eyes Appeal Shadow is from the line’s spring 2011 makeup collection. The collection is part of the line’s first image revamp, as the image goes from elegant and sophisticated to friendly and amiable.
Eyes Appeal Shadow is available in five variations. All the variations are combinations of a selection of light and airy colors and a very dark lining shade. The lilacs in 02 Fairy Pink and 05 Silver Purple seem to be too light for me, and I went for the ultra-wearable 01 Sweet Brown.
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by PJ on Saturday, January 29, 2011
in -Clarins, -Coffret d'Or, -Dior, -Elégance, -Estée Lauder, -Guerlain, -Kanebo, -Lancôme, -Lunasol, -NARS, 2011 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, seasonal makeup trend reports
(image from www.iswii.com)
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After a few seasons of warm neutrals, grey emerges as one of the hottest shades for spring 2011. The looks that incorporate grey are chic and sophisticated, with a feel of low-key glamour. Meanwhile, surprisingly, purples are still at center stage, and, for this season, they are teaming up with warm neutrals for a natural but defined look.
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Silvers & Greys
Dior leads the rest of the field with an ultra-chic Gris Montaigne makeup collection. All the new eye makeup items are grey-toned, and the color theme extends to lip and nail items. You will also find greys in collections from other trend setters such as Guerlain and NARS.
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by PJ on Wednesday, January 26, 2011
in -Coffret d'Or, -Integrate, -Kanebo, -Lunasol, -Shiseido, 2010 Fall, 2010 Holiday, 2010 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, stash focus
Each year, Japanese beauty magazine Biteki publishes results of its annual survey of its readers’ favorite beauty products in various categories. I am usually particularly interested in all the makeup categories, and, this year, I noticed that three of the eye palettes that I bought in 2010 are among the top 10 eye palettes. (This is surprising to me, as the eye palettes I tend to go for are not usually the most popular ones.)
Here are some brief thoughts on the three palettes (the numbers indicate their rankings in the top 10, and see links for my reviews):
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1st: Lunasol Aurorize Eyes in 02 Light Variation
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I know that top finishers in the eyeshadow categories (singles/palettes) are usually neutral-toned and I expected a Lunasol palette (possibly from the Aurorize Eyes series) to top the chart (again), but I didn’t expect that it would be this one. (I thought it would be between (the more airy) 01 Nuance Variation and (the more intense) 05 Contrast Variation.) It seems that the combination of ultra-wearable light warm-toned neutrals and the beautifully dimensional shimmer Lunasol is known for has captured the hearts of many makeup fans in Japan.
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Kanebo Lavshuca‘s Star Decoration Eyes series is from the line’s winter 2010 makeup collection. As soon as I came across images of the palettes, I thought I would definitely get one of them. The choice was between BR-1 and PU-1, and, because I don’t really like purple paired with grey (greys are usually too cool for me), I went for BR-1.
The case has the same length and width as those of Eye Color Select palettes, but it is a little thicker, which I like.
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by PJ on Thursday, December 30, 2010
in -Paul & Joe, 2010 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, bodycare, fashion, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, skincare, skincare - moisturizing/others, stash focus
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Joining the winter sale madness, I stopped by Paul & Joe at Harrods and Fenwick a couple of days ago. (Paul & Joe’s sale items are usually recently discontinued products, soon-to-be discontinued products, and surplus stock, and they are usually (almost always) 50% off their full retail prices. (Have a look at this post for more information on seasonal sales on cosmetics in the UK.))
All the items I got this time are 50% off retail prices. I would not have purchased these items at their full prices (possibly with the exception of the Body Milk), but, with the considerable discounts, I was very happy to bring home and try these products:
(Towards the end of this post, there is a list of items that I remember are on sale in Harrods and Fenwick.)
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