makeup – lip color

Fall 2007 Makeup Focus: Dior Diorissime Palette

by PJ on Sunday, August 26, 2007

in -Dior, 2007 Fall, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, makeup - lip color, makeup - lip gloss, stash focus

(Dior Diorissime Palette for fall 2007)

(with Dior Detective Chic palette from fall 2006)

In recent years, Dior has successfully merged fashion and cosmetics by bringing fashion elements into the design of seasonal limited-edition items. The Diorissime palette for fall 2007 is yet another example.

The design of the beautiful case is based on both the classic and the current Dior designs:

(Dior Pink Leather Lady Dior Bag)
(photo from fashion.dior.com)

(Dior Pink Leather Cannage Bag)
(photo from fashion.dior.com)

The one I got is 002 Seduction Drama:

(after some testing…)

From left:

Eyeshadows –
deep copper, medium grey, medium brown, sheer light beige
(All have metallic shine.)
Lip Colors –
sheer frosty pink with subtle green shimmer
pale blue-tinted gloss with minimal shimmer

I went for 002 (Seduction Drama) instead of 001 (Daylight Madonna) because I wanted to have a couple of darker neutrals to play with and because I am a fan of blue-tinted lip glosses. (But 001 Daylight Madonna does feature some cute pink shades as well as soft neutrals.)

As with all the Dior eyeshadows, the texture is so smooth and blending is a dream.

I was worried that the deep copper shade (on the very left) would be too warm for me as an eyeliner shade. But, blended with the grey, it becomes a very natural brown.

The grey shade is a great addition to my eyeshadow colors. It goes well with my very dark eyes and lashes, not to mention it is a trendy color for fall 2007. (Replace this with the medium brown next to it for the classic neutral look.)

The frosty pink lip color has a texture between a very creamy lipstick and a syrupy lip gloss. Very glossy and shimmery. The blue-tinted gloss goes on completely sheer. It feels like a very moisturizing lip balm which happens to have a lot of shine.

While 001 Daylight Madonna is more for daytime, 002 Seduction Drama is definitely for evening glamor.

I have been loving most of Dior’s seasonal limited-edition items. This one will also be joyfully displayed on my dresser top!

Product Review: Little Gems — Luscious Cosmetics

by PJ on Thursday, August 2, 2007

in makeup, makeup - lip color, makeup - lip gloss, nail color/care

(pictured from left,

Luscious Cosmetics Crystal Nail Lacquer in Topanga
Lip Polish in Belize
Lip Delites Lip Plumper in Palm Beach)

Luscious Cosmetics features simple packaging with a girlie edge. The items are compact and easily portable. Very travel-friendly.

Lip Polish (5ml) takes up very little space in a makeup bag. Belize is a glossy nude with delicate shimmer. Great shade for this coming season.

Crystal Nail Lacquers, Luscious Cosmetics’ signature products, come with Swarovski crystals contained separately in a compartment within the cap. Topanga is a beautiful cranberry with ruby and diamond crystals.

Lip Delites Lip Plumper is an interesting one. According to the website, it is a lip plumper to be worn 1-2 times a day for 30 days to give lips up to 40% more volume. It is not the kind of lip gloss that stings. Instead, it claims to stimulate the production of collagen.

It is essentially a gloss that you wear on a daily basis to see a lip-plumping result. Personally, I don’t usually wear the same lip gloss (or any lip gloss) every day, and, since it has color, I can’t really wear it as an overnight treatment.

But, as a lip gloss alone, it is a fair one. Palm Beach is a sheer orange that looks more wet than glossy. It looks glittery in the tube but the glitters are barely noticeable when applied. Compared with Lip Polish, it is much less glossy and it doesn’t layer as well. It is simply a natural lip gloss that feels lightweight and moisturizing.

Luscious Cosmetics seems to feature quite a few dual-function products, from nail lacquers with Swarovski crystals to lip glosses with lip-pumping effects. (Their Luscious Blooms feature two coordinating shades for face and cheeks.) We’ll see what comes up next!

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Product Review: Rich, Creamy, and Intense Lips with Milani Lipsticks

by PJ on Thursday, July 19, 2007

in makeup, makeup - lip color

(Clockwise from top:
Shine On Lipstick in #06 Pink-Pink,
Shine On Lipstick in #02 Dolce Vita,
Color Perfect Lipstick in #33A Attitude,
Color Perfect Lipstick in #32 Berry Rich,
Moist Matte Lipstick in #06 Energized,
Moist Matte Lipstick in #01 Cream Pie,
Velvet Lips Creamy Lipcolor in #212 Glamorous,
Velvet Lips Creamy Lipcolor in #206 Lavish)

All the four ranges of Milani lipsticks have one impressive merit in common: they all have a wonderfully creamy texture. Non-drying and very moisturizing, they are a great joy to wear.

All (apart from Shine On Lipstick) are quite intensely-pigmented. (But even Shine On, a supposedly sheerer range, is more pigmented than some other sheer lipsticks around.)

The four ranges cover various finishes. Shine On is wet, frosty, and glossy. Velvet Lips and Color Perfect leave lips smooth with a sensual luster, while Moist Matte has the sophisticated and grown-up semi-matte finish.

My personal favorite is probably Moist Matte. It is particularly important for matte lipsticks to be rich and moisturizing. Otherwise they just look chalky. Milani’s Moist Matte definitely gains points on this.

PJ’s Picks:
–Color Perfect Lipstick in #32 Berry Rich (far right on photo):
This intense dark berry-red will look so glamorous on dark skin-tones.

–Shine On Lipstick in #06 Pink-Pink (top on photo):

A girlie frosty-pink, very flattering for most skin-tones.

–Velvet Lips Creamy Lipcolor in #206 Lavish (far left on photo):

Striking and edgy against fair skin-tones, this magenta shade bursts with retro flair. (Do keep eye makeup to the minimum to do justice to this electrifying shade.)

Seasonal Pick for Fall 2007:
–Moist Matte Lipstick in #01 Cream Pie (bottom on photo):
With a wave of neutral tones coming our way this fall, this delicious semi-matte milk-chocolate shade (most suitable for medium and dark skin-tones) will go superbly well with your neutral eyes.

Coming up: more fall 2007 makeup collections!

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Dior Fall 2007 Diorissime Palette

by PJ on Thursday, July 5, 2007

in -Dior, 2007 Fall, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, makeup - lip color, makeup - lip gloss

(pictured: my Dior items,
including the Dior Detective Chic palette from fall 2006)

There is no way that I am NOT going to get this palette!

This is the new limited-edition Diorissime Palette from the Dior Fall 2007 makeup collection, and I love it. I have my own reasons:

1. It has some lovely neutral shades that I have recently been very interested in.

2. It has a blue-tinted lip gloss.

3. It is even prettier than the Dior Detective Chic palette (or see photo above) from fall 2006.

4. It is pink! (Well, I don’t have a link to pink, but I do love pink. I’ll do a post on pink in my “I Love Color” series later on.)

It is as if the palette were made for me……

In the UK, the Dior fall 2007 collection will be out in early August.

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Chanel Contraste Lumiere Palette in Aquarelles

by PJ on Wednesday, June 20, 2007

in -Chanel, 2007 Summer, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, makeup - lip color, makeup - lip gloss, stash focus

(Pictured: my Chanel Contraste Lumiere in Aquarelles)

I always like a nice palette. I like the weight, the size, and the sleekness of it. I am always looking for palettes with great colors inside and a look to match.

I have always loved Chanel, but, apart from one Les 4 Ombres eyeshadow palette, this is the first one I bought. I am glad that I have waited for something virtually perfect for me. I have been enjoying experimenting with pink and lilac eyeshadows for a few months now, so it is exciting to see both colors in the palette. Also, the lip glosses have various cool-pink tones that really suit me. Out of almost all the seasonal palettes from Chanel in the past couple of years, this is definitely my favorite.

(four lip glosses and two eyeshadows)

The colors of the two eyeshadows really compliment each other and they can be worn in many different ways. The finish is sheer and semi-matte with some very subtle shimmer. The lip glosses give a wonderfully natural sheen to the lips. All these sheer hues are great for a touch of color in the hot summer.

I think summer is actually a great time to wear cool tones. So give them a go!

(There is another version of the palette (in Mordorees), which features various warm tones for a sun-kissed complexion.)

The Search for the Perfect Pout Is Over?! Lavshuca Fall 2007 Collection

by PJ on Friday, June 8, 2007

in -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2007 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - lip color, makeup - lip gloss

(pictured: part of my Lavshuca stash)

As we are still getting ready for some hot weather, Lavshuca has already released news on their fall 2007 collection, in store on August 1st 2007.

See a photo of part of the collection here.

The collection features:
a new line of liquid lip colors (10 shades, seen in link above)
6 eyeshadow palettes (2 seen in link above)
1 liquid eyeliner
2 new shades of Jewelry Lips lipsticks
1 new shade of Eye Color Select palette

The attention grabber of the new collection is the revolutionary liquid lip colors, which will have a highly viscous consistency. I imagine it is between a very syrupy lip gloss and a very creamy lipstick (half-liquid and half-solid). The twist-dispenser with the delicate heart-shape opening will really showcase this consistency.

Who knows? Some people think that the makeup and skincare innovations in Japan are at least one decade ahead of the Western counterpart*. Maybe this is the perfect formula of combining the color intensity of lipsticks and the shine of lip glosses.

Lip colors that are both highly pigmented and ultra-glossy? Can’t wait to try them!

*Next week I will talk about a certain pressed powder that has taken the Japanese market by storm.

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Beautiful Lips — with Blue Lip Glosses?

by PJ on Wednesday, May 23, 2007

in -Dior, -Guerlain, 2007 Summer, makeup, makeup - lip color, makeup - lip gloss, stash focus

(pictured from top: DiorKiss 208 Mint Lemonade,
DiorKiss 198 Plum Tart,
Guerlain by Emilio Pucci Lip Gloss 03 Sparking Sea)

There are all the usual lip gloss colors: red, pink, coral, plum and beige. But once in a while you see some seemingly wacky shades of yellow, green, and blue, and you might think “Why?”

This season, at least three major brands have come up with their versions of blue lip gloss. Dior has added a light blue shade into their DiorKiss range, while one of the limited-edition items in the Guerlain by Emilio Pucci collection is a sparkling blue lip gloss. Benefit has also come up with California Kissin’, another blue lip gloss.

On the Benefit website and various other places (like the American Vogue), blue-tinted lip glosses are claimed to be able to make teeth appear whiter. But I am not really convinced of this and that’s not the reason why I buy blue lip glosses.

First of all, I like blue lip glosses because I like all colors in the aquamarine-turquoise spectrum (as you might have seen in my A Splash of Color – Aqua Blue post). When I see blue-tinted lip glosses, I am instantly drawn to them and it is as if I could see tropical ocean in a tube. Love it.

Secondly, I do actually use them. What blue-tinted lip glosses do is that they subtly bounce/balance off the red in the lips and therefore give a beautiful transparency to the lips. So they are essentially a version of sheer lip glosses (your lips will NOT look blue). But because of the blue tint, the effect is sheerer than sheer. The lips appear see-through and jelly-like and, in most cases, more plumped. Again, love it.

Also, Kevyn Aucoin’s blue lip gloss (Liquid Cyber Lips in Alurabliss) is said to be able to add depth and dimension to the lips to make them look fuller. (It is basically the same idea in different words.) You can see the actual tube here.

(In a similar vein, the reason why brands like Shu Uemura has a pastel blue loose powder is that it gives a clear and transparent look to the face.)

Onto the blue lip glosses I have:

DiorKiss 198 Plum Tart:
This is a limited-edition item in spring 2005. It has small glitters of various colors. As with all DiorKiss lip glosses, it gives a really glassy and syrupy finish.

Guerlain by Emilio Pucci Lip Gloss 03 Sparkling Sea:
It has very sparse blue and green glitters and creates a wet sheen on the lips (not as glassy as DiorKiss). (Limited edition for summer 2007.)

DiorKiss 208 Mint Lemonade:
Again, very glassy and reflective. It has some subtle green shimmer. (Limited edition for summer 2007)

All in all, blue lip glosses are not bizarre. If you come across any of them, give it a go. Who knows…you might love it too!

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What a Cutie: Lavshuca Jewelry Lips

by PJ on Wednesday, April 25, 2007

in -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2007 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - lip color, stash focus

(the oh-so-pretty Lavshuca Jewelry Lips)

(engraved with the Lavshuca logo)

Lavshuca‘s Spring 2007 collection tops my list for the season, and these cutest little lipsticks are part of the reason. Lavshuca’s Jewelry Lips (approx. 10 USD) are exquisitely packaged. They also happen to be much more petite than most other lipsticks. Below, see how it is compared with a Chanel lipstick:

(They are nicknamed “Lavshuca Mini Lipsticks”.)

(And It is 1.8g of lipstick,
less than most others.)

The two I have, PK-1 and RS-1, are both very wearable. PK-1 is a sheer pink and RS-1 is a pinkish-plum with a little bit of shimmer.

(from left: PK-1 and RS-1)

They are launched with 11 colors in February, and there will be another 11 colors to follow later on. So I assume they have been very popular!

(Read my Lavshuca brand review here.)

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SUQQU Makeup and Skincare

by PJ on Friday, February 23, 2007

in -SUQQU, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation, makeup - lip color, skincare, skincare - cleansing/toning, skincare - moisturizing/others

(pictured: my SUQQU lipstick,
samples, and catalogue)

As requested by a reader, I decided to write a post about some individual SUQQU products after I had a more thorough look and got several samples earlier this month.

What really impresses me is the texture of their makeup. The lipsticks are so creamy, and the eyeshadows and blushers are so luxuriously silky that they almost seem creamy as well.

I am particularly keen on Powdery Cheeks in #11 (Ashibi), which is such a universally flattering color for most medium and light skin-tones.

One of their best-sellers is the Stick Concealer. The white one is used first as a base. Blending only comes after one of the two beige ones is layered on top of it. The white concealer is light-reflective and enhances the coverage of the beige concealer.

Here are some thoughts about what I have actually used:

1.Creamy Lip Stick in #22 (Benikoji)

I bought this in my first visit. It is a nice beige pink (even though it looks quite red in the photo). Pigmented and creamy, it is a great color for this season’s polished (and non-glossy) nude look.

2. Cream Foundation

I got a sample of this. Out of all their foundation formulations, this one provides the most coverage. It is not too difficult to blend (with my fingers) and it covers my pores fairly well. The staying power isn’t too bad. It has a dewy finish, which I don’t really like since I have quite oily skin. But I can use a matte loose powder to set the foundation, so that doesn’t bother me too much. (The color I got (#03) is slightly too pale and ashy for my medium skin-tone.)

3. Liquid Foundation Natural

I also got a sample of this. It provides more coverage than Liquid Foundation Skinny (light coverage) and Liquid Foundation Lucent (sheer coverage). It is one of the most easily blendable foundations I have ever tried. But the drawback is the staying power, which is not as good as the Creamy Foundation. The coverage is light to medium, and I would prefer more. Overall, I much prefer the Creamy Foundation.

I got this one in #04. Even though #04 should be the immediate darker shade than #03 for all their foundations, it is actually slightly too dark for me (while #03 is slightly too pale). Maybe the secret lies in #03B, which is between the two shades?

4. HA Complex Cream

Sample again. (The actual product costs about 240 USD for 30g…) I actually don’t like it that much simply because I am quite certain it has alcohol. Even though I couldn’t smell it, my skin turned a bit red about 10 minutes after application, which is typical with any moisturizer with any amount of alcohol. (I will probably have my neck enjoy this very expensive moisturizer…)

I have also got samples of HA Complex Lotion, HA Complex Emulsion, and Make Up Base. But I can really smell alcohol in all these (which is unfortunately so common with a lot of Japanese skincare products). I don’t think my face can handle any of these…

All skincare products have their signature orchid fragrance. It does smell gorgeous, even though it is much better for skincare products to be fragrance-free. In Japan last Christmas, SUQQU had a limited-edition perfume based on this orchid note. I am really hoping it will be re-released as part of the permanent collection!

One skincare product I am actually quite keen on is the Lip Essence Cream. It is very emollient and creamy. Too bad it is so pricey (about 60 USD)!

I personally think SUQQU is stronger in makeup than in skincare. But it is only because my skin can’t really tolerate alcohol and any massaging (the Musculate Massage Cream, which is used daily, is the heart of their skincare regime) and because I do think their color makeup range is simply sublime.

I look forward to seeing their spring 2007 collection. It looks great on the website and I love a makeup collection with a strong theme. I’ll definitely review it after I see it in store.

————-
Edited, on February 25, 2007, as requested by reader:

Price list of reviewed products in UK
(from SUQQU catalogue)

Creamy Lip Stick: £24
Powdery Cheeks: £22
Stick Concealer: £20
Cream Foundation: £60
Liquid Foundation Natural: £40
Liquid Foundation Skinny: £40
Liquid Foundation Lucent: £30
Make Up Base: £24
HA Complex Lotion: £45
HA Complex Emulsion: £70
HA Complex Cream: £120
Lip Essence Cream: £30
Musculate Massage Cream: £60

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Lavshuca Gloss Stick lipgloss

by PJ on Thursday, February 15, 2007

in -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2007 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - lip color, makeup - lip gloss, stash focus

Lavshuca again today. They make some of the cutest stuff around. Their eye palette is just adorable, and this lipgloss pen is another example. In seven colors, the Gloss Stick looks just like any other lip gloss that comes in a pen, and the color I have (PK-3) is a nice basic everyday pink with a bit of shimmer.

But what makes it interesting and fun is the applicator:

The heart-shape dispenser is what seals the deal for me. What a nice little touch! It has a very similar advantage to that of the spatula applicator of Curvy Lip Silicone. It doesn’t smudge off the lipstick and is easy to clean. Cute and clever.