(continued from Part 1 & Part 2)
3. Jill Stuart
(image from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)
Jill Stuart’s summer 2009 collection includes a new Illuminance Eyes palette as well as items for lips and nails, but I am particularly interested in the new Jelly Eye Color N.
Jill Stuart’s (original) Jelly Eye Color is among the brand’s most popular products, but I have never tried it. (I much prefer powder eyeshadows.) Now that Jelly Eye Color N features an even more princessy packaging, there is almost no reason for me not to try at least one of the shades.
2. Lunasol
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lunasol)
Lunasol’s summer 2009 collection continues the Floral Purification theme from spring. The plumeria series includes warm neutrals while the hibiscus series features vibrant cool pinks. The EX02 Summer Pink Gradation from the hibiscus series may be the last vibrant eye palette from Lunasol before fall’s slightly more sombre Stardrop Purification collection sets the scene for the rest of the year.
1. Coffret D’Or
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/coffretdor)
Coffret D’Or’s summer 2009 collection is quite a sizable one, with a new lipstick range (Juicy Memory Rouge, 12 shades) and a new palette series (Color Mixing Eyes, 5 variations) among other items. Also, the early summer 2009 collection includes 8 new nail colors.
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/coffretdor)
(continued from Part 1)
6. Majolica Majorca
(image from www.shiseido.co.jp/mj)
I have not been paying a lot of attention to Majolica Majorca’s seasonal collections in the last couple of years, as the new items generally don’t excite me. But the new Jewelling Eyes, featuring a nice range of palettes, did catch my eye. The color combinations are on the basic side, but the wearability of them will always appeal to me.
5. Maquillage
(image from www.shiseido.co.jp/mq)
Maquillage’s summer 2009 collection is, in a way, a typical summer makeup collection from Japanese brands, with colorful eyeliners and mascaras as well as a collection of nail colors. Two more Eyes Creator 3D palettes (limited editions) join the five launched in spring. The one in GD831 (left in photo), among all the seven palettes, appeals to me the most. I also like the limited-edition gold and silver cases for the two palettes. (I wish they were not limited editions so that I could have more time to think about whether to get GD831…)
4. Sonia Rykiel
(image from www.soniarykiel-cosmetics.com)
The weather in the UK in the last couple of weeks has been pleasantly warm on the whole, so it seems to be a good time to count down my favorite summer 2009 makeup collections. (Let’s hope that the good weather will continue.)
10. Paul & Joe
(image from www.paul-joe-beaute.com)
Paul & Joe’s summer 2009 collection captures the beach holiday feel with gold-toned neutrals and soft cool pinks for eyes, lips and nails. The wearable colors have a subtly vibrant look, and I like the limited-edition champagne gold packaging.
9. Dior
(image from www.dior.com)
With the launch of the Lilas Addict collection (in some countries) and the new 5-Color Design Eyeshadow palettes, Dior’s summer 2009 collection seems a little drowned among all the new products. The seasonal star item, Dior Cristal Shine, is a slight disappointment for me, since it doesn’t have the luxurious feel that many of Dior’s past star items have. The real stars of this collection for me are the two 5-Color Iridescent Eyeshadow palettes. The cool-toned iridescent shades look vivid and edgy.8. RMK
(image from www.rmkrmk.com)
RMK’s renewal collection was released in time for summer 2009. I like the fact that the 35 shades of Ingenious Powder Eyes are categorized into five groups: DR (Dark), BR (Brown), P (Pearly), SH (Shimmery), and ME (Metallic). I particularly like the dimensional finish of the SH shades I tested at the counter. Also, if you like very sparkly eyeshadows, the ME shades are a must-see. They are seriously sparkly. (They are definitely more sparkly than metallic.)
7. Elégance
(image from www.elegance-cosmetics.com)
Many Japanese beauty brands release colorful items for summer, and Elégance’s summer 2009 collection is a good example. The new Lustre Crush Eyes looks very lovely. (Many Japanese consumers seem to see blue and green as summer colors for eyes.) Since it is not a limited-edition item, I am hoping that there will be more shades in the future.
Please check out Part 2 and Part 3.
Related posts:
Spring 2009 Makeup Top 10: Part One, Two & Three
(continued from Part 1 and Part 2)
3. Coffret D’Or
(Coffret D’Or Shine Accent Eyes)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/coffretdor)
Just a year after the launch, Coffret D’Or has become one of my favorite makeup lines. Among the spring 2009 collection, the new palette range, Shine Accent Eyes, includes another array of pretty and wearable colors. The palettes don’t have an intense eyelining shade, but I can do without it for my daytime makeup. I am planning to getting 02 Pink Variation, and I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you.
2. Dior
(image from www.dior.com)
For me, the star of Dior’s spring 2009 collection is obviously the Lady Dior palette. However, the collection has other gorgeous items, including some soft milky neutrals. Both 5-Color Eyeshadow in Elégante and 5-Color Iridescent Eyeshadow in Parisian Lights are beautiful and very covetable. This is a collection that shows that neutrals don’t have to be dull.
1. Lunasol
(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)
(Lunasol Layer Bloom Eyes palettes)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lunasol)
by PJ on Thursday, March 19, 2009
in -Aube (Couture), -Kanebo, -Kao, -Lavshuca, -Sofina, 2009 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10
(continued from Part 1)
6. Max Factor
(image from www.maxfactor.jp)
Many of the Max Factor releases in Asia are very different from those in the west. In the case of the spring 2009 collection, these colorful palettes have a particularly Japanese feel and look very much like the tone-on-tone palettes that have constantly been brought out by Japanese brands. (The purple-toned palette reminds me of my Lunasol Lavender Coral.)
Do check this post for a great review of the green-toned palette (with swatches of all the palettes). The writer pointed out the improvement in the powder’s pigmentation level and lasting power. (The low pigmentation level from previous releases was mentioned by one reader under my initial post on this collection.)
5. Lavshuca
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lavshuca)
“Cute” is still the best word to describe Lavshuca‘s makeup, but I do like the fact that the brand doesn’t try to be overly girlie. (The plum cases look quite elegant.) The spring 2009 collection includes a new range of lipsticks and eye palettes. I nearly decided to get Grade Color Eyes in PU-1 (top right in the photo above), but the colors are a little too pale and don’t seem warm enough for me. On the other hand, I am still interested in trying the new Finish Powder.
4. Aube Couture
(Aube Couture Designing Eyes)
(image from www.sofina.co.jp/aube)
I wasn’t really a big fan of Aube’s last few collections, but the new Aube Couture‘s debut collection got my attention. A lot of design went into some of the items to make them as user-friendly as possible. (Please see this post for examples and more discussion.) I’d think that the packaging was still kept very simple so that it wouldn’t overtake the actual design features, and Aube Couture certainly gets extra points from making makeup application a little bit easier for us.
The countdown continues in Part 3.
Related posts:
Aube Couture Summer 2009 Collection
Lavshuca Summer 2009 Collection
by PJ on Monday, March 16, 2009
in -Elégance, -Esprique (Precious), -Kosé, -Maquillage, -RMK, -Shiseido, 2009 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10
Spring makeup collections tend to be my favorites as compared with collections from the rest of the year, since the colors are usually soft, fresh, and wearable. This week, I will be counting down my top ten spring 2009 makeup collections.
10. Maquillage
(Maquillage Eyes Creators 3D)
(image from www.shiseido.co.jp/mq)
(Maquillage Face Creators 3D)
(image from www.shiseido.co.jp/mq)
Maquillage rolled out a large collection for spring 2009, changed a few of the brand ambassadors, and modified the packaging. The collection focuses on creating dimension for the face and the facial features. The Face Creator 3D includes highlighters, contourers and a blusher and aims to create depth for the face and a delicate jawline.
9. RMK
(image from www.rmkrmk.com)
RMK‘s spring 2009 collection, Spring Translucence, is full of soft ethereal hues. The idea is to use moderately pigmented shades with a gently luminous finish to enhance the lucidity of the complexion (rather than to cover the face with opaque colors). The star item is the Translucent Cheeks & Eyes, with one warmer and one cooler variation. The other items in the collection are also well-balanced and features both warmer and cooler shades.
8. Elégance
(Elégance EyeShadows)
(image from www.elegance-cosmetics.com)
(Elégance Radiance Quartet)
(image from www.elegance-cosmetics.com)
Like Sonia Rykiel and Paul & Joe, Elégance is a French fashion line with its beauty range mainly available in Asia. I particularly like the glamorous and opulent golden cases for many of its products. (Please see my profile of the brand here.) For spring 2009, the four new Eyeshadow palettes reflect all the main seasonal color trends (pinks, purples, and neutrals). The new Radiance Quartet is among the three cheek items from Elégance that I really want to check out in person.
7. Esprique Precious
(Esprique Precious True Impact Eyes)
(image from ep-bko.com)
(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.
Related posts:
Spring 2009 collections from:
Paul & Joe
Guerlain
Dior
(continued from Part 1)
6. Anna Sui
(image from www.annasui-cosmetics.com)
The return of Ring Rouge in the Rouge Collection (seen above) is what made this collection special. For me, like the princessy loose powder, Ring Rouge defines the brand. While most Japanese brands release neural shades for the holiday season, the rest of Anna Sui’s collection features very bouncy colors, which is what we’ve come to expect from the brand.
5. Coffret D’Or
(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)
Coffret D’Or has done very well in 2008, and its first holiday collection continues to impress many makeup fans. I like the fact that the packaging incorporates the usual Coffret D’Or look but with a small twist. The neutral-toned and purple-toned palettes reflect the key trends for this holiday season. (I did nearly decide to get the purple-toned one…)
4. Lunasol
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lunasol/)
Lunasol’s recent holiday makeup sets have been criticized for the lack of imagination and color. (They usually include a neutral-toned eye palette and a few other items to go with them, and the palettes seem to look similar year after year.) This year’s version is again similar, but it does take on elements of red and burgundy, which are part of the makeup trend for fall this year. They make this set a little more special and memorable. Also, I almost always prefer a clutch bag or purse in a makeup set to a box (as in last year’s version).
The holiday 2008 countdown finishes in Part 3.
Related Posts:
Spring 2009 collections from the three brands above:
Anna Sui
Coffret D’Or
Lunasol
Today and in the next few days, I will be counting down my 10 favorite holiday 2008 makeup collections. We’ll start from #10 to #7 today.
10. RMK
(image from RMK)
The 2008 edition of RMK’s Christmas Palette is probably one of the best holiday palettes from RMK in recent years, particularly in terms of the packaging. I like the two-tier design as well as the metallic gold pouch. (On the other hand, I didn’t like the animal-print palette from last year, even though it had some very nice colors.) The colors are wearable and the sparkles in the three pastel eyeshadows add a festive vibe to the party makeup look.
Please have a look at my review of the palette here.
9. Magie Deco
(image from www.iswii.net)
This is Magie Deco’s second holiday coffret. While I prefer the first one, this year’s version still looks gorgeous and glamorous. It is a good continuation of the deep-red theme from the line’s fall 2008 Bordeaux Magic collection.
8. Jill Stuart
(image from www.urcosme.com)
I have to say I am slightly underwhelmed by Jill Stuart’s holiday set for this year. It does have a beautiful vintage look, but, again, I prefer last year’s Christmas Rose Collection, with rosette details and a more different design for the eyeshadow palette. But the Solid Perfume Ring did tempt me a little bit when I first saw it.
7. Shu Uemura
(image from www.shuuemura-usa.com)
I really like the cases of these eye palettes and some of the colors in them. The colorful photos are by Japanese photographer Mika Ninagawa, and they also feature in Gloss Unlimited Mini Trio, Portable Brush Set and Makeup Box. Shu Uemura’s products usually have a simple and minimal look, and these images inject a lot of vibrancy to these holiday items. (You can see the rest of the collection here.)
The countdown continues in Part 2 and Part 3!
Related Posts:
My Fall 2008 Makeup Top 10:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
(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.
Related Posts:
Loving Japanese Brands – Lavshuca
Coffret D’Or Trance Deep Eyes in Rose Variation
Coffret D’Or Trance Deep Eyes in Grey Variation
(image from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lunasol)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/coffretdor)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/coffretdor)
