seasonal makeup top 10

Spring 2008 Makeup Top 10 (Part 1)

by PJ on Sunday, March 16, 2008

in -Anna Sui, -Ayura, -Clé de Peau, -Maquillage, 2008 Spring, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

Every season, I count down my ten personal favorite makeup collections. This week, I present my top ten for spring 2008. In reverse order:

10: Clé de Peau

(Eye Color Quad in 116 (left) and 117 (right))

(image from www.shiseido.co.jp/cpb)

This is Clé de Peau‘s first time in my top ten in the last few years. I love the ad image and the gentle and feminine look with the blue eyeshadow. The Eye Color Quad in 117 is a delicious combination of purple, aqua blue, and mint green. Apart from capturing the trend, I think this versatile palette can take you right through the summer months.

9. Maquillage

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

Maquillage is another line that hasn’t been featured in my seasonal top ten very much. But there is something very striking about their latest seasonal look, which is my favorite look for spring 2008. One of the key items of the collection is Clean Contrast Eyes 2 in SV844, which is used to create the soft lilac eyes we see above:

(Maquillage Clean Contrast Eyes 2 in SV844)
(image from www.shiseido.co.jp/mq)

This palette combines the very trendy grey from fall 2007 and the spring 2008 leading color lilac. It can also be seen as a monochrome palette with lilac as the accent color. It can create a variety of looks, from gentle and fresh to intensely smoky.

This shade combination is not the first for Maquillage. Contrast Eyes in SV862, released in spring 2006, is quite similar (but the lilac looks warmer). T’Estimo’s Grande Shine Eyes in 02, from summer 2007, also has a similar concept. But the release of this color combination in spring 2008 as a key item of the collection reflects Maquillage’s attempt to interpret the current trend. (Teaser: A full review of Clean Contrast Eyes 2 in SV844 is coming up next week!)

8: Ayura

(part of the Ayura spring 2008 collection)
(image from www.ayura.co.jp)

Ayura‘s spring 2008 collection is very visually appealing. I am sure some of the people familiar with Ayura were delighted to see the brand take on a new color scheme for the packing. The intricate patterns against the black cases look exquisitely classy.

The collection includes 4 blushers, 21 lipsticks, and 18 nail colors. There is no item for eyes, but it is almost certain that we are going to see some beautiful eye colors in the new black cases.

7. Anna Sui

(part of the Anna Sui spring 2008 collection)
(image from www.annasui-cosmetics.com)

Anna Sui is probably the princess of vibrant colors. The spring 2008 collection features bright hues for eyes and nails. The three limited-edition Sui Lip Glosses (above) appear to be very bright, but they all go on naturally sheer. (Have a look at my review of the blue-tinted Sui Lip Gloss in 100.)

This is one of the more memorable seasonal collections from Anna Sui in the last couple of years, and I hope there will be more lovely items to come!

See you in Part 2!

Magie Deco Spring 2008 Collection
(A great collection that just missed the cut…)

Spring 2008 Makeup Trend Report
(before we move into summer…)

{ 2 comments }

Holiday 2007: A Touch of Blusher’s Seasonal Top 10 (Part 3)

by PJ on Thursday, December 20, 2007

in -Dior, -Lavshuca, -Paul & Joe, 2007 Holiday, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

(continued from Part 1 and Part 2)

My Holiday 2007 Top Ten List concludes today!

3. Lavshuca

I realized a while ago that Lavshuca achieved grand slam for me in 2007, as I purchased items from all the four seasonal collections this year. Its affordability means I am able to pick up great items from each season without spending too much money.

The Lavshuca Christmas makeup palette is a sweet finish of the year. It is a cute little palette with three eyeshadows, a lip color, and a lip gloss. It is also the first eye/lip palette since Lavshuca’s launch in spring 2006.

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

See my other Lavshuca items throughout 2007:

Spring–
Eye Color Select in PK-1 & BU-1 (my favorite Lavshuca items for 2007)
Jewelry Lip in PK-1 & RS-1
Gloss Stick in PK-3

Summer

–
Cheek Color in PK-1

Fall

–
Eye Color Select in PU-2
Color Conc Rouge in PK-1

Paul & Joe

(image from www.paul-joe-beaute.com)

Paul & Joe is another brand that is always visually very pleasing. Last year, Paul & Joe’s holiday collection reached number 3 with an absolutely stunning hummingbird-themed lineup. This year’s collection is weaker for me, but, among an overall weaker collection of holiday products across brands this year, it grabbed the runner-up spot.

The Lip Gloss N in 001 Black-Tie is perhaps my favorite holiday item for 2007, with an mouth-watering berry-red shade plus beautiful multi-color shimmer.

Dior

(image from www.dior.com)

Overall, Dior’s holiday collection has won it for me. First of all, the limited-edition item, DiorLight Jewelled Makeup Necklace, is another very pretty piece of collectible makeup item created by Dior. Secondly, I love the fact that Dior usually comes up with a full collection of makeup items for the holiday season.

Readers in the US might not feel that Dior’s holiday lineup this year is a full-on collection, and I think it is because only half of the collection is available in the US.

For holiday 2007, Dior has come up with two makeup looks, each featuring a set of Jewelled Makeup Necklace, 5-color eyeshadow palette, Rouge Dior Crème de Gloss, Rouge Dior lipstick, and nail color. One is a beige-brown look (with the #360 Amber Treasure eyeshadow palette) and one is a pink-plum look (with the #340 Secret Charm palette). I might be wrong, but I think only the beige-brown look is available in the US, while both looks are sold in Asia and Europe. (I am aware that only the beige Jewelled Makeup Necklace is available in the US.)

Below, you can see that the Dior Japan site has two sets of everything (apart from Style Liner and DiorShow Powder in Dreamlight), whereas the Dior US site only has the beige-brown look.

(image from Dior Japan)

(image from Dior US)

I had a chance to test out shades from both looks last week. Both are very good, but, as usual, I am partial to the pink/purple/plum hues.

With a relatively complete collection featuring various items and different color tones and fronted by an adorable limited-edition item, Dior, for me, has the best holiday collection of 2007!

Dior Pretty Charms
(holiday 2006 limited-edition item)

Loving Japanese Brands: Lavshuca
(the latest addition to my favorite Japanese brands)

Loving Japanese brands: Paul & Joe
(my personal take on Paul & Joe)

{ 6 comments }

Holiday 2007: A Touch of Blusher’s Seasonal Top 10 (Part 2)

by PJ on Tuesday, December 18, 2007

in -Ayura, -Cosme Decorte, -Kosé, -MAC, -Magie Deco, 2007 Holiday, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

My Holiday 2007 Top 10 List continues from Part 1!

6. Magie Deco

(image from www.cosmedecorte.com/magiedeco/)

Kose’s Magie Deco was launched in Japan in fall this year, and this is its debut holiday collection. I like the fact that the packaging is a variation of the usual Magie Deco look. It is different but instantly recognizable. I also like the rich red color scheme.

The two items are sold as a set, and both of them look so glamorous and beautiful, with an appropriate festive vibe.

If you like the look of this collection, you may want to check out Magie Deco’s spring 2008 collection.

5. MAC

(image from www.iswii.net)

MAC’s holiday 2007 collections (including Royal Assets, Antiquitease, and others) are some of my favorite MAC collections for 2007. The packaging looks good, and there are a very wide selection of items.

But when I saw the items in person for the first time, I was slightly underwhelmed by the details of the packaging. I think they looked just a little bit rough around the edges and they could have been slightly more refined.

Nonetheless, these collections present a pleasant departure from MAC’s usual dark and minimal look and I am sure many MAC fans have been enjoying collecting some of the goodies.

4. Ayura

(image from www.ayura.co.jp/jp/)

I haven’t really talked about this adorable holiday set from my personal favorite brand, which I am doing in this post.

Ayura’s holiday sets usually include best-selling items in limited-edition travel sizes as well as some one-off creations. The set for holiday 2007 includes:

-Spirit of Ayura Aroma Bath Powder (X2, limited edition)
-Spirit of Ayura Aroma Treatment Oil (for hair and body, limited edition)
-Spirit of Ayura Aroma Body Powder (limited edition)
-Spirit of Ayura Aroma Hands (30g, limited-edition size)
-Shiny Face (face highlighter, limited-edition, choice of blue and pink)
-Nail Color (choice of 23 shades, including limited-edition pink and violet shades)
-Cosmetics Box

Spirit of Ayura is Ayura’s one and only fragrance, and, apart from the hand cream, the three Spirit of Ayura items in the set are one-off creations based on this wonderful scent.

I really love the look of this collection (and I like the combination of all the fresh colors), not to mention that Spirit of Ayura is one of my favorite fragrances, But I already have quite a few somewhat similar limited-edition items based on this fragrance and this is the only reason why I didn’t consider getting this set.

The final part of my Holiday 2007 Top Ten List will be coming soon!

Loving Japanese Brands: Ayura
(my all-time favorite brand)

MAC A-Mei Color Collection
(another exciting collection from MAC)

{ 4 comments }

Holiday 2007: A Touch of Blusher’s Seasonal Top 10 (Part 1)

by PJ on Sunday, December 16, 2007

in -Jill Stuart, -Lunasol, -YSL, 2007 Holiday, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

We have already seen many spring 2008 makeup collections, and I am sure some favorites have emerged on your list. But let’s look back, just in time in the midst of the holiday season, at my own top 10 holiday 2007 collections.

10. Lunasol

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

2007 is a great year for Lunasol, which brought out fantastic collections for spring and fall. Lunasol’s Christmas 2007 coffret presents the usual dose of neutral and wearable colors as seen in Lunasol’s previous holiday sets. Some might say they are unimaginative, but this doesn’t stop Lunasol fans from collecting this sophisticated coffret for lips, eyes, and face.

9. Guerlain

(Forever Gold)

(image from www.guerlain.co.jp)

Guerlain’s holiday 2007 collection did not get my full attention until I tested Forever Gold (pictured above) and a couple of other items. Forever Gold delivers a sheer and fine mist of very sparkling shimmer. The finish is quite even, and the sparkles are very glamorous without being over the top. A star item for this holiday season indeed. (You can read more about my thoughts of Forever Gold here.)

8. YSL

(image from www.yslbeautyus.com)

I mentioned in my initial review of the YSL holiday 2007 collection that I preferred the usual gold packaging. But, compared with many other holiday collections, this is still a strong one. The collection is well-themed with memorable designs. The heart-shaped necklace is very pretty even though I don’t think this is the best makeup necklace for this season.

This is the first time in five years that YSL’s holiday collection didn’t make the top five on my holiday top 10 list, as the overall collection didn’t impress me as much as the previous ones did. (Read about YSL’s Gold Celebration Palette from the 2006 holiday collection if you are interested.)

7. Jill Stuart

(image from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

Jill Stuart’s holiday 2007 set is instantly appealing, with the kind of feminine and princessy packaging that Jill Stuart is famous for. Like Lunasol’s holiday 2007 coffret, the set features universally flattering shades.

According to this blog post, all the slots were full within an hour after one department store started to take pre-orders for this set, while the set was completely sold out in another department store within two hours after the set was officially launched. I am not really surprised. Since the Jill Stuart beauty line was launched in Japan in 2005, the holiday sets in 2005 and 2006 have been extremely popular. (This post also features a swatch video, in which you can actually see how the eyeshadow shades shimmer!)

(Continue to read Part 2 and Part 3!)

Loving Japanese Brands: Jill Stuart
(featuring my Jill Stuart Christmas 2005 set)

Loving Japanese Brands: Lunasol
(one of my three favorite Japanese brands for the moment)

Keep It Gold: YSL
(my personal take on the glamorous YSL)

{ 4 comments }

Fall 2007 Makeup Round-Up (#3-#1)

by PJ on Friday, September 21, 2007

in -Dior, -Jill Stuart, -Lunasol, 2007 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

(continued from Part 1 and Part 2)

#3: Jill Stuart

(from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

(from Biteki September 2007)

When I knew there was going to be a new pressed powder blusher for Jill Stuart, I was trying to imagine what it would look like. I have to say the actual packaging doesn’t disappoint me, to say the least. Very ornate and princessy. (I will review this later on.)

The limited-edition Point Crystal II loose eyeshadow (pictured mid-right) rides on the success of the previous Point Crystal from last fall. This time, the shades are slightly more intense. Overall this is such a pretty collection.

#2: Dior

(from www.dior.com)

(from Biteki September 2007)

The 5-color eyeshadow palette in 060 Silver Goddess (the right one of the two palettes) is so fall 2007, with great shades of grey and silvery copper. If you have tested the blue shade in this palette, you know that it has vivid pink shimmer. So very pretty. The two eyeshadow palettes also complement the two Diorissime palettes (far right).

Currently only two Dior Blush shades are sold in Japan, while a larger selection is available in the US and the UK. There is actually a shade called A Touch of Blush. Well, not exactly the name of my blog, but close enough. (And it is a great natural shade!)

The Diorissime palettes finish off the collection beautifully. I have 002 Seduction Drama (the one available in the US) and I love it.

#1: Lunasol

(from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lunasol)

(from Biteki September 2007)

This is the best collection for fall 2007 in my opinion. It is also one of the most stunning collections from Lunasol.

All the items for eyes, lips, and nails coordinate with one another and come in five mini collections. Each features a 5-color eyeshadow palette, an eyeliner, a lipstick, a lip gloss, and a nail color. Among the eyeshadow palettes, the one in blue (04 Saphire) and pink (05 Ruby) are very popular in Asia right now, and they certainly tickle my fancy!

Related Posts:

Fall 2007 Makeup Trend Report

Lunasol Fall 2007 Collection

Jill Stuart Fall 2007 Collection

Possible(!!) Jill Stuart Cosmetics Launch in the US

Fall 2007 Makeup Round-Up Part 1 & Part 2

{ 9 comments }

Fall 2007 Makeup Round-Up (#6-#4)

by PJ on Thursday, September 20, 2007

in -Chanel, -Guerlain, -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2007 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

(continued from yesterday)

#6: Guerlain

(from www.guerlain.co.jp)

(from Biteki September 2007)

Continuing from a gorgeous collection in summer with Pucci, Guerlain puts forward some more great items. I like the gorgeous Ombre Eclat Duo & Liner palettes. The eyeshadows are smooth and silky, and so is the cream-to-powder eyeliner. The color selection is spot on, with blue and grey, pink and plum, and an array of neutral and golden shades. The shiny gold compact has a great sense of substance to it.

#5: Chanel

(from www.chanel.com)

(from Biteki September 2007)

Chanel stays right on trend with olive green, featured in Les 4 Ombres (Garden-Party) and Irréelle Duo (Lotus-Cactus). Les 4 Camélias de Chanel (that I won’t be buying) has some pretty and wearable colors. The blushers are kept muted to go with the sultry eyes and intense lips.

#4: Lavshuca

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

(from Biteki September 2007)

Lavshuca has been doing well since its debut last year. The collection is expanding with more and more lovely items. This season, I love the new Eye Color Select palette in PU-2. The new Grade Color Select eye palettes (mid-right) are soft and sensual. The new Color Conc Rouge (bottom) does not live up to the promise, but they are still competent glosses in very cute packaging.

Come back for the final part of the count-down later!

Related posts:

Fall 2007 Makeup Trend Report

Fall 2007 Makeup Round-Up Part 1

{ 2 comments }

Fall 2007 Makeup Round-Up (#10-#7)

by PJ on Wednesday, September 19, 2007

in -Anna Sui, 2007 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, seasonal makeup top 10

It is time to round up my top 10 makeup collections for fall 2007, in reverse order, throughout the rest of this week. This time I have included photos of the seasonal makeup catalog from the September 2007 issue of Biteki magazine.

#10: ettusais

Ettusais has re-packaged its makeup collection. Everything still looks minimal and simple to show off the variety of colors. I especially like the vibrant shades of the Eye Color (top right).

Another interesting item is the Cheek Color (far right). All the 7 shades are packaged in a round compact with a spongy puff applicator attached to the bottom of the compact. I wonder how well the applicator works…

#9: Bobbi Brown

Bobbi Brown doesn’t appear on my top 10 lists very often (I have been doing the lists for a while for some of my friends.) But this collection caught my eyes. The Stonewashed palette has a great selection of brown, taupe, and grey shades. I nearly considered buying it, but the battle was won by Dior’s Diorissime palette. I am also intrigued by the eyeshadow trios. It is a slight departure from their usual neutral tones.

#8: Elégance

Elégance’s latest collection is in tune with the fall 2007 makeup trend. The eyeshadow palettes feature lovely shades of muted green and grey. They also include some lilac shades, which I always like.

(photo from www.elegance-cosmetics.com)

The lip glosses look scrumptious. All the shades look very wearable and appear to have delicate shimmers. Love the gold packaging as well. Very Glamorous.

#7: Anna Sui

(photo from www.annasui-cosmetics.com)

The Mini Rouge lip colors (top right) have been popular with Anna Sui collectors for the ultra-cute packaging and a good selection of shades. The limited-edition Pressed Powder M (bottom right) has been popular as well. For me, the new Liquid Eye Color (lower mid-left) looks very tempting.

Stay tuned for the rest of the round-up in the following days!

Fall 2007 Makeup Round-Up Part 2

Fall 2007 Makeup Round-Up Part 3

Fall 2007 Makeup Trend Report

If I Could Go To Japan RIGHT NOW
(with more on ettusais and Elegance.)

Summer 2007 Makeup Round-Up Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3

{ 6 comments }

PJ’s Top 10: Summer 2007 Makeup Roundup (#1 – #3)

by PJ on Thursday, June 28, 2007

in -Dior, -Guerlain, -Lavshuca, 2007 Summer, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

(continued from the previous post)

—————#3: Guerlain————————-

The Look: Colors in Pucci style

Key Item: Guerlain by Emilio Pucci Meteorites Powder. Put the colors from the cherry-pink and turquoise powder balls onto your face to add some bright radiance. The gorgeous packaging will add some pizazz to your dressing table as well.

—————#2: Chanel————————-

The Look: Sheer beauty.

Key Items: Contraste Lumiere palettes in Aquarelles (cool tones, reviewed here) and Morderees (warm tones). With sheer and lightly shimmery shades, these are some of the best and the most wearable lip/eye palettes from Chanel in recent seasons. The Aquarelles palette is my personal favorite, while Mordorees definitely reflects the demand for the sun-goddess look every summer.

—————#1 (Winner!): Dior————————-

The Look: Polar Contrast — water and desert.

Key Item: 5-Colour Eyeshadow Palette in 130 Blue Croisette. This a beautiful palette that epitomizes this season’s trend with blue eyeshadows. Adorable pastel blue shades, some cooler and some warmer, form a lovely spectrum. Great to create a subtle gradation of tones of this season’s hottest color. If you usually stay away from blue eyeshadows but are tempted to give them a go, then this palette can be a great start.

{ 2 comments }

PJ’s Top 10: Summer 2007 Makeup Roundup (#4 – #6)

by PJ on Tuesday, June 26, 2007

in -Kanebo, -Shu Uemura, 2007 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

(continued from the previous post)

—————#6: Shu Uemura————————-

The Look: Juxtaposition of warm and cool hues.

Key Items: Sunrise Prism and Sunset Prism Eyeshadow Palettes. (Another interpretation of the sunrise/sunset theme is Chanel’s two Contraste Lumiere palettes, billed as “dawn and day” in Japan.) Not as bold as MAC’s C-Shock Collection, they are still richer than most pastel shades around. The combinations of colors are very interesting and enticing (turquoise, emerald and yellow for Sunrise Prism and orange, lilac, and gold for Sunset Prism). I’d be tempted to mix the colors from the two eye-catching palettes.

—————#5: Lavshuca————————-

The Look: A Touch of Blusher (Umm……)

Key Items: Cheek Colors. If you like to go heavy on the blusher, then they might not be right for you. (They do layer fine, but it takes time.) They impart a light wash of color. It is predominantly matte, which I like as well.

(I am not really sure how these are compared with the striped Cheek Select, which, from what I have gathered, is too sheer for most people’s liking. I think the Cheek Colors are probably more pigmented, as they certainly can’t be used as an overall face powder…)

—————#4: Lunasol————————-

The Look: Azure eyes.

Key Item: Skin Modeling Eyes in EX02 Beige Cool. This is a great palette for creating the hot look of this season: blue eyes. Instead of the bright and bold cobalt blue, the palette features a light pastel blue and a deeper and more understated dark blue. A very wearable blue eye palette.

To be continued……(see who wins the medals…)

{ 6 comments }

PJ’s Top 10: Summer 2007 Makeup Roundup (#7 – #10)

by PJ on Sunday, June 24, 2007

in -Kanebo, 2007 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

(Pictured: my summer 2007 makeup additions)

This week, I will present three posts that round up 2007’s summer collections, in the form of my usual Top Ten list.

We’ll start from number 10 today:

—————#10: Kate ——————–

The Look: Glistening and iridescent eyes.

Key Items: Loose Eyeshadows. All the four shades (pink, blue, gold, and silver) are quite light. The emphasis is on the sparkles. Loose eyeshadows are not commonly seen for budget brands in Japan (Majolica Majorca did have some in spring 2007), and they have been quite popular.

(I haven’t featured Kate very much in my blog. I am planning to talk more about it next month.)

—————#9: Jill Stuart ——————–

The Look: Airy and feminine.

Key Item: Brilliance Eyes in 05 Mauve Pearl. A limited edition palette from the Brilliance Eyes eyeshadow palette collection. (Two more are coming this fall!) There are soft pastel shades of pink and blue with a bold shimmery black to frame the eyes. It is a contrasting palette that works seamlessly.

—————#8: Maquillage ——————–

The Look: Eyes with soft creamy colors.

Key Items: Double Shiny Eyes. Fans of the previous PN collection will recognize this reincarnation, this time with a matching highlighting shade. Love the little drawer that holds the applicater.

—————#7: Aube (Sofina)——————–

The Look: Juicy lips bursting with shine and sparkles.

Key Items: Gloss Frutina. Sheer shades of pink, red, orange, and mint green…it is like a refreshing summer fruit bowl. If the sparkles in the lip glosses are not enough for you, the applicators are also decked with Swarovski crystals. Affordable luxuries!

To be continued…

(Note: Western brands are doing well on the list this season and they will be appearing later on. Well, the clue is in the photo……)

{ 2 comments }

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →