-Sonia Rykiel

Sonia Rykiel Spring 2009 Collection

by PJ on Friday, January 23, 2009

in -Sonia Rykiel, 2009 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(images and information from
www.soniarykiel-cosmetics.com)

Sonia Rykiel‘s website has been updated to feature the spring 2009 makeup collection. The lineup includes:


– Glossy Lip Color (10 shades)

– Cheek Color Powder (4 variations)



– Eyeliner Pencil WP (Waterproof)


– Mono Eyeshadow (13 new shades)

It is quite an eye-catching collection, with three new products and colorful additions to the Mono Eyeshadow range. The new lip gloss has a nice range of shades (I am drawn to the cooler end of the lineup), while the iconic Sonia Rykiel horizontal stripes are again used for the blushers.

The collection will be out in Japan on February 6th, 2009.

Related posts:

Brand Focus – Sonia Rykiel Cosmetics

Sonia Rykiel Holiday 2008 Collection

Sonia Rykiel Fall 2008 Collection

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Sonia Rykiel Holiday 2008 Collection Update

by PJ on Friday, October 24, 2008

in -Sonia Rykiel, 2008 Holiday, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

My post on Sonia Rykiel’s holiday 2008 collection has been updated to include photos of all the colors available. Do have a look!

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Sonia Rykiel Holiday 2008 Collection

by PJ on Tuesday, October 14, 2008

in -Sonia Rykiel, 2008 Holiday, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(all images from www.cosme.net)

Sonia Rykiel will release its holiday 2008 collection in Japan on November 14th. The collection includes:

– Rouge à Lèvres (above, 3 variations)

– Ombre à Paupières Crème (2 shades)

– Nail Color L (3 shades)

– Poudre Visage (1 variation)


All items are limited editions. The rich and vibrant magenta-toned packaging is also unique to this collection, as the brand currently features striped cases that reflect the classic Sonia Rykiel designs.

Updated on October 23, 2008:

Please check out photos of all the shades available. (All images are from woman.excite.co.jp.)




Related Posts:

Beauty Brand Focus: Sonia Rykiel

Sonia Rykiel Fall 2008 Makeup Collection

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Fall 2008 Makeup Top 10 (Part 1)

by PJ on Monday, September 29, 2008

in -Jill Stuart, -Sonia Rykiel, -YSL, 2008 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

It is time to count down my favorite fall 2008 makeup collections. In the next week or two, as usual, I will present them in reverse order (in three posts).

10. Awake

(image from www.awake.co.jp)

Purple shades will probably always get my attention, and Awake‘s fall 2008 collection certainly is very purple. Apart from the eye palettes, Awake’s Moon Illusion collection includes lip glosses and nail colors, both of which feature a purple shade. This is a small seasonal lineup with a very coherent look.

You can see a review of some of the items from this collection at Autumn Masquerade.

9. Jill Stuart

(image from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

Packaging-wise, this is probably the prettiest makeup collection this season. The eyeshadow palette and blusher cases manage to look even more divine than the previous releases. But the color combinations are slightly predictable. Nevertheless, I will be looking forward to the spring 2009 collection.

Check out a review of some of the items (along with packaging comparison) at Musings of a Muse.

8. YSL

(images from www.ysl.com)

Even though I am disappointed with the Lilac Sky palette, which doesn’t suit me enough to worth a purchase, it doesn’t affect my view on this stunning-looking new range of 5-color eyeshadow palettes. The colors are rich and vibrant, with a mix of matte and shimmery shades. Whenever a magazine page features one of these, my eyes are usually immediately drawn to it.

7. Sonia Rykiel

(images from www.soniarykiel-cosmetics.com)

Sonia Rykiel‘s Actrice fall 2008 collection aims to capture the sophisticated glamour of silver-screen heroines. The colors seem lively but still easy to wear. The Quatre Eyeshadow Collection in 01 and 04 feature a soft lilac and violet respectively, while the limited-edition 06 has gold and silver in one palette. I haven’t tried anything from Sonia Rykiel after they changed the packaging from deep silver cases to striped ones, and I will definitely keep a mental note on the eye palette series.

The countdown continues in Part 2 and Part 3.

Related Posts:

Summer 2008 Makeup Top 10 –

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

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Sonia Rykiel Website Update

by PJ on Monday, August 4, 2008

in -Sonia Rykiel, 2008 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(all images from www.soniarykiel-cosmetics.com)

Sonia Rykiel Beauté has updated its website to include information on the fall 2008 makeup collection, titled Actrice. (Please check my previous post for quick details of the items.)

You’ll see all the variations of the new Quatre Eyeshadow palettes as well as other upcoming items. The link on the page for the palettes will give you some ideas about how to use the shades in this palette range.

The collection will be out in Japan on August 22nd.

Related posts:

Beauty Brand Focus – Sonia Rykiel

Other brand-focus posts – Kanebo Freeplus & Elégance

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Sonia Rykiel Fall 2008 Makeup Collection

by PJ on Tuesday, July 15, 2008

in -Sonia Rykiel, 2008 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(Quatre Eyeshadow Collection)
(image from i-voce2.com)

Sonia Rykiel will release its fall 2008 makeup collection in Japan on August 22nd. The collection includes:

– Quatre Eyeshadow Collection (seen above, 5 variations)

– Lipstick AC (5 new shades)



– Eyelash Mascara (5 shades)



– Nail Color (3 new shades)


(all images from i-voce2.com)

The eye palette above looks very pretty and almost reminds me of Lunasol’s Lavender Coral (even though the Sonia Rykiel palette only has one lilac shade). I don’t own a Sonia Rykiel eye palette and this might be a good one to start my collection with…

I will keep you posted when the Sonia Rykiel website is updated to include information and photos of the new collection.

Related Posts:

Beauty Brand Focus – Sonia Rykiel

YSL Fall 2008 Makeup Collection

AYURA Fall 2008 Collection

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Summer 2008 Makeup Top 10 (Part 2)

by PJ on Wednesday, June 18, 2008

in -Glamacy, -Magie Deco, -Sonia Rykiel, -Twany, 2008 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

(continued from Part 1)

6. Twany Glamacy

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

Kanebo’s Twany Glamacy is about classic basics, and this summer 2008 lineup is the line’s launch collection. Within the basic shades, I like the way the line gets into the specifics. Among the pale shades for the eye area, Eyecolor UB (Under-Brow) is for highlighting the brow bone while Eyecolor UE (Under-Eye) is for the inner corner of the eye and the immediate under-eye area. It is all about getting the everyday look right, and I enjoy the brand’s sense of precision and the attention to detail.

5. Sonia Rykiel

(Divines Vacances:
Sonia Rykiel’s summer 2008 collection)
(image from www.soniarykiel-cosmetics.com)

Sonia Rykiel‘s beauty line is sold in Asia and has been doing well over the years. Its colorful summer 2008 collection includes eyeshadow trios, cream eyeliners, and nail colors (all limited editions). Some of these vibrant shades do stand out among the neutrals for this season.

The eyeshadow trios are very petite and should be the same size as their Mono Eyeshadows, and they are great for travelling light. (Divine indeed……)

4. Magie Deco

(image from www.cosmedecorte.com/magiedeco)

Besides Twany Glamacy’s debut collection, Magie Deco‘s summer 2008 lineup is also quite extensive, with eye palettes, cream eyeshadows, lipsticks, lip glosses, eyeliners, mascaras, and nail colors. (Please check out the latter link above for more information and to see the seasonal makeup look.)

Two new palettes join the Shadow Brilliance lineup, one warmer and one cooler:

(image from www.cosmedecorte.com/magiedeco)

So far, I have been liking the color combinations of Magie Deco’s Shadow Brilliance palettes. The line has stayed away from tone-on-tone palettes that many Japanese makeup lines constantly come up with, which does give the line an edge. Even though I do like nice tone-on-tone palettes, it is great to see some originality.

Please check back later for my thoughts on the top three!

Related Posts:

Other summer 2008 collections:

Jill Stuart

Kate

Majolica Majorca

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Japanese Cosmetics Focus: Sonia Rykiel

by PJ on Thursday, May 29, 2008

in _Japanese Brand Profile, -Sonia Rykiel, all about Japanese cosmetics

(part of Sonia Rykiel’s Summer Makeup Collection:
Divines Vacances)
(image from www.soniarykiel-cosmetics.com)

Like Paul & Joe and Elégance, Sonia Rykiel is a French fashion brand (which I personally like very much). But, just like the brands mentioned above, the Sonia Rykiel beauty line is essentially Japanese and is developed and manufactured in Japan for Japanese and Asian consumers in general.

During my trip to Paris several years ago, staff in the Sonia Rykiel boutique confirmed that the line was not sold in France. At the moment, it is available in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Macau. (Please check Sonia Rykiel Beauté’s international shoplist for details of retail points outside Japan.)

The Sonia Rykiel beauty line features full skincare, base makeup, and color makeup ranges. All three areas have been performing relatively well in the Asian market. But the brand is particularly famous for its base makeup range. Their Treatment Makeup Base and Water Gel Foundation (both have been updated a couple of times in the past years) have been Sonia Rykiel’s best-selling products. (The brand claims that 80% of Water Gel Foundation, seen below in the center, is water and that it is an ultra-moisturizing foundation.)

(Left to right:
Treatment Powder Foundation,
Water Gel Foundation,
and Moisture Arising Cream Foundation)
(image from www.soniarykiel-cosmetics.com)

Skincare-wise, I have tried several samples, and the one that left me with a very good impression is the cleansing oil. It cleansed well, rinsed easily, and left no oily residue. (It has also been updated so I can’t say for sure how well the current version works.)

One of Sonia Rykiel’s best-selling skincare products is Hydra Premier Primer Moisture Essence (seen below). As I mentioned a couple of times in the past, many Japanese brands feature more elaborate skincare routines, and this product reflects this. This is a light serum-type product that is used right after cleansing and before any other skincare item is applied. It is supposed to work as a “primer” for subsequent skincare products and help them absorb better.

(Hydra Premier Primer Moisture Essence)
(image from www.soniarykiel-cosmetics.com)

I got a trial sample of this several years ago, and, to my surprise, alcohol was one of the major ingredients. (Maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise, since alcohol features heavily in Japanese skincare products.) I have to say I would never put this on my face. In the ad above, to me, it’s a splash of (irritating) alcohol, not a splash of water…

I am a lot more pleased with Sonia Rykiel’s makeup products. I have Mono Eyeshadow in #16 and Aqua Cheek Color in 01. Sonia Rykiel revamped the entire color makeup line about two years ago, so both were discontinued (which is why I haven’t touched upon them since I started my blog).



I especially like the Mono Eyeshadow. Its smooth and silky texture rivals that of some of the best eyeshadows I have tried in the last couple of years. (The finish of this particular shade is luminous matte with very little shimmer.) The Aqua Cheek Color is a stick blusher with a cream-to-powder texture. This pigmented blusher takes a bit of time to blend, but the velvety finish is beautiful and long-lasting.

Overall, this is a brand that I do constantly pay attention to, especially its base and color makeup items. (Currently, I am quite interested in the eyeshadow palettes, loose powder, and lip glosses.) Their seasonal makeup collections are often very visually pleasing.

If you are going to Asia this summer and are interested in checking out beauty lines not available in the west, this brand is worth a look. (In Tokyo in particular, Sonia Rykiel Beauté is available in major department stores such as Takashimaya Shinjuku, Isetan Shinjuku, and Seibu Ikebukuro. All have heavenly beauty departments which cover a great variety of brands.)

Edited on May 30, 2008:

Sonia Rykiel is a high-end line and its pricing is similar to Lunasol’s. A Sonia Rykiel lipstick costs about 33 USD and a 4-color eye palette costs about 50 USD in Japan. All the items’ retail prices in Japan are listed on the Sonia Rykiel Beauté website.

On Other Japanese Cosmetics:

– Vecua

– Elégance

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If I Could Go To Japan RIGHT NOW…

by PJ on Tuesday, September 4, 2007

in -Albion, -Elégance, -Eprise, -Ettusais, -Jill Stuart, -Kanebo, -Kiss, -Love Clover, -Lunasol, -Sonia Rykiel, -Watosa, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

I am planning to visit Japan again. It won’t be happening very soon, but my shopping list has been growing longer and longer already!

Apart from some of my favorite Japanese brands (such as Ayura, Sofina, Lavshuca), there are some specific items of my favorite brands and other very interesting lines I want to look at.

Here is just a little sneak peek of my shopping list!


1. Jill Stuart

(photo from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

My ultimate cosmetics shopping trip in Japan will undoubtedly start with Jill Stuart (despite the risk of spending all my savings on the first day). I want to sample everything! I have several Jill Stuart items but I have always wanted more. I will definitely test the Blush Powder (loose powder blusher, second from left) and pick a shade I like.


2. Lunasol

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


I absolutely love all the Lunasol items I have, but I have not yet had any of their beautiful eyeshadow palettes. They are quite expensive but…when in Japan…!

3. Elégance

(photo from www.elegance-cosmetics.com)


I absolutely love this brand but I haven’t really talked about it on my blog. Elégance is a French fashion label that has a cosmetics line in a couple of Asian countries. It is very high-end but the quality is great. I love the simple but opulent gold packaging as well. I am interested in their pressed powder blusher and the new cream blusher.

4. Eprise

( photo from www.albion.co.jp)

Eprise is the makeup line from Albion, a major cosmetics brand in Japan. Albion has some extremely popular skincare and foundation products. The makeup line Eprise is relatively low-key but has an elegant look that really appeals to me.

5. ettusais

(photo from www.ettusais.co.jp)


I have used many ettusais foundation and skincare products and have thought highly of them. The ettusais makeup line has recently been re-packaged. Well, it doesn’t particularly look very exciting, but I would like to have a look at the new blusher (yes, I can’t have enough blushers…), which features a sponge puff attached to the bottom of the container.


6. Sonia Rykiel

(photo from www.isetan.co.jp)

Sonia Rykiel is another French fashion label that has a cosmetics line in Asia. Known for some great foundation formulations and a couple of skincare products, Sonia Rykiel Cosmetics has an exquisite quality. Currently, the makeup packaging is inspired by Sonia Rykiel’s famous stripy patterns:

(photo from www.isetan.co.jp)


7. Watosa

(photo from www.isetan.co.jp)

Watosa is a quirky brand with a colorful look. Like Stila, paper is used for some of the product packaging. I bought a Watosa lipstick in Hong Kong many years ago and this is a brand I want to try more products from.

8. Kiss

(photo from www.kiss-cosmetics.com)


Kiss is a drugstore line that has been immensely popular in Japan. The packaging is very girlie, although I don’t think the overall look is as dreamy and princessy as Lavshuca. But like Lavshuca, their products are very affordable and I won’t leave Japan without a couple of their goodies.

9. Love Clover

(photo from www.loveclover.jp)

Love Clover, like Makemania (which carries Curvy Lip Silicone) is part of SONY. It has also been a popular drugstore brand and has a rather similar feel to Kiss. The PonPonCheek N (above) looks so adorable!

10: Anuenue


(photo from www.ar-anuenue.com)

Anuenue is another drugstore line from SONY. It recently launched some skincare products, including Hand Balm and Lip Balm seen above.

The list goes on and on, as there are many other brands and products I am interested in. But I’d better stop here before I get carried away (and book my flight to Tokyo tomorrow)!

Notes:

1. In the UK, we have Shiseido International, Kanebo International, Paul & Joe, RMK, and SUQQU. (We used to have Anna Sui and Chic Choc, but they left a few years ago.)

2. Some of the brands above are available outside Japan. But Japan is the only country where all of them are available…

Related posts:

Read about my favorite Japanese brands:
Ayura
Anna Sui
Jill Stuart
Lavshuca
Lunasol
Paul & Joe
Sofina

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Frau Magazine: The Best of 2006

by PJ on Sunday, December 17, 2006

in -Biotherm, -Chanel, -Clarins, -Clinique, -Crème de la Mer, -Dior, -Estée Lauder, -Giorgio Armani, -Givenchy, -Guerlain, -Helena Rubinstein, -Laura Mercier, -Max Factor, -Maybelline, -Paul & Joe, -RMK, -SK-II, -Sonia Rykiel, -YSL, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, skincare

Each year, the November issue of Frau magazine in Japan releases the annual makeup and skincare ranking. Beauty experts and makeup artists give points to all the new launches this year and the top-finishing products make the list.

I am listing the products sold internationally.

SKINCARE

Anti-aging:
SK-II: Signs Dual Treatment Mask
Guerlain: Orchidee Imperiale
Chanel: Sublimage
HR: Prodigy Mask
Estee Lauder: Advanced Night Repair Concentrate
Estee Lauder: Perfectionist Power Correcting Patch

Toner:
Chanel: Hydramax+ Nanolotion
Natura Bisee: Diamond Mist
Dior: Deep Hydration Refreshing Spray

Moisturizer:
SK-II: Skin Rebooster
YSL: Fresh Hydrating Water Gel
YSL: Super Hydrating Detoxifying Essence

Cleanser:
Clarins: Pure Melt Cleansing Gel
RMK: Cleansing Milk
Clarins: Water Comfort One-Step Cleanser
HR: Prodigy Makeup Remover
Restgenol: Active Collagenol Lifting Force Cleansing

New Skincare Lines:
Givenchy: Power Youth

Pore Care:
HR: Pore Genius
Clinique: Turnaround 15-minute Facial
Biotherm: Line Peel Pore Targeter
Chanel: Purete Ideale Serum

MAKEUP

Mascara/Eyebrow:
Max Factor: Lash Artist
HR:Lash Queen Waterproof
Chanel: Inimitable
Givenchy: Eyebrow Prisme
Maybelline: Lash Stylist Waterproof
HR: Surrealist

Eye Color:
Dior: 5-Color Eyeshadow 970
RMK: Ingenious Natural Eyes 02
Chanel: Quadra Eye Shadow 51
YSL: Ombre Solo Double-Effect Eye 4
Sonia Rykiel: Cream Eyeliner 01

Lip Color:
Chanel: Rouge Allure 4, 14, 24, 30
Dior: Rouge Dior 132
Sonia Rykiel: Lipstick AC 03
RMK: Irresistible Lips C 08
Guerlain: KissKiss Laque 740
Estee Lauder: Pure Color Crystal Lipstick 304

BASE MAKEUP

Foundation:
Laura Mercier: Silk Cream Foundation
Laura Mercier: Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 Nude
Paul & Joe: Creamy Compact Foundation
SK-II: Airtouch Foundation

Others:
Givenchy: Prisme Libre #2
De la Mer: The Powder
Giorgio Armani: UV Master Primer SPF 40/ PA+++
Laura Mercier: Secret Brightener #2

PERFUME/ HAIR/ BODY
Chanel: Allure Sensuelle
YSL: Profil Minceur
Clarins: Body Shaping Supplement

(Frau magazine, November 2006)

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