stash focus

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!

{ 14 comments }

A Splash of Color — Aqua Blue

by PJ on Sunday, May 20, 2007

in _I Love Colors, -Anna Sui, -Dior, -Kao, -Lavshuca, -Sofina, all about Japanese cosmetics, fragrance, makeup, makeup - base makeup, skincare, stash focus

The sun is shining and you are lying on the beach, busy being lazy.

But there’s a masquerade by the sea after sunset. You have your dazzling mask and all your powder and potion to bring out your radiance. All that’s left is to find that perfect floaty summer frock, maybe in blue as well……?

—————————-

Makeup

Sofina Raycious: Glamorous Skin Powder
Lavshuca: Eye Color Select BU-1
Lavshuca: Eye Color BG-1
Dior: DiorKiss 198 Plum Tart
Dior: DiorKiss 208 Mint Lemonade
(limited edition for summer 2007)
Gerlain: Guerlain by Emilio Pucci Lip Gloss 03 Sparkling Sea
(limited edition for summer 2007)
Maybelline: Volume Express Waterproof

Fragrance

Anna Sui: Sui Dreams

Skincare

Lancome: Tonique Douceur
KissMe: Lip Care Menthol

Previous Splash of Color: New-Leaf Green
Even more Splashes of Colors to come!

{ 0 comments }

A Splash of Color — New-Leaf Green

by PJ on Sunday, May 6, 2007

in _I Love Colors, -Ayura, -Bulgari, -Chanel, -Lancôme, all about Japanese cosmetics, bodycare, fragrance, makeup, stash focus

The weather is getting warm again, as the soft gentle green hue of new leaves is everywhere.

Bring that atmosphere into your boudoir…

——————————————————
Makeup:
Chanel: Irreelle Duo in River-Light
Von Natur: Eye Color in Chrysocolla

Fragrance:
Bulgari: Eau Parfumee au The Vert
Lancome: Aroma Tonic

Bodycare:
Ayura: Spirit of Ayura hand cream
Ayura: Spirit of Ayura body lotion
Imperial Leather: Green Tea and Kaffir Lime handwash

More splashes of colors to come!

{ 8 comments }

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.)

{ 11 comments }

Quintessentially English: Rose & Co. Apothecary’s Rose Petal Salve

by PJ on Wednesday, April 18, 2007

in skincare, skincare - moisturizing/others, stash focus

It is perhaps one of the best lip products I have ever used.

Back in 2004, I remember I was running out of lip balm towards the end of summer and I bought the Rose Petal Salve, Rose & Co. Apothecary‘s signature product, after reading about the Yorkshire-based shop’s launch in London’s Harvey Nichols.

At first, I was drawn to its elegant packaging and the very affordable price. (It wasn’t packaged like this then but it was equally nice.) After using it for a couple of nights, I realized I bought something really great.

It is very moisturizing but it doesn’t feel greasy or heavy. The lips look nicely moist and not oily. It also needs very little re-applying. The light rose scent smells divine but is never over-powering (I dislike lip products with any strong scent.)

It’s 5 pounds (about 10 US dollars) for 20 grams (the equivalent of around 5 stick lip balms). My previous one lasted about two years. Fantastic value!

It is also supposed to be multi-functional (as an eyebrow tamer and a cuticle cream), but I usually just use it as a lip balm and I only use it in the evening, as it doesn’t contain sunscreen.

Rose & Co. Apothecary products are available in the UK and Hong Kong.

{ 14 comments }

Stella McCartney’s New Fragrance: Sheer Stella 2007

by PJ on Sunday, April 15, 2007

in -Stella McCartney, fragrance, stash focus

(pictured: from left to right —
Sheer Stella 2004, 2005, 2006)

Stella by Stella McCartney is one of my favorite fragrances. I just adore the feminine and sophisticated rose notes and the calming amber base note. Apart from Stella, since 2004, Stella McCartney releases a Sheer Stella each summer, which is a lighter take on the original scent.

I am happy to announce that my three Sheer Stella fragrances have just got a new sibling yesterday:

It features the consistently wonderful rose note with a lemony zest as do all the previous Sheer Stella fragrances. The bottle is pretty as always, this time also with exquisite prints like the last two years.

A closer look at each of the previous versions:

Sheer Stella 2004:

I bought this on-line after I bought and fell in love with Sheer Stella 2005. It features a simple frosted exterior. A very minimal and structured look.

Stella Sheer 2005:

This is the first ever Stella McCartney fragrance I bought. I discovered this in her beautiful boutique in London. With floral patterns on frosted glass, the bottle looks so pretty and delicate, and I love the fresh and romantic scent. This kick-started my whole Stella collection.

Stella Sheer 2006:

By the time this was out, I had already collected quite a few Stella fragrances and I simply couldn’t miss out on this one. The clear glass bottle features prints of flowers, hummingbirds, and butterflies.

To my rather amateur nose, all the Sheer Stella fragrances smell virtually identical, even though one website indicates that they feature different top notes (green mandarin orange for 2004, and Granny Smith apple for 2005). I still think they are more or less the same. (Maybe someone can help me here…)

But that’s absolutely fine, since I love the scent anyway and I love collecting the bottles.

Apart from these, I also have the original Stella, Stella Rose Absolute, Stella Pure Parfum (I didn’t actually pay for it…thanks to my Boots loyalty points), a limited-edition Stella candle, and some body products.

Ummm…I seem to have a bit too much of Stella! But I remain unexcited about 2006’s Stella in Two. They smell just as nice (all the same notes are there) but the packaging doesn’t do anything for me.

I like the freshness of Sheer Stella, and I love the sensitively somber touch of Rose Absolute. One is great for daytime and the other is surprisingly calming for bedtime (I tend to think any fragrance can be distracting for bedtime). I’ll come back to talk more about Stella McCartney’s fragrances later on.

{ 6 comments }

Sofina Update: Raycious 2007 Glamorous Skin Powder and Aube 2007 Summer Collection

by PJ on Friday, April 6, 2007

in -Kao, -Sofina, 2007 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, stash focus

(my latest Raycious cases)

(part of my Raycious case collection)

Sofina is one of my favorite brands and I love collecting some of their cute stuff.

Within the brand, Raycious, the foundation line, launched Glamorous Skin Powder, its 8th-generation powder foundation. (Read the full review of their new base products here.) I have got the cases. (I didn’t get the foundation cakes because I still have several ones of previous generations…but I am an avid Raycious foundation case collector and I put the cakes in the new cases.)

The new case is, as always, a blue one. Gone is the three-way mirror in the 7th-generation and now there is jewel-like detail on the edge of the case. The pink one is a limited-edition and it looks so gorgeous.

The color makeup line, Aube, will launch the summer 2007 collection. The Gloss Fruitina feature 8 sparkling, fresh, and fruity colors. It includes the third minty/aquamarine lipgloss that is going to be lunched this summer (along with those from Dior and Guerlain), and I am very eager to check it out.

Next week, I’ll review more summer 2007 collections.

{ 12 comments }

Key Item for Spring/Summer 2007: White Eyeshadow

by PJ on Sunday, April 1, 2007

in -Boots, -Lancôme, 2007 Spring, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, stash focus

White eyeshadows are some of the key items this season. In Shu Uemura’s Spring 2007 makeup look, white is the only color around the eyes. This season, a white eyeshadow is not only used as a browbone highlighter but also all round the eyes to create a clean, sophisticated and edgy look.

I have some eyeshadow palettes that feature a white eyeshadow but I decided to experiment different finishes, so over the last couple of weeks, I have bought some more:

1 Rimmel Color Rush Mono Eye Shadow (241 Matte White)
2 Rimmel Color Rush Mono Eye Shadow (244 Moonstone)
3 Boots Natural Collection Eyeshadow (Sea Shell)
4 Boots No. 7 Stay Perfect Eyeshadow (25 Opal)
5 Lancome Color Design (904 Pearly Angel)

(I was tempted to buy Maybelline Dream Mousse Shadow (in 00 Vanilla Veil) just to try a different texture, but the finish was a bit too glittery for my liking.)

Finish-wise, 1 & 3 are completely matte, and 2 & 4 have a pearly finish. 5 also has a pearly finish but with minimal glitter.

Between 1 & 3, 1 is completely white, while 3 is a very pale beige, which doesn’t show very much on my skin.

Out of these five, I am particularly impressed with the texture of the two Rimmel ones. Very smooth and velvety.

So far, I like 1 the most. The matte white looks very good on me and I think the matte finish is the concept in Shu Uemura’s seasonal look as well.

Don’t go overboard with white eyeshadows, though. It should look like there is a soft and flattering spotlight around your eyes, which makes your eyes pop.

Also, sporting too much of a glittery white eyeshadow all around the eyes can backfire spectacularly under heavy pale florescent lighting…You don’t want the reverse-panda look!

I think it is best to use a matte white eyeshadow as an overall base and to use any pearly or glittery white eyeshadow sparingly and strategically (on the browbones or in the inner corners of the eyes), especially when you have to switch between daytime and nighttime looks.

White eyeshadows have always been very basic items, but now you can use them to create a whole new (and flattering) look!

{ 5 comments }

My Foundation Routine

by PJ on Wednesday, March 21, 2007

in -Kanebo, -Kao, -Lavshuca, -Sofina, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation, makeup - base makeup - powder, stash focus

As requested by a reader, I am going to talk about my daily foundation routine.

Every foundation product I use is in powder form (loose or pressed). I have oily skin, and anything liquidy or creamy (liquid foundation, creamy concealer,…) doesn’t stay on very well.

I try to make everything simple. I almost never use a primer. I only use a daytime moisturizer with sunscreen (like Estee Lauder DayWear Plus for Oily Skin SPF 15). Then:

1. I put on my ZA 2-way foundation (pictured mid-left).

Well, 70% of the time, that’s actually it. But if I want a more polished look:

2. I put on some transparent loose powder. My favorite two at the moment are from Raycious (mid-right) and Lavshuca (top). They are both very good in disguising pores. They both have minimal shimmer but it is barely visible on the face. Or I use Raycious pressed powder (bottom-left), which is completely matte.

Occasionally, if I need to conceal a pimple (here comes the big trick):

3. I use Raycious powder foundation (bottom-right) as a concealer with the corner of a rectangular sponge and gently press the powder onto a breakout. The light-defusing particles in Raycious powder foundations (especially the earliest generations) are fantastic for precision concealing. Not only is the redness covered, the shadow around the bump is instantly less visible (so the pimple looks much flattened). I want the powder to stay absolutely put on my breakout so it is applied last.

(This trick works wonder for my friends as well when I help them with makeup.)

My suggestion is to always take time doing the foundation. The foundation from a rushed application never stays on well. Taking time and doing everything slowly, gently, and carefully makes a huge difference, even with exactly the same products. (My routine is straightforward enough so it takes 10 minutes from 1 to 3, but I always make sure I don’t rush things through.)

My next post will be about some favorite cosmetics products as voted by Japanese consumers.

{ 4 comments }

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.