-YSL

YSL Holiday 2007 Collection

by PJ on Monday, September 24, 2007

in -YSL, 2007 Holiday, makeup

(all photos from woman.excite.co.jp)

The YSL Holiday 2007 Collection presents itself in chic silvery packaging.

But I still prefer the gold packaging that YSL does so well, as the title of my personal take on YSL has noted. Not that I don’t love these items…every year I anxiously wait for the first glimpse of the YSL holiday collection, which always has the most gorgeous items around. But, after the initial seconds of sudden blood-rush upon seeing these photos, I quickly calmed down (and didn’t reach for my shopping list).

I know I am being very picky here (for my bank balance’s sake)…they look glamorous but I am not overly excited by the shades or the packaging. In a way that’s a good thing…since the final quarter of the year is always the time when I spend the most money and I already have some makeup purchases lined up.

I still look forward to seeing all these in person, but it is unlikely that I will take them home with me…

What did you buy for the holidays…for yourself?
(featuring the YSL Holiday 2006 Gold Celebration palette)

{ 12 comments }

Fall 2007 Makeup Trend Report

by PJ on Tuesday, August 14, 2007

in -Chanel, -Clé de Peau, -Cosme Decorte, -Dior, -Estée Lauder, -Givenchy, -Integrate, -Kanebo, -Kate, -Kosé, -Magie Deco, -Majolica Majorca, -Maquillage, -Shiseido, -SHISEIDO (Global Brand), -Shiseido The Makeup, -SUQQU, -YSL, 2007 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup trend reports

Some distinctive trends in the fall 2007 makeup releases:

– olive green / grey eyeshadows
– intense lip colors
– retro Audrey Hepburn look

Which trend are you going to experiment with this fall?

—Grey Areas—————

In fashion, grey has been hailed as The New Black for a while. I am surprised that it didn’t trickle down to makeup earlier. This fall, grey eyeshadows will be big, among all the neutral tones.

One palette that epitomizes this trend is Shiseido Clé de Peau‘s Ombres Couleurs Quadri palette in 114 (seen below):

(Clé de Peau fall 2007 makeup ad,

Biteki magazine September 2007, p. 152-153)

(Clé de Peau fall 2007 makeup ad,
Biteki magazine September 2007, p.152)

Also, Dior‘s 5-Color Eyeshadow Palette in 060 Silver Goddess features an array of grey hues along with a sensual light blue.

Other servings of grey eyeshadows:
-Shiseido Maquillage: Sparkle Contrast Eyes 2 GY851
-Majolica Majorca: Shadow Customize BK922
-Kate: Gradical Eyes S BK-1
-Integrate: Live Fix Eyes GY812
–SUQQU: Blend Eyeshadow 04

In a way, grey (especially in metallic finishes) is simply a darker silver. The look reminds me of an old-school silver-screen goddess. Very nostalgic and glamorous.

—Green with Envy—————

Another trendy color this season is olive green. Paired with pink, olive green is featured in Lush & Lovely, Chanel fall 2007 makeup collection, as it appears in the latest eyeshadow palettes: Garden Party (Les 4 Ombres Quadra) and Lotus-Cactus (Irréelle Duo).

(photo: from Chanel
at www.bergdorfgoodman.com)

Also, YSL fall 2007 makeup collection features olive green eyeshadows in a couple of the new Ombres Duo Lumières palettes.

In Japanese cosmetics, Cosme Decorte’s new line, Magie Deco, uses pink and olive green in the opposite way, with olive green above the eyes and pink along the lower lash line:

(Magie Deco ad, backcover of makeup booklet,
Biteki September 2007)

Apart from Magie Deco, olive green eyeshadows are also used in:

Kate‘s fall 2007 TV ad (with Gradical Eyes S GN-1)
SUQQU‘s fall 2007 printed ad (with Blend Eyeshadow 01).

Olive green seems to be a relatively masculine color as an eyeshadow, which might be why it has been paired with pink to create a balanced look. But, worn alone, it can be very edgy.

—A La Audrey—————

Givenchy‘s fall 2007 collection, Camouflage Chic, pays tribute to the classic Givenchy muse, Audrey Hepburn. A search in Google Images comes out with photos of what I think is one of the most beautiful people ever, with clean, crisp, and defined eye makeup. Intense color fills between the lash line and the crease line and it is kept clean everywhere else. No smoky eyes here.

Givenchy’s latest Prismissime Eyes in 54 Cache Cache can get you this classic look:

(photo: from www.sephora.com)

Shiseido The Makeup‘s new Silky Eye Shadow Quad in Q9 Lunar Phases is based on the same trend.

Again, this is definitely a very retro look. I think “Less is more” is the key here. Don’t overdo it and keep it nice and simple.

—Strong Lips—————

What if you don’t want to pile on intense eye colors? You can channel the intensity to the lips. Keep the eye makeup fuss-free and choose a rich satiny (not glossy) lip shade. The cover of Biteki September 2007 shows how it’s done:

(cover of Biteki, September 2007)

It can be a wine red, berry red (as in the Chanel ad above), or a warm brownish red. With careful coordination, they can go with grey or olive green eyeshadows, as in Estee Lauder’s fall 2007 look:

(photo: from esteelauder.co.uk)

I quite like this look. Chic and timeless.

What other trends have you spotted?

{ 9 comments }

YSL Fall 2007 Collection

by PJ on Saturday, June 30, 2007

in -YSL, 2007 Fall, makeup

(pictured: my own YSL items)

“Daring Contrast” is the theme of YSL’s fall 2007 collection. The contrast is between very pale and intensely dark shades, as we see from the limited-edition Palette Couture, with a pattern of the back of a couture gown.

There are some luxurious looking eyeshadow duos, also with a little bit of that light/dark contrast.

The collection also includes:
Rouge Pure Shine Sheer Lipstick: four colors
Rouge Pur (Pure Lipstick): two colors
Variation Blush: one color
Everlong Mascara: one color
Shimmering Eyeliner: one color
La Laque (Long-lasting Nail Lacquer): two colors

I will be waiting to test the two palettes and the eyeshadow duos, even though overall I think this collection is slightly lackluster and lacks originality. I am already hoping for a dazzling Christmas collection from YSL later this year!

{ 4 comments }

Featured Article: Lash Out While Looking Your Best (by Livia Mercer)

by PJ on Tuesday, May 22, 2007

in -Dior, -YSL, makeup, makeup - mascara

It is mascara galore today, as I feature an article by Livia Mercer, founder and editor of The Beauty Review, the number one on-line beauty and cosmetics magazine in Australia and New Zealand.

Trained and qualified as a beauty therapist, Livia is someone that is truly passionate about beauty. She has worked for several cosmetics companies and owned a hairdressing salon. She then founded and edits her own magazine to help consumers make informed decisions in shopping for beauty products, as she believes that more information and education about cosmetics is needed from an unbiased medium.

The thing I love the most about this magazine (apart from the free subscription) is the Product Reviews, where beauty products are reviewed by a panel of consumers each month. We get to see a good range of feedback of each product, which I think is very refreshing.

Now, reviewing some of the best mascaras around, take it away, Livia!

Mascaras are the most often purchased makeup product on the market. Considering you are supposed to replace your mascaras every three months chances are you will purchase over 250 (give or take a few) mascaras in your lifetime. Therefore cosmetic companies are desperately trying to come up with newer and better formulations to catch your eye so it is their mascara you will be buying next. I’m not complaining at all.

I love all the new textures, formulations, brushes and innovations that are being put into mascaras. It is just so hard to keep up with them all.

To help you in this regard we have bought together some of the latest and the best mascaras (according to us). If you have your own favourites, feel free to write to us and tell us why.

Christian Dior, Diorshow Blackout. Spectacular Volume Intense Black-Kohl. This mascara will give you the most powerful and intense black colour using kohl that has been used since the ancient times to intensify the eyes. It uses a derivative of Arabic gum, similar to that used to set the Egyptian hieroglyphics for eternity. This added to a Black fix complex ensures your Charcoal- like finish remains perfect throughout the day.

Max Factor Masterpiece Volume and Definition Mascara. The secret to this mascara lies in the design of the patented brush. It is made of thermo plastic, rather than nylon, so they are uniquely soft and flexible. This means they can conform to reach every last lash from root to tip. The brush design is exactly the right size to reach the base of the lashes. It has the flexibility to reach and define even smaller lashes, bottom lashes and those at the inner and outer corners of the eyes.

Yves Saint Laurent Everlong Mascara, the first mascara with two-way lengthening action. An instant make-up effect with the new generation brush that also uses plastic bristles and is so supple it allows you to perfectly separate the lashes while coating them from base to tip. Then it has a longer term treatment action, thanks to an innovative Lash Growth Booster complex that stimulates the growth of the lashes and protects them from drying out.

L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara. Once again a unique brush design. It is called a precision multi-comb and it is a four sided brush that initially takes some time to get used to but it really does give you a fantastic effect. The formulation contains extremely fine wax globules which creates a smooth film that stretches, allowing for a very smooth application. It also has a special polymer that helps the mascara to lengthen the lashes and also has Pro-Vitamin B5.

Napoleon Long Black Mascara. Once again the brush takes centre stage with this mascara. This is actually a bent wand applicator that makes it really easy to get to all your lashes. The formula of the mascara is also very good giving an intense black look to the lashes and it also contains lash conditioners such as allantoin, candellia wax and beeswax.

Avon Superfull Mascara. This mascara again leads with the new patented Clean Build Brush. It is a thermoplastic design that creates natural volume by separating and combing the lashes while delivering more mascara continuously from the base to the tip. The formulation of the mascara is called an anti-static building formula and it has a clump free delivery.

Couleur Caramel Mascara. For all those ladies who suffer with very sensitive eyes, now we have an 87% natural mascara. It is solvent-free, mainly composed of water, canuaba wax, shea butter and acacia resin. Comes in 4 colours and 2 brushes, one for short lashes and one for long.

(text and images from The Beauty Review, June 2007)

{ 2 comments }

YSL Summer 2007 Collection

by PJ on Sunday, April 8, 2007

in -YSL, 2007 Summer, makeup

(pictured: my YSL stash)

It is the time of year again when major brands start to launch the limited-edition summer items.

Summer collections can be a bit dull (bronzers and more bonzers…surely we haven’t finished whatever we might have bought last year…or the year before that). But YSL’s summer 2007 collection features some interesting products.

It is an all-around collection to give you the polished sun-goddess complexion. There are a face (bronzing) palette, an eye palette, lip glosses, lip plumpers, eyeliner, mascara, among others. One interesting item is Nail Touche, which is a nail color pen.

Here are some photos for you to drool at:

Face palette, eye palette, eyeliner, and nail color pen

Lip glosses and mascara

Lip plumper (SPF 10)

(Edited: If you use Firefox, turn off Adblock Plus to view the photos.)

Some of the colors seem a bit too dark for my liking, as I usually go for light and sheer colors in summer. However, I will be interested to check out the eye palette. I love anything aquamarine and turquoise!

More summer items later this week!

{ 2 comments }

Ultimate Most-Treasured Cosmetics 2007

by PJ on Friday, March 23, 2007

in -Anna Sui, -Chanel, -Dior, -Paul & Joe, -YSL, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, skincare

In every February issue of Biteki magazine, it reveals the ultimate favorite cosmetics products as voted by the readers. It is always very interesting to see how some veterans battle with the newcomers.

Again, I will only list products sold internationally. (Also, I will not list what I have listed on my previous post about 2006 best-sellers in Japanese department stores.)

*SKINCARE*

Cleansing/Toning
Shu Uemura: Cleansing Beauty Oil Premium A/O

Serum
Guerlain: Super Aqua Serum
Clarins: Contouring Facial Lift
Estee Lauder: Perfectionist
SKII: Eye Treatment Serum

Moisturizer
Creme de la Mer: Moisturizing Cream
Shiseido Cle de Peau: La Creme
SKII: Advanced Signs Treatment
Dior: Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Creme
Clinique: Repairwear Intensive Eye Cream

Treatment
Estee Lauder: Perfectionist Power Correcting Patch
Clinique: 15-Minute Facial

*BASE MAKEUP*

Primer
RMK: Creamy Makeup Base 02
Paul & Joe: Foundation Primer N 02

Concealer
Laura Mercier: Secret Camouflage SC-3

Foundation
RMK: Creamy Foundation

*COLOR MAKEUP*

Eye:
Chanel: 4 Powder Eyeshadows 27 (Golden Eyes)
Dior: 5-Color Eyeshadow 970 Stylish Move
RMK: Metallic Powder Eyes 11
Clinique: Cream Shaper for Eyes

Cheeks:
RMK: Ingenuous Cheeks 30
Anna Sui: Face Color Accent 300
YSL: Touche Blush 4
Shu Uemura: Glow on P Amber 83

Lips:
Estee Lauder: Pure Color Crystal 303
Chanel: Aqualumiere 67
Stila: Lip Glaze (Passion Fruit)
Dior: DiorKiss 758

(from Biteki February 2007)

{ 2 comments }

Cosmetics Best-Sellers Across Japan: 2006

by PJ on Sunday, March 18, 2007

in -Anna Sui, -Biotherm, -Bobbi Brown, -Chanel, -Clarins, -Clé de Peau, -Clinique, -Dior, -Helena Rubinstein, -Lancôme, -Paul & Joe, -RMK, -Shiseido, -SK-II, -YSL, all about Japanese cosmetics, bodycare, makeup, makeup - base makeup, skincare

I came across an interesting feature on the January issue of Biteki magazine. It lists best-sellers in each major department store throughout Japan and compares what customers like in different parts of the country. Today I am listing some of them as a whole (non-areal-specific) for you to have a look and I am focusing on products from brands available internationally.

*Skincare/Bodycare*

Shiseido Cle de Peau: Lotion Tendre
Clinique: Turnaround Concentrate
Origins: Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Face Serum
Dior: Capture Totale Multi-Protection Correction Serum
RMK: Skin Smoother
RMK: Face Protector SPF 31
Biotherm: Celluli Peel
Clarins: Total Body Lift
SKII: Skin Treatment Essence

*Base Makeup*

RMK: Makeup Base
RMK: Creamy Makeup Base Mat
RMK: Liquid Foundation
YSL: Touche Eclat
Clinique: All About Eyes Concealer
Clinique: Perfectly Real Makeup

*Color Makeup*

Bobbi Brown: Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner
Helena Rubinstein: Lash Queen Water-Proof

Lancome: L’Extreme Water-Proof

Lancome: Juicy Tube 17
Chanel: Rouge Allure 04, 13, 30
Dior: Rouge Dior 434
RMK: Ingenious Cheeks 29
RMK: Water Color Eyes 04
Anna Sui: Nail Color 333
Paul & Joe: Nail Color 26

(from Biteki January 2007)

One thing I have noticed is that there is one lipstick that tops virtually all the department store top-selling lists: Dior Addict Ultra Shine 2 in 340 Shiniest Peach. Ultra Shine 2 is only available in Asia at the moment, but the very exclusive Harvey Nichols in London actually has it!

Coming up in my next post, I will be sharing my daily foundation routine.

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Winter Sale & YSL/Givenchy Spring 2007 Collections

by PJ on Friday, December 29, 2006

in -Givenchy, -Lancôme, -YSL, 2007 Spring, makeup, skincare, stash focus

(pictured: my only sale purchase…)

I went to Central London for the start of the winter sale on the 27th. I have to say I was quite disappointed. Usually there would be a few surprises apart from what I expected to see, so the fun was trying to decide what to buy. (Battling between budget and desire can be painful but exciting at the same time…) But this time there was just nothing.

In Selfridges Oxford Street, where major cosmetics brands often unveil their latest collections before the actual UK launch date, I happened to see YSL’s and Givenchy’s Spring 2007 Collections. Givenchy’s new eyeshadow palette looked very exciting with all the vibrant colors. But when I tested them, I found that most of them were not very wearbale. On the other hand, YSL’s eyeshadow palettes were better in that respect. Two of them featured brown tones and the other one had soft green, pink, and lilac.

What happens in most UK department stores during the sale is that some brands have items with 30-50% discounts. They are usually surplus stock or unsold limited edition items from previous seasons. They are usually placed in a small box at the counter. This time I saw YSL’s Gold Celebration Palette from 2005 (the one with a heart in the middle), YSL’s Palette Signes D’Orient (Autumn 2006), and Dior’s 5-color eyeshadow palette in 370 (Autumn 2006).

The only thing I did get from the sale was this year’s Lancome Hydra Zen gift set, which includes Hydra Zen 50ml for normal to dry skin, Hydra Zen Nuit 15ml, Hydra Zen Yeux 3ml, and Juicy Tube 7ml in Fraise. The original price was more or less the normal retail price of the Hydra Zen 50ml. With 30% off, it was a good bargain, especially when I also use the richer Hydra Zen Nuit when the weather is very cold.

Overall, this is one of the most underwhelming sale trips. But on the bright side, it is money saved for next year…

Next few days: more updates and thoughts about some upcoming stuff

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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)

{ 0 comments }

What did you buy for the holidays…for yourself?

by PJ on Thursday, December 14, 2006

in -Dior, -Kosé, -Paul & Joe, -Visée, -YSL, 2006 Holiday, all about Japanese cosmetics, fashion, makeup, makeup - blusher, makeup - eyeshadow, makeup - lip color, makeup - lip gloss, stash focus

For me, I bought these:

*Visee Dual Shine Rouge Palette*

I always like lip palettes. Visee’s Gothic design looks cute and glamorous. The grey lipgloss looks very dark on the photo, but it is actually quite a transparent grey hue with sparse glitters. It is mainly for a very toned-down version of dark gothic lips.

*Paul & Joe Hummingbird Collection*

Cosmetics stuff don’t get prettier than this. I like the fact that the lipstick does not have any shimmer. It is just a nice creamy muted pink. The eyeshadow, however, has tones of iridescence. When used light-handedly, it can be a good blusher.

*Dior Pretty Charm*

Tacky as some might think, I love this one-off design. I have not used the lip colors yet, and I doubt I will soon. I am just enjoying the sight of it for the time being. I like the fact that it is rather heavy so there is a sense of existence, as I always call it.

*YSL Gold Celebration Palette “Star Glow”*

Except for the fact that I need to be careful not to leave fingerprints all over the case, I am really glad that I bought this. The two pale lipglosses look like they have tons of glitters. I would like to try them soon. YSL should definitely keep releasing a palette for each Christmas. But I feel that, after four years, they might want to do something different…

*Marc Jacobs votive candle set*

I finally got it after missing it last year. Since last year, I have developed an interest in fragranced candles. The Stella McCartney candle is my favorite. Smaller than the usual glass candles, each one of the three features a different Marc Jacobs scent.