From the category archives:

seasonal makeup trend reports

Mary Quant Spring 2013 Makeup Trend 1

(Mary Quant Eye Opener Selection 2013 Spring in I)
(images from www.cosme.net)

.

For spring 2013, among many fairly colorful makeup collections from various brands, pink and green seem to be two of the trend colors. There is a range of pink hues, from soft peachy pinks to dramatic fuchsia pinks. On the other hand, green has been a key shade for some time (spring 2012 and fall 2012). The palettes from Mary Quant (above) and YSL (below) include both shades.

[Click to continue reading…]

{ 0 comments }

Nars Fall 2012 Makeup Trend 1(combining two trends: Nars Trio Eyeshadow in High Society)
(image from beautyplus.iswii.net)
(images from www.cosme.net unless otherwise noted)

.

Purple and green have emerged as the dominant colors for fall 2012. Continuing from the spring 2012 makeup trend, green is still a key player. On the other hand, I am glad that purple is back on trend.

[Click to continue reading…]

{ 0 comments }

Givenchy Spring 2012 Makeup Trend 1(image from www.parfumsgivenchy.jp)

.

After purples for spring 2011 and blues for fall 2011 (as well as warm-toned and cool-toned neutrals, which have been taking turns to be on-trend in the last few seasons), we have green in its various hues for spring 2012.

Givenchy‘s spring 2012 Instant Bucolique makeup collection features a strong visual (above) and makes a statement with a fresh and spring-like minty green in Le Prisme Eyes Quartet in 79 Bucolic Blossoms. A very similar shade is seen in Venis Please in 178 Bucolic Lily.

[Click to continue reading…]

{ 0 comments }

NARS Fall 2011 Makeup Trend 1(NARS fall 2011)
(image from www.iswii.net)

.

Without a doubt, blue is one of the trend colors for fall 2011. Compared with gray from spring 2011, blue can often offer the same depth but with more vibrancy. This season, it is more about an intense smoky look with blue, but there are also softer alternatives.

A bright cobalt blue, NARS‘ Single Eyeshadow in Outremer (below) is one of the most striking blues of fall 2011. Its matte finish and high pigmentation level will surely please those who go for a bolder look.

[Click to continue reading…]

{ 10 comments }

Givenchy Summer 2011 Makeup Trend 1(Givenchy summer 2011 makeup collection)
(image from iswii.net)

.

Summer makeup colors are usually a mixture of earthy bronze-toned hues and more vibrant shades, so rich colors are always around for summer. But, looking at some of the upcoming summer 2011 makeup collections, I think the last time when there was such a full-on array of dazzling colors was probably back in 2005.

(It was the year of Dior’s Duo Couleurs in 265 Diormambo (fuchsia pink & yellow) & 355 Diortropic (green & warm blue), YSL’s Bayadère Eyeshadow & Bayadère Pressed Powder, Chanel’s Lumières Facettes in 58 Lagons, and Givenchy’s Summer Eyes Cream in 31 Summer Pastel (more photos here).)

[Click to continue reading…]

{ 5 comments }

Dior Spring 2011 Makeup Trend 1(image from www.iswii.com)

.

After a few seasons of warm neutrals, grey emerges as one of the hottest shades for spring 2011. The looks that incorporate grey are chic and sophisticated, with a feel of low-key glamour. Meanwhile, surprisingly, purples are still at center stage, and, for this season, they are teaming up with warm neutrals for a natural but defined look.

.

Silvers & Greys

Dior leads the rest of the field with an ultra-chic Gris Montaigne makeup collection. All the new eye makeup items are grey-toned, and the color theme extends to lip and nail items. You will also find greys in collections from other trend setters such as Guerlain and NARS.

[Click to continue reading…]

{ 9 comments }

RMK Fall 2010 Makeup Trend 1(image from www.rmkrmk.com)

a

Color-wise, the fall 2010 makeup trends seem to be a natural progression from the last few seasons. Beiges and browns dominated spring 2010, and they are still a key trend in fall 2010, (Gone are the grays, which were prominent in fall 2009, as a major color trend.) Meanwhile, purples shone last fall and they have taken on a few varied hues this season.

a

Beiges & Browns

RMK puts browns firmly on center stage with the Autumn Brown collection. The limited-edition Brown Eyes palettes feature various brown tones. (The palettes are called Deep Brown, Dark Brown, Red Brown, Yellow Brown and Beige Brown.) Guerlain‘s new Écrin 6 Couleurs palettes are also based on a variety of neutral tones, while SUQQU‘s revamped makeup line lays the groundwork with six Blend Color Eyeshadow palettes, all with neutral hues.

a

RMK Fall 2010 Makeup Trend 2

(image from www.iswii.net)

a

Guerlain Fall 2010 Makeup Trend 1(image from www.guerlain.co.jp)

a

SUQQU Fall 2010 Makeup Trend 1(image from www.biteki.com)

a

Pinks, Mauves, Purples & Plums

Biteki (September 2010) calls them the berry tones, and those who are not enticed by the skin-tonal colors and who are interested in more vibrant shades might want to look into these mouth-watering colors.

Dior‘s 5 Color Design palette in Pink Design includes a dusty pink and a sophisticated muted purple. Estée Lauder‘s Pure Color 5 Color Eyeshadow Palette in Surreal Violet offers some delicious berry shades.  Addiction‘s fall 2010 makeup collection includes berry-toned items for eyes as well as lips. (Refer to the link for the new items for lips.)

a

Dior Fall 2010 Makeup Trend 1(image from www.dior.com)

a

Dior Fall 2010 Makeup Trend 2(image from www.sephora.com)

a

Estee Lauder Fall 2010 Makeup Trend 1(image from www.esteelauder.com)

a

Addiction Fall 2010 Makeup Trend 1(image from www.joseishi.net/voce)

a

Mix & Match

What is interesting is that many brands feature both color trends in their fall 2010 makeup collections (either in one single item or in various items in the collection). Here are some of the highlights:

[Click to continue reading…]

{ 2 comments }

(Chanel’s spring 2010 makeup collection)
(image from www.iswii.net)

I nearly decided not to post a round-up of the makeup trends of spring 2010 because, unlike some of the previous seasons, there are not many clear makeup trends for spring 2010.

Nonetheless, one noticeable trend for this season is the continuation of medium-to-warm neutrals from previous seasons. They are relatively easy to wear and they suit many types of complexions. They also suit most occasions and you can wear them later on in summer and in the rest of the year. Chanel and Estée Lauder are two of the brands that have released these wearable neutrals for spring 2010.

(Estée Lauder Michael Kors
Eyeshadow Duo in Blonde Mink)
(image from www.esteelauder.co.uk)

Also, Kosé’s Visée released Glam Nude Eyes, in which all five variations are neutral-based, many of which are warm-toned.
(Visée Glam Nude Eyes)
(image from www.visee.jp)

One related trend that is worth mentioning is the appearance of orange-toned eyeshadow shades from Japanese lines. (All of the three lines mentioned below happen to be under Kanebo.)

Firs tly, apart from the usual neutral options such as BR-1, BR-2, and GD-1 in Kate‘s Gradical Eyes A, there is an OR-1, which is the kind of variation that is less often seen in Japanese cosmetics. I think it is an interesting reinterpretation of wearable warm neutrals.

(Kate Gradical Eyes A in OR-1)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.co.jp)

(Kate Gradical Eyes A)
(image from www.iswii.net)

Coincidentally, the Spring Modern Eyes series from RMK (which is ultimately owned by Kanebo) includes the Orangy Brown variation.

(RMK Spring Modern Eyes in Orangy Brown)
(image from www.rmkrmk.com)

Coffret D’Or already released an orange-toned shade in Color Mixing Eyes’ Orange Brown Mix from summer 2009. The orange trend seems to continue into summer and fall, as it appears that the line’s late summer/ early fall 2010 collection will also feature an orange-toned shade in one of the new Beauty C Curve Eyes palettes.
(Coffret D’Or late summer/ early fall 2010 collection)
(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)

(I will be featuring Coffret D’Or’s Color Mixing Eyes in Orange Brown Mix and RMK’s Spring Modern Eyes in Orangy Brown later on.)

{ 2 comments }

(image from www.cledepeau-beaute.com)

Looking through the fall 2009 makeup collections released in the last couple of months, I think the main spring 2009 makeup trends, such as purples and soft neutrals, have taken on a more season-appropriate dimension and continued to dominate the makeup scene. Some palettes featured below feature pinks, which also continue the makeup trends earlier this year.

- Purples

Even as a fan of purples, I have been surprised to see how enduring the trend has been. I think it shows the wearability and versatility of the color. For fall 2009, most of the purples are darker, although there are still some lighter options.

(Shiseido Clé de Peau Satin Eye Color
in 108 Purple Amethyst)
(image from www.cledepeau-beaute.com)

(Dior 5-Color Eyeshadow
in 173 Night Butterfly)
(image from www.iswii.net)

(Dior Jazzclub palettes)
(image from www.iswii.net)

(YSL Ombres 5 Lumières
in 18 (Japanese release))
(image from www.joseishi.net/voce)

(YSL Ombres 5 Lumières
in 8 Midnight (UK/US release))
(image from www.ysl.com)

(Max Factor Eye Gradation Colors
in Violet Mauve (Japanese release))
(image from www.joseishi.net/voce)

- Warm Neutrals

(image from www.guerlain.co.jp)

As I tend to favor light-to-medium purples which are usually released in spring, warm neutrals are probably (very marginally) my favorite trend of this season. Among neutrals, I like beiges and browns with a warm tone. (Taupes generally suit me less.) This season, many warm neutrals have a pink, peach, soft-copper or warm-gold undertone.

(Estée Lauder Signature Eyeshadow Quad
in 15 Rose Gold)
(image from www.esteelauder.co.uk)

(Guerlain Ombre Eclat 4 Shades
in 406 Tsarina)
(image from www.guerlain.com)

(Jill Stuart Seductive Eyes
in 07 Mysterious Queen)
(image from www.iswii.net)

- Greys

(image from www.rmkrmk.com)


Greys are usually too cool for my slightly warm-toned complexion, but they are generally great for creating classic retro looks as well as smoky eyes.

Some of the greys for this season are more green-toned, like those from Chanel, and some of them, like those from RMK, are more blue-toned.

(Chanel Les 4 Ombres de Chanel
in 16 Murano)
(image from www.chanel.com)

(Dior 2-Color High-Contrast Eyeshadow
in 055 Cocktail Look)
(image from www.iswii.net)

(Paul & Joe Color Powder CS in 062)
(image from www.iswii.net)

(RMK Mystique Eyes in 03)
(image from www.joseishi.net/voce)


One collection that hits the grand slam is Kate’s fall 2009 collection. Apart from the new Reflect Mirror Eyes series, Kate released a purple palette, a warm-brown palette, and a grey palette.

(Kate Diamond Cut Eyes in PU-1)
(image from www.iswii.net)

(Gradical Eyes S in BR-4)
(image from www.iswii.net)

(Deep Trap Eyes in PU-1)
(image from www.iswii.net)

Also, Dior’s and YSL’s eye palettes (above) include both purples and greys.

- Warm Lips

(image from www.suqqu.com)


Last but not least, it seems that many of the lip colors released for fall 2009 are on the warm side. Many of them are warm pinks and reds with a peach, beige, or brown undertone. (It appears that there are a lot fewer rose-toned lipsticks for this season.)

(Dior Addict High Colors)
(image from www.iswii.net)

(Lunasol Full Glamour Lips S)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lunasol)
(SUQQU Lip Color Pencils & Dual Gloss Colors)
(image from www.suqqu.com)

Onto the holiday season, it seems that some major brands are still releasing purple shades. Look out for those from Dior, Sonia Rykiel, and Clinique.

(image from www.iswii.net)


More on the fall 2009 collections featured above:

Chanel
Dior
Jill Stuart
Kate
Lunasol
Max Factor
Paul & Joe
RMK
SUQQU
YSL

{ 8 comments }

Partly due to the current world economy, many people are not spending as much money on makeup as before. It is also not surprising that many of us are looking for classic, wearable and trend-resistant colors.

If you are the kind of makeup fan that looks forward to unique shades, you might have already been disappointed with most of this season’s lineups. It seems that, for spring 2009, many brands are coming up with wearable colors that don’t easily date. But I find it very interesting to look into how various brands interpret “wearable colors”, and here are three shades spring 2009 collections.

- Soft neutrals

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

Brown-toned neutrals will probably never date. This season, neutrals are soft, milky, and not overly intense. Neither too bronze nor too gray, these neutrals have maximal appeal for most complexions.

Some of the loveliest neutral palettes I have come across are from Clé de Peau and Dior. They are soft, elegant, chic, and easy to wear.

(Shiseido Clé de Peau Eye Color Quad
in 121 (top) and 120 (bottom))
(image from www.shiseido.co.jp/cpb)

(Dior 5-Color Eyeshadow in 553 Elégante)
(image from www.iswii.net)

If you want something slightly more intense, try Chanel‘s Les 4 Ombres (Quadra Eye Shadow) in Mystic Eyes from the spring 2009 Bohemian Fantasy collection.

(image from www.iswii.net)

- Pinks

(image from www.giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com)


If you think neutrals are too predictable, try a little bit of pink. Soft light-to-medium pinks that are very slightly on the cool side should give you a youthful and gentle look, as seen above in the ad image from Giorgio Armani‘s Pink Light collection for spring 2009.

Like Giorgio Armani, YSL includes pink in the brand’s only new quad for the season. (Check my previous post to see the main makeup look).

(Palette D’Artiste Colletor Powder for the Eyes)
(image from www.cosme.net)

Jill Stuart regularly brings out pink shades, and this season’s Blossoming Pink collection adds two pink-toned palettes to Jill Stuart’s eye palette lineup.

(Seductive Eyes in 06 Romantic Goddess)
(image from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

(Illuminance Eyes in 06 Blossoming Shine)
(image from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

For an edgier look, try Lancôme‘s Irreverent Madame palette from the brand’s Pink Irreverence collection.

(image from www.lancome.co.uk)

- Lilacs

(image from ep-bko.com)

I think lilacs are just as wearable as neutrals and pinks. Like how we find the right neutrals/pinks, as long as we find the shades with the right color intensity and the right amount of warmth/coolness for our complexions, lilac can be a great everyday eyeshadow color.

Lilac was part of the spring 2008 makeup trend, and, as a lilac fan, I am pleased that it is still a very prominent shade this season, especially in Japanese beauty brands. Beauté de Kosé’s Esprique Precious is using the lilac-toned palette (from the new True Impact Eyes range) in the ad campaign. Lunasol‘s Layer Bloom Eyes in 03 Purple Gradation is also the feature item in the brand’s Floral Purification collection. (In the image below, it seems that the palettes are blossoming under the fresh spring sun.)

(www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lunasol)

In addition, AYURA‘s only new eye palette for spring 2009 is a cool-toned lilac/gray palette, somewhat reminiscent of Maquillage’s Clean Contrast Eyes 2 in SV844.

(image from www.ayura.co.jp)

- Mix & Match

(image from woman.excite.co.jp)


There are quite a few collections that feature two or more of the three colors mentioned above. For example, all four of Elégance‘s eye palettes incorporate pinks, lilacs, and neutrals. (There are one neutral palette, one pink palette, one lilac palette, and one with an off-white pink and an off-white lilac.)

Beauté de Kosé‘s two new Eye Fantasist liquid eyeshadows are of pink and lilac hues:

(image from www.iswii.net)

If you want pink and lilac in the same product, look into Shu Uemura‘s Spring Mode Makeup Eye Palette in Fantasia and the Nature Temptation Eye Palette from Clarins, which also includes some neutrals. (The picture below shows the version sold in Asia. The European/American version also has a pink and a lilac, which are paired with slightly darker shades.)

(image from www.shuuemura-usa.com)

(image from www.joseishi.net/voce)

If the pinks and lilacs above are too pale for your complexion or if you want a more striking look, try Magie Deco‘s Shadow Brilliance palette in 022 Flower Show.

(image from www.cosmedecorte.com/magiedeco)

So, do you like this spring’s trend (or non-trend…), and what colors will you be wearing this season?

More information on the spring 2009 collections featured above:

AYURA
Beauté de Kosé
Chanel
Dior
Elégance
Esprique Precious
Jill Stuart
Lunasol
Magie Deco
Shu Uemura
YSL

{ 6 comments }