all about Japanese cosmetics

(images/info from www.joseishi.net/voce)

Paul & Joe will release its summer 2010 makeup collection in Japan on May 1st. The collection includes:

– Finishing Powder (above, 2 variations, limited editions)

– Lipstick S (3 shades, limited editions)

– Lip Gloss G (10 shades)

– Lip Pencil Duo (5 variations)

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Updated on September 20th, 2010:

Read my review of Lip Gloss G in 07 Tangerine.

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Updated on May 27th, 2017:

Read my review of Lip Gloss G in 05 Mon Chéri.

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Related posts on Paul & Joe:

Spring 2010 Point Makeup Collection

Spring/Summer 2010 Base Makeup Collection

Fall 2009 Point/Base Makeup Collection

 

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My natural makeup recommendations continue with items for cheeks and lips. (See my recommendations on eye makeup here.)

Items for Cheeks

Sometimes, when you don’t have time to deal with eye makeup, using a blusher can really give the face an instant lift. The key is to use a shade that is as close to your natural flush as possible. I personally prefer moderately pigmented blushers without visible shimmer and those that are either matte or luminous matte.

RMK Ingenious Powder Cheeks in MT-02 Light Pink (top)

It is marginally the lightest and the most cool-toned of the three blushers featured here. The brush included in the compact is very soft and easy to use, making this item very suitable for touch-ups away from home.

Lavshuca Cheek Color in PK-1 (left)

This is the kind of default PK blusher shade which we expect from most Japanese makeup lines. The sparse pink-toned shimmery particles visible in the pan is not visible when worn.

Boots No. 7 Cheek Colour in 25 Petal (right)

It is slightly warmer than the other two and has a very soft peach undertone. It is among my favorite blushers from non-Japanese brands. This shade is particularly good for spring and summer when most of us pick up a little bit of warmth on our complexions.

Items for Lips

SUQQU Blend Lipstick in 16 Mizuka (upper left)

Go for this shade if you like a warm milky nude-pink for the lips. I usually dislike nude shades for the lips (I don’t think they are flattering), but this shade has enough pink in it so that it looks gentle and natural.

Maquillage Lasting Climax Rouge in RS310 (right)

Go for this shade if you want more color for the lips. It is a warm-toned rose and is more pigmented than the SUQQU lipstick featured here. It can be layered for more vibrancy.

Makemania Curvy Lip Silicone in 501 (bottom left)

The ultimate clear lip gloss. It has a very good lip-magnifying effect. (It does not achieve the effect with skin-irritating ingredients that dilate the blood vessels.) I also like the spatula applicator.

Bobbi Brown Brightening Lip Gloss in Popsicle (bottom)

This is one of Bobbi Brown’s new items for spring 2010. It is a gentle warm pink that should be flattering for most people. It is softly pigmented but the color does show up on the lips. It has a long-lasting glossy finish with a touch of shimmer.

The final part features my recommendations on base makeup.

(Items from Bobbi Brown, RMK, and SUQQU featured in this post are provided by their respective companies.)

Related posts (other wearable items):

For Cheeks:

Jill Stuart Mix Blush Compact in 01 Baby Blush

Albion Eprise Water Face Color in 100

Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in 04 Mauve

For Lips:

SUQQU Creamy Lipstick in 22 Benikoji

Lavshuca Jewelry Lips in PK-1 & RS-1

YSL Golden Gloss in 03 Golden Pink

Blue-Tinted Lip Glosses

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(images/info from www.nikkei.co.jp)

Lunasol will release its summer 2010 makeup collection in Japan on May 14th. The collection continues the theme of Scenic Purification, and the new items include:

– Nature Color Eyes (2 new variations)
– Shining Water Eyes (2 new shades)
– Full Glamour Lips G (2 new shades)
– Full Glamour Gloss N (2 new shades)
– Nail Finish (3 new shades)
– Modeling Face Color (1 shade)
– Control Makeup Base (SPF 25, PA++, with gold-toned pearly shimmer)

(Modeling Face Color)


All the items in this collection are limited editions.

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(images/info from www.cosme.net)

Sofina‘s Aube Couture will release its summer 2010 makeup collection in Japan on April 13th. The collection includes:

– Designing Premium Rouge (above, 4 new shades)

– Designing Mascara (1 shade)

Related posts:

Aube Couture Spring 2010 Collection

User-Friendly Makeup: Aube Couture

From My Treasure Chest (2) : Aube Rouge Dressious

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(images/info from www.joseishi.net/voce)

Addiction will release its summer 2010 makeup collection in Japan on April 23rd. The collection features:

– Limited Compact Le Mépris* (above, with two eyeshadows and a blusher)

– Eyeshadow (1 new shade)

– Eyeliner Pencil (1 new shade)

– Lipstick (1 new shade)

– Lip Gloss (1 new shade)

– Blush (1 new shade)

All the items in this collection are limited editions.

(*I am guessing that the name Le Mépris is based on the 1963 French film Le Mépris (Contempt), starring Brigitte Bardot. Have a look at the movie poster, which might possibly be part of the inspiration of the palette.)

Related posts on Addiction:

New Japanese Beauty Brand: Addiction

Spring 2010 Collection

Product Swatch Galore

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(images from www.cosme.net,
info from www.cosme.net
& www.joseishi.net/voce)

Elégance will release its summer 2010 makeup collection in Japan on April 18th. The collection includes:

– Glam Up Gloss (above, 7 shades)

– Lasting Color Mascara (5 shades)

– Lasting Eyeliner (5 shades)

Also, on May 18th*, Elégance will release two limited-edition bodycare items:

– Body Makeup Milk (SPF 15, PA+, with a watery consistency and pearly shimmer)

– Fragrance Body Powder (with shimmer)



(*According to Cosme.Net, the release date of the two bodycare items is April 18th.)

Related posts:

Elégance Spring 2010 Collection

Elégance Makeup Collection Revamp

Japanese Cosmetics Focus: Elégance

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(image/info from www.joseishi.net/voce)

On May 23rd in Japan, Ayura will release Aura Feel Oriental Gel Nails. Three limited-edition sets will be available, and each set will include three nail colors and a nail art sheet.

Related posts on Ayura:

Ayura 15th Anniversary Memories Coffret

Spring 2010 Collection

Night Harmonition

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Late last year, one of my readers suggested that I recommend items for a complete makeup look. I thought that I would recommend items that create a natural look that is suitable for daily wear. Today, I will focus on eye makeup items.

Coffret D’Or 3D Lighting Eyes in Purple Variation (right)

Released in December 2007, it is still one of my favorite eye palettes. The dusky pink and the light lilac are a winning combination. The violet lining shade is one of the most beautiful lining shades I have come across.

Coffret D’Or Trance Deep Eyes in Rose Variation (left)

Try this one if you want a palette that is similar to 3D Lighting Eyes in Purple Variation but with more warmth. (Do note that this palette is more shimmery.)

Magie Deco Shadow Brilliance II in Foxy Lady (top)

This is my recent favorite. It includes soft warm neutrals that create a natural depth for the eyes.

Clinique Naturally Glossy Mascara in Jet Black

It is one of the most natural-looking mascaras that I have come across. It creates subtle length and volume for the lashes, and it has never clumped on my lashes.

SUQQU Eyebrow Brush L

I think this is one of SUQQU’s finest creations. Use this brush with any eyebrow powder that suits you. I like the fact that the brush is able to enhance the structure of the eyebrows without leaving any hard edges.

More recommendations for cheeks & lips as well as the complexion!

(The SUQQU Eyebrow Brush L featured in this post is provided by SUQQU.)

Related posts (other wearable items):

Coffret D’Or 3D Lighting Eyes in Gold Variation

SUQQU Blend Eyeshadow in 10 Sakuragi

Chanel Irréelle Duo in Désert-Rose

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(image/info from www.nikkei.co.jp)

Kanebo’s Chicca will release its summer 2010 makeup collection in Japan on May 12th. The theme of the collection is Illuminated Summer Glow.

The collection includes:

– Enthralling Powder Eye Shadow (4 new variations)
– Enticing Lipstick (4 new shades)
– Enticing Lip Gloss (2 new shades)
– Ravishing Beauty Pressed Powder (1 shade, limited edition)

Related posts on Chicca:

Spring 2010 Collection

Holiday 2009 Collection

Fall 2009 Collection

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Magie Deco is a point (color) makeup line that is part of Kosé’s high-end brand Cosme Decorte. It was launched in fall 2007 and the products’ price points are similar to those of Lunasol’s. Shadow Brilliance II in DC025 Foxy Lady, which is part of Magie Deco’s fall 2009 collection, is my first item from the line.

One thing I like about Magie Deco is that it often brings out eye palettes with interesting and unusual color combinations. (In Japanese cosmetics, many mainstream brands constantly release tone-on-tone eye palettes.)

One palette that helps define the line’s character is Shadow Brilliance in 014 Believe in Magic, which is part of the line’s launch collection in fall 2007. The palette includes a plum pink and an olive green, which don’t usually appear together in eye palettes from Japanese brands.

The new Shadow Brilliance II series, launched in fall 2009, also features some interesting color combinations. (LC028 Lovable Muse includes a lilac and an aqua green.)

The main reason why I went for Foxy Lady, a tone-on-tone neutral palette (instead of one with a more unusual color combination), is that I was looking for an eye palette with soft warm latte-like neutrals. Foxy Lady is the one I decided to try.




The five colors in this palette are (clock-wise from bottom right):

– off-white with a hint of gold
– light-to-medium warm beige
– soft warm yellow gold
– light warm beige
(subtly lighter than the light-to-medium beige)
– dark brown

All the shades have subtle shimmery particles. They show up predominantly as a veil of gold-toned shimmer under sunlight while they look more multi-colored under artificial lighting. They have a smooth texture and are very easy to blend. The staying power is good.

The eyeshadows are very gently scented with a floral-fruity fragrance.

The three lightest shades are softly pigmented. Even among eyeshadows in Japanese cosmetics, they are on the sheer side. Because I wanted soft neutrals in the first place, I don’t mind them being sheer.
The light-to-medium warm beige at the bottom left is moderately pigmented and is not overly sheer. Overall, I like the ethereal look that these shades create.

The dark brown is a lot more pigmented than the other four, but, as a lining shade, it is also slightly less pigmented than most other lining shades in eye palettes from Japanese makeup lines.

The two beiges create a delicate gradation. I particularly like the darker one of the two. It is not always easy to find light-to-medium neutrals that are able to create depth, as light neutrals are usually made to be light-reflective. But this shade, while softly shimmery (not frosty or overly light-reflective), is able to create a natural depth for the eyes.

The soft yellow gold imparts a touch of vibrancy. It can replace (or work with) the off-white as a base, a highlighter for the brow bones, and a highlighter for the inner corners of the eyes.

I also like the case of the palette. Surprisingly, the pink case never looks overly saccharine. The pink and the gold work delightfully well together, and the faceted gem-like shape is feminine and regal at the same time.

Overall I really like this palette. I will certainly go back to it again and again, and I will continue to look forward to Magie Deco’s new releases. If you like your neutrals to be pigmented and intense, then you can safely skip this palette. If you want very wearable neutrals that are suitable for daytime, then this palette may be worth your consideration.

Related posts:

Magie Deco Summer 2009 Collection

Coffret D’Or 3D Lighting Eyes in Gold Variation

Lavshuca Summer Gradually Compact in Shiny Sandy Beach

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