all about Japanese cosmetics

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

Chicca will release its spring 2010 Spring Awakening makeup collection in Japan on February 3rd. The lineup includes:

– Enthralling Powder Eyeshadow duo (4 new variations)
– Enthralling Pencil Eyeliner EX (2 shades)
– Enticing Lipstick (5 new shades)
– Enticing Lip Gloss (2 new shades)

Related posts on Chicca:

Holiday 2009 Collection

Fall 2009 Collection

Summer 2009 Collection

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

Ayura will release its spring 2010 makeup items in Japan on January 23rd. The new items include:

– Aura Feel Rouge (above, 2 new shades, limited editions)

– Aura Feel Blend Gloss (above, 2 shades, limited editions)

– Veil Balance Brush on Skin Pact (6 shades, SPF 20 PA ++)

– Veil Balance Tone Up Color (3 shades, SPF 20 PA +)

The collection may include more items. I will keep you all posted.

Related posts:

Ayura Night Harmonition

Ayura Fall 2009 Collection

Loving Japanese Brands – Ayura

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

Esprique Precious will release its spring 2010 makeup collection in Japan on December 1st. The lineup includes:

– Symphonic Fit Eyes (above, 4 variations)

– Dress on Moist Rouge (2 new shades, limited editions)

– Dress on Glossy Rouge (2 new shades, limited editions)

Related posts on Esprique Precious:

Holiday 2009 Collection

Fall 2009 Collection

Dramatical Stay Pact UV EX

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(continued from Part 1)

6. Lavshuca

(Light Mix Eyes palettes)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lavshuca)

As I mentioned before, Lavshuca has been placing its brand emphasis on lip products in the last few seasons. The new Full Balloon Rouge for fall 2009 aims to make lips appear fuller and reduce vertical lip lines. The new Light Mix Eyes palettes look very easy to wear, and I think there might be other color variations to be released next year. (There are two new Dual Prism Eyes variations and one new Grade Color Eyes variation this season.)

5. Helena Rubinstein

(www.helenarubinstein.com)

I am still not pleased with the fact that Helena Rubinstein is no longer available in the UK. (Have a look at my Bring It Back! post on Helena Rubinstein.) Every now and then, there are products in its seasonal collections that I really want to try. In fall 2009, Helena Rubinstein is among the very few brands whose new lip glosses reflect the current purple trend, as two of the four new Wanted Gloss shades are purple-toned.

4. Three

(image from www.threecosmetics.com)

Like Addiction, Three is a new Japanese beauty brand that was launched in fall 2009. (I will present a brand profile on Three later on.) While Addiction is edgy and fashion-forward, Three is polished and demure. The vast launch lineup features all the basic point (color) makeup items, and both the simple and low-key packaging and the sophisticated colors remind me of the early days of Lunasol.

The countdown concludes early next week.

Related posts:

Lavshuca Holiday 2009 Collection

Lavshuca Finish Powder in Lucent & High Cover

Bring It Back! Shiseido’s Inoui ID

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

– Please check out this blog post for swatches of Coffret D’Or’s Jewelcious Eyes palettes for spring 2010. 02 Pink Topaz, 04 Amber Beige, and 05 Purple Amethyst have caught my attention.

Rouge Deluxe has posted a link to this blog post, which has photos of Lunasol’s spring 2010 eyeshadow palettes. The yellow/pink/lilac palette is my favorite at the moment, and it looks quite similar to Sheer Contrast Eyes in Lavender Coral from spring 2008.

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A couple of weeks ago, I presented the Fall 2009 Makeup Trend Round-Up. Today, I start the countdown of my favorite fall 2009 makeup collections. I hope you will enjoy these posts.

10. Addiction

(image from www.addiction-beauty.com)


I think Kosé’s Addiction is one of the most exciting launches in Japanese cosmetics this year. As many of the mainstream Japanese makeup lines aim to be as wearable as possible, Addiction is a lot edgier, with items like various black eyeshadows that help create intense smoky eyes.

(image from www.addiction-beauty.com)

The launch lineup is very coherent and looks quite warm-toned to me, and I look forward to seeing their spring 2010 collection.

9. YSL

(image from www.ysl.com)

(image from www.joseishi.net/voce)

Among the items in YSL’s fall 2009 makeup collection, I like the Ombres 5 Lumières in 18 (above, Japanese release) and the limited-edition Cream Blush. The Cream Blush has more of a mousse texture, which is a pleasant surprise. It appeals to me more than blushers with a cream texture, as I think mousse blushers are easier to apply and blend. They also tend to look velvety/semi-matte (which I like) rather than shiny.

8. Dior

(image from www.iswii.net)

(image from www.iswii.net)

Dior’s seasonal makeup collections are usually great trend indicators, and the fall 2009 collection is no exception. The collection features purples, plums, pinks, and greys for the eyes and warm-toned shades for the lips. The 5-Color Eyeshadow in 173 Night Butterfly (above) has virtually all the seasonal trends in one compact.

The Dior Jazzclub palettes look very chic but they don’t wow me as much as many of Dior’s past seasonal limited-edition items. Otherwise, Dior would place higher on my list.

7. Paul & Joe

(image from www.iswii.com)

I think Paul & Joe’s seasonal makeup collections are always worth looking forward to, particularly the items with the original prints by the designer behind the brand, Sophie Albou. While I am not as crazy about the prints from this collection as I was about some of the previous ones, I like the new design of the eyeshadow cases, which have an oval shape instead of the usual round shape. Paul & Joe doesn’t do loud colors, and the eyeshadows for this season are soft, elegant, and wearable as usual.

(image from www.iswii.com)

The countdown continues in Part 2.

Related posts:

Summer 2009 Makeup Top 10: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3

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(images/info from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/coffretdor)

Coffret D’Or‘s official website has been updated with information on the line’s holiday 2009 and spring 2010 collections.

What I am really looking forward to is the new Jewelcious Eyes series. The color combinations are what we would expect from Coffret D’Or, but the quality of Coffret D’Or’s eye palettes has been generally very good and it is very likely that I will try one palette from this series.

The five variations are:

– Citrian Green
– Pink Topaz
– Crystalish Blue
– Amber Beige
– Purple Amethyst

I also adore the 2010 design of the eye palette compacts. I like the fact that the concept and the motif have remained the same since the launch of the line but there is a new design each year. (You can see the 2008 design here and the 2009 design here.)

Related posts on Coffret D’Or:

Fall 2009 Point Makeup Collection

Color Mixing Eyes in Lavender Purple Mix
(summer 2009)

Shine Accent Eyes in Pink Variation
(spring 2009)

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(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

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(image from fanet.jp)

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

Sonia Rykiel will release its holiday 2009 makeup collection in Japan on November 1st. The collection includes:

– Palette Yeux Couleurs (2 variations, above)

– Eyeliner Pencil WP 2009 (3 shades)

– Crayon Gloss (3 shades)

All the items are limited editions.

Updated on November 11, 2009:

See more of Sonia Rykiel’s holiday 2009 releases here.

Related posts on Sonia Rykiel:

Fall 2009 Makeup Collection

Fall 2009 Base Makeup Releases

Summer 2009 Makeup Collection

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

Chicca will release its holiday 2009 collection in Japan on November 11th. The collection includes:

– Enthralling Powder Eyeshadow duo (1 variation)
– Enthralling Soft Pencil Eyeliner (1 shade)
– Flush Blush (1 shade)
– Enticing Lipstick (1 shade)
– Enticing Lip Gloss (1 shade)

All the items are additional shades of existing products, and they are all limited editions.

Related posts on Chicca:

Fall 2009 Collection

Summer 2009 Collection

Japanese Cosmetics Focus: Chicca

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