all about Japanese cosmetics

(image/info from www.biteki.com)

Magie Deco (from the Kosé-owned Cosme Decorte) will release its summer 2009 collection in Japan on April 16th. The lineup includes:

Brilliance Eyes palette (1 new variation)

Fairy Eyes (3 new shades)

Lipstick (3 new shades)

Eyebrow Mascara (3 shades)

(Eyebrow Mascara)
(image and info from www.cosme.net)

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(image/info from www.biteki.com)

SUQQU will release a few lip items for summer 2009. They include three new shades of Creamy Lip Stick (two of them in the photo) and one new shade of Lip Liner Pencil.

All the items are limited editions and will be released in Japan on April 17th.

Related posts:

SUQQU Creamy Lip Stick in 22

Review: SUQQU Spring 2009 Collection (1)

Review: SUQQU Spring 2009 Collection (2)

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(continued from Part 1 and Part 2)

3. Coffret D’Or

(Coffret D’Or Shine Accent Eyes)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/coffretdor)

Just a year after the launch, Coffret D’Or has become one of my favorite makeup lines. Among the spring 2009 collection, the new palette range, Shine Accent Eyes, includes another array of pretty and wearable colors. The palettes don’t have an intense eyelining shade, but I can do without it for my daytime makeup. I am planning to getting 02 Pink Variation, and I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you.

2. Dior

(image from www.dior.com)


For me, the star of Dior’s spring 2009 collection is obviously the Lady Dior palette. However, the collection has other gorgeous items, including some soft milky neutrals. Both 5-Color Eyeshadow in Elégante and 5-Color Iridescent Eyeshadow in Parisian Lights are beautiful and very covetable. This is a collection that shows that neutrals don’t have to be dull.

1. Lunasol

(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)

(Lunasol Layer Bloom Eyes palettes)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lunasol)

Lunasol has always been a front runner for me among the spring 2009 collections. Since the Red Purification collection in fall 2008, Lunasol has gone full circle and returned to the more sophisticated look that Lunasol started off with in 1999. The spring 2009 Floral Purification collection is less shimmery than the Brilliance Purification collection in fall 2007 (featuring Geminate Eyes palettes) and less vibrant than the Color Purification collection in spring 2008 (featuring Sheer Contrast Eyes palettes). While some of those who fell in love with Lunasol in the last couple of years might not find this collection as appealing, I do think this is one of Lunasol’s finest seasonal collections.

The Purple Variation palette is now on my way, and I will be posting my thoughts later on.

Related posts:

Lunasol Summer 2009 Collection

Lunasol Sheer Contrast Eyes in Lavender Coral

Coffret D’Or 3D Lighting Eyes in Purple Variation (spring 2008)

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

Elégance will release its summer 2009 collection in Japan on April 18th. The lineup includes:

Lustre Crush Eyes (bi-phase liquid/powder eyeshadow, 5 shades, seen above)

Lagoon Mascara Duo (2 variations, limited editions)


Nail Bijou (4 new shades)

It is a very colorful and summery collection. I especially like the look of the Lustre Crush Eyes, and I look forward to seeing more close-up photos of them in Japanese beauty magazines later.

Related posts:

Japanese Cosmetics Focus: Elégance

Elégance Spring 2009 Collection

Spring 2009 Makeup Top 10

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(images/info from www.nikkei.co.jp)
Here is an update on Lunasol’s summer 2009 collection, which will be released in Japan on May 8th. The two flowers chosen to continue the Floral Purification theme from spring 2009 are hibiscus and plumeria, which inspire the two mini collections you see above and below. (Please check this post for a quick reference for the two flowers.)


The full collection includes:

Layer Bloom Eyes (Summer White Gradation and Summer Pink Gradation)

(images/info from www.cosme.net)

Shining Face Color (1 new variation)

Full Glamour Lips S (2 new shades)

Full Glamour Gloss N (2 new shades)

Shining Pencil (2 shades, sharpener included)

Curling Mascara (1 shade)


Nail Finish (2 new shades)

Note that all the items in this collection are limited editions except Curling Mascara.

Related posts:

Loving Japanese Brands – Lunasol

Lunasol 10th Anniversary

Lunasol Spring 2009 Collection

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(continued from Part 1)

6. Max Factor

(image from www.maxfactor.jp)

Many of the Max Factor releases in Asia are very different from those in the west. In the case of the spring 2009 collection, these colorful palettes have a particularly Japanese feel and look very much like the tone-on-tone palettes that have constantly been brought out by Japanese brands. (The purple-toned palette reminds me of my Lunasol Lavender Coral.)

Do check this post for a great review of the green-toned palette (with swatches of all the palettes). The writer pointed out the improvement in the powder’s pigmentation level and lasting power. (The low pigmentation level from previous releases was mentioned by one reader under my initial post on this collection.)

5. Lavshuca

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

“Cute” is still the best word to describe Lavshuca‘s makeup, but I do like the fact that the brand doesn’t try to be overly girlie. (The plum cases look quite elegant.) The spring 2009 collection includes a new range of lipsticks and eye palettes. I nearly decided to get Grade Color Eyes in PU-1 (top right in the photo above), but the colors are a little too pale and don’t seem warm enough for me. On the other hand, I am still interested in trying the new Finish Powder.

4. Aube Couture

(Aube Couture Designing Eyes)
(image from www.sofina.co.jp/aube)

I wasn’t really a big fan of Aube’s last few collections, but the new Aube Couture‘s debut collection got my attention. A lot of design went into some of the items to make them as user-friendly as possible. (Please see this post for examples and more discussion.) I’d think that the packaging was still kept very simple so that it wouldn’t overtake the actual design features, and Aube Couture certainly gets extra points from making makeup application a little bit easier for us.

The countdown continues in Part 3.

Related posts:

Aube Couture Summer 2009 Collection

Lavshuca Summer 2009 Collection

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Spring makeup collections tend to be my favorites as compared with collections from the rest of the year, since the colors are usually soft, fresh, and wearable. This week, I will be counting down my top ten spring 2009 makeup collections.

10. Maquillage

(Maquillage Eyes Creators 3D)
(image from www.shiseido.co.jp/mq)

(Maquillage Face Creators 3D)
(image from www.shiseido.co.jp/mq)

Maquillage rolled out a large collection for spring 2009, changed a few of the brand ambassadors, and modified the packaging. The collection focuses on creating dimension for the face and the facial features. The Face Creator 3D includes highlighters, contourers and a blusher and aims to create depth for the face and a delicate jawline.

9. RMK

(image from www.rmkrmk.com)

RMK‘s spring 2009 collection, Spring Translucence, is full of soft ethereal hues. The idea is to use moderately pigmented shades with a gently luminous finish to enhance the lucidity of the complexion (rather than to cover the face with opaque colors). The star item is the Translucent Cheeks & Eyes, with one warmer and one cooler variation. The other items in the collection are also well-balanced and features both warmer and cooler shades.

8. Elégance

(Elégance EyeShadows)
(image from www.elegance-cosmetics.com)

(Elégance Radiance Quartet)
(image from www.elegance-cosmetics.com)

Like Sonia Rykiel and Paul & Joe, Elégance is a French fashion line with its beauty range mainly available in Asia. I particularly like the glamorous and opulent golden cases for many of its products. (Please see my profile of the brand here.) For spring 2009, the four new Eyeshadow palettes reflect all the main seasonal color trends (pinks, purples, and neutrals). The new Radiance Quartet is among the three cheek items from Elégance that I really want to check out in person.

7. Esprique Precious

(Esprique Precious True Impact Eyes)
(image from ep-bko.com)

Usually, spring is when most Japanese brands bring out the largest point makeup collection, but Kosé’s Esprique Precious‘ spring 2009 collection is very concise and consists of four eye palettes, two lipsticks and two lip glosses. The purple eye palette (True Impact Eyes in T-3) is featured as the main item of the collection. (Please see the ad image here.) I am still a little tempted to try this palette, as the purple seems to have the right tone for my complexion.

The countdown continues in Part 2 and Part 3.

Related posts:

Spring 2009 Makeup Trend Report

Maquillage Clean Contrast Eyes 2 in SV844

Maquillage Forming Shiny Eyes in 52

RMK Water Colors Eyes in 02 Lavender

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(SUQQU Blend Eyeshadow in #10)


Last week, I reviewed three of the five Contour Shadows, which are the main items of SUQQU‘s spring 2009 collection. Today, I will highlight several items from the rest of the collection.

The Blend Eyeshadow range (SUQQU’s 4-color eye palette range) was launched in fall 2007 with five variations. Three more were introduced in spring 2008, and another three were added to the range this season. Pictured above, Blend Eyeshadow #10 is a very wearable neutral palette. The shades include (anti-clockwise from bottom right):

– luminous cream white with very sparse and fine shimmer (used as a base)
– softly pearly warm taupe with a very faint mauve undertone and fine multi-colored shimmer
– pearly cool silver with a very faint cool lilac undertone and fine multi-colored shimmer
– predominantly matte dark chocolate brown

The base shade does a good job at brighting up the eye area and making it even-toned (which helps create a base for a clean (rather than muddy) neutral eye look). The warm taupe and the cool silver are moderately pigmented for a delicate and elegant finish. The powder is soft and easily blendable.

When it comes to the texture, the brown eyelining shade reminds me of the purple in Shiseido Maquillage’s Forming Shiny Eyes in 52. Compared with the other shades in their respective compacts, the two shades don’t have as much movement and the powder seems slightly dryer. I think they are formulated like this so that they stay in place for longer.

I find that the warm taupe and the cool silver can work together to create subtly different hues. When I apply a soft layer of the silver underneath the taupe, the taupe looks cooler. As it can sometimes be difficult to get the tones of neutral shades exactly right for a certain complexion or a certain makeup look, this palette, perhaps inadvertently, offers a good solution for at least certain complexions for which taupes are generally suitable.

Overall the colors in this palette are very easy to wear, and the palette is versatile in its own ways.

(SUQQU Blend Lipsticks in #18 (left) & #16 (right))

The Blend Lipstick range was also launched in fall 2007. Various shades were added to the range over the last few seasons and five more were introduced for spring 2009. (Please have a look at my review of Blend Lipstick #14 from SUQQU’s fall 2008 collection.)

Both Blend Lipsticks in #16 and #18 are cooler than #14. #18 is a very pretty cool pink that goes on slightly more vibrant than it looks in the tube. Like Contour Shadow in 02, it really reflects the sakura theme of the collection and it is definitely a very lovely spring-like color. #16 is a light medium pink that applies lighter than it looks in the tube. If you are looking for a nude lipstick with a hint of pink, this shade is worth looking into.

Between the two, #18 seems to be a little more pigmented and can be easily layered for more intensity. # 16 is more about a soft nude look.

Both shades are subtly glossy and create a sophisticated finish. Like all the lipsticks from SUQQU, they have a very creamy texture and glide on effortlessly. (As I mentioned before, SUQQU’s lipsticks are some of the most moisturizing lipsticks that I have come across so far.)

Most of SUQQU’s makeup products radiate sheer quality and sophistication, and these certainly do too. The items reviewed here (along with the Contour Shadows, apart from EX-02) are part of the permanent lineup and are not limited editions. If you do have a chance to stop by a SUQQU counter in Japan, Thailand (Bangkok), and the UK (Selfridges, London), do enjoy testing out these items.

Related posts:

My Personal Take on SUQQU

SUQQU Creamy Lipstick in 22

SUQQU Makeup Base Creamy & Brightup

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(images/info from www.iswii.net)

Here is a quick look at Paul & Joe‘s summer 2009 collection. Including items for face, eyes, lips, and nails, the gold-toned limited-edition collection (with champagne-gold packaging) features:

Bronzer (001 Goddess and 002 Deity, above)

Eye Color G (001 Nugget, 002 Gold Rush, 003 Fortune)

Lip Gloss S (001 Byzantine, 002 Bullion, 003 Lustre)

Nail Enamel S (001 Golden Slumbers, 002 Goldfinger, 003 All That Glitters)

Blotting Paper 2009

The collection will be out in Taiwan on May 1st. According to Rouge Deluxe, it will be out in Japan on the same day.

Related posts:

Paul & Joe Spring 2009 Collection

Paul & Joe Fall 2008 Base Makeup Collection

Paul & Joe Eye Color in 05

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A Taiwanese blogger, Gemilay, has posted information on Lunasol’s summer 2009 collection on her blog.

If you are familiar with Lunasol‘s spring 2009 collection and how Lunasol develops some of the summer collections based on the concept of the spring collections, you might have been speculating which flowers would be the inspiration for the summer 2009 eyeshadow palettes.

I will let you check out the post yourself and not spoil your fun. I will talk more about the collection as I have more information.

By the way, if you are a Lunasol fan, be sure to check out the links under Gemilay’s post. (Have a look at her amazing stash of Lunasol eyeshadow palettes.)

(Many thanks to my reader Littlewing for telling me about this post. Do check out her blog, The Rainbow Star.)

Updated on March 20, 2009:

Please see the update on the collection here.

Related posts:

Lunasol Sheer Contrast Eyes in Lavender Coral

Lunasol Scent Form Eyes in 02

Loving Japanese Brands – Lunasol

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