all about Japanese cosmetics

RMK for London Fashion Week

by PJ on Wednesday, February 18, 2009

in -RMK, 2009 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(image from www.rmkrmk.com)

RMK will be hosting an event for London Fashion Week from 19th to 25th of February.

The RMK makeup artists will give you a makeover using RMK’s base makeup products as well as items from the spring 2009 “Spring Translucence” makeup collection.

Also, on the 19th and 21st, you can also book to experience the latest catwalk hairstyles with Wella, Schwarzkopf and Frédéric Fekkai hair stylist Dawn Wellam, who will demonstrate the spring hairstyle trends to go with RMK’s spring makeup looks.

The booking fee is £20, which is redeemable against purchases on the day. Booking customers will receive a skincare trial kit, and those with purchases over £50 and £70 will also receive, respectively, the RMK spring/summer 09 scented candle and a handy cheek brush.

For more information and for booking an appointment, please call RMK at Selfridges on 0207 318 3538.

(information from RMK)

RMK Water Color Eyes in 02 Lavender

Beauty City Guide: London

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Jill Stuart Cosmetics US Launch Update

by PJ on Thursday, February 12, 2009

in -Jill Stuart, all about Japanese cosmetics

(image from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

It seems that it has been a bit of a Jill Stuart week on my blog this week… (It is certainly unintentional.)

First of all, many thanks to BA at Beauty Anonymous for posting about the article on Elle News Blog earlier today. According to the Elle article, the launch of the Jill Stuart beauty line will be slightly postponed to early summer this year. The line will be launched at the Jill Stuart flagship store in New York City.

Finally, for those of you in the US who are waiting for the launch, the end seems to be in sight. Hopefully you will be able to place a phone order if you can’t make it to the store.

Related posts:

Jill Stuart Cosmetics Available in the US Soon
(Check this post for the link to the article on Wall Street Journal.)

Jill Stuart Breaks Record

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Jill Stuart Pouch Large (Sweet Ribbon)

by PJ on Wednesday, February 11, 2009

in -Jill Stuart, 2009 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, beauty tools/accessories

(images and info from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

Designer beauty brands like Anna Sui and Paul & Joe often cash in on their fashion roots and release beauty accessories featuring original designs. On February 20th, Jill Stuart will release Pouch Large (Sweet Ribbon). It is a set of a bag pouch and a mini pouch with pink-ribbon pattern and Jill Stuart’s signatures. It will join the brand’s beauty tool lineup, which includes the very popular Compact Mirror and Hand Mirror. (However, the pouch, priced at 4725 JPY, will be a limited-edition item.)

(Jill Stuart Beauty is currently available in Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong. It is scheduled to be launched in the US with a small selection of products.)

Jill Stuart Available in the US

Jill Stuart Moist Silk Liquid Foundation

Loving Japanese Brands – Jill Stuart

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Jill Stuart Mix Blush Compact in 01 Baby Blush

by PJ on Monday, February 9, 2009

in -Jill Stuart, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - blusher, stash focus

Since Jill Stuart‘s Mix Blush Compact was launched in fall 2007, it has become one of the brand’s most popular products. Currently, there are six shades available. (01, 02, 03, and 04 were out in fall 2007, 06 was released in spring 2008, and 07 and 08 were recently available for spring 2009. 05 was a limited-edition item in fall 2007.) Today I am sharing my thoughts on 01 Baby Blush.

Like all the other variations, the blusher comes in a very pretty and princessy compact. A retractable brush is attached to the compact. (It can be detached.)

All Mix Blush Compacts feature four shades that can be used separately or together. I decided to go for 01, which contained an off-white pink, two cool pinks, and one warm pink with a hint of coral.

The powder is very fine and silky. The lightest shade has a pearly finish and some fine shimmery particles, while the other three have a subtly luminous finish. Used together, they give a glowy finish to the cheeks. I personally think it is a little too glowy for me, so I usually skip the lightest shade. The lasting power is fairly good, and the fresh cool-pink shade doesn’t turn dull overtime.

I am sure many of you have read other reviews of Mix Blush Compacts, and opinions seem to vary with regard to the quality of the brush and the pigmentation level of the colors. I think the quality of the brush is decent. The hair is nicely dense and the bristle-heads are soft to the touch, but the hair is slightly stiff. The brush is on the small side but it can be very useful in picking up individual colors from the compact.

In terms of the color intensity, I would say the blusher is moderately pigmented. You will be likely to think it is quite sheer if you are used to some of the highly pigmented blushers from MAC and Bobbi Brown. But Japanese blushers, overall, tend to be subtle and are more about recreating the natural flush, and Mix Blush Compact is actually more pigmented than items like Lavshuca’s Cheek Color in 01 and SUQQU’s Blend Cheeks in 05. (Personally, I prefer lightly-to-moderately blushers, and I actually have to be slightly light-handed with it.)

Overall, Mix Blush Compact is a very good item, as it combines beautiful packaging and a solid performance of the colors. Last year, I came across the news that Jill Stuart Beauty would be launched in the US this year. If you are interested in trying out the line, I think Mix Blusher Compact is a good item to go for.

Related posts:

A Touch of Blusher talks…blushers!

Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in 04

Chanel Irréelle Blush in Tea Rose

Western vs. Japanese…Who’s Winning?

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SUQQU Base Makeup Kit & Pore Covering Base

by PJ on Thursday, February 5, 2009

in -SUQQU, 2009 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(images and info from www.cosme.net)

On March 6th, SUQQU will release Base Makeup Kit, which includes four existing items from SUQQU’s base makeup range. The kit (10,500 JPY) includes:

– Liquid Foundation Aqua (full-sized)
– Makeup Base Creamy (travel-sized, 7g; please see my review here)
– Loose Powder Natural (travel-sized, 5.5g)
– Loose Powder Deep (travel-sized, 5.5g)
– original pouch

This is a good set to go for if you are interested in trying items from SUQQU’s renowned base makeup range. Also, it is nice that the kit includes both Loose Powder Natural and Deep, which are supposed to be used together (Natural for highlighting and Deep for contouring).

Also, on March 6th, SUQQU will release Pore Covering Base, which will be SUQQU’s fourth primer.

SUQQU Spring 2009 Collection

SUQQU Creamy Lipstick in 24

Japanese Cosmetics in the UK

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Lunasol Website Update – 10th Anniversary

by PJ on Monday, February 2, 2009

in -Kanebo, -Lunasol, all about Japanese cosmetics

(image and info from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lunasol)

The Lunasol website has been updated to include information on its 10th Anniversary Collection as well as a look back at the brand’s history.

You can go straight to the 10th-anniversary page from here. Do have a look at the Eyes Collection section, which features the beautiful eyeshadow palettes that Lunasol has released since 2003. (But it doesn’t include summer or holiday releases.)

(The reviews of the two palettes I have are listed below.)

Lunasol Scent Form Eyes in Leak

Loving Japanese Brands – Lunasol

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Skincare Review: SUQQU Lip Essence Cream

by PJ on Thursday, January 29, 2009

in -SUQQU, all about Japanese cosmetics, skincare, skincare - moisturizing/others

In winter, my lips and hands are constantly dry and I have to moisturize them every now and then throughout the day. For lips (especially in the evening), I usually prefer something quite emollient, and SUQQU‘s Lip Essence Cream is a product that does the job.

Lip Essence Cream comes in a glass jar with a plastic lid. I quite like this design, as I am not particularly fond of lip balm in a metal container, which can rust. (With my Rose & Co. Apothecary Rose Petal Salve, I usually fill a small plastic container with it and use it from there.)

It has a solid balm consistency. Some of the main moisturizing ingredients include various fatty acids, polybutene (from mineral oil), petrolatum, squalane, and vitamin E. It is quite a simply (in a good way) formulated lip product that doesn’t contain fragrance or parabens.

SInce the consistency is very dense, it does not really glide on the lips when I apply it with my finger. I think the best way to apply the product is to very gently press it onto the lips. A little goes a long way.

Compared with Rose Petal Salve, which leaves a soft sheen, Lip Essence Cream leaves a glossy shine. Some might think it can feel a little sticky, but, as the SUQQU website (link above) suggests, it is a night treatment product. (Also, it doesn’t have any sunscreen ingredient so I don’t suggest using it during daytime.) I usually use it right before going to bed, and my lips still feel moisturized when I get up the next day.

If you have really dry lips and need a very emollient lip moisturizer, or if you are looking for a fragrance-free lip moisturizer, this is certainly a product to consider.

SUQQU Spring 2009 Collection

Review: SUQQU Fall 2008 Collection Part 1 & Part 2

Beauty City Guide (3) – London

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Spring 2009 Makeup Trend Report

by PJ on Monday, January 26, 2009

in -Ayura, -Chanel, -Clarins, -Clé de Peau, -Cosme Decorte, -Dior, -Elégance, -Esprique (Precious), -Giorgio Armani, -Jill Stuart, -Kanebo, -Kosé, -Lancôme, -Lunasol, -Magie Deco, -Shiseido, -Shu Uemura, -YSL, 2009 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup trend reports

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 from 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

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Lavshuca Website Update – Spring 2009

by PJ on Monday, January 26, 2009

in -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2009 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

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

The Lavshuca website has been updated to include information on the spring 2009 collection.

The layout of the website has been slightly revamped for easier navigation. Many of the items feature how they look when worn, including all the new shades of Dramatic Memory Rouge and Grade Color Eyes palettes from the spring 2009 collection.

Also, the “Lav Lip Collection” link (from the homepage) will take you to a chart where you can see the differences among all the currently available Lavshuca lip items in terms of how pigmented and how glossy they are.

pigmented
↑
matte←—————————————→glossy
↓
translucent

Further down the same page, under each lip product, you can also see how shimmery it is (indicated by the number of stars on the third row).

As some of you have commented over the last two years, Japanese cosmetics websites tend to have more pleasing visual designs, and I think the Lavshuca website is certainly a great example.

Kate Spring 2009 Collection

Ettusais Spring 2009 Collection

Anna Sui Website Update – Spring 2009

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Sonia Rykiel Spring 2009 Collection

by PJ on Friday, January 23, 2009

in -Sonia Rykiel, 2009 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(images and information from
www.soniarykiel-cosmetics.com)

Sonia Rykiel‘s website has been updated to feature the spring 2009 makeup collection. The lineup includes:

– Glossy Lip Color (10 shades)

– Cheek Color Powder (4 variations)

– Eyeliner Pencil WP (Waterproof)

– Mono Eyeshadow (13 new shades)

It is quite an eye-catching collection, with three new products and colorful additions to the Mono Eyeshadow range. The new lip gloss has a nice range of shades (I am drawn to the cooler end of the lineup), while the iconic Sonia Rykiel horizontal stripes are again used for the blushers.

The collection will be out in Japan on February 6th, 2009.

Brand Focus – Sonia Rykiel Cosmetics

Sonia Rykiel Holiday 2008 Collection

Sonia Rykiel Fall 2008 Collection

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