all about Japanese cosmetics

PJ’s Newsdesk: Biteki Goes Chinese

by PJ on Friday, May 23, 2008

(cover of Biteki July 2008)
(image from www.biteki.com)

Some of you might be able to recognize the person on the magazine cover above.

Barbie (Hsi-Yuan) Hsu, a popular Taiwanese TV actress and singer in Asia, is the cover star of the July 2008 issue of Biteki.

Unlike Voce, Biteki rarely features celebrities on the covers, and there are very specific reasons why Hsu is fronting this issue:

– She is one of the Taiwanese actors/actresses that enjoy popularity in Japan, largely due to her leading role in the extremely successful TV drama Meteor Garden, an adaptation of the Japanese manga story Hana yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers). The series has been widely popular in East Asia.

– Hsu is the write of two beauty-related books, Beauty Queen and Beauty Queen II: Female Celebrities Exposed. According to Taipei Times, Beauty Queen II shifted 800,000 copies in China and Taiwan within two months of its release. (She shares some of her beauty secrets with the Japanese readers in the July issue of Biteki.)

– Most importantly, July 2008 sees the launch of Biteki’s Chinese Edition. Even though some popular Japanese fashion magazines already publish Chinese editions, this is a first for a Japanese beauty magazine. Despite the fact that Japanese beauty products have long been popular in the nearby Chinese-speaking regions, I am still deeply fascinated by this move from Biteki.

At the moment I don’t have full information on whether the Chinese edition is in Traditional or Simplified Chinese, but I’d imagine that it would be in both. (Currently, Traditional Chinese is used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, while Simplified Chinese is used in China and Singapore.)

It seems to me that the presence of Japanese cosmetics is slowly going international (even though, presumably, the Biteki Chinese edition will focus on what is available locally instead of a translation of the Japanese version). According to recent reports from Nikkei Net, not only is Shiseido expanding retail points in China, Europe, and Middle East, the Maquillage Fall 2008 collection will include items in collaboration with British designer Christopher Kane and the ad campaign will feature model of the moment Agyness Deyn. (Well, I’d say why not just bring Maquillage to the UK….)

These are all very interesting developments, and I will try my best to keep you updated.

Related Posts:

Biteki – My Ultimate Beauty Archive

Japanese Cosmetics in the UK

All about Japanese Cosmetics

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Anna Sui Summer 2008 Collection

by PJ on Friday, May 23, 2008

in -Anna Sui, 2008 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, bodycare, haircare, makeup

(Mini Rouge W)

(image from www.annasui-cosmetics.com)

On June 5th in Japan, there will be more items from Anna Sui‘s summer 2008 collection being released. They include:

– Mini Rouge W (limited-edition, 3 shades, seen above)

– Bath & Body Primary Kit: The set includes a pouch with Hair Shampoo, Conditioner, and Body Shampoo, each in a travel-size 60ml bottle.

(Bath & Body Primary Kit)
(image from www.annasui-cosmetics.com)

– Hair Spray G: A hair-conditioning product (not a styling product).

– UV Body Spray G: SPF 30/ PA+++

(Left: Anna Sui UV Body Spray G

Right: Anna Sui Hair Spray G)
(image from www.annasui-cosmetics.com)

These items join the currently available eyeliner pencils, mascaras, and nail colors as the full lineup of the Anna Sui summer 2008 collection.

Mini Rouge, released last fall (packaged in black cases), has been very popular, so I am sure these three white limited-edition ones will be equally coveted. (As far as I know, the black Mini Rouge shades are not limited-edition items.)

Anna Sui Lip & Eye Luxury Palettes

Loving Japanese Brands – Anna Sui

My Latest Foundation Cases
(featuring Anna Sui and Jill Stuart)

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Coffret D’Or Fall 2008 – Second Helping!

by PJ on Thursday, May 22, 2008

in -Coffret d'Or, -Kanebo, 2008 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(More from Coffret D’Or fall 2008)
(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)

I have been quite excited about Coffret D’Or’s early fall 2008 collection, and now there is more.

On July 16th, Coffret D’Or will release Part II of its early fall 2008 collection, which includes:

– Fluffy Shine Eyes (new, 5 shades, seen above)
– Combient Rouge (5 new shades)

The Fuffy Shine Eyes shades look soft and wearable. I am liking the lilac and the pale cool green at the moment. I think the emphasis will be on shimmer rather than pigmentation.

I’d like to see swatches of these to have an idea of the finish, as I much prefer something not too shimmery or glittery. Before that, I will concentrate on saving up for the upcoming Trance Deep Eyes palettes.

Coffret D’Or 3D Lighting Eyes in Purple and Gold Variations

Coffret D’Or Full Styling Rouge in RS-241 & RS-242

Lavshuca Fall 2008 Collection

Kate Fall 2008 Collection

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CHICCA Fall 2008 Collection – First Look

by PJ on Tuesday, May 20, 2008

in -Chicca, -Kanebo, 2008 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(part of CHICCA’s fall 2008 collection)
(image and information from www.nikkei.co.jp)

One of Kanebo’s top-end brands, CHICCA, will release its fall 2008 collection in Japan on August 6th. The collection includes:

– Enthralling Soft Pencil Eyeliner (new, 5 shades)
– Enthralling Powder Eye Shadow duo (5 new variations)
– Enticing Lip Stain (5 new shades)
– Enticing Lip Gloss (5 new shades)

This collection focuses on the eyes, and each of the five shades from the four products will altogether create one of CHICCA’s five looks for fall 2008 (this is similar to how Lunasol’s new items were promoted in 2007):

– Night Glow (blue-based)
– Evening Party (green-based)
– Tête-à-tête (brown-based)
– Love Avenue (purple-based)
– Mysterious Love (lead-based (dark grey))

Since I came across the news of CHICCA’s launch earlier this year, I have been waiting to see a powder blusher and a loose powder (two of the makeup items that I have recently been interested in the most). The powder blusher is not featured in the fall lineup, but perhaps the fall/winter base makeup collection (if CHICCA is releasing one) will include a loose powder….

(The photo above shows the Love Avenue items (not the blue-based Night Glow look). Sometimes, photos on Nikkei Net do not do the products justice and the colors are not accurate. I look forward to seeing the items on the CHICCA website later on.)

Updated on August 26th, 2008:

The CHICCA website has been updated to include information on the fall 2008 collection. Please click on the link above to have a look.

CHICCA Summer 2008 Collection

Brand Launch: Kanebo CHICCA

Lavshuca Fall 2008 Collection

Kate Fall 2008 Collection

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Lavshuca Fall 2008 Collection – First Look

by PJ on Wednesday, May 14, 2008

in -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2008 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(part of the Lavshuca fall 2008 collection)
(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)

Lavshuca will release its fall 2008 collection in Japan on August 1st. The collection includes:

– Rouge Star Classics (11 shades)
– Dual Prism Eyes (8 variations) (More lilac, please…)
– Powder Compact Eyebrow (2 shades)
– Liquid Pen Eyeliner (2 shades)
– Eyeliner Pencil N (2 shades)
– Eyebrow Pencil N (3 shades)
– Creamy Liquid Foundation (5 shades)
– Color Conc Rouge (2 new shades)
– Grade Color Select (2 new shades)

Even though there were a couple of good items, I wasn’t very impressed with Lavshuca’s fall 2007 or spring 2008 collection overall. But they came up with a great summer collection this year and the beautiful packaging evolves towards fall. The look of both the lipsticks and eyeshadow duos is stunning.

For me, it is probably set to be Lavshuca’s best seasonal collection since spring 2007. I think I will surely pick up some of these items!

Lavshuca Eye Color Select in PU-2
(from fall 2007)

Lavshuca Color Conc Rouge in PK-1
(from fall 2007)

Lavshuca Winter Make Collection
(from holiday 2007)

Loving Japanese Brands – Lavshuca
(my personal take on my favorite Japanese drugstore brand)

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Kate Fall 2008 Collection – First Look

by PJ on Wednesday, May 14, 2008

in -Kanebo, -Kate, 2008 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(part of the Kate fall 2008 collection)
(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)

It is only mid-May, but news of the fall 2008 makeup collections has been rolling in.

Kanebo Kate will release its fall 2008 collection in Japan on August 1st. The collection includes:

– Deep Trap Eyes (5 variations)
– Powder Gel Liner N (4 shades)
– Curb Wax Mascara (1 shade)
– Rouge Extra (14 shades)
– Line Spicy N eye palette (1 new variation)
– Gradical Eyes S palette (1 new variation)
– Glam Trick Eyes palette (1 new variation)

Below is information on how the shades in the new palette series, Deep Trap Eyes, are used:

(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)

Still, I have not yet bought any item from Kate. Would anything from this collection change everything? We’ll see!

Kate: Lavshuca’s Edgier, Darker Sister

Lavshuca Fall 2008 Collection

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CHICCA Summer 2008 Collection Update

by PJ on Wednesday, May 14, 2008

in -Chicca, -Kanebo, 2008 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(part of CHICCA’s summer 2008 collection)

CHICCA has updated its website to include full information on the summer 2008 collection: Love Island – Golden Sun.

Please see my previous post for quick details of the collection. For a brief brand profile, please have a look at this post.

Some of you have e-mailed me and told me that you would be travelling to Japan in the coming summer. (By the way, I envy you…) If you are planning to travel to Japan in the near future and are interested in testing out or purchasing some top-end beauty items, CHICCA is one of the brands you might be interested in.

The brand in under the Kanebo group, so the pedigree is there. I have not seen the items in person, but I’d think the quality should be similar to that of SUQQU (also under the Kanebo group), most of whose makeup items are outstanding.

CHICCA is currently only sold in two department stores in Japan: Isetan Shinjuku in Tokyo and Hankyu Umeda in Osaka.

More upcoming collections:

Coffret D’Or Early Fall Collection

Sofina Aube Early Fall Collection

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Lavshuca Summer Gradually Compact in Shiny Sandy Beach

by PJ on Tuesday, May 13, 2008

in -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2008 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, stash focus

(Lavshuca Summer Gradually Compact in Shiny Sandy Beach)

After teasing you with a photo of Lavshuca‘s Summer Gradually Compact two weeks ago, I have been trying on the colors. Today I am sharing my thoughts with you.

First let’s look more closely at the shades:

From left to right:
A pale yellow gold with pale gold sparkles (sheer; sparkling)
B medium bronze gold (well-pigmented; very shimmery)
C off-white with very pale champagne gold undertone (sheer; shimmery)
D light-to-medium taupe-brown (moderately pigmented; shimmery)
E medium brown (moderately pigmented; subtly shimmery)
F light beige (very sheer; satiny matte)

(All shades, except F, have very fine multi-colored micro-shimmer.)

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

You can see the instructions on Lavshuca’s website above, and the same instructions are printed on the back of the outer packaging.

In this palette (as well as the other one, Windy Aqua Beach), C, D, and E are the main shades. C is used as a base, D is the main shading color, and E is the eye-lining shade. The matte F is used to accentuate and add depth to the crease and the inner corner of the brow bone. (A tops up the sparkles, and B adds warmth where you want it.)

Here are some of my thoughts:

– The three main shades work very well for me. I don’t like neutral colors to be too warm, and D and E have a coloration very suitable for me. (I have a light-to-medium skin tone.)

– What I love the most about this palette is the soft watery-shimmer effect, which is great for summer. If the shades were too pigmented, the finish would be overly metallic, which I rarely like. (Only B (bronze gold) is very pigmented, while the others are either moderately pigmented or sheer.)

– The eye-lining shade E is only about a shade darker than the main shading color D. For me, E works well as a subtle daytime eyeliner and it blends seamlessly with D. But some people will probably want to use a separate eyeliner for extra depth.

– Both the colors and the shimmer stay on very well, and there is virtually no powder/shimmer fallout.

– I do have two slight complaints. The bronze gold (B) is a little bit too warm for my liking. Also, the shade-enhancing color (F) is very sheer and doesn’t show up on me very much.

Overall I am very happy with the palette. It is a great summer item for a soft and casual look. The soft shimmer does remind me of a glistening sandy beach under the afternoon sun. It might not be the most versatile palette due to the lack of a very dark shade, but for me it is wonderfully wearable.

Please see this post for swatches and the shades worn on the eyes. (Notice that Kate’s Gel Eye Liner in BR-1 is used in the photos.)

If you are also interested in the other palette, Windy Aqua Beach, please head over to Autumn Masquerade to see photos and a review.

Updated on May 26th, 2008:

If you are interested, please head over to My Women Stuff for another review of Shiny Sandy Beach.

Related Posts:

Coffret D’Or 3D Lighting Eyes in Gold Variation
(The gold in this palette is more wearable for me.)

Golden Dior Luminizing Makeup Jewel
(More gold!)

Lunasol Summer 2008 Collection
(another great-looking summer collection)

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Jill Stuart Summer 2008 Collection

by PJ on Tuesday, May 13, 2008

in -Jill Stuart, 2008 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(Jill Stuart Seductive Eyes in 05)
(image from www.iswii.net)

Jill Stuart will be releasing a limited-edition Seductive Eyes palette (#05) and two limited-edition Lip Lusters (#20 & #21) for summer 2008.

(Lip Luster in #20 Marguerite Glow)
(image from www.iswii.net)

The new Seductive Eyes palette, with a purple and a beige gold, should appeal to me, as I have been loving these two colors and I don’t have a palette with both shades.

However, the purple here looks a bit too warm for my liking. Also, perhaps more importantly, compared with most of my other eyeshadow singles and palettes, there is more glitter fallout (experienced by many, it seems) from the Brilliance Eyes series from 2007. It seems that things haven’t improved with the Seductive Eyes palettes this year, so it is hard for me to feel the heat from this new addition…

The collection will be in store in Taiwan on June 1st. At the moment I don’t have the information on the release date in Japan. But I will get my June issue of Biteki later this week, and I will then update this post with more information.

Jill Stuart Breaks Record

Jill Stuart Moist Silk Liquid Foundation

Jill Stuart Birthstone Nail Collection

Loving Japanese Brands – Jill Stuart

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Coffret D’Or Trance Deep Eyes – Decisions, Decisions!

by PJ on Sunday, May 11, 2008

in -Coffret d'Or, -Kanebo, 2008 Fall, 2008 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow

(part of the Coffret D’Or late summer/ early fall collection)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/coffretdor/)

Coffret D’Or has updated its website with information on the late summer/ early fall collection. (Please see my previous post for some quick detail and a link to swatches.) It is another beautiful collection, with lipsticks, eyeliners, and eyebrow pencils, but my eyes have been drawn to the new Trance Deep Eyes palettes.

First, let’s remind ourselves of 3D Lighting Eyes, released in December 2007:

(Coffret D’Or 3D Lighting Eyes)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/coffretdor/)

01 Pink Variation

02 Blue Green Variation
03 Silver Variation
04 Purple Variation
05 Gold Variation

Now check out the new variations:

(Coffret D’Or Trance Deep Eyes)

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

01 Rose Variation
02 Blue Variation
03 Khaki Green Variation
04 Grey Variation
05 Beige Variation

I think I am definitely going to try the new palette series, but the question is which one I want. Or, to be precise, which ONES?

This time, no single palette is jumping out at me, and I am liking three at the moment. After looking at the swatches, I have been lured by Rose, Grey, and Beige Variations. Here are my initial thoughts:

Rose Variation: The top-right shading color looks similar to the cool dusty pink in my Purple Variation, which is one of my recent favorite eyeshadow shades. I would love to try the new palette to see how everything works.

Grey Variation: My first reaction is that it looks similar to my Maquillage Clean Contrast Eyes in SV844, which I like. But there are differences. Maquillage SV844 has a medium grey, which Grey Variation doesn’t have. Also, from the swatches, it seems that the lilac is very slightly warmer than that in SV844. This could be my next lilac palette!

Beige Variation: I am happy with my Gold Variation and my Summer Gradually Compact from Lavshuca, but the top-right soft taupe seems lovely and far from plain. The bottom-left peach gold is not usually one of my favorite colors, but I think it will be on the sheer side and can work well with the cool taupe.

At the moment, my favorite is Rose Variation. But I can’t let go of the soft lilac, and I am still in my mini neutral phase.

Will I be getting all three? You will have to find out later!

Which one is appealing to you at the moment?

Sofina Aube Early Fall Collection

Chanel Fall & Holiday Collections

A Splash of Color – Lilting Lilac
(I am sensing a Part Two might be coming up…)

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