-Dior

Holiday 2007 Collections Patrol: First Report

by PJ on Tuesday, October 9, 2007

in -Dior, -Guerlain, -YSL, 2007 Holiday, makeup

(Dior’s DiorLight…
safely made it to my shopping list)
(image from www.cosme.net)


Three upscale department stores in London, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, and Harrods, have launched several holiday 2007 makeup collections. It’s getting earlier and earlier each year. I think it is rather ridiculous for shops to display Christmas gift sets in the beginning of October, but at least I have enough time to look through the items without making any impulsive purchase.

As promised, here are my initial thoughts after I saw the actual items. (Please follow the links to see all the photos.)

Dior:

First I saw the Trotter Romantique palettes in Harvey Nichols. The larger one (with the mascara and the lip gloss) looks decent with wearable colors. It is smaller than the similar ones I saw. (The sales assistant seemed defensive when I compared it with the pink purse palette that I saw in Heathrow Airport, but I did mean it as a compliment. I would love to see more airport-exclusive Dior items sold in department stores.)

The two smaller square palettes are disappointing. There is no problem with the shades. It is the flimsy packaging. Very un-Dior-like. The lids are a bit wobbly and the shiny black PVC edge trimmings look brassy. The quality of the packaging is simply not as good as that of the Detective Chic or the Diorissime palette.

Then I saw the DiorLight pendant in Selfridges. The surprise is that it is bigger than what I imagined. I thought it would be slightly bigger than the size of a cherry, but it is only slightly smaller than a ping-pong ball. Quite a huge pendant. But it also highlights the fact that it is very light…almost too light, even though it sports many Swarovski crystals. (The Holiday 2006 Dior Pretty Charms is pleasantly weighty.) The two shades are the usual warm pink and light beige.

The sales assistant seemed bemused at the fact that I was carefully checking out the details of the “crystal ball”. Well, it costs 54 pounds (108 USD), and obviously it is the packaging that we are paying for, not the gloss.

I do like it and I will consider getting it, but I will think really hard about whether to spend that amount of money on a gloss pendant.

YSL:

I saw all the holiday 2007 items in Harvey Nichols. The heart-shape pendant, unlike DiorLight, has a good chunky feel. But I still think that, while the design idea is good, the actual finished product is not. I personally think that It needs more fluidity in the whole design.

As for the silver palette, I like the cute color of the blusher. There is actually a heart-shape spongy pad placed on top of the blusher pan. Cute, but not very useful. (But maybe it is precisely for printing a heart-shape blush on your face or body.) The other shades are very nondescript. After seeing in person the first silver holiday palette for YSL in years, I still prefer the gold packaging, like I said before.

Guerlain: (images from Makeup Bag)

The main buzz surrounds the Forever Gold Sublime Radiant Powder, which, along with the rest of the Guerlain Holiday 2007 collection, was launched in Selfridges. I spayed it on the back of my hand and saw a veil of delicate but very sparkly shimmer revealed itself. I was impressed with the gentle and even finish, and it should be great to add a touch of shimmer to the face and the body. The idea of the product works in theory and in reality, and I am sure this unique item will sell very well.

Givenchy: (image from Bjooti.Net, another image here)

The star item is Prisme Solitaire, which I saw in Harrods. Compared with Guerlain’s Forever Gold, this one gives a more intense and concentrated shimmer. (Guerlain’s Forever Gold is soft and airy, but still very sparkly.) It really is like diamond dust. Depending on how you use it, it can be an all-over shimmer or it can inject a dose of beaming sparkles to your eyes. Packaging-wise, I like the case very much, which looks like a real diamond ring case.

I personally don’t like too much shimmer, so Guerlain’s Forever Gold and Givenchy’s Prisme Solitaire will not make any appearance on my shopping list. But, if you like sparkles and shimmer, I highly recommend that you check out these two.

So far, the items on my holiday shopping list are Dior’s DiorLight and palettes from MAC’s Antiquitease. I can’t wait to see Antiquitease in person…

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More on Dior Holiday 2007: TOTALLY DIOR Cannage

by PJ on Sunday, September 30, 2007

in -Dior, 2007 Holiday

(TOTALLY DIOR Cannage)
(from www.cosme.net)

I have to admit it…this is the sort of thing that might tempt me to book a flight to Japan.

Dior comes up with a special customized luxury set like this in every holiday season in Japan. Usually, a set comes with a Dior bag (not the kind of very basic toiletry bag from gifts with purchases) and a selection of beauty products.

What is also special about the set is that there is customized flexibility. In this year’s case, customers can choose any lip product (lipstick or lip gloss) and any shade they want. They can also choose any nail color they want.

The TOTALLY DIOR Cannage includes:
–any lip color product
–any nail color product
–Skin Shimmering Loose Powder
–Original Face Brush
–Dior Cannage bag

The price of the set ranges from 34,650 to 35,490 yen (from 300 USD to 308 USD), depending on exactly which lip and nail products are chosen by a customer.

Judging by the price, the bag might not be the kind of Dior bags purchased in Dior boutiques, but it should certainly not be shabby, to say the least.

It is very unlikely that this will be available outside Japan. (But if it is actually sold in any other country, I would be thrilled to be corrected.) In the meantime, we can always dream, and things can change (while we are saving up)!

Related Post:

Dior Holiday 2007 Collection
(I think these will probably be available where you are…)

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Dior Holiday 2007 Collection: First Look

by PJ on Thursday, September 27, 2007

in -Dior, 2007 Holiday, makeup

(from www.cosme.net)

Dior Light, a lip-gloss enclosed pendant, is part of the Dior Holiday 2007 Collection line-up. I have to say I am loving the look of this and will definitely consider getting it.

Some other Dior Holiday 2007 Collection items to get you excited:

Eye palette (two versions):

(from www.cosme.net)

Lip Palette (two versions):

(from www.cosme.net)

You probably have seen Dior palettes like this below in airport duty-free shops. I have seen one in pink and it looked really lovely. Now we don’t need to be going somewhere to get this…

(from www.cosme.net)

This looks like a very exciting collection, with glamorous packaging as usual. I thought it was about time that they brought out a pendant, after they did bracelets, rings, ID plates, charms, and clutch palettes.

The shades look wearable. It is not surprising since of course many people will be buying these items as gifts. But the shades are on trend as well (I am seeing some grey eyeshadows.)

Again, the packaging of the palettes is inspired by their fashion accessory lines. This time, it is from one of my favorite Dior accessory collections, Trotter Romantique:

(Dior Trotter Romantique Wallet)
(from fashion.dior.com)

(Dior Trotter Romantique Bag)
(from fashion.dior.com)

You should start seeing some of the Dior Holiday 2007 makeup collection items in October.

Related Posts:

Lancôme Holiday 2007 Collection

YSL Holiday 2007 Collection

Dior Diorissime Palette
(See how it resembles other Dior fashion accessories.)

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Fall 2007 Makeup Round-Up (#3-#1)

by PJ on Friday, September 21, 2007

in -Dior, -Jill Stuart, -Lunasol, 2007 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

(continued from Part 1 and Part 2)

#3: Jill Stuart

(from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

(from Biteki September 2007)

When I knew there was going to be a new pressed powder blusher for Jill Stuart, I was trying to imagine what it would look like. I have to say the actual packaging doesn’t disappoint me, to say the least. Very ornate and princessy. (I will review this later on.)

The limited-edition Point Crystal II loose eyeshadow (pictured mid-right) rides on the success of the previous Point Crystal from last fall. This time, the shades are slightly more intense. Overall this is such a pretty collection.

#2: Dior

(from www.dior.com)
(from Biteki September 2007)

The 5-color eyeshadow palette in 060 Silver Goddess (the right one of the two palettes) is so fall 2007, with great shades of grey and silvery copper. If you have tested the blue shade in this palette, you know that it has vivid pink shimmer. So very pretty. The two eyeshadow palettes also complement the two Diorissime palettes (far right).

Currently only two Dior Blush shades are sold in Japan, while a larger selection is available in the US and the UK. There is actually a shade called A Touch of Blush. Well, not exactly the name of my blog, but close enough. (And it is a great natural shade!)

The Diorissime palettes finish off the collection beautifully. I have 002 Seduction Drama (the one available in the US) and I love it.

#1: Lunasol

(from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lunasol)
(from Biteki September 2007)

This is the best collection for fall 2007 in my opinion. It is also one of the most stunning collections from Lunasol.

All the items for eyes, lips, and nails coordinate with one another and come in five mini collections. Each features a 5-color eyeshadow palette, an eyeliner, a lipstick, a lip gloss, and a nail color. Among the eyeshadow palettes, the one in blue (04 Saphire) and pink (05 Ruby) are very popular in Asia right now, and they certainly tickle my fancy!

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Fall 2007 Makeup Focus: Dior Diorissime Palette

by PJ on Sunday, August 26, 2007

in -Dior, 2007 Fall, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, makeup - lip color, makeup - lip gloss, stash focus

(Dior Diorissime Palette for fall 2007)



(with Dior Detective Chic palette from fall 2006)

In recent years, Dior has successfully merged fashion and cosmetics by bringing fashion elements into the design of seasonal limited-edition items. The Diorissime palette for fall 2007 is yet another example.

The design of the beautiful case is based on both the classic and the current Dior designs:

(Dior Pink Leather Lady Dior Bag)
(photo from fashion.dior.com)


(Dior Pink Leather Cannage Bag)
(photo from fashion.dior.com)


The one I got is 002 Seduction Drama:

(after some testing…)

From left:

Eyeshadows –
deep copper, medium grey, medium brown, sheer light beige
(All have metallic shine.)
Lip Colors –
sheer frosty pink with subtle green shimmer
pale blue-tinted gloss with minimal shimmer

I went for 002 (Seduction Drama) instead of 001 (Daylight Madonna) because I wanted to have a couple of darker neutrals to play with and because I am a fan of blue-tinted lip glosses. (But 001 Daylight Madonna does feature some cute pink shades as well as soft neutrals.)

As with all the Dior eyeshadows, the texture is so smooth and blending is a dream.

I was worried that the deep copper shade (on the very left) would be too warm for me as an eyeliner shade. But, blended with the grey, it becomes a very natural brown.

The grey shade is a great addition to my eyeshadow colors. It goes well with my very dark eyes and lashes, not to mention it is a trendy color for fall 2007. (Replace this with the medium brown next to it for the classic neutral look.)

The frosty pink lip color has a texture between a very creamy lipstick and a syrupy lip gloss. Very glossy and shimmery. The blue-tinted gloss goes on completely sheer. It feels like a very moisturizing lip balm which happens to have a lot of shine.

While 001 Daylight Madonna is more for daytime, 002 Seduction Drama is definitely for evening glamor.

I have been loving most of Dior’s seasonal limited-edition items. This one will also be joyfully displayed on my dresser top!

More on fall 2007 makeup:

Fall 2007 Makeup Trend Report
(Have you noticed the same trends?)

Lavshuca Eye Color Select PU-2
(I am loving this!)

Read more about the fall 2007 collections from Anna Sui, Guerlain, Lunasol, Jill Stuart, and Esprique Precious.

{ 14 comments }

The Allure of Blue Eyeshadows

by PJ on Tuesday, August 21, 2007

in -Dior, -Lavshuca, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow

(clockwise from top:
Elégance Purity Eyes 11
Dior 5-Color Eyeshadow 250 Seascape
Lavshuca Eye Color BG-1
Lavshuca Eye Color Select BU-1)


Blue eyeshasows divide views. People either embrace them or stay away from them…

The shades of human complexion, from pale beige to dark brown, are all warm tones. Blue is perhaps the furtherest away from human skin-tones. So what can blue eyeshadows do for us?

By definition, they create contrast. They add depth, create dimension, and enhance definition. Blue eyeshadows make eyes pop.

A dust of light blue eyeshadow wakes up the eyes and makes them look brighter and more energetic. It seems to me that there are many more beautiful choices of easily wearable light-blue eyeshadows in Japanese cosmetics. Could it be that consumers in Japan understand the essence of blue more than the rest of the world?

Play It Safe
If you haven’t tried blue, want to give it a go (please do!), but don’t really know which “safe” shade to go for, I think a good starting point is to look at your own skin-tone. The darker your skin-tone is, the darker shade of blue for you. (When in doubt between two shades, try the lighter one.)

Make It Work
To make the best of blue, layer different shades of blue to maximize blue’s potential to create dimension for your eyes. For a glamorous or edgy look, try teaming blue with neighboring shades like green and lilac (as in Dior’s 5-Color Eyeshadow palette in 250 Seascape, seen above).

Take It Forward
The trendy way to wear blue for fall 2007 is to wear it with a coordinating grey, which is the color of the season and acts as a great accent color. Pair pastel blue with silvery grey and dark blue with charcoal grey. Below, we see a subtle, modern and almost effortless way to wear blue, which really brightens the eyes:

(cover, Biteki August 2007)

On the whole, blue is a great friend for our faces. A blue-tinted primer cancels out sallowness, a blue-tinted lip gloss creates depth and makes lips appear more plumped, and a sheer pastel-blue loose powder (which you can find in Shu Uemura) can give a luminous transparency to your face.

Some people think blue is back because the 80’s is back (and some people stay away from it exactly because of this). But I think blue is ever so wearable today because there is a great variety of textures (powder, cream, mousse,…), finishes (from velvety matte to ultra-shimmery), and shades.

This is what I think about blue, one of my favorite colors. What’s your view and observation?

(A big thank-you goes to Tammy, who started a mini discussion on blue eyeshadows under my post on Kanebo’s Kate and inspired me to write a post about them.)

More for the fans of blue:

Lavshuca Eye Color Select in BU-1
(a closer look at the Lavshuca palette seen in the photo above)

Blue-Tinted Lip Gloss?
(Well, I am not giving up until everyone has tried it…)

Sofina Raycious Foundation
(with fine blue-based particles to liven up your complexion)

{ 12 comments }

Fall 2007 Makeup Trend Report

by PJ on Tuesday, August 14, 2007

in -Chanel, -Clé de Peau, -Cosme Decorte, -Dior, -Estée Lauder, -Givenchy, -Integrate, -Kanebo, -Kate, -Kosé, -Magie Deco, -Majolica Majorca, -Maquillage, -Shiseido, -SHISEIDO (Global Brand), -Shiseido The Makeup, -SUQQU, -YSL, 2007 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup trend reports

Some distinctive trends in the fall 2007 makeup releases:

– olive green / grey eyeshadows
– intense lip colors
– retro Audrey Hepburn look

Which trend are you going to experiment with this fall?

—Grey Areas—————

In fashion, grey has been hailed as The New Black for a while. I am surprised that it didn’t trickle down to makeup earlier. This fall, grey eyeshadows will be big, among all the neutral tones.

One palette that epitomizes this trend is Shiseido Clé de Peau‘s Ombres Couleurs Quadri palette in 114 (seen below):

(Clé de Peau fall 2007 makeup ad,
Biteki magazine September 2007, p. 152-153)

(Clé de Peau fall 2007 makeup ad,
Biteki magazine September 2007, p.152)

Also, Dior‘s 5-Color Eyeshadow Palette in 060 Silver Goddess features an array of grey hues along with a sensual light blue.

Other servings of grey eyeshadows:
-Shiseido Maquillage: Sparkle Contrast Eyes 2 GY851
-Majolica Majorca: Shadow Customize BK922
-Kate: Gradical Eyes S BK-1
-Integrate: Live Fix Eyes GY812
–SUQQU: Blend Eyeshadow 04

In a way, grey (especially in metallic finishes) is simply a darker silver. The look reminds me of an old-school silver-screen goddess. Very nostalgic and glamorous.

—Green with Envy—————

Another trendy color this season is olive green. Paired with pink, olive green is featured in Lush & Lovely, Chanel fall 2007 makeup collection, as it appears in the latest eyeshadow palettes: Garden Party (Les 4 Ombres Quadra) and Lotus-Cactus (Irréelle Duo).

(photo: from Chanel
at www.bergdorfgoodman.com)

Also, YSL fall 2007 makeup collection features olive green eyeshadows in a couple of the new Ombres Duo Lumières palettes.

In Japanese cosmetics, Cosme Decorte’s new line, Magie Deco, uses pink and olive green in the opposite way, with olive green above the eyes and pink along the lower lash line:

(Magie Deco ad, backcover of makeup booklet,
Biteki September 2007)

Apart from Magie Deco, olive green eyeshadows are also used in:

Kate‘s fall 2007 TV ad (with Gradical Eyes S GN-1)
SUQQU‘s fall 2007 printed ad (with Blend Eyeshadow 01).

Olive green seems to be a relatively masculine color as an eyeshadow, which might be why it has been paired with pink to create a balanced look. But, worn alone, it can be very edgy.

—A La Audrey—————

Givenchy‘s fall 2007 collection, Camouflage Chic, pays tribute to the classic Givenchy muse, Audrey Hepburn. A search in Google Images comes out with photos of what I think is one of the most beautiful people ever, with clean, crisp, and defined eye makeup. Intense color fills between the lash line and the crease line and it is kept clean everywhere else. No smoky eyes here.

Givenchy’s latest Prismissime Eyes in 54 Cache Cache can get you this classic look:

(photo: from www.sephora.com)

Shiseido The Makeup‘s new Silky Eye Shadow Quad in Q9 Lunar Phases is based on the same trend.

Again, this is definitely a very retro look. I think “Less is more” is the key here. Don’t overdo it and keep it nice and simple.

—Strong Lips—————

What if you don’t want to pile on intense eye colors? You can channel the intensity to the lips. Keep the eye makeup fuss-free and choose a rich satiny (not glossy) lip shade. The cover of Biteki September 2007 shows how it’s done:

(cover of Biteki, September 2007)

It can be a wine red, berry red (as in the Chanel ad above), or a warm brownish red. With careful coordination, they can go with grey or olive green eyeshadows, as in Estee Lauder’s fall 2007 look:

(photo: from esteelauder.co.uk)


I quite like this look. Chic and timeless.

What other trends have you spotted?

{ 9 comments }

Dior Fall 2007 Diorissime Palette

by PJ on Thursday, July 5, 2007

in -Dior, 2007 Fall, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, makeup - lip color, makeup - lip gloss

(pictured: my Dior items,
including the Dior Detective Chic palette from fall 2006)

There is no way that I am NOT going to get this palette!

This is the new limited-edition Diorissime Palette from the Dior Fall 2007 makeup collection, and I love it. I have my own reasons:

1. It has some lovely neutral shades that I have recently been very interested in.

2. It has a blue-tinted lip gloss.

3. It is even prettier than the Dior Detective Chic palette (or see photo above) from fall 2006.

4. It is pink! (Well, I don’t have a link to pink, but I do love pink. I’ll do a post on pink in my “I Love Color” series later on.)

It is as if the palette were made for me……

In the UK, the Dior fall 2007 collection will be out in early August.

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PJ’s Top 10: Summer 2007 Makeup Roundup (#1 – #3)

by PJ on Thursday, June 28, 2007

in -Dior, -Guerlain, -Lavshuca, 2007 Summer, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

(continued from the previous post)

—————#3: Guerlain————————-

The Look: Colors in Pucci style

Key Item: Guerlain by Emilio Pucci Meteorites Powder. Put the colors from the cherry-pink and turquoise powder balls onto your face to add some bright radiance. The gorgeous packaging will add some pizazz to your dressing table as well.

—————#2: Chanel————————-

The Look: Sheer beauty.

Key Items: Contraste Lumiere palettes in Aquarelles (cool tones, reviewed here) and Morderees (warm tones). With sheer and lightly shimmery shades, these are some of the best and the most wearable lip/eye palettes from Chanel in recent seasons. The Aquarelles palette is my personal favorite, while Mordorees definitely reflects the demand for the sun-goddess look every summer.

—————#1 (Winner!): Dior————————-

The Look: Polar Contrast — water and desert.

Key Item: 5-Colour Eyeshadow Palette in 130 Blue Croisette. This a beautiful palette that epitomizes this season’s trend with blue eyeshadows. Adorable pastel blue shades, some cooler and some warmer, form a lovely spectrum. Great to create a subtle gradation of tones of this season’s hottest color. If you usually stay away from blue eyeshadows but are tempted to give them a go, then this palette can be a great start.

Related Posts:
Dior Summer 2007 Collection
Chanel Summer 2007 Collection
Guerlain-Pucci Collaboration for Summer 2007
Beautiful Lips — with Blue Lip Glosses?

{ 2 comments }

Beautiful Lips — with Blue Lip Glosses?

by PJ on Wednesday, May 23, 2007

in -Dior, -Guerlain, 2007 Summer, makeup, makeup - lip color, makeup - lip gloss, stash focus

(pictured from top: DiorKiss 208 Mint Lemonade,
DiorKiss 198 Plum Tart,
Guerlain by Emilio Pucci Lip Gloss 03 Sparking Sea)
.

There are all the usual lip gloss colors: red, pink, coral, plum and beige. But once in a while you see some seemingly wacky shades of yellow, green, and blue, and you might think “Why?”

This season, at least three major brands have come up with their versions of blue lip gloss. Dior has added a light blue shade into their DiorKiss range, while one of the limited-edition items in the Guerlain by Emilio Pucci collection is a sparkling blue lip gloss. Benefit has also come up with California Kissin’, another blue lip gloss.

On the Benefit website and various other places (like the American Vogue), blue-tinted lip glosses are claimed to be able to make teeth appear whiter. But I am not really convinced of this and that’s not the reason why I buy blue lip glosses.

First of all, I like blue lip glosses because I like all colors in the aquamarine-turquoise spectrum (as you might have seen in my A Splash of Color – Aqua Blue post). When I see blue-tinted lip glosses, I am instantly drawn to them and it is as if I could see tropical ocean in a tube. Love it.

Secondly, I do actually use them. What blue-tinted lip glosses do is that they subtly bounce/balance off the red in the lips and therefore give a beautiful transparency to the lips. So they are essentially a version of sheer lip glosses (your lips will NOT look blue). But because of the blue tint, the effect is sheerer than sheer. The lips appear see-through and jelly-like and, in most cases, more plumped. Again, love it.

Also, Kevyn Aucoin’s blue lip gloss (Liquid Cyber Lips in Alurabliss) is said to be able to add depth and dimension to the lips to make them look fuller. (It is basically the same idea in different words.) You can see the actual tube here.

(In a similar vein, the reason why brands like Shu Uemura has a pastel blue loose powder is that it gives a clear and transparent look to the face.)

Onto the blue lip glosses I have:

DiorKiss 198 Plum Tart:
This is a limited-edition item in spring 2005. It has small glitters of various colors. As with all DiorKiss lip glosses, it gives a really glassy and syrupy finish.

Guerlain by Emilio Pucci Lip Gloss 03 Sparkling Sea:
It has very sparse blue and green glitters and creates a wet sheen on the lips (not as glassy as DiorKiss). (Limited edition for summer 2007.)

DiorKiss 208 Mint Lemonade:
Again, very glassy and reflective. It has some subtle green shimmer. (Limited edition for summer 2007)

All in all, blue lip glosses are not bizarre. If you come across any of them, give it a go. Who knows…you might love it too!

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