-Givenchy

Givenchy Summer 2011 Makeup Trend 1(Givenchy summer 2011 makeup collection)
(image from iswii.net)

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Summer makeup colors are usually a mixture of earthy bronze-toned hues and more vibrant shades, so rich colors are always around for summer. But, looking at some of the upcoming summer 2011 makeup collections, I think the last time when there was such a full-on array of dazzling colors was probably back in 2005.

(It was the year of Dior’s Duo Couleurs in 265 Diormambo (fuchsia pink & yellow) & 355 Diortropic (green & warm blue), YSL’s Bayadère Eyeshadow & Bayadère Pressed Powder, Chanel’s Lumières Facettes in 58 Lagons, and Givenchy’s Summer Eyes Cream in 31 Summer Pastel (more photos here).)

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Award Fashion Oscars 2011 Best Dressed 1(image from oscar.go.com)

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3rd: Helen Mirren (Vivienne Westwood)

How does she do it? She almost always looks great on the red carpet. This regal Vivienne Westwood gown goes well with all the aura that she has. I like the puff sleeves and the color of the dress suits her. I usually like her hair a little longer, but I think the style complements the gown.

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Check out these links on a Japanese blog for images of the upcoming holiday 2010 makeup collections:

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Dior and Paul & Joe

Clarins and Givenchy

Guerlain

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I need to have Dior’s clutch palette!

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Related posts:

Dior Cristal Boréal (holiday 2009)

Dior Night Diamond (holiday 2008)

Makeup Review: Paul & Joe Holiday 2009 Makeup Collection

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(image from www.iswii.net)

I came across the image of the new eyeshadow palette from the fall 2010 Masquerade collection from Smashbox. It reminds me of Givenchy’s Prismissime Eyes in 54 Cache Cache back in 2007, but the palette from Smashbox might be a little more versatile in terms of the color selection.
(image from www.sephora.com)

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(image from www.isetan.co.jp)

Sometimes, western brands release limited-edition items only for the Japanese market. (Have a look at another stunning eye palette released exclusively for Japan.)

I think this Givenchy Prismissime Eyes palette (#56) will probably be released globally, but I have not come cross it elsewhere. (#55 Tempting Chocolate is one of the latest Prismissime Eyes palettes.)

Currently, within Japan, it is available exclusively in Isetan Department Store in Shinjuku in Tokyo. (It has one of the best beauty departments I have ever seen.) It will be available in the rest of Japan later.

The striking combination of lovely pastels and intense dark shades intrigues me. Notice that the very on-trend lilac takes center stage among pastel pink and light aqua blue, and I love how the soft pastels really stand out from the darker shades.

Based on the first impression, I think this palette is seasonal as well as versatile!

Related Posts:

Dior’s Totally Dior Cannage
(another exclusive item for Japan)

Spring 2008 Makeup Trend Report

(featuring Givenchy’s spring 2008 collection)

Kanebo Coffret D’Or 3D Lighting Eyes
(one of my latest eye palette acquisitions)

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I am sure many of you have seen some of the upcoming spring 2008 collections. Apart from returning guests like pink and beige, it seems that cool tones will be stealing the show.

Two major makeup trends for spring 2008:

– blue eye colors
– lilac eye colors

First, blue. Chanel‘s spring 2008 makeup collection, Aurora Blues Accent, is now out in the US, and blue takes center stage.

(part of Chanel’s spring 2008 collection, Aurora Blues Accent)
(images from Bjooti.Net)

The new Chanel eyeshadow palette, Les 4 Ombres in Blue Cèlestes, includes a dark cold blue and a pastel blue. It also features grey, which is carried over from the makeup trend from fall 2007. The collection has a distinctive look, but I personally feel that it lacks a bit of warmth.

Givenchy‘s new denim-themed spring 2008 collection, Denim Fétiche, is also blue-oriented, right from the packaging to the shades.

(part of the Givenchy spring 2008 makeup collection,
Denim Fétiche)
(images from www.cosme.net)

Compared with Chanel’s collection, there seems to be a little more balance between cooler and warmer shades, which should make these palettes wearable for more people.

Coincidentally, the MAC for A-Mei collection, out in January 2008, includes a brighter, bolder, and slightly warmer blue. I have to say this is the kind of blue that I enjoy playing with more.

(MAC for A-Mei Eye Palettes)
(image from www.urcosme.com)

The warm and cool palettes are also put together to complement each other to create more possibilities.

Let’s move on to purple. I have always loved soft purple shades like lilac/lavender as well as darker purples like violet. Since this fall, we have seen rich bright purples in fashion, especially in accessories. Mulberry‘s Bayswater patent leather bag in purple is just one example of a hot fashion trend in fall 2007.

(Mulberry Bayswater bag in purple)
(image from www.mulberry.com)

Dior’s spring 2008 collection is very pretty in pink. It has a great mixture of warm and cool pinks, with mauves and lilacs as wonderful accent colors.

(Dior spring 2008 collection)
(image from www.joseishi.net/voce/)

The 5-Color Eyeshadow Palettes in 470 Spring Bouquet and 909 Pink May both look beautiful and feminine. Pink May (the lower of the two palettes in the photo above) seems to be a great assembly of pink, peach, soft lilac, and purple. This certainly carries more of a spring atmosphere than Chanel’s Blue Cèlestes palette.

Apart from blue, Givenchy‘s spring 2008 collection also incorporates elements of purple. I will be interested in seeing the actual color and finish of the blusher (pictured in the middle).

(part of Givenchy’s spring 2008 collection)
(image from www.cosme.net)

One of YSL‘s two new Ombre Duo Lumière palettes also features a plum-purple:
(YSL Ombre Duo Lumière)
(image from woman.excite.co.jp)

There are also collections and individual items that put blue and purple together to create a pleasing mix. Among them, Chanel’s 4 Fleurs de Chanel includes pale pink, blue, and lilac.

(Chanel 4 Fleurs de Chanel)

(image from uma.chanel.com)

Anna Sui‘s latest eyeshadow addition, Glitter Eye Color Stick, features bright blue and purple. The two colors also jump out from the limited-edition items, Sui Lip Gloss and Eye Color Accent J palettes.

(Anna Sui Glitter Eye Color Stick)
(image from www.annasui-cosmetics.com)
(Anna Sui’s Sui Lip Gloss and Eye Color Accent J)
(image from www.annasui-cosmetics.com)

Guerlain‘s new array of 4-color eyeshadow palettes for spring 2008 includes a soft and sensual lilac palette and a cool blue palette. The blue one seems similar to the Chanel Blue Cèlestes in terms of the color combination.
(image from woman.excite.co.jp)

Clé de Peau‘s upcoming eyeshadow palette has a warm aqua blue and a stunning violet. A winning combination for me.

(part of Clé de Peau’s spring 2008 collection)
(image from www.biteki.com)

Finally, Lunasol‘s Sheer Contrast Eyes palettes include 03 Blue Coral and 02 Lavender Coral, two vibrant palettes with warm blues and very pretty purples. Lavender Coral looks particularly alluring to me.


(Lunasol Sheer Contrast Eyes)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lunasol/)

It is worth mentioning that Lunasol’s existing eyeshadow palette ranges are doing extremely well this year. Skin Modeling Eyes (released spring 2007), Geminate Eyes (fall 2007), and Scent Form Eyes (fall 2006) occupy the top three positions in the eyeshadow category of @Cosme’ Best Cosmetics Award. I think the Sheer Contrast Eyes range, with the selection of both wearable and on-trend colors, is very likely to continue the immense popularity of Lunasol’s eyeshadows and Lunasol the brand itself.

I am personally very pleased to see more lilacs at makeup counters, as it is a very wearable color for me. As for blues, I am more excited about the warmer ones that seem to appear more from Japanese brands like Clé de Peau and Lunasol that we’ve just seen above.

I am probably going to pick up some (more) lilac eyeshadow palettes, and I will be reviewing them later on!

What about you? Are you happy with these spring 2008 makeup trends?

Related Posts:

The Allure of Blue Eyeshadows
(Everyone should try a bit of blue.)

A Splash of Color – Lilting Lilac
(one of my favorite colors)

T’Estimo Frame Impact Eyes in Purple

(out this spring and even more on-trend in spring 2008)

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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?

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(pictured: my only sale purchase…)


I went to Central London for the start of the winter sale on the 27th. I have to say I was quite disappointed. Usually there would be a few surprises apart from what I expected to see, so the fun was trying to decide what to buy. (Battling between budget and desire can be painful but exciting at the same time…) But this time there was just nothing.

In Selfridges Oxford Street, where major cosmetics brands often unveil their latest collections before the actual UK launch date, I happened to see YSL’s and Givenchy’s Spring 2007 Collections. Givenchy’s new eyeshadow palette looked very exciting with all the vibrant colors. But when I tested them, I found that most of them were not very wearbale. On the other hand, YSL’s eyeshadow palettes were better in that respect. Two of them featured brown tones and the other one had soft green, pink, and lilac.

What happens in most UK department stores during the sale is that some brands have items with 30-50% discounts. They are usually surplus stock or unsold limited edition items from previous seasons. They are usually placed in a small box at the counter. This time I saw YSL’s Gold Celebration Palette from 2005 (the one with a heart in the middle), YSL’s Palette Signes D’Orient (Autumn 2006), and Dior’s 5-color eyeshadow palette in 370 (Autumn 2006).

The only thing I did get from the sale was this year’s Lancome Hydra Zen gift set, which includes Hydra Zen 50ml for normal to dry skin, Hydra Zen Nuit 15ml, Hydra Zen Yeux 3ml, and Juicy Tube 7ml in Fraise. The original price was more or less the normal retail price of the Hydra Zen 50ml. With 30% off, it was a good bargain, especially when I also use the richer Hydra Zen Nuit when the weather is very cold.

Overall, this is one of the most underwhelming sale trips. But on the bright side, it is money saved for next year…

Next few days: more updates and thoughts about some upcoming stuff

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Each year, the November issue of Frau magazine in Japan releases the annual makeup and skincare ranking. Beauty experts and makeup artists give points to all the new launches this year and the top-finishing products make the list.

I am listing the products sold internationally.

SKINCARE

Anti-aging:
SK-II: Signs Dual Treatment Mask
Guerlain: Orchidee Imperiale
Chanel: Sublimage
HR: Prodigy Mask
Estee Lauder: Advanced Night Repair Concentrate
Estee Lauder: Perfectionist Power Correcting Patch

Toner:
Chanel: Hydramax+ Nanolotion
Natura Bisee: Diamond Mist
Dior: Deep Hydration Refreshing Spray

Moisturizer:
SK-II: Skin Rebooster
YSL: Fresh Hydrating Water Gel
YSL: Super Hydrating Detoxifying Essence

Cleanser:
Clarins: Pure Melt Cleansing Gel
RMK: Cleansing Milk
Clarins: Water Comfort One-Step Cleanser
HR: Prodigy Makeup Remover
Restgenol: Active Collagenol Lifting Force Cleansing

New Skincare Lines:
Givenchy: Power Youth

Pore Care:
HR: Pore Genius
Clinique: Turnaround 15-minute Facial
Biotherm: Line Peel Pore Targeter
Chanel: Purete Ideale Serum

MAKEUP

Mascara/Eyebrow:
Max Factor: Lash Artist
HR:Lash Queen Waterproof
Chanel: Inimitable
Givenchy: Eyebrow Prisme
Maybelline: Lash Stylist Waterproof
HR: Surrealist

Eye Color:
Dior: 5-Color Eyeshadow 970
RMK: Ingenious Natural Eyes 02
Chanel: Quadra Eye Shadow 51
YSL: Ombre Solo Double-Effect Eye 4
Sonia Rykiel: Cream Eyeliner 01

Lip Color:
Chanel: Rouge Allure 4, 14, 24, 30
Dior: Rouge Dior 132
Sonia Rykiel: Lipstick AC 03
RMK: Irresistible Lips C 08
Guerlain: KissKiss Laque 740
Estee Lauder: Pure Color Crystal Lipstick 304

BASE MAKEUP

Foundation:
Laura Mercier: Silk Cream Foundation
Laura Mercier: Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 Nude
Paul & Joe: Creamy Compact Foundation
SK-II: Airtouch Foundation

Others:
Givenchy: Prisme Libre #2
De la Mer: The Powder
Giorgio Armani: UV Master Primer SPF 40/ PA+++
Laura Mercier: Secret Brightener #2

PERFUME/ HAIR/ BODY
Chanel: Allure Sensuelle
YSL: Profil Minceur
Clarins: Body Shaping Supplement

(Frau magazine, November 2006)

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