-Jill Stuart

Foundation Face-Off (3) – Jill Stuart vs. SUQQU

by PJ on Wednesday, May 21, 2008

in -Jill Stuart, -SUQQU, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation

(Jill Stuart Smooth Silk Powder Foundation
& SUQQU Powder Foundation Fresh)

Today I am bringing you the third foundation face-off, this time between Jill Stuart’s Smooth Silk Powder Foundation and SUQQU’s Powder Foundation Fresh. Both are spring/summer 2008 releases.

(A note on my foundation concerns, preferences, and habits to set the perspective for the review: I have oily skin which is prone to some slight redness. I prefer powder foundations that control shine well, offer at least medium coverage, and have decent pore coverage. I usually don’t wear a primer or a concealer.)

Basics

– Jill Stuart Smooth Silk Powder Foundation: SPF 20/ PA ++, 5 shades
– SUQQU Powder Foundation Fresh: SPF 27/ PA ++, 6 shades

Finish

Jill Stuart has a very soft-focus and glowy finish, while SUQQU gives a luminous matte finish. Neither has visible shimmer.

Texture

Jill Stuart’s powder is very smooth and velvety and has an almost-moist feel. SUQQU’s powder is slightly drier but it is still quite silky.

Coverage

Jill Stuart offers a nearly-medium coverage, which I am quite happy with. SUQQU offers a good medium-to-full coverage. I feel that SUQQU covers my mild redness better than Jill Stuart, but I think this might be only because the SUQQU shade I tried, #25, is more yellow-based than Jill Stuart’s #103.

Pore Coverage

Jill Stuart’s pore coverage is satisfactory, while SUQQU’s pore-concealing ability has some room for improvement.

Shine Control

For me, this is usually the deciding factor on a foundation. Here, the luminous and glowy Jill Stuart fails to impress me as it has very little shine-control ability. Even a good matte loose powder can’t keep the shine away (my face becomes shiny within an hour) and constant touch-ups are a must for me.

On the other hand, even though SUQQU’s shine control is not the best that I have experienced, at least it is what I would expect from a spring/summer powder foundation release from a Japanese brand, which is usually more about sebum control than a fall/winter release. (Again, out of all the foundations featured in the face-off posts along with the ZA Two-Way Foundation, Coffret D’Or’s Beauty Lasting Pact UV offers the best shine control.)

Staying Power

Neither of them darkens overtime or loses the coverage too quickly, but, as mentioned above, Jill Stuart’s silky smoothness turns shiny very quickly on me, making it a very high-maintenance foundation for my oily skin.

Between the two, I favor SUQQU Powder Foundation Fresh. It offers good coverage and decent shine-control, and it stays on well throughout the day. A good loose powder can easily enhance the pore coverage. I think this should be a good powder foundation for most skin types. As for Jill Stuart’s Smooth Silk Powder Foundation, I wouldn’t recommend it if any part of your face tends to be on the oily side, as it doesn’t control shine and the glowy finish will make shine appear more obvious.

(I’d like to thank my friend Betsy at Autumn Masquerade for very kindly sending these samples to me. Please head over to read her review on SUQQU’s Powder Foundation Fresh.)

Related Posts:

Foundation Face-Off (1) – Chanel vs. SUQQU

Foundation Face-Off (2) – Lunasol vs. Coffret D’Or

My Latest Foundation Cases
(Anna Sui and Jill Stuart)

{ 22 comments }

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.

Related Posts:

Jill Stuart Breaks Record

Jill Stuart Moist Silk Liquid Foundation

Jill Stuart Birthstone Nail Collection

Loving Japanese Brands – Jill Stuart

{ 6 comments }

Newsflash – Jill Stuart Breaks Record

by PJ on Saturday, April 26, 2008

in -Jill Stuart, all about Japanese cosmetics

(Jill Stuart Mix Blush Compact)
(image from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

Jill Stuart Beauty was launched in Taiwan on March 28th among much anticipation. As mentioned previously, Taiwan is the only place outside Japan where the Jill Stuart Beauty line is officially available.

There was no doubt that it would do extremely well. After all, so many beauty fans had been waiting for it. The brand hardly needed any promotion, as many items had been sold for up to twice the Japanese retail prices on local auction sites. (Now, somewhat ironically, many items are about 5% cheaper than in Japan.)

According to this blog post, Jill Stuart sold 125,000 USD (3.8 million TWD) worth of merchandise during its first three days of sale in SOGO Department Store in Taipei. This is the equivalent of nearly 1000 Mix Blush Compacts (seen above) sold in each of the three days. (I saw a couple of photos of the crowds taken by customers. I had not seen anything like this at a beauty counter.)

First of all, the sale figures smashed the record that Anna Sui made about 10 years ago when it was launched in SOGO. Also, it is especially amazing considering that there is a second Jill Stuart counter at Shinkong Mitsukishi Shinyi, which opened on the same day.

As if the line needed more fervor, Jill Stuart herself was in Taipei yesterday to promote the line.

The ultra-princessy Jill Stuart is not just for teenagers. A report indicates that it also has many fans in their forties and fifties in Japan. It shows that appealing packaging and good quality are for all to enjoy.

With the huge initial success in Taiwan in the bag, I think Jill Stuart is likely to expand the market yet again. Looking at existing patterns, I think Hong Kong might be the next stop.

Related Posts:

Loving Japanese Brands – Jill Stuart
(my take on Jill Stuart)

Brilliance Eyes in Gem Amethyst
(my Jill Stuart eye palette)

All About Japanese Cosmetics
(Read more about other brands.)

{ 8 comments }

Jill Stuart Moist Silk Liquid Foundation

by PJ on Tuesday, April 22, 2008

in -Jill Stuart, 2007 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation, stash focus

(Jill Stuart Moist Silk Liquid Foundation)

Jill Stuart‘s Moist Silk Liquid Foundation was released in fall 2007. At that time, I was not sure if it would replace Tint Liquid Foundation (Jill Stuart’s first liquid foundation). But, at this moment, both are listed on Jill Stuart’s website.

The packaging is beautiful and very princessy, and it has almost become a permanent fixture on my dressing table.

Here is how it performs for me:

The Basics

SPF 18, PA +++, 30ml, 5 shades
(Mine is 103 Nude, a neutral light-to-medium beige. Ethanol is seventh on ingredient list, but this foundation doesn’t irritate my skin.)

Texture & Consistency

It has a light-cream consistency. The very smooth texture largely comes from talc, and the richness of the consistency is mainly down to squalene (which is a very effective moisturizing ingredient used in many moisturizers). The foundation is not very liquid-y and the bottle has to be tapped against the back of my hand to slowly dispense the foundation.

Slip & Blendability

The foundation has a good slip and blends relatively easily. It dries a little fast so swift blending is ideal.

Finish

The finish is smooth and satiny (neither matte or luminous), and it has a pleasing soft-focus look to it.

Coverage

This foundation gives a natural medium-to-full coverage. The level of coverage is a lot higher than Paul & Joe’s Light Cream Foundation reviewed earlier.

Pore Coverage

For me, among non-powder foundations (which almost always cover pores less effectively than powder foundations), the pore coverage is fairly good.

Lasting Power

The lasting power is relatively satisfactory. It doesn’t have an optimal lasting power for me only because it is quite emollient for my oily skin for most part of the year. Other than that, the color does stay true and does not darken overtime.

Overall, liquid foundations are more suitable for me in winter no matter whether they are spring/summer or fall/winter releases. This one is no exception. In colder days and when I need more coverage than what Paul & Joe’s Light Cream Foundation can give me, this is definitely the one I’d go for.

Related Posts:

Loving Japanese Brands – Jill Stuart
(my personal take on Jill Stuart)

Jill Stuart Brilliance Eyes in 04 Gem Amethyst
(my very first lilac-based eye palette)

Jill Stuart Powder Foundation Compact S
(the latest member of my foundation case collection)

{ 8 comments }

Jill Stuart New Nail Collection

by PJ on Sunday, April 20, 2008

in -Jill Stuart, 2008 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, nail color/care

(Jill Stuart Birthstone Nail Collection)
(image from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

On April 25th, Jill Stuart will release the following items in Japan:

– Nail Lacquer N

The launch of the revamped nail collection will feature 20 colors. Most of them are fresh spring colors, including pink, peach, mauve, beige, and lilac.

– Nail Art Sticker II (limited-edition)

(Jill Stuart Nail Art Sticker II)
(image from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

– Birthstone Nail Collection

Starting from April 25th, Jill Stuart will release one limited-edition nail color based on the birthstone of each month. The first one features emerald for May (seen above). Each monthly birthstone addition will be released on the third Friday of the previous month. (So the next one (pearl for June) will be released on May 16th.)

I really like the look of the new nail color bottle, and it seems that there will be some great colors coming up in the birthstone collection. I might be tempted to get a couple of them……

Related Posts:

Loving Japanese Brands – Jill Stuart
(my personal take on Jill Stuart)

Jill Stuart Brilliance Eyes in 04 Gem Amethyst
(my first lilac-based eye palette)

Coffret D’Or Summer 2008 Collection
(more nail colors)

{ 6 comments }

Anna Sui & Jill Stuart Latest Foundation Cases

by PJ on Thursday, March 27, 2008

in -Anna Sui, -Jill Stuart, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation, makeup - base makeup - powder, stash focus



Today I am sharing two latest additions to my foundation case collection.

First up is the case of Anna Sui‘s Loose Compact Powder UV, which is part of Anna Sui’s spring/summer 2008 base makeup release. This case is for the new loose powder refills and is designed to make Anna Sui’s loose powder slightly more travel-friendly. (Remember that Anna Sui’s original large loose powder case doesn’t have a screw lid and is very tricky to travel with.)

Even though white is my least favorite color for Anna Sui’s packaging, I like the thickness of the case compared with other Anna Sui’s foundation compacts.




The case comes with a purple powder puff which is very soft to the touch.


Please notice that the sift is included in the refill and not in the case. So this is not the kind of portable loose powder case in which you can put your own loose powder. But, size-wise, all the round Anna Sui foundation refills can fit into this case.




Next is the Jill Stuart‘s Powder Foundation Compact S, which is released with the new Smooth Skin Powder Foundation. Compared with the original Powder Foundation Case (released in spring 2006), the new case has a different design for the lid and features a charm with floral details.




Let’s see the two designs side by side. The spring 2006 case is on the left and the spring 2008 one is on the right:


All the Jill Stuart powder foundation and pressed powder refills are the same size, and the cases are sold separately. So what case to pick when you purchase a Jill Stuart foundation refill is entirely up to you.

Furthermore, since both Anna Sui and Jill Stuart (and Paul & Joe as well) commission Kosé (which owns Albion, commissioned by Anna Sui and Paul & Joe) to produce the makeup (and skincare) line, all their round foundation refills can fit into all cases.

My case collection does take up a bit of space. But, for me, it is a slightly less pricey way to chart the development of a brand’s image and there is no need to worry about products expiring. I shall continue to pick up the cases I like from my favorite brands.

More cases:

Sofina Raycious Foundation Case Galore

My Anna Sui Foundation Case Collection

{ 12 comments }

Japanese Cosmetics News in Brief

by PJ on Wednesday, March 5, 2008

in -Anna Sui, -Jill Stuart, -Shiseido, 2008 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, haircare

— For those following Jill Stuart’s Launch in Taiwan, see the initial price list of some of the items. As predicted, the retail prices in Taiwan are cheaper than those (including sale tax) in Japan. Most items are about 7% cheaper.

— Have a look at a large photo of Anna Sui’s new Oil Control Paper case on a Japanese blog. Check out the details and the enclosed mirror.

— Uno is Shiseido’s well-known male haircare/skincare drugstore line. Recently, Orlando Bloom has been their spokesperson and you can see some of the TV commercials on Uno’s website. Here is the latest mini-movie version:


(from http://www.shiseido.co.jp/uno/
via acdticojp at Dailymotion)

I know it is a little predictable…but I don’t mind. It’s Orlando Bloom.

(The actress in the commercial, Kuriyama Chiaki, is one of the four brand ambassadors for Shiseido Maquillage.)

You can see another extended TV commercial posted by The Punk Cat.

Related Posts:

Must-Try Look for Spring 2008
(featuring another Japanese TV commercial)

Loving Japanese Brand – Jill Stuart
(See part of my stash.)

Anna Sui’s Sui Lip Gloss in 100
(the latest addition to my blue bonanza)


{ 14 comments }

Update on Jill Stuart’s Launch in Taiwan

by PJ on Thursday, February 28, 2008

in -Jill Stuart, all about Japanese cosmetics

My post on the Jill Stuart launch in Taiwan has been updated with information on the specific store and date of the launch.

Do check it out!

{ 0 comments }

Jill Stuart Launches in Taiwan in April

by PJ on Wednesday, January 9, 2008

in -Jill Stuart, all about Japanese cosmetics, all about Japanese cosmetics (overseas availability information)

(some of my Jill Stuart items)


After previous speculation, it has been confirmed that the Jill Stuart Beauty line will be launched in Taiwan in April.

Taiwan will become the only place outside Japan where the full line is officially available.

As with many other Japanese brands available in Taiwan, it is expected that the overall price-point will be around 10% lower than the retail price in Japan and that all the subsequent seasonal collections will be launched more or less simultaneously in Taiwan. (The Jill Stuart Beauty line is developed, produced, and marketed by Kosé, one of the largest cosmetics companies in Japan. So I usually classify the beauty line as a Japanese line.)

Like previous launches of popular Japanese cosmetics brands (such as Anna Sui, Paul & Joe, Majolica Majorca, and Lavshuca), the news of Jill Stuart’s upcoming launch has hugely excited makeup fans in Taiwan, some of whom travel to Japan regularly to pick up the trendiest and hippiest beauty items.

Many popular Japanese cosmetics brands eventually make their way to Taiwan (in most cases), Hong Kong and Singapore, so I am not totally surprised at the news. (The line debuted in Japan in fall 2005.) I suspect this is also an attempt for the line to test the water before it is considered to be launched in other countries. We’ll see!

(You can read a little bit more about the brand and the launch here if you happen to read Chinese.)

Updated on February 28th 2008:

The first Jill Stuart Beauty counter outside Japan will open on March 6th in Taipei’s Shin Kong Mitsukoshi (Hsinyi A8). (Check here for the source (in Mandarin).)

Updated on March 4th 2008:

Another source mentions that the launch date is March 28th, which should be more accurate.

Updated on March 8th 2008:

Have a look at the price list and the confirmation that there will also be a Jill Stuart counter in SOGO Chung-Hsiao Taipei on March 28th.

Related Posts:

Jill Stuart Launches in the US?
(Is it also happening over in the US?)

Jill Stuart Brilliance Eyes in 04 Gem Amethyst
(out in spring 2007, but still very on-trend this year)

Loving Japanese Brands: Jill Stuart Cosmetics
(my personal take on Jill Stuart)

{ 8 comments }

Holiday 2007: A Touch of Blusher’s Seasonal Top 10 (Part 1)

by PJ on Sunday, December 16, 2007

in -Jill Stuart, -Lunasol, -YSL, 2007 Holiday, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

We have already seen many spring 2008 makeup collections, and I am sure some favorites have emerged on your list. But let’s look back, just in time in the midst of the holiday season, at my own top 10 holiday 2007 collections.

10. Lunasol

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


2007 is a great year for Lunasol, which brought out fantastic collections for spring and fall. Lunasol’s Christmas 2007 coffret presents the usual dose of neutral and wearable colors as seen in Lunasol’s previous holiday sets. Some might say they are unimaginative, but this doesn’t stop Lunasol fans from collecting this sophisticated coffret for lips, eyes, and face.

9. Guerlain

(Forever Gold)

(image from www.guerlain.co.jp)


Guerlain’s holiday 2007 collection did not get my full attention until I tested Forever Gold (pictured above) and a couple of other items. Forever Gold delivers a sheer and fine mist of very sparkling shimmer. The finish is quite even, and the sparkles are very glamorous without being over the top. A star item for this holiday season indeed. (You can read more about my thoughts of Forever Gold here.)

8. YSL

(image from www.yslbeautyus.com)

I mentioned in my initial review of the YSL holiday 2007 collection that I preferred the usual gold packaging. But, compared with many other holiday collections, this is still a strong one. The collection is well-themed with memorable designs. The heart-shaped necklace is very pretty even though I don’t think this is the best makeup necklace for this season.

This is the first time in five years that YSL’s holiday collection didn’t make the top five on my holiday top 10 list, as the overall collection didn’t impress me as much as the previous ones did. (Read about YSL’s Gold Celebration Palette from the 2006 holiday collection if you are interested.)

7. Jill Stuart

(image from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

Jill Stuart’s holiday 2007 set is instantly appealing, with the kind of feminine and princessy packaging that Jill Stuart is famous for. Like Lunasol’s holiday 2007 coffret, the set features universally flattering shades.

According to this blog post, all the slots were full within an hour after one department store started to take pre-orders for this set, while the set was completely sold out in another department store within two hours after the set was officially launched. I am not really surprised. Since the Jill Stuart beauty line was launched in Japan in 2005, the holiday sets in 2005 and 2006 have been extremely popular. (This post also features a swatch video, in which you can actually see how the eyeshadow shades shimmer!)

(Continue to read Part 2 and Part 3!)

Related Posts:

Loving Japanese Brands: Jill Stuart
(featuring my Jill Stuart Christmas 2005 set)

Loving Japanese Brands: Lunasol
(one of my three favorite Japanese brands for the moment)

Keep It Gold: YSL
(my personal take on the glamorous YSL)

{ 4 comments }

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →