(Lavshuca Face Powder in Lucent)
First of all, I admit that this item caught my attention ever since I saw the packaging. Very few loose powder containers (possibly part from Jill Stuart’s) look dreamier than this. With Lavshuca being an affordable shelf-top brand, I had to get this.
(Lavshuca Face Powder)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lavshuca/)
I bought this soon after it was released in fall 2006. The packaging looks as good as it appears on-line and in magazines. I was very pleased with that.
When I tested the powder on the back of my hand for the first time, I was slightly concerned. Even though the shade was the pale translucent beige that I usually went for, there seemed to be some shimmer. As I normally only used a completely matte loose powder, I was not sure if this was going to be something I would use regularly.
But when I put it on my face for the first time, all worries disappeared. The shimmer was relatively sparse and extremely fine. The finish is still basically matte, but it is not chalky. It is silky and almost satiny.
What I also love (perhaps the most) about this loose powder is its ability to disguise pores. It is able to make my skin look smoother and more even. As I usually wear a loose powder mainly to make pores less visible and to get a polished complexion, I am very happy with what it can do.
I also like the puff that comes with it. Apart from looking so adorable. it feels quite soft and puffy on the skin. The hair is not too long so it grabs the powder and places it on the skin evenly. I usually press (instead of sweep) the powder onto the skin, and the puff works very well for me.
I have another loose powder by Sofina Raycious. It is essentially matte and does a fairly good job in controlling shine. I shall review it in more detail a bit later!
Related Posts:
Which loose powder will win my heart?
(I have already decide to get one of them…)
Loving Japanese Brands: Lavshuca
(a brief profile on Kanebo’s successful budget line)
Lavshuca Spring 2008 Collection
(featuring some more lovely packaging)
Lavshuca Eye Color Select in PU-2
(another of my Lavshuca Favorite)
by PJ on Wednesday, November 28, 2007
in -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2007 Holiday, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, makeup - lip color, makeup - lip gloss, stash focus
(Lavshuca Christmas 2007 Makeup Palette)
I have written about my first impression of this palette when I heard about it and upon receiving it. Now that I have tested the colors, I can share with you more of my thoughts. (But I haven’t tried the lip color yet because I don’t want to mess up the heart shape…)
(No, I still haven’t put them in the case…)
The palette includes three eyeshadows, a lip color, and a lip gloss. The eyeshadow shade I like the best is the shimmery white one on the left. It is fairly well-pigmented with nice multi-color shimmer and it joins my white-eyeshadow lineup as a major member.
The pink in the middle appears to be very pale when it goes on and it doesn’t look very different from the white shade. The only two differences between the two are that the texture of the pink one seems chalkier and that it has less shimmer.
The dark shade at the right is a dark charcoal grey that works well as an eyeliner and for a smoky-eye effect. It has some sparkles but they don’t look obvious when it goes on.
The lip gloss looks very pretty in the container, again with multi-color shimmer. But the shimmer looks much more subtle when applied. I was trying to layer it to see if I could create a glossy finish, but it doesn’t seem possible. The finish is similar to that of a shiny lip balm, as it imparts a very natural sheen, which looks more balmy than watery.
As I mentioned before, holiday palettes (especially those from Japanese brands) are mostly about packaging and wearability. In terms of these two, this palette has done well. (Plus it is relatively affordable.) I am sure there are people who think the shades are not very interesting. But, for me, I will always consider picking up nice wearable shades which are beautifully packaged. Overall this is a nice little gem to have.
Related Posts:
Chanel Contraste Lumière Palette
(great palette for eyes and lips)
Loving Japanese Brands: Lavshuca
(my personal take on the successful Kanebo line)
Lavshuca Cheek Color
(Need a blusher to go with the palette?)
(Lavshuca Spring 2008 Collection)
(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)
Like Kate, Lavshuca will release its spring 2008 collection on February 1, 2008.
The collection is well-rounded and features eye shadows, lip colors, foundations, and a makeup base. The lineup includes:
Rouge Essence lipsticks (10 shades)
Noble On Color Eyes palettes (5 variations)
Jewel Lips lipsticks (2 new shades)
Grade Color Select eyeshadow palette (1 new variation)
Powder Foundation N (5 shades)
Skin Filter Base (1 shade)
Noble On Color Eyes will be the new eyeshadow palette range to join the lineup, but, packaging-wise, it looks less impressive than the Eye Color Select palettes. But I will definitely still think about picking up a couple of them when there is more information on the various shades.
Related posts:
Spring 2008 Makeup Preview
(featuring Chanel, Dior, Givenchy…)
Kate Spring 2008 Collection
Lunasol Spring 2008 Collection
(Kate Spring 2008 Collection)
(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)
Kate will release its Spring 2008 makeup collection on February 1, 2008.
It is all about the eyes for Kate in spring 2008! The collection includes:
Line Spicy N eyeshadow palettes (5 variations)
Magical Volume Gel Mascara (1 shade)
Square Cut Eyeliner (5 shades)
Powder Gel Eyeliner (3 shades)
Gradical Eyes palette (1 new variation)
Glam Tricks Eyes palette (1 new variation)
The Square Cut Eyeliner features a flat rectangle-cut tip for a flexible application:
(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)
I have not been a Kate fan in the last few years. Will 2008 be the year for me to buy my first Kate item? I will keep you posted!
Related Posts:
Kate – Lavshuca’s Dark, Edgier Sister
(my personal take on Kate)
Lavshuca Spring 2008 Collection
(Do you love the new looks?)
by PJ on Friday, November 23, 2007
in -Anna Sui, -Chanel, -Dior, -Guerlain, -Helena Rubinstein, -Jill Stuart, -Kanebo, -Kosé, -Lunasol, -Shu Uemura, 2008 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup
Exciting spring 2008 makeup preview!
(image from i-voce.boxerblog.com/contents/index.html)
The Voce website has a page from the January 2008 issue, featuring a preview of some spring 2008 makeup collections.
I see Dior, Chanel, Jill Stuart, Lunasol, Anna Sui, Givenchy, Guerlain, Coffret D’Or, Beauté de Kosé, and perhaps Helena Rubinstein, Sofina Est and Shu Uemura…just to name a few.
I think I have already seen some items I want…and it is still November!
I am loving the look of the Chanel and Lunasol lilac eyeshadow palettes (as if I didn’t have enough lilac palettes…with my T’Estimo, Jill Stuart, and Lavshuca lilac bonanza).
What has grabbed your attention?
Updated on Friday, November 23, 2007:
Bjooti has kindly confirmed that the zebra-printed one towards the top left is indeed from the Helena Rubinstein spring 2008 collection. Take a look at the full collection on her blog!
Related Posts (let’s go back to holiday 2007):
Dior DiorLight Jewelled Makeup Necklace
(another beautiful Dior seasonal item)
Lavshuca Christmas 2007 Makeup Palette
(as cute as a box of chocolates…)
(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)
Kanebo’s Coffret D’Or will be releasing a new line of lip colors as part of the spring 2008 collection on January 16, 2008.
The dual-purpose lip colors include a slim lipstick that doubles as a subtle lip liner to define the lip shape as well as a liquid lip color to add shine and dimension to the lips.
If you like your makeup items to be multi-purposed and ultra-compact, then these might be worth looking into.
(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)
Kanebo’s Coffret D’Or is replacing the color makeup line T’Estimo and the base makeup line Revue. The brand image is elegant and understated but perhaps not as eye-popping as some would hope. But it is still very early days and it would be very interesting to see how the brand evolves.
(part of the Coffret D’Or lineup)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/coffretdor)
A couple of years ago, when Shiseido’s Maquillage replaced the very successful PN (the color makeup line that injected an air of youth into Shiseido’s then aging brand image) and Proudia (the base makeup line), it was believed that many PN fans had grown up and wanted something more mature and sophisticated. As the drugstore line “ff” was discontinued at the same time, it was also suspected that Shiseido wanted to experiment with the concept of “Super Brand” to better define Shiseido’s image, instead of too many lines with various price and retail points.
Kanebo is apparently doing something similar, as Coffret D’Or’s image at the moment is much more sedate and grown-up than T’Estimo’s. It actually bears a slight resemblance to the beautifully packaged Lunasol (also by Kanebo), although I think Lunasol still has a better edge.
I have started to wonder if other major brands like Kose and Sofina will follow this trend…
Related Posts:
Lunasol Spring 2008 collection
(Loving the eyeshadows…)
T’Estimo Frame Impact Eyes Palette
(So long, T’Estimo!)
by PJ on Monday, November 12, 2007
in -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2007 Holiday, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, makeup - lip color, makeup - lip gloss, stash focus
(Lavshuca Holiday 2007 Palette)
I just got my Lavshuca holiday 2007 palette a couple of days ago. The first thing I did was to take some photos so I could show you this cute palette.
I have not actually used it yet. (Unlike the DiorLight necklace that I also just got, I WILL be using this.) I will post a review after I have used the eyeshadows and the lip colors.
I was surprised to find that all the bits were outside the case when I received this. This is Lavshuca’s first eye-and-lip palette so they seem to be having a bit of fun with it. Also, since the case is not transparent, it makes sense to present everything like this so the customers in the drugstores can instantly see all the colors and the front of the case. Overall I like the whole presentation.
The case is made of cardboard but it is relatively sturdy.
(the case and the colors presented separately)
(Complete the puzzle!)
Obviously all the bits go into the case. But, I think perhaps some people will be quite happy just to leave them where they are so everything can be displayed as it is in the cute box. Umm…it is not a bad idea actually……
Related posts:
Straight onto my Shopping List: Lavshuca Holiday 2007 Palette
(my first impression of the palettes along with the new lip glosses)
Chanel Contraste Lumière Palette
(another great eye-and-lip palette)
(part of the Lunasol Spring 2008 Collection)
(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)
This is my first spring 2008 makeup collection post, and it is on one of my favorite brands, Lunasol.
Inspired by the vibrant colors of the ocean, the lipsticks reflect the various shades of the coral while the eyeshadows pick up the hues of sea water.
The collection includes:
Full Glamor Lips G (20 shades)
Contrasting W Lip Liners (4 shades)
Sheer Contrast Eyes (eyeshadow palettes, 5 variations)
Contrasting Cheeks N (2 shades)
W Highlight (highlighter) (1 shade)
The collection will be released in Japan on January 18, 2008.
Looking at the promotional image above, I suspect that there are going to be some bright yet wearable shades in interesting combinations for the eyeshadow palettes, which is exciting. (I actually really like the look of the eyeshadow palette above.) I am interested in seeing the two new blushers as well.
In the past few seasons, Lunasol has been doing extremely well, and I am definitely looking forward to this collection.
Updated on December 30, 2007:
Earlier, Lunasol‘s official website updated to include the complete lineup of the spring 2008 collection. These two photos below show part of the lineup. The Sheer Contrast Eyes palettes look particularly stunning.
(Lunasol Full Glamor Lips G)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lunasol/)
(Lunasol Sheer Contrast Eyes)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lunasol/)
Related posts:
Lunasol Contrasting Cheeks in Light Orange
(for a sun-kissed glow)
Loving Japanese Brand: Lunasol
(my personal take on Lunasol)
(Lunasol Contrasting Cheeks in #03 Light Orange)
Since its launch in 1999, Lunasol has been among my favorite brands. I love the good quality and the polished and sophisticated packaging and brand image.
One of the Lunasol items I have is Contrasting Cheeks in #03 Light Orange. It is not peachy or coral. It is, as the name indicates, a soft light orange. (But this shade has actually been discontinued. You can see the currently available shades below.)
(Lunasol Contrasting Cheeks)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lunasol/)
I suppose it is called Contrasting Cheeks because every shade comes in two finishes. The two squares on the top left and bottom right in the pan have shimmer, while the rest is basically matte with very little shimmer. When I use the blusher brush to sweep across the pan and apply the color, the finish is still predominantly matte. I can also use the shimmery portion on the center of the cheek areas to impart an accent glow, which adds a very subtle dimension to the cheeks.
I chose this shade because I had quite a few of pink-tone blushers and I wanted something different. After testing it at the counter, I found that it was relatively sheer and thought I could “work” this. Indeed I can. It gives a healthy sun-kissed glow and the color merges with the pink undertone of my face very well. It does not make my cheeks look too orange at all.
For me, this is more of a summery shade. But it is certainly natural enough to be used all year round. Another great member of my blusher family…
More touches of blusher:
AYURA Aura Veil α
Lavshuca Cheek Color
Anna Sui Face Color Accent
by PJ on Tuesday, October 30, 2007
in -Anna Sui, -Ayura, -Jill Stuart, -Kanebo, -Kao, -Kate, -Kosé, -Lavshuca, -Lunasol, -Majolica Majorca, -Paul & Joe, -Shiseido, -Sofina, -SUQQU, -T'Estimo, all about Japanese cosmetics, announcement
(You can tell that I love my Japanese cosmetics…)
Most of you who read my blog certainly know that I have a passion for Japanese cosmetics. While I do try to keep a balance between western and Japanese cosmetics on my blog, I do think, for me, Japanese cosmetics items do better on my scoreboard in most areas.
If you would like to look through my posts related to Japanese cosmetics, I have made it a bit easier for you by adding the category “All About Japanese Cosmetics“ on the sidebar (under “Read by Topics”). As of now, there are 96 posts under this category, and the number will certainly grow week by week.
Please enjoy!
Here are just a few highlights:
Loving Japanese Brands
(where I highlight 7 wonderful Japanese brands)
Japanese vs. Western…Who’s Winning?
(Which side are you on?)
If I Could Go to Japan RIGHT NOW
(I share my dream shopping list.)
A couple of the items featured in the photo above:
Kanebo T’Estimo Frame Impact Eyes 03
Lavshuca Eye Color Select PK-1
More to come!!
(Lavshuca Face Powder in Lucent)
(Lavshuca Face Powder)
