makeup – base makeup – powder

Makeup Review: SUQQU Loose Powder in Natural

by PJ on Wednesday, July 22, 2009

in -SUQQU, 2007 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - powder

SUQQU‘s Loose Powder was released as part of the brand’s fall 2007 base makeup collection. It is available in two shades, Natural and Deep. The two shades work together to create highlight and contour for the face. Today I am reviewing the shade in Natural.

Color-wise, Natural is a sheer off-white cream. It has a subtly pearly finish. When I tested it on the back of my hand, I thought the finish might be too pearly for me. I was also worried that the luminous finish might make my pores look more obvious. But when worn on the face, it imparts a softly luminous finish that is neither pearly or frosty. It doesn’t accentuate the look of pores. Also, the powder is very light and fine.

The enclosed powder puff is relatively soft and easy to use.

Compared with Lavshuca Face Powder and Kiss Mat Chiffon Powder, this product doesn’t have any efficacy in shine control or pore coverage. (It also has the least amount of coverage among the three.) It will not work as a setting powder for those with combination or oily skin.

Among the loose powder products that I have reviewed, it is the closest to Crème de la Mer’s The Powder in Translucent. The main difference is that SUQQU’s finish is more natural and less shimmery and it doesn’t have the pink iridescence that the Crème de la Mer powder has. Overall, as a highlighting powder (particularly for daytime makeup), I prefer SUQQU’s.

Essentially, this is a finishing powder that works as a subtle highlighter, as it adds a soft and very natural glow for the face. It is also subtle enough to be used all over the face if the softly glowy finish is what you would like to go for. (It is able to help create the “brilliant skin” that is very popular in Japan right now.)

(SUQQU is currently available in Japan, Thailand, and the UK. Check here to see the information on all the SUQQU retail points.)

Updated on July 26th 2009:

Examples of “Brilliant Skin”, requested by reader Tamtam. (I am also considering writing up a separate post on this trend.)

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

(image from www.biteki.com)

More on SUQQU’s fall 2007 base makeup collection:

Foundation Face-Off: Chanel vs. SUQQU

Makeup Base Creamy & Brightup

Makeup Review: Lancôme Fall 2009 Collection (Part 2)

by PJ on Wednesday, July 1, 2009

in -Lancôme, 2009 Fall, beauty tools/accessories, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - powder, makeup - lip color, makeup - lip gloss

Last week, I reviewed some of the eye makeup items in Lancôme’s fall 2009 collection. Today, I will share my thoughts on some items from the rest of the collection.

(Color Fever Matte in (from left to right)
151, 152, and 153)

A new range of Color Fever lipsticks, Color Fever Matte, is introduced to Lancôme’s lipstick lineup. Aaron De Mey wanted to create lip colors that would be richly pigmented as well as matte in order to maximize the color impact, and Color Fever Matte is the result.

To formulate Color Fever Matte, Lancôme tried to combine a matte finish and a smooth and nourishing texture, two things that don’t always co-exist. I think the end result is quite successful. While delivering a velvety matte finish, they glide on easily and don’t make lips feel or look dry.

Among the three shades, 151 Red Avant-Garde (left) is the most vivid and the closest to cardinal red. 152 Red Paris Paris (middle) is slightly cooler and more rose-toned, and it goes on slightly darker than 151. 153 Red Libertine (right) is the most muted and is perhaps the most wearable for those who don’t usually wear rich reds for the lips.

You can wear these colors with a lip liner for a defined and classic look, but my favorite way to apply them is to keep them just inside the lip line and use the fingertip to blend the color gently towards the lip line to create a softer edge and a more sensual look.

The two new Color Fever Gloss shades in this collection are 026 Pure Gold and 125 Aaron’s Red. Aaron’s red is a vibrant cool-toned shimmer-less red. (It goes on cooler than it appears in the tube.) While imparting a glossy transparency, the color (when worn alone) is very intense and the overall look resembles a lipstick-plus-gloss combination. I think the shade can be compared to that of strawberry jelly, which is color-rich but still transparent. Plus the shade does look mouth-watering…

Pure Gold has a completely different finish. It is a semi-opaque gold with fine multi-colored shimmer, and the richness of the color does resemble liquid gold. One coat of it gives the lips a yellow-based neutral tone. (It is a nice way to create a natural neutral tone for the lips without making them overly pale or ashy.) Two or more coats will start to create a rich gold-foil shine.

Both shades complement Color Fever Matte well. Aaron’s Red adds lip-plumping glossiness to the matte finish, while Pure Gold on the center of the lips makes the lips look stunningly luxurious. (If you don’t want any glossiness on the lips but still want a touch of gold, Aaron suggests using one of the golds in the eye palettes for a glistening gold-dust finish.)

Rose Liberté is created to add a veil of gold to the complexion. Some might be disappointed to know that the vibrant shimmer is an overspray, but I think the softly luminous gold-toned beige powder underneath is much more user-friendly. (I think the overspray, which has the same multi-colored shimmer as that in the Pure Gold Color Fever Gloss, is more suited as an eyeshadow.)

Also in this collection is the Powder Brush, which is designed to help apply not only Rose Liberté but also other loose and pressed powder products. The large fluffy brush feels soft on the face and is angled for more flexibility in the application.

Here are my personal picks from the collection:

– Palette Liberté in Bleu Royauté (signature item of the collection)
– Palette Liberté in Or Liberté (chic and wearable)
– Color Fever Matte in Red Paris Paris (vivid but elegant)
– Color Fever Gloss in Pure Gold (versatile and ultra-glamorous)

One of the demanding tasks of an artistic director of an international beauty brand is to express his/her unique vision as an artist and to create products with a mass-market appeal on a global scale. I think Aaron De Mey has done a great job with Lancôme’s fall 2009 collection. The creative vision is crystal-clear, and the products, thorough which we are able to see his original ideas, not only aim to set trends but also attempt to create classics. I wonder what is going to wow us in spring 2010…

Other fall 2009 makeup collections:

YSL

Clé de Peau

SUQQU

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Makeup Review: SUQQU Clear Veil Powder

by PJ on Friday, April 24, 2009

in -SUQQU, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - powder, makeup - base makeup - primer/concealer

(SUQQU Clear Veil Powder in 101 Clear (refill))

In this post, which I wrote in 2007, I mentioned SUQQU’s Clear Veil Powder. It was launched in fall 2006 and became an instant sensation.

It is a semi-transparent pressed powder. According to SUQQU, the main function of this product is that it sets the foundation without altering the foundation color or leaving any powdered finish. It is also claimed to be able to cover pores and deliver an oil absorption effect.

(It is available in 101 Clear (matte) and 102 Clear Pearl (very slightly shimmery). The case, refill, and brush (similar to the flat powder brush of RMK’s Powder Foundation EX) are all sold separately.)

When I touch the surface of the powder, it feels like a piece of frosted soft plastic. I can’t hardly pick up any powder with my fingers. It does seem considerably different from nearly all the other pressed-powder products I have come across.

The application can be slightly tricky, and, over the last couple of years, I have noticed that the SUQQU sales assistants’ application techniques have changed. I remember they used to advise that we sweep the brush gently across the powder (as we normally would with any pressed powder), but it appeared to me then that the brush was not really able to pick up the powder this way. Now the sales assistants seem to apply a lot more pressure with the brush to sweep up the powder, which I think is the only way to pick up the powder from the pan.

When the powder is applied on the skin (after I apply my powder foundation), the particles are invisible. Therefore, it is certainly true that it is able to set the foundation without leaving any trace of it (no alteration of foundation color or powdered finish). What I see is that the finish of my powder foundation becomes a little more matte and that the appearance of pores is more blurred, and this is obviously down to the semi-transparent silicone particles.

The pore-diffusing efficacy is decent, but I do feel that the oil-control ability is somewhat on the weak side.

In my post two years ago, I mentioned that I imagined Clear Veil Powder would be a pressed-powder equivalent of a silicone-based liquid/gel primer (think Smash Box’s Photo Finish) and that it would probably work as a “post-primer” (something with the same purposes as those of a primer but applied after the foundation). After I have tried it, I do still think of the product in the same way. But I do find that I can also use it as a primer and apply it before my powder foundation, so the product is more versatile than I expected.

Whether Clear Veil Powder serves all of our needs would vary from person to person. If you have finally found a foundation that offers the perfect match with your skin tone and think all the loose/pressed powder products that you come across interfere with the perfect match, then this setting powder is definitely worth looking into. If you use a setting powder to diffuse the look of pores, then this product may work well for you too. But if you rely on a setting powder to keep you shine-free, then this might not be the product you are looking for.

Overall, I commend the design of the product. In Japanese cosmetics, there are a lot fewer multi-purposed products, and, especially within Japanese base makeup, it seems to be mostly about one product serving one very specific purpose.

As I was reminded of all the Japanese office/kitchen/storage gadgets that faithfully and effectively serve their sole duties, I think Clear Veil Powder is another prime example of this sophisticated simplicity of consumer product design that Japanese brands (not just beauty brands) excel at. It also exemplifies the unique quality of Japanese makeup that will always keep me curious and fascinated.

SUQQU Contour Shadows
(another example of a unique and specialized product)

SUQQU Spring 2009 Collection Review

My Personal Take on SUQQU

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Japanese Base Makeup Week (Part 5)

by PJ on Friday, March 6, 2009

in _Japanese Base Makeup Week, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation, makeup - base makeup - powder, makeup - base makeup - primer/concealer

Part 5: My Favorites (& Yours)

(One of my favorites:
Kiss Mat Chiffon Powder)

Some of you who have been reading my blog probably already know some of my favorite Japanese base makeup products, but I thought I’d present them in one round-up post for your future reference. Links to previous posts on products which are still available are provided below.

– Primers

I actually tend not to use primers at all. For my oily skin, I use as few base makeup products as I can after skincare and before point makeup. I used to use primers a long time ago, and I did find a couple of products from Ettusais (a yellow-based color-adjusting primer and a pore-concealing primer) to be quite effective. Among the primers I have talked about so far (that are currently available), I have been relatively pleased with SUQQU’s Makeup Base Creamy and Makeup Base Brightup. If you are interested, please have a look at my post on Coffret D’Or’s Beauty Lasting Veil UV and Lunasol Smoothing Makeup Base as well.

– Powder Foundations

I have been a fan of Shiseido ZA’s Two-Way Foundation for many years. I think the product has been revamped once since I started using it (while the product name remained the same), but the change is (fortunately) minimal. (It has very slightly less coverage and the finish is marginally more luminous.)

Other than ZA Two-Way Foundation, I think one of the best powder foundations I have tried in the last couple of years is Coffret D’Or’s Beauty Lasting Pact UV, which has very good sebum-control efficacy. (The link above will also take you to my thoughts on Lunasol’s Skin Fusing Powder Foundation.) Some of my other posts on Japanese powder foundations include those on SUQQU’s Powder Foundation Glow, Jill Stuart’s Smooth Silk Powder and SUQQU’s Powder Foundation Fresh, and Primavista’s Powder Foundation Moist Touch.

– Pressed/Loose Powder

At the moment, all my favorite pressed powders are from Raycious, and they have been discontinued. In terms of loose powder, my favorite is Lavshuca’s Face Powder (in Lucent). Mat Chiffon Powder from Kiss is almost equally good too. I also enjoy using Coffret D’Or’s Makeup Powder, but it slightly falls short on pore coverage and sebum control compared with the previous two.

(Lavshuca has launched Finish Powder (in two shades) on February 1st. It is replacing Face Powder, but Face Powder might still be available for a little while.)

To finish off the series, I’d like to mention the wave of mineral makeup (particularly foundations) arriving in Japan at the moment.

Since last year, I have started to notice that more and more Japanese beauty blogs are covering mineral foundations from the west. While I like some of the mineral eyeshadows I have tried, I have not yet been a fan of mineral foundations. There is very little doubt that mineral foundations have attractive appeals, as true mineral-based foundations can be saviours for people with very sensitive skin. However, I feel that, compared with some of the best (Japanese) foundations that I have used, they generally lack sebum control and pore coverage and they often lack staying power. For me, purely in terms of the quality of the finish (not of their skincare benefits), mineral foundations are generally mostly about coverage and not much else, as their straightforward ingredients do not seem to provide multi-faceted results.

It seems that many Japanese consumers are very open to trying out new products, so I think the novelty factor will work its magic for a while. But I do wonder, compared with some of the best foundations that one can buy in Japan, whether most of the mineral foundations will continue to hold consumers’ attention in the next few years. I guess this will depend on future product developments from both sectors.

So that’s it from me now, and I hope you enjoy this series. Now I would love to know your favorite Japanese base makeup products. You could simply drop in a short comment with the name of the item(s), and it would be really helpful if you would tell us your skin type as well. Of course, if you have any comment on this series or any question, do please feel free to post a comment here too.

I look forward to hearing from you!

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Japanese Base Makeup Week (Part 4)

by PJ on Thursday, March 5, 2009

in _Japanese Base Makeup Week, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation, makeup - base makeup - powder, makeup - base makeup - primer/concealer

Part 4: Which brands shall I look into?

(IPSA’s new Pore Protect Foundation)
(image from www.ipsa.co.jp)

Today I will briefly mention some of the Japanese beauty brands that are noted for their base makeup lines. Direct links to the base makeup pages of the brands’ official websites are provided if possible. (Some sites are very flash-heavy and don’t have direct URLs for individual pages.) I will also update this post when there is something new and noteworthy on the scene.

Here we go:

– The three “megabrands“/ “superbrands“

Currently, in Japanese cosmetics, “megabrand” refers to the main base/point makeup lines of Shiseido, Kanebo, and Kosé. At the moment, they are Maquillage (of Shiseido), Coffret D’Or (of Kanebo), and Esprique Precious (of Kosé). These lines are usually worth looking into because their latest products are often the results of the companies’ latest foundation technologies.

– Sofina Primavista

Primavista, Kao Sofina’s main base makeup line and Raycious’ predecessor, is the answer to the megabrands’ base makeup lines. Right now two collections have been released (fall/winter 2008 and spring/summer 2009), and it will be interesting to see how the line develops.

– Albion Exage

Various versions of powder foundations from Exage (and Exage White) have been among the best-sellers in Japan for years. Fans often comment on the fine and light texture of the power and the natural finish.

– IPSA

IPSA is particularly strong in skincare and base makeup. All IPSA counters have a consultation area where you can find out which skincare and base makeup items are suitable for you. You can also check which foundation shade goes with your complexion.

– Paul & Joe

Paul & Joe has been known for its base makeup for quite a while. The products tend to create a luminous finish, with a low-to-medium coverage for an ultra-natural look. (Even though Paul & Joe is a French fashion line, its beauty line is produced in Japan.)

– SUQQU

SUQQU has been very strong in base makeup, and I feel that most of its base makeup products tend to be quite suitable for dry skin (even their powder foundations). Their concealers (Stick Concealers), cream foundation (simply called Foundation) and Clear Veil Powder are particularly popular.

– Lunasol

I think Lunasol has been so popular with its gorgeous point makeup collections season after season that some forget that some of its base makeup products are also very well-received. In the February 2008 issue of Biteki, Water Cream Foundation and Micro Finish Powder N are listed among the top five favorite base makeup items (in their own categories) with Biteki readers. In the February 2009 issue, Skin Fusing Powder Foundation is among the top 10 powder foundations.

– Sonia Rykiel

Sonia Rykiel is another French fashion brand that features an essentially Japanese beauty line. Among the base makeup products, Water Gel Foundation (which is claimed to contain 80% water) and the primer (currently Treatment Makeup Base S) have been popular for as long as I can remember.

– ECM

ECM started off as a base makeup brand and has a well-structured range of base makeup items. Please see my brand profile article on ECM here.

– Ex:beaute

Recently, Ex:beaute has been getting quite a lot of Japanese beauty magazine coverage. Their current slogan is to create the luminous and flawless “actress skin”, which is ready for anything hi-definition.

– Shu Uemura

Since Shu Uemura is sold internationally, the range of foundation (and loose powder) shades is considerably wider than that of most other Japanese beauty brands (that are sold within East/ Southeast Asia). There are also quite a few different foundation products to choose from.

Other than the brands above, a few cult products deserve a mention. RMK‘s various primers, AYURA‘s Zero Clear Colors (color-adjusting concealers), Chacott‘s (a dancewear brand) Finishing Powder, and Kesalan Patharan‘s Sheer Micro Powder all have their places on the Japanese base makeup map.

In the final post of the series, I will mention some of my favorite Japanese base makeup products and I will finish the series with a few further notes.

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Japanese Base Makeup Week (Part 3)

by PJ on Wednesday, March 4, 2009

in _Japanese Base Makeup Week, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation, makeup - base makeup - powder, makeup - base makeup - primer/concealer

Part 3: Which one is my shade?

(Shiseido Maquillage Lasting Powdery UV)

(image from www.shiseido.co.jp/mq)

I am often asked about choosing the right foundation shade from a Japanese brand. One question that comes up the most is “What is the difference between Ochre shades and Beige Ochre shades?” If you have wondered about the same thing, I hope this part of the series will help you a little.

Many major Japanese foundation lines categorize their shades into three groups:

– Neutral Ochre (OC) shades
– Yellow-toned Beige Ochre (BO) shades
– Pink-toned Pink Ochre (PO) shades

(Notice that some brands don’t carry PO shades.)

Sometimes the shade name can vary. (Coffret D’Or’s pink-toned shades are called Soft Ochre shades.) But, on a typical shade chart, neutral shades are usually in the middle, with pink-toned shades on the left and yellow-toned shades on the right. Below is the shade chart for Coffret D’Or’s Lasting Power Pact UV:

(shade chart for Coffret D’Or Lasting Power Pact UV)

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

In the shade chart for all the Sofina Primavista foundations (below), Ochre 05 is marked as the “standard shade”, which is the shade that suits most people of East-Asian descent. This happens to be the shade I would usually go for, as the second lightest Ochre shade usually suits me quite well.

(shade chart for all Primavista foundations)

(image from www.sofina.com/jp/primavista)

If you are of East-Asian descent and you have never tried a foundation from Japanese brand, then I would recommend trying an Ochre shade, which is likely to suit you reasonably well. Also, once you know what an Ochre (neutral) shade looks on you, it is slightly easier to know what to expect if you decide to try a yellow-toned or pink-toned shade.

(Since most Japanese makeup lines are only sold in Japan or in East/ Southeast Asia, the foundation shades are not made to suit a wider range of complexions. If you are of Caucasian descent, then you can probably find Japanese foundation shades that suit you. If you are of Latina or Afro-Caribbean descent, then most Japanese foundations might be too light for you. But I have had good feedback from readers of Afro-Caribbean descent on Japanese loose powder products, which are usually translucent and can work for most complexions.)

However, not all Japanese foundation shades are categorized like what you see above. Other brands use a linear presentation of the shades and the shade names don’t suggest their undertone. Below is Paul & Joe’s Protective Fluid Foundation N:

(Paul & Joe Protective Fluid Foundation N)
(image from www.paul-joe-beaute.com)

Overall it can be a lot trickier to tell which shade would suit you the most. In this case, apart from weeding out shades that might be too light/dark for you, try to compare the swatches in terms of yellow/pink undertones.

(If I have to pick a shade only by looking at the swatches here, I would first eliminate the two lightest shades, 10 and 20. I tend to avoid peachy/pink-toned shades, and 30 looks like a shade that might work for me as it looks slightly more yellow-toned than the neighboring shades.)

Having to choose a foundation shade on-line can be very difficult. (I can occasionally choose the wrong shade even when I can see all the shades in person…) But once you have some experience, things will get a lot easier.

(Sometimes it might be worth learning to recognize the Japanese characters for the three shade groups. Please refer to the Primavista shade chart for the characters (those printed within the color swatches). The names happen to be the same ones used by Maquillage, so you will be able to make more sense of the shades you see for Maquillage’s Lasting Powdery UV at the top of this post.)

Are you ready for some on-line browsing? Tomorrow I will talk about some popular Japanese base makeup lines.

Related posts:

Jill Stuart Moist Silk Foundation

Majolica Majorca Skin Remake Compact

Japanese Base Makeup Week Part 1 & Part 2

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Japanese Base Makeup Week (Part 2)

by PJ on Tuesday, March 3, 2009

in _Japanese Base Makeup Week, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation, makeup - base makeup - powder, makeup - base makeup - primer/concealer

Part 2: When are they coming out?

(Sofina Primavista’s spring/summer 2009
base makeup lineup)

(image from www.sofina.co.jp/primavista)

Partly due to the speed of development in Japanese base makeup (and partly due to marketing tactics), the frequency in which a brand’s base makeup products get updated is a lot higher than that of most western brands.

Many major Japanese beauty brands release two base makeup collections a year. Spring/summer releases are usually in March and April, and fall/winter releases are usually in September and October. (They are more or less released two months after the seasonal point makeup collections are available.)

The size of the collection varies. Sometimes there are just a couple of items (perhaps a new foundation and a primer), and sometimes there can be a major collection revamp.

Very often, when a new product is launched, the existing equivelant will be discontinued. This means that a Japanese base makeup product can sometimes only be available for 12 months. (This is especially the case with some department store brands.) For example, during the Raycious era (2000 – 2007), a new powder foundation was released every March and the previous version would be discontinued. Not all the products are updated at this rate, but many do get revamped about every other year.

So, on the whole, every six months, a base makeup collection goes through an update, and possibly a few products are phased out. (One obvious exception would be a new base make range whose lineup is still growing, like Primavista.) My suggestion is that, if you discover a Japanese base makeup product that you can’t live without, consider picking up some extras. (The next version might not suit you equally.)

There are some general differences between spring/summer and fall/winter releases. Spring/summer releases tend to have higher SPF and PA. They are often more sweat-resistant and are better at sebum-control, and the finish is often slightly more matte. Sometimes, the coverage is more on the natural side.

Fall/winter releases usually have a more emollient texture. The foundations sometimes have more coverage, and the finish is more luminous. The primers tend to be for further moisturizing the skin.

It can be quite useful to know in which season a product (particularly a foundation) is released. In Japan, there is quite a big temperature difference between summer and winter. If you have combination or oily skin and you happen to live in a tropical or sub-tropical climate, you probably don’t need a very emollient cream foundation (even though it might be a best seller in Japan.)

(Though the choice of a powder foundation or a liquid/cream foundation is often a matter of preference, I tend to suggest powder foundations for people with combination or oily skin. I think those with normal or drier skin do have more choices. Liquid/cream foundations would generally work fine, and there are some powder foundations with a very smooth and velvety texture that can work very well on dry skin even without a primer.)

Apart from regularly checking the official websites of Japanese beauty brands, Japanese beauty magazines offer great editorial content on new base makeup releases. Biteki runs a major base makeup feature twice a year (usually in the May and October issues). Voce’s popular monthly feature, “Voce Experiment” regularly tests out the latest foundations. Even if you don’t read Japanese, these features are usually abundant in photos of new products.

Tomorrow, I will touch upon the choice of foundation shade.

SUQQU Base Makeup Kit

Esprique Precious Spring/Summer 2009 Base Makeup Collection

Japanese Base Makeup Week (Part 1)

{ 6 comments }

Japanese Base Makeup Week (Part 1)

by PJ on Monday, March 2, 2009

in _Japanese Base Makeup Week, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation, makeup - base makeup - powder, makeup - base makeup - primer/concealer

Part 1: Why Japanese?

(from Kanebo Coffret d’Or via YouTube)

Many years ago, I read an article on Japanese base makeup, which mentioned that the technologies in Japan involved in producing base makeup were about a decade ahead of those of most western brands. While it is not easy to prove this (and whether it is still true today), I do feel that Japanese base makeup items are constantly out-doing their western counterparts.

It seems that we can draw inferences from the cultural side of things. I have often heard that, if one can only choose to wear one makeup item for the day, a western consumer is likely to choose a mascara (or an eyeliner). On the other hand, a Japanese consumer would go for a foundation. (It can be a sweeping generalization, but I do find some truth in it.)

From the articles written by Kaoru Saito, a Japanese beauty expert, it seems that Japanese people perceive having shine and open pores in public as something impolite. Having a fresh and impeccable complexion, free from shine and open pores, seems to be part of the social etiquette. (Maybe this is why there are a lot more products (mainly primers) that tackle these two issues in Japanese beauty brands.)

In this case, it is the consumers’ needs that drive product research and innovation, and the result is products that work better.

I have oily skin and almost always use a powder foundation, and I think I probably want quite a lot from it. I want it to have a fair amount of coverage but to still look natural. I want it to cancel out mild redness, conceal pores, control sebum and last throughout the day. The powder should have a smooth texture, and the finish should be predominantly matte.

Generally, I find that Japanese foundations cancel out mild redness and conceal pores considerably more effectively than western ones. Also, the foundations I have tried that have a good sebum-control efficacy are all from Japanese lines. So, based on personal experience, I’d say that Japanese base makeup products generally perform a lot better.

(I have less experience with liquid/cream foundations. If you have any observation on how Japanese products fare with western ones, please do let me know your thoughts.)

In the next few days, I will talk briefly about the rhythm of product releases in Japanese base makeup, how to choose the right shade, some Japanese beauty brands that are particularly known for base makeup, and some of my personal favorites and recommendations. Do come back!

(The ad on top of this post is the TV ad for Coffret D’Or’s latest powder foundation, Lasting Power Pact UV. It was officially out on March 1st and is something I am interested in trying.)

Continue reading the series:

Part 2: When are they coming out?

Part 3: Which one is my shade?

Part 4: Which brand shall I look into?

Part 5: My Favorites (& Yours)

Western vs. Japanese…Who’s Winning?

All About Japanese Cosmetics

“Japanese Brand Profile” Series

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Coming Up: Japanese Base Makeup Week

by PJ on Friday, February 20, 2009

in all about Japanese cosmetics, announcement, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation, makeup - base makeup - powder, makeup - base makeup - primer/concealer

To me, one of the most fascinating aspects of Japanese cosmetics is the generally outstanding quality of the base makeup*.

In the first week of March, I will be posting five articles on Japanese base makeup. These posts are largely based on the questions that I have often been asked in the past two years by readers new to or interested in Japanese makeup. I hope these articles will be helpful to some of you as well as any future reader who might have similar questions.

The first article will go up on Monday March 2nd. If you have any question on Japanese base makeup or suggestions on what you would like to see covered, please feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail.

Thank you very much, and stay tuned!

* In Japan, “base makeup” (or “base make”) refers to items applied before any color is added. They include primers, concealers, foundations, highlighting/contouring items, and loose/pressed powder. With some Japanese brands, they can also include delicately pigmented blushers.

Items featured in the photo:

Jill Stuart Moist Silk Foundation

Paul & Joe Light Cream Foundation

Anna Sui Fluid Foundation

{ 10 comments }

Holiday 2008 Review – Bobbi Brown Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick Compact

by PJ on Wednesday, December 3, 2008

in -Bobbi Brown, 2008 Holiday, makeup, makeup - base makeup - powder, makeup - blusher, makeup - eyeshadow

Shimmer Brick is probably one of Bobbi Brown‘s most popular items. For holiday 2008, Bobbi Brown has released a limited-edition Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick Compact.

The five subtly different shades are packaged in a very glamorous gold case with a decent-sized mirror, although the case always seems slightly lighter than how I’d like it to be (especially when I compare it with Dior’s Night Diamond, which is smaller and thinner but a lot heavier).

The compact includes various shades of beige and light bronze. The combination of these shades is a warm beige with hints of gold that should suit most skin tones (unless you have a cool-toned fair skin tone, in which case a platinum-toned highlighter would be more complementary). When applied with a powder brush, the finish is shimmery with visible multi-colored shimmery particles. When used as eyeshadows, they can be built up to a metallic finish (with a low pigmentation level.)

I personally find this compact to be the most useful as a highlighter for cheek bones. (For me, it is almost too shimmery for the T-zone.) I use it over my powder foundation and under my (predominantly matte) loose powder. This way, the finish is more glowy than shimmery and suits me a lot better.

Apart from a face highlighter, it can be easily used as a body shimmer to add a bit of pizazz to your party looks.

For swatches and FOTDs, please check out this post by The Muse at Musings of a Muse.

Bobbi Brown Basics Eye Palette

Bobbi Brown Metallic Eye Shadows

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