makeup – base makeup

Coffret D’Or Spring/Summer 2009 Base Makeup Collection

by PJ on Monday, December 8, 2008

in -Coffret d'Or, -Kanebo, 2009 Spring, makeup, makeup - base makeup

The Voce Editor’s blog now has a photo of Coffret D’Or’s spring/summer 2009 base makeup collection.

The collection will include a new powder foundation, a new liquid foundation (Soft Gel Foundation UV), new makeup bases, and a new loose powder (possibly with a brush dispenser).

Coffret D’Or’ Beauty Lasting Pack UV is one of the best powder foundations I have tried in the past couple of years (in terms of my own needs, which are pore coverage and shine control). It does slightly fall short on coverage, and I am eager to see how the new version performs.

The post also includes a photo of SK-II‘s new whitening range and a photo of Giorgio Armani‘s new men’s skincare range.

Updated on January 9th, 2009:

More information on the items.

Coffret D’Or Spring 2009 Point Makeup Collection

Coffret D’Or Holiday 2008 Collection

Coffret D’Or Makeup Powder

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Makeup Review: RMK Christmas Palette 2008

by PJ on Wednesday, November 26, 2008

in -RMK, 2008 Holiday, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - powder, makeup - blusher, makeup - eyeshadow, makeup - lip gloss, makeup - mascara

For the last few holiday seasons, RMK has brought out luxury makeup palettes that include items for eyes, cheeks, and lips. Today I am reviewing the 2008 version of the RMK Christmas Palette.

The holiday palette for this year is presented in a rectangular gold pouch with a chic metallic finish. The palette itself is black.

The palette includes four eyeshadows, a travel-sized mascara, a travel-sized lip gloss, face colors, and pressed powder. The pressed powder, powder puff and blusher brush are in the pull-out drawer on the bottom layer.

– Eyeshadows

The three light shades (gold, pink, and green) are very sheer and mainly add (quite sparkly) shimmer to the eyes. The brown is less shimmery and a lot more pigmented. It can be a subtle eyelining shade or part of your smoky-eye look.

– Face Colors

At first, I thought the coral-orange blusher would be too warm for my liking, but it goes on as a nice warm coral-pink that looks surprisingly natural. Both the blusher and the highlighter have shimmer. (The shimmer in the highlighter is more pronounced.)

– Pressed Powder

It goes on luminously matte and has good pore coverage. However, compared with products like Kiss Mat Chiffon Powder and Lavshuca Face Powder in Lucent, it lacks shine control and will not suit those with oily skin.

– Separate Curl Mascara in 01 Black (travel-sized)

This waterproof mascara is part of RMK’s regular mascara lineup. The brush is slightly curled. For me, it creates more volume and definition rather than length. On my lashes, it doesn’t clump or smudge.

– Gloss Lips in EX-11 (limited-edition shade, travel-sized)

This is a semi-sheer gloss with a hint of beige and should suit most complexions. It has very pretty multi-colored shimmer. As far as I remember, RMK’s lip glosses come with a brush applicator. This one has a sponge applicator.

Overall, this set creates a warm and glowy makeup look for the holiday season. How you use the pigmented brown eyeshadow will determine how dramatic the overall look is. If you have been thinking about trying items from RMK, this set (including the brand’s popular items like the mascara and Gloss Lips) is worth considering.

If you would like to see swatches and FOTDs of this palette, please head over here and here. Enjoy!

Review: RMK Fall 2008 Collection

Can’t Live Without – RMK Cleansing Oil

Beauty City Guide – London

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Among My Favorites – Kiss Mat Chiffon Powder

by PJ on Tuesday, November 4, 2008

in -Kiss, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - powder, stash focus

Kiss is a cute Japanese drugstore brand that I have not tried before. The packaging is girlie but is more minimal-looking than that of Lavshuca and Majolica Majorca. Being a lover of loose powder, I decided to get the Mat Chiffon Powder.

It is a translucent powder with a very slight pink tone. The texture of this talc-based powder is very fine and silky. The finish is matte, as the product name suggests. There is minimal shimmer, which does not look apparent on the face. The puff that comes with the powder is soft and a pleasure to use.

(The shade I have is 01 Lucent Rose. At the moment, I think this is the only shade that Mat Chiffon Powder is available in.)

I have been enjoying using this loose powder very much. What I want from a loose powder is shine control and pore coverage, and this product delivers the two plentifully. The skin looks smoother and more polished, and the shine control is very satisfying.

Some of you might remember that Lavshuca’s Face Powder (in Lucent) is one of my favorite loose powder products and may wonder how I compare the two. First of all, Mat Chiffon Powder is now also among my favorite loose powder items as both are great in shine control and pore coverage. But I think I still very slightly prefer the Lavshuca Face Powder because the beige-toned powder evens out redness a little better (whereas Mat Chiffon Powder is pink-toned).

I would recommend this powder to whoever is interested in a good-quality matte loose powder. Also, if you have combination or oily skin and want to stay shine-free for longer during the day, I think this product is very likely to suit you.

(Many thanks to my friend Betsy at Autumn Masquerade for having me try this powder before I bought it. You can read her review of it here.)

Coffret D’Or Makeup Powder

L’Oréal True Match Super-Blendable Powder

Calvin Klein Subliminal Purity Mineral Based Loose Powder

Crème de la Mer The Powder

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Jill Stuart Holiday 2008 Collection

by PJ on Wednesday, October 15, 2008

in -Jill Stuart, 2008 Holiday, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup

(image and info from www.urcosme.com)

Like many other Japanese brands, Jill Stuart will release a makeup set for the holiday season.

The set will include an eye palette (Vintage Glaze), a lip gloss (Deep Bordeaux), a solid perfume ring, a hand mirror, and a vintage-style clutch bag.

As with all the limited-edition holiday items from Jill Stuart, I think this set will sell exceptionally well. So far, the Jill Stuart holiday set I have is from 2005 and is the brand’s first holiday collection. It includes a shimmery face powder (similar to Guerlain Meteorites) and a lip gloss, packaged in a little round box. You can see the items (minus the box) here.

The set will be released in Japan on November 21st (according to Rouge Deluxe) and in Taiwan on December 1st.

Also, Jill Stuart released a base makeup set in Taiwan. The contents differ slightly from those in the Japanese release, but the clutch bag in the set is the same. Please see the photos of the actual items on this Taiwanese blog.

Jill Stuart Fall 2008 Makeup Collection

Jill Stuart Moist Silk Liquid Foundation

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Sofina Primavista Powder Foundation Moist Touch

by PJ on Monday, October 13, 2008

in -Kao, -Primavista, -Sofina, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation

(Sofina Primavista Powder Foundation Moist Touch:
Ochre 03 (left) and Ochre 05)

On September 1st, Sofina‘s Primavista was officially launched as Raycious went into history. Since Raycious had a solid fan base, I think many people have been looking forward to seeing how Primavista will live up to the expectation.

I received trial samples of Powder Foundation Moist Touch and the two primers (Smooth Coat Base and Bright Up Base) some time ago, and today I am sharing my thoughts on the foundation. (I will probably talk about the primers later.)

In short, if you like Raycious powder foundations (especially the later versions), you probably won’t have problems liking this one.

Regardless of how the powder is formulated and the new technologies involved in the production, Primavista’s first powder foundation performs similarly to ones from Raycious, in good ways and bad.

Generally, you will see the same strengths that made Raycious so popular. The staying power is very good and the color of the foundation does not turn dull overtime and pretty much lasts the whole day. However, the glowy finish might not suit people with oily skin or those who want powder foundations to work hard to make pores less visible. (This is the reason why I had to stop buying Raycious foundations as the later versions were too glowy for me.)

I use #22 in ZA Two-Way Foundation and find Ochre 05 a relatively good match.

Overall, I think this powder foundation will suit people with no problem with excessive sebum. But one interesting thing is that, back in the Raycious days, there were no powder foundations released for fall/winter. (It was always a liquid foundation.) So maybe we’ll see something slightly more matte and more sebum-absorbent in spring 2009. This fall/winter release is called Powder Foundation Moist Touch…maybe the spring/summer 2009 release will be (predictably) called Fresh Touch? We’ll see!

You can read another review of this foundation at Autumn Masquerade.

Sofina Primavista Creamy Compact Foundation

Creating Your New(ish) Foundation Refill

Paul & Joe Fall 2008 Base Makup Collection

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Mineral Makup Review: Alima Cosmetics

by PJ on Friday, October 10, 2008

in makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - powder, makeup - base makeup - primer/concealer, makeup - blusher, makeup - eyeshadow, mineral makeup

(Clockwise from top:
Color Balancing Powder in Buttercup,
Satin Finishing Powder in Keiko,
Satin Matte Blush in Tulip,
Pearluster Eyeshadow in Taupe
Luminous Shimmer Eyeshadow in Aubergine)

Among so many mineral makeup brands that have been trying to be part of the mineral movement, Alima is one of those that seem to have been noticed by many. Today I am reviewing its items for face, cheeks, and eyes.

– Color Balancing Powder in Buttercup

It is supposed to work as a primer and is applied before the (mineral) foundation. It is available in tinted yellow, lavender, pink, and green. Buttercup is the tinted-yellow one, and I’ve tried applying it as a primer before my ZA Two-Way Foundation. The powder does have a little bit of coverage and evens out the complexion to some extend, which means my foundation does not have to work that hard. However, like many mineral items for the face, it can dry out my skin, which I can feel after I take my makeup off in the evening. I prefer using it as a setting powder after my foundation. The matte finish helps control the shine although it does not happen to have any noticeable pore coverage.

– Satin Finishing Powder in Keiko

This is a fairly decent setting powder with a very softly luminous finish that doesn’t look shimmery. It is less matte and has less coverage than Color Balancing Powder but it has slightly more pore coverage. Keiko will suit light complexions.

– Satin Matte Blush in Tulip

Tulip is another item that will suit light complexions. It is nicely moderately pigmented, unlike some other mineral blushers which are too densely pigmented and are difficult to work with. The finish looks very natural, but I think it might look ashy on darker skin tones.

– Pearluster Eyeshadow in Taupe

Among all the mineral makeup items I have tried, I tend to like eyeshadows more than anything else. The two Alima eyeshadows I’ve tried continue the postive experience. (On the other hand, I think mineral foundations still have a lot of room for improvement in many respects.) Taupe has a very pearly and almost metallic shimmer. I usually wouldn’t go for such a finish, but, since this shade goes on only slightly darker than my skin tone without looking either too ashy/greyish or too bronze, the very pearly finish actually works fine for me. As a very subtle shading color, it gently adds depth to as well as brightens up my eyes.

– Luminous Shimmer Eyeshadow in Aubergine

Aubergine is a deep violet that works well as a lining shade and it can also be used to create an intense smoky-eye look. It is quite shimmery but noticeably less pearly/metallic than Taupe, which I will take to be the difference between the two eyeshadow ranges. Some violet shades can go greyish in hours, but I am relatively pleased with how Aubergine’s color and shimmery finish last.

Overall, I think the eyeshadows are good items to try if you are interested in testing out the brand. The good things about Alima’s on-line shop are that small samples are available for purchase and that the color swatches seem fairly accurate (based on the items reviewed above). Also, you can check the ingredient lists of all the products, which is particularly useful if you have very sensitive skin.

My “Mineral Makeup” category

ck Calvin Klein Subliminal Purity Mineral Based Loose Powder

Foundation Face-Off: Lunasol vs. Coffret D’Or

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Sofina Primavista Creamy Compact Foundation

by PJ on Thursday, September 18, 2008

in -Kao, -Primavista, -Sofina, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup

(image from www.joseishi.net/voce/)

Back in the Raycious days, I don’t recall a creamy compact foundation being released. (The (remotely) closest product was probably the Stick Foundation, which has a cream-to-powder consistency.)

On October 14th, Primavista, Raycious’ successor, will release Creamy Compact Foundation (SPF 33, PA++), which follows the launch collection released on September 1st. It claims to be able to create a smoother and softer appearance for the skin.

My skin is usually too oily for any liquid or cream foundation, so I am not personally excited by this. (Bare in mind that many technically “oil-free” products use waxy substances instead to help the product glide, and they can feel equally greasy for people with oily skin.) But I will still be interested to read about feedback for any Primavista release.

Paul & Joe Fall 2008 Base Makeup Collection

SUQQU Fall 2008 Base Makeup Collection

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Creating Your New(ish) Foundation Refill

by PJ on Wednesday, September 17, 2008

in -Shiseido, -ZA, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation

I am sure many of you have been doing what I do with powder foundations, but since I was again making a new refill a couple of days ago, I thought I’d document it and share it with you.

Some of us who regularly use a powder foundation might find that, as we get towards the end of a refill, the application takes longer and longer as the sponge has to dig into the corners. It can be a bit of a pain, and we just want to open up a new refill.

Some years ago, with several nearly finished refills like those you see above (from different brands actually), I decided to try putting all the powder together and I was a little surprised to see how much powder was actually left on each tray. So I started to save somewhat finished refills to make a new one later. (I stopped pushing my sponge to the very end…)

The steps are what you see in the photos below:

1. Find a small (and perfectly clean) spoon or spatula. (I prefer a plastic one to a metal one.)

2. Start scraping! (Imagine that you are clearing the corners of a delicious Japanese bento box.)

3. Realize how much powder is still left.

4. Put all the leftover powder into one tray. (Here, I have powder from four nearly finished refills of ZA Two-Way Foundation.)

5. With your spoon/spatula, gently pat the powder down.

6. Lay a piece of tissue (which I have folded here) on top of the powder, and apply even and firm pressure with your fingers. Pay specific attention to the corners.

7. Reveal your (semi-)new refill! (The one here is about 75-80% full and will last quite a while for me.)

Tips:

1. Obviously the powder is not pressed to an industrial standard, so we have to be slightly more light-handed with the sponge than usual.

2. Sometimes our complexions can be between two shades with our favorite foundations, and sometimes we are happy with a shade but not the finish. These steps are good for customizing your own powder foundation, as you can mix and match from the same brand or different brands.

3. Make sure you store the nearly-finished refills in a clean/dry place just like your new ones. (I always save the refill boxes for this purpose.)

I hope you find this useful. If you have any related tip that you would like to share with us, do please post it in the comment section!

More beauty-related tips:

Can’t Live Without – Starbucks Napkins

Seasonal Sales on Cosmetics in the UK

Would you like some samples?

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Thoughts in Brief – Blusher, Primers, and Jasmin Noir

by PJ on Friday, September 12, 2008

in -Bulgari, -Chanel, -Paul & Joe, all about Japanese cosmetics, fragrance, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - blusher

(Les Tissages de Chanel)
(image from www.iswii.net)

I came across some items I was looking forward to testing out in shops earlier this week, and here are my thoughts in brief. (I only tested them on the back of my hands, not on my face.)

– Chanel (Les Tissage de Chanel)

Those of you who find the Irréelle Blush range to be too sheer might be interested in knowing that the powder of this new range is soft and more pigmented. Among the four shades available at the moment, Pink (seen above) and Rose are more of my shades. But Pink is a little too Barbie-pink for me (it is brighter than the color seen above) and Rose is a little too warm for me. Plus, all shades come with gold flecks (I prefer matte blushers). I personally still prefer the Irréelle range and Les Tissages de Chanel is now off my shopping list for the moment.

Even though they are priced at 29 GBP, which is expensive, I think the smooth texture and the shimmer should still tempt many people.

– Paul & Joe (Moisturizing Foundation Primer)

As I was expecting, 01 and 02 seem similar to the previous versions (Foundation Primer N in 01 (reviewed earlier) and 02). I was under the impression that 03, the new shade, would be sheerer and more shimmery, but I wasn’t totally right. It goes on sheer, but it has more or less the same level of (subtle) shimmer as 01 and 02, which is good to know. It is supposed to further condition the skin without adding any color before your foundation and to help the foundation stay on longer.

However, even though the texture of all three shades are basically the same, 03 is formulated differently and has alcohol. It is a real shame. (I nearly decided to buy it.)

– Laura Mercier (Eye Basics)

I tried Eyebright (light blue) and Cotton (off-white cream). I was delighted with the light and almost fluffy texture. It was very easy to blend and I was impressed by how quickly and firmly it set. Also, it didn’t seem to budge, even under a bit of rain. It does seem to be water-resistant, as the Laura Mercier website claims.

– Bulgari (Jasmin Noir)

I like Bulgari’s Voile de Jasmin, and I was looking forward to the new Jasmin Noir. It is deeper and more intense, and it is more of an evening scent that is launched for the right season. It seems to be more complex than Voile de Jasmin and overall it feels less floral. It also smells far less of jasmine than Voile de Jasmin, which I think I like a lot better. (By the way, Harrods was launching B de Boucheron in the fragrance hall. I didn’t like it enough to want to buy it, but to me it was quite appealing.)

You can read more about both Jasmin Noir and B de Boucheron on Now Smell This. (It seems that the reviewer also thinks Jasmin Noir’s jasmine note is faint.)

Chanel Irréelle Blush in Tea Rose

Paul & Joe Fall 2008 Base Makeup Collection

Bulgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert

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Kanebo Milano Collection 2009

by PJ on Friday, September 5, 2008

in -Kanebo, -Kanebo Milano Collection, 2008 Holiday, all about Japanese cosmetics, fragrance, makeup, makeup - base makeup

(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/milano-collection)

Milano Collection is an annual release of a luxury pressed powder and an eau de parfum from Kanebo. I believe it is only available in Asia.

The Milano Collection 2009 includes:

– Milano Collection 2009 Face Up Powder (SPF 14, PA ++)

The set retails for 12600 JPY. Cosme.Net also quotes 21000 JPY for the set plus an extra refill. The powder puff includes high-quality silk produced in Kyoto.

(image from www.cosme.net)

– Milano Collection 2009 Eau de Parfum

It is a rose-based scent which also features notes of cassis, apple, lemon, camomile, jasmine, melon, musk, and amber. It retails for 15750 JPY for 60ml.

This is a pre-order-only collection, and the pre-order period ends on September 19th. The eau de parfum will be available for collection on November 16th and the Face Up Powder will be available on December 16th.

You can see all the annual designs of the pressed powder from 1991 here.

My Foundation Routine

Sofina Raycious Case Galore

“An Unprecedented Masterpiece”: SUQQU Clear Veil Powder

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