makeup

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.

{ 12 comments }

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

{ 22 comments }

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

{ 12 comments }

Makeup Review: SUQQU Contour Shadows

by PJ on Monday, March 2, 2009

in -SUQQU, 2009 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(image from www.suqqu.com/japan.html)

Over the years, SUQQU has been going beyond consistently good quality, exquisitely sophisticated colors, and stunning promotional images. It continues to come up with new product designs (such as Clear Veil Powder, reviewed later on) and strengthen an existing makeup concept.

The new Contour Shadows, available in 5 shades, are a great example of how a brand takes on a makeup concept, explores it, and comes up with its own unique interpretation and wearable products. Also, this is a collection where products for a relatively peripheral purpose take center stage (and very deservedly so).

Contour Shadows are part of SUQQU’s spring 2009 makeup collection, which is inspired by the colors of cherry blossoms. They are worn under the brow bones to accentuate the eyes and highlight the brow bones. The uniqueness of these items is that they are all with varying degrees and tones of pink. The idea is to create a fresh, delicate and youthful look for the eye area with a pink-toned shade.

This idea immediately intrigues me. Some people use a frosty silvery shade to highlight the brow bones. The look can be quite harsh and severe, as it overtakes rather than accentuates the eye area. The three shades below effectively highlight the brow bones and enhance the dimension of the eye area, but they all have a very natural and delicate finish.

(Contour Shadow in 02)

02 is essentially what the Contour Shadow range is all about and is the shade used on the model in the promotional image above. It is a very soft neutral pink (neither too cool nor too warm) with a glowy finish and fine multi-colored shimmer. One layer of it gives you a subtle pink glow. More layers will give you more color as well as the look you see on the ad image above.

While an usual brow highlighter can perform just as well in nearly all aspects, a pink-toned highlighter seems to infuse a lovely and fresh vividness in the eye area (and even in the whole face) which the usual white-toned, silver-toned or fleshed-toned brow highlighters are not able to bring out.

(Contour Shadow in 01)

(Contour Shadow in EX-02 (limited-edition))

01 and EX-02 are closer to the brow-highlighting shades that we would usually expect. 01 is an off-white with a very faint neutral-to-warm pink iridescence, and EX-02 is an off-white with a very subtle neutral-to-cool pink undertone. 01 is more glowy than EX-02, and both shades have less shimmer than 02.

All three shades are (almost precisely) pigmented in such a way that they never look too bright or harsh (even if you are quite heavy-handed with them). At the same time, they can be layered to create subtly different degrees of intensity to go with your overall makeup looks (especially with 02).

The brush in the compact has very soft hair and is nicely-shaped to do the job it is supposed to do. With very minimal effort, it dispenses the product very gently and evenly and leaves no demarcation lines.

If you would like to try one shade from the Contour Shadow range, I would definitely recommend 02. It is the shade that represents this range and it is more difficult to find the same shade (with the same finish and pigmentation level) from other brands.

Overall, these items truly exemplify the attention to detail in Japanese cosmetics (which is also a reflection of the Japanese culture). To come up with a new product range with five shades just for the brow bones almost defies the current economic climate where beauty companies try to come up with products that work for all complexions and where many consumers opt for multi-purposed products. But for a makeup fan like me, it is almost as if SUQQU shared the meticulous passion for the right product for one very specific purpose.

SUQQU’s spring 2009 makeup collection is out now in Japan and will be available in London’s Selfridges from March 5th. (Check the SUQQU global website for the spring 2009 collection event from the 5th to the 8th.)

Next week, I will be reviewing more items from the collection.

My Personal Take on SUQQU

SUQQU Creamy Lipstick in 22

SUQQU Makeup Base Creamy & Brightup

{ 4 comments }

Makeup Review: Barry M Cosmetics (2)

by PJ on Thursday, February 26, 2009

in makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, makeup - mascara

(Eyeliner Pen in Dark Emerald)

Earlier this month, I reviewed the colorful Deluxe Eyeshadow Kit from Barry M Cosmetics. Today I will be talking about three other (nicely turquoise and purple) items from Barry M: Eyeliner Pen, Super Soft Eye Crayon, and Lengthening Coloured Mascara.

The Eyeliner Pen boasts a “waterproof, smudge-proof, and super long-wear” formula, and it is not an exaggeration. Once it sets, it is indeed smudge-proof and doesn’t budge. (This is not a smudge-able eyeliner for creating a smoky look.)

The retractable pen glides on very smoothly and the color is richly intense. The shade in Dark Emerald is more of a deep turquoise than emerald and beautifully so, with a softly metallic finish.

Available in eight shades, Eyeliner Pen includes some vibrant colors such as pink, silver, and gold. I would love to see a deep purple in this range.

(Super Soft Eye Crayon in No. 5 Purple)

The Super Soft Eye Crayon (5 shades) in Purple is a warm medium purple with a subtly pearly finish. It is quite a nice soft shade for daytime makeup.

I expected this to have some blendability, but it doesn’t have a lot of it. It does go on relatively smoothly but it doesn’t have a lot of movement when blended with fingers. Overall I see this as a moderately-pigmented chunky eyeliner or an eyeshadow that is applied close to the lashline.

(Lengthening Coloured Mascara in Electric Purple)

The Lengthening Coloured Mascara is available in 5 bright shades and adds color to the lashes. Electric Purple is a medium-to-dark warm purple that is pigmented and opaque enough to cover the original dark color of my lashes.

It gently lengthens the lashes (without clumping) and doesn’t add a lot of volume. While it does not dramatically lengthen or volumize the lashes, it can be a fun item to have if you want some funky color on your lashes. It can be used alone or on top of your usual lengthening/volumizing mascara or mascara base. For a pop of color, try using it on the ends of the lashes or on the lashes towards the outer corners of the eyes.

The Lengthening Coloured Masara range is waterproof, even though neither the packaging nor Barry M’s website indicates so.

Cult Product in the Making: MAMEW Mascara Kit

Clinique (Truly) Naturally Glossy Mascara

Kasalan Patharan Eye Color Palette in S007

{ 2 comments }

RMK for London Fashion Week

by PJ on Wednesday, February 18, 2009

in -RMK, 2009 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(image from www.rmkrmk.com)

RMK will be hosting an event for London Fashion Week from 19th to 25th of February.

The RMK makeup artists will give you a makeover using RMK’s base makeup products as well as items from the spring 2009 “Spring Translucence” makeup collection.

Also, on the 19th and 21st, you can also book to experience the latest catwalk hairstyles with Wella, Schwarzkopf and Frédéric Fekkai hair stylist Dawn Wellam, who will demonstrate the spring hairstyle trends to go with RMK’s spring makeup looks.

The booking fee is £20, which is redeemable against purchases on the day. Booking customers will receive a skincare trial kit, and those with purchases over £50 and £70 will also receive, respectively, the RMK spring/summer 09 scented candle and a handy cheek brush.

For more information and for booking an appointment, please call RMK at Selfridges on 0207 318 3538.

(information from RMK)

RMK Water Color Eyes in 02 Lavender

Beauty City Guide: London

{ 4 comments }

Makeup Review: Barry M Deluxe Eyeshadow Kit

by PJ on Monday, February 16, 2009

in makeup, makeup - eyeshadow

Founded by Barry Mero in 1982, Barry M has been quite a popular UK makeup line here. Its vibrant colors, reminiscent of the 80s when the line started, always seem to stand out among other drugstore lines in Boots and Superdrug stores. Today I am reviewing the Deluxe Eyeshadow Kit.

The cardboard compact comes with a mirror and a double-ended sponge applicator.

From top to bottom, left to right:

– dark royal blue, yellow gold, warm purple
– aqua blue, dark grey, cool green
– beige gold, silver, medium brown

The finish and the pigmentation level seem unified across the board. All the colors are well-pigmented. They have a subtle pearly finish with very fine shimmer. None of the shades looks overly frosty.

The colors go on quite smoothly and blend well, and the staying powder is good

I like the fact that the nine colors range from the neutral and office-friendly beige gold and brown to the more 80s-tastic blue, green, and purple. (These three colors go on very slightly lighter, but they are still very vibrant.)

The bright shades complement one another. The aqua blue and the green (with a hint of light turquoise) blend with each other well when I try to wear both of them at the same time. Also, the neutrals can create quite a seamless gradational look.

To have fun with the palette, you can take the three colors from each row or column and see what look you can come up with. (I find that most of the combinations do make sense, and I particularly like the top row, with blue, purple, and gold.)

Considering the fact that Barry M’s eyeshadow singles (Dazzle Dust) cost 4.50 GBP each, the Deluxe Eyeshadow Kit’s price tag (9.95 GBP) seems modest. I think this is a good palette to go for either if you would like a versatile palette at an affordable price or if you want to experiment with colors that you don’t really wear very often.

(The Barry M website ships internationally.)

Related posts (other good items at affordable prices):

– Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush

– Simple Moisturising Facial Wash

– Olay Complete Care Night Enriched Cream

{ 10 comments }

Jill Stuart Mix Blush Compact in 01 Baby Blush

by PJ on Monday, February 9, 2009

in -Jill Stuart, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - blusher, stash focus

Since Jill Stuart‘s Mix Blush Compact was launched in fall 2007, it has become one of the brand’s most popular products. Currently, there are six shades available. (01, 02, 03, and 04 were out in fall 2007, 06 was released in spring 2008, and 07 and 08 were recently available for spring 2009. 05 was a limited-edition item in fall 2007.) Today I am sharing my thoughts on 01 Baby Blush.

Like all the other variations, the blusher comes in a very pretty and princessy compact. A retractable brush is attached to the compact. (It can be detached.)

All Mix Blush Compacts feature four shades that can be used separately or together. I decided to go for 01, which contained an off-white pink, two cool pinks, and one warm pink with a hint of coral.

The powder is very fine and silky. The lightest shade has a pearly finish and some fine shimmery particles, while the other three have a subtly luminous finish. Used together, they give a glowy finish to the cheeks. I personally think it is a little too glowy for me, so I usually skip the lightest shade. The lasting power is fairly good, and the fresh cool-pink shade doesn’t turn dull overtime.

I am sure many of you have read other reviews of Mix Blush Compacts, and opinions seem to vary with regard to the quality of the brush and the pigmentation level of the colors. I think the quality of the brush is decent. The hair is nicely dense and the bristle-heads are soft to the touch, but the hair is slightly stiff. The brush is on the small side but it can be very useful in picking up individual colors from the compact.

In terms of the color intensity, I would say the blusher is moderately pigmented. You will be likely to think it is quite sheer if you are used to some of the highly pigmented blushers from MAC and Bobbi Brown. But Japanese blushers, overall, tend to be subtle and are more about recreating the natural flush, and Mix Blush Compact is actually more pigmented than items like Lavshuca’s Cheek Color in 01 and SUQQU’s Blend Cheeks in 05. (Personally, I prefer lightly-to-moderately blushers, and I actually have to be slightly light-handed with it.)

Overall, Mix Blush Compact is a very good item, as it combines beautiful packaging and a solid performance of the colors. Last year, I came across the news that Jill Stuart Beauty would be launched in the US this year. If you are interested in trying out the line, I think Mix Blusher Compact is a good item to go for.

Related posts:

A Touch of Blusher talks…blushers!

Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in 04

Chanel Irréelle Blush in Tea Rose

Western vs. Japanese…Who’s Winning?

{ 12 comments }

SUQQU Base Makeup Kit & Pore Covering Base

by PJ on Thursday, February 5, 2009

in -SUQQU, 2009 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(images and info from www.cosme.net)

On March 6th, SUQQU will release Base Makeup Kit, which includes four existing items from SUQQU’s base makeup range. The kit (10,500 JPY) includes:

– Liquid Foundation Aqua (full-sized)
– Makeup Base Creamy (travel-sized, 7g; please see my review here)
– Loose Powder Natural (travel-sized, 5.5g)
– Loose Powder Deep (travel-sized, 5.5g)
– original pouch

This is a good set to go for if you are interested in trying items from SUQQU’s renowned base makeup range. Also, it is nice that the kit includes both Loose Powder Natural and Deep, which are supposed to be used together (Natural for highlighting and Deep for contouring).

Also, on March 6th, SUQQU will release Pore Covering Base, which will be SUQQU’s fourth primer.