Makeup, Skincare, Fragrance and a Bit of Fashion
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lavshuca/)
Also, if you are interested, please have a look at my other Lavshuca-related posts.
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(Clock-wise from top-right:Setting Powder (in Translucent)
This is a loose powder for setting your foundation. It is not totally translucent as the name of the shade suggests, as the white powder does have a bit of coverage. If you have darker skin tones, this might leave a white cast on you. On the other hand, if the foundation you are using is a little too dark for your complexion, this setting powder can be of some help.
This matte powder is fairly good in controlling shine, but it has little efficacy in covering pores.
Eyeshadows (in Velvet, Pixie, and Gift)
Velvet is a medium-to-dark warm purple, Pixie is a pale lilac, and Gift is a medium-to-warm muted pink. Velvet is slightly too dark for me as a shadowing shade, so I pair it with Pixie and use it as a lining shade while Pixie gently lights up the eyes. But my favorite shade among the three is Gift, which is a wearable pink and a nicely subtle shadowing shade for daytime.
All the three colors have sparse shimmering particles over a predominantly matte finish. While I like the softly matte finish, which doesn’t look too heavy or chalky, I feel that the shimmering particles look a little flat and they are slightly too big to go with the matte finish of the colors themselves.
Also, they are not very easy to blend, which is particularly problematic for the darker Velvet, but the saving grace is their satisfactory staying power.
Blush (in Smitten)
Afterglow’s (UK) website describes Smitten as a “cool medium pink with matte finish”, which doe not seem accurate. According to the photos on-line, Smitten does seem to be on the cooler end of the brand’s blushers, but the shade itself is definitely not a cool medium pink. It is a very warm peach with a slightly dark brick-red undertone. But it is indeed matte as described.
It is very pigmented, so make sure that you apply as little of it as you can and gradually build it up. The staying power is as good as the eyeshadows. If you like warm-toned heavily pigmented blushers, then those from Afterglow might be worth your consideration.
Like many other mineral makeup lines, Afterglow’s items can potentially be ideal for people with sensitive skin. (Full ingredient lists are available on the US website.) However, it would be great if the brand could work on the finish of the eyeshadows as well as come up with a couple of cool-toned blushers to suit more skin tones.
Other mineral makeup reviews:
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(Beauté de Kosé fall 2008 collection)More from Kosé for fall 2008:
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(Elsia fall 2008 foundation lineup)Powder-type:
– Moist Foundation (SPF 22, PA++)
– Lift Foundation (SPF 22, PA++)
– White Foundation (SPF 26, PA++)
Liquid/cream-type:
– Moist Cream Foundation N (SPF 25, PA++)
– White Liquid Foundation (SPF 26, PA++)
– White Liquid Foundation Quick Finish (SPF 26, PA++)
(All items are available in 4 shades.)
Among them, the White Liquid Foundation Quick Finish seems particularly interesting since Kosé claims that it is able to create an ideal finish without help from a primer or a setting powder (hence the “quick finish” in the name).
Kosé also mentions the items’ amount of coverage and the finish as relative to one another within the power and liquid/cream types:
Powder-type:
Coverage: Lift > Moist > White
From matte to glowy: White – Most – Lift
Liquid/cream-type:
Coverage:
Moist Cream > Quick Finish > White Liquid
From matte to glowy:
White Liquid – Quick Finish – Moist Cream
Apart from the six new foundation products, Elsia will also release Cheek Color N (4 shades), Quick Dry Nail Color (20 shades), and Cleansing Milk.
Many thanks to Betsy at Autumn Masquerade for alerting me to the news!
Other posts on fall 2008 base makeup collections:
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(Illuminance –Jill Stuart has updated the official website to include information and images of its fall 2008 makeup collection. The collection includes:
– Illuminance Eyes palettes (5 variations, #05 limited-edition)
– Mix Blush Compact Illuminance (2 variations, both limited editions)
– Lip Luster (3 new shades)
– Nail Color N (5 new shades)
(Illuminance Eyes and
(Illuminance Eyes)
(Mix Blush Compact Illuminance)
However, just like the packaging, I am not seeing anything substantially different from past collections. I feel that I have seen almost all these palettes before, and it seems almost as if the gold prints are added to existing shades of the blusher. (By the way, the information sent to Jill Stuart Club members in Taiwan very clearly (and commendably frankly) states that the gold prints will gradually wear off.)
There is no doubt that this is an extremely beautiful and dreamy collection and that these items will sell well. But I suspect some Jill Stuart fans might be slightly disappointed with the fact that the brand hasn’t been trying hard to come up with new and slightly more creative product designs. In a way, the brand has been so successful that there is probably no need to, at least for the moment.
Hopefully there will be nice surprises for the holiday and (especially) the spring 2009 collection. As a fan, I will remain positive.
Other fall 2008 makeup collections from Japan:
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My post on Chanel’s new blusher range, Les Tissages de Chanel, has been updated to include a new image to show the textured look of the product. Have a look!
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The collection will include the line’s first four-color eyeshadow palette and nail colors, along with new additions to the lipstick and lip gloss ranges.
(All images are from Cosme.Net.)
The brown/plum color scheme is very consistent throughout the new collection and creates a lasting visual impact. Plum can be a very flattering shade for many, but it is a little bit on the warm side for me. (I prefer violets and lilacs.) But overall I am very glad to see the line’s first seasonal collection since it was launched in the US and the UK earlier this year. Hope there are many more to come!
Related posts:
ck Calvin Klein Subliminal Purity Mineral Based Loose Powder
Bring It Back! Calvin Klein Cosmetics
ck Calvin Klein Beauty Available in the UK
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(Quatre Eyeshadow Collection)– Quatre Eyeshadow Collection (seen above, 5 variations)
– Lipstick AC (5 new shades)
(all images from i-voce2.com)
The eye palette above looks very pretty and almost reminds me of Lunasol’s Lavender Coral (even though the Sonia Rykiel palette only has one lilac shade). I don’t own a Sonia Rykiel eye palette and this might be a good one to start my collection with…
I will keep you posted when the Sonia Rykiel website is updated to include information and photos of the new collection.
Related Posts:
Beauty Brand Focus – Sonia Rykiel
YSL Fall 2008 Makeup Collection
AYURA Fall 2008 Collection
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(Shiseido Maquillage fall 2008 base makeup collection)– Climax Moisture Liquid (8 shades, SPF 12 PA+)
– Perfect Remake Compact (3 shades, SPF 15 PA+, case and puff sold separately)
– Moisture Retouch Gel (moisturizing primer)
The collection will also feature a foundation case designed by British fashion designer Christopher Kane, who collaborated with Shiseido for Maquillage’s fall 2008 makeup collection. (The case takes rectangular refills from the existing Maquillage powder foundations, not those from the new Perfect Remake Compact.)
Related Posts:
Agyness Deyn for Maquillage Fall 2008
Maquillage Clean Contrast Eyes 2 in SV844
Maquillage Lasting Climax Rouge in RS310
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(Esprique Precious fall 2008 collection)Detailed information of the new items is not yet available on Nikkei Net, but it is known that the collection will include seven new products, including the new eye palette range, lipstick range, and the powder foundation seen above.
Also, as we can see, the line will have its first major image overhaul after it was launched in 2006. The new look features clean off-white cases with decorative details. I think it has a grown-up look but it seems to lack style and character. I would still love to see close-ups of some of the items on the official website and in Japanese beauty magazines later on.
Related Posts:
Gemma Ward for Esprique Precious
(from fall 2006)
Visée Dual Shine Rouge Palette
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Jill Stuart Story of Fragrances Collection for 2025 & 2026 (image from www.cosme.net)
