makeup

YSL Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils

by PJ on Monday, May 19, 2008

in -YSL, makeup, makeup - mascara, stash focus

(YSL Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils in 1 High Density Black)

Two weeks ago, I wrote about Clinique’s Naturally Glossy Mascara, which is one of my favorite mascaras due to its natural subtlety. Today the mascara I am talking about is almost the polar opposite.

YSL‘s Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils does add length, but it is mostly about volume. The heavy-duty densely creamy mascara coats lashes effectively, making them look thicker with minimal efforts. Very little layering is required to achieve a good deal of volume.

The shade in 1 High Density Black is a fairly black shade without greyishness. The intense shade adds to the dramatic effect.

(Perhaps one of the most beautifully packaged mascaras…)

What I have found is that I do have to be quite light-handed with the application. Otherwise it will clump a little. I think the best way to apply this mascara is to use soft upward strokes. The zig-zag technique, which is usually useful in building up volume, will create clumps with this mascara. Also, the mascara seems to dry fairly quickly, so a speedy application is more ideal.

Overall, I think this mascara is designed to perform efficiently with very simple, swift and soft strokes. Some initial practice does pay off in the end.

Like Clinique’s Naturally Glossy Mascara, this mascara has also been around for years, and I am not surprised. If you are after (instant) volume for your lashes, then this mascara might be worth considering.

YSL Golden Gloss
(gold for packaging, gold for lips)

YSL Gold Celebration Palette
(from Holiday 2006)

Keep It Gold – YSL
(my personal take on YSL)

{ 16 comments }

Lavshuca Fall 2008 Collection – First Look

by PJ on Wednesday, May 14, 2008

in -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2008 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(part of the Lavshuca fall 2008 collection)
(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)

Lavshuca will release its fall 2008 collection in Japan on August 1st. The collection includes:

– Rouge Star Classics (11 shades)
– Dual Prism Eyes (8 variations) (More lilac, please…)
– Powder Compact Eyebrow (2 shades)
– Liquid Pen Eyeliner (2 shades)
– Eyeliner Pencil N (2 shades)
– Eyebrow Pencil N (3 shades)
– Creamy Liquid Foundation (5 shades)
– Color Conc Rouge (2 new shades)
– Grade Color Select (2 new shades)

Even though there were a couple of good items, I wasn’t very impressed with Lavshuca’s fall 2007 or spring 2008 collection overall. But they came up with a great summer collection this year and the beautiful packaging evolves towards fall. The look of both the lipsticks and eyeshadow duos is stunning.

For me, it is probably set to be Lavshuca’s best seasonal collection since spring 2007. I think I will surely pick up some of these items!

Lavshuca Eye Color Select in PU-2
(from fall 2007)

Lavshuca Color Conc Rouge in PK-1
(from fall 2007)

Lavshuca Winter Make Collection
(from holiday 2007)

Loving Japanese Brands – Lavshuca
(my personal take on my favorite Japanese drugstore brand)

{ 12 comments }

Kate Fall 2008 Collection – First Look

by PJ on Wednesday, May 14, 2008

in -Kanebo, -Kate, 2008 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(part of the Kate fall 2008 collection)
(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)

It is only mid-May, but news of the fall 2008 makeup collections has been rolling in.

Kanebo Kate will release its fall 2008 collection in Japan on August 1st. The collection includes:

– Deep Trap Eyes (5 variations)
– Powder Gel Liner N (4 shades)
– Curb Wax Mascara (1 shade)
– Rouge Extra (14 shades)
– Line Spicy N eye palette (1 new variation)
– Gradical Eyes S palette (1 new variation)
– Glam Trick Eyes palette (1 new variation)

Below is information on how the shades in the new palette series, Deep Trap Eyes, are used:

(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)

Still, I have not yet bought any item from Kate. Would anything from this collection change everything? We’ll see!

Kate: Lavshuca’s Edgier, Darker Sister

Lavshuca Fall 2008 Collection

{ 2 comments }

CHICCA Summer 2008 Collection Update

by PJ on Wednesday, May 14, 2008

in -Chicca, -Kanebo, 2008 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(part of CHICCA’s summer 2008 collection)

CHICCA has updated its website to include full information on the summer 2008 collection: Love Island – Golden Sun.

Please see my previous post for quick details of the collection. For a brief brand profile, please have a look at this post.

Some of you have e-mailed me and told me that you would be travelling to Japan in the coming summer. (By the way, I envy you…) If you are planning to travel to Japan in the near future and are interested in testing out or purchasing some top-end beauty items, CHICCA is one of the brands you might be interested in.

The brand in under the Kanebo group, so the pedigree is there. I have not seen the items in person, but I’d think the quality should be similar to that of SUQQU (also under the Kanebo group), most of whose makeup items are outstanding.

CHICCA is currently only sold in two department stores in Japan: Isetan Shinjuku in Tokyo and Hankyu Umeda in Osaka.

More upcoming collections:

Coffret D’Or Early Fall Collection

Sofina Aube Early Fall Collection

{ 2 comments }

Lavshuca Summer Gradually Compact in Shiny Sandy Beach

by PJ on Tuesday, May 13, 2008

in -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2008 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, stash focus

(Lavshuca Summer Gradually Compact in Shiny Sandy Beach)

After teasing you with a photo of Lavshuca‘s Summer Gradually Compact two weeks ago, I have been trying on the colors. Today I am sharing my thoughts with you.

First let’s look more closely at the shades:

From left to right:
A pale yellow gold with pale gold sparkles (sheer; sparkling)
B medium bronze gold (well-pigmented; very shimmery)
C off-white with very pale champagne gold undertone (sheer; shimmery)
D light-to-medium taupe-brown (moderately pigmented; shimmery)
E medium brown (moderately pigmented; subtly shimmery)
F light beige (very sheer; satiny matte)

(All shades, except F, have very fine multi-colored micro-shimmer.)

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

You can see the instructions on Lavshuca’s website above, and the same instructions are printed on the back of the outer packaging.

In this palette (as well as the other one, Windy Aqua Beach), C, D, and E are the main shades. C is used as a base, D is the main shading color, and E is the eye-lining shade. The matte F is used to accentuate and add depth to the crease and the inner corner of the brow bone. (A tops up the sparkles, and B adds warmth where you want it.)

Here are some of my thoughts:

– The three main shades work very well for me. I don’t like neutral colors to be too warm, and D and E have a coloration very suitable for me. (I have a light-to-medium skin tone.)

– What I love the most about this palette is the soft watery-shimmer effect, which is great for summer. If the shades were too pigmented, the finish would be overly metallic, which I rarely like. (Only B (bronze gold) is very pigmented, while the others are either moderately pigmented or sheer.)

– The eye-lining shade E is only about a shade darker than the main shading color D. For me, E works well as a subtle daytime eyeliner and it blends seamlessly with D. But some people will probably want to use a separate eyeliner for extra depth.

– Both the colors and the shimmer stay on very well, and there is virtually no powder/shimmer fallout.

– I do have two slight complaints. The bronze gold (B) is a little bit too warm for my liking. Also, the shade-enhancing color (F) is very sheer and doesn’t show up on me very much.

Overall I am very happy with the palette. It is a great summer item for a soft and casual look. The soft shimmer does remind me of a glistening sandy beach under the afternoon sun. It might not be the most versatile palette due to the lack of a very dark shade, but for me it is wonderfully wearable.

Please see this post for swatches and the shades worn on the eyes. (Notice that Kate’s Gel Eye Liner in BR-1 is used in the photos.)

If you are also interested in the other palette, Windy Aqua Beach, please head over to Autumn Masquerade to see photos and a review.

Updated on May 26th, 2008:

If you are interested, please head over to My Women Stuff for another review of Shiny Sandy Beach.

Related Posts:

Coffret D’Or 3D Lighting Eyes in Gold Variation
(The gold in this palette is more wearable for me.)

Golden Dior Luminizing Makeup Jewel
(More gold!)

Lunasol Summer 2008 Collection
(another great-looking summer collection)

{ 8 comments }

Jill Stuart Summer 2008 Collection

by PJ on Tuesday, May 13, 2008

in -Jill Stuart, 2008 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(Jill Stuart Seductive Eyes in 05)
(image from www.iswii.net)

Jill Stuart will be releasing a limited-edition Seductive Eyes palette (#05) and two limited-edition Lip Lusters (#20 & #21) for summer 2008.

(Lip Luster in #20 Marguerite Glow)
(image from www.iswii.net)

The new Seductive Eyes palette, with a purple and a beige gold, should appeal to me, as I have been loving these two colors and I don’t have a palette with both shades.

However, the purple here looks a bit too warm for my liking. Also, perhaps more importantly, compared with most of my other eyeshadow singles and palettes, there is more glitter fallout (experienced by many, it seems) from the Brilliance Eyes series from 2007. It seems that things haven’t improved with the Seductive Eyes palettes this year, so it is hard for me to feel the heat from this new addition…

The collection will be in store in Taiwan on June 1st. At the moment I don’t have the information on the release date in Japan. But I will get my June issue of Biteki later this week, and I will then update this post with more information.

Jill Stuart Breaks Record

Jill Stuart Moist Silk Liquid Foundation

Jill Stuart Birthstone Nail Collection

Loving Japanese Brands – Jill Stuart

{ 6 comments }

Coffret D’Or Trance Deep Eyes – Decisions, Decisions!

by PJ on Sunday, May 11, 2008

in -Coffret d'Or, -Kanebo, 2008 Fall, 2008 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow

(part of the Coffret D’Or late summer/ early fall collection)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/coffretdor/)

Coffret D’Or has updated its website with information on the late summer/ early fall collection. (Please see my previous post for some quick detail and a link to swatches.) It is another beautiful collection, with lipsticks, eyeliners, and eyebrow pencils, but my eyes have been drawn to the new Trance Deep Eyes palettes.

First, let’s remind ourselves of 3D Lighting Eyes, released in December 2007:

(Coffret D’Or 3D Lighting Eyes)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/coffretdor/)

01 Pink Variation

02 Blue Green Variation
03 Silver Variation
04 Purple Variation
05 Gold Variation

Now check out the new variations:

(Coffret D’Or Trance Deep Eyes)

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

01 Rose Variation
02 Blue Variation
03 Khaki Green Variation
04 Grey Variation
05 Beige Variation

I think I am definitely going to try the new palette series, but the question is which one I want. Or, to be precise, which ONES?

This time, no single palette is jumping out at me, and I am liking three at the moment. After looking at the swatches, I have been lured by Rose, Grey, and Beige Variations. Here are my initial thoughts:

Rose Variation: The top-right shading color looks similar to the cool dusty pink in my Purple Variation, which is one of my recent favorite eyeshadow shades. I would love to try the new palette to see how everything works.

Grey Variation: My first reaction is that it looks similar to my Maquillage Clean Contrast Eyes in SV844, which I like. But there are differences. Maquillage SV844 has a medium grey, which Grey Variation doesn’t have. Also, from the swatches, it seems that the lilac is very slightly warmer than that in SV844. This could be my next lilac palette!

Beige Variation: I am happy with my Gold Variation and my Summer Gradually Compact from Lavshuca, but the top-right soft taupe seems lovely and far from plain. The bottom-left peach gold is not usually one of my favorite colors, but I think it will be on the sheer side and can work well with the cool taupe.

At the moment, my favorite is Rose Variation. But I can’t let go of the soft lilac, and I am still in my mini neutral phase.

Will I be getting all three? You will have to find out later!

Which one is appealing to you at the moment?

Sofina Aube Early Fall Collection

Chanel Fall & Holiday Collections

A Splash of Color – Lilting Lilac
(I am sensing a Part Two might be coming up…)

{ 15 comments }

Japanese Brand Focus: Sony Vecua

by PJ on Thursday, May 8, 2008

in _Japanese Brand Profile, -Sony, -Vecua, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, skincare

(Vecua’s spring 2008 makeup collection)
(image from www.vecua.com)

Many of you familiar with Japanese cosmetics know that Sony Group plays a part in the Asian beauty stage. Very briefly, Sony co-owns* StylingLife Holdings, which owns six companies. Currently, among them, B&C Laboratories is the one that carries Makemania (where we get the Curvy Lip Silicone from) and Vecua, which is what I am talking about today. (StylingLife Holdings also owns CP Cosmetics**, which I will talk about in another post.)

Vecua is the most developed brand under B&C Laboratories. It features several skincare lines catering to different needs, a base and color makeup line, a bodycare line, and a selection of dietary supplements. (It is one of the two high-end brands under B&C, beside the skincare line Restgenol.)

(Vecua Smooth, a new skincare line for oily skin,
launched on May 1)
(image from www.vecua.com)

Vecua’s brand image is refined and clean-cut, and the product packaging, almost always featuring gentle curves, is simple but not plain. Its pricepoint is somewhat similar to Lunasol’s, which means it is above Coffret D’Or’s and Sofina Aube’s but below SUQQU‘s and CHICCA‘s.

Vecua’s main focus is on skincare, but the recent spring 2008 makeup collection (seen above) did catch my eye. The new white cases look a lot more refreshing than the previous slightly dated black cases. The new colors look soft and wearable.

One of the makeup products that have often been featured in Japanese beauty magazines is the Honey Luster N lip glosses (in 10 shades), and I have been interested in them for a while. From what I have read, they appear to be very lip-conditioning lip glosses.

(Vecua Honey Luster)
(image from www.vecua.com)

Apart from department stores in Japan, I’ve recently found that Vecua has two salons in the US, one in San Jose, California and the other in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Check out their website, which is available in English.) There are some customer reviews here if you are interested.

Now, when is it coming to the UK?

(The main Vecua website is only available in Japanese and on-line ordering is for Japanese residents only.)

* Sony used to own StylingLife Holdings outright, but it sold the majority of its stock in June 2006 and now co-owns StylingLife Holdings.

** In January 2006, CP Laboratories was renamed B&C Laboratories as CP Cosmetics was set up as an independently-run company. I think this is the reason why most people in Asia still habitually say products like Makemania’s Curvy Lip Silicone are “Sony CP” products, even though Makemania is now officially under B&C Laboratories.

Updated on June 18th, 2014:

There are some updates on relevant corporate information in my post on Vecua Honey Wonder Honey Honey Dew Hand Creams.

Japanese Brand Focus: Elégance

New Line! Kanebo Glamacy

Japanese cosmetics in the UK
(with notes on buying them from abroad)

{ 4 comments }

Coffret D’Or 3D Lighting Eyes in Gold Variation

by PJ on Tuesday, May 6, 2008

in -Coffret d'Or, -Kanebo, 2008 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, stash focus

(Kanebo Coffret D’Or 3D Lighting Eyes
in 05 Gold Variation)

I like a bit of variety in my makeup collection. I tend to pick up one shade from an eye palette series and that is it. No matter how much I like what I have, I often look elsewhere for my next gem. There usually has to be a compelling reason for a second purchase.

I have quite a few eyeshadows in blue, purple, turquoise, and pinks. But when it comes to neutral tones, what I had were mostly either very pale or quite dark. It didn’t bother me before, since I like a bit of color. But, sometimes, to go with what I wear, soft neutrals are by far the best choices. So, weeks ago, I finally decided not to make do with dusty pink and soft peach and get some nice neutrals.

The color I decided to look for is a medium gold with subtle shimmer (not overly metallic shimmer) that is not bronze or orangey, and I planned to pick up a palette with the shade and other coordinating ones.

As I was looking through my recent Biteki and Voce seasonal makeup catalogues, I remembered that, when Coffret D’Or was launched last December, I was allured by the 3D Lighting Eyes palette in Gold Variation used on Tokiwa Takako. (The full-page ad appeared on Biteki (February 2008) and showed the makeup look a lot more clearly than the (same) image below.)

(Tokiwa Takako for Coffret D’Or)
(image from http://www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/coffretdor)

Also, the texture and the finish of my Purple Variation appealed to me so much that I thought it would be great to pick up a second one. So I did.

(The sun was out, so I decided to take a few more shots.
Later I found that this photo shows the actual shades a lot better.)

From left to right:

The top two:
– a sheer off-white with fine sparkles
– a moderately pigmented pearlescent white with fine shimmer

The bottom three:
– a medium gold with smooth shimmer and fine sparkles (moderately pigmented)
– a very shimmery sheer pale champagne gold with slightly larger sparkles
– a subtly shimmery well-pigmented medium brown with some fine sparkles (which goes on a little cooler than it looks in the pan)

(All the sparkles and shimmer are multi-colored.)

The texture of the powder is wonderfully soft and silky. The application is effortless and blending is a breeze.

The look it creates is just like what you see in the ad above. The soft gold and the coordinating pale champagne enhance the dimensions of the eyes very effectively, but the whole look is still elegant and understated. (The soft gold is exactly what I wanted. It is a subtle but effective shading color.)

The colors from 3D Lighting Eyes are very long-lasting. Once I wore Purple Variation (without any eye primer) and my eye makeup surprisingly more or less survived heavy wind and rain (the kind where an umbrella is basically useless…well, it’s the unpredictable British weather…).

I am very pleased that I got this palette so that I can enjoy all the great things about 3D Lighting Eyes when I am not wearing lilac for the day!

(For the clear instructions on where each shade is applied, my thoughts on the eye-sculpting concept of the 3D Lighting Eyes series, the look of the palette case, and the other color variations, please refer to my post on the Purple Variation.)

Coffret D’Or Late Summer/ Early Fall Collection
(with link to swatches)

Lunasol Sheer Contrast Eyes in Lavender Coral

Shiseido Maquillage Clean Contrast Eyes in SV844

{ 8 comments }

Clinique (Truly) Naturally Glossy Mascara

by PJ on Sunday, May 4, 2008

in -Clinique, makeup, makeup - mascara, stash focus

(Clinique Naturally Glossy Mascara in Jet Black)

So far, I have not been talking about mascaras very much. One reason is that I don’t really use them often and I have not tried many of them. But another reason is that Clinique‘s Naturally Glossy Mascara pretty much ended my search for a good mascara a long time ago.

If you want a false-eyelash effect from a mascara that gives dramatic volume and length, then this product will definitely disappoint you. As the name rightly suggests, the effect is natural, and that is why I like it.

In terms of application, the great thing about this mascara is that it has never clumped on my lashes (not even just a little bit). Also, the bristles are dense and evenly placed on the wand, and the mascara goes on very smoothly and evenly.

It delicately enhances the lashes by adding some length and a bit of volume. Overall, it creates a very natural “no-mascara” look. (The shade in Jet Black is very dark and doesn’t look greyish or ashy.) The effect is long-lasting as the mascara stays put all day for me, and I think it is a very good mascara for a minimal daytime look. (It is not water-proof.)

Naturally Glossy Mascara has been around for quite a long time, and deservedly so. I hope Clinique will not be thinking about discontinuing it.

If you want a mascara that adds considerable length and volume, then the mascara I will talk about later this month might appeal to you. Stay tuned!

MAMEW Mascara Kit
(cult product in the making)

You Mean That’s NOT Real?
(What do you think?)

Lash Out While Looking Your Best
(by Livia Mercer)

{ 10 comments }

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