(pictured: my Anna Sui items)
Anna Sui, the mother of dreamy packaging and the Gothic princess of the cosmetics land, will release its fall 2007 collection in August. You’ll find:
NEW Sui Rouge V (8 shades)
NEW Liquid Eye Color (10 shades)
NEW Mini Rouge (with chain and mirror, 10 shades)
NEW Pressed Powder M (with marble patterns, 3 shades, limited editions)
Nail Color (5 new shades, limited editions)
The Mini Rouge, with rose decorative details, looks very cute and reminds me of one of my favorite Anna Sui items, the discontinued Ring Rouge (a lip color housed in a ring, see lower left on the photo above).
Even though the quality of Anna Sui’s products have remain consistent, the past several collections looked lackluster and tiresome and lacked interesting ideas. (I also don’t like the fact that it left the UK several years ago!) This collection looks better, but I would still love to see more ingenious and innovative product designs and to see Anna Sui reclaim her edgy identity.
Related Post: Loving Japanese Brand (2-7): Anna Sui
(My three beloved Guerlain lip glosses:
KissKiss Gloss in #02,
Terracotta Gloss & Shine in #71,
Guerlain by Emilio Pucci Lip Gloss in #03 Sparking Sea)
The Guerlain Japanese website has been updated with the Guerlain fall 2007 collection. (Many western cosmetics lines update their Japanese websites much more timely. It is often worth checking them even if you don’t understand the language.)
Titled “True Elegance“, the collection features understated and sophisticated shades. The new Radiant Shadow Duo & Liner, with two powder eyeshadows and one cream eyeliner, looks chic and glamorous. The muted colors are great for a grown-up look. The collection includes:
Radiant Blush (2 new shades)
KissKiss Laque (2 new shades)
KissKiss Lipstick (6 new shades)
NEW Lip Pencils (8 shades)
NEW Radiant Shadow Duo & Liner (6 palettes)
NEW Lip Lift (lip primer)
The stunningly beautiful jewel-like casing of KissKiss Lipstick is designed by French jewelry designer Hervé van der Straeten (once for Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Lacroix). The style has been applied to KissKiss Gloss and KissKiss Laque and is now extending to the new Lip Lift and Radiant Shadow Duo & Liner. I hope Guerlain will further extend it to the blushers (whose current casing design I never really like).
The Guerlain fall 2007 collection will be out in August.
(Clockwise from top:
Shine On Lipstick in #06 Pink-Pink,
Shine On Lipstick in #02 Dolce Vita,
Color Perfect Lipstick in #33A Attitude,
Color Perfect Lipstick in #32 Berry Rich,
Moist Matte Lipstick in #06 Energized,
Moist Matte Lipstick in #01 Cream Pie,
Velvet Lips Creamy Lipcolor in #212 Glamorous,
Velvet Lips Creamy Lipcolor in #206 Lavish)
All the four ranges of Milani lipsticks have one impressive merit in common: they all have a wonderfully creamy texture. Non-drying and very moisturizing, they are a great joy to wear.
All (apart from Shine On Lipstick) are quite intensely-pigmented. (But even Shine On, a supposedly sheerer range, is more pigmented than some other sheer lipsticks around.)
The four ranges cover various finishes. Shine On is wet, frosty, and glossy. Velvet Lips and Color Perfect leave lips smooth with a sensual luster, while Moist Matte has the sophisticated and grown-up semi-matte finish.
My personal favorite is probably Moist Matte. It is particularly important for matte lipsticks to be rich and moisturizing. Otherwise they just look chalky. Milani’s Moist Matte definitely gains points on this.
PJ’s Picks:
–Color Perfect Lipstick in #32 Berry Rich (far right on photo):
This intense dark berry-red will look so glamorous on dark skin-tones.
–Shine On Lipstick in #06 Pink-Pink (top on photo):
A girlie frosty-pink, very flattering for most skin-tones.
–Velvet Lips Creamy Lipcolor in #206 Lavish (far left on photo):
Striking and edgy against fair skin-tones, this magenta shade bursts with retro flair. (Do keep eye makeup to the minimum to do justice to this electrifying shade.)
Seasonal Pick for Fall 2007:
–Moist Matte Lipstick in #01 Cream Pie (bottom on photo):
With a wave of neutral tones coming our way this fall, this delicious semi-matte milk-chocolate shade (most suitable for medium and dark skin-tones) will go superbly well with your neutral eyes.
Coming up: more fall 2007 makeup collections!
(pictured: my Lunasol items)Lunasol’s official website has not been updated with the fall collection yet, but have a look at shots of the Lunasol fall 2007 collection from the printed catalog on a Japanese blog.
The collection will be out in Japan on August 17th, 2007.
I love that there are five different looks in the collection. (It has been done for their spring 2007 collection, where each of the four looks includes coordinating eyeshadow palette, lipstick, lip palette, and nail color.) Named Cat’s Eye, Alexandrite, Diamond, Sapphire, and Ruby, they are like five mini collections.
For fall 2007, each look includes a five-color eyeshadow palette (a first for Lunasol), a liquid eyeliner, a lipstick, a lip gloss, and a nail color. Among them, I am particularly excited about Sapphire and Ruby, which are very striking and distinctive. (See my pattern here? I am adding another member into my blue-tinted lip gloss collection.)
Packaging-wise, Lunasol’s simple and sophisticated style never fails to impress me. When Lunasol was launched in 1999, it featured bronze and silver checked-pattern cases (see powder case on top and lipstick on bottom of the photo above). In 2003, the color scheme changed into a low-key dark brown. Several seasons ago, the finish became much more reflective, as what we see now. I like the fact that the packaging never changes drastically. Instead, it evolves with the time.
Aside from its superior quality and consistently great seasonal collections, the distinctive but understated image is part of Lunasol’s appeal.
Related Article: Loving Japanese Brands (7 of 7): Lunasol
(pictured: my HR items…and I want more!)Helena Rubinstein is the one that said “There are no ugly women, only lazy ones.” Whether you agree with it or not, it cannot be denied she more than made her mark in the beauty industry.
I always think there is a sense of sophistication and intelligence in her makeup line. The packaging during the 1990’s incorporated colors and finishes that resembled marble and gold. There was a great deal of quiet confidence and assertiveness about it, which really appealed to me. The current reflective copper-tone packaging has a very glamorous edge.
Helena Rubinstein’s mascaras (along with Lancome’s Extencil) started the craze for ultra long, voluminous, and curly eyelashes in Japan about a decade ago, lasting all the way until today. HR’s various mascaras have continued to be on the best-selling lists there as well.
Skincare-wise, I used to really like their cleansing and toning products, as they were gentle to my sensitive skin.
I am aware that her cosmetics line is still available in many countries (see the list on the Helena Rubinstein website), but it is no longer available in the UK or US. I really hope it will be available again soon! (By the way, it is available in Japan…that’s one more reason to go to Japan for……)
Any HR product that you have used and liked? Let me know!
by PJ on Sunday, July 8, 2007
in _Japanese Brand Profile, -Majolica Majorca, -Shiseido, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation, makeup - blusher, stash focus
(pictured: my Majolica Majorca foundation and blushers)For me, there are two Japanese brands that combine ultra-princessy packaging and superb pocket-friendliness: (Kanebo’s) Lavshuca and (Shiseido’s) Majolica Majorca.
I haven’t really talked about Majolica Majorca very much because Lavshuca has really edged Majolica Majorca out for me in the last couple of seasons.
I do remember how excited I was when it was first launched in July 2003, which was way before some of my current favorites (like Lavshuca and Jill Stuart) took to the stage. At the time, packaging for Japanese drugstore lines was never about being maximally appealing…until Shiseido launched Majolica Majorca, which targeted consumers in their late teens and early twenties. (There were always lines with cute packaging, but they were never packaged to the point of being invincibly dreamy.)
Gold is the predominant color for most of the casings, with filigree patterns, emblems, words written in fancy styles, and other decorative details. It has a royal and antiquey feel, and it was all very cute and princessy.
Their liquid eyeliners and mascaras have always been very popular. As for me, I have got two of their blushers and a powder foundation.
Both blushers are medium to sheer. PK333 is a cool pink (similar to Lavshuca Cheek Color PK-1) and OR211 is a light orange. I prefer PK333 because OR211 is a bit too warm for me.
The two-way powder foundation (Skin Remake Compact) is quite different from the ZA two-way foundation (also made by Shiseido) that I have been using for years. Relatively, Majolica Majorca’s powder foundation has a more moist feel, has a slightly better coverage, but controls shine much less effectively. (Because it controls shine rather poorly, I only wear it when the weather is very cold.) But if your skin-type is combination or slightly dry, this might be a good choice for you as it does give a smooth and almost satiny finish.
Recently, Majolica Majorca’s packaging has not been appealing to me. I think it is because brands like Lavshuca and Jill Stuart are really pushing it in this area. Also, for me, the recent products are just a little less than exciting.
But I still want Majolica Majorca to wow me again!
I’d be interested to know your view of Majolica Majorca and your favorite Majolica Majorca products.
by PJ on Sunday, July 8, 2007
in -Anna Sui, -Aube (Couture), -Ayura, -Integrate, -Jill Stuart, -Kanebo, -Kao, -Kate, -Kosé, -Lavshuca, -Lunasol, -Majolica Majorca, -Maquillage, -Paul & Joe, -RMK, -Shiseido, -Shu Uemura, -Sofina, -T'Estimo, -Visée, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, readers' polls
Majolica Majorca, with cute packaging, good quality, and affordable prices, edged Shu Uemura out at the last minute to become A Touch of Blusher readers’ favorite Japanese makeup line!
Shu Uemura, one of the ultimate professional makeup brands, also captured the heart of many of you.
Lunasol, Lavshuca, and Kate (all by Kanebo) shared the third place.
Here is the full result:
What are your favorite Japanese makeup lines? (Tick all that apply!!)
(from June 27 to July 8, 2007)
Majolica Majorca (13 votes)
Shu Uemura (12 votes)Lunasol, Lavshuca, Kate (11 votes each)Paul & Joe (9 votes)Maquillage, T’Estimo, Jill Stuart, Anna Sui (8 votes each)Visee (3 votes)Aube, Ayura, RMK (2 votes each)Integrate (1 vote)
Other favorites mentioned include Inoui ID and Canmake. Great choices!!
Thanks for everyone that has voted and left comments!! There will be more polls to come. (Suggestions are welcome!)
Here is a preview of Esprique Precious fall 2007 collection ad campaign. The spokesperson is still the very popular Gemma Ward.
The collection includes lipsticks, liquid lip colors, lip liners, single-color eyeshadows, and eyeshadow palettes. There will also be new foundation products, including liquid foundations, powder foundations, and two primers.
The collection is officially out in Japan on August 21.
Even though I am not a Gemma Ward fan, I do think Kose picked a spokesperson who successfully appealed to the target consumers and created buzz for the line.
Watch her TV ads here and here.
Related post: Gemma Ward Fronts New Cosmetics Line in Japan
(pictured: my Lavshuca Cheek Color in PK-1)
I’ve realized that, even though my blog is called A Touch of Blusher, this is actually the first time I am properly reviewing a blusher (even though I have mentioned Lavshuca’s blushers in my seasonal top-10 countdown). I promise there will be more to come. (I do have quite a few of them…)
Lavshuca’s Cheek Color is part of its summer 2007 collection. There are four different shades.
The one I got is PK-1, which is a slightly cool pink. It has that usual Lavshuca packaging. Very cute and princessy.
The finish is predominantly matte, which is what I usually go for.
The pigmentation is medium to sheer. If you love to sport very rosy cheeks, you might want to pass them up because the layering might take forever. But if you prefer a light blush on your cheeks, this would be a great choice. I’d also say this is one of those perfect daytime blusher shades. It is very natural and should go with most colors you wear.
If you happen to have both Cheek Color and Cheek Select (which Lavshuca released last year), please do let me know how they compare with each other. I have heard some negative comments on Cheek Select regarding its complete lack of pigmentation. I suspect that some people might say the same about Cheek Color. (I already know a friend of mine who did.) I am quite interested in knowing which one people prefer.
I have not tried Cheek Select but I like the Cheek Color that I have. The slightly cool pink is just right for my skin-tone and I like both the finish and the level of pigmentation.
More lovely items like this from Lavshuca, please…
(pictured: my Dior items,
including the Dior Detective Chic palette from fall 2006)
There is no way that I am NOT going to get this palette!
This is the new limited-edition Diorissime Palette from the Dior Fall 2007 makeup collection, and I love it. I have my own reasons:
1. It has some lovely neutral shades that I have recently been very interested in.
2. It has a blue-tinted lip gloss.
3. It is even prettier than the Dior Detective Chic palette (or see photo above) from fall 2006.
4. It is pink! (Well, I don’t have a link to pink, but I do love pink. I’ll do a post on pink in my “I Love Color” series later on.)
It is as if the palette were made for me……
In the UK, the Dior fall 2007 collection will be out in early August.
(pictured: my Anna Sui items)
