makeup

(one of the beautiful seasonal ad images from Inoui ID)
(photo from www.inouiid.com)


When I heard about Shiseido’s Inoui ID being discontinued earlier this year, my heart sank. (I also read that,
upon knowing this, a shell-shocked Japanese Inoui ID fan felt that her nose was almost bleeding.)

I was transported back to Tokyo several years ago. I was in a Shiseido boutique in Shinjuku and sampled many beautiful lines like Emerger, Dignita, and Inoui ID. I picked some Emerger and Dignita items, but somehow decided to skip Inoui ID at the time.

What was I thinking??

Inoui ID was on my shopping list since the beginning of this year when I started to have the vaguest plan to go to Japan again. But sadly I had to cross it out from my list…

I love the bold red packaging. So chic and memorable. Some of their most popular products were the eyeshadow palettes, which featured smooth texture and some great color combinations (I want #30!):


(photo from www.inouiid.com)


I like many of the ad images as well. The one above is one of my absolute favorites. Soft, simple, airy, but still striking and stunning. (Loving the blue eyeshadow!)

I think the discontinuation is simply a marketing decision (a wrong one in my opinion), since Shiseido has been trying to cut down the number of lines by discontinuing some and merging some others. I hope that, Dick Page, the creator of Inoui ID and Shiseido’s current creative director, will come up with something even better!

If you are interested, read about the mourning of a like-minded.

Related Post:

What are your favorite Japanese brands?
(Inoui ID was mentioned!)

Other Bring It Back! posts:

Calvin Klein Cosmetics, Cynthia Rowley, Helena Rubinstein, Bulgari Skincare, and Sephora (back to the UK)…

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(SUQQU’s fall 2007 foundation lineup)
(photo from www.suqqu.com/japan.html)


Like the regular seasonal color makeup launches, many Japanese brands release new foundation products in spring and fall. Some are new additions and some replace part of the collection.

SUQQU has been changing the packaging from creamy white to black and a very dark violet, and the new foundation products continue the transformation.

Looking at the whole SUQQU foundation lineup, I notice that a couple of the products have been discontinued (the Cream Foundation, which boasts a natural medium-to-full coverage, and Liquid Foundation Lucent, with sheer coverage).

But overall the foundation line (what SUQQU is mainly known for) has expanded. The new additions include:

One cream foundation
One powder foundation
One primer for the cream foundation
One primer for the powder foundation
One loose powder (SUQQU’s first loose powder)

These new items include red, yellow, and blue pigments to add vibrancy and transparency to the complexion.

I am interested in the loose powder. I usually use a powder foundation, wait for a few minutes, AND set it with loose powder for maximal lasting power. I love the very groomed and polished look. A good loose powder can really make my skin smooth and cover up the pores. (Read about my foundation routine if you are interested.) I look forward to testing all these new products later!

Outside Japan, SUQQU is available in Selfridges London (Yeah!) as well as Isetan and Central Chidlom (from September 15) in Bangkok.

Related Posts:

SUQQU: Sensuality with an Attitude
(See some stunning ads of this exquisite Japanese brand)

SUQQU Make and Skincare Review
(after trying out a lot of goodies)

SUQQU Clear Veil Powder: An Unprecedented Masterpiece
(I am *still* waiting for its debut in London in October…)


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I am planning to visit Japan again. It won’t be happening very soon, but my shopping list has been growing longer and longer already!

Apart from some of my favorite Japanese brands (such as Ayura, Sofina, Lavshuca), there are some specific items of my favorite brands and other very interesting lines I want to look at.

Here is just a little sneak peek of my shopping list!


1. Jill Stuart

(photo from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)

My ultimate cosmetics shopping trip in Japan will undoubtedly start with Jill Stuart (despite the risk of spending all my savings on the first day). I want to sample everything! I have several Jill Stuart items but I have always wanted more. I will definitely test the Blush Powder (loose powder blusher, second from left) and pick a shade I like.


2. Lunasol

(photo from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lunasol/)


I absolutely love all the Lunasol items I have, but I have not yet had any of their beautiful eyeshadow palettes. They are quite expensive but…when in Japan…!

3. Elégance

(photo from www.elegance-cosmetics.com)


I absolutely love this brand but I haven’t really talked about it on my blog. El
égance is a French fashion label that has a cosmetics line in a couple of Asian countries. It is very high-end but the quality is great. I love the simple but opulent gold packaging as well. I am interested in their pressed powder blusher and the new cream blusher.

4. Eprise

( photo from www.albion.co.jp)

Eprise is the makeup line from Albion, a major cosmetics brand in Japan. Albion has some extremely popular skincare and foundation products. The makeup line Eprise is relatively low-key but has an elegant look that really appeals to me.

5. ettusais

(photo from www.ettusais.co.jp)


I have used many ettusais foundation and skincare products and have thought highly of them. The ettusais makeup line has recently been re-packaged. Well, it doesn’t particularly look very exciting, but I would like to have a look at the new blusher (yes, I can’t have enough blushers…), which features a sponge puff attached to the bottom of the container.


6. Sonia Rykiel

(photo from www.isetan.co.jp)

Sonia Rykiel is another French fashion label that has a cosmetics line in Asia. Known for some great foundation formulations and a couple of skincare products, Sonia Rykiel Cosmetics has an exquisite quality. Currently, the makeup packaging is inspired by Sonia Rykiel’s famous stripy patterns:

(photo from www.isetan.co.jp)


7. Watosa

(photo from www.isetan.co.jp)

Watosa is a quirky brand with a colorful look. Like Stila, paper is used for some of the product packaging. I bought a Watosa lipstick in Hong Kong many years ago and this is a brand I want to try more products from.

8. Kiss

(photo from www.kiss-cosmetics.com)


Kiss is a drugstore line that has been immensely popular in Japan. The packaging is very girlie, although I don’t think the overall look is as dreamy and princessy as Lavshuca. But like Lavshuca, their products are very affordable and I won’t leave Japan without a couple of their goodies.

9. Love Clover

(photo from www.loveclover.jp)

Love Clover, like Makemania (which carries Curvy Lip Silicone) is part of SONY. It has also been a popular drugstore brand and has a rather similar feel to Kiss. The PonPonCheek N (above) looks so adorable!

10: Anuenue


(photo from www.ar-anuenue.com)

Anuenue is another drugstore line from SONY. It recently launched some skincare products, including Hand Balm and Lip Balm seen above.

The list goes on and on, as there are many other brands and products I am interested in. But I’d better stop here before I get carried away (and book my flight to Tokyo tomorrow)!

Notes:

1. In the UK, we have Shiseido International, Kanebo International, Paul & Joe, RMK, and SUQQU. (We used to have Anna Sui and Chic Choc, but they left a few years ago.)

2. Some of the brands above are available outside Japan. But Japan is the only country where all of them are available…

Related posts:

Read about my favorite Japanese brands:
Ayura
Anna Sui
Jill Stuart
Lavshuca
Lunasol
Paul & Joe
Sofina

{ 22 comments }

(Bon appétit!)


(The main course is served tomorrow…)

I guess it is fair to say that we all love freebies. Getting cosmetics samples is a great way to test-drive potential candidates and discover new favorites.

Like return policies (and thank you for all your comments and contributions), I have also observed that the level of generosity when it comes to samples seems to differ from country to country.

In my own experience, sales assistants in Japan seem to be particularly generous.

I had an unforgettable experience when I was in Tokyo. I bought two small travel-size (30ml) Shiseido toners in a drugstore. I didn’t expect to get any sample and I felt embarrassed to ask, since the toners were inexpensive and since the staff so kindly offered to keep and watch over my heavy belongings behind the counter while I was browsing.

But when I showed interest in another Shiseido skincare line (after I paid for my toners), one assistant not only gave me samples of virtually the whole line of about 15 products but also taped all of them, one by one, next to where they appeared on the product brochure (so I wouldn’t mess up the routine due to my lack of competence in Japanese).

Well, in a way, she didn’t achieve her purpose (of having me try more of their products) at all, because the brochure and samples have been kept untouched as a souvenir. (I wish I had a photo to show you! It is quite a sight.) But this level of patience and service has impressed me tremendously.

What about the US? I have never lived in the US but I have an impression that the sales assistants are also generous, even for non-purchasing customers, as long as they show enough interest. (This is where I’d love your stories and thoughts. Let me know!)

In the UK, it can be difficult to get samples without any purchase. Generally, even when I do buy things, it depends on whether the assistant knows me from previous purchases or it depends on how much I buy.

But I did once experience moments of brilliance in a Boots store in London. After using my Boots advantage card loyalty points on a Chanel blusher (so technically I didn’t pay for it), I was looking at some Chanel skincare products. It just so happened that whatever product I was pointing at and said I was interested in trying, the assistant managed to find a sample for me.

My friend who was with me then said it looked as if the assistant had been hypnotized by me… (Ummm…is this a skill that I actually have?)

But, most of the time, I need to try way harder than this…

I am interested to know about the sample-giving “culture” where you are. Do drop a comment, and please let me know which country (or city) you are in!

Tomorrow (the main course): I talk about how I usually ask for samples at the counters. I don’t want to keep my experience to myself anymore, so do stay tuned!

Other mini discussion going on:
Can I Return This, Please?

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(Dior Diorissime Palette for fall 2007)



(with Dior Detective Chic palette from fall 2006)

In recent years, Dior has successfully merged fashion and cosmetics by bringing fashion elements into the design of seasonal limited-edition items. The Diorissime palette for fall 2007 is yet another example.

The design of the beautiful case is based on both the classic and the current Dior designs:

(Dior Pink Leather Lady Dior Bag)
(photo from fashion.dior.com)


(Dior Pink Leather Cannage Bag)
(photo from fashion.dior.com)


The one I got is 002 Seduction Drama:

(after some testing…)

From left:

Eyeshadows
deep copper, medium grey, medium brown, sheer light beige
(All have metallic shine.)
Lip Colors
sheer frosty pink with subtle green shimmer
pale blue-tinted gloss with minimal shimmer

I went for 002 (Seduction Drama) instead of 001 (Daylight Madonna) because I wanted to have a couple of darker neutrals to play with and because I am a fan of blue-tinted lip glosses. (But 001 Daylight Madonna does feature some cute pink shades as well as soft neutrals.)

As with all the Dior eyeshadows, the texture is so smooth and blending is a dream.

I was worried that the deep copper shade (on the very left) would be too warm for me as an eyeliner shade. But, blended with the grey, it becomes a very natural brown.

The grey shade is a great addition to my eyeshadow colors. It goes well with my very dark eyes and lashes, not to mention it is a trendy color for fall 2007. (Replace this with the medium brown next to it for the classic neutral look.)

The frosty pink lip color has a texture between a very creamy lipstick and a syrupy lip gloss. Very glossy and shimmery. The blue-tinted gloss goes on completely sheer. It feels like a very moisturizing lip balm which happens to have a lot of shine.

While 001 Daylight Madonna is more for daytime, 002 Seduction Drama is definitely for evening glamor.

I have been loving most of Dior’s seasonal limited-edition items. This one will also be joyfully displayed on my dresser top!

More on fall 2007 makeup:

Fall 2007 Makeup Trend Report
(Have you noticed the same trends?)

Lavshuca Eye Color Select PU-2
(I am loving this!)

Read more about the fall 2007 collections from Anna Sui, Guerlain, Lunasol, Jill Stuart, and Esprique Precious.

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(clockwise from top:
El
égance Purity Eyes 11
Dior 5-Color Eyeshadow 250 Seascape
Lavshuca Eye Color BG-1
Lavshuca Eye Color Select BU-1)


Blue eyeshasows divide views. People either embrace them or stay away from them…

The shades of human complexion, from pale beige to dark brown, are all warm tones. Blue is perhaps the furtherest away from human skin-tones. So what can blue eyeshadows do for us?

By definition, they create contrast. They add depth, create dimension, and enhance definition. Blue eyeshadows make eyes pop.

A dust of light blue eyeshadow wakes up the eyes and makes them look brighter and more energetic. It seems to me that there are many more beautiful choices of easily wearable light-blue eyeshadows in Japanese cosmetics. Could it be that consumers in Japan understand the essence of blue more than the rest of the world?

Play It Safe
If you haven’t tried blue, want to give it a go (please do!), but don’t really know which “safe” shade to go for, I think a good starting point is to look at your own skin-tone. The darker your skin-tone is, the darker shade of blue for you. (When in doubt between two shades, try the lighter one.)

Make It Work
To make the best of blue, layer different shades of blue to maximize blue’s potential to create dimension for your eyes. For a glamorous or edgy look, try teaming blue with neighboring shades like green and lilac (as in Dior’s 5-Color Eyeshadow palette in 250 Seascape, seen above).


Take It Forward
The trendy way to wear blue for fall 2007 is to wear it with a coordinating grey, which is the color of the season and acts as a great accent color. Pair pastel blue with silvery grey and dark blue with charcoal grey. Below, we see a subtle, modern and almost effortless way to wear blue, which really brightens the eyes:

(cover, Biteki August 2007)

On the whole, blue is a great friend for our faces. A blue-tinted primer cancels out sallowness, a blue-tinted lip gloss creates depth and makes lips appear more plumped, and a sheer pastel-blue loose powder (which you can find in Shu Uemura) can give a luminous transparency to your face.

Some people think blue is back because the 80’s is back (and some people stay away from it exactly because of this). But I think blue is ever so wearable today because there is a great variety of textures (powder, cream, mousse,…), finishes (from velvety matte to ultra-shimmery), and shades.

This is what I think about blue, one of my favorite colors. What’s your view and observation?

(A big thank-you goes to Tammy, who started a mini discussion on blue eyeshadows under my post on Kanebo’s Kate and inspired me to write a post about them.)

More for the fans of blue:

Lavshuca Eye Color Select in BU-1
(a closer look at the Lavshuca palette seen in the photo above)

Blue-Tinted Lip Gloss?
(Well, I am not giving up until everyone has tried it…)

Sofina Raycious Foundation
(with fine blue-based particles to liven up your complexion)

{ 12 comments }

(The fest continues…)

(continued from yesterday)

Today, I bring you the Raycious cases from 2004 through to today.

The Raycious 2004 case has dynamic zig-zag patterns:

(Raycious 2004, 5th)

The Raycious 2005 case is more slender and wider, with bubble details. I really like this one.

(Raycious 2005, 6th)

Raycious brought out an interesting case in 2006. The color is the lightest of all the Raycious cases so far. It is also the thickest because it has to accommodate three pieces of mirrors.

(Raycious 2006, 7th)

Let’s open it up and have a look:

(It is like a mini dresser…)

A three-way mirror powder case is obviously not a necessity, but it is fun to use. Also, this design goes with the 7th-generation Raycious foundation for 2006, named Perfect Angle Powder. It claims to enhance the definition of facial contour. I guess you have all the mirrors to appreciate the new you!

We are back to one piece of mirror for the current Raycious 2007, Glamorous Skin Powder. The mirror is fitted almost right along the rims of the lid and is larger than most other mirrors in the previous cases.

(Raycious 2007, 8th)

In between the releases of the annual cases, Raycious sometimes brings out limited-edition ones. I don’t usually collect them, but I decided to go for this one earlier this year:

(Raycious 2007 limited-edition case)
Also, Haru over on Rouge Deluxe featues the latest limited-edition case. It is quite a bold design, using my favorite color.

These are all the cases I have from the powder foundations throughout the years so far. (When a new case is released, the previous one will go off the shelves. So I think it will be quite difficult to track down the older editions. In a way, all these cases are limited editions…)

Apart from releasing a new powder foundation each spring, Raycious also brings out new liquid foundations in fall. It also carries various primers, concealers, loose powders and pressed powders. I have several of Raycious pressed powders and a loose powder, and I will feature them in the near future!

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(Raycious Case Assembly)

I have talked about why I love Raycious foundations in an earlier post, so I won’t be going there today. (But mainly, it features fine blue-based particles that even out sallowness and redness to make skin bright and alive.)

Today it is all about all the cases since Raycious was launched in 2000. Each year, the foundation formulation changes slightly, and so does the case design.

I have been collecting these cases throughout the years. (I don’t have all the different foundations. The refills fit all the cases apart from the very first edition.)

Here we go!

The 1st-generation Raycious was launched in 2000. It is probably still the best-selling edition to date. This simple case is also my favorite. I also love this shade of blue. (You can see the difference above in the photo.) All the lines are slightly curved. Very subtly elegant. (This is the only Raycious case for a round refill, which, by the way, fits Anna Sui foundation cases as well.)

(Raycious 2000)
Riding on the success of the original Raycious, the 2nd-generation was launched in 2001.
(Raycious 2001)

It has a very reflective sheet in the lid. It is very shiny and colorful when I play it around the light:


The back of the lid can be opened:


I remember this sheet was given to purchasing customers in a very limited period of time:


This pattern was downloaded from the Sofina website in 2001:


You can put anything in the lid. For example, now I am doing some shameless self-promotion:


Onto 2002…the case has a minimal look:

(Raycious 2002)

Cell phone charms can be attached to the back:



The Raycious 2003 case is gadget-free and features soothing patterns:

(Raycious 2003)
It is quite a cutie!

Tomorrow I’ll come back with the ones from 2004 to 2007. You will have a closer look at the one with a three-way mirror. See you then!!

(See the cases from 2004 to 2007!)

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Some distinctive trends in the fall 2007 makeup releases:

– olive green / grey eyeshadows
– intense lip colors

– retro Audrey Hepburn look

Which trend are you going to experiment with this fall?

—Grey Areas—————

In fashion, grey has been hailed as The New Black for a while. I am surprised that it didn’t trickle down to makeup earlier. This fall, grey eyeshadows will be big, among all the neutral tones.

One palette that epitomizes this trend is Shiseido Clé de Peau‘s Ombres Couleurs Quadri palette in 114 (seen below):

(Clé de Peau fall 2007 makeup ad,
Biteki magazine September 2007, p. 152-153)

(Clé de Peau fall 2007 makeup ad,
Biteki magazine September 2007, p.152)

Also, Dior‘s 5-Color Eyeshadow Palette in 060 Silver Goddess features an array of grey hues along with a sensual light blue.

Other servings of grey eyeshadows:

-Shiseido Maquillage: Sparkle Contrast Eyes 2 GY851

-Majolica Majorca: Shadow Customize BK922
-Kate: Gradical Eyes S BK-1
-Integrate: Live Fix Eyes GY812
SUQQU: Blend Eyeshadow 04

In a way, grey (especially in metallic finishes) is simply a darker silver. The look reminds me of an old-school silver-screen goddess. Very nostalgic and glamorous.

—Green with Envy—————

Another trendy color this season is olive green. Paired with pink, olive green is featured in Lush & Lovely, Chanel fall 2007 makeup collection, as it appears in the latest eyeshadow palettes: Garden Party (Les 4 Ombres Quadra) and Lotus-Cactus (Irréelle Duo).

(photo: from Chanel
at www.bergdorfgoodman.com)

Also, YSL fall 2007 makeup collection features olive green eyeshadows in a couple of the new Ombres Duo Lumières palettes.

In Japanese cosmetics, Cosme Decorte’s new line, Magie Deco, uses pink and olive green in the opposite way, with olive green above the eyes and pink along the lower lash line:

(Magie Deco ad, backcover of makeup booklet,
Biteki September 2007)

Apart from Magie Deco, olive green eyeshadows are also used in:

Kate‘s fall 2007 TV ad (with Gradical Eyes S GN-1)
SUQQU‘s fall 2007 printed ad (with Blend Eyeshadow 01).

Olive green seems to be a relatively masculine color as an eyeshadow, which might be why it has been paired with pink to create a balanced look. But, worn alone, it can be very edgy.

—A La Audrey—————

Givenchy‘s fall 2007 collection, Camouflage Chic, pays tribute to the classic Givenchy muse, Audrey Hepburn. A search in Google Images comes out with photos of what I think is one of the most beautiful people ever, with clean, crisp, and defined eye makeup. Intense color fills between the lash line and the crease line and it is kept clean everywhere else. No smoky eyes here.

Givenchy’s latest Prismissime Eyes in 54 Cache Cache can get you this classic look:

(photo: from www.sephora.com)

Shiseido The Makeup‘s new Silky Eye Shadow Quad in Q9 Lunar Phases is based on the same trend.

Again, this is definitely a very retro look. I think “Less is more” is the key here. Don’t overdo it and keep it nice and simple.

—Strong Lips—————

What if you don’t want to pile on intense eye colors? You can channel the intensity to the lips. Keep the eye makeup fuss-free and choose a rich satiny (not glossy) lip shade. The cover of Biteki September 2007 shows how it’s done:

(cover of Biteki, September 2007)

It can be a wine red, berry red (as in the Chanel ad above), or a warm brownish red. With careful coordination, they can go with grey or olive green eyeshadows, as in Estee Lauder’s fall 2007 look:

(photo: from esteelauder.co.uk)


I quite like this look. Chic and timeless.

What other trends have you spotted?

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(pictured from left,
Luscious Cosmetics Crystal Nail Lacquer in Topanga
Lip Polish in Belize
Lip Delites Lip Plumper in Palm Beach)


Luscious Cosmetics features simple packaging with a girlie edge. The items are compact and easily portable. Very travel-friendly.

Lip Polish (5ml) takes up very little space in a makeup bag. Belize is a glossy nude with delicate shimmer. Great shade for this coming season.

Crystal Nail Lacquers, Luscious Cosmetics’ signature products, come with Swarovski crystals contained separately in a compartment within the cap. Topanga is a beautiful cranberry with ruby and diamond crystals.

Lip Delites Lip Plumper is an interesting one. According to the website, it is a lip plumper to be worn 1-2 times a day for 30 days to give lips up to 40% more volume. It is not the kind of lip gloss that stings. Instead, it claims to stimulate the production of collagen.

It is essentially a gloss that you wear on a daily basis to see a lip-plumping result. Personally, I don’t usually wear the same lip gloss (or any lip gloss) every day, and, since it has color, I can’t really wear it as an overnight treatment.

But, as a lip gloss alone, it is a fair one. Palm Beach is a sheer orange that looks more wet than glossy. It looks glittery in the tube but the glitters are barely noticeable when applied. Compared with Lip Polish, it is much less glossy and it doesn’t layer as well. It is simply a natural lip gloss that feels lightweight and moisturizing.

Luscious Cosmetics seems to feature quite a few dual-function products, from nail lacquers with Swarovski crystals to lip glosses with lip-pumping effects. (Their Luscious Blooms feature two coordinating shades for face and cheeks.) We’ll see what comes up next!

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