seasonal makeup top 10

Fall 2007 Makeup Round-Up (#6-#4)

by PJ on Thursday, September 20, 2007

in -Chanel, -Guerlain, -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2007 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

(continued from yesterday)

#6: Guerlain

(from www.guerlain.co.jp)
(from Biteki September 2007)

Continuing from a gorgeous collection in summer with Pucci, Guerlain puts forward some more great items. I like the gorgeous Ombre Eclat Duo & Liner palettes. The eyeshadows are smooth and silky, and so is the cream-to-powder eyeliner. The color selection is spot on, with blue and grey, pink and plum, and an array of neutral and golden shades. The shiny gold compact has a great sense of substance to it.

#5: Chanel

(from www.chanel.com)
(from Biteki September 2007)

Chanel stays right on trend with olive green, featured in Les 4 Ombres (Garden-Party) and Irréelle Duo (Lotus-Cactus). Les 4 Camélias de Chanel (that I won’t be buying) has some pretty and wearable colors. The blushers are kept muted to go with the sultry eyes and intense lips.

#4: Lavshuca

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

(from Biteki September 2007)


Lavshuca has been doing well since its debut last year. The collection is expanding with more and more lovely items. This season, I love the new Eye Color Select palette in PU-2. The new Grade Color Select eye palettes (mid-right) are soft and sensual. The new Color Conc Rouge (bottom) does not live up to the promise, but they are still competent glosses in very cute packaging.

Come back for the final part of the count-down later!

Related posts:

Fall 2007 Makeup Trend Report

Fall 2007 Makeup Round-Up Part 1

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Fall 2007 Makeup Round-Up (#10-#7)

by PJ on Wednesday, September 19, 2007

in -Anna Sui, 2007 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, seasonal makeup top 10

It is time to round up my top 10 makeup collections for fall 2007, in reverse order, throughout the rest of this week. This time I have included photos of the seasonal makeup catalog from the September 2007 issue of Biteki magazine.

#10: ettusais


Ettusais has re-packaged its makeup collection. Everything still looks minimal and simple to show off the variety of colors. I especially like the vibrant shades of the Eye Color (top right).

Another interesting item is the Cheek Color (far right). All the 7 shades are packaged in a round compact with a spongy puff applicator attached to the bottom of the compact. I wonder how well the applicator works…

#9: Bobbi Brown


Bobbi Brown doesn’t appear on my top 10 lists very often (I have been doing the lists for a while for some of my friends.) But this collection caught my eyes. The Stonewashed palette has a great selection of brown, taupe, and grey shades. I nearly considered buying it, but the battle was won by Dior’s Diorissime palette. I am also intrigued by the eyeshadow trios. It is a slight departure from their usual neutral tones.

#8: Elégance


Elégance’s latest collection is in tune with the fall 2007 makeup trend. The eyeshadow palettes feature lovely shades of muted green and grey. They also include some lilac shades, which I always like.

(photo from www.elegance-cosmetics.com)

The lip glosses look scrumptious. All the shades look very wearable and appear to have delicate shimmers. Love the gold packaging as well. Very Glamorous.

#7: Anna Sui

(photo from www.annasui-cosmetics.com)

The Mini Rouge lip colors (top right) have been popular with Anna Sui collectors for the ultra-cute packaging and a good selection of shades. The limited-edition Pressed Powder M (bottom right) has been popular as well. For me, the new Liquid Eye Color (lower mid-left) looks very tempting.


Stay tuned for the rest of the round-up in the following days!

Related Posts:

Fall 2007 Makeup Round-Up Part 2

Fall 2007 Makeup Round-Up Part 3

Fall 2007 Makeup Trend Report

If I Could Go To Japan RIGHT NOW
(with more on ettusais and Elegance.)

Summer 2007 Makeup Round-Up Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3

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PJ’s Top 10: Summer 2007 Makeup Roundup (#1 – #3)

by PJ on Thursday, June 28, 2007

in -Dior, -Guerlain, -Lavshuca, 2007 Summer, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

(continued from the previous post)

—————#3: Guerlain————————-

The Look: Colors in Pucci style

Key Item: Guerlain by Emilio Pucci Meteorites Powder. Put the colors from the cherry-pink and turquoise powder balls onto your face to add some bright radiance. The gorgeous packaging will add some pizazz to your dressing table as well.

—————#2: Chanel————————-

The Look: Sheer beauty.

Key Items: Contraste Lumiere palettes in Aquarelles (cool tones, reviewed here) and Morderees (warm tones). With sheer and lightly shimmery shades, these are some of the best and the most wearable lip/eye palettes from Chanel in recent seasons. The Aquarelles palette is my personal favorite, while Mordorees definitely reflects the demand for the sun-goddess look every summer.

—————#1 (Winner!): Dior————————-

The Look: Polar Contrast — water and desert.

Key Item: 5-Colour Eyeshadow Palette in 130 Blue Croisette. This a beautiful palette that epitomizes this season’s trend with blue eyeshadows. Adorable pastel blue shades, some cooler and some warmer, form a lovely spectrum. Great to create a subtle gradation of tones of this season’s hottest color. If you usually stay away from blue eyeshadows but are tempted to give them a go, then this palette can be a great start.

Related Posts:
Dior Summer 2007 Collection
Chanel Summer 2007 Collection
Guerlain-Pucci Collaboration for Summer 2007
Beautiful Lips — with Blue Lip Glosses?

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PJ’s Top 10: Summer 2007 Makeup Roundup (#4 – #6)

by PJ on Tuesday, June 26, 2007

in -Kanebo, -Shu Uemura, 2007 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

(continued from the previous post)

—————#6: Shu Uemura————————-

The Look: Juxtaposition of warm and cool hues.

Key Items: Sunrise Prism and Sunset Prism Eyeshadow Palettes. (Another interpretation of the sunrise/sunset theme is Chanel’s two Contraste Lumiere palettes, billed as “dawn and day” in Japan.) Not as bold as MAC’s C-Shock Collection, they are still richer than most pastel shades around. The combinations of colors are very interesting and enticing (turquoise, emerald and yellow for Sunrise Prism and orange, lilac, and gold for Sunset Prism). I’d be tempted to mix the colors from the two eye-catching palettes.

—————#5: Lavshuca————————-

The Look: A Touch of Blusher (Umm……)

Key Items: Cheek Colors. If you like to go heavy on the blusher, then they might not be right for you. (They do layer fine, but it takes time.) They impart a light wash of color. It is predominantly matte, which I like as well.

(I am not really sure how these are compared with the striped Cheek Select, which, from what I have gathered, is too sheer for most people’s liking. I think the Cheek Colors are probably more pigmented, as they certainly can’t be used as an overall face powder…)

—————#4: Lunasol————————-

The Look: Azure eyes.

Key Item: Skin Modeling Eyes in EX02 Beige Cool. This is a great palette for creating the hot look of this season: blue eyes. Instead of the bright and bold cobalt blue, the palette features a light pastel blue and a deeper and more understated dark blue. A very wearable blue eye palette.

To be continued……(see who wins the medals…)

Related Posts:
Lunasol Summer 2007 Collection
Lavshuca Summer 2007 Collection

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PJ’s Top 10: Summer 2007 Makeup Roundup (#7 – #10)

by PJ on Sunday, June 24, 2007

in -Kanebo, 2007 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

(Pictured: my summer 2007 makeup additions)

This week, I will present three posts that round up 2007’s summer collections, in the form of my usual Top Ten list.

We’ll start from number 10 today:

—————#10: Kate ——————–

The Look: Glistening and iridescent eyes.

Key Items: Loose Eyeshadows. All the four shades (pink, blue, gold, and silver) are quite light. The emphasis is on the sparkles. Loose eyeshadows are not commonly seen for budget brands in Japan (Majolica Majorca did have some in spring 2007), and they have been quite popular.

(I haven’t featured Kate very much in my blog. I am planning to talk more about it next month.)

—————#9: Jill Stuart ——————–

The Look: Airy and feminine.

Key Item: Brilliance Eyes in 05 Mauve Pearl. A limited edition palette from the Brilliance Eyes eyeshadow palette collection. (Two more are coming this fall!) There are soft pastel shades of pink and blue with a bold shimmery black to frame the eyes. It is a contrasting palette that works seamlessly.

—————#8: Maquillage ——————–

The Look: Eyes with soft creamy colors.

Key Items: Double Shiny Eyes. Fans of the previous PN collection will recognize this reincarnation, this time with a matching highlighting shade. Love the little drawer that holds the applicater.

—————#7: Aube (Sofina)——————–

The Look: Juicy lips bursting with shine and sparkles.

Key Items: Gloss Frutina. Sheer shades of pink, red, orange, and mint green…it is like a refreshing summer fruit bowl. If the sparkles in the lip glosses are not enough for you, the applicators are also decked with Swarovski crystals. Affordable luxuries!

To be continued…

(Note: Western brands are doing well on the list this season and they will be appearing later on. Well, the clue is in the photo……)

Related Posts:
Aube Summer 2007 Collection
Jill Stuart Summer 2007 Collection

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My Top 10: Spring 2007 Makeup Round-Up (#2, #1)

by PJ on Sunday, March 11, 2007

in -Jill Stuart, -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, 2007 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

#2: Jill Stuart (“Brilliant Veil” Collection)

The Look: “Brilliant Veil” is quite an accurate description of the colors on offer here. Medium-pigmented colors add soft hues to the face with a great amount of glow and sheen. The emphasis is on the eyes, with the launch of Jill Stuart’s first collection of eye palettes.

Key Item: Brilliance Eyes palette in 04 Gem Amethyst (reviewed earlier here). A beautiful lilac palette with featherweight powder and intense shimmer and glitter. It gives a veil of color with dazzling and multi-dimensional sparkles. A palette that adds a bit of drama to the eyes.

Winner: Lavshuca

The Look: When I saw the ad campaign featuring the Japanese girl band PUFFY (the two girls you see as soon as you enter the Lavshuca website), I couldn’t believe their transformation. They used to be two funky girls with slightly mad hair jumping around the stage. Now they cannot look more polished and sophisticated while they still keep the coolness and edge. I guess this is the image that Lavshuca’s new collection is trying to convey: cute, fun, feminine, and with a bit of an attitude.

Key Item: Too many to mention, actually, but I will single out Eye Color Select in PK-1 (reviewed earlier here). Pink eyeshadow is hot for this spring, and this pink palette gives a couple of different looks. You can go for a soft pale pink or an intense cherry pink. The lightest shade is good as a base or a highlighter and the brown can be a natural eyeliner.

For me, it was very close between Jill Stuart and Lavshuca this season. They kept switching positions when I was finalizing my rankings. But Lavshuca wins at the end with its more complete range and updated packaging to keep the brand image fresh.

If you are interested in mineral makeup, my next post will be about von Natur’s mineral powder foundation.

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My Top 10: Spring 2007 Makeup Round-Up (#4, #3)

by PJ on Friday, March 9, 2007

in -Kanebo, -Lunasol, -T'Estimo, 2007 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

#4: T’Estimo

The Look: The whole collection (both the color and the packaging) is so pretty. The look is femine and elegant. The emphasis is on the eyes. Beautifully and delicately blended gradation from pale to soft to intense, from browbone to lashline, the single-color concept for eye makeup works seamlessly.

Key Items: Frame Impact Eyes palettes. Four eye palettes feature four gradations of colors (blue, green, lilac, and brown). Each palette comes with a cream eyeliner. Don’t be put off by the green and the blue. The colors are soft enough to look natural but pigmented enough to impart a gorgeous hue.

#3: Lunasol (“The Ultimate Skin” Collection)

The Look: The concept is to create flawless skin with the softest colors. Pale pastel colors for eyes and beige-pink for lips. The whole effect is fresh, polished, and very sophisticated.

Key Items: Skin Modelling Lips palettes (second from top on the webpage). It’s the ultimate lip kit. Each of the four palettes features a tinted lip primer, lip color, shimmer-free gloss, and shimmery gloss. The tool for sculpting the perfect pout.

(If you can get hold of the April issue of the Biteki magazine, it comes with a free DVD which is all about creating “The Ultimate Skin” using Lunasol’s latest makeup and foundation collections.)

I’ll reveal my top 2 in my next post (although you can probably guess what they are if you have read some of my previous posts). Still, don’t miss it!

After that, I will talk a bit about one growing trend — mineral makeup.

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My Top 10: Spring 2007 Makeup Round-Up (#6, #5)

by PJ on Wednesday, March 7, 2007

in -Ayura, -Dior, 2007 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

(pictured: my Dior Addict Ultra-Nude
in #380 Undressed Mauve along with
Dior Detective Chic palette from Autumn 2006)

#6: Ayura (“Hawaiian Garden” Collection)

The Look: Sunny and breezy, with colors that brighten your eyes and your day. The combination of tropical colors in the eye palettes are unusual and fun — turquoise with lilac, orange with purple, and blue with minty green. Great when you want to be a bit more experimental.

Key Items: The three limited-edition Aqua Fix Lipglosses. Fresh and vibrant with three tiers of colors, they remind me of summer cocktails by the beach.

#5: Dior (“Dior Flight” Collection)

The Look: Chic, glamourous, and globe-trotting beauty. The Dior Flight palettes carry all the essentials (eyeshadow, blusher, and lip color), and the two 5-color eye palettes feature two very different looks (soft warm pastels and dramatic blue). The two single-color eyeshadows, white and pink, are spot-on with this season’s soft, femine, and almost-nude look. (Read a more detailed review of the collection here.)

Key Items: Dior Addict Ultra-Nude lipsticks. Definitely some of my favorite items for this season. All the five colors are sheer and wearable while giving a gloss-effect. The #380 (Undressed Mauve) that I have goes well with a variety of eyeshadows like cool pink, lilac, and pastel blue. The must-try for this season, in my opinion!

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My Top 10: Spring 2007 Makeup Round-Up (#8, #7)

by PJ on Sunday, March 4, 2007

in -Anna Sui, -Kao, -Sofina, 2007 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

#8: Anna Sui (“Blooms of Fascinations” Collection)

The Look: It is all about lips for Anna Sui this season, with a collection full of cute lipglosses and lipsticks in a variety of color palettes (pink, orange, red, and beige). The packaging is adorably girlie as always.

Key Items: Sui Lip Gloss. 19 sweet fruity colors of varying pigmentations. Mix and match them up!

#7: Aube by Sofina (“Splash Beauty” Collection)

The Look: Ultra-shiny and ultra-glossy, this collection brings a watery transparency and a burst of radiance. All five eye palettes feature a glittery eye gloss that can work as a base or a top coat, giving a wet-look effect. The lipsticks impart a gloss-like finish, and the shimmery powder is great for face as well as body.

Key Items: Jewelry Shower Eyes palettes. The name says it all. Apart from the eye gloss, there are gradations of pink, purple, blue, and brown in each palette. The shades are relatively muted, but reasonably so due to the high shine of the eye gloss.

Related posts:
PJ’s Top Ten: Spring 2007 Makeup Round-Up (#10, #9)

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My Top 10: Spring 2007 Makeup Round-Up (#10, #9)

by PJ on Sunday, February 25, 2007

in -SUQQU, 2007 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

In the coming posts, I reveal my top 10 of this season’s makeup collections. (Do let me know what tops your list!)

Here we go, in reverse order:

#10: The Body Shop (Vital Brights Collection)

The Look: It is a feast of colors. Cool-tone eyes, rosy cheeks, syrupy lips, and a bit of tan. It is a small collection, but it is one of the most colorful additions from The Body Shop for a few seasons.

Key Items: Eye Color Fusion in blue and green. (Wear them in moderation!)

#9: SUQQU (Daichimegami “Goddess of Earth”)

The Look: Strong,distinctive, and coherent, it is about shades of blue (sea/sky) and beige (earth/desert). Do check out the link above…it is an absolutely beautiful presentation of the collection from the official website. (Japanese brands are so good at this.)

Key Items: Powder Eye Shadow in shades of blue. A strong midnight blue or a bright powdery sky blue…the choice is yours.

Before revealing the rest of my top 10, my next two posts are going to be about Oscar fashion 2007. Stay tuned!

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