Fragrance Friday Review: Bond No. 9 Harrods for Her, for Him, and Swarovski Limited Edition

by PJ on Friday, June 11, 2010

in -Bond No. 9, fragrance

(images from www.bondno9.com)

After Saks Fifth Avenue for Her & for Him, Harrods for Her and Harrods for Him, launched in July 2009, marks Bond No. 9‘s second collaboration with one of the world’s retail emporiums.

Harrods for Her (right in photo):
Top notes: neroli petals, mandarin, wild chamomile
Middle notes: tuberose, clary sage, nutmeg
Base notes: amber, leather, sandalwood, vetiver

Harrods for Him:
Top notes: rhubarb leaf, star anise, chamomile
Middle notes: lavandin, pimento berries, violet leaf
Base notes: birchwood, musk, sandalwood

Harrods for Her is a woody floral. On me, the woody note is quite dominant towards the beginning. Then the scent gradually becomes a balance between the floral and the woody notes, and the drydown is soft and almost surprisingly un-woody. It is overall a dry floral scent with a hint of powderiness.

The first word I thought of to describe Harrods for Him is “elegant”. Compared with Harrods for Her, it is more rounded, less angular, less dry, and less woody. It is not overly masculine, but the muskiness keeps the scent identifiable as a male scent.

Bond No. 9 also released Harrods Swarovski Limited Edition, which is adorned with 1600 Swarovski emerald and white crystals.

Top notes: black pepper, cumin
Middle notes: amber, myrrh
Base notes: oud, vetiver

The key note of the fragrance is oud, the resin from aquilaria trees. According to Bond No. 9, oud, with its earthy and animal scent, has been playing a prominent part in perfumery in the Gulf Region for over two thousand years.

The fragrance is peppery, gently spicy, incense-y, and mysterious, with a hint of milkiness. Like the aroma from incenses, the scent seems to linger on and on. I think it will appeal to those who enjoy deep, rich, and intense fragrances and those who want to steer away from floral and fruity scents.

The latest addition to the Bond No. 9 Harrods family is Harrods Rose (above), with notes of white narcisse, tuberose, white rose, musk, amberette seed, and cashmere wood.

(The press samples (for Harrods for Her, Harrods for Him, and Harrods Swarovski Limited Edition) are provided by Bond No. 9.)

Related posts:

Calvin Klein Secret Obsession

Untitled by Maison Martin Margiela

Tiempe Passate by Antonia’s Flowers

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Kanebo Milano Collection 2011

by PJ on Thursday, June 10, 2010

in -Kanebo, -Kanebo Milano Collection, 2010 Holiday, all about Japanese cosmetics, fragrance, makeup, makeup - base makeup

(image/info from www.nikkei.com)

The annual pre-order-only Milano Collection from Kanebo is usually released for the holiday season. Here is more information on the two items for Milano Collection 2011:

– Face Up Powder (Milano Collection 2011) (24g, SPF14, PA++, 12600 JPY)
Pre-order period: mid-June – late September
Release date: December 16th

(powder case)

(powder)

– Eau de Parfum (Milano Collection 2011) (30ml, 10500 PY)
Pre-order period: mid-June – late August
Release date: November 16th


(The Eau de Parfum features notes of teatopia, orange blossom, and rose.)

Related posts:

Milano Collection 2010
(with an image of all the designs of past Milano Collection powder cases)

Milano Collection 2009

Sofina Raycious Foundation Case Galore

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Lunasol Fall 2010 Makeup Collection

by PJ on Wednesday, June 9, 2010

in -Kanebo, -Lunasol, 2010 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics

(image from sankei.jp.msn.com)

(images below/info from www.nikkei.com)

Kanebo Lunasol will release its fall 2010 makeup collection in Japan on August 20th. The collection features:

– Aurorize Eyes (above, 5 variations)
– Gel Eyeliner (6 shades, brush sold separately)

– Full Glamour Lips S (10 new shades)
– Coloring Cheeks (2 new variations)

Lunasol will also release the following limited-edition items on August 20th:

– Aurorize Nuance Eyes (3 shades)
– Full Glamour Gloss N (3 new shades)
– Nail Finish (3 new shades)

Lunasol hasn’t released any 5-color eye palette series since Geminate Eyes back in fall 2007, and I am sure many Lunasol fans will be looking forward to Aurorize Eyes. I certainly want to see more images of the one with purple and pink. The blue Full Glamour Gloss N is looking good too.

Updated on July 1st 2010:

Here are the images of the five variations of Aurorize Eyes:

(01 Nuance Variation)
(images from www.kanebo-cosmetics.co.jp)
(02 Light Variation)
(03 Gentle Variation)

(04 Soft Variation)

(05 Contrast Variation)

The product photos on the Kanebo website can be a little washed out, and I expect the colors in these palettes to be slightly more vibrant. At the moment, I really like 02 Light Variation, which reminds me of Coral Coral from Lunasol’s spring 2008 collection. All my Lunasol eyeshadow palettes are purple-toned ones, and I have been thinking about getting a neutral one for quite some time. Light Variation looks like a nice neutral palette for me.

04 Soft Variation, the purple-toned one that caught my eye in the beginning, looks more muted than it does in the image at the top (the group photo). I hope the top-left shade will turn out to be more purple-y and less greyish.

You are see more photos of the collection on the blog of the Japanese magazine Very.

Updated on July 8th 2010:

Have a look at some great swatches here.

I am still liking 02 Light Variation and 04 Soft Variation. The violet in 04 Soft Variation may be too blue-toned for me but I still like the palette as a whole.

Updated on August 14th, 2010:

See more swatches here.


Related posts on Lunasol:

Toff & Loadstone Collection Kit

Summer 2010 Makeup Collection

Spring 2010 Makeup Collection

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Maquillage Fall 2010 Makeup Collection

by PJ on Wednesday, June 9, 2010

in -Maquillage, -Shiseido, 2010 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(image/info from www.nikkei.com)

Shiseido Maquillage will release its fall 2010 makeup collection in Japan on July 21st. The collection includes:

– Rouge Enamel Glamour (with one lipstick and one lip gloss, 8 variations)
– Dual Glow Eyes (cream eyeshadow duos, 5 variations)
– Double Brow Creator (Pencil) (3 shades)
– Double Brow Creator (Powder) (3 shades)
– Double Brow Creator Holder (double-ended, for (Pencil) & (Powder))
– Double Brow Creator Tip ((replacement) sponge applicator for (Powder))
– Double Brow Creator ((Pencil)/(Powder)/Holder set, limited edition, 3 variations)

(I presume the Double Brow Creator Holder comes with one Double Brow Creator Tip.)

Related posts on Maquillage:

Forming Shiny Eyes in 52

Clean Contrast Eyes 2 in SV844

Lasting Climax Rouge in RS310

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Est Fall 2010 Makeup Collection

by PJ on Monday, June 7, 2010

in -Est, -Kao, 2010 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(image/info from www.kao.co.jp/est)

Kao Est will release its fall 2010 makeup collection in Japan on July 24th. The collection includes:

– Dual Emotional Eyes (4 variations)
– Emotional Aura Lips (3 new shades, limited editions)
– Livelish Lip Base

The top two shades in the Dual Emotional Eyes palettes will have a different finish from that of the bottom two shades (hence the name of the series).

a

Updated on August 23rd, 2010:

a

One of my readers, Thenewgirl, told me about this Chinese blog, which has photos, swatches, and EOTDs of the Dual Emotion Eyes palettes.

– images of the palettes
– swatches of the palettes
– EOTDs with 01, 02, and 03
– comparison with other palettes

Many thanks to Thenewgirl!

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Related posts on Est:

Capturing Your Emotional Beauty

Spring 2010 Collection

Fall 2009 Collection

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Skincare Review: SUQQU Musculate Massage Cream

by PJ on Monday, June 7, 2010

in -SUQQU, all about Japanese cosmetics, skincare, skincare - moisturizing/others

SUQQU is more renowned for its makeup range than for its skincare lineup, as the brand has a variety of sublime color and base makeup items. But today I am featuring one of SUQQU’s key skincare products, Musculate Massage Cream.

Those who are familiar with SUQQU might know about the brand’s signature Gankin Massage, which is claimed to help ease the tension of facial muscles, stimulate blood flow, and re-define facial contours. The massage can be administered by staff members at the SUQQU counter or at home, with the help of Musculate Massage Cream.

The massage is performed after cleansing and before toning and moisturizing. Ideally, it is performed daily both in the morning and in the evening. There are specific steps in the Gankin Massage routine, which are available on the “How to Massage” page on SUQQU’s Japanese website. (These steps are not presented on SUQQU’s global website.)

After the massage, the massage cream is wiped off with a sponge cloth, which comes with the massage cream. (The sponge cloth can be purchased separately, and so can a fiber cloth (as an alternative for the same purpose).) SUQQU also recommends using Face Refresher to remove any residue of the massage cream. As far as I can remember, it contains quite a lot of alcohol and might cause skin irritation for some people.

The massage cream has a very emollient texture. It is designed not to sink into the skin entirely so that the emolliency stays on the skin to facilitate the massage. It contains rich emollients such as mineral oil, beeswax, petrolatum, and squalane. It also contains moisturizing ingredients such as dipropylene glycol, stearic acid, cetearyl alcohol, methylserine, xylobiose, and sodium hyaluronate. (I have noticed that methylserine and xylobiose don’t seem to be commonly used in skincare products from western brands.)

Because of all the occlusive emollients in this product, it is a lot more suitable for those with dry or very dry skin and I would not recommend this product for those with oily skin. If you have combination skin, do avoid using this product on the oilier parts of your skin. (Otherwise you are simply pushing mineral oil and petrolatum into the skin which is already very sebaceous and this might create more problems than benefits.)

The Musculate Massage Cream pictured above is the limited-edition jasmine-scented Matsukasoukou version (available in the UK from January), while the original version (without the leaf details on the jar) has the brand’s signature eastern orchid scent. From June 4th, a limited-edition 300ml version (of the original (eastern orchid) version (200ml)) will be available in Japan.

(The product featured in this article is provided by SUQQU.)

Related posts on SUQQU:

Sensuality with an Attitude

Spring 2010 Collection

Clear Veil Powder

Cheek Brush & Eyebrow Brush L

Lip Essence Cream

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Weekend Beauty Reads for June 6, 2010

by PJ on Sunday, June 6, 2010

in Weekend Beauty Read


Elke is in love with and highly recommends the truly futuristic lip gloss from Lipgloss by Hourglass.

Laser hair removal at home? Christine from 15 Minute Beauty Fanatic explains how it works and whether the Silk’n Sens Epil worked for her!

Beauty Anonymous reviews Kate Magical Long Gel Mascara.

Phyrra shows you Cover Girl’s answer to Urban Decay’s 24/7 liners, the Liquiline Blast Eyeliner!

Beauty Junkie in SF is loving smearing on her summer glow with Hourglass Cosmetics’ Illume Creme to Powder Bronzer Duo in Sunset.

A Touch of Blusher has been loving YSL’s Golden Gloss in Golden Pink.

The Makeup Divas reviews Too Faced Glamour Glosses.

Beauty in Real Life has the dish on the new Bobbi Brown Beach Collection!

Beauty and Fashion Tech looks at the beautiful L.A.M.B. Ultraviolet Handbags now on sale at Zappos.

The Makeup Blogger couldn’t live without Obessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tars in both her professional and personal kits!

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Clé de Peau Fall 2010 Collection

by PJ on Sunday, June 6, 2010

in -Clé de Peau, -Shiseido, 2010 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(image/info from www.nikkei.com)

Shiseido Clé de Peau will release its fall 2010 makeup collection in Japan on July 21st. The collection includes:

– Ombres Couleurs Quatri (5 variations)
– Rouge Subtil (2 shades)
– Rouge à Lèvres (3 shades)

Related posts:

Clé de Peau Spring 2010 Collection

Clé de Peau Fall 2009 Collection

SHISEIDO Summer 2010 Collection

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Fragrance Friday Review: Acqua di Gioia by Giorgio Armani

by PJ on Friday, June 4, 2010

in -Giorgio Armani, 2010 Spring, 2010 Summer, fragrance

I was expecting Giorgio Amarni’s latest fragrance, Acqua di Gioia, to be a very aquatic scent. It turns out to be sweeter and more floral, but it still presents a balance between a marine sensation and floral sweetness.

Top notes: mint, Italian lemon
Middle note: water jasmine
Base notes: cedarwood, brown sugar, labdanum

I would describe the scent as a fresh floral aquatic (though I nearly decided to describe it as an aquatic floral). The scent starts with a citrusy, effervescent, and cooling feel, as both the mint and the lemon have a clear and defined presence. The body of the scent is sweeter, and the water jasmine provides the scent with gentle sweetness and powderiness. But the overall composition remains relatively fresh and not overly syrupy.

I like the drydown of the scent. The floralness seems to be slightly reined in and the marine tone of the scent re-presents itself. The overall feel is quite intriguingly serene and comforting.

Compared with the previous two summery scents that I featured, SJP NYC is the sweetest of the three while Elemis Eau de Parfum is the least sweet. Acqua di Gioia is in the middle of the two, both in terms of sweetness and aquaticness.

Acqua di Gioia, available in eau de parfum in 30ml, 50ml, and 100ml, will be launched in the UK in July.

(The product featured in this article is provided by Giorgio Armani.)

Related posts:

Bulgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert

SUQQU Sanzekan

Bond No. 9 Astor Place

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Dior Fall 2010 Makeup Collection

by PJ on Thursday, June 3, 2010

in -Dior, 2010 Fall, makeup

(images/info from www.joseishi.net/voce)

Here is a look at Dior’s fall 2010 makeup collection. The limited-edition star item of the season is 2 Colors Edition Collector (with 1 variation), with the Dior logos embossed onto the two contrastive shades. I think I will skip it and start looking forward to the holiday 2010 star item.

The rest of the collection includes:

– 5 Colors Designer (1 new variation, 808 Pink Design)

– 5 Colors eyeshadow palette (1 new variation, 844 Misty Mauve, limited edition)

– Mascara Diorshow 360

– Diorshow Maximizer (mascara base)

– Sérum de Rouge (4 new shades, including 1 limited edition)

– Dior Addict High Color (2 new shades, including 1 limited edition)

– Dior Addict Ultra Gloss (1 new shade, limited edition)

The new Diorshow 360 mascara is Dior’s version of the battery-powered mascara. It features the “helix blush”, and I am presuming that the brush swivels rather than vibrates.

Related posts on Dior:

Addicted to Dior for Summer 2010

Spring 2010 Makeup Collection

Fall 2009 Makeup Collection

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