A Touch of Blusher — Makeup, Skincare, Fragrance and a Bit of Fashion

Sass, Style & Substance for January 17, 2010

by PJ on Sunday, January 17, 2010

in Weekend Sass Style and Substance

Beauty Match
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Radiant Touch Highlighter.

A Touch of Blusher
A Touch of Blusher looks at SUQQU’s spring 2010 makeup collection.

Raging Rouge
Raging Rouge is loving this OPI Exclusive– match your manicure to your laptop!

Bags, Bling & Beauty
Bags, Bling & Beauty officially loves vibrating mascara!

Splendicity Accessories
A guy’s guide to buying jewelry for your wife or girlfriend for Valentine’s Day.

STYLEnosh
STYLEnosh insists that you don’t need a bigger closet.

image: Stock.xchg

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Bodycare Review: Neutrogena Deep Moisture

by PJ on Thursday, January 14, 2010

in bodycare

(images from Neutrogena)

According to the BBC, the UK has been seeing its worst cold spell in the last 20 years. The cold weather, the drying heating, and the sudden changes between indoor/outdoor temperatures can be quite testing for the skin, which can be easily neglected while we are concerned about other parts of our lives affected by the weather. Today I am highlighting two body moisturizers that could be helpful for the skin during this time of year.

Neutrogena Deep Moisture Body Lotion Sensitive has a rich lotion consistency. It doesn’t spread as easily as some of the other body lotions that I have tried, but it is absorbed pleasantly easily. The skin feels silky and the moisture is long-lasting. It doesn’t leave the skin sticky or slippery.

Some of the main moisturizing ingredients are glycerin, isononyl isononanoate, cetearyl alcohol, paraffinum liquidum, cetyl alcohol, anhydroxylitol, xylitylglucoside, xylitol, and glyceryl stearate.

This product is fragrance free.

Deep Moisture Comfort Balm sounds like a very thick and butter-like body moisturizer for very dry areas only, but it is actually lightweight enough to be used all over the body. (It is denser than Dove’s Body Silk and lighter than the two Dove body butters I reviewed last November.) As a cream (as opposed to a lotion), it spreads relatively easily and it is absorbed very quickly (almost surprisingly so). The finish is similar to that from Deep Moisture Body Lotion Sensitive. It is non-sticky and leaves the skin silky and nourished.

Some of the main moisturizing ingredients are glycerin, cetyl alcohol, caprylic/capric triglyceride, glyceryl stearate, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), and stearyl alcohol.

The product contains fragrance. (It is the last ingredient on the list.) The scent is quite subtle and comforting.

Overall, both products would be competent enough to be used for winter and they should be suitable for most of the year if you have very dry skin.

Take care, and keep warm!

(The products featured in this article are provided by Neutrogena.)

Neutrogena Everyday Repair Body Lotion

E45 Endless Moisture Range

Elemis Exotic Lime & Ginger Duo

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SUQQU Spring 2010 Collection

by PJ on Monday, January 11, 2010

in -SUQQU, 2010 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

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

SUQQU will release its spring 2010 collection in Japan on February 5th. The collection features the new Noble Nuance range, in addition to the Blend range (with Blend Eyeshadows, Blend Cheeks, and Blend Lipsticks). The new items include:

– Noble Nuance Eyeshadow (above, 3 variations)

– Noble Nuance Cheeks (3 variations)

– Noble Nuance Lipstick (5 shades)

– Noble Nuance Face Color

On March 5th, more base makeup items will be released:

– Pore Covering Base Clear (1 shade)

– 2010 Base Makeup Kit

The 2010 Base Makeup Kit includes:

– Liquid Foundation Aqua (24ml, full-sized)
– Makeup Base Creamy (7g)
– Loose Powder Natural (5.5g)
– Loose Powder Deep (5.5g)
– original pouch

Except the pouch, the contents of the kit appear to be the same as those in the 2009 version of the Base Makeup Kit. (You can see my review of Makeup Base Creamy here and my review of Loose Powder Natural here.)

One of the items in this collection I am very interested in is Noble Nuance Face Color. According to the photo and the text in the February 2010 issue of Biteki, the mosaic pressed powder has shades of beige, lilac, pink, yellow, and coral. I am looking forward to seeing it in person.

(All the items are limited editions, except Pore Covering Base Clear.)

Japanese Beauty Brand Profile – SUQQU

SUQQU Blend Eyeshadow in 10 and Blend Lipsticks in 16 & 18

SUQQU Clear Veil Powder

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Sass, Style & Substance for January 10, 2010

by PJ on Sunday, January 10, 2010

in Weekend Sass Style and Substance

Raging Rouge
Raging Rouge wonders: what are the best bangs for your face shape?

Bags, Bling & Beauty
B,B&B profusely thanks Nine West for solving her shopping conundrum!

Beauty Match
Sexy Celebs over 35 with short hair.

New York Spender
NY Spender is giving away a Large Tote and a Cosmetic Bag from Saltbox Accessories! Hurry giveaway ends this Sunday!

Splendicity Accessories
It’s cold and snowy out there, but we need to have some fun, so let’s go shopping for spring shoes!

STYLEnosh
Re-think your approach to getting dressed this year.

A Touch of Blusher
A Touch of Blusher reviews StellaNude by Stella McCartney.

image: Stock.xchg

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Japanese Cosmetics Focus: Ettusais

by PJ on Friday, January 8, 2010

in _Japanese Brand Profile, -Ettusais, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, skincare

(image from www.ettusais.co.jp)

It has been a while since I last added an article to the “Japanese Brand Profile” series, and today I am going to talk about Ettusais.

Ettusais was launched in 1991 and I believe it is still owned by Shiseido. The name of the brand comes from “Et tu sais?” (“And you know?”) in French. The brand includes skincare, bodycare, base makeup, and point makeup products. The Ettusais Homme sector features an extensive range of male grooming products.

One area that Ettusais focuses on is the skincare regime for those with acne-prone skin. Quite a few years ago, I purchased a trial set of basic skincare products for acne-prone skin. The set included a gel makeup remover, a face soap, a toner, and a moisturizer, and I later on purchased full-sized products of the makeup remover and the face soap.

(I don’t think I would be able to use the face soap now, since my skin is less acne-prone than how it used to be and I live in a generally cooler and drier climate. Most face soaps would be far too drying for me now.)

Ettusais’ current makeup remover designed for acne-prone skin is Medicated Acne Gentle Make Off, which is a cleansing oil. I have been using RMK’s Cleansing Oil for many years, and I am quite interested in seeing how well this one works.

(Medicated Acne Gentle Make Off)

Many of Ettusais’ base makeup products are also designed for those with acne-prone skin. Some of the products are claimed to be able to neutralize redness and to make the skin look smoother and more polished.

One item that I have tried is a yellow-toned concealer which is able to neutralize redness. It is applied on redness-prone areas such as the nose and the cheeks. The texture is a little bit too much on the thick side for me, but the coverage is natural and long-lasting. The current version is called Flat Design Color Changer (SPF 12, PA++).

(Flat Design Color Changer)

Ettusais’ point makeup range includes basic as well as vibrant colors. The packaging is simple and youthful. You can see Ettusais’ spring 2010 collection here.

(Ettusais Eye Colors)

Over the years, Ettusais seems to be doing steadily well. I like the fact that the brand didn’t reach success through glamorous ad campaigns or fancy packaging. Apart from the brand’s clear identity (skincare/makeup items for acne-prone skin), the reasonable pricing may be one of the reasons for the brand’s popularity. (Melty Touch Rouge, new for spring 2010, is priced at 1890 JPY (12.7 GBP/ 20.4 USD).)

(one of Ettusais’ retail points in Hong Kong)

According to Ettusais’ official website, apart from Japan, Ettusais is available in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia. Ettusais’ Japanese official website offers on-line ordering but it is only available to customers in Japan.

Other posts in the “Japanese Brand Profile” series:

Mamew

Kanebo Freeplus

Sony Vecua

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Fragrance Review: StellaNude by Stella McCartney

by PJ on Monday, January 4, 2010

in -Stella McCartney, fragrance

(image from www.stellamccartney.com)

In one of my earliest blog posts, I talked about my three favorite fragrances. Stella by Stella McCartney is among them, and it is still one of my favorite scents. Late last year, Stella McCartney released StellaNude, which joins the Stella family. It is also a continuation of the Stella McCartney Lingerie Collection.

(StellaNude UK TV ad, via YouTube)

Top notes: Moroccan rose, grapefruit
Middle notes: white peony, pink pepper
Base notes: Ugandan vanilla, grey amber

For me, the easiest way to talk about StellaNude is to compare it with Stella. While both are sensuous scents which feature the beautiful rose note, one element that really differs StellaNude from Stella is the pink pepper. It makes StellaNude sharper, spicier, and more bouncy. (Interestingly, this is not the way I expected StellaNude to be when I was looking at how the scent was visually marketed.) On the other hand, Stella is relatively more sedate, rounded and grounded.

StellaNude has a strong opening and a subtle drydown, and the punchy pepper note gives StellaNude a youthful and playful edge. Stella is softer and carries a feminine elegance, and its intensity is released more steadily.

Stella is an eau de parfum and StellaNude is an eau de toilette, and I do think that Stella lasts longer.

(image from www.stellamccartney.com)

The bottle has the same shape as that of Stella but it features facets in pale blush pink (instead of deep plum).

Overall, I prefer Stella. But what I like about StellaNude is that, while it is certainly instantly recognizable as part of the Stella family, it is different enough from all the other members to warrant its own identity. I think it is another successful modern interpretation of a rose fragrance. Compared with Stella, it will probably appeal to slightly younger consumers.

StellaNude is currently available in Eau de Toilette (30ml, 50ml, and 100ml) and Linen Scented Mist (125ml).

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

Stella McCartney Sheer Stella 2009

Bulgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert

A Splash of Color – Sensuous Plum

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Sass, Style & Substance for January 3, 2010

by PJ on Sunday, January 3, 2010

in Weekend Sass Style and Substance

STYLEnosh
Presenting the 2009 best of STYLEnosh list.

eye4style
eye4style takes a stand in favor of Uggs. Is she crazy?

Splendicity Accessories
Ring in the New Year with some fun New Year’s resolutions for your accessory and jewelry wardrobe.

A Touch of Blusher
A Touch of Blusher reviews products from Korres’ Materia Herba range.

image: Stock.xchg

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Makeup Review: Clinique Redness Solutions Instant Relief Mineral Powder

by PJ on Friday, January 1, 2010

in -Clinique, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - powder

(image from www.clinique.co.uk)

Happy New Year!

Today I am reviewing Clinique‘s Redness Solutions Instant Relief Mineral Powder. It is from Clinique‘s Redness Solutions range, which is mainly a skincare range that features products designed to calm down the redness of the skin. Instant Relief Mineral Powder is the only non-skincare item from the range.

As I mentioned in my review of ck Calvin Klein’s Subliminal Purity Mineral Based Loose Powder, in terms of beauty marketing (particularly with many mainstream beauty brands that are not traditionally associated with mineral makeup), a mineral or mineral-based powder is usually a talc-free powder (even though talc is a mineral ingredient) and it is usually not purely mineral. Instant Relief Mineral Powder is another example. It is talc-free and it contains non-mineral ingredients.

Purely mineral foundations/powders rarely suit me because they tend to be very drying and they usually don’t have a good staying power. Therefore, I have no problems with using powders that contain both mineral and non-mineral ingredients. Some non-mineral ingredients in foundations/powders add moisture to the products and help them adhere to the skin more evenly. Some of the non-mineral ingredients that act as emollients in this product are astrocaryum murumuru seed butter, isopropyl palmitate, lecithin, and squalane.

(The word “mineral” can mean “containing minerals”. (A mineral spring of course contains non-mineral substances.) However, I don’t think powders that contain non-mineral ingredients should be called “mineral” powders. They may confuse consumers since there are powders that are actually entirely mineral. Also, almost all foundations/powders contain some mineral ingredients anyway, and the word “mineral” in a product name, in many cases, does not necessarily differentiate one product from another.)

Instant Relief Mineral Powder is a yellow-toned loose powder that has a softly matte finish with no visible shimmer. The coverage is between sheer and sheer-to-medium. It has a fairly good shine control efficacy and the pore coverage is generally satisfactory.

I find that the yellowness of the powder does help even out the redness, but I also find that the yellow pigment goes on slightly too dark and too sallow on me. It does not have the brightening effect from some of the other yellow-toned products that I have tried.

(A yellow-toned powder from Kanebo Revue that I have works very well as a finishing powder that balances out my skin’s slight redness, which can sometimes make the skin look dull. Also, an Ettusais yellow-toned primer that I tried a few years ago had a very natural and long-lasting brightening effect.)

The powder does not contain parabens or fragrance. It contains bismuth oxychoride, which, according to Paula Begoun, may cause slight irritation but is not a toxic ingredient. (Some beauty companies, most of which are mineral makeup companies, claim that bismuth oxychloride is toxic, which, according to Paula Begoun, is not the case.)

If you are looking for a mineral loose powder, do remember that this powder contains non-mineral ingredients. Also, if you are looking for a matte shimmer-free loose powder with a decent oil control ability and would like to test out this product, do bear in mind that the yellow pigment in it may not suit all complexions.

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

Clinique Even Better Skin Tone Correcting Moisturizer SPF 20

Kiss Mat Chiffon Powder

L’Oréal True Match Super-Blendable Powder

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Skincare Review: Korres Materia Herba

by PJ on Wednesday, December 30, 2009

in skincare, skincare - moisturizing/others

(images from www.korres.com)

Established in 1996 in Greece, Korres features skincare, bodycare, haircare, and makeup products. One of Korres’ latest ranges is Materia Herba, which currently includes nine Ecocert-certified organic skincare products. (There are two cleansers, five facial moisturizers, and two eye moisturizers.) Today I am highlighting two of the facial moisturizers.

Materia Herba Moisturising Cream for Oily to Combination Skin has a light consistency that spreads easily. Some of its ingredients that help moisturize the skin include glycerin, caprylic/capric triglyceride, cetearyl alcohol, safflower seed oil, glyceryl stearate, sunflower seed oil, and sesame seed oil.

The product does not contain mineral oil, silicones, or parabens. It contains fragrance.

One major drawback of this product is the large amount of alcohol it contains. (It is second on the ingredient list.) It makes the product potentially drying for most skin types.

Materia Herba Anti-Ageing Cream for Oily to Combination Skin has a somewhat similar formulation, but it does not contain alcohol. (The product still contains benzyl alcohol, which can be drying for some people. But it is not towards the very top of the ingredient list (8th on the ingredient list).)

Some of the moisturizing ingredients include sunflower seed oil, caprylic/capric triglyceride, glycerin, jojoba seed oil, squalane, glyceryl stearate, and soybean oil.

The product has a similar consistency to that of the Moisturising Cream for Oily to Combination Skin reviewed above. Even though the product has a light texture, sunflower seed oil (an occlusive moisturizing agent) is second on the ingredient list. It also contains other occlusive moisturizing ingredients such as jojoba seed oil, squalene and soybean oil. Overall, I think the product might be too occlusive for those with oily, combination, or normal-to-oily skin.

The product does not contain mineral oil, silicones, or parabens. It contains fragrance.

(The products featured in this article are provided by Korres.)

Chanel Ultra Correction Lift & Line Repair

Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream & Oxygenating Night Cream

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