(image from www.dior.com)
I stopped by my local Boots to see Dior’s Holiday 2009 collection yesterday, and I was very pleased that the Cristal Boréal Crystal Gloss Jewel did look lovely in person. I didn’t have enough Boots points to use on Lady Dior back in spring, but I did this time with Cristal Boréal. (I got the one in 251 Pink Crystal.)
I haven’t opened it yet (I am trying to savor the anticipation), but I will be bringing you my thoughts on it and some of the other items in the collection within the next couple of weeks.
by PJ on Tuesday, November 3, 2009
in -Addiction, -Dior, -Kosé, -Paul & Joe, -YSL, 2009 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10
A couple of weeks ago, I presented the Fall 2009 Makeup Trend Round-Up. Today, I start the countdown of my favorite fall 2009 makeup collections. I hope you will enjoy these posts.
10. Addiction
(image from www.addiction-beauty.com)
I think Kosé’s Addiction is one of the most exciting launches in Japanese cosmetics this year. As many of the mainstream Japanese makeup lines aim to be as wearable as possible, Addiction is a lot edgier, with items like various black eyeshadows that help create intense smoky eyes.
(image from www.addiction-beauty.com)
The launch lineup is very coherent and looks quite warm-toned to me, and I look forward to seeing their spring 2010 collection.
9. YSL
(image from www.ysl.com)
(image from www.joseishi.net/voce)
Among the items in YSL’s fall 2009 makeup collection, I like the Ombres 5 Lumières in 18 (above, Japanese release) and the limited-edition Cream Blush. The Cream Blush has more of a mousse texture, which is a pleasant surprise. It appeals to me more than blushers with a cream texture, as I think mousse blushers are easier to apply and blend. They also tend to look velvety/semi-matte (which I like) rather than shiny.
8. Dior
(image from www.iswii.net)
(image from www.iswii.net)
Dior’s seasonal makeup collections are usually great trend indicators, and the fall 2009 collection is no exception. The collection features purples, plums, pinks, and greys for the eyes and warm-toned shades for the lips. The 5-Color Eyeshadow in 173 Night Butterfly (above) has virtually all the seasonal trends in one compact.
The Dior Jazzclub palettes look very chic but they don’t wow me as much as many of Dior’s past seasonal limited-edition items. Otherwise, Dior would place higher on my list.
7. Paul & Joe
(image from www.iswii.com)
I think Paul & Joe’s seasonal makeup collections are always worth looking forward to, particularly the items with the original prints by the designer behind the brand, Sophie Albou. While I am not as crazy about the prints from this collection as I was about some of the previous ones, I like the new design of the eyeshadow cases, which have an oval shape instead of the usual round shape. Paul & Joe doesn’t do loud colors, and the eyeshadows for this season are soft, elegant, and wearable as usual.
(image from www.iswii.com)
Raging Rouge
Raging Rouge kicks off three days featuring the best lipstick and lip gloss shades of fall 2009!
Eat Smart Age Smart
Does drinking alcohol make you exercise more?
Beauty Match
Free Trial Offer: Reprint Plant Steam Cell Skincare Wrinkle Cream.
Beauty and Fashion Tech
Beauty and Fashion Tech loves the shu uemura holiday compact mirror!
A Touch of Blusher
A Touch of Blusher compares three of Dove’s body lotions.
Splendicity Accessories
There’s no reason why you can’t be warm and fashionable this fall – especially if you check out what the indie designers have been up to.
image: Stock.xchg
(images from www.dove.co.uk)
Two years ago, I wrote about Dove’s Body Silk (in my Can’t Live Without series), which is one of my favorite body moisturizers. (I am still using it.) Today I am reviewing three of Dove’s other body moisturizers.
The Supreme Silk Beauty Body Lotion (pictured above) is from the same range as the Body Silk, and it feels lighter than the Body Silk. It has a light lotion consistency and it spreads very easily. It is nicely absorbed and hydrates the skin well.
It contains mica, which gives a bit of shimmer to the skin. I don’t usually like body moisturizers that have a “makeup” element, but the shimmer from this product is quite faint and subtle.
The Intensive Lotion for Extra Dry Skin has a light-cream consistency. It is more or less as easily spreadable as the Supreme Silk Beauty Body Lotion. But, after it is absorbed, it feels a lot more emollient on the skin. (It doesn’t feel too heavy or sticky.)
When the Pro.Age Body Cream Oil is dispensed onto the hands, it has a creamy lotion consistency that is not too different from that of many other body moisturizers. But when I spread it onto the skin, I can really feel how richly emollient it is. It may look somewhat runny, but it spreads almost like a thick body butter. It is by far the most emollient of the three.
Paraffinum Liquidum (mineral oil) is third on the ingredient list, which might be one of the reasons why this feels so emollient on the skin.
Among the three, the Supreme Silk Beauty Body Lotion appeals to me the most (although I would prefer a version without mica). It feels the lightest on the skin but it is still very hydrating. (On a related note, it is the only one among these three that doesn’t contain mineral oil.) I think it should suit most people with normal or normal-to-dry skin on the body.
The Intensive Lotion for Extra Dry Skin, I think, is indeed for people with very dry skin. Most people might find it more suitable when the weather is particularly cold and dry. As for the Pro.Age Body Cream Oil, which works more like a body butter, I think it is more ideal for the very dry patches of the body, as it can be too oily to be used all over the body (unless your skin is exceptionally dry).
Next month, I will review Dove’s Body Butter for Extra Dry Skin and Pro.Age Rich Body Butter and I will compare them with the three products reviewed above.
(The products featured in this review are provided by Dove.)
Related posts:
Kanebo Sensai Premier The Body Cream
Jergens Extra Softening Body Moisturzer
Nivea My Silhouette Gel-Cream
(images/info from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/coffretdor)
Coffret D’Or‘s official website has been updated with information on the line’s holiday 2009 and spring 2010 collections.
What I am really looking forward to is the new Jewelcious Eyes series. The color combinations are what we would expect from Coffret D’Or, but the quality of Coffret D’Or’s eye palettes has been generally very good and it is very likely that I will try one palette from this series.
The five variations are:
– Citrian Green
– Pink Topaz
– Crystalish Blue
– Amber Beige
– Purple Amethyst
I also adore the 2010 design of the eye palette compacts. I like the fact that the concept and the motif have remained the same since the launch of the line but there is a new design each year. (You can see the 2008 design here and the 2009 design here.)
Related posts on Coffret D’Or:
Fall 2009 Point Makeup Collection
Color Mixing Eyes in Lavender Purple Mix
(summer 2009)
Shine Accent Eyes in Pink Variation
(spring 2009)
Raging Rouge
Raging Rouge explores the world of MAC Style Black, including these not-to-be-missed Glimmerglass glosses!
STYLEnosh
Need a wardrobe boost? Try mixing prints and patterns.
eye4style
eye4style experiences the most fashionable afternoon tea in London.
Holiday Makeup
Holiday Makeup has the full MAC Holiday Collection!
Beauty and Fashion Tech
Beauty and Fashion Tech looks at part of the Luna Twilight Collection.
Splendicity Accessories
You could win your very own chunky brass “Phatty” necklace from Twisted Silver!
image: Stock.xchg
(images from RoC)
Many of you who read my blog probably already know my view on moisturizers which carry anti-aging (or anti-wrinkle) claims. (You can see some of my related posts here.) In almost all cases, I review them simply as moisturizers just like any other moisturizer (because this is simply what they are). Today, I am reviewing two of the latest products from RoC.
Retin-Ox Wrinkle Correxion Intensive Anti-Wrinkle Serum (pictured above)
This is quite a heavily silicone-based serum that has a slightly thick consistency. On the ingredient list, after water, the next five ingredients are all silicones.
Some of the emollients it contains are stearyl heptanoate, strearyl caprylate, caprylyl glycol, squalane, and hyaluronic acid. It also contains retinol, which, according to Paula Begoun, is a cell-communicating agent (which is able to work at the cellular level) and an antioxidant. It is not easy to say whether there is enough retinol in this product to really bring significant benefits to the skin, but, at least, for the amount that this product does have, RoC tries to keep its efficacy by packaging the product in a opaque container with a pump dispenser. (Retinol can lose its efficacy when it is in contact with air or sunlight.)
The product is alcohol-free and paraben-free.
As with most other silicone-based serums, it leaves a silky finish on the skin. The silicones that it contains can temporarily make the skin look smoother and more even. Personally, I think it feels a little too filmy on the skin.
Retin-Ox Wrinkle Correxion Regenerating Anti-Wrinkle Cream
This is a relatively light-weight nighttime moisturizer that has a lighter consistency than that of the serum reviewed above. Also, it contains less silicone, and the finish is less filmy.
Some of its moisturizing ingredients are glycerin, stearyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, butylene glycol, and hyaluronic acid. Like the serum, this product contains retinol, and the description of the product above regarding retinol applies here. Again, the opaque tube with a pump dispenser is an ideal packaging in terms of the attempt to preserve the efficacy of retinol and other skin-benefiting ingredients.
I feel that the texture and emolliency of this product do suit my Type-4 skin (oily but dry underneath). It moisturizes my skin effectively and the skin feels smooth and supple (not filmy or greasy). I think one of the reasons for this ideal level of emolliency for my particular skin type is that the product doesn’t contain many occlusive moisturizing ingredients, such as mineral oil, shea butter and other plant oils (like jojoba oil, sesame oil, and avocado oil). Even though these non-fragrant occlusive emollients are generally good for the skin and are unlikely to cause skin irritation, skin that tends to get oily doesn’t really need too much of occlusive emolliency.
The product is alcohol-free.
Overall, these two products are well-formulated and well-packaged. The serum should particularly suit those with normal or normal-to-dry skin, while the night cream should suit those with normal, normal-to-dry or normal-to-oily skin.
(The products featured in this review are provided by RoC.)
Related posts:
RoC Hydra+ Bio Active Anti-Oxidant Moisturising Cream SPF 15
Amatokin Emulsion for the Face
Lancôme Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate
Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum
Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream & Oxygenating Night Cream
by PJ on Saturday, October 24, 2009
in bodycare
(images from
www.parispresents.com/EcoTools_s/36.htm)
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Last year, I reviewed some of EcoTools’ makeup brushes and I was very impressed by their quality. Today I am reviewing two products from EcoTools‘ new Bath & Body Collection.
Sustainable Softness Body Lotion
The body lotion has a creamy consistency and a soft berry scent. Some of its main moisturizing ingredients are sunflower seed oil, glycerin, shea butter, mango seed butter, cocoa seed butter, jojoba seed oil, and aloe leaf juice. The product does not contain mineral oil, silicones, or parabens.
What I like about this body moisturizer is that it is very nourishing while not being greasy. Also, there doesn’t seem to be any potent skin irritant in this product. Therefore, in terms of what a moisturizer should do and its ingredients, I think it is a successful product. Having said that, I do think the proportions of the ingredients could perhaps be slightly tweaked so that the lotion might create a smoother and silkier finish on the skin. (The finish, while never greasy, could be somewhat filmy.)
This body lotion should suit those with dry or very dry skin.
One Hand Helps the Other Intensive Hand Cream
The hand cream’s consistency is thicker than that of the body lotion reviewed above. Ingredient-wise, the two products are very similar, as the hand cream also contains sunflower seed oil, glycerin, jojoba seed oil, shea butter, mango seed butter, and aloe leaf juice. It doesn’t contain mineral oil, silicones, or parebens, and it has a light citrusy scent.
This is a fairly decent hand moisturizer with a pleasant consistency for hands and nails. It leaves a nice amount of emolliency so the hands feel protected and not greasy. However, sometimes, when my hands are very dry, it seems that the hand cream does not sink in deep enough to rescue the dry patches. Personally, I feel that it would be an even better product if it were more deeply hydrating and had a better skin-softening effect.
(The products featured in this review are provided by EcoTools.)
Related posts:
Johnson’s Baby Softwash
Bobbi Brown Beach Body Lotion
Elemis Exotic Lime & Ginger Duo
(image from www.dior.com)
