(image from The Body Shop)
To support the global HIV and AIDS awareness campaign by the Staying Alive Foundation (founded by MTV), The Body Shop has launched Tantalising Lip Butter in the UK for the 2009 campaign.
The Staying Alive Foundation, established in 1998, funds youth-focused safe sex campaigns across the world. Have a look at the foundation’s official website to learn more about the foundation and the cause.
Tantalising Lip Butter contains Community Trade shea butter and Community Trade beeswax to moisturize the lips. It also contains vitamin E, which serves as an antioxidant. The lip butter has a smooth and emollient texture and it has a very fresh and sweet fruity scent.
The retail price of Tantalising Lip Butter is £5.00, with £3.98 of the sale going to the cause.
(image from www.lancome.co.uk)
Lancôme‘s Génifique is the brand’s latest anti-aging product. The media attention to it surrounds Lancôme’s references to studies of genomics (the study of genes) and proteomics (the study of proteins).
According to Lancôme, various proteins and genes were studied and the proteins that are related to the appearance of youthful skin were identified. The formula of Génefique is claimed to stimulate the activity of genes and the production of proteins that are associated with youthful skin.
One ingredient in question is salicyloyl phytosphingosine, which combines the benefits of salicylic acid and phytosphingosine. One paper published in International Journal of Cosmetic Science in 2007 (see abstract here) suggests that salicyloyl phytosphingosine is shown to reduce wrinkle depth and improve skin texture. Also, according to Paula Begoun, phytosphingosine may be a cell-communicating agent. (For more about cell-communicating agent, see this article by Paula Begoun.)
It is a very lightweight watery serum which is faintly scented. It is used after cleansing and toning and before any moisturizer.
Génifique has a relatively short ingredient list.
It is essentially salicyloyl phytosphingosine that the product is about, and it doesn’t come with a host of gimmicks. (Nearly all the other ingredients are fairly standard ones often found in other skincare products.)
However, one major drawback of Génifique is the amount of alcohol it has. It is fourth on the ingredient list (after glycerine and before dimethicone),
and it is somewhat easily detected by smell (which is usually not a good sign). Unfortunately, this can negate the possible skin-friendly benefits of this product, as alcohol (especially with such an amount) can be drying or irritating for the skin as well as causing free-radical damage. Those who can’t tolerate products with alcohol are most likely to find Génifique unusable.
If alcohol were left out of this product or kept to the absolute minimum, this could be a good product suitable for nearly all skin types. I would be interested to see if Lancôme will extend Génifique into a range of products and to look through the ingredients in each product.
Other skincare reviews:
Crème de la Mer
Elizabeth Arden Intervene
Rodial Glamotox
Amatokin
(image/info from www.joseishi.net/voce)
(I hope this is not an April Fools’ Day prank on Japanese cosmetics fans…)
The Japanese beauty magazine, Voce, will launch a weekly program on TV Asahi in Japan on Friday April 3rd. The program will focus on the latest beauty news and makeup looks in Japan. Below is the program schedule (in Japan time):
TV Asahi: Saturday 1:50 – 2:20am* (excluding the last Saturday of the month)
BS Asahi: Saturday 11:00 – 11:30am
* billed as “Friday late night” on the above Voce screen capture.
For further information, please check the webpage on Voce and the official Voce BeauTV site on TV Asahi.
It is mentioned on Voce that the program will be broadcast on-line, which is quite exciting. I will definitely see if I can view the program on-line and I will update this post with more information.
Updated on April 8, 2009:
I viewed the first episode of BeauTV, and I found it quite enjoyable (even though my Japanese is very basic).
The 30-minute program is divided into several segments. Beautist Talk featured the interview with makeup artist Chiaki Shimada, and Beauty Lesson showcased the Cool and Sweet makeup looks demonstrated by Shimada. The product news section highlighted new releases from Chanel, Guerlain, and Paul & Joe. The program ended with beauty tips from the presenter, Risa Hirako.
You can view BeauTV via the KeyHoleTV program, which streams Japanese TV in real-time and can be downloaded for free. (According to this post, KeyHoleTV is developed by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.) BeauTV is on the “
テレビ朝日” channel. The video and audio quality is not top-notch but is still good, and the streaming is very smooth.
Related posts:
My Ultimate Cosmetics Archive
Beauty City Guide: Tokyo
(image/info from www.nikkei.co.jp)
Chicca will release its summer 2009 collection in Japan on May 13th. The seasonal makeup theme is Mysterious Blue.
The lineup includes:
– Enticing Lipstick (4 new shades)
– Enticing Lip Gloss (1 new shade)
– Enthralling Powder Eyeshadow duos (4 new variations)
– Enthralling Powder Eyeliner (1 new shade)
– Enthralling Gel Eyeliner (1 new shade)
– Enthralling Waterproof Mascara (new, 1 shade)
If you enjoy wearing blue eyeshadows, summer collections from Japanese brands are usually worth looking into.
I quite like the strong reds that go with the blues in this collection, particularly the shade of the bright lip gloss.
Related posts on Chicca:
Spring 2009 Collection
Holiday 2009 Collection
New Brand Launch: Kanebo Chicca
Beauty Match
Free Trial Offer: Cosmetyn Stretch Mark Relief cream.
A Touch of Blusher
A Touch of Blusher looks at YSL’s Asia-exclusive collection for summer 2009.
eye4style
eye4style reviews the three newest fragrances from Strange Invisible Perfumes.
STYLEnosh
It’s time to reset your expectations in the fitting room.
Style Manila
Tired of lip stains and re-touching? Style Manila shares the 6-layer lip makeup technique.
Splendicity Accessories
Are you confused by those vague jewelry terms? What exactly is a “princess” necklace? Here’s a quick and easy guide to demystifying those necklace lengths.
image: Stock.xchg
Beauty Anonymous features Shiseido’s Majolica Majorca Summer 2009 Collection.
Economy got you down? Cybelesays.com is giving about 12 boxes of beauty to help perk you up! Click here to enter.
Missed out on MAC Hello Kitty “On the Prowl” Nail Polish? Well wipe those tears. ThisThatBeauty is giving away bottles of Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics “Dangerous” Nail Colour. “Dangerous” embraces the uber trendy gray nail color trend! Click here to enter.
The Makeup Divas reviews a few products from the new Avon Celestial 2009 Spring Collection.
The girls over at Beauty in Real Life are having another giveaway. Click here to enter to win a Galvanic Spa II kit, valued over $350!!!
Looking for the perfect cleanser to go with your Aminogenesis Tripeptinon? The Shades Of U dishes out a review on Aminogenesis Really, Really Clean Facial Cleanser.
(Nude Skincare Age Defence Moisturiser)
(images from www.nudeskincare.com)
In December 2008, I reviewed three of Nude Skincare‘s products. Today, I will be talking about three other items from the line.
– Age Defence Moisturiser (above)
The product has a light cream texture and should suit most skin types, except for very oily or very dry skin. Some of its moisturizing ingredients are sesame oil, shea butter, and sunflower oil. It contains antioxidants such as arginine and lingoberry seed oil.
It has the right consistency for my Type 4 skin (dehydrated oily skin), but, after the product sinks in, it leaves my skin a little tight. I am not sure if this tightness might appeal to those who want a temporary firming action from a moisturizer, but, for me, I would sometimes apply a small amount of my usual moisturizer (currently Olay Complete Care Night Enriched Cream) to ease the tightness.
– Moisture Balance
With a very light serum-like gel texture, this product is formulated for those with oily skin. Some of the main moisturizing ingredients are glycerine, jojoba seed oil, and algae extract.
One ingredient that makes this product potentially suitable for oily skin is kaolin, which has absorbent properties. (It is a typical main ingredient in deep-cleansing masks. This product has a very small amount of it.) However, if your oily skin is the kind that is dehydrated underneath, this product might not be right for you as kaolin may dry out the skin.
For me, this product is not moisturizing enough for my oily-dry skin, and I marginally prefer Age Defence Moisturizer to this.
As I mentioned in my previous Nude Skincare review, the air-tight opaque bottle with a pump dispenser is probably the best type of packaging for a moisturizer, as some of the beneficial ingredients can lose their efficacy when they are exposed to light and air.
– Nude Lips
This lip balm contains shea butter, beeswax, and coconut oil. It should ideally be a good lip moisturizer with these occlusive ingredients (and with vitamin E), but I find that the application is somewhat inefficient. The product is very solid, and I have to swirl my finger on the product for quite a while to get only a little bit of the product onto my finger. I think this lip balm, without changing its formula, can potentially work a lot better in a stick form.
Other skincare reviews:
Elizabeth Arden Intervene
Chanel Huile Confort & Lotion Confort
SUQQU Lip Essence Cream
Last week, I came across Sheer Stella 2009, and, as a collector, I had to get it.
This year, the shade of the bottle is peachy-pink, with the rose motif in a frosted texture. I do like the contrast between the glossed and frosted finishes (which were also on the bottle of Sheer Stella 2005) and I prefer this bottle design to last year’s, but overall my favorite two are still the 2005 and 2007 ones.
You can see Sheer Stella 2004-2007 here.
Last year’s Sheer Stella is quite unique because of the freesia and raspberry notes it has. Sheer Stella 2009 has gone back to lemon and green apple as top notes, It is, not surprisingly, very similar to the first few editions. According to Now Smell This, the notes include lemon, green apple, rose and amber. Compared with Stella, Sheer Stella is generally more cooling and fresh than sensual. For me, it is a very lovely scent that is never too sweet or powdery, great for a warm summer day. (I hope we will have a decent summer in the UK this year…)
Related posts (other great spring/summer scents):
Bulgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert
Bond No. 9 Coney Island
Escada Moon Sparkle
(images and info from www.iswii.com)
To celebrate the opening of the Chanel beauty boutique in Aoyama, Tokyo, Chanel will release a limited-edition Tokyo-exclusive makeup collection. The collection will include a pressed powder, four shades of Glossimer Lèvres Scintillantes and four shades of Nail Colour. Pink, blue, gold, and silver are the chosen shades for the collection. Everything looks very fresh and lovely, and I can’t take my eyes off the blue-tinted lip gloss!
The boutique in Aoyama will be the largest Chanel beauty boutique in the world and will showcase Chanel’s makeup, skincare, and fragrance products.
If you can’t make it to Tokyo, you might want to know that a very limited quantity of the collection will be available in SOGO (Chung-Xiao branch) in Taipei from April 9th.
Sometimes, Chanel’s Asia-exclusive items are available in the Chanel Studio in Harvey Nichols, London, but I doubt it would be the case with this collection.
Updated on June 10th 2009:
Please check the two posts on further information on this collection here and here.
Updated on June 22, 2009:
Please check out this post for more information on the UK availability.
Related posts:
Beautiful Lips with Blue Lip Glosses
Beauty City Guide: Tokyo
Beauty City Guide: Taipei
Beauty City Guide: London
(image from The Body Shop)
