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

Japanese Base Makeup Week (Part 3)

by PJ on Wednesday, March 4, 2009

in _Japanese Base Makeup Week, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation, makeup - base makeup - powder, makeup - base makeup - primer/concealer

Part 3: Which one is my shade?

(Shiseido Maquillage Lasting Powdery UV)

(image from www.shiseido.co.jp/mq)

I am often asked about choosing the right foundation shade from a Japanese brand. One question that comes up the most is “What is the difference between Ochre shades and Beige Ochre shades?” If you have wondered about the same thing, I hope this part of the series will help you a little.

Many major Japanese foundation lines categorize their shades into three groups:

– Neutral Ochre (OC) shades
– Yellow-toned Beige Ochre (BO) shades
– Pink-toned Pink Ochre (PO) shades

(Notice that some brands don’t carry PO shades.)

Sometimes the shade name can vary. (Coffret D’Or’s pink-toned shades are called Soft Ochre shades.) But, on a typical shade chart, neutral shades are usually in the middle, with pink-toned shades on the left and yellow-toned shades on the right. Below is the shade chart for Coffret D’Or’s Lasting Power Pact UV:

(shade chart for Coffret D’Or Lasting Power Pact UV)

(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/coffretdor)

In the shade chart for all the Sofina Primavista foundations (below), Ochre 05 is marked as the “standard shade”, which is the shade that suits most people of East-Asian descent. This happens to be the shade I would usually go for, as the second lightest Ochre shade usually suits me quite well.

(shade chart for all Primavista foundations)

(image from www.sofina.com/jp/primavista)

If you are of East-Asian descent and you have never tried a foundation from Japanese brand, then I would recommend trying an Ochre shade, which is likely to suit you reasonably well. Also, once you know what an Ochre (neutral) shade looks on you, it is slightly easier to know what to expect if you decide to try a yellow-toned or pink-toned shade.

(Since most Japanese makeup lines are only sold in Japan or in East/ Southeast Asia, the foundation shades are not made to suit a wider range of complexions. If you are of Caucasian descent, then you can probably find Japanese foundation shades that suit you. If you are of Latina or Afro-Caribbean descent, then most Japanese foundations might be too light for you. But I have had good feedback from readers of Afro-Caribbean descent on Japanese loose powder products, which are usually translucent and can work for most complexions.)

However, not all Japanese foundation shades are categorized like what you see above. Other brands use a linear presentation of the shades and the shade names don’t suggest their undertone. Below is Paul & Joe’s Protective Fluid Foundation N:

(Paul & Joe Protective Fluid Foundation N)
(image from www.paul-joe-beaute.com)

Overall it can be a lot trickier to tell which shade would suit you the most. In this case, apart from weeding out shades that might be too light/dark for you, try to compare the swatches in terms of yellow/pink undertones.

(If I have to pick a shade only by looking at the swatches here, I would first eliminate the two lightest shades, 10 and 20. I tend to avoid peachy/pink-toned shades, and 30 looks like a shade that might work for me as it looks slightly more yellow-toned than the neighboring shades.)

Having to choose a foundation shade on-line can be very difficult. (I can occasionally choose the wrong shade even when I can see all the shades in person…) But once you have some experience, things will get a lot easier.

(Sometimes it might be worth learning to recognize the Japanese characters for the three shade groups. Please refer to the Primavista shade chart for the characters (those printed within the color swatches). The names happen to be the same ones used by Maquillage, so you will be able to make more sense of the shades you see for Maquillage’s Lasting Powdery UV at the top of this post.)

Are you ready for some on-line browsing? Tomorrow I will talk about some popular Japanese base makeup lines.

Related posts:

Jill Stuart Moist Silk Foundation

Majolica Majorca Skin Remake Compact

Japanese Base Makeup Week Part 1 & Part 2

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Japanese Base Makeup Week (Part 2)

by PJ on Tuesday, March 3, 2009

in _Japanese Base Makeup Week, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation, makeup - base makeup - powder, makeup - base makeup - primer/concealer

Part 2: When are they coming out?

(Sofina Primavista’s spring/summer 2009
base makeup lineup)

(image from www.sofina.co.jp/primavista)

Partly due to the speed of development in Japanese base makeup (and partly due to marketing tactics), the frequency in which a brand’s base makeup products get updated is a lot higher than that of most western brands.

Many major Japanese beauty brands release two base makeup collections a year. Spring/summer releases are usually in March and April, and fall/winter releases are usually in September and October. (They are more or less released two months after the seasonal point makeup collections are available.)

The size of the collection varies. Sometimes there are just a couple of items (perhaps a new foundation and a primer), and sometimes there can be a major collection revamp.

Very often, when a new product is launched, the existing equivelant will be discontinued. This means that a Japanese base makeup product can sometimes only be available for 12 months. (This is especially the case with some department store brands.) For example, during the Raycious era (2000 – 2007), a new powder foundation was released every March and the previous version would be discontinued. Not all the products are updated at this rate, but many do get revamped about every other year.

So, on the whole, every six months, a base makeup collection goes through an update, and possibly a few products are phased out. (One obvious exception would be a new base make range whose lineup is still growing, like Primavista.) My suggestion is that, if you discover a Japanese base makeup product that you can’t live without, consider picking up some extras. (The next version might not suit you equally.)

There are some general differences between spring/summer and fall/winter releases. Spring/summer releases tend to have higher SPF and PA. They are often more sweat-resistant and are better at sebum-control, and the finish is often slightly more matte. Sometimes, the coverage is more on the natural side.

Fall/winter releases usually have a more emollient texture. The foundations sometimes have more coverage, and the finish is more luminous. The primers tend to be for further moisturizing the skin.

It can be quite useful to know in which season a product (particularly a foundation) is released. In Japan, there is quite a big temperature difference between summer and winter. If you have combination or oily skin and you happen to live in a tropical or sub-tropical climate, you probably don’t need a very emollient cream foundation (even though it might be a best seller in Japan.)

(Though the choice of a powder foundation or a liquid/cream foundation is often a matter of preference, I tend to suggest powder foundations for people with combination or oily skin. I think those with normal or drier skin do have more choices. Liquid/cream foundations would generally work fine, and there are some powder foundations with a very smooth and velvety texture that can work very well on dry skin even without a primer.)

Apart from regularly checking the official websites of Japanese beauty brands, Japanese beauty magazines offer great editorial content on new base makeup releases. Biteki runs a major base makeup feature twice a year (usually in the May and October issues). Voce’s popular monthly feature, “Voce Experiment” regularly tests out the latest foundations. Even if you don’t read Japanese, these features are usually abundant in photos of new products.

Tomorrow, I will touch upon the choice of foundation shade.

SUQQU Base Makeup Kit

Esprique Precious Spring/Summer 2009 Base Makeup Collection

Japanese Base Makeup Week (Part 1)

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Japanese Base Makeup Week (Part 1)

by PJ on Monday, March 2, 2009

in _Japanese Base Makeup Week, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation, makeup - base makeup - powder, makeup - base makeup - primer/concealer

Part 1: Why Japanese?

(from Kanebo Coffret d’Or via YouTube)

Many years ago, I read an article on Japanese base makeup, which mentioned that the technologies in Japan involved in producing base makeup were about a decade ahead of those of most western brands. While it is not easy to prove this (and whether it is still true today), I do feel that Japanese base makeup items are constantly out-doing their western counterparts.

It seems that we can draw inferences from the cultural side of things. I have often heard that, if one can only choose to wear one makeup item for the day, a western consumer is likely to choose a mascara (or an eyeliner). On the other hand, a Japanese consumer would go for a foundation. (It can be a sweeping generalization, but I do find some truth in it.)

From the articles written by Kaoru Saito, a Japanese beauty expert, it seems that Japanese people perceive having shine and open pores in public as something impolite. Having a fresh and impeccable complexion, free from shine and open pores, seems to be part of the social etiquette. (Maybe this is why there are a lot more products (mainly primers) that tackle these two issues in Japanese beauty brands.)

In this case, it is the consumers’ needs that drive product research and innovation, and the result is products that work better.

I have oily skin and almost always use a powder foundation, and I think I probably want quite a lot from it. I want it to have a fair amount of coverage but to still look natural. I want it to cancel out mild redness, conceal pores, control sebum and last throughout the day. The powder should have a smooth texture, and the finish should be predominantly matte.

Generally, I find that Japanese foundations cancel out mild redness and conceal pores considerably more effectively than western ones. Also, the foundations I have tried that have a good sebum-control efficacy are all from Japanese lines. So, based on personal experience, I’d say that Japanese base makeup products generally perform a lot better.

(I have less experience with liquid/cream foundations. If you have any observation on how Japanese products fare with western ones, please do let me know your thoughts.)

In the next few days, I will talk briefly about the rhythm of product releases in Japanese base makeup, how to choose the right shade, some Japanese beauty brands that are particularly known for base makeup, and some of my personal favorites and recommendations. Do come back!

(The ad on top of this post is the TV ad for Coffret D’Or’s latest powder foundation, Lasting Power Pact UV. It was officially out on March 1st and is something I am interested in trying.)

Continue reading the series:

Part 2: When are they coming out?

Part 3: Which one is my shade?

Part 4: Which brand shall I look into?

Part 5: My Favorites (& Yours)

Western vs. Japanese…Who’s Winning?

All About Japanese Cosmetics

“Japanese Brand Profile” Series

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Aube Couture Summer 2009 Makeup Collection

by PJ on Monday, March 2, 2009

in -Aube (Couture), -Kao, -Sofina, 2009 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics

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

Aube Couture will release its summer 2009 makeup collection in Japan on April 11. The collection will include:

– Cream & Liner Shadow (6 shades, limited editions)
– Designing Gloss (6 shades)

User-Friendly Makeup: Aube Couture

Holiday Flashback: Aube Astral Rouge

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Makeup Review: SUQQU Contour Shadows

by PJ on Monday, March 2, 2009

in -SUQQU, 2009 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(image from www.suqqu.com/japan.html)

Over the years, SUQQU has been going beyond consistently good quality, exquisitely sophisticated colors, and stunning promotional images. It continues to come up with new product designs (such as Clear Veil Powder, reviewed later on) and strengthen an existing makeup concept.

The new Contour Shadows, available in 5 shades, are a great example of how a brand takes on a makeup concept, explores it, and comes up with its own unique interpretation and wearable products. Also, this is a collection where products for a relatively peripheral purpose take center stage (and very deservedly so).

Contour Shadows are part of SUQQU’s spring 2009 makeup collection, which is inspired by the colors of cherry blossoms. They are worn under the brow bones to accentuate the eyes and highlight the brow bones. The uniqueness of these items is that they are all with varying degrees and tones of pink. The idea is to create a fresh, delicate and youthful look for the eye area with a pink-toned shade.

This idea immediately intrigues me. Some people use a frosty silvery shade to highlight the brow bones. The look can be quite harsh and severe, as it overtakes rather than accentuates the eye area. The three shades below effectively highlight the brow bones and enhance the dimension of the eye area, but they all have a very natural and delicate finish.

(Contour Shadow in 02)

02 is essentially what the Contour Shadow range is all about and is the shade used on the model in the promotional image above. It is a very soft neutral pink (neither too cool nor too warm) with a glowy finish and fine multi-colored shimmer. One layer of it gives you a subtle pink glow. More layers will give you more color as well as the look you see on the ad image above.

While an usual brow highlighter can perform just as well in nearly all aspects, a pink-toned highlighter seems to infuse a lovely and fresh vividness in the eye area (and even in the whole face) which the usual white-toned, silver-toned or fleshed-toned brow highlighters are not able to bring out.

(Contour Shadow in 01)

(Contour Shadow in EX-02 (limited-edition))

01 and EX-02 are closer to the brow-highlighting shades that we would usually expect. 01 is an off-white with a very faint neutral-to-warm pink iridescence, and EX-02 is an off-white with a very subtle neutral-to-cool pink undertone. 01 is more glowy than EX-02, and both shades have less shimmer than 02.

All three shades are (almost precisely) pigmented in such a way that they never look too bright or harsh (even if you are quite heavy-handed with them). At the same time, they can be layered to create subtly different degrees of intensity to go with your overall makeup looks (especially with 02).

The brush in the compact has very soft hair and is nicely-shaped to do the job it is supposed to do. With very minimal effort, it dispenses the product very gently and evenly and leaves no demarcation lines.

If you would like to try one shade from the Contour Shadow range, I would definitely recommend 02. It is the shade that represents this range and it is more difficult to find the same shade (with the same finish and pigmentation level) from other brands.

Overall, these items truly exemplify the attention to detail in Japanese cosmetics (which is also a reflection of the Japanese culture). To come up with a new product range with five shades just for the brow bones almost defies the current economic climate where beauty companies try to come up with products that work for all complexions and where many consumers opt for multi-purposed products. But for a makeup fan like me, it is almost as if SUQQU shared the meticulous passion for the right product for one very specific purpose.

SUQQU’s spring 2009 makeup collection is out now in Japan and will be available in London’s Selfridges from March 5th. (Check the SUQQU global website for the spring 2009 collection event from the 5th to the 8th.)

Next week, I will be reviewing more items from the collection.

My Personal Take on SUQQU

SUQQU Creamy Lipstick in 22

SUQQU Makeup Base Creamy & Brightup

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Sass, Style & Substance for March 1, 2009

by PJ on Sunday, March 1, 2009

in Weekend Sass Style and Substance

A Touch of Blusher
A Touch of Blusher looks forward to YSL’s Matt Touch Compact Foundation.

Raging Rouge
Raging Rouge announces a CoverGirl Lash Blast Luxe GIVEAWAY!

Bags, Bling and Beauty
Bags, Bling and Beauty is gearing up for Spring with Diane Samandi.

eye4style
eye4style is giving away 5 sets of tickets to Shecky’s Girls Night Out. Enter to win!

STYLEnosh
What’s hot for spring? Check out these fun fashion trends for 2009.

Style Manila
Sasha discovers the allure of spending a night out in pantsuits and falsies.

Beauty and Fashion Tech
Beauty and Fashion Tech is holding a giveaway for a set of Aveeno+ Nourishing Hair Care Products.

Girl Gloss
Girl Gloss is giving away sets of Kiss My Face Organic Lip Sheers and Shines.

Splendicity Accessories
Buying a vintage purse? Here are a few tips to make sure you get a bag you love and not a lemon.

Beauty Match
For the love of God, do we really need a $75 eyeliner?

image: Stock.xchg

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Weekend Beauty Read for March 1, 2009

by PJ on Sunday, March 1, 2009

in Weekend Beauty Read

Beauty Anonymous reviews Dior 5 Colour Eyeshadow from Dior spring 2009 collection.

Head on over to The Makeup Divas and enter to win 2 tubes of Covergirl’s Lashblast Luxe Mascara. While you are there, check out the other giveaways I have.

ThisThatBeauty reviews two new Lancome Collections and does two Lancome Face of the Day looks. Here’s Pink Irreverence and for Travel Chic CLICK HERE

Beauty Junkie in SF has found an eye cream she might actually use on a daily basis! No more puffy, dark circles!

The GRAMMY Awards may be over but Cybelesays.com got ahold of 2 of the official post party gifts to give away! Click here to enter.

StyleBell talks to celebrity stylist, David Babaii, on how you can create Angelina Jolie’s award winning Oscar half up half down hair style!

Check out another installment of 5 minutes, 5 questions over at Beauty in Real Life. This week the girls interviewed Gretchen Heber from naturallycurly.com. Check it out here!

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Fragrance Review: Bond No. 9 Brooklyn

by PJ on Sunday, March 1, 2009

in -Bond No. 9, fragrance

(image from Bond No. 9)

Bond No. 9‘s latest fragrance celebrates the dynamic Brooklyn. A modern interpretation of a woody fragrance, Brooklyn is both youthful and sophisticated, with a distinctive attitude.

Top notes: grapefruit, cardamom
Middle notes: Cypress wood, geranium leaves, juniper berries
Base notes: cedarwood, leather, guaiacwood

It starts off with a burst of citrusy energy and the woody (and somewhat spicy) impact soon follows. With woody notes among the heart (middle) and the base notes, it is almost woody through and through all the way from its first contact with the nose. Even though it is a lot woodier than most fragrances I am naturally drawn to, I enjoy the fact that it is so sharp and crisp, with a very contemporary feel.

Bond No. 9 describes Brooklyn as a unisex fragrance “with a desirably masculine attitude”, which I find accurate. There are no floral notes in this fragrance, and the scent is certainly neither sweet nor powdery. It poses quite a unique and intriguing contrast to some of the contemporary male fragrances that incorporate floral notes as the main elements. (One of the much discussed examples is Dior’s Dior Homme, which features lavender as a top note and iris as a middle note.)

Overall, Brooklyn is dry, crisp and edgy, and it seems to reflect the sights and sounds of a vibrant urban setting. The essence of this fragrance is also well captured by the colorful and eye-catching graffiti design elements on the flacon.

Brooklyn is available from March in Bond No. 9 boutiques and Saks Fifth Avenue stores. (In the UK, Bond No. 9 is sold exclusively at Harrods.)

Currently Bond No. 9 is holding a bottle design competition for Brooklyn. The only requirement is that the Bond No. 9 circular logo is included on the bottle. (See the official entry sheet below.) Otherwise do let your imagination run wild.

Two winners will be chosen in April and their designs will be put into production, and the winner’s name will be displayed on the bottle. Each winner will receive a bottle of Brooklyn each month for a year.

Entries should be sent to contactus@bondno9.com or Bond No. 9, 9 Bond Street, New York, NY 10012 by March 31, 2009.

Other Bond No. 9 creations:

Andy Warhol Lexington Avenue

The Scent of Peace

Coney Island

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Makeup Review: Barry M Cosmetics (2)

by PJ on Thursday, February 26, 2009

in makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, makeup - mascara

(Eyeliner Pen in Dark Emerald)

Earlier this month, I reviewed the colorful Deluxe Eyeshadow Kit from Barry M Cosmetics. Today I will be talking about three other (nicely turquoise and purple) items from Barry M: Eyeliner Pen, Super Soft Eye Crayon, and Lengthening Coloured Mascara.

The Eyeliner Pen boasts a “waterproof, smudge-proof, and super long-wear” formula, and it is not an exaggeration. Once it sets, it is indeed smudge-proof and doesn’t budge. (This is not a smudge-able eyeliner for creating a smoky look.)

The retractable pen glides on very smoothly and the color is richly intense. The shade in Dark Emerald is more of a deep turquoise than emerald and beautifully so, with a softly metallic finish.

Available in eight shades, Eyeliner Pen includes some vibrant colors such as pink, silver, and gold. I would love to see a deep purple in this range.

(Super Soft Eye Crayon in No. 5 Purple)

The Super Soft Eye Crayon (5 shades) in Purple is a warm medium purple with a subtly pearly finish. It is quite a nice soft shade for daytime makeup.

I expected this to have some blendability, but it doesn’t have a lot of it. It does go on relatively smoothly but it doesn’t have a lot of movement when blended with fingers. Overall I see this as a moderately-pigmented chunky eyeliner or an eyeshadow that is applied close to the lashline.

(Lengthening Coloured Mascara in Electric Purple)

The Lengthening Coloured Mascara is available in 5 bright shades and adds color to the lashes. Electric Purple is a medium-to-dark warm purple that is pigmented and opaque enough to cover the original dark color of my lashes.

It gently lengthens the lashes (without clumping) and doesn’t add a lot of volume. While it does not dramatically lengthen or volumize the lashes, it can be a fun item to have if you want some funky color on your lashes. It can be used alone or on top of your usual lengthening/volumizing mascara or mascara base. For a pop of color, try using it on the ends of the lashes or on the lashes towards the outer corners of the eyes.

The Lengthening Coloured Masara range is waterproof, even though neither the packaging nor Barry M’s website indicates so.

Cult Product in the Making: MAMEW Mascara Kit

Clinique (Truly) Naturally Glossy Mascara

Kasalan Patharan Eye Color Palette in S007

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Oscars 2009 Fashion: Best-Dressed Three

by PJ on Tuesday, February 24, 2009

in -Giorgio Armani, -YSL, fashion, fashion - award fashion

I was watching the Oscars 2009 red carpet coverage on E! on late Sunday night, and there were a lot of beautiful gowns. I liked Angelina Jolie‘s simple Elie Saab gown with striking emerald green jewels from Lorraine Schwartz, Freida Pinto‘s blue John Galliano gown with all the exquisite details, and Sarah Jessica Parker‘s “barely mint” Christian Dior Haute Couture number. But below are my top three:

3. Anne Hathaway (Armani Privé)

I don’t think I have ever seen Anne Hathaway dressed badly on the red carpet. Even though I don’t think this Armani Privé gown was as glorious as the red Marchesa gown she wore at last year’s Oscars, it was still stunning. The only pitfall is that, from certain angles, it seemed that the bodice was not fitted as perfectly as it could.

2. Kate Winslet (Atelier Yves Saint Laurent)

Kate Winslet looks every inch of a goddess in this beautifully fitted YSL gown with asymmetric designs. The silhouette looks relaxed and not overly fussed. The unique color choice makes her stand out, but the overall look is somewhat low-key and very sophisticated.

1. Penelope Cruz (vintage Pierre Balmain)

In contrast to Kate Winslet, Penelope Cruz doesn’t often do low-key at the Oscars. Some people might think this gown looks too bridal, but I think Penelope Cruz looks classic and regal with tremendous flair. The hairdo and the accessories successfully complete my favorite Oscars look this year.

Apart from the ones mentioned above, I think Marisa Tomei and Tilda Swinton deserve a mention.

– Marisa Tomei (Atelier Versace)

Marisa Tomei has never looked better on the red carpet. She always has a unique style, which I like, but sometimes it is a little too casual at award ceremonies. This time, everything comes together as she pulls off this complex but very stylish origami gown. I am not usually a fan of a relaxed hairdo on the red carpet, but it does suit her and she looks chic and fresh.

– Tilda Swinton (Lanvin)

2009 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Graydon Carter - Arrivals

Tilda Swinton is in a category of her own, and only Tilda Swinton can do Tilda Swinton. (Imagine Tilda Swinton and Penelope Cruz swapping outfits. Both would have been total disasters.) Her avant-garde style is not to everyone’s taste, but I love her remarkbly distinctive sense of style. Her fashion choices are never random, contrived or purposefully attention-seeking (think Björk’s swan dress). They are always right for the occasion (without compromising her own sense of style and personality) and there is a refeshing coherence to them. A class act.

Golden Globe 2009 Fashion: Best-Dressed Three

Oscars 2008 Fashion: Best-Dressed 5

Viktor & Rolf at the Barbican

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