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

Esprique Precious Holiday 2008 Collection

by PJ on Wednesday, October 22, 2008

in -Esprique (Precious), -Kosé, 2008 Holiday, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(images and info from www.iswii.net)

For holiday 2008, Kosé‘s Esprique Precious will release Party Couture Collection, a makeup set that includes items for eyes, lips, and nails.

The pink-toned set features an eyeshadow trio, an eyeliner, a lip gloss, and a nail color. Like Lavshuca’s Winter Make Collection (for holiday 2007) and Summer Gradually Compact, the eyeshadows are not packaged in the case and come in a disposable container like this:

You can see the actual packaging of the set and all the swatches in the article written by an on-line beauty editor. (The set will be released in Taiwan on November 16th and it should be launched slightly earlier in Japan.)

Esprique Precious Fall 2008 Collection

Beauté de Kosé Holiday 2008 Collection

Visée Dual Shine Rouge Palette

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Bourjois Gloss Bijou for Holiday 2008

by PJ on Wednesday, October 22, 2008

in 2008 Holiday, makeup

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

Bourjois will release Gloss Bijou in Japan on November 27th, which I suppose is meant to be a limited holiday release. I think it will be sold in other countries.

It is available in one shade, a wearable coral-toned pink. It reminds me of some of the limited-edition items that Dior has released, especially the DiorLight Jewelled Makeup Necklace from holiday 2007.

I haven’t been very interested in most of the Christmas items so far. Maybe this (presumably relatively reasonably priced) will win me over when I see it in person.

Dior Luminizing Makeup Jewel

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Jo Malone for Beast Cancer Awareness Month 2008

by PJ on Wednesday, October 22, 2008

in -Jo Malone London, fragrance

(image from Jo Malone)

For the Beast Cancer Awareness Month, Jo Malone (see the UK site here) has launched the Red Roses collection, which includes cologne, bath oil, and body lotion. The scent includes notes of lemon, spearmint, violet leaves, Bulgarian roses, and beeswax.

In the US, $15,000 will be donated to The Beast Cancer Research Foundation in connection with the sale of the Red Roses range. In the UK, for every sale of the Red Roses Cologne 100ml, £5.00 will be donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s research program at the Royal Marsden Institute of Cancer Research, based in London and Sutton, Surrey.

Bobbi Brown Pink Ribbon Collection

Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin Cologne

BBN_BCA

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Lavshuca and Kate Website Update – Holiday 2008

by PJ on Tuesday, October 21, 2008

in -Kanebo, -Kate, -Lavshuca

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

Lavshuca has updated its official website to include information on the November releases for holiday 2008, which include the Stick Eyeshadows and the Antique Collection (seen above).

Also, Kate has updated its website to feature the upcoming Gel Eyeshadows, available on November 1st as well.

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New Skincare Range: Shiseido Elixir Prior

by PJ on Tuesday, October 21, 2008

in -Shiseido, skincare

(image and info from www.nikkei.co.jp)

Shiseido‘s skincare and base makeup range, Elixir Superior, targets those in their thirties and forties. On November 21st, a new Elixir range, Elixir Prior, will be launched in Japan and will target consumers in their sixties.

According to Nikkei Net, in 2007, the beauty market for those over sixties occupies 19% of the whole beauty market in Japan and shows a remarkable 104% increase from 2006. The launch of Elixir Prior is responding to this market shift.

The launch lineup will include a face soap, a toner, a moisturizing lotion, a moisturizing cream, and a daytime sunscreen (SPF 30, PA+++). I am sure the line will be expanded later on.

This launch happens to echo what I mentioned earlier about the launch of Voce Platinum, the beauty magazine for more mature readers. It seems that we are witnessing a new dimension in the Japanese beauty scene.

Shiseido d Program Revamped

Japanese Cosmetics Focus: Kanebo Freeplus

Genre Focus: Whitening Skincare Products

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Makeup Review: CARGO Essential Eyeshadow Palettes

by PJ on Monday, October 20, 2008

in makeup, makeup - eyeshadow

(CARGO Essential Eyeshadow Palettes)

CARGO‘s Essential Eye Palettes are part of the brand’s fall 2008 collection, which focuses on wearable basics for the eyes. Today I am reviewing two of the three neutral palettes from the collection.

– Essential Eyeshadow Palette in Warm Neutral

The palette includes:
– sheer matte ivory
– sheer pale beige with moderate shimmer
– matte light brown with very sparse shimmer
– matte dark brown with sparse shimmer

The powder is very fine, goes on relatively easily, and lasts well. The two light shades are very sheer. The ivory smoothes out the skin rather than highlighting it, and the pale beige adds shimmer more than color. The two dark shades are well-pigmented and add nice depth to the eyes. The overall look is softly matte without looking chalky. This palette will suit those with light and light-to-medium complexions.

– Essential Eyeshadow Palette in Cool Neutral

The palette includes:
– sheer pale beige with a subtly luminous finish
– light taupe with very sparse shimmer
– matte cool chocolate brown
– matte dark charcoal grey

The tones in this palette are generally a lot cooler. The shades for the crease and outer corner are also a lot darker, and the lid color here is slightly more pigmented than the one in the Warm Neutral palette above. Again, the finish is matte instead of shimmery. Overall this palette creates a more intense look and is a lot more suitable for evening makeup.

I personally prefer the Warm Neutral palette, since I tend to prefer medium neutrals to darker ones and I like slightly warmer neutrals better. The light brown crease color also suits me well. But if you have a medium or medium-to-dark complexion and prefer cooler neutrals, I would recommend the Cool Neutral palette.

More neutral palettes:

Coffret D’Or 3D Lighting Eyes in Gold Variation

RMK Fall 2008 Makeup Collection

Lavshuca Summer Gradually Compact

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Weekend Beauty Reads for October 19, 2008

by PJ on Sunday, October 19, 2008

in Weekend Beauty Read

From The Beauty Blog Network:

Do you like diamonds? What girl doesn’t? EyeshadowCult.com, tells you what product from Too Faced will give you blink bling!

Want to get your hair back to how it looked before the summer sun and swim took its toll? Check out The Makeup Divas for some haircolor saving tips and tricks by Clairol color director Jack Backe.

Raging Rouge has some fun trick or treating beauty blog style with Benefit Cosmetics!

Beauty Anonymous reviews MAC Mineralize Eye Shadow Duo.

Tired of losing your hair color? StyleBell shows how you can retain your beautiful hair color on a budget!

Beauty411 shares details on the shimmering NARS holiday collection!

Who says you can’t be frugal and still look your best?! Beauty Banter finds a fab face mask for $3.00!!!

Elke reviews her fav pink product yet!

Cybelesays.com discovers a weightless lippie in the new Giorgio Armani collection.

Elke, Fouder of The Beauty Blog Network starts her Comments For A Cure on the Network blog starting now till the end of October. Comment away!

Glossypink has the dish on CARGO’s extended PlantLove makeup collection!

makeup loves me is giving away lancome’s hottest new vibrating mascara – oscillation! enter now!

The Beauty of Life is giving away a whopping eight products from Yes to Tomatoes and Yes to Cucumbers, with a retail value of over $80! Click here to enter!

Kyle at Face Candy is giving away a pair of limited edition Anastasia Swarovski Pink Ribbon Tweezers!

MAC Artist Christopher D spends his Sunday Afternoon hanging out with pursebuzz.com, we talked about the most anticipated Holiday Collection-MAC Holiday Releases. Get Ready it’s a two part video!

Visit Spoiled Pretty and enter to win Bioelements Sleepwear – an overnight rejuvenation crème that gives you visibly smoother, firmer skin in just one night! Three readers will win a jar, valued at $59!!!

Makeup Moxie reviews Cargo Plantlove eyeshadow.

Do you have oily skin?? Scandalous Beauty shows you how to prevent and almost eliminate oil, help matte a shiny face and how to erase acne scarring!

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New Beauty Magazine: Voce Platinum

by PJ on Friday, October 17, 2008

in all about Japanese cosmetics, What do you think? Beauty topics and thoughts

(both images from voce-platinum.jp)

Many of us are aware of the fact that Japan has a very vibrant beauty market. Apart from people’s pursuit of flawless skin and exquisite makeup, I think another reason for this is the strong media support.

Biteki, Voce, and Maquia are considered to be the top-three mainstream magazines that focus on skincare and makeup. Also, among many others, FRAU runs a great Best of Beauty issue in November, and Makeup Magazine is a solid quarterly publication.)

Beauty magazines in Japan also have specific target age groups. The three main ones mentioned above are mainly for those in their thirties and late twenties, while the ones like Bea’s Up are for slightly younger readers.

In October, Kodansha (which publishes fashion magazines like With and Vivi) launched Voce Platinum, a sister magazine to Voce. The tagline is “beauty magazine for mature women”, which clearly indicates the target age group.

The tagline may not appeal to all readers, but, based on the pages on the Voce Platinum website, it seems that the magazine is essentially a slightly more upmarket version of the mainstream ones. (But I am sure there are features that specifically interest more mature readers.) Overall, I think this magazine will appeal to whoever is interested in quality beauty brands presented in a sophisticated and elegant editing style.

But I think the birth of this magazine does reflect a trend. Apart from the age makeup of the Japanese society, we have seen recent launches of both top-end and drugstore brands, such as like (Kanebo’s) CHICCA and (Shiseido’s) Integrate Gracy, which are targeted at the more mature customers. Voce Platinum fills in the gap in the market and will probably give these brands the coverage they deserve for a lot of readers.

I certainly hope the magazine does well, because variety benefits all of us in the long run.

Biteki – My Ultimate Cosmetics Archive

Voce 10th Anniversary Monthly Feature

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YSL Golden Gloss for Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2008

by PJ on Friday, October 17, 2008

in -YSL, makeup, makeup - lip color, makeup - lip gloss

(image from YSL)

YSL‘s Golden Gloss range is among my favorite lip gloss ranges (along with Lunasol’s Full Glamour Gloss). Supporting the Breast Cancer Awareness Month in 2008, YSL has released a limited-edition Golden Gloss in 27. Just like the rest of the Golden Gloss range, this wearable shimmery peach-pink shade contains 24-carat gold.

30% of the purchase of this product will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund.

BBN_BCA

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Maquillage Holiday 2008 Collection

by PJ on Friday, October 17, 2008

in -Maquillage, -Shiseido, 2008 Holiday, makeup

(image and info from www.nikkei.co.jp)

Maquillage will release its holiday 2008 collection in Japan on November 21st.

The collection will include two Jewelling Palettes, again featuring collaboration with British fashion designer Christopher Kane. Both the Noble Glamorous palette (in the gold case) and the Princess Tiara palette (in the black case) will have four eye colors and a face color.

The collection will also include:

– Dramatical Gel Liner (in RD632 and GY831 (I know “dramatical” isn’t a real English word…))