Juicy July Teasers……

by PJ on Thursday, June 26, 2008

in -Coffret d'Or, -Kanebo, all about Japanese cosmetics, announcement, makeup, stash focus

(I have been testing them as you are reading this post…)

It is a little hard to believe that half of 2008 is almost gone. (I feel that this year has just begun a couple of months ago and that we are still taking about spring collections…) But here is what to look out for in July:

– If you have been gathering reviews of the new Coffret D’Or Trance Deep Eyes palettes, do come back in July. I will bring you reviews of 01 Rose Variation and 04 Grey Variation. I will also review Coffret D’Or’s loose powder. (It’s a keeper!)

– You will be seeing a new three-part series, Beauty City Mini-Guide. Since I often receive e-mails from readers asking for suggestions on beauty shopping when travelling, I have decided to present some of my personal experiences as blog articles. Each of them will focus on one particular city.

If you would like to make sure you don’t miss any of these future posts, please consider subscribing to my blog via e-mail or a feed reader. Thank you very much!

Tomorrow: Review of items from NARS Cosmetics

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Bulgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert Revisited

by PJ on Wednesday, June 25, 2008

in -Bulgari, fragrance

(Bulgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert)

Bulgari’s Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert is one of my three favorite fragrances, and I thought I would go back to this after mentioning it in earlier posts.
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Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert was launched in 1992 and is Bulgari’s first step into the world of fine fragrance. I do like many of Bulgari’s other scents, but this has remained a scent I really love. It includes notes of bergamot, orange blossom, cardamom, coriander, pepper, rose, jasmine, green tea, oakmoss, tonka bean, and beeswax (scent note information from Now Smell This, where you can find a great review of this fragrance).
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(image from www.bulgari.com)


For me, it is a daytime and a spring/summer fragrance. Marketed as a unisex scent, it is a fresh citrusy floral number with the green tea note bringing all the facets together. The whole creation is sophisticated and equally approachable. If I have to describe this fragrance as a person, I would use the words “well-mannered“, “elegant“, and “unassumingly confident“.

One of the reasons that I like Eau Parfumée is that it is clean, crisp and beautifully simple. It carries an invigorating energy, and it is the scent I often go for to get ready for the day ahead. (Among other green-tea scents on the market, I find many of them overly sweet.)

As the scent is by no mean dominated by the green tea note, I’ve observed that people perceive it differently. For example, a friend of mine, upon smelling it, immediately commented on the orange and rose notes and (only after I brought it up) thought the green tea note was not obvious. She had a point, since the scent as a whole does not really bear a lot of resemblance to the actual drink.

As an eau de cologne, I find that it lasts relatively well. But the popularity of it did lead to the launch of Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert Extrême in 1996. An eau de toilette, this is a stronger and longer-lasting version with the same notes. I reach for the original version more since it is a little fresher and lighter, which is how I prefer these notes to perform as a whole, but I do see the Extrême version as a good evening scent. (If you are interested, an review of the Extrême version can also be found on Now Smell This.)

Overall, for me, Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert is nearly impossible to get bored of. As a daily fragrance, its fresh character does not grow tiring. As a green-tea scent among many others, it has been unique enough to remain consistently well-received.

Related Posts:

Bring It Back Sooner – Bulgari Skincare Line

Sheer Stella 2008


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Update: EST Fall 2008 Makeup Collection

by PJ on Wednesday, June 25, 2008

in -Est, -Kao, -Sofina, 2008 Fall, makeup

My post on EST’s fall 2008 collection has been updated with an image of all the new Emotional Aura Eyes palettes and Advanced Lips. Have a look!

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Beauty Duty for June 24, 2008

by PJ on Tuesday, June 24, 2008

in Weekly Beauty Duty

Enjoy!

KRiSTOPHER is wanting, wearing, hating DvF dresses.

Check out the hottest blush for summer over at Makeup Bag.

Makeup Moxie wants to get glowing with the new Guerlain Terracotta Bronzing Stones.

Product Girl is featuring some of their favorite brushes. Are they some of yours too?

SugarShock Beauty wonders: when it comes to mascara brushes, does bigger necessarily mean better?

TheMakeupGirl has a BONUS June Contest! This week only, enter to win one of FIVE Burt’s Bees Radiance Kits…

A Touch of Blusher looks at Dior’s fall 2008 makeup collection.

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Anna Sui Product Recall

by PJ on Monday, June 23, 2008

in -Anna Sui, all about Japanese cosmetics, bodycare, haircare

(Left: Anna Sui UV Body Spray G
Right: Anna Sui Hair Spray G)
(image from www.annasui-cosmetics.com)

Anna Sui Cosmetics in Japan has announced the recall of UV Body Spray G and Hairspray G, which were released a few weeks ago (on June 5th) as limited-edition items for summer 2008.

There are concerns about product leakage from the nozzle, and the sale of these two items has been discontinued. Customers in Japan who purchased either of the two products can receive a refund upon returning it. (The full recall notice (in Japanese) can be seen on the Anna Sui website.)


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AYURA Fall 2008 Makeup Collection

by PJ on Monday, June 23, 2008

in -Ayura, 2008 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(AYURA Aura Feel Shadow)
(image from www.cosme.net)

When AYURA revamped its packaging in spring 2008 (please see the photos in my previous post), the collection didn’t feature eyeshadows. I was expecting them for fall, and here they are.

Aura Feel Shadow (4 variations) is a 4-color palette packaged in the new dark cases with AYURA’s “Tree of Life” emblem (which has always been featured prominently on product boxes but not previously on product cases). The packaging continues to reflect AYURA’s style of incorporating elegant curves for all the product cases.

The rest of AYURA’s fall 2008 makeup collection includes:

– Aura Feel Rouge (3 new shades, limited editions)
– Aura Feel Liquid Eyeliner (2 shades)
– Aura Feel Eyebrow Pencil (3 shades)
– Aura Feel Mascara (2 shades)
– Aura Feel Aroma Paper (blotting paper, 60 sheets)
– Eyelash Curler


(Aura Feel Aroma Paper,
with the “Tree of Life” emblem)
(image from www.cosme.net)

The collection will be launched in Japan on July 23.

I have been interested in the new gradation blushers (Aura Feel Veil) from spring, but I have also been waiting to see the eye palettes. Now, I think it might be the time to get ready for my next AYURA item…

Updated on June 30, 2008:

Photo of AYURA’s fall 2008 collection, showing the shades of the Aura Feel Shadow palettes and the Aura Feel Rouge lipsticks:

(image from www.cosme.net)

Related Posts:

AYURA Aura Veil α in Sweet Pink

AYURA Nail Oil & Nail Essence

Loving Japanese Brand – AYURA

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Weekend Beauty Reads for June 22, 2008

by PJ on Sunday, June 22, 2008

in Weekend Beauty Read

Enjoy!

From The Beauty Blog Network:

Raging Rouge kicks off the summer season with an introduction to the current sun protection debate: Should you use physical or chemical sunscreen?

Roselyn from Makeup Makes Me Happy™ is this week’s lady in red! In this lovely makeup tutorial, she’ll show you the best way to strut sexy red lips this summer!

Beauty Anonymous thinks Anna Sui Fall 2008 Makeup Collection is adorable!

Bionic Beauty shares her 7 tips for summer hair.

The Makeup Divasreviews and shares pics of Mac Tendertones in Hot ‘N’ Saucy and Honey Bare.

StyleBell reports from the floor of the 62nd Annual Tony Awards Official Presenter Gift Lounge. See what hair products Whoopi, Brooke Shields, and Mary Louise Parker chose!

The Muse reviews Bourjois Paris Hi-Tech Rouge before it even hits US shores!

Girl Gloss polls a few fellow beauty addicts and finds out Beauty Bloggers’ Favorite Lip Products.

Cybelesays suggests a new to the states nail polish line for Britney Spears. She needs to clean up her nails, dontcha think?

Beth from Beauty Junkie in SF is giving away 5 sets of BEE-utiful products from Burt’s Bees in celebration of National Pollinator Week. Check it out and win!

The girls from Beauty in Real Life have some fabulous summer makeup tips from Fatima Olive…check them out!

Summer skin got you down? Beauty411 reviews a new product from REN that will jumpstart your skin and leave it looking like you just had a facial!

Beauty Blogging Junkie takes you backstage to the Tony Awards Gift Suite. Find out which stars got which gifts here.

Karen of Makeup and Beauty Blog shows you how to create a summery blue eye with the new Cool Heat eyeshadows from MAC Cosmetics.

Beauty Banter discovers the amazing brow kit by Anastasia… brow specialist to J. Lo, Penelope Cruz, and Sharon Stone!!!

There’s a new feature this summer at makeup loves me – bright lights, big color helps you stay up to date on the current bold color trend.

Kitiya from Mischo Beauty discusses her perfect home pedicure achieved using Nailtiques in her “Mischo Beauty Pick: Nailtiques Oil Therapy” post.

Face Candy goes over the latest Marc Jacobs Daisy accessories.

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic has a great new way to clear up your acne!

The Beauty Bug urges you to look at these fierce Shu Uemura lashes that a knock-out drag queen rocked at a local Shu Uemura party.

Joy from the Makeup Junkie dishes on her night out with Cover Girl!

Pursebuzz.com shows you a quick and easy way to wear barely there makeup, a look that is all over Hollywood.

Ready for a vibrating mascara brush? Makeup Moxie is buzzing over Lancome Oscillation.

Toya from The Life of A Ladybug proves brown girls can and should wear orange in her Electro FOTD!

MAC’s new Volcanic Ash Exfoliator cost $19, but Spoiled Pretty would gladly pay twice as much. Click here to find out why.

Michelle from All Lacquered Up reviews Chanel’s Fall Collection Nail Colours, including the polish that everyone’s been buzzing about, Gold Fiction.

A Touch of Blusher loves YSL’s fall 2008 makeup collection.

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Dior Fall 2008 Makeup Collection

by PJ on Saturday, June 21, 2008

in -Dior, 2008 Fall, makeup

(Dior Impression Cuir)
(image from www.joseishi.net/voce)

I was waiting to bring you the information on Dior’s fall 2008 makeup collection, and I was especially looking forward to the limited-edition star item.

Impression Cuir features three neutral shades in crocodile prints. The case seems to be only slightly larger than Dior’s eyeshadow single.

The rest of the collection is also dominated by neutrals. After a predominantly neutral collection from Dior for summer, I was looking forward to something different. I have to say I am a little bit disappointed, and Impression Cuir also doesn’t look very appealing to me. (At the moment, it seems that gold and dark neutrals are the makeup trends of fall 2008.)

Please do enjoy the photos of the rest of Dior’s fall 2008 collection. (More information and observation follow below. All images are from the Voce website.)




– The collection also includes two lip liners and one eyeliner.

– The new Couleur Duo is available in two variations.

– All items are limited editions, except the Couleur Duo, the lip liners and the eyeliner.

Just one more thing. One of the two new eyeshadow palettes (the first one seen above) really reminds me of Lunasol’s Scent Form Eyes in Black Tea, which is released in fall 2006 and is one of Lunasol’s most popular items to date. Both feature the unique combination of soft plum-red and warm green, paired with neutrals.

(image from www.joseishi.net/voce)

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

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Summer 2008 Makeup Top 10 (Part 3)

by PJ on Saturday, June 21, 2008

in -Dior, -Kanebo, -Lavshuca, -Lunasol, 2008 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

(continued from Part 1 and 2)

3. Dior

(Dior’s summer 2008 makeup collection)
(from Biteki, June 2008, p. 138)

Dior’s summer 2008 lineup has a very coherent look, as warm hues dominate the collection. Even though I am not particularly fond of very warm neutrals, I generally like collections with a strong identity.

I decided to get the Golden Dior Makeup Jewel (in Lamé Pink), which looks as good as it appears on all the magazine pages.

The look of the 5-Color Eyeshadow palette in 589 (the lower one in the photo above), but the finish of almost all the shades is too metallic for my liking. If you like metallic finishes, many of Dior’s recent eye palettes would be must-sees. But I do hope Dior would cut back on intense shimmer just a little bit and go back to the more satiny and softly shimmery finishes.

2. Lavshuca


(Summer Gradually Compact in Windy Aqua Beach)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lavshuca)

(Summer Gradually Compact in Shiny Sandy Beach)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lavshuca)

With two very nicely packaged six-color eye palettes for summer 2008, Lavshuca consolidated its position as a drugstore-brand princess for me. (The collection also features two new shades of Rouge Essence Bar.)

Some of you were surprised (and rightly so) that I went for the neutral Shiny Sandy Beach rather than the cool-toned Windy Aqua Beach. (Hmm…some of you seem to know my makeup likes and dislikes very well…) I was in a short neutral phase earlier (which is gradually coming to an end now), and I did need to add more medium neutrals to my collection.

I was very happy with this palette, since I like soft medium neutrals that are not overly pigmented (or overly warm). I particularly like the shades second and third from the right. (Please check out the link above for my review.)

1. Lunasol

(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)

To me, in the last few seasons, Lunasol’s makeup collections appear to be invincible. Superb quality, stunning colors, and a clear story behind every collection.

Lunasol’s Summer 2008 collection continues the “Color Purification” theme with inspiration from colorful corals of the sea. The shades look bouncy and vibrant but still wearable. The collection features the Bronze Coral palette, but it is not ruled by neutrals.

I have the Sheer Contrast Eyes in Lavender Coral from the spring 2008 lineup, which I adore, and I don’t plan to pick up palettes from this collection. But I am quite interested in the Full Glamour Gloss in EX-01 (fourth from the bottom in the photo above, a limited edition). But I will have to act fast if I do decide to get it, since Lunasol’s limited-edition items for summer do tend to sell out.

You can see reviews of items from this collection on Autumn Masquerade and Lotus Palace. For swatches, please check out this post.

My summer top 10 brands’ fall 2008 offerings:

Lunasol

Lavshuca

Twany Glamacy

Cosme Decorte AQ

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Elégance Fall 2008 Collection

by PJ on Friday, June 20, 2008

in -Elégance, 2008 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

Elégance, the Albion-owned top-end beauty line, will release its fall 2008 collection on August 18th in Japan. It is a predominantly neutral-toned collection with wearable warm hues for eyes and lips.

The lineup includes:

– Eye Shadow (3 new variations)

– Sweet Dew Rouge (3 new shades)

– Confiture Gloss (3 new shades)

– Crayon Gloss (6 shades)

– Nail Color (3 new shades)



(images from www.cosme.net)

Some of the items do appear a little plain in these images. But the Elégance website tends to present their seasonal collections very well. I will update this post with more images later on.

Other Fall 2008 Collections:

EST

Coffret D’Or
(with link to swatches)

Maquillage
(featuring Agyness Deyn)

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