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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To Buy or Not To Buy – Anna Sui Makeup Color Collection D

by PJ on Thursday, June 19, 2008

in -Anna Sui, 2008 Fall, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

(Anna Sui Makeup Color Collection D)
(image from www.cosme.net)

Can I afford this?

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the launch of Anna Sui Cosmetics, a special Makeup Color Collection D will be released in Japan on August 21st. (New nail colors will also be released then.)

The collection includes the brand’s past signature and popular items all in one ornate (and very Anna Sui) set (eyeshadow, face color, lip color, lip balm, powder puff, lip brush, and eyeshadow tip & brush). It measures 21.6cm (length) x 20.0cm (width) x 19.0cm (height).

18,900 JPY is the price tag, which is about 175 USD and 89 GBP. Even though we may say that it is not that expensive if we break down the cost to all products included (and the one-off packaging), a makeup set that costs this much money is always going to be a considered purchase.

I am sure this is a dream come true for many serious Anna Sui fans. It is the ultimate collector’s item, with Anna Sui’s signature look all over it.

But this rather large set is not something you can put anywhere you like. Also, there is almost no point in buying it and storing it away. It has to be very proudly displayed to show your love of Anna Sui.

As much as I really like the look of it, I am not sure I would go for it. Apart from the price, I have no good space on my dressing table at the moment to do this set justice. Also, I would probably hesitate to use any of the colors, making this a very pricey can-admire-but-can’t-touch collectible. I would probably rather spend the money on things I will actually use……

Updated on July 23, 2008:

More images of Makeup Color Collection D:

(image from www.iswii.net)

Upper drawer: puff and brushes
Middle drawer: two blushers and three eyeshadows
Lower drawer: four lip colors and one lip balm

(image from www.joseishi.net/voce)

Updated on September 4th, 2008:

Please check out this blog post to enjoy some actual photos of this set.


Related posts:

Loving Japanese Brand – Anna Sui

We Love Anna Sui – Limited-Edition Official Book

Anna Sui’s Sui Gloss in 100

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Summer 2008 Makeup Top 10 (Part 2)

by PJ on Wednesday, June 18, 2008

in -Glamacy, -Magie Deco, -Sonia Rykiel, -Twany, 2008 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

(continued from Part 1)

6. Twany Glamacy

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

Kanebo’s Twany Glamacy is about classic basics, and this summer 2008 lineup is the line’s launch collection. Within the basic shades, I like the way the line gets into the specifics. Among the pale shades for the eye area, Eyecolor UB (Under-Brow) is for highlighting the brow bone while Eyecolor UE (Under-Eye) is for the inner corner of the eye and the immediate under-eye area. It is all about getting the everyday look right, and I enjoy the brand’s sense of precision and the attention to detail.

5. Sonia Rykiel

(Divines Vacances:
Sonia Rykiel’s summer 2008 collection)
(image from www.soniarykiel-cosmetics.com)

Sonia Rykiel‘s beauty line is sold in Asia and has been doing well over the years. Its colorful summer 2008 collection includes eyeshadow trios, cream eyeliners, and nail colors (all limited editions). Some of these vibrant shades do stand out among the neutrals for this season.

The eyeshadow trios are very petite and should be the same size as their Mono Eyeshadows, and they are great for travelling light. (Divine indeed……)

4. Magie Deco

(image from www.cosmedecorte.com/magiedeco)

Besides Twany Glamacy’s debut collection, Magie Deco‘s summer 2008 lineup is also quite extensive, with eye palettes, cream eyeshadows, lipsticks, lip glosses, eyeliners, mascaras, and nail colors. (Please check out the latter link above for more information and to see the seasonal makeup look.)

Two new palettes join the Shadow Brilliance lineup, one warmer and one cooler:

(image from www.cosmedecorte.com/magiedeco)

So far, I have been liking the color combinations of Magie Deco’s Shadow Brilliance palettes. The line has stayed away from tone-on-tone palettes that many Japanese makeup lines constantly come up with, which does give the line an edge. Even though I do like nice tone-on-tone palettes, it is great to see some originality.

Please check back later for my thoughts on the top three!

Related Posts:

Other summer 2008 collections:

Jill Stuart

Kate

Majolica Majorca

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Summer 2008 Makeup Top 10 (Part 1)

by PJ on Tuesday, June 17, 2008

in -Albion, -Anna Sui, -AQ, -Cosme Decorte, -Giorgio Armani, -Kosé, 2008 Summer, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, seasonal makeup top 10

To me, it feels as if the spring collections just came out and we were expecting more summer makeup news. But, as many of the fall 2008 collections have been unveiled, it is time for me to look back and present you with my summer 2008 top ten makeup collections. (Part 2 and 3 will be up later this week.)

10. Albion Excia AL

(Albion Excia AL Eye Color Impression)
(image from www.albion.co.jp)

(Albion Excia AL Rouge Impression)
(image from www.albion.co.jp)

Available at Albion counters in Japan, Excia AL is a top-end skincare and makeup line that aims to create timeless and confident beauty. This season sees a new range of eye palettes, Eye Impression, and three new shades of Rouge Impression (as well as new liquid eyeliners and eyebrow pencils). Perhaps not the most eye-catching collection, it did grab my attention with its understated simplicity.

9. Anna Sui

(Anna Sui Mini Rouge W)
(image from www.annasui-cosmetics.com)

Anna Sui’s summer 2008 collection shows us again that the brand still does cute and princessy very well. I am sure some people who are collecting the Mini Rouge in black (released last fall) would love to take home these limited editions in white. The collection also includes hair and body products which are equally nicely packaged.

8. Giorgio Armani

(Eye Mania in 11 (top), 12 (left), and 13 (right))
(image from www.isetan.co.jp)

I have been interested in the Giorgio Armani Beauty line for a while, and I almost always stop by its counter when I am in London’s Selfridges or Harvey Nichols. (In the UK, Giorgio Armani Beauty is also available in Selfridges Birmingham and Heathrow Airport Terminal 3. The link above takes you to the Giorgio Armani Beauty UK online store.)

The three beautiful Eye Mania palettes above, however, appear to be exclusive to the Japanese market. I particularly like #12 and #13. #12 seems to be a wearable blue-grey palette, possibly even for people who find blue hard to wear. #13 looks like a nice neutral palette and the shades don’t look overly warm or bronze.

(If you are interested, please head over to Autumn Masquerade for a great brand profile on Giorgio Armani Beauty and for a look at the brand’s past Bronze Mania collections.)

7. Cosme Decorte AQ

(Pure Grace Lipstick in RD432
and Pure Grace Eyeshadow in 032)
(image from www.biteki.com)

There are not a lot of lilacs for summer 2008, and this beautiful palette with soft lilac and muted cool teal attracted my attention. I think these two shades are well-coordinated, as the muted teal complements rather than overshadows the lilac. (Please check out my previous post on Cosme Decorte AQ‘s summer 2008 collection to see the fresh tropical eye makeup look created with this palette.)

This is the last AQ eye palette released in the current packaging, as the brand’s point makeup line will be revamped in time for the release of the fall 2008 collection.

The top-ten countdown continues tomorrow.

Related Posts:

Spring 2008 Makeup Top 10
(Part 1, 2, and 3)

Loving Japanese Brand – Anna Sui

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Beauty Duty for June 17th, 2008

by PJ on Tuesday, June 17, 2008

in Weekly Beauty Duty

Enjoy!

99 Products makes an explosive discovery and checks out MAC’s new Volcanic Ash Scrub.

All About the Pretty is really enjoying her new Soap & Paper Factory Fig Soap.

Beautiful Makeup Search asked some beauty blogger friends’ what their three must-have Summer products are – check out their suggestions!

KRiSTOPHER gets her skin as smooth as a 12-year-old Eastern Euro model’s butt, with MD Skincare.

Preview Prescriptives Fall 2008 collection DARING at Makeup Bag.

Makeup Moxie is buzzing over the new Lancome Oscillation Mascara.

Product Girl is loving Essie’s new Neon collection, it’s full of eye popping color.

SugarShock Beauty is loving Zooey Deschanel’s on-trend yet vaguely retro look.

Lianne from TheMakeupGirl declares that the 80’s are back with her brighter than bright makeup picks for summer. (Flashdance cut off sweatshirt not included).

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

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