Jill Stuart Launches in Taiwan in April

by PJ on Wednesday, January 9, 2008

in -Jill Stuart, all about Japanese cosmetics, all about Japanese cosmetics (overseas availability information)

(some of my Jill Stuart items)


After previous speculation, it has been confirmed that the Jill Stuart Beauty line will be launched in Taiwan in April.

Taiwan will become the only place outside Japan where the full line is officially available.

As with many other Japanese brands available in Taiwan, it is expected that the overall price-point will be around 10% lower than the retail price in Japan and that all the subsequent seasonal collections will be launched more or less simultaneously in Taiwan. (The Jill Stuart Beauty line is developed, produced, and marketed by Kosé, one of the largest cosmetics companies in Japan. So I usually classify the beauty line as a Japanese line.)

Like previous launches of popular Japanese cosmetics brands (such as Anna Sui, Paul & Joe, Majolica Majorca, and Lavshuca), the news of Jill Stuart’s upcoming launch has hugely excited makeup fans in Taiwan, some of whom travel to Japan regularly to pick up the trendiest and hippiest beauty items.

Many popular Japanese cosmetics brands eventually make their way to Taiwan (in most cases), Hong Kong and Singapore, so I am not totally surprised at the news. (The line debuted in Japan in fall 2005.) I suspect this is also an attempt for the line to test the water before it is considered to be launched in other countries. We’ll see!

(You can read a little bit more about the brand and the launch here if you happen to read Chinese.)

Updated on February 28th 2008:

The first Jill Stuart Beauty counter outside Japan will open on March 6th in Taipei’s Shin Kong Mitsukoshi (Hsinyi A8). (Check here for the source (in Mandarin).)

Updated on March 4th 2008:

Another source mentions that the launch date is March 28th, which should be more accurate.

Updated on March 8th 2008:

Have a look at the price list and the confirmation that there will also be a Jill Stuart counter in SOGO Chung-Hsiao Taipei on March 28th.

Related Posts:

Jill Stuart Launches in the US?
(Is it also happening over in the US?)

Jill Stuart Brilliance Eyes in 04 Gem Amethyst
(out in spring 2007, but still very on-trend this year)

Loving Japanese Brands: Jill Stuart Cosmetics
(my personal take on Jill Stuart)

{ 8 comments }

Shu Uemura, 1928-2007

by PJ on Wednesday, January 9, 2008

in -Shu Uemura

(image from www.shu-uemura.com.tw)

Shu Uemura, one of the most celebrated makeup artists in the world, died of pneumonia on December 29, at the age of 79 [from WWD].

He, along with his inspirational sense of aesthetics and style, will be truly missed.

{ 0 comments }

Dior 5-Color Eyeshadow Palette in Seascape

by PJ on Tuesday, January 8, 2008

in -Dior, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow, stash focus

(Dior 5-Color Eyeshadow Palette in #250 Seascape)

.

Dior’s 5-Color Eyeshadow Palettes, along with the rest of Dior’s makeup line, have been through numerous packaging changes. But I have noticed that this particular color combination has been existing for at least 5 or 6 years.

I got #250 Seascape in 2006 with my Boots points, and I think this is a really beautiful and colorful eyeshadow palette. With blue and purple being on-trend this season (have a look at my spring 2008 makeup trend report), I thought I’d give this palette a mention.

The palette features:

Top left: a soft grey with a very slight ashy-blue undertone and soft purple iridescence
Top right: medium aqua blue
Bottom left: warm medium purple
Bottom right: pale mint green
Center: white with silvery sparkles

The shades are well pigmented and very smooth to apply and blend. They go on quite matte but have a satiny and luminous finish. The central white shade, though, feels a little gritty, probably because of the sparkles. On the other hand, the blue is one of my favorite blue eyeshadow shades.

With both the blue and the purple being quite vibrant, the palette can create a variety of looks, depending on where to place these two colors on the eyes. When I simply want a simple and fresh look, a wash of the mint shade can really brighten my eyes. It can also be used as a base to bring out the lively blue and purple.

Dior’s eyeshadows are known for the great texture and many palettes feature wearable but unique color combinations. Also, their seasonal releases are often good indications of what colors are currently trendy. But I have noticed that the finish of some of the latest palettes (with the powder in quilted patterns) is getting more and more shimmery. While the shimmery finish still looks smooth and flattering, I do hope their future releases will maintain a balance between satiny matte and shimmery finishes.

.

Related posts:

Dior’s Spring 2008 Makeup Collection
(Anything catching your eye?)

The Allure of Blue Eyeshadows
(See my other blue eyeshadows)

A Splash of Colors – Lilting Lilac
(soft, feminine, and wearable)

{ 8 comments }

Beauty Duty for January 8, 2008

by PJ on Tuesday, January 8, 2008

in Weekly Beauty Duty

A Touch of Blusher brings you Spring 2008 Makeup Trend Report.

KRiSTOPHER gives you “Free Porn“.

Lipstick, Powder ‘n Paint is awaiting the Golden Globes with baited breathe. Which celebs will portray a glamorous red carpet look and which will look like red carpet roadkill?

“Super Model in a bottle!” Make Her Up has the perfect product for you. PLUS: Pictures of Petra Nemcova

Makeup Moxie predicts some beauty trends for 2008.

TheMakeupGirl is loving N.V. Perricone’s Hydrating Nutrient Mask…

WELOVEBEAUTY.com is giving away 100 pieces of Anastasia’s NuBrow – Brow Enhancing Serum! Sign up to be a WLB Insider or refer a friend to win!

{ 0 comments }

My Beauty Weakness: Cute Cuticle Oils

by PJ on Sunday, January 6, 2008

in -Ayura, -Paul & Joe, all about Japanese cosmetics, nail color/care, stash focus

(cuticle oil from Paul & Joe (left)
and Ayura (middle and right))

I have to admit in the beginning that, to moisturize my cuticles, I prefer very emollient and dense cuticle creams and that I also use very thick lip balms on my cuticles. In general, cuticle oil, on its own, does not do a lot for me.

But I do have a weakness for cute-looking cuticle oils. A big reason why I bought these three is that they look so adorable. They are like little treats, and I don’t really use them regularly. But, when I do, I use them as a nail/cuticle conditioner underneath my hand cream and cuticle cream.

The Ayura one in the middle is what started this weakness. It was a limited-edition item included in a set a few years ago and it was never sold on its own. The three layers of oil (of pink, peach, and lime-green shades) are mixed together before use. It is well-absorbed and smells divine. (This cuticle oil was a one-off creation based on the scent of Spirit of Ayura, one of my favorite fragrances.) I stopped using it after I decided I wanted to keep these colorful layers close to their entirety.

When Ayura’s nail items changed their packaging a couple of years ago, they released After Bath Nail Essence (a general item, not limited-edition). It is not an oil and has a serum texture. The inclusion of alcohol in this prevents it from being more moisturizing, and I make sure I apply a hand cream right afterwards.

The Paul & Joe Nail Treatment Oil (pictured left) has the same light oil texture as the Ayura limited-edition one. It penetrates well and conditions the nail area nicely before I apply my hand cream and cuticle cream.

The link to the Paul & Joe Nail Treatment Oil above shows the new version (Nail Care Oil), out on February 1st. I will be checking it out and see how different it is from the one I have…

Related Posts:

Can’t Live Without: Garnier Hand Cocoon
(one of my favorite hand creams)

Ayura Spring 2008 Collection
(a new look for my all-time favorite brand)

Paul & Joe Foundation Primer N
(tried and tested…and loving it)

{ 2 comments }

Calvin Klein Cosmetics Launches in the UK in May

by PJ on Saturday, January 5, 2008

in -Calvin Klein, makeup

(image from The Bay Christmas 2007 catalog)


One of my readers, Ebontien, has very kindly scanned and sent me another great image of the ck Calvin Klein Beauty line from The Bay Christmas catelog. The shade of the Flush Desire Blush here looks good to me!

You may have heard from various sources that Sephora will be launching the Calvin Klein Beauty line this month in the US. (For more information, do check out the post from Beauty Anonymous.)

Here in the UK, another reader has left a comment and mentioned that the line will be launched in the new House of Fraser store in Belfast in May.

This is the news I have been waiting to hear, and I am very excited. Now I am expecting the launch in possibly other House of Fraser stores or perhaps other department stores in the UK very soon.

I’d better start setting aside a budget for this!

Related Posts:

Bring It Back! Calvin Klein Cosmetics
(reminiscing the discontinued collection)

New Calvin Klein Cosmetics: First Look
(from a kind reader in Hong Kong)

Calvin Klein Eyeshadow in Ivory
(my only Calvin Klein item…for the moment)

{ 2 comments }

Weekend Beauty Read for January 5, 2008

by PJ on Saturday, January 5, 2008

in Weekend Beauty Read

Enjoy, and have a great weekend!

From The Beauty Blog Network:

Makeup Moxie picks her Top 10 Beauty Products of 2007.

Girl Gloss looks at Aveeno’s Lip Conditioning Balm with SPF 15.

Bionic Beauty’s new guest blogger for 2008 holds her own Battle of the Cuticle Creams. Read the results!

A Touch of Blusher brings you Spring 2008 Makeup Trend Report.

Beauty and Personality grooming – Best of the year 2007

The Beauty of Life stops and smells the camellias with her favorite product from Chanel’s new Aurora Blues makeup line, the 4 Fleurs de Chanel Eyeshadow Quad.

Temptalia falls in love with Lancome’s L.U.C.I. collection for Spring 2008.

What did Spoiled Pretty do to her nails?!?! See what happens when you Obey Your Body.

Beauty Anonymous shares her all time favorite illuminator: Terracotta Shine Shine Touche D’or from Guerlain.

makeup loves me helps you renew your skin for the new year.

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic dishes on her Favorite Beauty Items of 2007.

{ 0 comments }

Lunasol Full Glamour Gloss in Bright Pink

by PJ on Thursday, January 3, 2008

in -Kanebo, -Lunasol, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - lip color, makeup - lip gloss, stash focus

(Lunasol Full Glamour Gloss in 04 Bright Pink)

While Chanel’s Irréelle Blush in Tea Rose is one of my favorite blushers, Lunasol’s Full Glamour Gloss in Bright Pink is one of my favorite lip glosses.

First of all, even though the shade is named Bright Pink, it is not a bright neon pink that is hard to pull off. It is actually a very pretty and elegant medium-to-sheer pink which is very wearable. It should suit most skin-tones.

Apart from that, there are two things that I particularly like about this lip gloss. First, it has very beautiful and delicate multi-color shimmer that adds subtle dimension and fullness to the lips and makes lip lines appear less obvious.

Also, the slanted applicator (seen below) is well designed. It glides and spreads the gloss on very evenly. Two swipes, back and forth, on each lip, and it’s done. Sensually glossy, with rippling shimmer.

(Lunasol Full Glamor Gloss)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lunasol/)


I also like the packaging. Very simple and sophisticated, which is generally the case with all Lunasol’s minimal and low-key packaging. But it still oozes glamor.

With a stunning spring 2008 collection, Lunasol continues to be a brand that I will pay a lot of attention to in 2008.

Related Posts:

Loving Japanese Brands: Lunasol
(my personal take on Lunasol)

Sony Curvy Lip Silicone
(It had sold more than 1 million copies by the time I wrote this post, but now it has sold over 2 million copies. Find out why!)

Beautiful Lips with Blue Lip Glosses?
(Have you tried them?)

{ 6 comments }

Banana Republic Arrives in the UK

by PJ on Wednesday, January 2, 2008

in fashion

(Banana Republic Flatiron Shoulder Satchel in Chalk)
(image from www.bananarepublic.com)


For me, fashion-wise, one of the things to look forward to in 2008 is the arrival of Banana Republic in the UK.

Vogue UK described Banana Republic’s arrival as “the most exciting thing on the high street next season”, and I definitely agree with it.

The flagship store will open in March on Regent Street (where the department store, Dickens & Jones, used to be), a prime location in the London retail scene. (The street has its own website.)

Obviously, there are price mark-ups with American fashion brands sold in the UK. I will be keeping a close eye on how much of a mark-up there will be with Banana Republic…

Related Posts:

Abercrombie & Fitch’s Arrival in London in 2007
(impressed and not so impressed at the same time…)

Marc Jacobs’ First Boutique in London
(found a bargain here…)

Fashionable City: Nottingham UK
(home of Sir Paul Smith)

{ 0 comments }

My Moisturizer Favorite: Olay Complete Care Night Enriched Cream

by PJ on Tuesday, January 1, 2008

in -Olay, skincare, skincare - moisturizing/others, stash focus

(Olay Complete Care Night Enriched Cream)


Happy new year everyone! I wish all of you a healthy and happy 2008!

Today I am talking about my current nighttime moisturizer. In my post on my daily skincare routine, I mentioned Lancôme’s Hydra Zen was my chosen moisturizer for nighttime. But, about six months ago, Hydra Zen changed its formulation for the fourth time. Unlike the last three times, when there were only minor changes, the 4th-generation Hydra Zen’s ingredient list looks very different. It is still a suitable moisturizer for me (I used a couple of samples), but it was apparent to me that my skin didn’t like it as much.

I decided to look for a replacement. Usually, finding a replacement skincare product can be painful and can involve wasted money. (Opened and used cosmetics products are not returnable and refundable in the UK.) But, since, at that time, I had just started to like Olay Complete Care Daily Illuminating UV Fluid SPF 15, I thought I’d tried another moisturizer from Olay.

The one I got is Olay Complete Care Night Enriched Cream. It sounds like it is really dense and possibly greasy. But, when I tried the in-store tester, it seemed clear that it was not. It seemed light but still emollient, and it appeared to be suitable for my oily-dry skin. With Olay being a relatively affordable brand, I thought I’d try it out.

I really liked it the first time I used it. Even though it has a cream consistency, it is surprisingly lightweight and has a good slip. It is moisturizing and absorbs well, but it doesn’t feel heavy or look greasy at all. For me, it is a competent moisturizer for all seasons. Obviously, this is the first winter when I am using it. All I need is just to use a bit more of it than I do in warmer months, and I don’t need to layer on any other product.

One thing worth mentioning is that one of the major ingredients in this moisturizer is niacinamide. Paula Begoun describes ingredients like niacinamide and retinol as “cell-communicating ingredients“, which are able to work effectively at the cellular level to help improve the conditions and appearance of skin. (Read more about niacinamide and cell-communicating ingredients on Paula Begoun’s website.)

It contains benzyl alcohol, which can be a skin irritant. But it is not among the major ingredients and I have not had negative reactions to the product.

Overall this is a well-formulated moisturizer that happens to have the texture and the degree of emolliency that really suit me. I am quite positive that, as long as it remains available in the UK, I will continue to use it.

Related Posts:

10 Golden Skincare Rules
(Let’s try to follow all of them in 2008!)

A Touch of Blusher’s Anti-Aging Week
(my week-long series on facts and thoughts on anti-aging skincare)

{ 12 comments }

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →