Shiseido’s Integrate Gracy will be one of the latest drugstore lines in Japan. (The logo is instantly recognizable as the sister brand of Integrate.)
Launched in Japan on August 21st, Integrate Gracy is targeted mainly at consumers in their 50’s, with understated packaging and timeless, elegant, and wearable colors. Also, all the products are fragrance-free, which can be a huge plus for people across all ages.
Integrate Gracy is not the first drugstore brand in Japan to specifically appeal to a more mature clientèle. Kanebo’s Evita (skincare and foundation) and Media (foundation and color makeup) are two examples. Now it’s Shiseido’s turn to add a new player.
The packaging is predominantly black and the overall look reminds me of Media and another of Shiseido’s drugstore lines, Selfit. I actually slightly prefer Integrate Gracy’s packaging to Integrate’s, which I think is painfully plain. (The case of Integrate Gracy’s loose powder looks simple and elegant.)
The line-up is vast and is actually larger than Integrate (launched in August 2006, targeting consumers in their 20’s and 30’s). It features a full range of foundation products, which Integrate does not have at the moment. It includes cream/liquid/powder foundation, primers, concealer, and loose/pressed powder. I think it is quite exciting.
The color makeup includes lipsticks, lip liners, blushers, eyeshadows, eyeliners, brow pencils, mascaras, and nail colors.
The target audience is very specific. But good prices and good quality are definitely for everyone!!
Source: Nikki Net
(pictured: my Anna Sui items)
Anna Sui, the mother of dreamy packaging and the Gothic princess of the cosmetics land, will release its fall 2007 collection in August. You’ll find:
NEW Sui Rouge V (8 shades)
NEW Liquid Eye Color (10 shades)
NEW Mini Rouge (with chain and mirror, 10 shades)
NEW Pressed Powder M (with marble patterns, 3 shades, limited editions)
Nail Color (5 new shades, limited editions)
The Mini Rouge, with rose decorative details, looks very cute and reminds me of one of my favorite Anna Sui items, the discontinued Ring Rouge (a lip color housed in a ring, see lower left on the photo above).
Even though the quality of Anna Sui’s products have remain consistent, the past several collections looked lackluster and tiresome and lacked interesting ideas. (I also don’t like the fact that it left the UK several years ago!) This collection looks better, but I would still love to see more ingenious and innovative product designs and to see Anna Sui reclaim her edgy identity.
Related Post: Loving Japanese Brand (2-7): Anna Sui
(My three beloved Guerlain lip glosses:
KissKiss Gloss in #02,
Terracotta Gloss & Shine in #71,
Guerlain by Emilio Pucci Lip Gloss in #03 Sparking Sea)
The Guerlain Japanese website has been updated with the Guerlain fall 2007 collection. (Many western cosmetics lines update their Japanese websites much more timely. It is often worth checking them even if you don’t understand the language.)
Titled “True Elegance“, the collection features understated and sophisticated shades. The new Radiant Shadow Duo & Liner, with two powder eyeshadows and one cream eyeliner, looks chic and glamorous. The muted colors are great for a grown-up look. The collection includes:
Radiant Blush (2 new shades)
KissKiss Laque (2 new shades)
KissKiss Lipstick (6 new shades)
NEW Lip Pencils (8 shades)
NEW Radiant Shadow Duo & Liner (6 palettes)
NEW Lip Lift (lip primer)
The stunningly beautiful jewel-like casing of KissKiss Lipstick is designed by French jewelry designer Hervé van der Straeten (once for Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Lacroix). The style has been applied to KissKiss Gloss and KissKiss Laque and is now extending to the new Lip Lift and Radiant Shadow Duo & Liner. I hope Guerlain will further extend it to the blushers (whose current casing design I never really like).
The Guerlain fall 2007 collection will be out in August.
(Clockwise from top:
Shine On Lipstick in #06 Pink-Pink,
Shine On Lipstick in #02 Dolce Vita,
Color Perfect Lipstick in #33A Attitude,
Color Perfect Lipstick in #32 Berry Rich,
Moist Matte Lipstick in #06 Energized,
Moist Matte Lipstick in #01 Cream Pie,
Velvet Lips Creamy Lipcolor in #212 Glamorous,
Velvet Lips Creamy Lipcolor in #206 Lavish)
All the four ranges of Milani lipsticks have one impressive merit in common: they all have a wonderfully creamy texture. Non-drying and very moisturizing, they are a great joy to wear.
All (apart from Shine On Lipstick) are quite intensely-pigmented. (But even Shine On, a supposedly sheerer range, is more pigmented than some other sheer lipsticks around.)
The four ranges cover various finishes. Shine On is wet, frosty, and glossy. Velvet Lips and Color Perfect leave lips smooth with a sensual luster, while Moist Matte has the sophisticated and grown-up semi-matte finish.
My personal favorite is probably Moist Matte. It is particularly important for matte lipsticks to be rich and moisturizing. Otherwise they just look chalky. Milani’s Moist Matte definitely gains points on this.
PJ’s Picks:
–Color Perfect Lipstick in #32 Berry Rich (far right on photo):
This intense dark berry-red will look so glamorous on dark skin-tones.
–Shine On Lipstick in #06 Pink-Pink (top on photo):
A girlie frosty-pink, very flattering for most skin-tones.
–Velvet Lips Creamy Lipcolor in #206 Lavish (far left on photo):
Striking and edgy against fair skin-tones, this magenta shade bursts with retro flair. (Do keep eye makeup to the minimum to do justice to this electrifying shade.)
Seasonal Pick for Fall 2007:
–Moist Matte Lipstick in #01 Cream Pie (bottom on photo):
With a wave of neutral tones coming our way this fall, this delicious semi-matte milk-chocolate shade (most suitable for medium and dark skin-tones) will go superbly well with your neutral eyes.
Coming up: more fall 2007 makeup collections!
(pictured: Kirkland Signature by Borghese
Skincare Travel Kit)
I always like skincare travel kits. They provide a great chance to sample several products at the same time without breaking the bank.
Borghese Skincare Travel Kit ($24.99 USD) is part of the Kirkland Signature range available in Costco stores. It includes:
75ml Pure Moisturizing Cleanser
85g Age-Defying Skin Renewal Mask (limited edition, only available within the kit)
50ml Age-Defying Protective Moisture Lotion SPF 15
15ml Age-Defying Wrinkle Defense Serum
2ml Age-Defying Restorative Night Cream
1ml Age-Defying Protective Eye Cream
See-through toiletry pouch
My favorite is the Wrinkle Defense Serum (called Skin Perfecting Serum in Asia), which includes grape seed extract (an antioxidant). It has a pleasantly smooth and light texture. Also, I find that this silicone-based serum works as a primer for me. (It slightly reminds me of Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer.) Applied right before the foundation, it makes the foundation go on more evenly.
I also enjoy using the Skin Renewal Mask. It has a luxurious butter-like texture and leaves the skin smooth and hydrated.
The Protective Moisture Lotion SPF 15 has a nice creamy texture and will suit people with dry skin. However, it lacks ingredients to offer proper anti-UVA protection, which makes it less than ideal for daytime use on its own. It needs to be paired with a moisturizer/sunscreen lotion with anti-UVA ingredients. (See “Sunscreen Basics” for a list of anti-UVA ingredients.)
(It contains oxybenzone, which only protects some but not all UVA rays. See oxybenzone on Paula Begoun’s Ingredient Dictionary.)
Overall, it is a good starter kit for sampling all of the skincare items from the Kirkland Signature by Borghese range, plus the face mask. Maybe you will find a new staple in it.
Note: The travel kit is only available in Costco stores in the US. Full-size products (apart from the limited-edition Skin Renewal Mask) are available globally.
(pictured: my Lunasol items)Lunasol’s official website has not been updated with the fall collection yet, but have a look at shots of the Lunasol fall 2007 collection from the printed catalog on a Japanese blog.
The collection will be out in Japan on August 17th, 2007.
I love that there are five different looks in the collection. (It has been done for their spring 2007 collection, where each of the four looks includes coordinating eyeshadow palette, lipstick, lip palette, and nail color.) Named Cat’s Eye, Alexandrite, Diamond, Sapphire, and Ruby, they are like five mini collections.
For fall 2007, each look includes a five-color eyeshadow palette (a first for Lunasol), a liquid eyeliner, a lipstick, a lip gloss, and a nail color. Among them, I am particularly excited about Sapphire and Ruby, which are very striking and distinctive. (See my pattern here? I am adding another member into my blue-tinted lip gloss collection.)
Packaging-wise, Lunasol’s simple and sophisticated style never fails to impress me. When Lunasol was launched in 1999, it featured bronze and silver checked-pattern cases (see powder case on top and lipstick on bottom of the photo above). In 2003, the color scheme changed into a low-key dark brown. Several seasons ago, the finish became much more reflective, as what we see now. I like the fact that the packaging never changes drastically. Instead, it evolves with the time.
Aside from its superior quality and consistently great seasonal collections, the distinctive but understated image is part of Lunasol’s appeal.
Related Article: Loving Japanese Brands (7 of 7): Lunasol
Now, A Touch of Blusher features podcast!
It is supported by Odiogo. After I listened to some posts on Elke Von Freudenberg’s blog, I was happy with the general quality and decided to bring podcast to my blog.
The near-human text-to-speech generation is by no means perfect, but I have to say it is pretty good. (It is also kind of fun to hear my own writing being read out…)
You can click on the icon below to subscribe to the podcast feeds:
It is like getting the audio broadcast of my blog…
Also, each post now comes with the Listen Odiogo icon, by clicking which you can listen to the post.
You can try listening to this post right now. Enjoy!
(pictured: my Jill Stuart items…
more joining my collection soon)
Finally, Jill Stuart’s fall collection has appeared on the official website.
This fall for Jill Stuart, it is all about the cheeks. Following the success of what is now the cult product, Blush Powder, the new pressed powder blusher (Mix Blush Compact) will debut on August 3rd, 2007. (It’s about time!)
Each compact includes four coordinated shades. Five versions are available, one of which is a limited edition. Each compact comes with a cute retractable brush.
I usually go for cool-pink blushers, so #01 (Baby Blush) and #02 (Rose Bloom) look like my kind of blushers.
The collection also includes (check link above to see the shades):
Brilliance Eyes: two new palettes (slightly more sedate and low-key than the spring 2007 shades)
Jelly Eye Color: two new shades (to join the line-up of this best seller)
Lip Lustre: three new shades
Liquid Eyeliner: two new shades
Nail Lacquer: three new shades (limited editions)
Point Crystal II: five shades (out on August 24, 2007, limited editions)
Pouch II: out on August 24, 2007, limited edition
I love the packaging of the new blusher. It is just too adorable to pass up. You will probably see a review of it later!
by PJ on Thursday, July 12, 2007
in bodycare
For me, handcare is almost as important as skincare. I am quite obsessed with keeping my hands clean, but, with all the washing, they can often feel dry and tight.
Gloves In A Bottle, as the name suggests, moisturizes and protects hands. According to their website, it is “a shielding lotion that rapidly absorbs into, and bonds with, the outer layer of skin creating a protective layer while retaining the natural moisture from within“.
One of the good aspects of this product is that the ingredient list is short and simple, which is great for people with sensitive skin or with skin conditions. There is no fragrance or skin irritants like certain types of essential oils. (Apart from what is listed on the website, the ingredient list on the bottle also lists M&F paraben (a preservative) as an ingredient.)
It is an effective moisturizer for the hands. Light and non-greasy, it is suitable for repeated uses during daytime (no slippery fingers). I actually use it more as a body moisturizer, as I personally prefer my hand cream to be slightly more emollient, especially for the last application before bed.
It can also be used on the face as a light-weight moisturizer.
If you have very sensitive skin (face or body), this straight-forward no-fuss lotion might be something you want to try.
(pictured: my HR items…and I want more!)Helena Rubinstein is the one that said “There are no ugly women, only lazy ones.” Whether you agree with it or not, it cannot be denied she more than made her mark in the beauty industry.
I always think there is a sense of sophistication and intelligence in her makeup line. The packaging during the 1990’s incorporated colors and finishes that resembled marble and gold. There was a great deal of quiet confidence and assertiveness about it, which really appealed to me. The current reflective copper-tone packaging has a very glamorous edge.
Helena Rubinstein’s mascaras (along with Lancome’s Extencil) started the craze for ultra long, voluminous, and curly eyelashes in Japan about a decade ago, lasting all the way until today. HR’s various mascaras have continued to be on the best-selling lists there as well.
Skincare-wise, I used to really like their cleansing and toning products, as they were gentle to my sensitive skin.
I am aware that her cosmetics line is still available in many countries (see the list on the Helena Rubinstein website), but it is no longer available in the UK or US. I really hope it will be available again soon! (By the way, it is available in Japan…that’s one more reason to go to Japan for……)
Any HR product that you have used and liked? Let me know!
