by PJ on Sunday, May 20, 2007
in _I Love Colors, -Anna Sui, -Dior, -Kao, -Lavshuca, -Sofina, all about Japanese cosmetics, fragrance, makeup, makeup - base makeup, skincare, stash focus
The sun is shining and you are lying on the beach, busy being lazy.
But there’s a masquerade by the sea after sunset. You have your dazzling mask and all your powder and potion to bring out your radiance. All that’s left is to find that perfect floaty summer frock, maybe in blue as well……?
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Makeup
Sofina Raycious: Glamorous Skin Powder
Lavshuca: Eye Color Select BU-1
Lavshuca: Eye Color BG-1
Dior: DiorKiss 198 Plum Tart
Dior: DiorKiss 208 Mint Lemonade
(limited edition for summer 2007)
Gerlain: Guerlain by Emilio Pucci Lip Gloss 03 Sparkling Sea
(limited edition for summer 2007)
Maybelline: Volume Express Waterproof
Fragrance
Anna Sui: Sui Dreams
Skincare
Lancome: Tonique Douceur
KissMe: Lip Care Menthol
Previous Splash of Color: New-Leaf Green
Even more Splashes of Colors to come!
(pictured: part of my Chanel stash)
Chanel is one of my favorite cosmetics brands, and there is quite a wide selection of new items to look forward to from its summer 2007 collection:
2 Rouge Allure lipsticks
2 Aqualumiere lipsticks
2 Glossimer lip glosses
2 Joues Contraste blushers
2 Ombre D’Eau liquid eyeshadows
2 single-color eyeshadows
1 4-color eyeshadow palette
There is also a new tinted bronzing gel.
Most of these new colors feature shades of beige, brown, and warm pink. I would prefer a more diverse selection of colors, but, nonetheless, it is definitely a very wearable collection.
The one product I will definitely be testing is the limited-edition Contraste Lumiere Multi-Colour Palette. It includes four lip colors and two eyeshadows. The rich warm hues look great for summer. (Plus, I always like a beautiful palette.)
In Asia, there is another version of the palette. The lip color shades are cooler and so are the eyeshadows (cool pink and lilac). I have to say I like this even more! The colors look soft and feminine, and I happen to have been very interested in lilac and pink eyeshadows these few months.
I think the Chanel Makeup Studio in London’s Harvey Nichols might have it very soon, as it often stocks items only available in Japan or in Asia. I’d definitely hope so!
[Edited on May 19 2007: I just learned that both Contraste Lumiere palettes (called Aquarelles and Mordorees) will be available in the UK.]
(Pictured above and below: pages from
the Calvin Klein cosmetics catalog)
In the beauty world, Calvin Klein is known for some timeless fragrances. But I will always remember the time when their makeup and skincare line was available in department stores.
The packaging, silvery and transparent, is minimal, sleek, and classic, which is consistent with the Calvin Klein style in fashion. Even though I do tend to favor ornate packaging (like Anna Sui and Paul & Joe), minimal packaging, when done well, is just as exquisite.
The colors seem very neutral, grown-up, and sophisticated (in the Bobbi-Brown kind of way, I suppose). No garish colors or ones that are too experimental. I used to think the colors were too mature. But that was many years ago (and time has certainly passed…).
Once in a while, when I sort out my cosmetics catalogs, I’d glance through these pages and wish I could still see the products in shops.
.
I know that some of these are still available on-line. But the line was discontinued several years ago and I can’t help but be concerned about the stock quality. My wild dream, though, would be for Calvin Klein to re-launch the whole cosmetics line!
If you have used any product from Calvin Klein cosmetics (makeup or skincare) before, please do drop a line and let me know about it.
More posts in the “Bring It Back!” series to come!
Edited on June 3, 2007:
First of all, thank all of you who left comments on this post. Also, it seems that Calvin Klein is indeed launching a new cosmetics line very soon. Read about it here. (My personal thanks go to Jeffrey, who wrote this post and brought my attention to it.) Although I personally think the packaging is not as good as it was, let’s hope that the quality stays the same!
Edited on September 27, 2007:
The new Calvin Klein cosmetics line has been launched in Hong Kong. Read about it and see photos here!
(Pictured: Just for Redheads’ Brush a Brow,
Brow Stick, and Studio Mascara)Just for Redheads, as the name suggests, is a line specifically designed for those with red hair and fair skin. Makeup items such as black (or dark grey) mascaras, eyeliners, and eyebrow colors, can simply be too harsh-looking and dramatic for redheads. Warm and auburn hues, in this case, can better enhance the facial features without being overpowering.
If you share this concern, then these goodies might be what you are looking for.
Brush a Brow and Brow Stick (both in Ginger Auburn):
Brush a Brow is a velvety eyebrow powder that goes on smoothly and stays well, while Brow Stick is an eyebrow pencil that is softer than most others. It glides on very easily and creates natural and fluffy-looking brows (not that painted-on look).
The very warm brown tone is of course the main feature. It is that delicious milk-chocolate brown which softly enhances the brows.
Studio Mascara (in Ginger Henna):
What is great about this mascara is that no matter how much I layer it, it does not clump. Although it does not volumize the lashes like some others, it superbly defines, separates, and lengthens the lashes to create an effortlessly natural look.
Again, the warm brown tone is spot-on.
As I was trying on these colors, it appeared to me (who has dark hair and medium skin-tone) that they are not just flattering for people with red hair and fair skin. They are suitable for anyone that wants an ultra-natural warm look. I think what Just for Redheads has created are products that can give an understated and elegant radiance to your face.
The full Just for Redheads line also includes a complete range of makeup, foundation, skincare and haircare products.
(Photo: from Bond No. 9)
Sometime last summer I was at Harvey Nichols in London and the sales assistant at Bond No. 9 stopped me and introduced me to their concept and some of their fragrances. I didn’t walk away with any but I was impressed with the distinctiveness of many of their creations.
This summer sees Bond No. 9 launch Coney Island, a quintessential summer fragrance. I love fragrances that are light and direct, and Coney Island is my kind of scent. I also love the striking deep aqua-blue glass bottle.
Appropriately marketed as a unisex fragrance, it reminds me a little bit of Giorgio Armani’s Acqua di Gio Pour Homme. Both have lime as a top note and burst with that citrusy energy, while Coney Island is slightly sweeter with caramel as a middle note and vanilla as a base note.
It is a great daytime pick-me-up fragrance and fantastic for a cool early summer evening. Fresh, fun, and totally unpretentious, it smells like fresh air, tropical ocean, and that glass of icy-cold lemonade at the beach. All in all, it is like the prefect summer.
Coney Island is launched on June 1st and online pre-ordering starts in mid-May (3.4 oz. at 180 USD and 1.7 oz. at 125 USD). It will be available at all four Bond No. 9 stores, selected branches of Saks Fifth Avenue, and Harvey Nichols, Harrods, Paris Gallery, Lane Crawford.
Top Notes: margarita mix, melon, guava
Middle Notes: cinnamon, chocolate, caramel
Base Notes: musk, vanilla, cedarwood, sandalwood
(Pictured: my own Dior stash)
Dior‘s summer 2007 collection is a feast of colors, and there is a wonderful balance between cool and warm tones. It is one of the best summer collections I have seen so far.
Dior Summer Play, lip color in a dice, is the sister to Dior Play, which was part of the Christmas collection back in 2005. This time, the dice has a bronzed and metallic exterior with a faux-leather string. One features a very sheer pink and the other has a slightly more opaque coral.
The two eye palettes are so gorgeous. 130 (Blue Croisette) includes a stunning selection of soft blue/lavender hues, while 440 (Sunset Cafe) has flattering shades of gold and brown.
I always want to see more interesting colors from DiorKiss lipglosses, and I have got my wish this season. The colors look fresh and remind me of tropical fruit. (I just bought the one in Mint Lemonade (#208) and I will review it later on.)
Blushers, bronzers, lipsticks, an eyeliner, and a mascara complete this very extensive collection, which creates a soft and sultry look with light pastel shades for both eyes and lips. The array of colors is a joy to behold, and you can get the whole summer look with this collection. Have fun trying everything on!
by PJ on Sunday, May 6, 2007
in _I Love Colors, -Ayura, -Bulgari, -Chanel, -Lancôme, all about Japanese cosmetics, bodycare, fragrance, makeup, stash focus
The weather is getting warm again, as the soft gentle green hue of new leaves is everywhere.
Bring that atmosphere into your boudoir…
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Makeup:
Chanel: Irréelle Duo in River-Light
Von Natur: Eye Color in Chrysocolla
Fragrance:
Bulgari: Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert Extrême
Lancôme: Aroma Tonic
Bodycare:
Ayura: Spirit of Ayura hand cream
Ayura: Spirit of Ayura body lotion
Imperial Leather: Green Tea and Kaffir Lime handwash
.
More splashes of colors to come!
They are very straightforward, and, quite frankly, blatantly obvious. But are you doing all of them?
1. Wear sunscreen. Every day. All your life.
2. Sleep well (quality and quantity).
3. Eat well (balance and variety).
4. Exercise (intensity and regularity).
5. Don’t smoke.
6. Moisturize.
7. Take off your makeup as soon as you don’t need it on.
8. Learn to read the ingredient lists of skincare products.
9. Stay hydrated. (Don’t overdo alcohol, coffee, or tea.)
10. Control the stress. (Don’t let it control you.)
These all come from my own experiences. As you can see, there is nothing new here. No miracle product. No secret remedy. I always believe we don’t need to spend a lot of money to have great skin.
Also, you have probably noticed that many of them are not directly related to skincare. I think we all need to be constantly reminded that our lifestyle can affect our appearance as much as what we put on our skin.
Go through the list. What have you been doing already? What needs to be improved? Sometimes we get so obsessed with what to buy at drugstores that we forget that skincare is not just the matter of choosing the right cleanser or exfoliator……
Every little thing you do to improve your overall lifestyle, it will improve your wellbeing and you’ll look better!
(pictured: Watersall’s Splash Cool)
If you are someone that carries a water spray everywhere you go, then you might be interested in the purified water atomizer by Watersall.
The mist is exceptionally fine, which gives a nice and relaxing sensation.
But do remember not to spray it and just let it dry. Your skin will become even dryer. Pat the skin dry and apply a body lotion to seal in the moisture.
For me, I find it particularly useful for changing or modifying my hairstyle. The mist is fine, light, and even, so it moists the hair without weighing it down, making it easy to re-style. I know a normal water pump-spray can basically do the trick, but this is several notches better…
I am sure you can probably find another (very idiosyncratic) way it can work for you…
(the oh-so-pretty Lavshuca Jewelry Lips)
(engraved with the Lavshuca logo)
Lavshuca‘s Spring 2007 collection tops my list for the season, and these cutest little lipsticks are part of the reason. Lavshuca’s Jewelry Lips (approx. 10 USD) are exquisitely packaged. They also happen to be much more petite than most other lipsticks. Below, see how it is compared with a Chanel lipstick:
(They are nicknamed “Lavshuca Mini Lipsticks”.)
(And It is 1.8g of lipstick,
less than most others.)
The two I have, PK-1 and RS-1, are both very wearable. PK-1 is a sheer pink and RS-1 is a pinkish-plum with a little bit of shimmer.
(from left: PK-1 and RS-1)
They are launched with 11 colors in February, and there will be another 11 colors to follow later on. So I assume they have been very popular!
(Read my Lavshuca brand review here.)
