Soft and feminine, Chanel‘s spring 2012 makeup collection showcases pinks and peaches and is truly spring-like. Today I am highlighting four items from the collection: Blush Horizon de Chanel, Rouge Coco Shine in 68 Candeur, Lèvres Scintillantes in 181 Bagatelle, and Rouge Coco Baume.

Blush Horizon de Chanel Soft Glow Blush is one of the two limited-edition items in this collection (along with Poudre Universelle Compacte). The product includes several medium-to-warm hues, including blush pink, peachy pink, cinnamon pink, and plum. All the shades contain fine shimmer.

Used together, the shades create a semi-sheer veil of warm-toned red-pink with a softly glowy finish. I like the fact that it is not a very pigmented blusher and that I can slowly layer it to the level of color intensity I want. I personally prefer matte blushers but this product is not overly glowy or shimmery for me.

The product comes with a flat angled brush which is soft and easy to use. The blusher compact and the brush have their own velvet pouches.

Launched last spring, Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Sheer Lipshine has been a big success. (As I predicted in my review of Rouge Coco Shine last year, it has been popular in Japan. It is currently ranked second on Cosme.Net’s lipstick category (as voted by website visitors) and the shade in 58 Royallieu is second on the list of Biteki readers’ favorite lipsticks in 2011 (Biteki, February 2012, p.59).) For spring 2012, 68 Candeur and 69 Flirt are added to the lineup.

68 Candeur (above) is a sheer light peach. As with the four Rouge Coco Shine shades I reviewed, it glides very easily and imparts a soft veil of color on the lips that can be layered slightly. It creates a glossy sheen with a hint of shimmer. This is quite a pale color and should appeal to those who like the nude-lip look. Note that it can appear white-ish on those with naturally rosier lips.

Lèvres Scintillantes in 181 Bagatelle is a semi-sheer light pink with a subtle milky undertone and predominantly gold-toned shimmer. It creates a glossy shine, which is what we expect from Lèvres Scintillantes. The shimmer is soft and not overly intense. Perhaps some might think that its consistency is too thick, but I personally like densely syrupy lip glosses.

It is a girlie and very spring-like color. I think the milky tone makes the shade slightly on the pale side for me, but I do think it will be one of the most popular items in this collection.

Rouge Coco Baume Hydrating Conditioning Lip Balm is not a makeup product but it is part of Chanel’s spring 2012 makeup lineup. It is packaged in the same case as that of Rouge Coco Shine. Some of its main moisturizing ingredients are bis-behenyl/isostearyl/phytosteryl dimer dilinoleyl dimer dilinoleate, phytosteryl/octyldodecyl lauroyl glutamate, pentaerythrityl tetraethylhexanoate, diisostearyl malate, caprylic/capric triglyceride, and squalane. It contains fragrance (parfum) but it is extremely faint. It is paraben-free.

It reminds me of Chanel’s Soin Tendre Lèvres SPF 15 in all the good ways. It feels hydrating and conditioning, and it doesn’t feel heavy or greasy. I also like the fact that it leaves a natural moist sheen on the lips and doesn’t create a shiny or glossy finish. (Even though I like very glossy lip glosses, I don’t like pronounced shine or gloss in lip balms.) Overall this is a successful non-SPF version of Soin Tendre Lèvres SPF 15.

(The products featured in this article are provided by Chanel.)

Related posts:

From My Treasure Chest (3): Chanel Lèvres Scintillantes Glossimer in 387 Wish

Review: Chanel Fall 2011 Makeup Collection (Illusion d’Ombre in 83 Illusoire & 84 Épatant and Joues Contraste in 68 Rose Écrin)

Review: Chanel Holiday 2011 Makeup Collection (Rouge Allure in 197 Enivrée, Rouge Allure Laque in 707 Empire & Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in 517 Triomphal)

Last March, I reviewed SkinCeuticals‘ Hydrating B5, Retexturing Activator and C E Ferulic serums. Today, I am focusing on another serum from SkinCeuticals, Phloretin CF, as well as the brand’s Ultra Facial Defense SPF 50.

Phloretin CF (High Performance Broad-Action Antioxidant Treatment) is an antioxidant serum with a very lightweight consistency. It features three antioxidants: ascorbic acid (vitamin C), phloretin, and ferulic acid. (Presumably, C and F stand for vitamin C and ferulic acid.) According to Paula Begoun, phloretin acts as an antioxidant, a melanin inhibitor, and a penetration enhancer, and it also helps protect collagen-generating fibroblasts. The product is paraben-free.

However, with all the skin-benefiting ingredients, this product is hampered by the inclusion of alcohol (third on the ingredient list and before any of the three antioxidants). Between SkinCeuticals’ C E Ferulic and Phloretin CF (both are antioxidant serums), I would recommend C E Ferulic (see link above for my review), which is alcohol-free and just as antioxidant-rich.

Ultra Facial Defense SPF 50 is a daytime moisturizer with a light-cream consistency and with ingredients to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. It uses ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (also known as octyl methoxycinnamate) to protect against  UVB rays, and it uses titanium dioxide and Mexoryl SX/XL to protect against UVA rays. (Titanium dioxide also protects against UVB rays.)

(A note on Mexoryl SX/XL: It is essentially two ingredients, (water soluble) Mexoryl SX (also known as ecamsule and terephthalylidene dicamphor sulfonic acid) and (oil soluble) Mexoryl XL (also known as drometrizole trisiloxane). These two ingredients are exclusive to L’Oréal-owned brands. (SkinCeuticals was acquired by L’Oréal in 2005.) Mexoryl SX is an approved sunscreen ingredient in the EU and in some other countries, but, in the US, it is only approved in some products in La Roche-Posay’s (also owned by L’Oréal) Anthelios range. Mexoryl XL is not an approved sunscreen ingredient in the US but it is in the EU, Canada, Australia, and Japan. This may explain why Ultra Facial Defense SPF 50 is not available on SkinCeuticals’ US website.)

Some of the main moisturizing ingredients in this product are glycerin, propylene glycol, pentylene glycol, and stearic acid. The product also contains tocopherol (vitamin E) as an antioxidant. It is paraben-free.

Like Phloretin CF, this product contains alcohol. Although it is not towards the very top of the ingredient list, the product is likely to contain enough of it to be irritating for some people.

(The products featured in this article are provided by SkinCeuticals.)

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Olay Regenerist Night Renewal Elixir

Boots No 7 Protect & Perfect Intense Day Cream SPF 15 + 5-Star UVA

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, Facial Treatment Repair C & Skin Signature

With purple, green, blue, and orange paired with brown, silver and gray, RMK‘s spring 2012 Sprinkling Colors makeup collection has bursts of color as well as touches of neutral hues.  Today I am reviewing three items from the lineup: Sprinkling Eyes in 01 Brown, Ingenious Natural Eyes N in 07 Purple, and Sprinkling Cheeks in 03 Brown.

The new (and limited-edition) Sprinkling Eyes features three variations. 01 Brown is a wearable neutral palette with an orange for added vibrancy.

The four shades in this palette are (anti-clockwise from top):

- medium-to-warm medium brown, moderately pigmented, velvety with a creamy sheen
- dark brown, pigmented, velvety with sparse shimmer
- cream white with a yellow tone, sheer, with shimmer and fine sparkles
- muted orange, moderately pigmented, softly shimmery

All the shimmery particles are multi-colored, and all the shades have a good staying power.

According to the application instruction (enclosed with the palette), the cream-to-powder base shade (on top of the palette) is applied all over the eyelids and then one of the three powder-based shades is layered on top of the base shade. The idea is that each of the three shades will add a different color and finish to the base shade. (The “base” in this palette series does not refer to the usual off-whites in many other eyeshadow palettes.) In the case of the medium brown in this palette, the dark brown intensifies it, the cream white lightens it and adds shimmer to it, and the orange adds warmth and vibrancy to it.

However, it is of course much more interesting to use all the four colors at the same time. The cream-to-powder medium brown is exceptionally blendable and adds natural depth to the eyes. (I’ve noticed that it has a water-resistant quality.) The cream white highlights the brow bone areas, and the dark brown lines the eyes. The muted orange provides a pop of color. I use the powder side of the double-ended brush in this palette (which is relatively soft and fluffy) to apply a subtle veil of the orange to bridge the medium brown on the eyelids and the cream white under the eyebrows to complete the color depth gradation.

Depending on how you play with the four colors, this versatile palette can go from natural and sophisticated to rich and vibrant.

Ingenious Natural Eyes N in 07 Purple is a new addition to the existing five variations. The four shades in this palette are (anti-clockwise from top-right (in the photo above)):

- warm peachy pink, softly pigmented, shimmery
- medium purple, softly pigmented, velvety with subtle shimmer
- light blue, softly pigmented, softly shimmery
- medium-to-dark gray, moderately pigmented, shimmery

All the shades have multi-colored shimmery particles and a generally decent staying power.

The colors in this palette are generally on the sheer side. The medium-to-dark gray is not as intensely pigmented as the lining shades in most of the other eyeshadow palettes that I have tried. Between the two lighter shades, the peachy pink is slightly sheerer and the light blue is slightly easier to layer. As the key shade in this palette, the purple is almost disappointingly sheer and is difficult to layer.

The palette creates a gentle and airy look, but I do wish that the purple were a lot more pigmented to inject a sense of color into the palette.

Available in three variations, the limited-edition Sprinkling Cheeks combines an off-white designed to be the base and a blusher shade. 03 Brown features an off-white pale beige and an orange-toned brown. Both shades contain multi-colored shimmer and have a decent staying power.

The shimmery particles in the pale beige create a very reflective glow. Even though the orange-toned brown is less shimmery than the pale beige, it also creates a glowy finish. Apart from a base, the pale beige can also be used as a highlighter on top of the orangy brown or on other parts of the face. Overall the duo creates a healthy sun-kissed glow for the cheeks.

The product will certainly appeal to those who like a very glowy finish. Those who tend to have issues with oily cheeks or large pores should use this product very sparingly.

(The products featured in this article are provided by RMK.)

Related posts:

RMK Christmas Palette 2011

RMK Dusty Bright Eyes in 03 Grayish Brown

RMK Cleansing Oil S & Cleansing Balm M

(images/info from Jo Malone)

For spring 2012, Jo Malone has released two new items this month to add to its popular Red Roses range just in time for Valentine’s Day. The new additions are:

- Red Roses Fragrance Chronicle (above, with Red Roses Cologne (30ml), Sweet Lemon Cologne (9ml), Scarlet Velvet Rose Cologne (9ml), and Honeycomb Cologne (9ml))

- Red Roses Travel Candle (60g)

The rest of Jo Malone Red Roses range features:

- Cologne (100ml)
- Cologne (30ml)
- Hand & Body Wash (250ml)
- Bath Oil (250ml)
- Bath Oil (Glass Decanter) (200ml)
- Hand & Body Lotion (250ml)
- Body Crème (175ml)
- Home Candle (200g)

(The Red Roses Travel Candle featured in this article is provided by Jo Malone.)

Related posts:

Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin Cologne

Jo Malone Wild Bluebell Cologne

Jo Malone English Pear & Freesia Fragrance Chronicle

Kanebo Coffret d’Or‘s Wide Gradation Eyes is from the line’s spring/summer 2012 makeup collection. As most of Coffret d’Or’s eyeshadow palettes contain four shades, the new series, with five shades in each variation, certainly caught my attention. Four variations are available, and I decided to go for 04 Deep Brown.

The five colors in this palette are (anti-clockwise from top right):

- (Wide Highlight) off-white, sheer, softly shimmery
- (Wide Shadow Base) light milky taupe beige, softly pigmented, very subtly shimmery
- (Medium Color) taupe brown, moderately pigmented, shimmery
- (Deep Color) dark brown, pigmented, with sparse shimmer
- (Shine Color) off-white, sheer, sparkly

(The names in parentheses are the names given by Coffret d’Or to the shades in the series.)

All the shades have multi-colored shimmer. They all have a pleasingly soft and creamy texture and a good staying power.

The main purpose of the Wide Gradation Eyes series is to create a dimensional wide-eyed effect. This is supposed to be achieved by the Wide Shadow Base (the upper-left shade in each variation), which is applied on the entire eyelids, the outer corners of the eyes, and along the outer halves of the lower lashlines.

The wide-eyed effect can indeed be achieved, but I think it is achieved largely by the layering of the five well-coordinated tone-on-tone neutral shades. The milky beige Wide Shadow Base does still create a very subtle and natural shadow, and I like the fact that the shade has the least amount of shimmer in this palette and can certainly create some depth without being overly reflective.

The main shadowing shade, the taupe brown on the lower-left, adds depth to the eyes very effectively. It is a little too cool for my personal liking, but at least it does not look grayish on my eyes. (I tend to like neutral shades with a warm-gold tone.)

As with Eyes Appeal Shadow and 3D Glossy Eyes, the eyeshadow palette itself and the case (Eye Shadow/Powder Case (L)) are sold separately. For spring/summer 2012, Coffret d’Or released a limited-edition case (Eye Shadow/Powder Case (L) (2012SS)), which I have got for my Wide Gradation Eyes palette.

I have been particularly after true neutral palettes (gradation beige-brown palettes without pinks, peaches, or oranges), and this palette is certainly one of them. It can create a sophisticated work-appropriate look as well as a sensual smoky-eyed look. If you are putting together core basics for your eyeshadow wardrobe, this basic but versatile palette is certainly worth considering.

Related posts:

Lunasol Ocean Scene Eyes in EX01 Shelly Ocean

Visée Glam Glow Eyes in BR-3

Lavshuca Star Decoration Eyes in BR-1

I hope everyone has had a good start of the new year.

This is an announcement to let all of you know that, in the next few weeks or so, my frequency of posting will be lower due to unforeseen circumstances.

During this period, this notice will stay on top of the homepage. Please check below for the latest posts. I will still aim to answer comments and e-mails, but please kindly bear in mind that there might be delays.

I appreciate your patience and understanding, and thank you very much for all your support.

I still remember seeing Paul & Joe Beauté‘s beautiful debut collection for spring 2002 in Biteki magazine. Over the years, the style of the packaging has remained the same, which I think is one of the elements that reflect the success of the line. It is the combination of the soft and feminine product packaging design and the seasonal fashion-inspired Collections Sparkles, which are based on designer Sophie Albou’s catwalk creations.

Paul & Joe’s spring 2012 Meow! makeup collection celebrates the line’s 10th anniversary, and the inspiration of the collection is Albou’s love of cats. Today I am featuring Face & Eye Color CS in 078 Purr-fect and Lipstick C in 077 Catwalk.

This season’s Collection Sparkles items (the seasonal limited-edition items in paper cases with prints from Paul & Joe’s fashion collections) are housed in boxes with cat-shaped cut-outs.

Unlike Color Powder CS from Paul & Joe’s spring 2011 makeup collection, the elastic band of Face & Eye Color CS for spring 2012 (that secures the lid) is not attached to the base of the case. It comes separately.

The lid is very slightly loose, so do use the elastic band especially if you would like to bring the product out and about with you.

I really love the look of the print. A vibrant yellow background with blossoms of shades of lilac, pink, green, and white announces the arrival of springtime. I have to say that, occasionally, the Collection Sparkles items photograph better than they look in person, but this is by no means the case with this particular print. The print also runs all the way inside the lid.

Face & Eye Color CS in 078 Purr-fect is a green-toned palette (very on-trend for spring 2012) that contains three shades:

- cream white, softly pigmented, with a gently glowy finish
- light sage green, softly-to-moderately pigmented, with a softly glowy finish (marginally more glowy than the cream white)
- medium sage green, moderately-to-well pigmented, with a softly glowy finish and a hint of green-toned shimmer

The powder is soft and fluffy. The colors blend very well and have a good staying power.

I like the fact that the cream white doesn’t contain large shimmering particles. It works well as an effective (but not over-the-top) highlighter for the brow-bone areas. The light sage green goes on slightly warmer (with a hint of yellow tone), but I would still describe it as a sage green (and not a warm green or olive green). The medium sage green is just dark enough to work as an eyeliner.

It might be worth noting that the product contains 12g of powder, which is huge for a three-color eyeshadow palette.

Lipstick C in 077 Catwalk features the same print. Again, it is housed in a box with a cat cut-out.

Like the other two Lipstick C shades in the spring 2012 collection, it has ten cat paw prints on the lipstick (another 10th-anniversary design feature). Even though I am not really a cat person, I think they look very cute!

077 Catwalk is a lightly-to-moderately pigmented milky peachy pink with a finish between velvety and satiny. There is no visible shimmer. The lipstick goes on relatively smoothly and has a very good staying power.

Personally, I would usually go for lipsticks that are cooler and rosier, but this shade works better than I expected. The pigment merges with my natural lip color (which is rosier) very well and creates an even and lasting veil of color (it seems to have a blot-proof quality), which doesn’t go patchy overtime and is surprisingly non-drying.

Overall I am impressed with both products, as the gorgeous packaging has the quality of the products to match. If you have a chance, do stop by the Paul & Joe counter to have a look at the collection in person.

Happy 10th anniversary, Paul & Joe Beauté!

(Paul & Joe’s Collection Sparkles for spring 2012 is now available at www.asos.com. The official release dates of the entire Meow! spring 2012 makeup collection in the UK are January 14th for Harrods and January 23rd for Fenwick.)

(The products featured in this article are provided by Paul & Joe.)

Related posts:

Review: Paul & Joe Ornamental Self Select Eye Colors in 001 Fa-La-La-La-La & 004 Slight Night (Holiday 2011)

Review: Paul & Joe Face & Eye Color CS in 073 42nd Street & Lipstick C in 072 SoHo (Fall 2011)

Beautiful Lips with Blue Lip Glosses – Summer 2011 Edition!
(featuring Paul & Joe Lip Gloss B in 001 L’Horizon Bleu)

Last fall, Sisley released Skinleÿa Anti-Aging Lift Foundation, which promises to even out the complexion and restore freshness of the skin. It is available in nine shades, and today I am featuring 00 Light Linen, the lightest shade of the lineup.

This silicone-based foundation has a relatively lightweight creamy consistency, a smooth texture, and a satiny finish. It is alcohol-free and paraben-free. It contains a small amount of fragrance (parfum). There is no irritating fragrant plant oil in this product, and, as far as I know, there is no other obvious skin irritant.

00 Light Linen is a pale beige that has a natural skin-tonal hue (not too pinky, peachy, or yellowy). However, this foundation is so sheer that it doesn’t offer any substantial coverage. The level of coverage can only be described as translucent-to-sheer, and it only evens out the skin tone minimally. I haven’t used tinted moisturizers for a very long time, but, as far as I remember, I have probably used tinted moisturizers that offer a little more coverage.

Another aspect of the product that is disappointing is that, even though the product is far from pigment-rich, there is foundation setting quite visibly in the pores overtime (within a couple of hours after I apply it with the brush that comes with the product and gently blend it with fingers).

The foundation brush that comes with the foundation has a decent quality. The hair is dense and it feels soft on the skin.

Overall, I can only recommend this product to those who want a very sheer (sheerer-than-sheer) coverage and those with no issue with visible pores. (It would suit those with a fair, light, or light-to-medium complexion and those with normal or normal-to-dry skin.) It is a pity, since this is a well-formulated foundation (ingredient-wise) with a decently pleasing texture.

(The product featured in this article is provided by Sisley.)

Related posts:

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Review: Givenchy Radically No Surgetics Age-Defying & Perfecting Foundation SPF 15 PA++ in 1 Radiant Porcelain

All about BB Creams (Featuring My Review of Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Daily All-in-One B. B. Cream in Light)

Happy New Year, everyone!

In my first post in 2012, I will be sharing my thoughts on Visée‘s Glam Glow Eyes in GR-4. The Glam Glow Eyes series (available in 5 variations) is from Visée’s fall 2011 makeup collection. I have previously reviewed BR-3.

The four colors in this palette are (clockwise from bottom-left):

- multi-hued (but slightly green-toned) high-toned fine sparkles with very little pigment
- light medium-to-warm green, moderately pigmented, with high-toned pearly shimmer
- medium warm green, moderately-to-well pigmented, glowy with pearly shimmer
- dark warm green, pigmented, with soft shimmer

In terms of the general texture and quality of the powder, please see the paragraph below the individual shade descriptions as well as other sections in my review of Glam Glow Eyes in BR-3 (link above).

Compared with Glam Glow Eyes in BR-3, the upper-left light green has more color than the upper-left ivory beige in BR-3, which is quite pale. Between the two darkest shades in the two palettes, the dark green has a little more shimmer than the dark brown.

Even though I would still describe GR-4 as a warm-toned green palette, it is less warm-toned than Visée’s Glam Shade Eyes in GR-5, which contains a yellow green and an olive green. None of the shades in this palette has a strong yellow or olive tone.

Like BR-3, GR-4 is generally a well-coordinated tone-on-tone palette. (The bottom-left shade is still to bling-y for me and I tend to avoid it.) Because greens don’t always suit me, I have to be a little careful with this palette. For instance, while I do like the light green, I can’t really wear it all over the eyelids and I have to be careful not to over-layer it. Otherwise, the overall look will be a little too vibrantly green for me.

Having worn BR-3 and GR-4 (separately) for a number of times, I think they can work well together. I haven’t tried it yet, but substituting the pale beige for the light green when wearing GR-4 might be a good option for me.

As mentioned in my review of BR-3, I like the case of the Glam Glow Eyes palettes. I think it is one of the prettiest eyeshadow palette cases from Visée.

Overall I would definitely say that this palette should suit those who adore greens and like a full-on medium-to-warm green look for the eyes. For me, in most cases, it will have to be used strategically, but I still love the general texture of the powder and the finishes of the three greens (not the high-toned sparkles at the bottom-left) in this palette.

Related posts:

Visée Spring 2012 Makeup Collection (in Collaboration with Blondy)

Visée Holiday 2011 Makeup Collection (in Collaboration with SmackyGlam)
(with link to swatches)

Stash Focus: Visée Dual Shine Rouge Palette (Holiday 2006)

(images/info from i-voce.jp)

Shiseido Integrate will release its spring 2012 makeup collection in Japan on March 21st. The collection includes:

- Rainbow Grade Eyes (above, 1 new variation, limited edition, ¥1575)

- Killer Wink Gel Liner (1 new shade, ¥997)

- Forming Cheeks (4 existing variations repackaged, ¥1575)

- True Shining Gloss (3 new shades, including 1 limited-edition shade (¥1260))

- Design Veil (4 existing variations repackaged, ¥1575)

- Mineral Fresh Mist (¥840)

- Mineral Base Trial Size (SPF 25, PA+, 13g, ¥550)

I really like the color combination of the new Rainbow Grade Eyes palette. (Light Pink, warm beige, and purple…it is as if they knew.) Even though my Rainbow Grade Eyes in BE303 is not one of my favorite eyeshadow palettes, I may have to try the new one.

Related posts:

Integrate Holiday 2011 Makeup Collection

Integrate Fall 2011 Makeup Collection

Integrate Spring 2011 Makeup Collection