Sunday 6 November 2011

Addiction Aurora Reflection Review and Swatches

Inspired by the aurora lights of Scandinavia, Addiction's Aurora Reflection collection stood out like a luminous goddess amidst the sea of fall makeup collections. Thanks to a friend, I was able to snag four of the seven new eyeshadows and two of the six new lipglosses.

Blue Moon is a stunning mid-toned blue with pale blue shimmer. This is a truly unique shade that I can't think of a dupe for by other brands.

Deep Forest is a mysterious deep forest green with green and gold shimmer.

Poetic is a pale icy mint with a blue/green luminescence reminiscent of an insect's wings.

Horizon is a pale lavender with silver shimmer and glitter. This is the only shade out of the four that contained chunky glitter particles, which tended to get all over the case.

The eyeshadows apply sheer on their own but with the help of a primer, their aurora-like luminescence comes into full glory with a mesmerizing glow. The pic below shows swatches done with a MAC #228 brush applied over Too Faced Shadow Insurance. These are all permanent. Another positive aspect of Addiction is that they rarely do limited edition shades, like NARS, except for the annual holiday coffret. The ingredients list is only in Japanese and it includes talc and mineral oil, so ladies who are sensitive to these ingredients may wish to avoid these.

Do also check out Makeup Stash for her review and swatches.

Addiction's eyeshadows come in sleek black plastic compacts and retail at 2100yen (about S$34) for 1.2g. It's not cheap but their stellar array of complex shades are well worth hunting down if you are ever in Japan. The brand is growing slowly but steadily with eleven counters in Japan currently, including four in Tokyo alone (Isetan in Shinjuku, Seibu in Shibuya, Mitsukoshi in Ginza and Daimaru in Tokyo station). The products are made in Japan by Kose which also owns Jill Stuart, Visee, Cosme Decorte, Magie Deco, Fasio and Esprique.

Addiction also sells Custom Cases in two sizes for creating your own palette. The larger Custom Case II (1575yen) fits 6 eyeshadow singles or 4 eyeshadows and one blush.

Using Too Faced Shadow Insurance in Candlelight as the base, I applied Blue Moon along the upper lashline, Black Forest at the outer corner of the upper and lower lashlines, Poetic over the browbone area and Horizon in the middle of the upper eyelid and along the lower lashline. I also used Ettusais Bitaba mascara and Stila Sparkle Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in Royal along the upper lashline.

The eyeshadows all applied very smoothly with only Horizon causing some fallout with its sliver glitter bits. My camera wasn't able to fully capture the subtle nuances of the shades. Also, I think the Shadow Insurance in Candlelight doesn't make the shades show up as well as the original Shadow Insurance.



Other products used for this look include: Addiction Miss You More lipgloss, Pore Putty BB Cream, RMK Super Basic Concealer EX-01 and Za Ever Brows BR21.

My collection of Addiction lipglosses: (from left to right): Miss You More, Jealousys, Azalea, Dear Liar and Cry Baby.

12 comments:

shusheshe said...

I was just in Japan myself and couldn't help snagging two of the singles. They were absolutely GORGEOUS and I definitely will get more next time I go to Japan again.

Jamilla Camel said...

Stunning and smooth! I need to get to Japan!

Anonymous said...

please review pore putty bb cream :)

Anna said...

You have such beautiful lips, they make the perfect pout

Hannah said...

Stunning indeed! Thanks for sharing the FOTD in these eye colours...

The Driveller Kate said...

Stunning, Haru! I just got back from Japan (thanks for your shopping recs btw -- madeupstories on mua :D) and may have picked up all seven Aurora Reflection shadows...

Sarah minose said...

I live in France and i have asked a friend who was in Japan for the Blue Moon eyeshadow. As you say, it's an unique shade. I'm not disappointed, so beautiful <3

Anonymous said...

Haru can U pls do swatches of the glosses? Esp cry baby and the nudes. Thanks a lot

birkinbagbeauty said...

Poetic is so stunning. I wonder how their new foundation would be like, though

sita said...

cantiknya!!!
subtle but oh so stunning

JC said...

Your review is really great! I would love to but the blue moon eyeshadow but i do not have any friends going to Japan. Can you kindly help?

Haru said...

hi JC,
I'm afraid I don't have any friends in Japan who can help purchase Addiction. Ichibankao.com and mihokoshop.com sell Addiction but at quite a marked up price.