IPSA Premier Line

IPSA will launch its new Premier Line of anti-aging skincare on 7 September in Japan. Formulated with a "Amino A5 Gene" moisturising complex, the Premier Line works to enhance skin firmness and translucency. Pic below from the Seibu x Elle Beauty & Style Book for fall.

The range consists of:

1. Cleansing Warm Gel: make-up remover that warms on contact with skin (4725yen, 100g)

2. Cleansing Creamy Paste: facial cleanser (4200yen, 170g)

3. ME Serum: Available in three formulas. (10,500yen)

4. Lotion Serum: Improves absorption of the ME Serum by enhancing skin turnover. (9450yen, 180ml)

5. Lift Up Roller: Massage "lift-up roller" designed to be used after applying the ME Serum (3990yen) for improving skin firmness. See the application video clip here.

Jill Stuart 5th Anniversary Big Apple Collection in Taiwan

For the 5th anniversary of Jill Stuart in Taiwan, the brand is releasing two limited edition Mix Blush Compacts and a Petite Lip Stick Trio with a Big Apple motif, as a nod to the brand's New York roots. This will not be available in Japan. See pics of the various sets available on Iswii.net.

Below is the new Body Milk that will be launched in October.

Majolica Majorca Cream de Cheek

Here's a pic of the Majolica Majorca Cream de Cheek which will be released on 21 October in Japan, along with four other products, as part of a circus-themed winter collection.

Lush Ayesha Fresh Face Mask

When my skin is feeling congested and troubled, I usually turn to Lush Fresh Face Masks for a good spot of detoxing. Ayesha is designed for those times when you want to make a quick difference to your face, e.g. for a night out, by helping to make the skin look smoother and firmer, making you feel "as though you are bathed in the flame of immortality – even if it is only for a few hours!"

Like all of the Fresh Face Masks, it is preservative-free and needs to be used up within one month from the purchase date. The 75g pot may look puny but I got more than 8 uses out of it, without skimping on the amount of product per application. At £5.95 for a pot (S$17.90 in Singapore), that works out to be cheaper than using a sheet mask and you get the benefit of ultra fresh ingredients like honey (for moisturising), Vitamin C-rich kiwi, elderflower infusion and elderflower vinegar (for balancing), asparagus (for gentle exfoliation), Fuller’s earth and witch hazel (to absorb grease and dirt whilst tightening the skin).

Some may not like the elderflower scent but I like the fresh, green floral aroma. The kaolin-based mask dries in about ten minutes, and rinses off easily, leaving my skin feeling cleansed and softer with pores looking smaller and more refined. It's no miracle worker in terms of reducing oiliness and acne but it does help to cleanse and tone the skin. I will definitely re-purchase this in the future.

The list of ingredients: Fullers Earth, Honey - Elderflower and Limeflower Decoction, Glycerine, Fresh Asparagus, Fresh Kiwi Fruit, Kaolin, Witch Hazel Extract, Rose Absolute, Rosemary Oil, Patchouli Oil, Elderflower Vinegar, Bentonite Gel, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Perfume.

Too Faced The Return of Sexy Palette Swatches

Too Faced The Return of Sexy palette (US$48/€44) just arrived at Sephora in France. Visually, it's much sleeker and more grown-up than Too Faced's usual cardboard palettes. Made in Canada, the layout and textures of the eyeshadows reminded me very much of Lancome's Color Design 5 Shadow & Liner Palettes, with generously sized individual pans (0.035oz each). The palette also includes a Perfect Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner in Perfect Black and a sample tube of Shadow Insurance primer.

I swatched the eyeshadows with my fingertip on bare skin without primer. Most of them are shimmery with pretty good color payoff and felt silky to touch. The three shade combinations of the Ingénue, Icon, and Bombshell are easy to work with and offer many creative possibilities. The eyeliner is an impressively intense matte jet black that did not drag across the skin. This could give Urban Decay's Perversion eyeliner pencil a run for its money.

Although the price is quite hefty, The Return of Sexy compares very well in terms of value for money vis-à-vis Too Faced's earlier palettes as the 15 eyeshadows have a combined weight of 0.525oz, versus 0.39oz for the Summer Eye Palette (US$36). The eyeliner normally retails for US$18 on its own. If I didn't already own a substantial stack of Too Faced and Lancome Color Design palettes, I would have been seriously tempted to pick this up.

The Return of Sexy is currently available on Beautybay.com for £38.50 with free international shipping. More reviews can be found on Sephora.

Lush Whoosh Shower Jelly

If you're in the mood for an unusual bath treat, Lush Whoosh Shower Jelly is a good candidate to consider. Named for "the sound of deadlines whizzing by", it is recommended for "those times when you feel like you’re an alien on your own planet" and in sore need of an energy booster.

The seaweed gel is scented with a citrusy combination of organic lemon, lime juice and grapefruit juice. It also contains nourishing essential oils of grapefruit, rosemary and geranium. The slippery jelly can be a challenge to hold on to in the shower, so the best is to work a small chunk into a shower lily and mash it up to a frothy lather. This method ensures that there is zero wastage and you won't waste time trying to pick up pieces off the floor. I like the refreshing scent but it does not linger long on my skin.

Whoosh is also quite affordable at just £3.50 for a 100g pot that can probably last at least 3 weeks. In the UK, Lush gives you a free Fresh Face Mask if you bring back five clean pots, which is a great little incentive for being eco-friendly with minimal effort!

Majolica Majorca Winter 2012

Majolica Majorca will release two limited edition Trick On Liners (1260yen) and a new Cream de Cheek (892yen) in three shades (RD310, PK312 and OR313) on 21 October in Japan. Cream de Cheek comes in a bottle with a brush applicator while the liquid Trick On Liners in RS333 (pearl rose) and BK999 (black) are inkwell bottle types, different from twist-up brush format of the Perfect Automatic Liner. I haven't come across any pics online yet, but there are pics in the October issues of Soup, Mina and JJ, plus the September issue of Mini.

Paul & Joe and Anna Sui Holiday 2012

Beauty journalist Tomoichi just tweeted these exciting pics of a Paul & Joe Eye Color & Lip Balm set which will be released on 1 November in Japan. It includes a pink lip balm, a smoky black eye color and a white and brown Glistening Eye Color. Fans of the brand can also look forward to the Paul & Joe Beauté 10th Anniversary mook which will be published on 19 September by Takarajima.

Anna Sui will release two makeup sets on 1 November in Japan, plus fragranced candles and body powder. One of the makeup sets is shown below. Anna Sui Japan has also just introduced its first app for iPhone and Android phones, which provides news updates, photos of her past four fashion collections, a calendar (functions only in Japanese) etc.

Lush Holiday 2012

Lush just held its media preview in Tokyo for its holiday collection, the first part of which will be launched on 1 October with the second following on 1 November in Japan. For Lush fans, it's the most highly anticipated time of the year as it always brings a bounty of marvellous creations. This year, expect to see a Santa sugar scrub, a shimmery moustache-shaped bubble bar scented with lavender, neroli and sandalwood, a gin-scented Cocktail in The Soap, a Christmas cracker-shaped bath bomb, a popcorn-flavored lip scrub plus crowd-pleasers from past years like Snow Fairy, Angel's Delight soap and Golden Wonder bath bomb. See the pics on Kire no Hone. [Edited to add: the Japanese blog post has been removed.]

Visee Website Update: Mineral Liquid Cheeks

The Visee website has been updated with the new Mineral Liquid Cheeks and mineral base makeup. There are just a handful of reviews for the Mineral Liquid Cheeks on Cosme.net at the moment, but they are all glowingly positive with praise for the good color payoff and lasting power. It's not available yet on Adambeauty but it should surface there at some point.


The new products are also featured in the new autumn issue of Precious Beauty, Kose's seasonal magazine. The model is wearing the Mineral Liquid Cheeks PK800.

Lancome New Teint Miracle Pressed Powder & CC Base

Lancome will release the following new base makeup products in Japan:


1. Teint Miracle Pressed Powder (5775yen): For adding an inner glow. Available in three shades. Due out on 24 August.

2. Teint Miracle CC Base SPF15 PA++ (4410yen): Lavender-tinted makeup base for counteracting skin dullness. See a swatch on Abe Sawako. Due out on 21 September.

Lancome is not the first French brand to jump on the CC bandwagon as Chanel introduced its CC Cream Correction Complete SPF30 PA+++ earlier this year in Asia. Allure.com just reported that Olay will introduce a Total Effects CC Tone Correcting Moisturizer in October in the US.

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush Review

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush is a gel formula blush with a light bouncy texture that melds seamlessly into the skin. I purchased #50 Plum Wine and #70 Hot Tamale recently from Drugstore.com during a "buy one, get one 50% off" offer. These usually retail at US$8 each. In Asian countries like Japan and Singapore, it's called Jelly Glow and comes in a white compact with different shade names.

Made in Korea, Dream Bouncy Blush comes in ten shades in the US, versus a paltry four in Singapore and six in Japan for Jelly Glow. The dome-shaped blush has a slightly firm, springy feel to it. It has a velvety smooth texture without feeling too greasy or emollient.

There was a defect with my Plum Wine though, as the blush arrived detached from the metal pan and stuck to the plastic lid. While this was easily fixed, there was still a visible gap from the sides of the metal pan. Nevertheless, there's no adverse impact on the performance. These are super easy to apply, just dab on lightly with a fingertip and blend.



The soft satin finish is flattering, adding a healthy colour to the cheeks without emphasising pores. Like most cream blushes, they do not work well over powder foundations, and should be used with either liquid or cream foundations. When I tried it over a powder foundation, it resulted in some patchiness. As you can see from the arm swatches, these can be layered for a pigmented finish, but I prefer a lighter application on the cheeks.


In the pic below, I'm wearing Hot Tamale, a lovely coral pink that does not lean too orange or red. It doesn't last the whole day on my skin and the packaging is far from chic, but for a budget buy, it's a pretty decent cream blush with a diverse range of shades to experiment with.

Addiction Lip Crayon and New Cheek Stick Shades

Addiction will launch a new Lip Crayon (2310yen) in eight shades, plus four new shades of Cheek Stick on 12 October in Japan. Below is a pic tweeted by the Maquia editor, who described the lip crayons as having a semi-matte creamy texture.

Pics below by More.

The Cheek Sticks (2940yen) can be used on the lips, cheeks and eyes.

Pic below tweeted by SCawaii.

In this BeauTV Voce clip, Addiction Creative Director Ayako is asked about the beauty trends in New York. She talked about the attention paid to nails, legcare and having a beautiful smile, unlike in Japan where people tended to cover their mouths when laughing.

Shiseido Lacquer Rouge Review - RS404 Disco and RD607 Nocturne

Liquid lipsticks have been all the rage in the Japanese beauty scene for quite some time now. This fall, Shiseido steps up the game with its new Lacquer Rouge which comes in vibrant, bold shades with a lustrous finish that is rare for a Japanese brand. Unlike most of Shiseido's products, the Lacquer Rouge is made in the USA.

Inspired by Japanese lacquer ware, the Lacquer Rouge promises to leaves lips as smooth as lacquer with an applicator that fits closely against the lips for a comfortable, even, bleed-free application. It also improves the condition of lips, leaving them smooth and deeply moisturized. Shiseido Artistic Director Dick Page describes the collection as being "about the simplicity of a lip gloss married to the intensity of a lipstick, with deep pigment and rich colour payoff, long-lasting shine and gloss".

There are 8 shades available in the US and Europe, versus 12 shades in Asia. You can see swatches of the 12 shades on Makeup Blogette and Makeup Stash. These retail for US$25 (about S$32) in the US, S$43 in Singapore and 3675yen (S$58) in Japan. As usual, Japanese consumers get the worst deal.

The sponge applicator pulls out of the tube with a dab of the rouge concentrated on the slanted tip. Being very well pigmented, that is usually sufficient for one application. Compared to YSL Glossy Stain, I prefer the YSL's angled applicator which has a slightly broader surface that covers the lips better in a couple of strokes. Nevertheless, the Shiseido applicator works fine for an even, precise application. The two shades I purchased are RD607 Nocturne and RS404 Disco.



The pics above show Nocturne while the pics below show Disco, a fun bright pink. Both shades applied with opaque coverage and a nice shine. Both lasted well over four hours, but they do transfer to cups and require touch ups after eating. I also noticed Nocturne bleeding into the fine lines after about three hours. After wearing these, my lips did feel a tad dry and in need of balm. The texture feels thicker than the YSL Glossy Stains, which have a shinier finish. The YSL Glossy Stains offer more shade options (20) with varying levels of colour payoff, so if the Shiseido Lacquer Rouge looks too dramatic for you, you may wish to check out the YSL version or Maquillage Essence Glamorous Rouge, which is less tenacious but more user-friendly.


Below is the list of ingredients.

Lancome L'Absolu Crème de Mat Potion D'Amour

Lancome recently introduced a new L'Absolu Crème de Mat (US$29.50, 6ml) in three limited edition shades as part of its Midnight Roses fall collection. Intrigued by its description as a liquid rouge with a matte finish, I purchased #100 Potion D'Amour from Nordstrom.com. It seems like the name is slightly different in Europe and Asia, which are getting the L'Absolu Mat Cashmere in Magie Poupre (see a pic of Makeupstash, Makeup Blogette and Joey wearing it here and on Beaut.ie).

With Pro-Xylane to boost moisture, the replenishing and plumping velvety cream rouge "combines the gentleness of a gloss and the coverage of a lipstick with a deep velvety finish". The angled flocked sponge applicator pulls out of the tube with just the right amount of product on it, with the black plastic wand remaining surprisingly clean.

L'Absolu Crème de Mat is incredibly well pigmented, which means application can be tricky as the smallest flaw shows up easily. This is ameliorated by the tapered shape of the applicator which navigates the contours of the lips easily, ensuring an even, precise application. A little bit really goes a long way and I did not need to re-dip the wand into the tube.

There is no taste and only a very subtle powdery floral scent that is detectable only if one sniffs the wand closely.

The texture is not as slick as Lancome's other lipglosses, with the applicator dragging a little over the lips but this is not surprising given the matte finish. Applying this does require more effort than the typical lipgloss, due to the intense color payoff and opaque finish. Nevertheless, it does wear surprisingly comfortably for over four hours without drying out my lips or migrating into the fine lines. However, if your lips are prone to flaking and peeling, you are probably better off choosing a more hydrating formula.

It is not budge-proof though, as it transfers easily on cups and did not survive intact through a meal. After blotting it off, there was no staining of the lips like with Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain. Potion D'Amour is a vampy berry red, more suitable for evenings instead of the office.


For this look, I used Physicians Formula Youthful Wear Cosmeceutical Youth-Boosting Foundation in Fair, Shu Uemura Duo Eyeshadow Mystifier, Too Faced Summer Eye Palette, Catrice Liquid Shimmer Eye Liner in Take It Mint, K-Palette Lasting 2Way Eyebrow 02, Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush Hot Tamale and Great Lash Lots of Lashes mascara in Blackest Black.

List of ingredients.