Holiday 2015 Collections Preview Part 2

Below are links to more sneak previews of the upcoming holiday collections:

Chanel Collection Rouge Noir Absolument, details here and here

Givenchy Icy Palette (8200yen) and here (6 Nov in Japan). There will also be a new Le Soir NoirRituel de Nettoyage with a konyaku sponge (13500yen, 135ml) coming out on 2 Oct.

YSL and here

L'Occitane collaboration with Pierre Herme and here

Urban Decay Vice Unleashed and swatches

Charlotte Tilbury The Book of Makeup Magic

Anna Sui

MAC Enchanted Eve and Celestial Nights

Bobbi Brown Sterling Nights Collection

Too Faced Melted Kisses & Sweet Cheeks and La Petit Maison

Stila

Operation Use It Up

Here's a quick rundown of the products that I used up in April and May.

If I had to use only one bodycare brand for the rest of my life, it would probably be Rituals, a Dutch brand that offers a delightful range of scents and is pretty easy on the pocket. It's available on FeelUnique and Barneys.

1. Rituals Happy Buddha Organic Mandarin & Yuzu Foaming Shower Gel Sensation: Rituals' shower gels provide the most bubblelicious experience, foaming up almost straight out of the can. The refreshing mandarin and yuzu scent was an instant favourite. Ingredients list below.

2. Rituals Magic Touch Cherry Blossom & Rice Milk had a lovely comforting scent and hydrated my dry skin well without feeling greasy.

3. Rituals Dragon Mud Organic Bamboo and Volcanic Clay gave good exfoliating action and had a lovely minty scent.

4. Ren Moroccan Rose Otto Body Cream didn't leave much of an impression. This was a gift with a magazine, not something that I would purchase.

5. Liberty Helly Kitty Body Butter: This was from Liberty's holiday collection some time ago. This takes some serious massaging for it to absorb fully but it does hydrate quite well.

6. L'Occitane Rose Body Milk is a light textured lotion that absorbs well and hydrates nicely but the rose scent wasn't that special.

7. Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil works very effectively at melting all makeup off and doesn't leave any residue on the skin.

8. Paula's Choice Clear Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution with 2% salicylic acid didn't do much for my skin. I also hated how long it takes to absorb and the tacky feeling it left on my skin. I think it also dried out my skin and had me reaching for Avene Cold Cream which I use only as an emergency treatment.

9. Ettusais Puru Puru Mist: I use this in place of a toner in the mornings. I spritz five or six times and then follow up with a moisturiser to seal in the moisture. It freshens up the skin nicely and is fragrance and colorant free. Ettusais is releasing another version in a green bottle (Puru Puru Mist F) with rosemary extract this summer on 19 June in Japan.

10. Shiseido Ibuki Refining Moisturizer was a surprise hit for me. Shiseido's moisturisers are usually too heavy for my skin but since having a baby, my skin has become more dehydrated and this works wonders for drenching the skin and priming it for foundation. I would purchase this. Ingredients list below.

11. Origins Drink Up 10 Minute Mask left my skin feeling plumped up and more even but the effect was just temporary. I vastly prefer Fresh Rose Face Mask to this.

12. H2O+ Deep Sleep Recovery Cream felt a bit thick and did not absorb as nicely as the Ibuki Refining Moisturiser.

13. Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum was quite watery and lighter than the typical serum. It provides decent hydration but otherwise, it was nothing special. Ingredients below.

14. Ren Vita-Mineral Day Cream was another magazine freebie. It worked alright on my skin but didn't impress like Ibuki Refining Moisturizer did.

15. Schwarzkopf Brillance Intensiv Color Creme 842 Rouge Cachemire and Palette Deluxe 6-88 Intensive Ruby Red: This is my favourite brand for hair color. This combination turned out as a deep rich red that really brightens up in the sun. All my white hairs were completely covered. It does stain towels for a week so I have to be careful when my hair is still damp.

Operation Use It Up

Just in time for Chinese New Year, I managed to clear out this bumper crop of products, which were used up between December and January.


1. Pixi Glow Tonic: I hauled back four bottles from London to Geneva after reading the online raves sparked by Caroline Hirons' recommendation in this blog post. Pixi has literally not been able to keep this on the shelves since Hirons wrote about it. It used to be available only in their flagship store in London but it recently became available on their UK and US websites in a new clear bottle packaging. The UK website ships internationally but is currently out of stock again of the tonic. It's not that expensive at £16 for 250ml. It contains 5% glycolic acid for exfoliating the skin and warding off acne. Used once daily, it did help to keep my skin relatively clear, smooth and blemish-free without irritating it, although my pores still needed manual purging from time to time. The only time that it stung slightly was when I applied it after using a Lush fresh mask. I would definitely repurchase this again if it is available.

2. REN Clarifying Toning Lotion also worked well with my skin but is more expensive than Pixi Glow Tonic at £18 for 150ml. Used once daily, I finished this bottle in less than three weeks. The combination of salicilin from willow bark, glycolic acid, lactic acid, citric acid and tartaric acid works to exfoliate, tone and decongest the skin. I did not experience any irritation with this. It does help to keep my skin clear and is more easily available than Pixi Glow Tonic.

3. Astalift Cream did a good job of hydrating my skin but it also made me break out in small blemishes.

4. Astalift Moisture Foam is a pretty standard foaming cleanser that left my skin feeling slightly dry.

5. Astalift Essence Destiny is a light serum that comes with a pipette dispenser. I liked this better than the Astalift Cream as it hydrated my skin without making me breaking out.

6. Astalift Lotion does a good job of refreshing and toning my skin. I still have a full-size bottle of this in my stash.

7. Astalift Complete Make-up Remover Oil did a decent job of removing makeup but didn't feel that special to warrant a full size purchase.

8. Peter Thomas Roth Mega-Rich Body Wash has a lovely citrus scent and cleanses well without drying out my skin.

9. Peter Thomas Roth Mega-Rich Shampoo and Conditioner did not feel as deeply moisturising as Shiseido's Tsubaki range.

10. Lancome Tonique Radiance Clarifying Exfoliating Toner is alcohol-heavy (second on the ingredient list). I accidentally got some in my eye while closing the cap and it stung pretty bad. The Ren Clarifying Lotion and Pixi Glow Tonic are much better alternatives.

11. Helena Rubenstein All Mascaras Complete Eye Makeup Remover proved to be no match for Majolica Majorca's infamous waterproof mascaras. I still don't understand why HR's mascaras top many Japanese beauty magazine polls.

12. Kiehl's Clearly Correcting Dark Spot Solution feels very light on the skin and absorbs well without leaving a film. I didn't notice a significant reduction in the spots on my cheeks though so I probably will not repurchase this.

13. La Mer Moisturising Gel Cream worked surprisingly well with my skin. It helped keep the skin flakes at bay and did not make my skin too oily or cause any blemishes.

14. Lancome Genefique Yeux did a good job of hydrating the eye area without causing any milia. I liked it but probably won't repurchase it as I still have some other eye creams to use up.

15. Sarah Chapman Skinesis Neck and Chest Rejuvenating Complex: This deluxe sample was a gift with purchase. It did a decent job of hydrating but other than that, it was nothing special. I don't really see the point of using a different moisturiser for the neck versus the rest of the body.

16. Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream is gentle enough to use two to three times a week. I find it to be more effective than Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant. When I use this, I skip the exfoliating lotions so as not to over-exfoliate my skin, which can cause it to get thinner.

17. REN Frankincense Revitalizing Night Cream worked well in hydrating my skin during these dry winter months without making it excessively oily. It does have a distinctive scent but I didn't mind it. The Frankincense range has been revamped and renamed the V-cense range.

18. Vera Wang Satiny Body Lotion was nicely hydrating and did not leave an oily film. The scent is cloyingly sweet though.

19. Rituals Lao Tze Chinese Mint and Yi Yi Ren Cooling Foot Balm did a good job of moisturing my feet and I loved the relaxing scent. The cooling sensation isn't that strong.

20. Bioderma Crealine Solution Micellaire cleanses away makeup pretty effectively except for eye makeup, so I always use a separate eye makeup remover. I also follow up with a facial cleanser to make sure that my skin is thoroughly cleansed.

21. Noble Isle Summer Rising Bath & Shower Gel has a lovely elegant green scent that makes me miss London.

22. L'Occitane Fleurs Merveilleuses Shower Gel has a sweet floral scent that is not too cloying. I liked L'Occitane's shower gels but I only purchase them when they are on sale as they are too pricey at normal retail price.

23. Philosophy Sweet Honey Orange Jam was a delicious orange scent but it does not linger on the skin much.

24. Josie Maran Argan Oil Hair Serum works very well for de-frizzing my hair and I like the scent too. It is pricey but I would repurchase this.

25. Nick Chavez Volumizing Shampoo wasn't particularly volumizing.

26. Percy & Reed Beautifully Bouncy Volumising Conditioner was also not that memorable in terms of the effect it had on my hair.

Operation Use It Up

Here's the bucketload of products that I managed to finish in November. With only one more month to go until the end of 2012, it seems like my beauty stash is still nothing short of overflowing. Need to be more disciplined in 2013 for sure!

1. DiorSkin Forever Compact worked pretty well for me, especially for days when I don't have the time to apply liquid foundation. However, I still prefer the more natural and seamless finish of liquid foundation. I probably won't re-purchase this since Dior comes up with new foundations virtually every year. Full review here.

2. Paul & Joe Protective Foundation Primer UV is a favourite of mine for its natural finish and ability to smoothen out the skin surface. It also does not make my skin more oily than usual. The tube contains only 26.9ml but it took me over two years to finish as I didn't use it regularly until recently. Good grief! Full review here.

3. Lancome Bifacil Double Action Eye Makeup Remover works well for whisking off eye makeup in a jiffy although with stubborn Japanese mascaras, it takes more elbow grease. It's not something I would purchase though as L'Oreal makes a much more affordable version. However, I keep getting samples of it as gifts with purchase.

4. Shu Uemura puRENovate Clarifying Balancing Moisturizer felt too heavy on my skin during the summer, but as the weather turned dryer with autumn, I was able to use this sample tube up quickly. It's not bad as a basic moisturizer but it didn't wow me.

5. L'Oreal Gentle Eye Makeup Remover is a daily staple. I go through one bottle virtually every month. It never stings the eyes.

6. Coast To Coast Rainforest Clarifying Facial Toner helps to refresh the skin without stinging or leaving it feeling dry. It has a fairly strong tea tree scent. I didn't find this to be particularly effective in combating acne. Ingredients list below.

7. Organix Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil sounds pretty good until you examine the ingredients list and realise that argan oil is pretty far down the list. It's full of silicones, which I don't mind. It helps to tame the frizziness and doesn't make my hair feel greasy. Nevertheless, I doubt I will re-purchase this.



8. Vidal Sassoon Premium Conditioner works very well with my dyed hair, leaving it tangle-free. I actually never comb my hair, which I wash and condition once daily. In the mornings, I just use a hair serum to keep it tangle-free. This is made in Thailand.

9. L'Occitane Cherry Blossom Gentle Conditioner isn't as hydrating as the VS Premium although it does have a nicer sweet floral scent. Not something I would re-purchase as it's just too pricey.

10. Percy & Reed Finishing Polish quickly became a daily staple for taming the flyaway strands of my fringe. The scent is also delightfully fresh without being generic. I'll definitely re-purchase this. It's available on ASOS for £10. Ingredients list below.

11. Jill Stuart Body Milk has a sweet white floral scent that is just too cloying and syrupy for me. This light milk also leaves a greasy feeling on my skin.

12. L'Occitane Delice des Fleurs Rose & Violette Body Milk has a much more pleasing and elegant scent. It hydrates well without feeling greasy. This was from last year's limited edition holiday collection.

13. Clarins Extra-Firming Body Lotion also has a lovely scent and absorbs readily into the skin. However, I did not notice any firming effect.

14. La Mer The Cleansing Gel is a good basic cleanser that rinsed off easily without leaving the skin stripped or flakey. However, it doesn't seem special enough to justify the exorbitant US$65 price tag.

15. Ole Henriksen Aloe Vera Deep Cleanser is designed for oily, blemish-prone skin. While it does feel gentle on the skin, I did not notice any reduction in blemishes. It also takes several splashes to rinse off completely so I would not re-purchase this. Ingredients list below.

16. Murad Vitalic Energising Pomegranate Cleanser is also extremely gentle on the skin. It dispenses as an ultra light foam that rinses off very quickly, taking all oiliness with it. The 50ml bottle lasted barely two weeks.

17. Body Shop Rich Plum shower gel is another limited edition product from holiday 2009. Despite its age, it showed no change in consistency or scent. The rich plum aroma is intoxicating and luxurious. Wish the Body Shop would bring this back!


18. Lush Rub Rub Rub is a sea salt-based scrub that provides good exfoliating action without melting away too quickly. I like the refreshingly clean scent as well. The consistency always reminds me of 7/11 Slurpee drinks.

Operation Use It Up

During my trips this month, I was able to use up a boatload of samples and travel-sized products. I usually try to bring just enough for the trip in order to free up space for my purchases!

Cle de Peau Gentle Balancing Lotion: This works nicely to refresh and moisturise skin, without making it feel sticky. Perfect for the humid summer weather.

L'Occitane Angelica Face Toner: This helps to refresh and hydrate skin, but it seems to make my skin get oily quite soon thereafter. This was a freebie with a magazine. I won't re-purchase it as I'll be switching back to Paula's Choice which is better able to address acne-prone skin. The ingredients list is below.

Paul & Joe Moisture Lotion N: This is the more deeply hydrating lotion by the brand. It has the usual orange scent and a light milky texture that takes awhile to absorb. This would be better for the harsh winter months or dry skin types.

RMK UV Face Protector SPF43: This is the revamped version with a higher SPF (the previous version offered SPF35). The light, non-greasy texture and subtle citrus scent is virtually identical to the original version. While it absorbs quite nicely and works well under makeup, it is not sweat proof. My husband used this and had whitish rivulets on his temples.

Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel: This anti-ageing peel mask did not tingle or sting at all, so it seems to be very gentle. My skin felt softer but not significantly smoother or more radiant.

Philosophy Summer Grace Shampoo, Bath & Shower Gel: This has a soothing but rather forgettable floral scent and does not strip the skin. I won't re-purchase this.

Rituals Yogi Flow Foaming Shower Gel Sensation: I love the Rituals shower gels for their beautifully scented dense foam. Yogi Flow is a sweet mix of Indian rose and sweet almond oil. It is pleasant enough but not as amazing as the mandarin-scented Fujiyama. This does leave my skin feeling slightly dry though. It contains sodium laureth sulfate. The ingredients list is below.

Pecksniff's Mood Therapy Happy Nourishing Conditioner, Happy Revitalising Shampoo and Alive Bath & Shower Gel: This set was provided in a hotel that I stayed in some time ago. None of these were particularly impressive.

Pantene Repair & Protect Conditioner: It's been awhile since I used Pantene haircare. This worked quite well for keeping my hair soft and tangle-free without any build-up.

Clarins Eau Dynamisante Shower Gel: This has an unusual bracing scent but I don't like it enough to want to re-purchase it. The ingredients list is below.

Clarins Satin-Smooth Body Lotion: True to the name, the light texture absorbs easily into the skin without making it feel greasy. There is a very light floral scent.

Some other sample sachets that I used up: L'Oreal EverPure Shampoo, Nuxe Fondant Body Scrub, Fekkai All Day Hair Plump and Beaute de Kose Ultimation Cleansing Cream. The Kose cleansing cream did not rinse off cleanly while the Fekkai plumping cream didn't do much for my hair at all. The Nuxe body scrub provided good exfoliating action. EverPure Shampoo is not hydrating enough for my hair.

L'Occitane Holiday 2012

For this holiday season, L'Occitane will release the Fleurs Merveilleuses (Marvellous Flower) collection on 25 October in Japan, followed by the Luminous Leaf collection on 15 November. Both ranges will be limited edition. Fleurs Merveilleuses will include an eau de toilette (75ml, and 10ml roller ball), Shimmering Body Oil (75ml), Shower Gel (250ml), Body Cream (250ml) and Hand Cream (30ml). The sparkling citrus, winter verbena scented Luminous Leaf collection will feature an Eau de Toilette (75ml, and 10ml roller ball), Scrub Jelly (200ml), Body Milk (250ml) and Hand Cream (30ml).



Info and pics from Kokusaishogyo. See more pics on Beautist.