Cosme.net Weekly Ranking: Eyeshadow

Every week, based on the past half year's reviews, Cosme.net publishes the ranking of products in various categories such as eyeshadow, foundation etc. For this week, in the eyeshadow category, Pied Nus' Sparkling Eyes retains the top spot. The ranking is based on both the average number of stars and the total number of reviews lodged for that particular product.

#1 Pied Nus Sparkling Eyes

#2 Lunasol Skin Modelling Eyes

#3 Aube Jewellery Shower Eyes

#4 Lunasol Scent Form Eyes

#5 Testimo Layered Impact Eyes

#6 Jill Stuart Jelly Eye Color

#7 Kate Glam Trick Eyes

#8 Nars The Multiple

#9 Jill Stuart Brilliance Eyes

#10 Chanel Quatre Ombres

You can view the results here:

http://www.cosme.net/ranking/category/item_id/19

Jill Stuart Blushes

Purchased Jill Stuart #3 Crimson Flush on a whim yesterday so here's a photo of my current JS blush stash. I often get requests to CP JS so hope these will help anyone who's interested in exploring this brand.

Maquillage Shining Design Powder

Pics of the pamphlet for the limited edition Shiny Design Powder that will be released on 21 May in Japan. The model Misaki Ito looks so sultry! The powder has four shades and two types of pearl powders for helping to create a nuanced bronzed look.

Kiss Mat Chiffon Powder and UV Whitening Base

Kiss' Mat Chiffon Powder (1680yen, 9g) and Mat Chiffon UV Whitening Base (1680yen) were just released in late March in Japan. I couldn't resist picking them up when my drugstore was having a 10% discount :-) I quite liked Kiss Moist Angel Powder which was earlier released during winter 2006. The Mat Chiffon Powder is meant more for oily skin while the Moist Angel Powder is meant more for dry skin but I found that both were suitable for my oily but surface dehydrated skin. During the dry winter months, my skin still produces oil especially in the T-zone but at the same time, it is prone to surface dryness and flaking so finding a suitable skincare and makeup regime is a big headache for me as most makeup/skincare is designed for either oily skin or dry skin but not oily with a dehydrated surface. If I use products that are too rich, it banishes the flakes and dry patches but then my pores tend to get clogged faster and my skin oils up. But if I use oil-free or mattifying products, my skin starts flaking again.

Anyway, back to Kiss. Today, after my usual toner, I applied a thin layer of the Whitening Base in 01 Natural Mat which is a very light beige. If your skintone is very fair, like MAC NC15 to NC25, this would suit you but any darker than that, 02 Mat Beige would look more natural. I liked that it comes in a pump bottle as I'm a hygiene freak. One pump was sufficient for one application. The base had a slightly creamy consistency that was easy to spread and felt very lightweight. It provides a bit of coverage to even out my skin but not enough to totally cover my dark circles and some dark acne scars. It also has SPF 26 and PA++.

I decided to skip foundation today since the Whitening Base looked quite nice on its own and went straight on to the loose powder. What I liked about the Mat Chiffon Powder was its soft, translucent finish and finely-milled texture. The luxuriously soft puff also made application a breeze. It did not emphasize my dry patches and it lasted very well over the 6 hours that I wore it. It comes only in one shade, 01 Lucent Rose that is a very pale pink-tinted white. Used together, the Mat Chiffon Powder and Whitening Base did a great job of keeping my skin oil-free for quite a long time. Usually I have to blot about 2 hours after applying my makeup but today, I didn't have to do that while I was out. At the end of 6 hours, there was only a slight sheen which for my skin is quite unusual! It's only my first time wearing the powder and base so I'm not sure if they will work well with my skin over time but I'm definitely going to keep using them regularly.

http://www.kiss-cosmetics.com/whats/index12.html

Aube Summer collection

I also got to play with the testers of Aube's summer collection today in the store. The collection comprises 8 shades of Gloss Fruitina, a lipgloss that has Swarovski crystals on the cap and a new Jewellery Shower Eyes #35 with grey, pink and white eyeshadows. To be honest, this collection is a disappointment. Most of the Gloss Fruitina lipglosses have almost zero colour payoff so all you get is a glossy sheen on your lips. The two limited edition shades also contain glitter which I just hate in lipglosses.

From left to right in the photo below:

#11 Lychee Syrup - looks white in the tube, applies totally clear with no shimmer

#12 Mint Breeze - looks like a very pretty and super shimmery light mint in the tube but also applies without any colour, only shimmer.

#13 Mango Honey - looks like a pale shimmery golden beige in the tube and applies only with the barest hint of beige

#14 Frozen Berry - looks like a pale shimmery floral pink in the tube but also applies with only the barest tinge of pink so you see more shimmer than colour.

#15 Mandarin Crush - looks like a vibrant shimmery orange in the tube. This has much better colour payoff than the rest when applied. Shows up as a shimmery golden peach.

#16 Cherry Drop - looks bright red in the tube and has less shimmer than some of the other shades. This applies as a cherry red tint.

EX01 Pink Guava (limited edition) - This appears baby pink in the tube and applies as a more creamy baby pink than #14. But it has glitter.

EX02 Peach Nectar (limited edition) - This appears a light peach in the tube and has somewhat better colour payoff than most of the other shades but it also has glitter.

I've been a big fan of Aube's Jewellery Shower Eyes series as they have the most beautiful iridescent shimmer and excellent texture. Sadly, there is only one new palette for summer and it's not as interesting as the earlier palettes. The white shade is just like any other white highlighter shade while the light pink shade is so pale, it hardly shows up as pink but more like a pinkish white which to me is just useless. I like my eyeshadows vibrant! The grey shade is an average medium grey that is not as pretty as the grey shade in Testimo's Gran Shin Eyes #2 palette. The photo on the official website is quite true to life.

You can view the collection on the official website at http://www.sofina.co.jp/aube/

Testimo Gran Shine Eyes palettes

I had earlier posted about the upcoming Testimo summer collection that will be launched in mid-June. Today, I came across the Grande Shine Eyes testers at the drugstore and got a chance to play with them :-) Testimo is known for its shimmery eyeshadow palettes and these certainly do not disappoint. If you have already tried the Frame Impact eyes palettes that were released in Dec 2006, you'd probably be happy to know that the quality, texture and colour payoff of Gran Shine Eyes is very similar. All four shades in each palette have a different texture.

Starting from the left side, there is a shimmery white shade that is meant to be used as the base and as a highlighter. The highlighter shade is not as pigmented or as velvety to touch as the 3rd shade from the left (just like the white base shades in the Frame Impact palettes). The surface feels a bit harder and not as silky. The 2nd shade from the left is the most shimmery shade in the palette with better colour payoff. The 3rd shade from the left is the most pigmented and has the loveliest texture out of all the shades. It feels extraordinarily silky and soft with a more subtle shimmer. The final shade is a dark cream eyeliner shade. What I love about these palettes is that they are so convenient to use as you have everything you need in one portable palette, including two double-ended applicators. The eyeliner shades have a smooth creamy consistency that is easy to apply and lasts well.

#1 Pink: This is described as soft sweet pink and rose brown. It is the first column from the left in the photos posted below. The pink shade is a soft baby pink while the rose brown is very pretty! If you like rich taupe shades like Shu Uemura's ME945, you will love the rose brown in this palette. The eyeliner shade is a burgundy-tinged black.

#2 Blue: This is described as lavender silver and metallic silver grey. The silvery purple shade is quite pretty, not so pale that it looks white when applied. The silvery grey is a nice gun metal grey that is more flattering on Asian skin tones than a flat black if you're looking to create a smokey eye look. The cream eyeliner shade is a grey-toned black.

#3 Brown: This is described as sunset gold and bronze brown. The sunset gold shade is a very brilliant golden bronze shade that looks like it'll will be great used just about anywhere, in the crease, as a highlighter or lining along the lower eyelid. The brown shade is a pretty warm chocolate brown with more subtle shimmer. The eyeliner shade is a blackened emerald green.

#4 Rose: This is described as jewel rose and elegant blue-based violet purple. The jewel rose shade is more vibrant and a slightly deeper shade of pink than the pink shade in #1. It is also super sparkley like the golden bronze shade in #3. The purple shade is a dark shimmery grape/eggplant that will also be great for a smokey eye. The eyeliner shade is a purple-toned black.

The first two photos below were taken indoors where the shimmer is much more obvious. The third photo was taken near a window under daylight so the eyeshadows appear more muted. The final photo is the tester which includes the new lipstick shades that will be launched but I didn't try these out.

Edited to add these two pics of swatches of the Frame Impact Eyes series (released in Dec 2006) and Layered Impact Eyes series (released in Aug 2006) for ease of comparison :-)

Paul and Joe Lipgloss N & Lipstick N

The P&J website has been updated with the Secret Beach summer collection! On 1 May, the lipglosses will also be replaced with the new Lipgloss N in 10 shades (2625yen). They are also adding 6 new pencil lipliners (1575yen). I tried out three of the Lipgloss N today at the counter, including #1 and #7 and I was a bit disappointed as they were very sheer without much colour payoff. These look nice in the tube but sadly on the lips, they're not that unique. They have a nice micro shimmer though, without glitter but I prefer the shade selection and texture of the original range. And the new Beauty Mirror is huge! As in bigger than palm size.

I also tried out the new Lipstick N (3150yen). I actually swatched all 25 shades on the back of my hand just to compare them and I was surprised by the number of seriously strange and unflattering shades, like bright orange and dull browns and beiges. I didn't try them on my lips so maybe they look much better on lips than in the tube. I adore my old formula P&J Lipsticks in #22, #26 and #30 which were very elegant, fail-safe, classic shades with a gorgeous creamy finish that is never drying. The new Lipstick N are more sheer and glossy. That kind of spoils for me the old-world glamour image of P&J. I guess glossy lipsticks that feel sheer and lightweight are more popular these days but P&J already had a really great lipstick that they should have kept as part of the permanent range. Such a pity... So for those of you who love P&J's current lipsticks, my advice is stock up before they're gone.

http://www.paul-joe-beaute.com/

Majolica Majorca Mermaid

The promo image for MM's upcoming Mermaid collection was posted on 2Channel today :-) Looks pretty!

Gransenbon blushes

Japanese drugstore brands often impress me with their excellent quality which can easily rival and sometimes surpass more expensive department store brands. The outstanding product by Gransenbon is their Gran Brush (a misspelling of 'blush') series which currently has 8 shades and cost 1890yen each, which is quite affordable compared to Nars blushes which cost 3150yen in Japan. The quality and smooth, soft and extremely silky texture is amazingly similar to Nars' shimmery blushes such as Lovejoy and Outlaw. One even has to be careful not to press the brush too hard against the surface or it will pick up too much product that has to be tapped off.

There is a nice range of shades from pale beige to peach to rosy pinks and light apricot. Even the orange-toned shade, #9 Apricot Ginger, is quite wearable as it is not garish or loud at all. My favourites are #6 Doll Pink, #7 Blossom Pink, #8 Pretty Orange and #1 Lady Rose but I'll probably get the whole series eventually as these are just too lovely to pass up. There is a mirror under the lid as well as a separate compartment under the blush pan for the brush, which is quite soft.

The Gran Brushes are rated quite highly on Cosme.net with an average 5.1 star rating with many raves for the excellent colour payoff, fine shimmer, longlasting ability and the nice brush. Going by the reviews, the most popular shades among Japanese ladies are #2 Candy Pink and #6 Doll Pink.

Clarins Summer Fever

I'm not usually a Clarins fan but this Summer Fever Lip Palette (5040yen, release date: 2 May in Japan) just caught my eye! I'm not sure how accurate the photo is but it's definitely worth checking out! The collection also includes a Brush On Bronzer in Natural Bronze (4725yen) and 3 Kohl Powder Eye Liners in #1 Sparkle Black, #2 Tropical Violet and #3 Ocean Green (2940yen each).

Gransenbon Gran de Corte Luxury

Gransenbon is another one of those little-known Japanese drugstore brands that has a number of great products at fairly affordable prices. It is made by Cuore Cosmetics which also makes K-Palette, another drugstore brand. I first got into Gransenbon just two months ago when I was deeply impressed by their new blushes in the Gran de Brush range (it's printed as "Brush" on the case. This is a frequent error in Japanese-English translations as there is no 'l' consonant in the Japanese language. So lipgloss becomes "lipgross" etc.)

This time, they are revamping their face powders. The new Gran de Corte Luxury will be released on 18 May in Japan and it comes in 3 shades. In the revamped version, there is a separate compactment under the powder for the brush which makes it a lot more convenient compared to the previous version in which the brush came with its own soft plastic case. 2415yen each.

#1 Silk Moon: for covering skin discolorations and creating a glowy, celeb-like look
#2 Nude Flower: for improving translucency of the skintone and creating a feminine, elegant glowy look
#3 Platinum Tiara: for emphasizing your bone structure and creating a healthy glow


Another new product is the Premium Curl Mascara #1 Glossy Black which is described as a waterproof glossy, vivid black non-fibre based mascara that is great for separating and curling. It has a coil brush applicator. 1575yen.

The official website is http://www.cuore-cosme.com/gransenbon_top.html

Tarte on QVC

Tarte has quickly become one of my favourite American makeup brands over the past 2 years due to their ingenious products with gorgeous lilac packaging and fuss-free philosophy that makeup should be both fun and easy. Every new seasonal collection always has something totally innovative and unique, unlike other makeup companies that often just rehash the same gamut of shades and slap new labels on old products. Tarte is having a show on QVC.com at 4pm to 5pm on Friday 6 April so do watch it if you can as Tarte's creator, Maureen, will be on the show and she's always a joy to watch. (You can watch the programme live online at the QVC website.) The new product for the show is likely to be the Spring Fever 5-piece trend set which includes a mini Blushing Bride cheek stain, Lip Sheer in Spring Fever (pink berry), a brand new Eyeshadow Duo in North Island (shimmery shell and plummy taupe), Eyeliner in Waterlilies (charcoal) and a Brush with Greatness double-ended eyeshadow brush. All for the great price of just $40 (but there is a $4.46 handling charge on top of that).

There are many other great deals exclusive to QVC, such as the All Eyes Palette with 2 brushes ($45), Little Black Dress Palette with 2 brushes ($45), Sweet Cheeks 4 piece mini cheek stain set ($25), Vitamin Infused Lip Gloss Trio Powered by Borba ($45), Lip Locked Lip Gloss Trio of Danny & Sandy, Bogey & Bacall, Elle & Emmett ($30). The Vitamin Infused Lip Gloss Trio is a great deal considering that each lipgloss retails for $21 on Sephora. Same for the Lip Locked Lip Gloss as the lipglosses usually cost $19 each. Sephora.com also has a Good Life Mini Cheekstain set that has only 3 mini cheek stains and that costs $30. I have a soft spot for Tarte's eyeshadow palettes which contain 8 full sized eyeshadows that allow you to create a wide variety of looks. The brushes are also excellent quality with very soft bristles.

Another outstanding feature of Tarte is that it is the only cosmetics company that I know where the staff actually regularly interact with the customers on their own messageboard. The Tarte ladies are always helpful, kind and gracious. They epitomise the witty, quirky and independent spirit of Tarte. This is one makeup company that I hope will never sell out to the big conglomerates.

http://www.qvc.com/

http://www.tartecosmetics.com

Maquillage Double Shiny Eyes

These pics of Maquillage's new shimmery cream eyeshadow pots, Shiny Eyes were posted on 2Channel, a Japanese message board. I thought that these were going to be identical to Pied Nus' Sparkling Eyes and Shiseido The Makeup's Hydropowder Eyeshadow but turns out they are different as each pot comes with 2 shades, one Highlight Colour and one Shadow Colour and there's even a concealed compartment for the sponge tip applicator. 7 shades, 2100yen each. There are also 2 new shades of Glossy Gloss (2100yen), 4 new nailpolishes (945yen) and 2 shades of a new product, Pure Lip Base (2100yen) which apparently tones down the colour of your lips and allowing the colour of your lipstick/lipgloss to apply more true and last longer. Release date is 21 May in Japan.

VI164: Pearl Lilac & Lilac Violet

BL165: Pearl Blue & Icy Blue

GD861: Pearl Gold & Bronze Gold

BE361: Pearl Beige & Silky Beige

PK763: Pearl Pink & Rose Pink

SV867: Pearl White & White Silver

GR166: Pearl Green & Mint Green

Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited

The Shu Uemura (Japan) website has been updated with the new beige-themed Rouge Unlimited collection of 18 shades, including 2 Artist Colours in gold (GD001) and silver (SV080). The beige shades supposedly meld and blend easily with your individual mood and skintone and can be used on their own or mixed and layered on top of other shades. Looks like a collection that will be very wearable for most people. 3150yen each. There is also a new Principe Lip Serum, 2625yen for 10ml.

http://www.shu-uemura.co.jp/new/20070406_rougeunlimited.html

Paula Begoun Mineral Makeup 2007 report

Here's an interesting report by Paula Begoun, the self-styled "Cosmetics Cop", on mineral makeup which has become a phenomenal trend in the last few years with the success of companies such as Bare Escentuals. It also reviews many brands such as BE, L'Oreal, Neutrogena and Jane. Definitely worth checking out if you're considering venturing into mineral makeup. Another useful resource is of course, Productville on Makeupalley.com.

http://www.cosmeticscop.com/bulletin/MineralMakeup2007.pdf

Cosme.net New Spring Products Ranking

Cosme.net, which is the largest and most popular Japanese makeup review website, is doing a series of reports on the rankings on the new products that were released in spring 2007. The first report is on foundations. The results are as below:

Normal Skin:
For translucent, glowy skin - Ipsa White Protect C Powdery Foundation
For a satin finish - Beaute de Kose Ultimation True Satin UV Powder Makeup
Foundation that feels light yet covers pores thoroughly - Revue Superior Stay Pact UV
Foundation for eye makeup - Mary Quant Eye Gloss
http://www.cosme.net/html/spc/0704/m01_a.html

Dry Skin:
For a satin finish - Beaute de Kose Ultimation True Satin UV Powder Makeup
For natural, bright skin tone - Esprique Precious Beauty Skin Pact UV
For a glowy, pearl-like finish - SKII Advanced Whitening Source Liquid Foundation
Richly moisturising and excellent coverage - Trinityline Liquid Cover Foundation
http://www.cosme.net/html/spc/0704/m01_b.html

Combination Skin:
For an illuminating effect and good coverage of pores - Lunasol Skin Fusing Powder Foundation
For translucent, glowy skin - Revue Superior Stay Pact UV
Simple "doll skin" with a silky finish - Anna Sui Protective Powder Foundation
For a soft, glowy finish - SKII Advanced Whitening Source Pancake
http://www.cosme.net/html/spc/0704/m01_c.html

Oily Skin:
Longlasting with excellent coverage of imperfections - Kate Powder Foundation N
Moisturising -Raycious Glamorous Skin Powder
For a translucent, glowy finish - Revue Superior Stay Pact UV
For natural, bright skin tone with excellent coverage of imperfections- Esprique Precious Beauty Skin Pact UV
http://www.cosme.net/html/spc/0704/m01_d.html

Sensitive skin:
For an elegant, natural finish - Ayura Superior Skin Pact
An elegant glow with good coverage - Lunasol Skin Fusing Powder Foundation
For a translucent, glowy finish - Revue Superior Stay Pact UV
For natural, bright skin tone with excellent coverage of imperfections- Esprique Precious Beauty Skin Pact UV
http://www.cosme.net/html/spc/0704/m01_e.html

Special concerns:
(i) Moisturising - #1 Beaute de Kose Ultimation True Satin UV Powder Makeup ; #2 SKII Advanced Whitening Source Liquid Foundation; #3 Ayura Superior Skin Pact

(ii) Whitening - #1 Advanced Whitening Source Liquid Foundation; #2 Ipsa White Protect C Powdery Foundation; #3 Helena Rubenstein White Compact
http://www.cosme.net/html/spc/0704/m01_f.html

Koots Green Tea

Today, I'd like to introduce my favourite cafe chain in Tokyo, Koots Green Tea. Since discovering Koots tucked away in a small lane just off the road from Harajuku to Shibuya, I have stopped patronising Starbucks. The object of my stomach's affection? Koots' hot Kuromitsu Latte, which is made with molasses (brown sugar syrup) with a sprinkling of kinako powder (soybean powder with a warm nutty flavour) on top. Made with organic green tea, this supremely fragrant green tea latte is simply heavenly and perfect on a cold wintry day. Not too overly sweet like Frappucinos, it is just the right blend of steamed milk and green tea. Richer and warmer than normal green tea but never cloying or heavy. Priced at 340yen (short), 390yen (tall) and 440yen (grande), it's a tad expensive but worth every cent.

Koots also serves a selection of food for the very health conscious, which means lots of tofu, mushrooms and salads as well as a good range of onigiri (rice balls). My favourite is the Edame Cheese onigiri (200yen). I never thought cheese could go well with rice but I was happily proven wrong with this. The cheese flavour is quite mild but still lends a slightly milky aroma to the sticky rice.

So if you're travelling to Tokyo and chance by Koots, don't hesitate to check it out! Koots has outlets at Roppongi Hills, Azabujuban shopping street and Midtown Tokyo. The official website is here: http://www.koots.jp/

Hope someone brings the franchise to Singapore in the near future!

Awake Splish Splash collection

Awake's summer collection, Splish Splash, just hit stores in Japan yesterday. It's a small collection but looks interesting. All items are limited edition. Awake is a high-end department store brand made by Kose and currently sold in Japan, US and Taiwan.

1. Aqua Trans Powder #6 Crystal Blue (pearlescent light blue to enhance the fairness of skin) and #7 Golden Honey (glimmering golden brown for a tanned bronze look), 4725yen for 28g.

2. Eye Tint Stardom in #11 Frosted Silver and #12 Sea Sapphire, 2625yen for 8.5ml

Found this description of Aqua Trans Powder on Awake's US website:

"Created with the magic of water, Stardom Aqua Trans Powder is available in five color corrective shades to perfect skin tones for a healthy, flawless complexion. The innovative formulation contains more than 77% water and moisturizing ingredients for a comfortable, hydrating coverage. Worn on its own or over a foundation, this botanical powder prevents skin inflammation and nourishes skin with natural anti-oxidants.

To Use: Open cap and remove the seal on top of the screen. Place the enclosed puff on the screen, and turn the container upside down. Apply onto face by gently pressing. "

And for Eye Tint:
"A liquid eye color that provides a gleaming wash of pearlized color with just one stroke of a brush. The water-based formula provides a refreshing application, while treated pearls and pigments provide long-lasting shimmering colors. Formulated with Vitamin E, Watercress extract and Hyaluronic Acid to provide soothing care to the delicate eye area."

The Eye Tints have an average 4.8 star rating on Cosme.net while Aqua Trans Powder has an average 3.3 star rating.

MAC Pandamonium and Dollymix quads

Just received MAC's Pandamonium eyeshadow quad, from the Balloonacy collection currently out in the US and due to launch in Asian markets in July. The first time I saw a blurry photo of the quad online, I knew that I would definitely be adding it to my MAC quads collection as I always snag the purple-themed quads. Even if MAC does tend to put out colours that are very similar to previous shades. When I finally received it in the mail (thanks to another very kind MUAer), I was not disappointed. Many people were complaining about Violet Trance, the vibrant royal purple shade as it is a Matte and hence more difficult to work with. But the first time I tried it on, i discovered that it does not necessarily have to show up matte when applied. The trick? Just layer it over the other shades in the quad!

First, I applied Pandamonium (Lustre; metallic gun metal grey with silver shimmer) as the liner shade from the lashline to about midway to the crease and then Up At Dawn (Veluxe Pearl; soft lilac) above that and in the crease. Then I just brush my brush lightly across Violet Trance and applied it at the outer corners over Up At Dawn, shading it in a "<" shape towards the centre of the lid and blending it well with Up At Dawn in the middle of the lid. By applying Violet Trance at the outer corners, it helps to define the crease and make the eyes appear bigger. Also, by applying it over Up At Dawn, some of the glimmer in Up At Dawn shines through the Violet Trance. The key is blending to soften the edges and make the gradational effect appear more natural.

Of the 4 shades in the quad, I would say Violet Trance and Pandamonium are the most unique and prettiest. MAC has really improved the texture of their Lustres which used to be a horrible mess with glitter that flew all over and poor colour payoff. Starting with the Dollymix quad, I found that the new Lustres had a very smooth texture with great colour payoff and they don't fall all over my cheeks. In fact, the texture of Pandamonium is superior to that of Up At Dawn even though Veluxe Pearls are supposed to be smoother and more velvety. Up At Dawn was a bit too sheer and needed to be layered a few times in order to show up nicely whereas Pandamonium just glided on beautifully with one stroke. I use MAC's #228 Mini Shader Brush for applying all the shades in the quad except Cloudbound.

If I had one wish for MAC, it would be to come up with eyeshadow quads in which there are 4 truly unique, never-before-seen shades and all with great textures. With MAC quads, there are inevitably always one or two shades that are just filler material, an utter waste of space because it is either some pale shimmery highlighter shade that most people already own something similar to, or a strange colour with poor texture. Why not do a quad comprising four great Lustre shades? Up At Dawn is just too similar to Mancatcher from the Lure collection, Lavender Sky from the Culturebloom collection AND Leap from the Corps de Couleur quad from Danse. Cloudbound is a bit too frosty with a gold iridescence that was not too flattering. Cloudbound is a bit too frosty to be used as an all-over wash just under the brow for me.

Moving on, I thought I would also review my other MAC quad purchase, Dollymix from the Barbie Loves MAC collection. Again, there are two outstanding, unique shades - Warm Me, Girl (Lustre) and Nearly Nights (Satin) - and two boring filler shades - Cuddle (Satin) and Playful (Veluxe Pearl). I simply adore Warm Me, Girl which is a nice clean metallic copper shade that just brightens up the face. It is not your typical boring brown shade at all. Nearly Night is described as a mid tone frosted lilac gray but on me, it's not frosty at all and it has only the barest hint of shimmer. The purple tones in the grey make it quite unusual. Cuddle is a soft beigy peach that is so-so, no big deal. Playful is a mid-tone pink with gold pearl that is quite nice for spring. The colours combination in this quad is quite unusual just like Pandamonium and a much welcome change for me after the disappointment of the Racquel Welch quads (blah & boring!). I find both very wearable and versatile with the potential to create a variety of looks, both subtle and dramatic. Included a pic of my MAC quads collection below, most are premade except for the one in the lower left corner that I put together using the Culturebloom eyeshadows.

Jill Stuart Pore Solid Essence

Another beautifully packaged new product from Jill Stuart! Pore Solid Essence, 4g 2940yen debuting in Japan on 18 May. No other details yet but I assume it's to help reduce the appearance of pores. Jill Stuart has been releasing a new product monthly, which is great for consumers like me who are always looking forward to the next new thing and hate waiting 3 months for the big seasonal makeup collections.