Way before the controversy over the Tokidoki Barbie erupted in the US media, I've been wanting this for my Tokidoki collection.
Thanks to a stroke of luck, I managed to snag it for the original retail price on Ebay shortly after it was released. Just mere days later, the prices on Ebay increased several fold and the Mattel website promptly sold out after the furor over her tattoos.
Certainly, the hot pink micro-mini and leopard print tights aren't exactly the definition of class and elegance but that's not what Tokidoki is about. I wouldn't dress like that personally but that doesn't stop me from loving all the whimsical design details of this Barbie, from her shellacked pink bob, coy sideways glance to her glittery silver stilettos and Bastardino pet on the golden leash.
The Tokidoki Barbie is a Gold Label production meant for the adult collector, which means no more than 7400 units were produced.
With my MAC Barbie, another treasured collectible from 2007.
At the Takashimaya sale in Ngee Ann City level B2 today, I found the white Tokidoki cross-weave bag going for S$119 (about half its original price).
When I first saw the bag at Tangs Orchard several months ago, the soft white material and sakura motif appealed to me immensely but it looked tricky to maintain, plus the girl looked like an alien with her olive green skin and purple hair and lips!
This is actually two bags in one as the inner organiser can be removed and comes with its own detachable strap.
Some of the other designs on sale.
The latest collection of Tokidoki bags on level 2 of Takashimaya.
For Spring 2012, Addiction will release its Sand Castle collection on 13 January in Japan. Inspired by Biarritz, the resort town on the southwestern coast of France, the collection features elegant nudes and pastels with a refined pearl shimmer. Below is a preview pic tweeted by the editor of Frau magazine.
See other pics here and here and the ad visual here with the brand's creative director Ayako.
Aube Couture will release Excellent Stay Rouge on 6 December in Japan. The long-lasting, moisturising lipstick will be available in 12 shades and retail at 3360yen for 3.6g.
It's been almost a year since I purchased anything from Visee. They have an excellent range of eyeshadow palettes but the gradational colour schemes tend to get boring after awhile. Thanks to a friend in Japan, I recently purchased the Glam Shade Eyes PU-7, which was released as part of the Spring 2011 collection.
The official retail price is 1890yen but my friend managed to get it at a 30% discount in one of the larger drugstore chains, so I paid just 1323yen (about S$22) for it. It is also available for US$21 on Adambeauty.com which is based in Hong Kong and ships internationally.
Lotus Palace reviewed the Glam Shade Eyes and didn't like them but I'm actually liking the PU-7 palette quite a bit! The slim plastic compact is typical of Visee, with a raised pebble motif across the lid. You can throw the palette into your bag or makeup pouch and not have to worry about breakage as there is no mirror, plus it is very light. The under side of the lid has a reflective surface that one can use as a mirror.
The palette consists of a pearly white, light mauvey pink, a plummy brown, greyish black and metallic silver. These shades are not that unique but they are work-friendly and easy to wear. All the shades have a refined shimmer that gives a lovely glowy effect without being too over-the-top. Used over Too Faced Shadow Insurance, they lasted well over 8 hours of wear on me without fallout or significant creasing. The plum shade looks more brown than purple when applied, so it won't make the eyes appear bruised.
I applied the plum shade with the broad sponge applicator along the upper lashline and the outer one-third of the lower lashline and the pink shade in the middle of the lid. I used a brush to sweep the pearly white across the browbone area and the thin sponge applicator to apply the silver shade at the inner corners and along the lower lashline. I finished by lining the upper lashline with Stila Sparkle Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in Sequins and applying Benefit They're Real mascara. The shades applied smoothly and were easy to blend.
Glam Shade Eyes Pu-7 is the type of idiot-proof palette that I tend to reach for when pressed for time as it's so easy to use and doesn't create fall-out on the cheeks. Plus, it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
The other products used for this look include: Maybelline Clear Smooth Shine Free Powder in Nude Beige, RMK Super Basic Concealer EX-01, Za Ever Brows BR21 and Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment in Passion. The Sugar lip treatment in Passion is the newest shade just released by Fresh, which a friend helped to purchase from the USA. It is not available yet at Sephora in Singapore. It gives the lips a healthy natural reddish tint, that is not as deep as Plum but more red-toned than Rosé. For a lip balm, it lasts amazingly well. It has been more than 5 hours since I put it on and it is still going strong without any feathering.
The Visee website has been updated with the latest Glam Glow Eyes palettes and lipglosses in their collaboration with Smacky Glam. You can also see pics on the wonderful A Dream of Tokyo.
The Paul & Joe counter at Isetan Scotts just put out the Ornamental holiday collection testers this afternoon. The collection will be officially launched this Saturday.
The Self Select Eye Colors (S$23 each; S$15 for the case) come prettily packaged in boxes that can double up as Christmas Tree ornaments.
Like most of Paul & Joe's eyeshadows, these swatched slightly sheer and had a smooth velvety texture with a soft sheen.
The Ornamental Pressed Powder 001 All I Want For Christmas (S$67) is a translucent face powder. The two light pink pearlish strips turned out to be very subtle. The jacquard clutch is S$79, if I recall correctly.
The two Ornamental Makeup Collection sets are S$89 each, which seems quite expensive considering that each set contains only a lip lacquer and an eye gloss. Both the silver and gold eye glosses are extremely shiny and metallic while the lipglosses contain gold glitter, which is particularly obvious in the deep red gloss in 002 Noel. I don't fancy the green pouch and the glitter in the lipglosses so I'll be passing on these sets even though I like the eye glosses.
Of the two Body Fragrance Collection sets (S$92 each), I preferred 004 Mistletoe which has notes of rose, jasmine, muguent, greens and pink pepper, over 003 Toyland which has a strong vanilla scent. Each set contains a solid parfum (8g), a fragrant body cream (174g) and a hand cream (60g) .
Nail Enamel Hallejuah! (S$22) with chunky leaf green glitter was the most striking of the five nail polishes.
Nail Enamel in 020 Home For Christmas (S$22)
Nail Enamel 022 O, Holy Night
Nail Enamel 023 Merrily On High
Nail Enamel 024 Rockin' Around
The gift with purchase of S$80 is a notebook.
If you spend S$160, you will also receive an inflatable travel neck pillow, a drawstring pouch, a mascara and an eyeshadow. I was disappointed by the muddy brown neck pillow, which does not look as interesting as previous gift pouches and cases.
The collection is already available on BeautyBay.com, which is based in the UK and ships internationally.
