reviews

about the collection…

this year, shu uemura has collaborated with japanese pop, animé and otaku artist, takashi murakami, for their 2013 holiday collection. murakami is known for his “superflat” style which uses classical japanese painting techniques to create pop art.

his upcoming artwork is called 6 heart princesses (6HP), which is an animation film that will be aired as a TV series next year. the premise of the series is 6 regular girls transform into 6 good princesses who fight against 1 evil princess. the transformation is reminiscent of sailor moon!

the shu uemura holiday collection consists of one of the good princesses (pink princess) and the evil princess (black princess). the theme for the collection is “dual beauty” which suggests that every woman has two sides: naughty and nice. the two palettes, pink and black, allows us to express both natures.

how to use the colours…

pink princess palette

the pink palette contains 7 warm eyeshadows and one powder glow on blusher. the darker brown shade is typically used for the lash line and contouring. the reddish brown is used for the centre of the lid whereas the orange shade is used to blend out the reddish brown to create a flawless gradation. but of course those are just general guidelines on how to use them, you can use the however you’d like!

the iridescent white and yellow shadows are used for highlighting (the brow bone, the inner corners of the eyes) and the iridescent pink shades can be used to highlight the centre of the lids or used to soften edges of the brown shades for nice gradations.

swatches…

black princess palette

this palette is perfect for creating colourful smoky eyes, which is the trend for this holiday season. it’s easier to create a smoky eye using the new gel liner to start (lining the eyes), then using the black shadow along the lash line blending upwards. following the liner, use either the dark violet or gold shadows on the centre of the lid, blending into the black shadow.

the green shade can be used to soften the black shadow edges to create gradation and the silver or the iridescent lavender can be used as accent highlights to the inner corners of the eyes are the bottom lash line.

swatches…

review of the palettes…

the texture of the eyeshadows are phenomenal. they are similar to the velvety shadows in the karl for shu palettes – extremely smooth and intense colour payoff. the difference that i noticed is that these shadows feel almost creamy to the touch; when applied, it feels like cream but has a powder finish. it’s like the cream and cheek stain of this collection.

the shadow are, however, very delicate. so be careful when transporting the palette because i find that the shadows can break apart if not handled with care. the black shadow of my black princess palette cracked on route to me in the post.. so sad! but there are, of course, ways to repair broken eye shadows using alcohol. i’ll be fixing my palette!

the new s curler…

this is the new generation s curler by shu uemura. it’s designed so that you can curl sections of lashes at a time. this curler is ideal for smaller eyes which may be harder when using the original lash curler since not all of the lashes seem to get curled.

personally, i’ve never had a problem with the original curler, but i love this new one when . i like to clamp my real lashes to the falsies using this curler so that they merge together – avoiding the horrible 2 set of lashes look!

this new curler is far improved from the the original mini curler by shu uemura because it doesn’t have the side bars which got in the way of curling before. i was so happy when shu came out with this curler! i was using another korean brand mini curler before this, but the padding is nothing compared to shu uemura’s!

new pencil gel liner…

this is the ultimate liner for me. i had always been using the shu uemura painting liner (a gel liner that dries completely waterproof, even when i use it on my waterline; no smudging). the only thing that i found tedious was having to clean my brush every time i applied liner. with the new gel liner, i can get that gel finish without the brush.

the finish is smooth and it’s soft so it’s easy to apply when tight lining eyes.

cream and cheek stain…

so when i first got this, i was thinking that my lips would look like i just ate a popsicle or a lollipop because that’s what tends to happen whenever i try a lip stain. but the finish of this stain is different. it comes out of the tube creamy but as you smooth it out, it becomes velvety and soft.

the colour is more like what i’d expect from a lipstick as opposed to a lollipop! personally i love this because it’s super easy to take out with me for my cheeks and lips. it’s great for those lazy or busy days (which i’ve had many lately) where i can just add some colour to my face so that i look less tired without having to do the whole works with my eyes.

the nail polishes…

the collection features 2 nail duos: pink and glitter & purple and gold. i have the purple and gold one which is a nice change from the typical red nails for the holidays! the shades can be used alone since the gold polish has a thicker consistency compared to previous glitter polishes by shu.

you can use them together to create some nail art…

i used 2 coats for the purple polish; it goes on smooth without streaks. for the gold polish, i just used one shade as embellishment.

i’ll be doing some makeup looks soon!

falsies vs. lash extensions… which should brides choose?

October 6, 2013

Beauty, Bridal, reviews

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brides often ask me whether or not they should get lash extensions for their wedding day. in my opinion, falsies are a much better option for the wedding day and i would save the lash extensions for the honeymoon.

here’s why…

for the camera: lash extensions are great for a natural, day-to-day, makeup-free use, but for weddings, you need full and more dramatic lashes in order for your eyes to show up nicely in your wedding photos. it’s important to remember that for your wedding day, you need a good balance between looking naturally beautifully in person, as well as stunning on camera.

i have had brides who have gone to get the full set of mink lash extensions before their wedding day and later realize that they do not show up very well in their wedding photos. i do think that the extensions look great in person, but are lacking in photos.

for makeup: when brides have lash extensions, it puts limitations on what i can do for their makeup. for eyes to really pop, lashes need to be tight lined; this means that eye liner needs to be applied in between the lashes to really outline the eyes. it is also much more difficult to apply liner to the lash line without ruining the lash extensions. you should keep in mind that in order to remove waterproof liner, you must use an oil based makeup remover which would also loosen the glue used to adhere the lash extensions to your real lashes.

save them for the honeymoon!…

i myself had lash extensions done after my wedding just before heading off on my honeymoon to bora bora and hawaii. it was great because i didn’t need to pack any makeup with me since i had planned on being out in the sun and on the beach every day! they lasted just long enough (our honeymoon was 2.5 weeks). they are supposed to last 3-4 weeks, but it was hot weather and i was in the water so random lashes were falling off here and there.

lash extensions by stephanie trieu at trulyposh…

i couldn’t talk about lash extensions without showing some photos! i went to my good friend stephanie trieu who is a lash extension technician in markham. she is based at mccowan and steeles but also does mobile services. during my session, i interviewed her at the same time to find out more about lash extensions and so that i could write about pros and cons that i’d find.

contact: STEPHANIE TRIEU 416.275.1678 || trulyposhbyst@gmail.com

so here are my lashes before the session:

here they are after my session:

these are synthetic mink lashes. at first, stephanie had applied a full set to each eye (60 lashes) which gave a very natural look. i would recommend that to people who do not normally wear any makeup. but for myself, i’m used to putting several coats of mascara and tight lining my eyes, so i requested more lashes to give a fuller effect.

will lash extensions make my lashes fall off??…

that was my main concern and my question to stephanie. i’ve had bridesmaids tell me horror stories of all of their natural lashes falling off after repeated sessions of lash extensions.

single lash vs. clusters: stephanie explained to me that applying single lash to each individual lash ensures that the extensions fall off with your natural lash cycle. however, if you apply cluster lashes (which are lashes that are kind of like a fork… more than one lash being attached to one real lash) the weight of them could make your real lashes fall off more quickly. although it looks fantastic, ladies should keep in mind that it should not be done repeatedly. you need some time in between to give your lashes a “rest”.

are real mink lashes better than synthetic?…

real mink lashes are much more expensive than the synthetic ones. stephanie explained to me that they are softer, however for that reason they have less of a curl to them. i personally like a nice curl because my asian lashes are so straight that i need the synthetic ones to lift them. i have seen friends with the real mink extensions and i do admit that they look great because they seem more dense and full, but i have not yet tried them myself.

stephanie also explained to me that it depends on how many lashes you have naturally. you notice the gap in my lash line? it’s because naturally, i am missing some lashes there… it could be because i may have accidentally pulled some out when removing my falsies.. oops! so if you’ve got lots of lashes for extensions to be attached to, then you’ll get a fuller set of las extensions.

i do love how natural they look and how much time it saves me to get ready. i’ve recently been extremely busy and have no time to sit down and really apply makeup, so having the extensions are great!

to sum it up.. pros and cons!

pros:

saves time getting ready
lasts for 3-4 weeks
great for travelling
saves product (no need for lash curler, mascara or eye liner)
excellent for those who don’t wear makeup
subtle and natural compared to falsies. (when my sister saw me, she thought that i had just used a lot of mascara that day.. lol)
hassle-free compared to falsies (which you have to apply carefully and remove carefully so as not to rip off your own lashes!)

cons:

need to be careful when washing your face (not to rub them)
difficult for those who like to wear makeup (eye makeup remover will loosen the glue for the lash extensions)
not ideal for those who like to work out a lot, i.e. hot yoga (sweat will loosen glue as well)
need to put aside a block of time for application (it takes a few hours to get them done nicely, so be prepared to block out a good amount of time from your day)
lashes fall off at different times which could make your eyes look uneven. you would need to go back to refill them.

would i get them again?

i would like to try them in clusters to see how they look. at this point in my life, i would get them again because i’m so busy!

final verdict, falsies or extensions?

i love my falsies so i’d never give them up! to create looks with makeup, i find that extensions could never replace falsies. falsies enhance the eyes far more than extensions could and are essential for creating different types of eyes with makeup. however, for those who don’t like wearing makeup, extensions are the way to go.

review: new shu uemura lip glosses…<3

September 13, 2013

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it’s so hard to find a good lip gloss that has great colour pay off and that is actually moisturizing. there are many out there that look nice and glossy when first applied, but leaves lips feeling so sticky and starts to look a bit pasty on the lips shortly after the initial application.

when shu uemura came out with the new line of glosses, i thought that just the colours would be new, but to my delight, the formula is much improved as well! when applied, i can feel an ever so slight moisturizing tingle and it actually helped to smooth away the dry little flakes on my lips which usually looks so terrible when i apply a coloured gloss or lipstick over top. my lips tend to be on the dry side, which is why i tend not to wear lipsticks, but i’ve seriously been obsessed with these new glosses. my 2 favourites colours that go great with my fair skin tone are CR 20 S and PK 50 C – I had been wearing these two interchangeably during the entire summer.

here are some images to give an idea what the glosses look like:

CR 10 S – i find this one a bit of a deeper coral for my skin tone; would look nicer on someone who is less fair skinned

CR 20 S – I really like this one!

PK 50 C – I really love the cream texture of this one. great coverage and such a soft creamy pink.

PK 60 C – great glitter to this soft pink. i’m not the big glitter-wearer, but if i were, i’d choose this one!

what i love about the new looped applicator…

the existing shu umeura glosses have a straight tipped applicator, whereas the new glosses have a looped applicator which i find smoothes the gloss on effortlessly and scoops out more of the gloss from the tube. the slight point on the tip let’s you get the corners of your mouth very easily.

overall, i love these new glosses and i think that every girl should have one handy in their purse! so easy to apply (don’t have to whip out a mirror) and gives the right amount of colour so that you don’t look over done. it gives a fresh finish to simple, everyday, natural makeup – which nowadays is so important to me since i’m so busy! not much time to do a full face of makeup anymore!

review: shu uemura dream blossom glow on blushers

March 14, 2013

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the shu uemura spring 2013 dream blossom collection features five new glow ons. these glow ons are all of pearl texture so they reflect light subtly giving the most natural glow of colour. shu uemura glow ons have always been amongst a makeup artist’s favourites. it’s because of it’s smooth texture that creates such a flawless, non-powdery finish. it’s extremely finely milled and is even safe to use around the eye area.

from top to bottom: P light yellow 020, P vivid orange 551, P soft orange 542, P soft coral 332, P soft pink 324

left to right: P light yellow 020, P vivid orange 551, P soft orange 542, P soft coral 332, P soft pink 324

P soft yellow 020

P soft yellow is perfect for highlighting. it gives a beautiful glow to cheekbones and the bridge of the nose. i find the finish and highlighting effect is best when applied with brush 13G. for the smoothest and most beautiful application, be sure to use the flat side of the brush to apply glow on.

brush 13G (click on image to visit the shu uemura site)

P vivid orange 551

P vivid orange is a high pigment glow on so a little goes a long way! this shade would look lovely on tan skin. i would recommend using this shade after having had a bit of colour from the sun. if your skin is still fair from the long winter months, i would opt for the P soft orange shade. i suggest applying this glow on as a contour (more in the hollows of the cheeks) using brush 20h. use a light sweeping motion beginning from the upper part of ear sweeping towards the nose in a diagonal line. *picture an imaginary line going downward from the outer part of your eye and be sure not to pass this line!

brush 20h (click on image to visit the shu uemura site)

P soft orange 542

P soft orange is such a warm and peachy shade. it looks so great on fair skin, but also gives a healthy sun-kissed glow to tan skin. i would recommend applying this shade to the apples of the cheeks using brush 20. for the most colour payoff, but sure to use the flat side of the brush to apply (and not the tips of the bristles). most shu uemura brushes are designed flat, as opposed to dome-shaped. this gives a smoother finish with precision and avoids fall off or having powder fly everywhere!

brush 20 (click on image to visit the shu uemura site)

P soft coral 332

P soft coral is one of my favourites! it gives the most natural rosy flush to the apples of the cheeks. my foundation shade is medium light sand 564 and i find that this shade and the P soft pink look best. i find that pink blushers brighten up my skin as opposed to the orange shades.

P soft pink

P soft pink is such a pretty shade. it’s perfect for a sweet makeup look. it looks adorable on fair skin and on more tan skin it peaks through like a healthy flush. i recommend applying this shade on the apples of the cheeks using brush 20.

doubles as an eyeshadow or a glow on case

the collectable unmask palette case, just like the regular shu uemura cases, can be used for eyeshadow and glow on refills. simply slide out the inside holder and pop in the refills! no magnets or adhesive required.

pick your shade and have fun creating your makeup looks!

review: shu uemura dream blossom collection lashes

March 11, 2013

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shu uemura has always been known for our intricate and artistic false lashes. whether it may be natural lashes, lashes for a slight accent or the dramatic collectable lashes, shu uemura has always been the go-to to decorate our eyes. i’m always so excited when a new season arrives because i’m curious to see what our international artistic director kakuyasu uchiide, has designed.

for this spring 2013, it’s all about colour. splashes of pastels and vibrant primary colours have been seen all over the runways. on point with the trends, shu uemura’s spring dream blossom collection has two beautifully designed colourful, feathery collectable lashes: rainbow feather S and rainbow feather L.

rainbow feather L

the rainbow feather L lashes are so fun for those artistic makeup lovers out there. of course they are not day-to-day lashes, but they are definitely lashes that makeup artists love to have fun with! the long colourful feathers are perfect for an artistic photoshoot. the eyeshadows from the same collection are perfect for creating a backdrop for these lashes (click here to read about the eyeshadows). the shadows should be applied all the way about the brows and onto the temples; makeup artists can really play around with blending and colour placement to accentuate the lashes.

these playful lashes were also featured in the march issue of loulou magazine in the beauty trends section.

rainbow feather S

the rainbow feather s lashes are a little more subtle compared to the rainbow feather L, although still pretty dramatic! but these lashes can be worn on a bold fashionista as the bottom layers of the lashes are black, so when eyes are open, an accent of soft colourful feathers can be seen above the long black lashes. (click here to see how they look on). they are basically like the slant black shu uemura lashes, but decorated with fluffy colourful feathers.

if you’re a shu uemura fan, i’m sure you’ll want to get your hands on a pair of these before they are no longer in stores!

shu uemura can now be found in sephora in eaton’s centre in toronto and can now be purchased online on the new shu uemura canada website.

have fun experimenting with some colour!

review: shu uemura 2013 blossom dream spring collection – eyeshadow palettes

March 10, 2013

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shu uemura has come out with yet another beautiful collection for this spring season! the blossom dream collection has all of the beauty essentials to create looks that follow spring 2013’s makeup trends. the collectable eyeshadow palette cases are refillable. the mask on the palette is a tribute to mr. shu uemura’s introduction of the first oil-based cleanser in japan in 1967 called unmask. the inspiration came to him while working with hollywood celebrities back in the 60s. mr. shu uemura was curious as to how these celebrities kept their skin in such good condition even after all of the heavy and cakey makeup that was being used at the time. he discovered that they were using oils to cleanse their skin; he then created his own oil-based cleanser with botanicals and gentle oils. the rest is history.

the collection features three vibrant pastel eyeshadow palettes; all of the colours are perfect for creating trendy and fresh spring looks. beginning with the eyes, all along the runways, we’ve been seeing pastel ombré eyes, color layering on eyes, intense pigment liner with matching eyeshadow and soft smoky eyes. all of which can be easily created with the new shu uemura dream blossom palettes. all of the eyeshadows in the three palettes are matte texture.

the green palette has the perfect shades for fun colourfully lined eyes. the lime green shadow has great pigment that can be easily packed on using shu uemura’s brush 10F to create fresh green liner on the bottom lashline. (i’ll soon be creating some looks on myself to demo!). as for the lid, simply sweep on the pastel green shade or apply the pastel yellow shade for a fun pastel ombré look.

the pink palette is perfect for creating beautiful monochromatic looks. use the deeper pink to line the lower lid and in the eye crease and use the pastel pink all over lids. the two brown shades are great for adding depth in the crease area and to avoid having eyes look irritated – an easy mistake when using pink shades around the eyes. (again, i’ll create a look on myself to demo). click here to see a look that i created for shu uemura’s website.

the blue palette is my absolute favourite! the pigments show up so well and effortlessly. i’ve been seeing cool blue eyes everywhere lately! on the runways, on the red carpet and in magazines. for a super easy spring look, try sweeping the pastel blue all over lids and follow with black mascara. or for a more fun look, use the deeper blue as liner for the bottom lash line – brush 10F is the best tool for this; it picks up the pigment and deposits it without any fall out so it creates a perfect line. click here to see a look that i created for shu uemura’s website.

overall, i love the matte and smooth texture of these eyeshadows. the colours are so soft so they can easily be used to create fresh spring looks. the deeper colours in the palettes are very pigmented which is great because they can also double as colourful liners – super trendy this spring season!

the palette cases are also reusable, so after you are finished with the eyeshadows, you can refill the palettes with the regular sized shu uemura eyeshadows. the design on these palettes truly reflect shu uemura’s legacy and are such great collector’s items.

to shop online in the US visit www.shuuemura-usa.com.

to shop online in canada, visit the brand new canadian site www.shuuemura.ca.

review: karl lagerfeld for shu uemura holiday collection

September 28, 2012

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this is by far the cutest collection that i have ever seen! so adorable, that i can barely bare to use it! this is such a special collection that you definitely don’t want to miss out on. if you’re a lover of makeup and fashion, all these pieces are such must-haves! did you know that karl lagerfeld creates his designs using shu uemura eyeshadows? back in the day, mr. shu uemura even created an eyeshadow colour for karl lagerfeld because he needed it for one of his designs! he says he uses shu eyeshadows because he can’t find as many beautiful colours out there! and now, together for the first time with shu uemura, karl lagerfeld brings us fun and adorably designed eyeshadow palettes, lipsticks, nail polishes, painting liner and accessories! this collection comes out next month, so be sure to mark your calendars!

first off, we have two incredible palettes with cute little mon shu girl on the case wearing the colours inside!

one of the palettes is called prestigious bordeaux palette:

the mirror has mon shu girl’s silhouette!

this palette features highly pigmented bronze, browns with hints of glitter and purple shades with a warm red blush. perfect for creating warm romantic looks for the holiday season.

the other palette is called smoky velvet palette:

this palette is great for creating edgier and more smoky looks, but can also create some lighter fresh looks using the lighter shades. it contains a sparkling black shade, a moss green shade, metallic grey and fresh green along with a golden glitter. there’s also the same warm red blush as well.

this is such a fun and subtle way to spice up your typical look. this blackish satin purple painting liner gives the perfect amount of “punch” to your every day liner.

i’m so excited to use this!

we can’t forget our iconic eyelash curler! this is such a perfect collector’s item with little mon shu girl charm and red silicone pad.

no shu uemura collection is complete without some beautifully crafted falsies! this collection has two pairs. there are the karl for shu mini lashes. they are the easiest to apply and give a little accent to your look with a hint of red and diamond encrusted band for the perfect twinkle.

next we have the karl for shu premium lashes. they look metallic and heavy don’t they? but they are actually made of a paper-like material so they are super light. these are a makeup artist’s dream pair of lashes – so fun!

now for the lips! there are four very wearable colours and such creamy texture.

the celebrity beige shade (to the far right) turned out more orange in the photo for some reason. i will do a swatch. my personal fave is the parisienne pink! but my new goal is to be more bold with my lip colour – mon shu red will be my holiday hue!

nail time! these are all the most wearable and fun colours ever! the best part is that each box comes with nail decorating stickers – so fun!

we have karl black with metallic flecks (i have a feeling this one will sell out quickly!), shu shu red which applies so smoothly, no streaks whatsoever, and royal beige – such a perfect nude tone for clean looking nails.

i had so much fun playing around with the colours and stickers!

how adorable is this?!

now to clean off all the makeup, we of course need a cleansing oil! this collection has a 450 ml premium A/O (anti-oxidant) cleansing oil (our green bottle) just in time for the cold and dry winter weather.

excited to see swatches and looks? come back for my upcoming posts! i have to leave you coming back for more right? =)

review: shu uemura tsuya skin

August 30, 2012

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i’ve always been so fascinated by all things japanese – everything from candy, to fashion, to cosmetics; everything about the culture is so impressive to me. the japanese always seem to always come up with the most cutting-edge products and present them so beautifully.

shu uemura just launched their newest skin care line: tsuya skin. the direct translation of the japanese word tsuya is luster / glossy / polish. for shu uemura, tsuya = ideal skin. tsuya skin serum was designed to give you perfect ideal skin in 7 days. i’ll sum up what the product does and how it works:

what does tsuya skin serum do?

it gives you porceline-fine, petal-soft and translucent glowing skin

why would you need it?

in ideal skin, cells have the ability to restore and protect itself day after day. that’s why baby’s skin is so perfect, pore-less and plump. but with age and fatigue, our skin looses its ability to do so, which is why our skin begins to loose its structure and becomes dull. this is what shu uemura calls “power-cut” in skin cells.
for young skin, the receptors on the skin cells receive signals to switch on the self-generation process and once this happens skin begins to produce more youthful molecules. but as we all know, as we age or as our skin becomes stressed, it’s unable to regenerate as it used to.
shu uemura labs found one receptor that remains intact throughout the aging process and has identified one molecule that stimulates this receptor to re-active the “power switch”.

how does it work?

this process was inspired by the enju flower “longevity flower”

shu uemura uses rhamose which is the miracle molecule that can re-active your skin’s youthful power swith. this means that it encourages your skin to regenerate. it also evens out your skin tone bringing the pink tones back, as skins becomes dull with age.

take a look at this video:

i did a test on my hand to show the instant results of the product. i was so excited to receive the serum and the uv underbase mousse. i’m going to begin my 7-day trial!

my hand without any product

the tsuya skin serum is a beautiful pearly violet-pink with a light floral scent. violet and pink are colours that are usually used in makeup bases to instantly correct sallow skin.

as you can see, my skin immediately has a glow; this was taken immediately after, i should have waited a few minutes after the product completely absorbed because it was soooo soft afterwards

the shu uemura philosophy to perfect skin is to:

purify (by using cleansing oils to completely remove all impurities without stripping skin of its natural moisture)
re-activate (by using necessary lotions, serums and creams to nourish and treat skin. tsuya skin serum can be used in conjunction with any of the existing shu uemura skin care lines; to be used after lotion (toner) and before cream/moisturizer which seals it in.)
protect (by using UV underbases)

with this being said, tsuya skin also has a new uv underbase mousse.

it also contains the rhamnose molecule and this new formula is more moisturizing with the same light floral scent as the tsuya serum.

when applying any of the shu uemura uv underbase mousses, remember to use our re-usable pentagon sponges for an even application. otherwise, the product will appear streaky and adheres so quickly to the skin before you even have a chance to spread it evenly. with the sponge, the product is absorbed into the sponge, this way you can squeeze it to apply as you go. here’s a video on how to do this:

the new tsuya skin uv under base is peachy-toned which would give the skin a more radiant and youthful finish

i’ll tweet some updates on how my skin feels after the 7 days! to follow me on twitter, click the button to the right!

review: chocolat-donna collection – shu uemura 2012 fall collection

August 6, 2012

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i’m always so excited when shu uemura comes out with a new collection! each collection is always designed with art, beauty and quality in mind. from the packaging, the colours and the textures to the intricate details of the false lashes, everything is always so beautiful with a story to tell.

this fall season, talented international artistic director mr. kakuyasu uchiide came up with an elegant collection called chocolat-donna featuring two glamourous nail polishes, three eyeshadow palettes, two blushes and a set of partial lashes. when i was in paris with uchiide-san, he explained that he wanted to design a collection that would be a gift to women. what better gift to give to a lady than beautifully fashioned chocolates? uchiide-san was inspired by chocolate and champagne pairings and used his favourite flavours to come up with the unique chocolate palettes: orange & pistachio, raspberry & mocha and mint & vanilla.

these palettes are also refillable with any regular sized shu uemura pressed eyeshadows.

orange & pistachio:

this palette includes a glittery orange shade, a pearly pistachio green shade, a pearly peach shade, a cool metallic brown, a matte light brown and deep matte brown.

the textures are always amazing. highly pigmented and glide on smoothly. i can’t ever go back to using any other brand of eyeshadow! other makeup artists can surely agree.

raspberry & mocha:

this palette has shades of glittery brown, metallic pink, pearly pink, metallic plum, matte light brown, deep matte brown.

this one is my personal favourite!

mint & vanilla:

this palette has shades of: glitter gold, glitter mint green, matte beige, metallic warm brown, matte light brown, deep matte brown.

nail polishes:

celebration always calls for a bottle of bubbly; perfect pairing for chocolates. this collection has two shades of nail polishes: dark chocolate & icing glitter:

simply apply two coats of the rich chocolate shade to your nails, then apply the glitter polish to the tips the perfect diy manicure. it’s like having a glass of champagne with some dark chocolate truffles.

raspberry and abricot glow ons:

these pearly glow ons are like the rest of shu uemura glow ons: perfectly smooth and finely milled so they create the most natural glow. you can wear these shades alone (i particularly love using apricot shades of blush on deeper skin tones) or wear them together. i suggest applying the raspberry shade to the apples of the cheeks then softening buy applying the apricot shade over top.

choco-lash:

of course, to complete the collection, a pair of dainty partial lashes with golden detailing. these lashes are so easy to apply and make lashes look instantly fuller because of the feathery finish. when eyes are open, it adds fullness to the edges of the eyes and when you blink, there a glimmer of gold – so pretty!

the chocolat-donna collection is perfect for creating simple daytime looks that easily transition to glamourous evening looks. i love this collection because it’s extremely wearable and i absolutely love that all of the palettes come with a lighter and a deeper matte brown eyeshadows which is perfect for contouring. i’m also a sucker for collections, so the fact that the palettes are reusable/refillable with the regular shu uemura pressed shadows is a bonus! this collection is available as of august 2012 in holt renfrews locations across canada so pick it up before it’s gone!

i’ll be creating some looks on myself using the palettes and lashes; remember to check back!

thanks for reading!

review: shu uemura new porefinist gentle foaming cleansing water

July 20, 2012

reviews

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at age 30, i feel like my skin has been acting up lately like when i was a teenager! i’ve been chatting with several of my girl friends and reading some articles and it seems very common that our skin tends to become more acne-prone when we enter our 30s even if our skin was fine after our teenage years. it’s either this, or because i’ve been traveling more lately so the change in environment, diet and rhythm have been irritating my skin. my skin has been getting little bumps although it’s not oily at this moment. everyone’s skin is different, for myself, my skin tends to break out in little bumps when i’m stressed or not getting enough rest. i get occasional cystic pimples when i have hormonal fluctuations. how sad… although i can’t avoid these things, i have found ways to manage my skin issues (i have a couple of previous blog posts about my skin care regime).

currently, because i’ve been getting a lot of clogged pores that causes little bumps, i’ve begun using the new shu uemura porefinist gentle foaming cleanser. i’ve been using it for about 2 weeks now and it’s really helped to calm my skin. because it contains salicylic acid, which helps to eliminate dead skin cells, i find that it’s helping the clogged gunk (causing bumps) to come to the surface and to come off. i normally go for facials, so i’ll be going in a couple of weeks to get a good pore cleaning now that the dead skin is starting to shed off.

here’s what i love about this cleanser compared to other cleansers that are supposedly for acne-prone skin:

water lily extract – this helps to purify the skin and prevent excess oil. my skin isn’t oily right now, but with the humid whether lately, i like that it makes my skin feel fresher

salicylic acid – this is the key ingredient for me personally. it eliminates dead skin cells so my skin looks brighter and it prevents gunk to clog my pored which causes bumps.

dragons beard extract – this is a moisturizing agent. this is what i feel makes the product better than other acne cleansers because my face doesn’t feel tight after cleansing. it feels fresh.

depsea water – i’ve talked about this in previous blogs, as it’s the key ingredient in all shu uemura skin products including foundation. it’s patented by shu uemura and was discovered by mr. shu uemura himself when he was in japan by the sea. he noticed a nurse who brought some children to swim in the sea water near moroto cape and asked the nurse what she was doing. the children had eczema and she said the water was healing their skin. after researching, he learned that the water circulating with the currents deep under the sea to the polar regions had picked up lots of mineral and nutrients which naturally heals and moisturizes skin. to read more about the history, click here.

to use the product:

it can be used dry or wet (so you can wet your face first, or not). i’ve been using this instead of my cleansing oil lately, just because my skin has been bumpy. so like i always say, choose to use products based on your skin’s needs at a particular moment.
at night, i use 2-3 pumps on dry skin so that i can remove my makeup.
in the morning, i find i just need one pump, since there isn’t anything on my skin.

this is one pump

when it lathers, it feels soft and has a slight silky texture. scent is not strong – it’s more fresh and not floral.

that’s what the pump looks like. this product was also designed to be eco-friendly.

—patricia makeup artistry

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reviews

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review: chocolat-donna collection – shu uemura 2012 fall collection

review: shu uemura new porefinist gentle foaming cleansing water

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