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!

how-to: orange & pistachio chocolate for fall

August 26, 2012
Beauty, how to
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for the collection, our international artistic direct kakuyasu uchiide created a beautiful chocolatey look using the orange & pistachio palette. for second look that i did for the new shu uemura fall 2012 chocolat-donna collection, i wanted to use the palettes in a slightly different way. i focused more on the pistachio green in the orange & pistachio palette since it’s such a unique colour. i also wanted to incorporate the mint & vanilla palette, so i used the mint green shimmery shadow for highlighting.

photographer mark darren helped me to create these lovely images of model and actress sarah lian:

decorate a sensual chocolatey eye with hint of pistachio to the centre of the lids. this really switches up the typical neutral eye. complete the lovely lady-like look with a bold and glossy red lip for added drama.

to get the look:

FACE
  • for a flawless canvas, prep skin with concentrate (tsuya skin was used on model – review on this product to come soon!)
  • apply tsuya uv underbase mousse to smooth away pores so that foundation glides on perfectly (review to come)
  • use brush 18 to apply face architect smooth fit fluid foundation in 564
  • use cover crayon concealer in 7YR ML to under eye, nose and outer corner of lip area and on blemishes and use synthetic brush 10 to blend
  • use brush 18R and face powder matte in colourless to set
EYES
  • use natural brush 10 and apply creamy eye shadow in p medium olive 461 to eye socket to create shape
  • use natural brush 10 and apply matte light brown shade from the pistachio & orange palette over the creamy shadow; use brush 11 to soften
  • deepen definition using brush 10 and apply dark matte brown shade from the same palette to crease and lower lid
  • use brush 11 and apply pistachio shade to the centre of lid
  • use brush 4R to apply orange shade to inner corner and lower lid
  • use brush 12 highlight brow bone with peach shade from palette (the mint shade from the mint & vanilla palette was used on model)
  • leave brows or simply apply brow manicure in ash brown to leave focus on the eyes
  • use brush 2R to line eyes with black painting liner
  • curl lashes and apply stretch xtreme mascara
  • apply choco-lash partial lashes
CHEEKS
  • use brush 20 to apply apricot glow on to apples of cheeks
LIPS
  • line lips with nude lip liner 
  • use lip brush to apply rouge unlimited in rd160
  • apply clear lip vinyl over top
TIP
  • if enlarged pores are of concern, a quick tip to fix this is to apply face powder matte in colourless before applying foundation and again after. by applying the loose powder before, pores are smoothed away, which creates a smooth canvas for foundation to glide over.

i didn’t have my husband there to take some step-by-step photos this time. i’ll be sure to bring him next time!

how-to: raspberry & mocha chocolate look for fall

August 22, 2012
Beauty, how to
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chocolate paired with raspberry and mocha creates such a delightfully rich palette. for the fall season, create sensual smoky brown eyes using metallic warm shades and rich matte brown shadows.

for the new shu uemura fall 2012 chocolat-donna collection, i created two makeup looks using two of the three delicious palettes. the first of the two was using the raspberry & mocha palette. if you’re looking for the most neutral and wearable of the three palette, this one would be your pick.

raspberry & mocha is the one in the centre

for this look, i wanted to show off more of the pinks and purples while using the browns to contour. i love that all of the palettes come with both medium and dark brown matte shades which are so perfect for contouring and creating a lovely chocolate smoky eye.

here’s how to create the look (and some behind-the-scenes photos taken by my wonderful husband):

FACE

  • base: stage performer instant glow (it was designed to use on runway models backstage to instantly correct imperfections including fine lines. it has a chroma-adjuster so it adjusts to the colour of your skin when applied)
  • use brush 18 and apply illuminating moisture foundation (764 was used on model)
  • use synthetic brush 10 to apply point cealer (medium light beige for model)
  • brush 18R to set foundation using matte powder in colourless

 

 

 

EYES

  • use eye light pencil white on brow bone and blend with brush 10 (apply onto lids also if desired to intensify eyeshadow colour)

  • use natural brush 10 and brown cream shadow to create crease shape
  • use brush 12 to apply pink shade on brow bone
  • use brush 11 to apply matte brown shade over top brown cream shadow

  • brush 10 to apply pink shade to center of lid
  • brush 10 to apply purple shade to crease and extend out to temple; brush 11 to soften
  • brush 5R to apply deep brown shade to outer corner to add depth
  • brush 10F to apply deep brown and metallic brown to lower lid
  • brush 4R to apply pearl shade to the inner corner
  • brush 2R to line eyes with black painting liner
  • curl lashes and use stretch xtreme mascara (which is a waterproof fibre mascara, so you can build volume and length by applying several coats – i love this!)
  • apply choco-lash

 

 

CHEEKS

  • use brush 20 to apply frambosier blush contouring cheeks then apply apricot blush to apples of cheeks

LIPS

  • rouge unlimited BR 750 and gloss 283

NAILS

  • 2 coats of dark chocolate then apply icing glitter on tips for dark chocolate champagne nails!

we had a hard time choosing just one image for shu uemura; here were are initial final four:

 

these are unedited images

 

here’s the final image captured by talented photographer mark darren with beautiful model stephanie nicholson with hair styled by eliza tam:

 

 

i’ll be blogging about the orange & pistachio palette soon – stayed tuned!

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

August 6, 2012
reviews
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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!

how-to: shu uemura glitter eye collection part 2

July 21, 2012
Beauty, how to
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My inspiration: Summer is a season filled with fun bursts of colour; Dazzling the eyes with glittery purple and blue hues is a playful way to create fresh and flirty eyes. balance the look with soft shimmery pink lips and rosy pink cheeks.

for our series of images for the shu uemura glitter eye collection, my photographer mark darren and i had the chance to work with beautiful and talented actress and model Sarah Lian. it was awesome to be able to work with her, as she is a shu fan herself and had done modelling for shu uemura malaysia when she was working there.

for the summer season, i wanted to create a look that was bright and punchy. i wanted to show off the beautifully pigmented new pressed glitter shadows. to enhance the colours, i used the new cream shadows as a base. this look can also be done for monolid eyes.

to re-create this look: (click here to see the shu uemura website to discover products and tools or visit your local shu uemura counter at Holt Renfrew)

FACE

  • apply stage performer instant glow to even out skin tone (with the chroma adjuster, it adjusts to your natural skin tone) and to smooth away lines and pores.
  • use brush 18 and apply face architect smooth fit foundation in 554 (medium sand).
  • use synthetic brush 10 and apply point cealer in medium beige to under eye area and blemishes
  • use brush 18R and apply face powder matte in colourless to set makeup

EYES

  • use natural brush 10 and cream purple shadow P796 and create a gradation from the lash line up, covering the entire lid
  • use natural brush 10 and press G blue 646 over the purple cream base, then apply G turquoise 641 to the centre of lid
  • use natural brush 10 and apply G purple the the outer corner of the eye and sweep inward
  • use brush 5R and G purple to contour the eye socket
  • use brush 5R and apply P790 to outer V
  • use brush 11 and apply G pink to soften the outer purple edge
  • use brush 11 and apply G white-silver 909 to brow bone and temples
  • tight line eyes with brush 4F and black painting liner
  • apply stretch xtreme mascara after curling lashes
  • apply false lashes black diamante or natural volume and line eyes with liquid liner
  • use brush 10F and press P790 to bottom lash line over top black painting liner. apply stretch xtreme mascara to bottom lashes.

CHEEKS

  • use brush 20 to apply glow on 345 (soft coral) to apples of cheeks
  • use brush 20 to soften edges and to highlight cheek bones using glow on P510 light peach
  • optional: use brush 20h and use glow on 761 to contour

LIPS

  • apply rouge unlimited supreme shine PK306 to entire lip
  • apply rouge unlimited supreme shine PK337 to centre of lips for dimension

FOR MONOLID EYES

the same steps can be applied for monolid eyes. photographer james mui helped me produce this lovely photo of amanda z. i used the exact same products and steps on amanda as i did on sarah, except i used the black diamante lashes on her instead and the foundation colour is 764. the great thing about darker coloured cream shadows is that you can use them to create a gradation from the lash line up for monolids to create the appearance of wider eyes.

when doing makeup for monolid eyes, remember to keep opening your eyes as you apply the shadow to make sure that it still shows when your eyes are opened.

use brush 5F to draw thicker eyeliner on the upper lid so that it still shows up once eyes are opened. paint on the painting liner creating a gradation from the lash line upwards.

have fun experimenting!

review: shu uemura new porefinist gentle foaming cleansing water

July 20, 2012
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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.

glitter eye for shu uemura part 1

July 17, 2012
Beauty
2 Comments

i’ve been working on a series of photos for the shu uemura glitter eye collection: new glitter pressed eyeshadow shades, cream shadows and silk smooth shadows. it’s been such a fun process; from preparing face charts, to doing test shoots with various models and lighting setups with photographer james mui and then creating the actual and final images with photographer mark darren  to submit to shu uemura.

i had the pleasure of meeting and working with talented model adriana chira; together we created a smoky olive look using a combination of the new shadows and one existing shade (ME472) and the shu farfallina lashes. it was so fun to see the colours morph under different lighting setups; the soft grey background gave such a subtle smoky eye with hints of glitter, while the white background really made the colours look punchy.

here are some of the images that were captured during the process of this project (although this post is entitled “part 1”, it’s in no particular order). more photos (parts) from this project to come!

makeup meets fashion: in collaboration with aimeluxury

June 23, 2012
Beauty, fashion
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i got together with talented toronto designer monica mei of aimeluxury and my photographer, mark darren, for our first photoshoot together featuring her new collection. her clothing is so sleek and what she calls “seasonless” – a concept that i love. her collections can be found in retailers across north america; definitely something you must check out.

after bouncing around several emails and after having seen the pieces from her new collection that she wanted to feature, i knew that i wanted to have model stephanie nicholson on board for the project. monica’s collections are always so sophisticated, sexy and clean; i knew steph would be the perfect fit.

as for makeup, i wanted to do something sexy and smouldering, but that wouldn’t take away from the beautiful pieces. so i decided on a brown smoky eye rimmed with black liner to really make steph’s beautiful aqua eyes stand out. i also put a highlight of bronze glitter in the inner corner to keep the eyes bright.

Products used: (please click here to find the shu uemura products from the list below); some products may only be available in canada – please check with your local holt renfrew location.

FACE: stage performer instant-glow (base with chroma-adjuster), face architect smooth fit fluid foundation in 764 (medium light beige), face powder matte in colourless, glow on M561 (apples), M510 (highlight cheekbones, nose and forehead) and M761 (contour),

EYES: double-ended eye crayon (earthy brown end to draw contour of the eye – blend out with natural brush 10), ME 862 on lid and over the eye crayon base, M 895 to further define crease, M 813 for brow bone (brush11), black painting liner (brush 2R), G bronze (brush 5R) inner corners, ultimate expression mascara, natural volume false lashes

BROWS: hard formula in seal brown

LIPS: CR 330 and gloss BG 980N

 

 

monica graciously helped us with styling. i absolutely love her taste. everything that she put on steph is something i’d definitely wear.

perfect LBD with sheer sleeves.. love.

sexy jersey dress

versatile sexy blazer

 

more photos from her collection to come! stay tuned.

how-to: get waterproof eyes using new shu uemura stretch xtreme mascara & brow manicure

June 18, 2012
how to, reviews
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just in time for summer! shu uemura has released two new great products that are both waterproof. great for the humid summer months and outings to the beach.

  1. shu uemura stretch xtreme mascara. this mascara is a fibre mascara that’s waterproof. you can paint on layer after layer to achieve the desired volume and length for your lashes! the wand is also slightly curved so it fits nicely onto the lash line. this mascara was actually designed with asian lashes in mind, so that bristles on the wand grab onto the smallest of lashes and builds volume for sparse lashes.
  2. shu uemura brow manicure. i have been waiting for shu to come out with a brow gel! it’s finally here! it’s sweat-proof and waterproof. it comes in two colours: honey glaze and ash brown. it has a handy wand with bristles designed to create the perfect brows. one end has shorter bristles to paint each brow (brushing the hairs upward) and the other side has longer bristles to brush the brows into place. i like to use this product in combination the the shu uemura hard formula (brow pencil – i use colour seal brown). i soften the colour using brush 6OB (angled badger hair brush designed for brows). My brows are quite sparse so I draw in the shape with the hard formula pencil, then paint my brows with the brow manicure to really give colour to my brows and to put them into place since my brows, like most asian brows, grow downwards. i don’t like to trim them because i don’t have very many hairs as it is, so i prefer to brush and place them aside using the brow gel.

here’s a photo with my right eye’s lashes curled using the shu uemura lash curler and coated with stretch xtreme mascara (3 coats). i also coated my bottom lashes (2 coats). my right brow is also done with the hard formula brow pencil and hairs painted and set in place with brow manicure. a very  natural finish.

what a big difference it makes! for more length, i could’ve continued layering the mascara for a more dramatic effect.

try it! it really opens up the eyes.

how-to: prevent travel break outs! keep skin clear

June 15, 2012
how to, reviews
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i love traveling. i absolutely have the travel bug! but the one thing that i dread most about traveling is break outs. because of the change in environment, diet and time zone, my skin tends to get quite bumpy whenever i travel. the worst is when i get those big pimples deep under the skin that take forever to heal.

good news is, i FINALLY found a way to prevent travel break outs! during my visit out west for shu uemura, my skin began to get bumpy as soon as i landed in vancouver – the airplane tends to do that to my skin; i’m convinced it’s all the bacteria! but i could be wrong lol – but luckily, national trainer for shu uemura lori lucas shared with me a simple trick to heal the skin so quick and prevent break outs. lori is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to shu skincare!

it’s as simple as this:

  • use LOTS, i mean LOTS of toner! i used to try to limit what i put on my face because i was scared it would irritate my skin, but actually, it really calms it down. i used two cotton pads of toner morning and night.

  • use shu uemura award winning hydrability alnight quench SOS moisture essence. it’s basically an instant facial mask. i call it a face mask for lazy people.. lol.. because you just smooth it all over your face before bedtime and you don’t need to wash it off. it’s got a high concentration of our famous depsea water (glacial water extracted from polar regions containing lots of natural minerals from deep in the ocean). don’t be afraid to put lots on! your skin’s texture will be improved dramatically over night, i swear!

  • spritz lots of depsea mist during the day. i also had a small bottle that i used on the plane. the re-filtered air tends to really dry out the skin and make it flaky. the skin will them produce more sebum which i find breaks out my skin. this restores moisture to the skin and calms it down.

what you’d be doing is normalizing your skin; helping it maintain balance. we tend to get dehydrated when traveling because we don’t drink enough water or eat enough fruits and vegetables. when we don’t drink enough water, we’re not expelling the toxins from our body. the toxins need to come out from somewhere, so that’s why we see it appearing on our skin. how sad. but i finally found a way to prevent all of this! feeding my skin depsea water throughout the day and night really prevented the bumpy skin! i couldn’t believe it. i’m so happy that i finally found a way to keep my skin nice even when traveling.

try it! it really works! go to any of the holt renfrews across canada and discuss with one of the beauty experts at the counter. test it out, trust me, you’ll love it.