Shiseido Lacquer Rouge ($25) is a new liquid lipcolor that provides rich color in just one coat. It was inspired by Japanese Lacquerware, the shiny, reflective glaze you typically see on bento boxes. That patent-like shine was captured in this new gloss, and gives lips a luxuriously shiny dose of color. Unlike traditional lipstick, this liquid lipcolor hydrates and smooths lips, leaving your lips as even as lacquer.
Keep reading for shade names and photos. Continue reading
I have 3 makeup kits: a train case that has all my products that I often use when I do makeup for other people, a bigger personal case that contains the items I don’t use every day (like my smoky eyeshadows and the like), and a small bag of everyday essentials. By far, the items I turn to literally every single day are stashed in the smallest case. Here is what’s inside that case. I would recommend these products without hesitation; they’re the ones I rely on day in and day out.
1. Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Pale Pink ($24): This cream blush lasts all day, and is the prettiest pink shade I’ve found. It glides on whisper-soft for a gentle blush, and layers beautifully for a more pronounced flush. Note: this is the old packaging of this product; check out the new packaging, available now.
2. Shiseido Eyelash Curler ($19): Since the She Uemura curler is only sold online now, I use this–and it’s just as good. Curls expertly, with all-day hold.
3. MAC Strobe Cream ($15-$30): I mix a few drops of this into my tinted moisturizer for extra glow.
4. MAC Bronzing Powder in Refined Golden ($23): This shimmery bronzer gives my fair skin just enough bronzey glow that’s believable, not fake. Note: This packaging is from the 2010 “To The Beach” collection, and is no longer available. Refined Golden is part of MAC’s permanent collection, so the bronzer itself is still available.
Keep reading for more products!
A few months ago, Shu Uemura ceased operating in the U.S., which means that no U.S. stores (like Sephora and Nordstrom) carry their revered eyelash curler anymore. I’ve been using that curler for more than a decade, and had just purchased a new one right before the announcement came that the brand was leaving the country. When I tried to purchase another this past weekend, I heard the news that Shu products are only available in Japan now. So if you are one of the countless women who loved the Shu eyelash curler and are now searching for a replacement, this post is for you.
Devoted fans of the curler can still order online (thank goodness!). I plan to do this in the future, but I needed a curler pronto, so I went with a recommendation from a super friendly Sephora associate, who said that the Shiseido Eyelash Curler ($19) was the next best thing to my beloved Shu.
“It’s not the same,” she warned, “but it’s pretty close. You’ll notice a difference, but it’s a good substitute.”
I picked it up and hoped for the best. Continue reading
Sometimes, even beauty mavens make mistakes. Last week, I reviewed Shiseido Mascara Base ($23), and I’m totally regretting every word I said.
When you are as obsessed with eyelashes as I am, the search for the holy grail of mascaras becomes a constant quest for something better, bigger and more glamorous. I crave the look of fake lashes, even when I’m just going to the gym. I was blessed with long, full lashes, but I’m always left wanting — needing — more. I literally cannot help but buy a tube of new mascara when it’s released, even though I have an arsenal of ones that work beautifully, and I’m almost disappointed with new purchases. It’s a vicious cycle of mascara addiction that was bound to leave me disillusioned.
That being said, I expected big things from Mascara Base. I felt a sense of relief when it was passed over the Shiseido counter into my hands. “Finally, the thing I’ve been waiting for all this time.” It’s hard for a product to live up to such high expectations.
I still stand by everything I said in my review last week. It was a horror the first few times I used it. Combined with mascara, it was clumpy, flaky and more Dracula than dramatic. But sometimes, there are cosmetics that take some getting used to, and are so worth the extra time it takes. I just didn’t know how to apply this stuff with my mascara. You really need to wipe off your mascara wand before layering it over the base, and combing out lashes is a necessity. Now that I’ve got the hang of using it, it’s STUNNING. Like, lashes beyond belief. I use this under Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill mascara, and the results are knockout, drop-dead gorgeous. My lashes look ridiculously long, thick, and full. I’ve been asked multiple times if I’m wearing false lashes. Plus, the Mascara Base holds the curl all day long without drooping, which heightens the impact.
Bottom line: I can’t live without it. You need Mascara Base.
Legendary makeup artist and Shiseido Makeup Artistic Director Dick Page has created a luminous, satiny fall line for the brand. The products seem inspired by the colors of autumn, built around rich goldens and plums.
Let’s start with the eyes. Luminizing Satin Eyecolor ($25) debuts in 15 shades, most rich with the colors of the season, in deep greens, slates and caramels. I can’t wait to get my hands on Perfect Mascara ($22), boasting a wand with a thick brush that promises dramatic volume, length, and curl.
The Natural Eyebrow Pencil ($20), available in 4 shades, looks like a keeper. The pencil can be sharpened to a point in your desired thickness, depending on the style of your brows. The brush on the other end is perfect for blending color into brows and diffusing hard lines that can make brows look drawn-on.
Perfect Rouge Lipstick ($25) comes in a palette of pinks, reds, and berries, and glides across lips effortlessly with its creamy, satiny formula. It’s the ultimate finish for a polished look.
Unfortunately, the skincare collection doesn’t hit shelves for another month, but it looks promising. The Translucent Loose Powder ($35) works on all skintones. Encapsulated Super HydroWrap Vitalizing DE (I have no idea what that is, but it sounds technical) and evening primrose oil hydrate skin, while the powder conceals oversized pores and uneven skin tone to provide a satiny-matte finish.
I’m going crazy over the Hydro-Liquid Compact, available in 11 shades, which blends deeply hydrating ingredients with light-reflecting powder to create a creamy face base that gives skin a flawless finish. It also provides daily sun protection with its SPF15 base. And it comes in a glossy black, tech-y-looking compact.
Items from the eye collection are available in stores now, and the full collection hits stores on September 1.
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