All posts tagged: japanese cosmetics

Quickie: Suqqu Quad in Ex-11 Sumiredama

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I have only a handful left of my Japanese makeup loot to show you guys and it’s quite sad. Weirdly enough, I have these intense cravings for makeup but I don’t really go out (or go online) and buy any of that. Is this maturity? In any case, this is one of my favorite purchases, the Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow in Ex-11 Sumiredama, or “Violet Pearl.” I got the translation from Kate’s review. When I got home, I noticed that the name is similar to the heroine’s of my favorite Haruki Murakami novel, Sputnik Sweetheart. She is called Sumire. Obviously, this was a delightful surprise. It seems like a pretty basic color selection, but with a couple of complex shades thrown into the mix. There’s a pearly cream, a shimmery pale peach-pink, a pretty metallic taupe-y color that has turquoise shifts, and a blue-purple duochrome that I just love to bits. The texture of the shadows is exceptional, though the application on the eyes really is quite sheerer than I’d like. The compact is quite …

Sample Stash Sunday: Addiction by Ayako Tinted Skin Protector

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For this week’s edition of Sample Stash Sunday, I have a little packet of Addiction’s Tinted Skin Protector in Tint No. 3. If you’ve just tuned in to this blog, Sample Stash Sunday is a sort of quick, first impressions type of review. It’s also a way for me to get through the numerous samples I’ve acquired, so win-win! The Tinted Skin Protector is basically a foundation that has a) great suns protection, and b) is a primer as well. It’s meant to protect the skin from drying and from UV rays, while also providing even coverage, even over pores. It’s also designed to be light, feel fresh, and wear long. It has: moisturizing ingredients “centifolia rose flower extract” combination. emollient ingredient “Rose hip oil” combination. no fragrance SPF 50/PA+++ So, this little packet right here contains 0.9ml worth of product. It doesn’t seem like a lot, and it didn’t feel like a lot. So, being a dumbass, I assumed it was tinted moisturizer (because I didn’t research before trying) good for one use and …

Let Addiction’s Cheek Stick in Revenge Help You Get Cheeky This Summer

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With this post, the Addiction train has finally come to the end. At least, for now. It’s crazy how much I bought from this counter on my trip and how I still feel like I missed out on some good shades or products. I don’t think it points to a hoarder mentality, necessarily—though of course a hoarder in denial would say that. Seriously, though, I think I’ve found another favorite brand. Funnily enough, NARS, which is where Ayako used to work with, has been one of my favorite brands even before I got makeup-crazy. 🙂 (Whoap, too bright!) LOL I am so sorry about the titles, but I just need to put something up there other than the name of the product and the shade. I mean, really. I HAVE TO. This is a cast-off title: Getting Cheeky with It. Get it? Will Smith? Ahem. So far, I’ve shown you the lipsticks and the lip crayon. I have only two more full-sized Addiction products to show you, and I got some samples of their tinted …

Going on a Midnight Drive for Fudge is Always A Good Idea: A Quick Look at Addiction Eyeshadows

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All of the products I’ve tried from Addiction have been excellent, and these shadows are no exception. I got two very different shades. Midnight Drive was a surprise for me. I don’t know why I purchased it, or why I even swatched it. I do not really wear a lot of “bold” colors. Though this is technically a light color, it is still a bold one for me, in that it’s out of my comfort zone. Midnight Drive is a super-pale grey-toned seafoam green with a hint of a shimmer. It is not very “me,” but it felt “right” to get. If that makes sense. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. The next one I got was Fudge, which is a warm medium copper-y brown. Again, I saw this somewhere and wanted it. So I got it. The texture on this one is impeccable. It is silky-smooth and butter-y, and is extremely pigmented as well. Swatches, L-R: Addiction Fudge, Addiction Midnight Drive The texture of Fudge reminded me so much of the shu …

Big in Japan: Drugstore Finds Part III

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Welcome to the third installment of my Japanese drugstore “haul”! So far, I think I’ve shown four products in each post, and I have four (sort of) to show you today. I haven’t actually opened one of them yet (you’ll see why), so it’s just going to be a peek at it. Anyway, let’s start! Here is my face that looks like it is shaped like an egg: Media Creamy Lasting Lipstick in PK-20 Ah, the last tube of my drugstore lipsticks. This purchase was really sort of like an afterthought, and although it is a good lipstick, I kind of wish I got one more Lavshuca instead (see here). These are almost half the price of those at ¥895 or about $9. PK-20 is a dusty pink with no shimmer, which is quite unusual for Japanese drugstore lipsticks, at least from what I observed from my excessive swatching. The tube is a bit flimsy. It reminds me of the way my Avon lipsticks felt in my hand, kind of like the pieces don’t really …

Draw on a pretty pout with Addiction’s Lip Crayon in Day Trip

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I originally had my eye on three lip crayons. Aside from Day Trip, I wanted to get Spy Pink and Endlessly, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to get more than one Lip Crayon (like a dumb ass) so I ended up with what I think is a happy medium. Day Trip is a muted coral beige (in my opinion). It’s a light brown, but very warm with a tiny bit coral. I swatched this together with Spy Pink, which is a pale pink, and Endlessly, which is a pretty straight-up nude. This felt like it would suit my skin tone better, so I went with this. These remind me a lot of the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, but they did away with the hassle of sharpening. Addiction Lip Crayons come in a plastic, twist-up tube for easy application. My experience with both have been similar, in that they are not drying on the lips at the time of application. I find that NARS VMLPs tend to dry up a bit while you …

Quickie: A Love Affair with shu uemura Eyeshadow in ME medium brown 885

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Okay. Where do I begin? I’m sure this appears to be just an unassuming shimmery, medium brown eyeshadow, but of course, it is actually pretty magical. I bought this while looking for things to check out in Japan. Glossed in Translation featured a look that had this gorgeous color on her eyes. I bought it right away because I am impulsive and you can’t really go wrong with browns/neutrals anyway. I waited about a week before I popped this baby open (because I needed to take a pristine~ picture before using it) and holy cow, is it buttery. I find that shu uemura eyeshadows have the rare ability to make me roll my eyes up in pleasure when I touch them. It’s quite disgusting to think about and is really quite sad, but they are truly marvelous things. Swatch: shu uemura eyeshadow in ME medium brown 885 “ME” refers to the finish, which is metallic, which I don’t normally like or gravitate towards, but this is a beautiful exception. As you can see, it has …