Shiseido Strata BR 307 Luminizing Satin Eye Color Trio

As you can see in the pictures, I tore into the new Shiseido Strata BR 307 Luminizing Satin Eye Color Trio as soon as I got it, before taking photos and swatching. It was so silky and easy to wear I just couldn't wait. The set has quickly become part of my regular rotation because it's such a basic and classic combination that goes everywhere and doesn't require any effort or too much thought- it's August, after all and I've been keeping some atrocious hours, not to mention my two year old niece is visiting. So elaborate makeup has been out of the question lately.

The simple sophistication of these Shiseido colors has been perfect. The Luminizing Satinn eye shadows have the smoothest possible texture. They blend like cream, so they are essentially mistake proof (important when you do your makeup at 4 AM). The pigments are rich, so even the lightest color in the trio shows up nicely and gives good highlighting. Strata (BR 307) is mostly in the neutral brown range, and while there are gold undertones, on my skin it's not too yellow- even the middle color. You can also see photos and swatches on a different skin color by Christine of Temptalia here. They look good on sunny summer days, but would also go well with fall wardrobes, making this trio very useful and an excellent choice for the season.

Bottom Line: a staple.

Shiseido Strata BR 307 Luminizing Satin Eye Color Trio ($33) is available from most decent department stores as well as from Sephora.

All photos are mine.

Shiseido Ocean Summer- Red Triton Lipstick (RD 630) and Rainbow Lip Gloss (SV 809)

As promised, here are the two lip products from Shiseido Ocean Summer 2010 collection. Perfect Rouge lipstick in Red Triton RD 630 is a beautiful rich color that has been functioning lately as my everyday red. It looks warmer in the tube, so I was surprised to discover that it's actually quite rosy. The lipstick is very pigmented and darker than you'd expect from a summer color, which makes it a great day-to-night item.

Shiseido Perfect Rouge lipsticks tend to be on the dry side, and Red Triton is no exception. I usually top them with a gloss, so the new Luminizing Lip Gloss in Rainbow (SV 809)- a clear shimmery little thing- was just what I wanted. The gloss has a wonderful gel-like texture. It's not sticky at all, feels rich and moisturizing and has a lasting nourishing effect on the lips. I love the lacquered finish and the way it transforms the lipstick and makes it very glamorous. I don't love the glitter. It's very fine, but still quite noticeable and I'm just not a glitter person. The shimmery particles remain on the lips after the gloss itself wears off, which is another thing I could live without.

By the way, this is a red triton:

Shiseido Ocean Summer Red Triton Lipstick ($25) and Luminizing Lip Gloss in Rainbow ($22) are available from most department stores as well as from Sephora. Mine were purchased at Nordstrom online.

Shiseido makeup and swatch photos are all by me. Red triton photo by Richard Ling.

Shiseido Ocean Summer Collection- Smoothing Eyeliner Pencil Black Sand (BK904)

The limited edition Ocean Summer collection is the most exciting release we had from Shiseido in quite some time. Makeup Artistic Director Dick Page has put together a line of deceivingly low-key colors that create an almost sheer summery look that accentuate lips and eyes with just the right amount of drama. While I passed on the gold eye shadow (I already have enough of them) and the bronzer (ditto), I had to have Black Sand (BK 904), the limited edition eyeliner pencil and also the lip products that I'll show you tomorrow.

A quick rummage through my makeup drawers revealed I don't own any other Shiseido eyeliner, and that's going to change soon because I'm very happy and impressed with the Smoothing Eyeliner Pencil's performance. It's soft enough to glide easily without pulling the lid, which is a major consideration for me. The line can be drawn thin or thick and smudged with the sponge tip on the other end of the pencil. Smudging doesn't dilute or fade the rich pigment which stays in place over a lid primer for as long as you need it. I've worn the eyeliner throughout a couple of hot and humid days with several outdoor forays and it didn't budge until I removed it at night. An accidental eye rubbing didn't do much damage, either.

Black Sand is a gorgeous almost black color with a hint of dark olive green and fine gold shimmer. It can be the focus of a dramatic evening look if applied heavily and smudged into a smoky look, but the mellow not-quite black is also very daytime appropriate because it lacks the harshness of a true black. I can't think of anyone who can't pull it off, it's really that easy and flattering.

Bottom line: I wish Black Sand would become part of the regular line.

Shiseido Smoothing Eyeliner Pencil ($20) and the rest of the 2010 Ocean Summer Collection is available from Sephora and most decent department stores, including online.

All photos are mine.

Shiseido The Skincare Gentle Cleansing Cream

Shiseido is one of my go-to skin care brands and one I often recommend when asked for advice. I like their eye  creams and the White Lucent range and always count on them for performance. That's why I find the Gentle Cleansing Cream so odd. They promise a lot- a cleanser that works with or without water to remove makeup and impurities. Only it doesn't.

Maybe my primers have superpowers, but if other cleansers and wipes can take care of a full face of makeup, Shiseido's Gentle Cream should be able to do it, too. Yet, no matter if I use it wet or dry, about half the makeup (foundation, blush, powder) just smudges and smears, so I must follow up with a better cleanser rendering the Shiseido utterly pointless. I've tested it with three sample tubes from different sources (including one from the Salon du Palais royal Shiseido in Paris), always with the same results. It might be a nice product for morning cleansing, when you don't have any makeup on (I hope), but even I'm not so high maintenance to require a morning and an evening cleanser.

Bottom line: Not for me.

Shiseido The Skincare Gentle Cleansing Cream ($30, 4.3oz) is available from most department stores. Nordstrom is quite generous with samples.

Image: vintage Pond ad from paperpursuits.com

Shiseido Perfect Rouge Lipstick (RS711 Venetian Rose)

I was shopping in the city, testing several new makeup items and got my eye makeup done somewhere using some really intense colors when I realized my lip color didn't match and none of the lipsticks or glosses I was carrying seemed right. I was already heading to Barneys, so I stopped at the first makeup counter that caught my eye for a quick fix. That was how I discovered Venetian Rose from Shiseido Perfect Rouge line.

I tried it on and it was perfect: a cool rose that altered my natural color just enough so it didn't clash with my eye makeup. The pigment was intense and provided full coverage, and while it's a shade or two lighter than my normal rosy lipsticks, it is not so pale as to look weird. It looks quite natural, actually, which was the whole point that day.

Venetian Rose (RS 711) has a creamy finish and a moisturizing feeling even on a cold November day. Looking at the mirror and admiring the color, I realized I had nothing quite similar in my ever-expanding stash, so it went home with me. It was a really good choice as discovered later that day, since the lipstick stayed on for several hours with no need to reapply (it was already after lunch. The color survives a quick drink but not a full meal).

Shiseido Perfect Rouge lipsticks ($25) are available from most decent department stores as well as from Sephora.

Photos by me.

Shiseido Maquillage Lip Essence EX

Every cosmetics user knows the agony of losing a favorite product to the big discontinued beauty counter in the sky. Sometimes (more often than not, actually) everything turns out all right, since companies tend to offer new products and better formulas. But sometimes a products just goes away, leaving us with a gaping hole in our beauty arsenal.

Smooch from Benefit Cosmetics was a weird little thing: a thin, watery, non-balmy lip treatment that performed miracles on chapped lips. I've gone through many tubes of this white runny substance and stocked up when realized it was being discontinued. But my stash has been running low and I started looking earnestly for a good alternative. While I haven't found an exact match, Shiseido Maquillage Lip Essence EX is the closest I've gotten so far.

Shiseido Maquillage Lip Essence EX is considerably greasier than Smooch, but still thin and not sticky (at all). It comforts and heals distressed lips, adding a light shiny coat that transforms a miserable look into a happy, healthy one. It also makes pretty but too dry lipsticks much more comfortable to wear, which saved several tubes in my collection from a back of the closet oblivion.

Maquillage is a mass market brand by Shiseido which, unfortunately, is only sold in Asia. The internet is a beautiful, beautiful thing and allows us to buy good stuff not available in our stores. Shiseido Maquillage Lip Essence EX (around $30) is available from various websites specializing in Japanese cosmetics. Google, as always, is our friend.

Photo by me.

Shiseido Maquillage Full Vision Mascara

I simply had to order the Shiseido Maquillage Full Vision Mascara. The delicate curved brush looked very promising for achieving maximum length and curl, and it didn't disappoint in this regard. The brush is very thin and reaches everywhere- I've gotten used to thicker mascara brushes that don't do much for the lash base. Maquillage Full Vision is definitely a high performer in this aspect, and the super glossy black color is quite impressive.

The issue started a while later with minor flaking and dotting. It wasn't too bad and I was willing to live with that as a 4-hour evening mascara. However, removing it was quite disastrous. my eyes aren't very sensitive and I've never experienced issues with any other mascara, but this Maquillage product just burned. Badly.

I rinsed my eyes with Visine and it was fine after a minute or so. Since I'm insane, I gave it another try, just to make sure the culprit was not my eye makeup remover. The results were the same no matter what I used: Lancome Bi-Facil, Almay pads and Liz Earle cleanser. The other eye makeup items I had on during all the testing were my usual staples- Urban Decay Primer Potion and Bobbi Brown eyeliner and eye shadows.

Half a bottle of Visine later, I've given up on the Full Vision mascara. It's too bad, because I loved the way it held the curl.

Shiseido Maquillage Full Vision Mascara is available from various sites specializing in Japanese and Asian cosmetics. I paid around $38, if I remember correctly.

All photos by me.

Shiseido Maquillage Perfect Gloss

Reading beauty blogs from all over the world is both educating and expensive. That's how I learned about Asia-exclusive brands and lines, and started a little quest to discover and obtain some of the gems. All I can say is that the internet is a wonderful, wonderful thing.

Maquillage is a Shiseido line that is quite fashion-forward and not available in the USA. I have no idea why, other than the fact that our market is pretty saturated already, and it's rather expensive to launch and do the necessary marketing. Still, everything I've tried so far from them has proven to be high quality and very nice.

Maquillage has been known to collaborate with fashion designers for the seasonal collections. Last year it was Christopher Kane, and fall 2009 was created with Alexander Wang. I bought (more on that below) the Perfect Gloss in RS587, a rich plum with red shimmer. The color is beautiful, of course, but there are also other factors that make this gloss a huge winner. First, the applicator. It's a thin and super flexible sponge wand that is light and very gentle. Second, the texture- not sticky, very light and still highly pigmented. Some of the shimmer and color even survive a drink.

Now, since Shiseido isn't offering Maquillage here in the USA, one can only buy it online, through websites specializing in international cosmetics sales. Thankfully, they take PayPal, so I didn't hesitate to make my first purchase, and discovered the service was excellent and very reliable. The ones with whom I'm familiar are http://ichibankao.com/ and http://www.adambeauty.com/.

Bottom line: Worth the trouble.

Photos: Mine.

Shiseido Feminite du Bois (Original 1992 Version)

1992 was an important year in the perfume world. It saw the launch of several fragrances that shaped the following decades in terms of trends and expectations. On one side of the arena there was Angel, the gourmand beast. Women decided that to smell "yummy" means bathing in this stuff. The world held its breath and not in a good way. Then there was L'Eau D'Issey, that re-defined "clean "with its fresh marine notes and what is probably the most evil aromachemical to ever be created: Calone. Both spawned too many clones and imitators, each one more barfalicious than the predecessors.



In his own corner of the world, Serge Lutens was embarking on a new adventure. Ten years after his legendary Nombre Noir, he created a new scent that would influence and define quality perfume, even if its sales would never compete with Thierry Mugler's Angel.

Feminite du Bois is a dark and thick jammy wood, infused with enough honey and spice for a Christmas fruitcake (clove, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin), while somehow avoiding the foody trap. It's the father (mother?) of the Bois series that launched later that year under Lutens own brand (backed by Shiseido, as it remains to this day) and explored the concept of sweet wood with other iconic notes (violet, dried fruit, musc and others). While the notes in Feminite du Bois are quite identifiable and it's easy to just label it "plum and ceder", none of it explains the mystery spell that happen on the skin of those who do not hate cumin categorically.

I can't deal with either Serge Noire or Arabie, but the cumin in Feminite du Bois is not necessarily here to mimic human and animal sweat. It actually makes sense to have cumin in this blend for balance. If you tend to run for the hills from cumin, you might still enjoy the pure parfum concentration. I've heard many opinions, but it looks like most agree that the extrait has less cumin and more plum with a heavier woody (and ISO Super E on all its pencil shavings glory) base. I love both and enjoy layering them for full effect.

Shiseido no longer makes Feminite du Bois under the original brand. Instead, it is now an EDP in Uncle Serge's export range, in the familiar rectangular bottle and the Lutens price tag. The formula has changed to accommodate the availability of raw materials, but it's fully recognizable as FdB and is still a very good perfume, though I only tried it briefly a couple of times. The old Shiseido bottles in various concentrations can be easily found online for a very reasonable price (as always, Google is your friend), and samples can be obtained through the usual suspects: The Perfumed Court, The Posh Peasant and Rei Rien.

Art: Silent Groove by Nakisa Seika
Feminite du Bois perfume ad: okadi.com

Shiseido Eye Shadow Luminizing Satin Eye Color

The new Shiseido Luminizing Satin Eye Color, single eye shadows, have a wonderful silky texture and a satin finish. They feel luxurious and the colors have a distinct modern appeal, which isn't surprising- they were designed by Shiseido creative director and makeup guru Dick Page.

I chose two colors that I thought would round my collection a bit: GD810 Bullion, a dirty gold, and VI704 Provence, a lavender. The latter is the color you see on most web site selling this range, as it's bright and dramatic in the pan. The surprise came when I started wearing Provence and discovered it looks much lighter on the lid and needs to be piled up to really show (I had to work it hard for the swatches, which is why they look a bit weird and dry- it's about five or six coats). It actually has a brightening, eye-opening effect on my skin, so I blend it with mauve or gray.

Bullion is very warm, just as you'd expect from a gold eye shadow. I blend it with bronze and browns and it's nice, even if I'm not utterly in love with it.

Bottom line: great texture, beautiful colors. I should have gotten it in taupe.

Shiseido Luminizing Satin Eye Color ($25 each) is available from Sephora and any decent department store.

All photos are mine.

Eye Creams That Work: Shiseido, MenScience, DHC and Cures

While none of these eye creams can replace sleep, good genes or a plastic surgeon, they feel good and do a decent job calming, de-puffing and moisturizing the eye area and making one look just a little more alive.

MenScience Eye Rescue Formula
The husband picked it for himself a couple of months ago and I've been sneaking some on a semi-regular basis (in the name of research, of course). He finds it a bit heavy and prefers to use it at night, I like it for morning just as well. Rich in hyaluronic acid, vitamins and antioxidants, this MenScience cream does a good job reviving the under eye area. It absorbs fast enough that I can follow up with my eye makeup.
$37 for 0.75 oz on menscience.com, many department stores and New London Pharmacy in NYC

Shiseido The Skincare Eye Revitalizer
I went through two tubes of this eye cream a year or two before starting this blog. I used it faithfully until the winter of the following year, when I felt the need for a richer cream. I got a small tube of it recently as a GWP and started using it again. I definitely remember why I loved it so much, as it's quite effective on tired eyes.
$40 for 0.53 oz at Sephora and most department stores.

DHC Q10 Eye Cream
Full of good stuff from olive oil and aloe leaf juice to retinyl palmitate, this was an unexpected surprise. I've accumulated enough samples to give this DHC product a good try. I'm not too crazy about most of this line (probably has something to do with an over-drying mask), but the Q10 eye cream feels rich and pleasant, and made the skin look smoother.
$24.00 for 0.88 oz on dhccare.com

Cures Age Defyer Eye
I wasn't familiar with the brand, Cures by Avance, so had no expectations when I received the Age Defyer as part of the most recent BeautyFix box. I can't say it performs the miracles promised, but then again, I'm not quite wrinkly just yet. What I can say is the skin feels fresh and smooth and the cream is calming and nourishing, which is what I expect from a good eye product.
$50 0.5 oz on curesbyavance.com

Image: kitschy-kitschy-coo.com

Shiseido Eye Shadow Quad- Rose Tones

Even someone with a general pink aversion can use a little bit of the questionable color as both a pick-me-up and to add a little life to a makeup look. It's all about matching colors and blending. A fabulous texture doesn't hurt, either.

Shiseido Eye Shadow Quad in Rose Tones successfully pairs two pink shadows: a very light one and a bright azalea pink with mauve and a dark dusty eggplant. The light pink has fast become my favorite highlighter, as unlike 90% shadows in this category it actually does the work on my weird skin color and gives just the right amount of brightening. It doesn't shows as very pink when applied, which is a good thing, but it gives the coveted "alive and awake" look.

The mauve is my go-to color for an easy daytime makeup, and with a touch of the eggplant as a liner, the look is soft and pretty. Mauves and purples can be tricky on certain complexions and create a bruise effect, so beware, especially if you're very fair. But most olive skin tones can pull it off, and then carefully add a little of the brighter pink (and blend well! the pigment is rich and strong) to bring more life into the mix. The shadows have the most delicate sheen/shimmer. They're not shiny or metallic, just very bright.

The texture of these shadows is superfine and silky. It lends to easy blending and application, just be sure to use a very soft brush, as it tends to somewhat crumble in the pan. A primer is non-negotiable. It will make the eye shadows stay on all day (including in humid NYC) and look better. I tested with and without a primer and the difference was significance, so it's worth the extra 30 seconds to get it right. I use the Sephora Brand Professional Platinum brushes, but any good, soft brush would do.

Shiseido 'The Makeup' Eye Shadow Quad ($36.50) is available at the better department stores as well as from Sephora. Mine was a gift from a friend.

Shiseido Perfect Rouge And Paula Dorf Sheer Tint- Rose Colored Lips

My choice for a fun spring lip color that does not evoke Barbie is dark rose. These two lipstick, Paula Dorf Sheer Tint in Havana and Shiseido Perfect Rouge in Rose Bronze (RS 799) have a similar pigment but a different texture.

The Paula Dorf one is a perfect daytime rose, feels very comfortable and moisturizing. The SPF 15 is a nice bonus. Shiseido Rose Bronze (the color is a Nordstrom exclusive) has a metallic finish and is elegant enough for evening. Like many metallic lipsticks, it requires a perfect canvas, so always exfoliate before using it. I also dab a little lip balm underneath, to keep the color out of the little scar on my bottom lip. Filling the lip surface with a lip pencil also helps with that task. Naturally, Perefct Rouge has a better lasting power.

Speaking of lip liners, the one I use with both lipsticks (and with many others, actually) is Shiseido Automatic Lip Crayon in LC6. It's a thick pencil, in the loveliest rose color that blends with my natural lip. The creamy texture is absolute perfection and is fast becoming a holy grail product.

Paula Dorf Lip Color Sheer Tint ($21) is available from PaulaDorf.com, which is where I bought it. Shiseido Automatic Lip Crayon in LC6 ($23) is available from Sephora and most fine department stores. Perfect Rouge in Rose Bronze ($25) is a Nordstrom exclusive. Both Shiseido products were a gift from a fabulous friend.

Both photos are mine. Apologies for the lack of cats in them.

Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Moisturizing Cream

Unlike Buffy (in the picture above), who is always white and glowing, my main skin care concern is brightening and fighting sun damage.

I picked the Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Moisturizing Cream on a whim, just because it looked promising and I wanted a change in my skin care routine (one doesn't become a beauty blogger without the endless curiosity about products and a minimal attention span). This is a rich product and contains vitamin C and some other brightening agent, so I incorporated it into my regimen by dropping my regular vitamin C serum and using the cream only at night while continuing to use my regular moisturizer (which is quite an over achiever by itself) every morning.

After over two months of use and nearly finishing the jar, I can happily say that White Lucent Brightening Moisturizing Cream is an impressive and effective product. It doesn't perform miracles and the leftover sun spots/freckles on my left cheek haven't vanished, but it brought them down another notch while the overall texture and color of my face has improved, including some pore minimizing.

The cream is quite heavy, and at first I was worried it was a bit too greasy, but I've realized that if I apply it before brushing my teeth, by the time the electric brush stops buzzing almost all traces of the White Lucent are already absorbed. By morning there's absolutely no oiliness, and my skin looks happy, though ready for its day cream.

I'm so satisfied with the results that I'm about to not just repurchase, but also give the serum from this line a chance and see how it goes. The nice thing about the White Lucent line is that they also offer a lighter version in the form of a moisturizing gel, which would be great for summer (and for those of you with oilier skin). Word of caution for the sensitive and allergy prone: the cream is (very nicely) scented.

Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Moisturizing Cream ($54, 1.4 oz) is available from most decent department stores and at Sephora, which is where I bought mine.

photo and cat are both mine

Smooth

August is all about survival. Heat, humidity and crappy TV are trying to do us in. Saving face gets a new meaning during a season which makes some of our makeup staples cry. I don't know about you, but putting on a silicone-based face primer doesn't feel that great to me right now. Neither does foundation. Still, in order to look perfectly put together, one needs a little help in the even-things-out department.

This is when Shiseido Smoothing Veil saves the day. It's an intriguing concept: A white primer/foundation in the tub, colorless on the face and somehow gets your skin to look smooth and even. It doesn't cover up serious imperfections; You still need your concealer for that job. But, everything else gets that healthy skin finish. It's a good primer which holds whatever makeup I apply on top very nicely (and helps it last). The SPF 16 is a great bonus, as it saves me piling on another layer of product.

I can't say much about the fine line diminishing claim. I don't have much to diminish there, and generally, I'm quite skeptical about such things. But, since overall skin appearance is smoother, fine lines may be less visible.