My Latest Addiction (pun intended)

I go through phases with makeup. One day, I feel the need to own every nude lipsticks ever made, and the next day,  I'm tracking down every limited edition peach pink blushers (with cute embossing) ever released. The same lack of commitment holds true when it comes to powder and cream products. Hence, my owning seven cream/liquid cheek products in one order. In my defense, I was going through a dry skin phase from being too adventurous with trying out different chemical peels -- in the colder months.

Addiction is a Japanese brand founded by Ayako, who many know is the former NARS creative director. Apart from a few bold blush color similarities between both brands, there really isn't a whole lot of overlap. Addiction focuses mainly on more sheer and shimmery delivery, whereas NARS really hones in on the bold and pigmented.

Day 10: Kose Visee Blend Color Cheeks Blush OR-6

Once again, Japanese cosmetics knock it out of the park with packaging! My first Visee cheek product kindly gifted from a dear friend -- which I'm embarrassed to say will be untouched for a bit longer.

Day 1: Les Merveilleuses Laduree Face Color Duo

Happy New Year, lovelies!

The last couple of months have been an extremely busy time for me. Coupled with the very little amount of sunlight I saw, I didn't want to post a review with less than mediocre swatches.That said, I will be attempting to post more regularly come the New Year, so please bear with me.

To make up for my absence, I thought this blog would serve as an extension for an Instagram challenge I am doing with a few other beauty addicts called the #30dayuntouchables (or #30dayofpretties, however you want to call it). For the entire month of January or however long it takes to complete the challenge, we basically showcase a product that we had previously purchased or received that we have never used prior to the start of 2015, whether it be intentional or unintentional -- it's usually the latter.

Note: product may or may not be used once featured. (Hey, I never denied the fact that I'm a makeup collector turned hoarder.)

Wanting to start the New Year on a red note, it's only appropriate I show you Les Merveilleuses Laduree Face Color Duo, which was limited edition for Autumn 2014. However, it is still available on various sites like Ichibankao and Imomoko. It is indeed a blush and highlighter in one, and if it's like any of the other Laduree cheek products, the color should translate more sheerly onto the cheeks. It might take me a while before I finally use this, because the beautiful design does disappear upon first use. I think I'll continue admiring its beauty for the time being :)

***If you're not already following me on Instagram, please do: @Fenztastic

Elegance Paris: A comprehensive look

 Ever since I picked up and reviewed Elegance Paris' Nouvelle Eyes in 02 (here), I couldn't get the brand out of my mind. I find myself perusing the Elegance section on Ichibankao from time to time and thought there was no better time to splurge on more Elegance pretties than during my birthday month.

Radiance Quartet BR400 (8,650 yen)
I first heard about these Radiance Quartet powders from a favorite beauty blogger of mine, Beauty Gypsy. Apparently these are under Elegance's "other series" category, and thus, are more exclusive (but still part of the permanent line.) In short, they are a blush and highlighter in one compact. These come in three flavors: pink, orange, and brown. My knee jerk reaction would have been to snatch the orange one, but the rational side of me stepped in last minute telling me I didn't need any more orange blushers. Hence, the brown one.

In the pan, it seems like it would be more of a bronzer, and some skintones may be able to pull this off as a bronzer. On me, it's too warm and has too much of an orange undertone. Instead, I prefer swirling a brush into the three shades on the left to give a glowy, nude blush that pairs extremely well with a smoky eye -- or just for some subtle definition when I'm not contouring. One can concentrate on the different stripes depending on their skintones and/or preferences. The powder is very finely-milled and blends effortlessly. It stays on beautifully and lasting the entire day on my skin with just the hint of fading by the 10-hour mark. There is a very noticeable scent, however, and it finally occurred to me that the scent is similar to that of Les Merveilleuses Laduree products.

Bottomline: truly one of the standout products from the line.

Poudre Haute Nuance 01 (13,000 yen)
Multi-colored face powder is my kryptonite, and Elegance just delivers them so elegantly (pun intended) making them hard to resist. 01-03 are more mattifying, whereas 04 and 05 are more luminous in finish. One of the drawbacks to ordering online is not having a feel for them beforehand -- how they apply, which one is more suited for certain skintones, etc. I chose 01, since I thought it would be the more universal shade, much like the Meteorites, but I was wrong. This is best suited for fair to light folks, as it can look very obvious if I overapply, which is quite easy since it is more on the powdery side. There is also a light floral scent to this powder.

Is it mattifying? Yes, but not as mattifying as the Guerlain Meteorites compact pressed powder, and certainly nowhere close to how loose powders perform. I have tried this as a finishing powder, and I find that it works well for that purpose too. Maybe my views on this would have been different had I picked the right shade, but in my opinion, I don't think this is a must have by any means. That said, I do hope to try one of the more luminous shade options in the future.

Nouvelle Eyes 01, 11, 12 (7,400 yen)
Onto the more noteworthy show stoppers of Elegance's lineup (figuratively and literally speaking): The Nouvelle Eyes quad. I have yet to find another eyeshadow quad that rivals its design and bling. (Swatches of each quad can be found after the individual reviews.)

01: (permanent) This quad reminds me of Suqqu's EX-12 Hisuidama meets Tom Ford adult glitter shadow. All four colors are unbelievably smooth and just apply easily with no fallout at all! Some may say that this is the most sheer quads of them all, but sheerness is such a subjective term these days. None of the Elegance quads I own are richly pigmented by any stretch of the imagination. They are, however, buildable and softly pigmented, so it all boils down to a matter of preference. There are no mattes in the quads -- only glitter, shimmer, and more glitter. Since the glitter is so refined, I can definitely say it's daytime and work appropriate. Probably one of my favorite quads, this is a must if you are fans of Tom Ford glitter but with the complexity of Suqqu shadows.

11: (LE) I was most excited for the navy blue shade of this quad, but ultimately, this is a palette I know I won't be getting too much use out of. To start, it is too cool-toned for me, and secondly, the navy blue just translates as a satin black with zero dimension -- only unevenness and patchiness upon application. I do think that this palette is more suited for those who are looking for minimal shimmer and sparkle on their eyes. The gray does lean blue on my lids, so if you are someone who has a difficult time pulling off grays for the same reason, you may want to make a note of that. For me, this palette is a dud since I'll eventually be reaching for the taupe and ivory-champagne shades of the four.

12: (LE) What drew me to 12 was the unique color combination of cool and warm tones. One can technically get two eye looks from this one palette alone by drawing a horizontal line dividing the top two shades from the bottom two. Thankfully, this fared better than #11, and the three lighter colors are more pigmented. The black forest green is not as smooth as I had hoped, but it is still gorgeous nonetheless with the noticeable gold glitter. Unlike the previous two quads, I find that I can achieve a full look with all four colors, since the top right hand shade actually  makes for a nice transition (or even crease) color. I do think this is one that's worth owning, and I particularly like mixing the two different tones to give a more polished look.

(Swatches in clockwise order over bare skin)

Just like all the other makeup brands out there, there are bound to be hits and misses. Elegance Paris is no exception, though the line will always excel in packaging -- which undeniably will keep me coming back for more. The pricepoint for Elegance products definitely reflects the shiny golden packaging, but I do wish there's more substantial weight to the compacts (which are made of plastic.) I plan on trying the blushers and lipsticks next, but seeing how they are permanent, I can hold off on them for a while. I do strongly recommend checking the products out in person, if possible, since the "swatches" both from the Elegance Paris official website and from Ichibankao can be a bit misleading.

Please note that the prices listed are what Ichibankao charges. You may find them at lower prices (read: in Japan), but I have yet to see Elegance sold online elsewhere.

Jill Stuart Velvet Crystal Eyes 01 Nudy Venus

There was a time when I felt the need to own every single Jill Stuart quad she has ever released. Now that I'm older (and, hopefully, wiser), I find it an impractical goal. I can't pull off shadows chock full of glitter on a daily basis, and her shadows are known to pack quite the shimmer and glitter particles, while still being slightly on the sheer side at times. Don't get me wrong, they're still gorgeous and perfect for nights out -- not so much for an everyday conservative work place.

That said, Jill Stuart recently launched a Velvet Crystal Eyes line, which is such a nice departure from her former Jewel Crystal Eyes and Illuminance Eyes quads. The shadows are more pigmented (compared to other Japanese eyeshadows) and just overall smoother in texture. The best part of it all? She's finally incorporated satin finish shadows in the midst of shimmery shades in these, as opposed to her older quads, where all four shades contained glitter. It's still difficult to achieve a full look look with the current layout, methinks, but it's doable if need be.

Wanting to play it safe, I stuck to my comfort zone of neutrals and opted for 01 Nudy Venus. The colors are straightforward with one satin brow bone highlight/all over base shade, two shimmery lid shade options, and one shimmery shade perfect for lining or the outer-V. The eye looks one can come up with with this palette alone is limited, but it has all the shades I need for an everyday, quick, and fuss-free look. I previously used the included applicators to apply the shadows as they ran more sheerly, but with the new formula, the applicators are rather useless.

(From top to bottom):
-Shade 1: Shimmery dark chocolate brown with a handful of glitter particles that do not translate when applied
-Shade 2: Shimmery, metallic beige-champagne that is probably the smoothest shade of the four
-Shade 3: Shimmery, slightly metallic pink-champagne
-Shade 4: Satin ivory white that -- more or less -- disappears on my NC20ish skin

With the new quads come a couple of changes. The first and most noticeable is the design of the palette. I personally find it more simple in design, though bulkier and certainly heavier than her other quads. Now, Jill Stuart listed her new quad as containing 8 grams of product, as opposed to the former 6 grams. The size of the pans look the same to me, and the new palettes seem to actually contain less product to me, so I'm not sure where exactly the weight discrepancy comes from.

Quality and performance-wise, I'm happy to say that these stack up to Jill Stuart's past offerings. With primer, these stay put for at least a good ten hours. Without primer, I suspect they still run on the sheer side. The shadows themselves do have the traditional floral scent that is common in her products, so do make note of that if you are one who are sensitive to fragrances (in eyeshadows, especially.)

I couldn't be any happier with the launch of the Velvet Crystal Eyes line, and I do intend on picking up her limited edition palettes, as the color schemes are more unique than the current permanent range. The price of a palette ranges anywhere from $55-$70, depending on the website you order from.

Les Merveilleuses Laduree Face Color Rose Laduree 02

If I could own every single product ever released from one Japanese brand, it would have to be from the brand Laduree. It goes without saying that they know packaging -- very well at that! Along with fancy packaging, sometimes, comes compromised quality, but I must say that Laduree shines in the quality department too.

I had been lusting over the famous rose petal blushers for as long as I can remember, but being from the states, the full set (blush and pot) runs anywhere from $136 to $170 -- depending on whether or not there's a sale going on. Still, it's a price that I can't stomach, so I couldn't be more grateful to have received this as an early birthday gift all the way from France!

Laduree had released many limited edition colors of these blushers, but I stuck to one of the three colors from the permanent range: 02 (brighter warm pink.) 01 is a lighter baby pink, which I know will barely show up on my NC25-NC30 skin tone, whereas 03 is a warm brown -- I couldn't think of anything less attractive than brown rose petals sitting on my vanity.

The blush is a DIY in of itself. The rose petals/blush itself comes in a refill form in a plastic case and wrapped in a silk drawstring bag. The plastic pot with the Marie Antoinette-ish locket must be purchased separately. Laduree advised to only transfer half of the petals into the pot, but let's face it, ain't nobody got time for that. Besides, I like seeing my pot filled to the brim with petals than seeing it half empty.

What exactly are these petals? In short, they are blush-coated sheets of paper, which had been cut in the shape of flower petals. Now why didn't I think of that? Some petals have pale yellow to yellow centers which give the blusher the glowy and slightly highlighted effect. It is next to impossible to solely pick up said center shade to use strictly as a highlighter though; I've tried on many occasions only to give up in frustration each time.

Delicate? Indeed! However, I was surprised to see that it is very easy to pick up product with a natural-haired brush with just a few swipes across the petals. Laduree specifically designed a goat-haired, plastic handled cheek brush to use with this product, but I wasn't in the market for another $100+ brush.

Instead, I found that my Kose Addiction Natural Veil brush works just as well in grabbing the right amount of pigment, as you can see from the product on the bristles. Again, any natural hair, pointed, densely packed bristles of a brush in your collection will do, since the pigment isn't pressed too tightly onto the petals.

On my cheeks, it gives a healthy subtle warm pink glow. I can continue to build the color intensity to give a more flushed look if I really wanted to, but I prefer my blush to be on the more subtle side. 02 is a shade I can see light to medium (and possibly tan) folks wearing as a blush. Any darker, and the color may not show up too much.

I have worn the blusher for more than twelve hours before, and the color held up quite nicely in the humidity without any signs of oxidation nor fading! That alone has me looking into the other rose petals that Laduree offers. Ehm... the mini versions of the blushers, that is. The petals also have the distinct Laduree scent, which I can only describe as a "mature woman" scent: think powder meets floral (rose.) If you are sensitive to heavily fragranced products, do note that the scent lingers longer than usual on the cheeks. In fact, I can still detect it after I had removed the swatch from my hand!

The question that many are probably wondering is whether or not the product itself warrants the exorbitant price tag. It all depends really. If you want a blush that performs just as beautifully as it looks sitting on the vanity, then yes, you do need one of these blushers in your life. If you are one who could care less about the aesthetics, then no, this is not a must-have, as you will find other blushers that are just as good of a quality. In fact, this shade is easily dupable, in my humble opinion.

The prices of these blushers are over-inflated here in the states, and often times, the sites that do carry them (such as Imomoko) usually have limited stock. Thus, I highly suggest checking out Ichibankao, Mihokoshop, and BeautiesHK instead if you want to snatch one of these beauties without having to pay the marked up prices.

Les Merveilleuses Laduree Face and Eye Color (Summer 2014)

Like its macaron counterpart, Les Merveilleuses Laduree makeup focuses more so on the quality and presentation, rather than the quantity. Admittedly, I don't own a lot of Laduree products, because the practicality is quite questionable for some of the items. Don't get me wrong -- I would love to own every single one of their rose petals blushers... if I had an unlimited paycheck. However, I knew I had to get my hands on the Face and Eye Color, limited edition for Summer 2014, as soon as I saw the preview. Without a doubt, this is the star of the smaller-than-usual collection that just launched.

What exactly is this so-called Face and Eye color? In short, this is the Guerlain Meteorites in seashell, conch fish, and starfish shapes instead. It has the same color correcting, finishing powder properties as the Meteorites. In the container, one can expect purple starfish, pink conch fish, pearl white seashell, yellow starfish, and green conch fish. For those of you who are familiar with the old and new formulas of Meteorites, I would say that Laduree's version falls somewhere in between. It has apparent color-correcting and illuminating properties without being over-the top-shimmery. My favorite brush to use with this is actually the same brush I use for my Meteorites: the Shu Uemura 18r. It picks up just the right amount of product while applying it evenly.

Where Laduree got the notion that these can work as eyeshadows is beyond me. As you can tell from my swatches, they barely impart any noticeable color (as it should be for an illuminating finishing powder.) To start, the pieces are all very delicate. There is a slight give when applying light pressure either with a face brush or with a finger, but I cannot imagine how going in with a shader brush will not just ruin the overall composition. Even if one were to pick up the color with a dense shadow brush, the most color payoff is a hint of lavender or a tinge of mint green.

The Face and Eye Color has the very distinct, sophisticated, "mature woman" scent that is common across all Laduree products. It is a fragrance that is difficult to describe, but if I had to put it into words, I would say it is a strong powdery floral scent. Do keep in mind that it does linger, so if you are not keen on heavily scented makeup, Laduree's line may not be for you.

I half-jokingly mentioned I wanted a redo once I saw that the container was only a quarter full: 2 purple starfish, 2 pink conch fish, 4 pearl white seashells, 2 green conch fish, and 2 yellow starfish, to be exact! Might I also add that each one is, literally, paper thin. Ounce for ounce, the new Guerlain Meteorites, hands down, contains more product per container at 0.88 oz, when compared to the 0.03 oz of the Laduree Face and Eye. So you can just imagine my initial shock when I first lifted the cardboard top off the container! Will I be putting this finishing powder to good use? You best bet I will!

This is now available wherever Laduree products are sold. I personally recommend either Imomoko or Ichibankao, as I have ordered from both sites in the past and, thus, can vouch for them. I have seen them going anywhere from $68 to $75USD, and that is the typical price range one can expect most Laduree products to fall under.

Elegance Paris Nouvelle Eyes in 02

Nothing catches my eye faster than pretty packaging, and Japanese cosmetics, undoubtedly, knows it best! Without further ado, my latest and most welcome addition to my collection... Elegance Paris cosmetics! I thought Jill Stuart knocked it out of the park with its girly and princess-y packaging, but Elegance proved me wrong with its more grown-up and elegant presentation. A mature version of Jill Stuart, if you will. The only missing from all that fanciness? Real bling.

Despite the plastic packaging, it is still a rather hefty compact. The compact itself inevitably attracts fingerprints, but a quick wipe will make everything look pristine once again. The eyeshadow quad comes with a dual-ended sponge tip applicator, which is perfect for on-the-go, as well as a dual-ended brush -- excellent for detailed crease work and smudging. While both applicators are great to have, they are unnecessary for the Elegance shadows, as these apply with nice pigmentation with brushes. Again, not full-on pigmentation like Urban Decay eyeshadows but soft and buildable colors like we would expect from Asian cosmetics.

The eyeshadows themselves are a joy to work with, easily my favorite eyeshadow formula from all of the Japanese brands I have tried! (Trust me, as an eyeshadow snob, that says a lot!) I would even go as far to say that I prefer the formula of Elegance eyeshadows over Suqqu's, in terms of its buttery texture, blendability, and lasting power over primed lids. Suqqu eyeshadows just seems drier and not as finely milled, in comparison. What makes the shadows in the Elegance quad stands out is the fact that I hardly experienced any fall out from all four shades -- not even with the darkest chocolate brown shade! Also, the glitter particles do not translate onto the eyelids either.

Eyeshadows: (clockwise order starting from the top left)
#1) Shimmery, borderline metallic, light champagne. This is great as an inner highlight or as a browbone highlight (when used with a light hand!)
#2) Shimmery, light peachy-beige. This works well as an all-over lid color or even to blend out the other darker colors from the palette.
#3) Shimmery, glitter-containing dark chocolate brown. As mentioned previously, the glitter particles are not noticeable when applied. This is marketed as a liner, but I do find it is just as good of a crease (or even outer V) color.
#4) Shimmery, light neutral brown. On me, this shade -- thankfully -- pulls more neutral than warm. This is a wonderful all over lid shade, as well as a good crease color.

I personally chose the quad in 02, because it looked like an everyday, work-appropriate palette for me, and I could not be any happier. If anything, this palette had my name stamped all over it. I like to be able to incorporate all of the colors in a quad for an eye look, and 02 easily allowed for such application. From simple, yet polished eye looks to the most gorgeous brown smoky eye, this palette is actually quite versatile. Given the shimmery nature of all four shades, I can still apply any of the three darker shades in my crease and not look garish (like a lot of other shimmery shades can when popped in the crease.) Truth be told, the shades are not unique, but for the price point of the quad, I knew I had to get one that I will get a lot of mileage out of. Wear time-wise, this held up through 10-hour work days and through sweating without any signs of fading. That alone, makes this palette worth every penny!

My foray into the world of Elegance is a dangerous one! To be honest, I never knew the line even existed until one day, I decided to spend some quality time on Ichibankao.com. Now, it has left me wanting to own more products from the brand -- specifically more Nouvelle Eyes, a Poudre Haute Nuance, and an Aurora Storm Face Color. An eyeshadow quad runs about $75 USD, when you factor in additional shipping charges, so it is -- for me, at least -- reserved for those moments of splurge.

Three Cosmetics: 4D Eye Palette in 09 Star Guitar and Color Veil for Cheeks in 17 Wind Swept Soul

Continuing on with my Japanese cosmetics addiction, I bring you Three Cosmetics! Like all other brands, I prefer starting off with eyeshadows (palettes, preferably) and cheek products, just to get an idea of how the line fares. One can only imagine my excitement when I saw the quads Three offered and the wide range of blushers available!

Wanting to pick up a palette that was slightly out of my comfort zone of neutrals, I opted for 09 Star Guitar (admittedly, partly due to the name.) The light gray compact itself is sleek, but attracts fingerprints and dirt in the same manner as NARS packaging. I personally don't care for it, nor do I have anything against it. In the end, what matters is what's inside, right? The included applicators are different from the traditional Japanese eyeshadow palettes. It comes with a rather large, yet soft, flat eyeshadow brush and a dual-ended applicator consisting of a pointed, sponge-tipped applicator on one end and a flat, synthetic smudger on the other.

A closer look at the colors...
1. Shimmery light dusty pink, this is a lovely inner corner and browbone highlight. This is the most sheer shadow of the four.
2. Satin, neutral-toned dark brown. Highly pigmented and buttery smooth, this is a great crease color or as a liner shade.
3. Multi-colored glitter shade with light beige base color. Hands down, the most finely-milled glitter shadow I've ever come across, this serves as a fantastic glitter topcoat over other shadows.
4. Plum cream shadow. The texture of this cream shadow is velvety and nothing like I've ever felt -- cream shadow-wise. This acts as a nice cream color base or as a liner.

I have to say that these are some of the easiest shadows I have ever worked with. True to the nature of Japanese eyeshadows, they are soft yet buildable in pigmentation. What makes these shadows so great is the fact that these hardly take any effort to blend and to intensify. They also layer beautifully, and the number of looks one can create with this palette alone is endless! Longevity-speaking, they last all day on my oily (yet primed) lids. I did notice slight fading after a long workout session but no creasing, not even with the plum cream shade! One concern I had with this palette, however, is the possibility of the aforementioned cream shadow drying out. The OCD in me simply prefers cream eyeshadows in pot or pencil form, rather than in compact form and, thus, having it exposed to air every time I reach for the palette for the other shades.

Overall, a great mix of warm and cool-toned shades. I've always shied away from warm purples, as they tend to give my eyes the bruised look effect, but I'm happy to say that these colors do work well with my NC25 skin tone.

Moving on to the only blush I picked up: #17 Wind Swept Soul. I initially went for this light pinky-nude shade, in particular, because I thought it would pair nicely with the purple-themed eyeshadow palette. Not only does it pair well with the quad, but I find that it complements a smokey eye look in general! This blusher just adds the perfect hint of color to the cheeks without detracting from the overall look. I prefer applying this closer to my ears and temples than to the apples of my cheeks though.

Texture-wise, it wipes the floor with NARS blushes (and I wish I wasn't exaggerating.) It is somehow soft without being powdery, light in color yet still pigmented. That said, I think this blush is more suited for folks with skin tones up to NC/NW30. It is similar in color and in nature to Tarte's blush in Exposed; it has slightly more pink undertones, but like Exposed, it is one of those blushers that can give definition to your cheeks without additional contour.

To say that I am impressed by the performances of both the palette and the blusher would be an understatement. In fact, I already have a growing list of other items I want to check out from Three Cosmetics, including yet another neutrals palette, as well as their pencil liners. Thankfully, most of the products are part of the permanent line. I have only seen Three Cosmetics available online and from Asian cosmetics retailers like Mihokoshop and Ichibankao at the moment here in the states. An eyeshadow palette will run anywhere from $75-$85 USD and the blusher $35-$45USD . If you are wanting to explore a different and more exclusive line of makeup, I cannot recommend Three Cosmetics enough!