Day 6: Laneige x pushBUTTON eyeshadow

Laneige calls this an eyeshadow palette. I think it will act more of a highlighter. Not that I would know since I can't bear to use this preciousness ;)

Day 5: Chikuhodo Neige Brush Set

How silly of me! Considering a brush set as "untouchable." Truth is, white bristle brushes are a pain to thoroughly clean. Nothing turns me off more than seeing stained brushes after they've been washed too. However, I have given these a bath and will be putting them to good use soon enough!

This set also sold out in record time. Let's hope Chikuhodo releases more of these next year!

Day 4: Shiseido Maquillage Snow Beauty Powder

Leave it to the creative folks of Japan to come up with a concept that is entire foreign to me: a face powder that can be worn as a setting powder during the day AND after all of your nighttime skincare routine, since it is chockfull of skincare properties (namely tranexamic acid.) If y'all were like me and am thinking that it's quite the recipe for pimples, you'd be surprised at just how well this has made my skin feel the next morning. Truly a game changer for me, and I'll be on the lookout for the next nighttime powder once I run out of this -- and at the rate I've been using this, it won't be long before I see the pan.

Shiseido Maquillage Snow Beauty was part of the Holiday 2014 collection, Asia exclusive, and a hot commodity. Do snatch one if you happen to chance upon it though! Just be sure to snatch one for me too :)

Day 3: Chantecaille 15th Anniversary Palette

Yes, I am aware that this palette launched in August. No, I don't intend on using it anytime soon.

That is all.

Day 2: Dior My Lady 002 Pink

Today's "untouchable" is Dior My Lady 002 Pink. I didn't get this when it first launched stateside at Saks. It was only recently that I went hunting for both this and its coral counterpart 003 Coral.

Seeing how the design is actually preserved well into the pan, I did end up using this blusher. Only from the sides and gently, for now. I wish all Dior blushers performed as nicely as this! Not only did it give a soft focus glow, it was also long lasting! I'm usually not one for cool-toned, Barbie pink cheek products, but I'll make this one an exception!

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.

Suqqu EX-21 Murasakisuishou quad 03 Aoruri trio 01 Momoshuiro Balancing Cheeks

Suqqu is easily one of my Top 3 favorite Japanese cosmetics brands when it comes to point makeup, especially their eyeshadow quads. It's difficult to say what the Western counterpart of Suqqu is, since I feel that this brand is truly in a class of its own. Simple yet elegant in terms of packaging, Suqqu prides itself on sophistication and luxury.

I first heard of Suqqu about two years ago, but since it was such an exclusive line at the time, it fell off the radar until Imomoko started carrying the brand. Price-wise, I would say that as a whole, Suqqu rivals that of By Terry. In fact, when it comes to eye quads alone, it makes the Tom Ford quads seem mid-range, thus explaining my paced additions turned hoarding to my collection.

When I first saw promo images of the autumn/winter collection, I knew the limited edition "quad" in EX-21 Murasakisuishou would be mine. It is just as hot of a commodity as the Tom Ford Nude Dip quad for understandable reasons.

This is essentially an octet, since each pan is divided into two sections. Like all Suqqu shadows, these are softly pigmented and buttery smooth. They also blend easily and last all day on my lids over primer. All eight shades are what I would deem 'adult shimmer' shadows. From the most shimmery-metallic to the shimmer-satin finishes, I can see this palette working across all age groups, although one would need to add a matte transition color to the mix.

One minor drawback to this palette is the two pans with the horizontal division. It is rather difficult to dip a larger and fluffier brush into the individual shades without picking up the adjacent one but still doable with a flat shader. My favorite ways to wear them is to actually layer both shades as Suqqu shadows do so beautifully!

I cannot sing enough praises for this palette. From daytime appropriate looks to the smokiest of smokey eyes, this palette is incredibly versatile. I have seen it being sold anywhere from $94 to $115+ at the moment, but this is a palette that I guarantee you will want to have in your arsenal of palettes.

Suqqu also released trios for the first time along with their a/w 2014 collection. However, they are permanent. Does that make me hold off on purchasing them at a later time? Absolutely not. I had no intention of picking up any of the trios, let alone this palette because let's face it: I can't recall the last time I sported a blue eyeshadow. However, late night (read: 2AM) surfing on Enablergram led me to place an impromptu order, and I am now the owner of 03 Aoruri.

To be honest, I'm on the fence on Aoruri, as I feel that it's not quite up to par as the quads. The top shade is patchy and is somewhat of a glitterbomb. The middle is reflective of the quality and blendability of Suqqu shadows that I've come to love. And the last is just sheer and not as smooth in texture, however, it makes for a great liner since it does give subtle definition when applied across the lash line layered over the middle taupe.

Unlike the quads, I do see slight creasing and even fading with these shadows after I had put them through the sweat test at the gymnasium. I can't say that the other two trios are like this, but I can't say that I will be rushing to pick them up either after seeing the quality of this one. A trio runs anywhere from $63 to $71+ from Ichibankao and Bon Bon Cosmetics, respectively.

Suqqu shadows are not for everyone. If you're expecting Urban Decay in-your-face-pigmentation-in-a-swipe, then these are not for you. If, however, you prefer more subtle, everyday wearable palettes, then you may want to give the Suqqu quads a go. If I were to describe the shadows, I'd say they have the dimension of Dior with the depth of Chanel.

Suqqu Balancing Cheeks in 01 Momoshuiro is my first and certainly not last blush from them (assuming they release more unique color combinations.) Like the eyeshadows, the blushes blend effortlessly and have an incredible staying power when applied. The blush pans are small though, so a smaller cheek brush is necessary here. Or you can use the included brush -- which has to be the softest brush I have ever felt that comes with a cheek product. Think along the lines of Chikuhodo Z-4.

Admittedly, I was attracted to Momoshuiro because it looked similar to two of my Top 3 blushes of all time: MAC Cream Soda (LE) and Giorgio Armani Sheer Blush #10 (discontinued.) Not only would this serve as a back-up for both blushes, but it is super convenient for traveling. See how I justified that? But, I soon discovered that they are completely different. Close, but different.

The left pan is much lighter than Cream Soda. In fact, it barely shows up on my NC25 skin tone. The right pan is more rosy and more mauvey than GA #10. Suqqu's way of utilizing both shades is to first sweep the right shade across the cheeks (and concentrating more towards the back) while applying the left shade strictly on the apples and blending it toward the right shade. I have been wearing Momoshuiro in such a manner. Together, it leaves my cheeks with the perfect healthy glow of peachy-pink.

This was released as part of the Spring 2014 collection but have now joined Suqqu's permanent line. I would recommend this for folks up to medium skin tones, as it won't translate too well on deeper skin tones. A blush ranges anywhere from $84 to $103+, so I can't wholeheartedly place this under the must-have category, but rather in the 'nice-to-have' group.

Have you checked out any Suqqu beauty products? I'd love to know what your favorites are!