And what better way to spend the day of love than shopping!
Well, I'm looking at attending at least two weddings this year, so I've been keeping my eyes out for some appropriate dresses. Hey, you don't need to give me an excuse to buy a nice dress.
My first Anna Sui purchase is the lovely Rose Cheek Color in 100 Mystic Rose which was released this month (see a preview here).
I was so excited for this. Especially since it's my first Anna Sui experience. Don't get me wrong, AS makeup has always looked fairly enticing, and when I've seen their beauty counters, they're lovely, but I just never felt passionate enough about any of their releases to warrant a purchase. Also, this stuff ain't cheap. 6 grams of product retails for ... um... okay I couldn't find the price quickly, but Ichibankao have it for 4550 yen. Obviously that includes a bit of a markup and shipping/handling fees.
First a look at the packaging. Rose Cheek Color comes in a light-weigh black case. Anna Sui appears branded in metallic purple, I know it looks different above, sorry that was glare from the window. I think I expected it to feel a bit heavier. I guess I got used to Jill Stuart or Lunasol and was expecting something a bit more for the price tag. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad packaging, but I guess I was imagining more.
indoor with flash
It's also worth mentioning that it doesn't come with a brush, although hopefully the photos illustrate that! It is a mirror compact however.
close up of the palette in natural light
Anna Sui describes Rose Cheek Color and Mystic Rose as follows:
A dusting of rose blossoms create the soft sheen of new romance.
Use a single color or create your own original favorite color by mixing the shades.
Moist Powder Base enhances clear color development and a long-lasting pearly sheen.
A blend of highly transparent oil-mix and Clear Sliding Powder helps color to retain a dewy, glossy finish.
Promo photo from Anna Sui Beauty
100 Mystic Rose
A bright translucence and luminescence
a: Ice Blue
b. Pale Lavender
c: Orchid White
d. Misty Purple
Mystic Rose is a highlighter or illuminator rather than a blush.
When you open the package, you really get hit with the scent of roses. I love it! But then, I do love the smell of roses. One of my friends commented that it smelled like soap to her. ¬_¬ As with most scented makeup products, I found the scent was lost when it gets applied, so you don't go around with the scent of roses on your cheeks.
These are very pale and delicate colours, and really hard to capture with my camera. I tried to swatch each of the colours, but I'm not sure you can really see them all. I have to say they are lovely, and I like the slight shimmer to some of the colours, most noticeably the white orchid colour.
I am keen to try one of the blush colours in this collection, but I couldn't decide which shade! I'm still trying to decide! What do you think?
Ya know what all this talk of roses reminds me of?
Yes, Tuxedo Mask, obs, but also of this song from my high school days, バラ色の日々(Bara iro no hibi) by MAX, a Japanese pop girl group from Okinawa that started out in 1995 (thanks, Wikipedia!). You might ask why roses remind me of this song, well it's cos the song title means 'rose-coloured days' and it's actually a Japanese cover of 'Larger Than Life' by the Backstreet Boys (again, thanks Wikipedia, but you probably don't need to click to know that!)
Happy 2012! Here's to a new year of looking forward! 2011 wasn't the best year for me, so here's hoping 2012 will be much much better!
So let's look ahead at the Spring 2012 makeup releases from some major brands! Thanks to Maquia we can view a look book of all the new products online here. Thanks very much to Rouge Deluxe who tweeted this link!
So what are my picks for Spring 2012?
Coffret D'or Smile Up Cheeks Blush
Okay, this was actually a Winter 2011 release, so it's available now, but I'm getting it. Only have to decide which colour because I really don't need to buy multiples! >_<
On 13th January Jill Stuart is releasing two limited edition eye jellys in 17 Murmuring River and 18 Bird Flutter. Bird Flutter has caught my eye. It's the coral shade and it looks amazing! It's limited edition, so hopefully I'll manage to get my hands on it. For some close ups of this and the rest of the Jill Stuart Spring release, check out Fruity Lashes. These retail for 2310 yen and you can find out more about them on Jill Stuart's website here.
These blushes are gorgeous! I love the rose pattern and the colours are lush. I'm really tempted by the highlighter too. It looks so lovely. There's a great preview of these over at Fruity Lashes, check it out! These release January 5th and retail in Japan for 3675 yen.
Anna Sui now has these up on their website here too and you can order from Ichibankao too!
Lunasol has released some amazing eyeshadow palettes and I have been looking forward to this Spring 2012 release since I first saw some pics on FrauW's website back in November. Here's the link direct to a preview pic of the eye shadows. These are so lovely and full of subtle sparkle. Love love love.
Paul & Joe Beaute Face & Eye Color CS and Matte Pressed Powder
I don't even know where to start with this! So adorable. Yes, I am a total sucker for the cat motif, but Paul & Joe cosmetics have a good rep and I've been meaning to give them a try for ages. These limited editions may just force me to get some - finally!
I've got two picks from this collection, and both are limited editions! Eeep.
First is the Face & Eye Color CS which is a face and eye shadow trio of colours. I've never actually bought a face and eye palette before, so I'm kind of a bit weary, but seriously how cute are those cats! I really wish there was a Paul & Joe counter I could check them out in person as I really need to see if it's really love or just kitty love!
According to Maquia these release in Japan on 3rd February, but Asos.com already has them for sale online here.
My second pick is Matte Pressed Powder. I don't have too many powders, so this is actually something I'm in need of. How cute is that cat? And the little paw print on the puff! Gah, I love love love it! I think I love this so much I'd buy it without seeing it. Well, that depends on how much it's going to cost me. I haven't seen this for sale anywhere yet, but *fingers crossed* it will appear on Asos too!
Fruity Lashes also has a good look at these products worth checking out!
