Geez my post titles are getting longer than Japanese mascara names (almost.).

So this Suqqu palette was originally exclusive to Hankyu department store in Umeda, Japan. A limited number of units went on sale in Selfridges on the 22nd of November, and I snapped one up as soon as I saw it. I haven’t had a chance to fully experiment with looks yet, but rest assured that this is most likely going to be the only eyeshadow palette I’ll be wearing this week.

For now, I give you pictures and swatches.

hana – 花 – flower

mari – 毬 – ball

The Palette

The palette is made up of 4 shades, and unlike most other Suqqu palettes, it is missing the white/off-white shade that is used as a base. Hanamari has a sheer sparkly shade at the top left that goes over the other shadows to jazz them up, a dark warm brown to act as an accent or liner shade, and then the pink and the green as versatile mid-tones.

I mostly bought this palette because of the fantastic green, it’s a kind of khaki with gold undertones, but then it also has these grey silver overtones (is that a thing?) that make it very unique. I was wary about the pink, but it layers so fantastically with the other shades to produce another two shades that I’m completely in love with.

Swatches

Without Flash

From left to right:

Top left sparkle shade, green shade, brown, pink, layered green and pink, layered green and brown, layered pink and brown

With Flash

The layering is one of my favourite things about this palette, the pink mixed with the brown (far right) and the pink layered over the green (3rd from right) make such beautiful shades. When buying this palette I had a suspicion it might be a little limiting mostly because of the pink shade, but because of the way the colours play together it’s actually one of the most versatile quads I own.

So Xiao recently posted about makeup storage on her blog, and I got the bug. Sadly, my actual makeup storage is a bit up in the air at the moment (still scattered between shoe boxes, makeup bags and my handbag), but I recently got my brush storage sorted out and wanted to share.

Face and Lip Brushes

I used to store all my brushes in a huge brush roll I made, but I found that the bigger brushes (for cheeks and powder) got flattened on one side and basically became misshapen. So I decided to store them upright in some tea jars I had lying around. My main issue with storing brushes upright in jars is that they tend to get dust/fluff/air-stuff on them, and powder applied with a lint-covered brush looks kind of crap. So naturally, because I am super classy, I decided to cover the jars with those free shower caps you get in hotels. While this doesn’t look too pretty it’s great because:

• It keeps dust off
• It clings tight to the jar, so it’s not always falling off
• It balloons out over the top of the jar, so it’s not pressing down against the brushes, just protecting them.

I like to keep as many brushes as possible in their original packaging and plastic tubes – partly because it helps them keep their shape, and partly because I think it may protect them …somehow. I tend to do this with my makeup as well – keeping it in the cardboard boxes it came in.

Eye Brushes

If I had an extra tea caddy, I could easily store my eye brushes in there, but

1. I don’t and
2. I like to be able to see them all laid out.

I have many eye brushes that can do the same thing, so it’s nice to be able to see them all at once and maybe pick a brush I haven’t used recently instead of going straight for old favourites. So I chose to put these in a brush roll. With bunnies on it.

The brush roll is sorted with application on the left, then multipurpose, then blenders, then detail, and then liner. Then the random yachiyo because it’s too small to fit in the caddies.

The Mizubake

Storage for the Mizubake perplexed me up until recently, it was too short to go in the tea caddies, too fluffy to go in a brush roll, and the plastic box it came in had been crushed long ago.

I eventually decided on using an empty vitamin pot. I had to put it in the dishwasher and then soak it in Dr. Bronners solution to get rid of that strange vitamin smell, but now it makes a perfect storage container for the Mizubake.

I don’t have to worry about hairs splaying because this vitamin jar is a perfect fit, but if it were too big, I’d put some cotton pads at the bottom to lift the brush so the hairs don’t get caught under the neck of the bottle.

While dark red lips are definitely an Autumn trend, I’ve been on the search for deep red/berry lipsticks for over a year now. Berry and Oxblood reds are my favourite colours to wear, but also very hard to find – my lips tend to pull things cool, so berry reds that have purple hints turn into full on plum shades on me, and berry reds with pinky tones end up as deep pinks on my lips. And that’s fine. But it’s not what I want.

So far I’ve found that only Suqqu Ichijiku and Guerlain Samsara satisfy my dark red craving, but now I can add another lipstick to the mix: Burberry Deep Burgundy Lip Cover.

The shade

Deep Burgundy is a red wine (funnily enough) shade. It has very slightly pink undertones but otherwise reads as a deep neutral red-brown.

The formula

The Burberry Lip Cover formula is good. It’s not my favourite (Suqqu Creamy Glow, Guerlain Rouge Automatique, Lavshuca Dramatic Memory Rouge are some of my favourite lipstick formulas), but I’m not complaining.

• It has a fair amount of slip – a little bit less than I’m used to – but it’s definitely on the creamy side so it glides on quite easily.
• It’s moderately moisturising, which on my lips is fine, but it could be an issue for those prone to dryness.
• Lasting power is good. In my mind it’s not fantastic, but I tend to favour very very stainy products, so take that with a pinch of salt. For a normal lipstick, lasting power is very good.

I’m not 100% sold on the formula because I tend to feel it on my lips, even when I’ve just blotted it down to a stain. It’s difficult to explain, but with most of my lipsticks, especially when I’ve blotted them down, the only way that I can tell that I’m wearing lipstick is by looking in the mirror and seeing the colour. With the Burberry I’m very aware of the lipstick sitting on my lips and it makes me a bit uneasy. It’s an irrational uneasiness because when I touch my lips with my fingers, they don’t come away coated in lip product, and the lipstick doesn’t smudge all over my face etc. but it’s an uneasiness nonetheless.

The swatches

Guerlain Rouge Automatique Samsara, Burberry Lip Cover no.21 Deep Burgundy, Suqqu Creamy Glow #17 Ichijiku (reviewed here).

And just to be annoying, the swatches are swapped around:

Suqqu Ichijiku, Burberry Deep Burgundy, Guerlain Samsara

The swatches are deceptively similar on my arm. However, the tonal differences – while they register very faintly on my arm – are amplified when applied on lips, so these slight changes in nuance are important.

• Ichijiku : Similar depth, but with a terracotta/brick base
• Deep Burgundy : A deep wine red, slight pinkiness
• Samsara : Similar depth, less opaque base, and leaning more pink

The application

Apologies in advance for lack of makeup, and slightly damp hair (I washed it the night before and apparently it takes about 16 hours to dry…)

Here’s Deep Burgundy freshly applied, full intensity.

Here it is blotted down

The verdict

I adore this lipstick shade, it’s exactly what I’ve been looking for and it’s a great addition to my (tiny) collection of vampy dark red lipsticks. While the depth is the same, Deep Burgundy’s lack of prominent pink/purple/orange undertones makes it very different from other berry and oxblood lipsticks I’ve tried.

Burberry Deep Burgundy is great if you’re on the hunt for an autumnal berry red, but if your lips are prone to dryness, you may want to try before you buy.

What are your favourite vampy lip shades? As I mentioned, my vamp collection is tiny, so I need ideas to build it up!

I’ve put together 5 Holiday Collections that I think stand out against the winter backdrop of red, gold, and a hell of a lot of glitter.

5. Shu Uemura – Mon Shu

This collection has some really stellar products, just hop over to Drivel about Frivol to see how good they are (here and here).

This would be higher up in my list if it weren’t for the packaging – I guess it’s just not my thing. I’m still really interested in the Luxe Burgundy Lipstick.

4. Majolica Majorca – Circus Ecstasy

I cannot get enough of Majolica Majorca, I think their website is amazing (it’s in Japanese, but you don’t need to know what it’s saying to realise its brilliance), I think their products are good quality, and I like that they tend to just…do their own thing.

The Circus Ecstasy collection is part of a collaboration with lingerie company Amo’s Style, and it features new cheek products, eyeliners, nail polish, hand cream, and the Majoromantica fragrance in a Dream Circus bottle.

I’m particularly interested in the new cheek products, and the rose-coloured eyeliner (which is also for body use).

Here are swatches of the Creams de Cheek (these are from cosme.net, click on the picture to get to the source):

From top to bottom: RD310, RD411, PK312, OR313

From Left to Right: OR313, RD310, RD411, PK312

3. Paul & Joe – Winter Wonderland

…I can’t think of a lot to write about this collection, except for ‘EEEEEEEE UNICORNS!’. On a serious note, the Frozen Lilac blush looks really really nice, on a non-serious note:

EEEEEEEE, UNICORNS!

2. Guerlain – Liu

Guerlain is fast becoming one of my favourite brands, and this year’s Liu collection is drool-worthy. I know I dissed red and gold in my introduction, but I think in Guerlain’s case these shades are executed perfectly.

I don’t like to admit that I’m swayed by packaging, but I think the care and detail that Guerlain puts into its makeup packages really elevates the brand from simply ‘good quality’ to ‘luxury’. I think the general consensus with makeup brands is that luxury status is synonymous with expense, but I disagree. I think that feeling of luxury is found in the ‘experience’ of the brand, not the pricing; there are plenty of pricy brands that, in my opinion, don’t have that luxury feel.

1. Addiction – Arabian Nights/Moroccan Rose

Ok so I’m kind of cheating with this one. ‘Arabian Nights’ is the name of Addiction’s Winter 2012 collection, Moroccan Rose is the Addiction coffret being sold for Holiday 2012. I’ve combined them both because…I want to.

Here’s the Holiday coffret – it’s a beautiful and interesting offering from the brand. You can find details here.

Here is the oh-so-beautiful promo pic for the Arabian Nights collection. Xiao has recreated the look here. With this collection, Addiction released a new lip crayon product, and new shades of its famous cheek stick. You can find lovely swatches of the collection here.

So those are my favourites of this year’s holiday offerings, which collections have caught your eye?

So I fully went into this look expecting to look…sick chic. (pronounced ‘sick sheek’ or ‘sick chick’? – You decide!)

But actually I was pleasantly surprised. Although it did strike me as a little odd that I’d matched my eyeshadow to my hair.

For my face and brows I used:

• Brushes: Hakuhodo B505BkSl, Hakuhodo G5521, and Laura Mercier Concealer brush (not pictured)
• Brows: Shu Uemura Hard 9 Pencil in Walnut Brown, Clarins Double Fix Mascara
• Base: Maybelline Pure BB Mineral 8 in 1 BB Base (Jp version), Bobbi Brown Corrector in Porcelain Bisque, Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage SC1
• Colour: Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pearl, Chanel Notorious Ombre Contraste, Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzer Antigua

For eyes and lips:

• Brushes: All Hakuhodo: 235, Kokutan Eyeshadow SL, G5515BkSl, S142 (black handle)
• Mascara (not pictured): Tiffa Volume Mascara
• Eyeshadow: L’oreal Infallible Bronze Divine, Addiction Fudge (on the lid), Shu Uemura ME Medium Brown 885 (outer corner, crease, liner), Shu Uemura P Pink 125 (inner corner highlight)
• Lips: Lunasol Full Glam Liquid Lips 06 Bright Pink

So, while I started out this look fully intending to purge my red-browns, I actually ended up loving them and I’ll definitely be reaching for them more often.

I tried to cover most bases here:

• Powder and Blush: $30 – J5547 – Goat and Synthetic – I haven’t actually tried this brush yet, but after extensive research it seems the J range goat is super soft, and very versatile. I’ve marked this down as a powder and blush brush, but because its a goat synthetic mix, it will also lend itself to cream products, maybe even foundation.
• Eyeshadow: $18 – J5523 – Goat – This is widely regarded as a dupe (in terms of size and shape) for the MAC 217, but apparently it is much softer and performs much better. This is a workhorse, good for applying and for blending.
• Eyeliner: $15 – K007 – Weasel – This is a great little brush for applying eyeliner, if you prefer the ‘push’ shaped brushes, swap this one for the K005 ($18).
• Concealer and Lips: $15 – 280 – Synthetic – This brush deposits colour nicely and does double the work as both a concealer and a lip brush (though wash it in between, don’t want to make your blemishes pinker!).

Total: $78

Go Luxe

I feel a bit iffy recommending the J5547 because I haven’t used it and there isn’t a lot of info available on it. Experience and research tells me that this brush will be a really good all-rounder, and it’s a great price. A blush and powder brush I can recommend is the B110BkSL. It’s pricier ($46) but it’s the same brush head as the S110 (which I’ve reviewed here), very soft but at the same time nice and elastic so it deposits colour and blends perfectly.

What’s your idea of a basic brush set? Have I missed out any brushes you think are essential?

Talc, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Bentonite, Paraffinum Liquidum (Mineral Oil), Sodium Methylparaben, Zea Mays (Corn Starch, Lanolin Alcohol, Silica, BHT [May Contain CI 75470 (Carmine), CI 77007 (Ultramarines), CI 77163 (Bismuth Oxychloride), CI 77288 (Chromium Oxide Greens), CI 77289 (Chromium Hydroxide Green), CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 77510 (Ferric Ferrocyanide), CI 77742 (Manganese Violet), CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Mica]

Chanel Notorious is now available on the US chanel.com but not on the UK site. You can see my first impressions and review of it here and here, or just look under the tag ‘Chanel’ to see all my posts about Chanel Notorious.

Chanel Notorious Ombre Contraste Ingredients

Since overcoming my fear of all things lipstick a few years ago, I’ve amassed quite a collection of lip products – mostly lipsticks, a few lip stains, and three very neglected lip glosses.

At the heart of my collection are the high-contrast reds which, apparently, I can’t get enough of, because my current wishlist is filled with them.

Clockwise from 12 o’clock: Giorgio Armani Rouge d’Armani 400, Beauté Liqui-Gel Stain in Fever (review here), Laura Mercier Stickgloss in Poppy, Guerlain Rouge Automatique in Samsara, Suqqu Creamy Glow Lipstick #17 Ichijiku (review here), Lipstick Queen Medieval, Lavshuca Dramatic Memory Rouge in RD-2 (review here), MAC Viva Glam I.

Here I’ve added a swatch of Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain in #10 Rouge Philtre (review here) on the far right, because I left it out of the earlier shots (on purpose. obviously.) even though it counts as a red.

So, as a reminder, these swatches (and the paper swatches) are, from left to right:

1. Guerlain Rouge Automatique in Samsara: a berry red
2. Suqqu Creamy Glow Lipstick #17 Ichijiku: a dark, vampy, brick red
3. MAC Viva Glam I: another dark brick red
4. Lipstick Queen Medieval: a sheer but buildable cherry red
5. Lavshuca Dramatic Memory Rouge RD-2: a sheer red that’s slightly warmer.
6. Armani Rouge d’Armani 400: a classic true red
7. Laura Mercier Stickgloss in Poppy: a sheer tomato red
8. Beauté Liqui-Gel Stain in Fever: a vivid red to sheer rose pink depending on how sheer it’s applied.
9. Yves Saint Laurent Glossy Stain #10 Rouge Philtre: another vivid classic red, that can be sheered out to a rose stain.

Can’t get enough red?

• Check out the Driveller’s red lipstick swatches here.
• Xiao of Messy Wands posted her red lipstick collection recently (it must be the season!).
• Emi of Project Swatch has a whole bunch of red lipstick reviews.
• Lipglossiping has a whole Red Lips Series

For a post where the Ombre Contrast is used by someone good at contouring, check out this post by the lovely Xiao of Messy wands.

Being a newbie, I had no idea which brush to use (Xiao used the Hakuhodo 210) so I picked out the G5521, Small Pointed Yachiyo, B214BkSm Highlight brush, S111 and Kokutan Eyeshadow C brushes for my attempt. I ended up using the G5521 to do most of the work, and the Small Pointed Yachiyo to blend difficult areas.

Oh and here’s another swatch

Heavy on the right, smudgy on the left.

Before

I tried to create an even base using Shu Stage Performer, Bobbi Brown Corrector and Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation.

Half and Half

Contour on the right side of my face (the left side of the photo). I’ve contoured my cheekbone, my jawline, and the side of my nose.

This is where skills come into play, the edges of my contouring are very blunt, which makes it look quite obvious. BUT, if you look at the shadow at the bottom of my neck, then look at the shadow on my jaw or on my cheek, you can see that they’re pretty much the same colour and that’s really what matters. The reason I haven’t even attempted contouring in the past is because the shade is nowhere near what a natural shadow on my face would look like. The Ombre Contraste makes a refreshing change.

Full

Contouring on both sides of face on jaw, cheek and nose.

Finished Face

Adding some lipstick (LQ Medieval), blush (Addiction Revenge), and highlighter (Becca SSP Pearl). (And letting my hair out finally!)

Conclusions

• I need to practice!
• But I really love this Ombre Contraste
• Because it actually looks like a shadow, and not like darker foundation/poorly-placed bronzer.
• It’s pretty easy to work with and build-up
• But use a light hand because it’s quite difficult to fix mistakes.

Further Reading

• Messy Wands Full Face Contouring Tutorial
• Glitter Geek How to Contour Your Face with Mac Pro Sculpting Creams
• Into the Palette Contouring Guides

So Chanel has released a ‘sculpting veil for eyes and cheeks’ or, as I like to call it, a contour powder. As far as I know it’s limited edition and also on limited release in the UK (Selfridges London and Selfridges Manchester Exchange Square, Harrods, John Lewis Oxford Street, House of Fraser Glasgow and Fenwicks Newcastle according to this source). This powder was used on models at Chanel’s Fall 2012 show at Paris Fashion Week:

This is a great post that sums up all the info available pre-release.

I haven’t had a chance to use this yet as I bought it this afternoon, and I’m pretty sure it’s going to be quite a learning curve for me so it might take a while before I can show you face photos. For now, here are swatches and product photos.

Paper Swatch

Arm Swatch (this one is the most colour accurate as it was taken outside pre-rain)

The swatch in the middle is very heavy, and gives an idea of the colour and the tone of the powder. On either side I’ve applied it more lightly to give a better idea of what it would actually look like on.

Overall I’m excited to test this out, I’m imagining lots of er…not so great attempts as I’ve never really got into the whole contouring thing, but I think it’ll be fun to use and if not I’ll just use it as an eyeshadow.