January 8th, 2015
It seems that the new innovation this Spring is the incorporation of oils in lip products, and Shiseido Maquillage is the first to market with its Dramatic Melting Rouge. This is a permanent release and was actually launched in November last year, but the release was overshadowed by the Holiday 2014 collection (reviewed here and here)
The new Dramatic Melting Rouge uses an exclusive “Phase Separation Technology” that allows the lipstick to retain the moisture and gloss of the beauty oil ingredient, yet prevents creasing and fading of the color on the lips. Japanese lipsticks in general tend to be rather creamy in texture, and Shiseido Maquillage’s Dramatic Melting Rouge takes this to the next realm. The lipstick glides on my lips like a gloss (the non-sticky, fluid glosses) and have the color opacity similar to Chanel Rouge Coco Shines, although I believe the level of opacity varies between shades.
The shade RS329 Rose Rendezvous on me is nicely opaque in a single swipe, and leaves a slight glossy finish. Although it looks rather warm-toned in the tube, it is a neutral rose shade on my lips and lasts for about 4 hours fading gently throughout. Even though it has quite a bit of slip to it, the Dramatic Melting Rouge adheres to my lips well and does not smudge or fall into the creases of my lips. It also feels moisturizing and is the most comfortable lipstick I have ever worn!
There are currently 10 shades available, and the one I have is RS329 Rose Rendezvous. You have seen it in action here, here and here. It has served me well for everyday daytime wear, and also complements heavier smokey eye makeup beautifully.
This product was sent to me for my consideration by the kind folks at Shiseido Singapore. Regardless, the views expressed above are my honest, unbiased opinion, and are not influenced in any way.
December 10th, 2014
Shiseido traditionally releases a special limited edition face powder every year for the Holiday season under its Maquillage line, and this year is extra special. The Maquillage Snow Beauty face powder is not only a setting powder, it has skincare properties as well! And the last time Shiseido introduced a skincare powder 5 years ago, it was all snapped up right away.
As always, the Maquillage holiday face powder is beautifully decked out, and this year features intricate snowflakes on the top of the casing. The entire image is given a surreal 3-dimensional feel by overlaying a piece of clear plastic, and is smooth to the touch.
Within the case lies a thin powder puff which is convenient for day-time touch-ups on the go. However, the real gem lies in a thick fluffy puff which is housed in a separate jacket of its own. I was actually not intending to pick up this powder as I have enough powder to last a lifetime, but the moment I touched this puff, I had to have it. Bouncing this puff on my face, feels like snuggling with my beloved down feather pillow… absolutely decadent!
But lovely packaging and a fluffy puff do not make a product. The beauty of the Maquillage Snow Beauty powder lies within the powder itself. It contains tranexamic acid which is able to prevent and treat pigmentation, and restore skin damage from sun exposure and pollution. It also contains lauroyl lysine and hyaluronic acid to hydrate, although the latter is listed quite far down and any positive benefits is minimal. Here is the full list of ingredients as taken from the back of the box. I apologize for the poor quality of the image as this sticker tag is barely the size of my thumb!
As a setting powder, Maquillage Snow Beauty is simply amazing. It is so light, it gives an imperceptible veil across the curves of the face. It goes to work, mattifying excess shine but does not emphasize dry patches, and it lasts all day.
What sets this product apart from other powders is that it is designed to be worn to sleep. The thicker fluffy puff is designed to pick up more of the powder, so that you can dust it liberally on your face as a last step of your nighttime skincare routine. It sets all the lotions and potions, takes away any sticky or oily feeling of rich creams, and allows them to penetrate the skin better. The transexamic acid also goes to work providing nighttime whitening benefits while the skin repairs itself as we sleep.
Also returning this year is the Maquillage Jelly Fragrance. This was first released last year together with the limited edition face powder, but I had passed on the duo as that powder felt rather unspectacular to me. So when I finally got curious enough to wonder why they had brought back something from last year, and applied a tiny bit of it on my hands, I was stunned by how lovely the scent really was! It was an interesting jelly texture that feels slightly cool and moisturizing when you apply it on the skin. The jelly contains fine golden shimmer, so it makes a very pretty evening accessory worn on bare shoulders. The scent is a white floral musk bouquet, and lasts for a good 3-4 hours on me.
As a beauty junkie, the ability to look good all the time, even after removing every last trace of makeup, is a real dream come true. And throw in good skincare benefits, I am sold! I’m glad they decided to sell the powder separate from the fragrance this year as that gives us more options. Each is priced at SGD85. Sadly the powder is not refillable, but it does come with a generous 25gm which should last for a good time.
September 26th, 2014
Shiseido launched its Maquillage FW 2014 collection a couple of weeks ago, and I had the chance to try out some of the new items courtesy of the lovely folks at Shiseido Singapore.
The most interesting is the brand new Maquillage Essence Glamorous Eyes which is a liquid eyeshadow product that packs some lovely shimmers to give a 3-dimensional luster to the eyes!
Maquillage Essence Glamorous Eyes comes with a flat sponge tipped wand that deals out just the right quantity for each eye. I like to first place it onto the clean back of my hand, and then dab it onto my lid with my ring finger or brush. The formula blends out easily both with finger and a brush, and gives a very pretty sheer wash of color with a brightening effect. It can also be layered for great color intensity. It contains hyaluronic acid to moisturize the eye area and ensure long-lasting wear for up to 10 hours.
There are 4 shades available, though all 4 are limited edition and retail for SGD32 each.
To complement their very popular Maquillage Perfect Multi Base BB, Shiseido has released a limited edition version in shade N (for Natural). It is a slightly darker shade, although similar to the original version, this sheers out substantially when applied so any difference in color tones is not very noticeable.
Having used this for a couple of weeks now, I can understand why this is so well loved by Shiseido fans. It has a nice lightweight texture and brings a very smooth, healthy look to the skin. It is also very comfortable to wear, hydrating, and does not feel greasy. As it is very sheer, I found it best to wear it under a sheer powder foundation, like the new Shiseido Sheer & Perfect Compact Foundation (reviewed here). It also works well under fluid foundations, providing extra hydration and coverage where needed. However, it is not as enduring at shine control, and my make-up does move and oxidize after the 6th hour.
Maquillage Perfect Multi Base BB is limited edition and retails for SGD62.
For the cheeks, there’s a new Maquillage True Cheek in shade PK201.
This is a new permanent shade that will be joining the existing product line. It is a neutral pink shade that is very flattering across many skin tones. I love how convenient it is for travel and touch-ups, as the brush is housed inside the tube containing loose powder blush. Each time the brush is taken out, it already has sufficient amount of blush pre-loaded and can be applied directly to the cheeks.
Maquillage True Cheek PK201 applies really sheer but buildable, and works well for sculpting cheek bones. It retails for SGD56.
Not forgetting those kissable lips, there are 4 new shades of Maquillage Essence Glamorous Rouge NEO, including 2 limited edition.
This is a liquid lipstick that is similar to Shiseido’s Lacquer Rouge (reviewed here). It is lightweight and comfortable to wear, and packs sufficient color to be opaque in a single swipe. It gives a lovely glossy finish and has a lip-plumping effect.
Maquillage Essence Glamorous Rouge NEO retails for SGD43.
And pulling all the elements together for an easy day-look…
Above, I am wearing Maquillage Perfect Multi Base BB N with Shiseido Sheer & Perfect Compact Foundation all over face. Maquillage Essence Glamorous Eyes in GR234 on eyes; Maquillage True Cheek in PK201 on cheeks, and Maquillage Essence Glamorous Rouge NEO in RD342 on lips.
Overall, Maquillage’s FW2014 collection is a really fun little line of makeup from Shiseido, the colors are all very easy to wear on a daily basis. I particularly enjoyed the Essence Glamorous Eyes, and am sorely tempted to collect them all! The Essence Glamorous Rouge NEO is also a very comfortable lip formula, and I’m itching to pick up the limited edition shade PK444!
The products were provided for my consideration. All opinions expressed are my own honest, unbiased views.
