beauty review: Shiseido Future Solution LX Total Radiance Foundation spf 20

happy wednesday, loves…are you having a beautiful week? 

if you're anything like me, any day can be made better by treating yourself to a new beauty goodie. i love discovering something new and adding it to my beauty buy or get-more-info-about list {please tell me you do this, too!}.

all of this is to tell you that Shiseido has a new product {actually 2 more, but i'll get to that in a minute} and it should bring a smile to your face ~ you should be excited about it...

i certainly am!

the luxury brand has added color products to their fabulous Future Solution LX Collection. what i'm gushing about specifically is the fabulous full coverage Future Solution LX Total Radiance Foundation SPF20. 

available in 11 shades {i use B60}, this gem utilizes new light technology to create radiant skin; with its creamy, lightweight formula, it creates a gorgeous tone to my skin and keeps it looking great all day.

in addition to the coverage, the new Radiance Foundation has skincare benefits. ingredients in the formula aid in reducing visible signs of aging like loss of firmness, wrinkles, visible pores and uneven skin tone.

i'm loving this fusion of skincare and makeup ~ you should definitely consider checking out for yourself. the luxe Future LX collection also includes a loose powder that can be worn alone or used to set the foundation. it's also a multi-tasker. :)

Shiseido Future Solution LX Radiance Foundation is avaluable now and you can get more info on their website, shiseido.com

product featured sent to me for review consideration; pics taken by me :)

summer beauty: Shiseido Makeup Face Color Enhancing Trio

summer always brings new, beautiful products, and the latest from Shiseido is no exception. the Shiseido Makeup Face Color Enhancing Trio is an all-in-one compact that creates a beautiful complexion, replicating the glow that naturally appears when you smile from sheer joy ~ blushing rosy cheeks, increased brightness and elevated facial features.

each trio features a Blushing Color, the warm top shade is soft and rosy, the middle Sculpting Color creates dimension for contouring and shading, and the bottom Highlighting Color matches natural skin tones and blends seamlessly with the other two shades.

the brush in this palette is uber soft and it applies the powders beautifully {thought i also like to use a fan brush to apply it, keeping the color applied more on the sheer side}. swiping all the shades together {vertically} creates a nice color, and the fact that this beauty is shimmer-free is just another reason i know i'll continue to use it, even beyond summer. :)

Shiseido Face Color Enhancing Trio is available in 4 shades:

Apple {RD1} ~ sun-kissed shades of pink, gentle fawn and light peach

Lychee {PK1} ~ pale shades of pink, ivory and cream

Peach {OR1} ~ soft hint of coral, subtle beige, and delicate gold shades

*Plum {RS1, the one i've been using, pictured} ~ vivid rose, rich bronze, and golden beige shades

i love the versatility of this palette, and while i wish each shade were wider {for easier application of the individual shades}, i think this is a product any beauty girl can appreciate.

visit shiseido.com for more info.

product featured sent to me for review consideration; pics taken by me :)

beauty review: Shiseido IBUKI skincare

as an Allure 2013 Breakthrough Beauty Award winner, the Shiseido IBUKI range of skincare products boast a multi-action formula that corrects the appearance of unevenness as well as visible pores, dryness, breakouts and blemish marks, and skin roughness.

according to Shiseido, IBUKI Skincare "builds skin's resistance to UV rays and daily stress by infusing it with long-lasting moisture". their exclusive technology "puts your skin in a super-hydrated state, so it can maintain a healthy, more radiant glow"…

i don't know about the UV resistance, since i wear spf daily, but i can say from my experience that my skin absolutely appreciates the added {much-needed} hydration. these products have definitely given my skin a smoother looking and feeling appearance…

take a closer look...

the Purifying Cleanser contains micro-granules {they are very micro, btw} that allow the formula to gently exfoliate skin. one major standout to me is that it only takes the tiniest amount {like a pea} to create a serious, rich lather, and i like the way it removes all traces of dirt and oil, but never leaves my skin feeling tight or over dry.

Softening Concentrate is simply fabulous. this deep-infusion formula puts its softening ingredients into the skin for a smoother look and feel. as it claims, i've found this post-cleanser liquid enhances the benefits of the skincare i apply after it since it hydrates and smooths so well. i also no longer have any over-drying from my blemish-fighting toner since this Concentrate puts the moisture back in. love that!

Refining Moisturizer Enriched is a multi-action formula that is so rich, lush and highly moisturizing without a greasy feel.  i use it day and night {a bit more at night} and love that it absorbs quickly; it also contains witch hazel, a beautiful ingredient that helps keep blemishes at bay.


do you use Shiseido skincare products? i've been so impressed by what i've used so far to this point…

in any case, you can find Shiseido IBUKI at Sephora, Macy's and other fine departments stories. visit shiseido.com for more info!

products featured sent to me for review consideration; all thoughts and opinions are my own; pics taken by me :)

skincare review: Shiseido softeners to purify and moisturize

if you're a fan of Shiseido, you know the brand boasts luxurious and technologically-advanced products. keeping with this philosophy, the brand's toners are actually softening lotions, or softeners, and offer gorgeous benefits for skin.

when toners are advertised here in the states, they're typically recommended or aimed at teenagers. but the truth is, we can all use them. for clarifying and sweeping away any last traces of dirt and makeup our cleanser may have missed, toners also help prep the skin for the lotions, creams and serums that follow. Shiseido softeners also do these things, but unlike traditional toners, are hydrating and never leave skin feeling taught, rough or dry.

White Lucent Brightening Balancing Softener hydrates the skin while treating dark spots and improving the look and feel of skin. 

Pureness Balancing Softener is alcohol free, contains rosemary extract to clarify, the botanical extract, palo azul to moisturize, and is a refreshing way to keep skin clear without stripping it of moisture.

after using these for a few weeks, i'm definitely a fan. my skin looks and feels more refreshed, hydrated,  and i love that the pureness softener doesn't have that toner "sting".

visit your local Shiseido retailer {like Macy's or Sephora} to see these beauties in person and shiseido.com for more info or to purchase. 

products featured sent to me for review consideration; pics taken by me :)

support a good cause with Shiseido Shimmering Rouge...

bonjour beauties! hope all is well in your neighborhood...

i've been under the weather for the past couple of weeks {and i'd say stuck out in the weather for all last week and weekend ~ it's not been fun, but i'm staying positive!}, so i'm a bit late in sharing this. i did, however, share this fabulous Shiseido lippie for breast cancer awareness via my tumblr and twitter accounts when i received it {weeks ago}, but with life, comes distractions and interruptions...

in any case, i'm here now to inform you that you should to not only visit your local Shiseido counter and take advantage of being able to donate $5 to a great cause {CEW's Cancer and Careers, an organization that helps women in the workforce coping with cancer}, but to treat yourself to a gorgeous Shimmering Rouge Lipstick in Iron Maiden {RS308}!

seriously, how divine is this color?!

not only a fab color, but it feels amazing on the lips ~ its silky, smooth texture pampers lips with moisture but still manages to wear well and lasted longer than i expected.

it's definitely a new fave...

visit shiseido.com for more details.

product sent for the purpose of review; all pics taken by me :)

Shiseido Backstage at NY Fashion Week Fall 2010

Shiseido creative director Dick Page created numerous looks for the runways of fashion week, including looks for Michael Kors, Narciso Rodriguez, Zero + Maria Cornejo and United Bamboo fall 2010 collections; each look was distinct to it's respected collection, but equally beautiful.




the beauty look at Narciso Rodriguez put emphasis on clean, fresh skin and bold eyebrows which were the "most important detail of the look". to create the bold look, Page mixed Accentuating Cream Eyeliner in Black with a prototype of a white cream color from the Shiseido labs to create a dark-grey shade. he sketched the dark-grey cream into the eyebrows with a sharp edged makeup brush and used a mascara wand to groom the brows.





taking inspiration from the collection itself, the Michael Kors beauty look was made to be very classic and all american. skin was kept "warm with a flush of bright color" with eyes that were luxurious looking, "but not too heavy" according to Page.





at United Bamboo, the look was fresh, clean and transparent, with glamorous eyes and "structured" lips. "the lip and cheek color from this palette (to be released in november 2010) was inspired by the geiko in japan. their traditional lip color was made from ground safflower and water; this color is similar, but we added more specks of gold."






the look was "transparent and easy" for the Zero + Maria Cornejo runway show. skin was fresh with rosy cheeks and defined eyes. each model's face was lightly spritzed with water for a "glowy" finish.



xo

NY Fashion Week Fall 2010: John Bartlett

for the John Bartlett, show inspiration for the makeup look came from the masculine clothes. makeup was the same for the men and women with the exception of the lip color. this made for the perfect compliment to the clothes since John Bartlett's collection looked the same for both the men and women, just fitted to their respected size.




Shiseido artist director, Dick Page, created the looks:

on the face:

to create a "just in from the cold"-look, skin was first prepped with Shiseido Men's Anti-Shine Refresher. Dick then applied Shiseido Makeup Dual Balancing Foundation where needed to neutralize red areas, spots or razor burn. finally, a mix of the Shiseido Makeup Luminizing Face Colors was applied on the cheeks and bridge of nose. colors used: RD103 (Petal), RD 302 (Tea Rose), WT905 (High Beam White) and BE206 (Soft Beam Gold)


on the eyes:

only a touch of Shiseido Makeup Luminizing Lip Gloss in BR108 (Warm) to the eyelids and nothing else.





on the lips:

"no shine, matted lips" were created by blotting Shiseido Makeup Perfect Rouge Glowing Matte Lipstick in BR323 (Wink) on lips with his finger.


for more info on products mentioned, visit shiseido.com

xo

Award-Winning Beauty: CEW Winners List

this past weekend Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) announced the winners of its 2009 Beauty Awards! what's so great about that, you ask? in a nut shell, the following is a list of products that represent the best in beauty...

"women don't want to make buying mistakes. they’re looking for performance and value. with the CEW Beauty Awards, consumers have the advice of more than 4,000 beauty experts to lead them to the best products the industry has to offer," says Carlotta Jacobson, CEW president.

these are the creme de la creme ladies, so take a look (and notes if you need to). these are the 2009 CEW Beauty Awards winners:

bath and body:

body treatment-- mass
Avon Products, Inc. Anew Clinical Professional Stretch Mark Smoother

body treatment-- prestige
Ojon Tawaka "The Ball"

scented bath & body-- mass
Vickery & Clarke Natural Apothecary Eucalyptus & Peppermint Cold & Sinus Soak

scented bath & body-- prestige
Fresh Fig Apricot Bath and Shower Gel



facial skincare

acne treatment
Clean & Clear Advantage Blackhead Eraser Exfoliating Cleanser

anti-aging-- mass
Olay Regenerist 14 Day Skin Intervention

anti-aging-- prestige
Clinique Even Better Skin Tone Corrector

cleanser & scrub-- mass
Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser and Deep Clean Foaming Pads

cleanser & scrub-- prestige
Fresh Appleseed Brightening Exfoliant

eye treatment-- mass
Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller

eye treatment- prestige
Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Eye Treatment

moisturizer-- mass
Olay Definity Color Recapture

moisturizer-- prestige
Estee Lauder Time Zone Line and Wrinkle Reducing Moisturizer SPF 15


hair

hair care, style & coloring- mass
Avon Products, Inc. Advance Techniques Grey Root Touch-Up

hair care, style & coloring-- prestige
Living Proof, Inc. Straight Making No Frizz Styling Cream for Medium to Thick Hair


makeup

eye product-- mass
L'Oréal Paris Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara

eye product-- prestige
Lancome Oscillation

face product-- mass
CoverGirl Simply Ageless Foundation

face product-- prestige
Giorgio Armani Face Fabric Foundation

lip product-- mass
Avon Products, Inc. Pro-To-Go Lipstick

lip product-- prestige
YSL Rouge Volupte Silky Sensual Radiant Lipstick SPF 15



men's grooming

men's grooming
ZIRH Holdings LLC Drenched



scent

men's scent
PUIG USA Prada Infusion d'Homme Eau de Toilette Spray
fragrance supplier: Givaudan

women's scent-- mass
Avon Products, Inc. Bond Girl 007
fragrance supplier: Firmenich

women's scent-- prestige
Harajuku Lovers Fragrances "G"
fragrance supplier: Fragrance Resources



sun

sun product-- mass
Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock Spray SPF 70

sun product-- prestige
Clarins Delicious Self Tanning Cream



Indie Beauty Award
NIA 24


tell me: are any of these products in your beauty arsenal?

congrats to all the winners!

xo