Glow October 2011

Here's a backissue of Glow October 2011 that came with a set of 3 gorgeous Laura Ashley quilted pouches. When I shuffled through my pile of unopened magazines, apparently I missed this one and instead started posting the September 2011 backissues first. Oops. 

I can't believe I forgot about this issue either! I remember picking it up and being totally excited about these pouches. How could I not? Look at them! Aren't they pretty? Now if the magazines in the states would start giving out freebies like these, I bet they would start flying off the stands! 

Liniere May 2012

I haven't picked up Liniere for a while, but here's Liniere May 2012. Yes, you read that right. May, 2012, and it's not even April yet! Anyway, this issue comes with a really nice and understated Cabbages and Roses quilted tote that has sky blue rose print on white background.

Makeup Brushes Part IV (Picture Heavy!)

I admit, this Sephora Double-Ended Brush Set was an impulse buy during the 2011 holiday shopping madness. The brushes are okay, but I don't really need them, especially since they come in such a bulky faux leather roll that I can't exactly carry around. I ended up leaving them all behind at home, taking only 1 with me back to Japan. I probably won't buy another Sephora brush set, because they all seem to be dupes of the same brushes over and over.

Sephora Double-Ended Brush Set

Sweet April 2012

Funny that I just posted the backissue of Sweet September 2011 not too long ago, because here's another issue, Sweet April 2012, with Amuro Namie on the cover ^.^ This one caught my attention with its pretty Jill Stuart freebie tote in a hot pink cherry print.

Lavshuca Star Decoration Eyes

After falling in love with Lavshuca Star Decoration Eyes Limited Edition Sets in 01 Pink and 02 Brown Series, I went out and got 2 more palettes. Out of the 5 palettes available in the permanent lineup, I went for PK-1 and BR-2 then, as BR-1 looked a bit warm and at the time I still wasn't in the mood for the cooler GN-1 and PU-1. 

PK-1 and BR-2. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Lavshuca Dual Prism Eyes Part II

While using Kate Dual Carats earlier in the year, I got nostalgic and went to hunt down some more of these Lavshuca Dual Prism Eyes, if there were any left since they were discontinued a couple of years ago. There was a particular color, PU-2, that I was curious about, but things were a little chaotic with my living (or rather moving) situation back then so it wasn't exactly my top priority get a hold of it. Luckily, I found it, along with another color I don't have, BR-1. I couldn't wait to play with these, but I actually haven't use either of them, only swatched, so this is just a preview post. 

BR-1 and PU-1. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Canmake Cheek & Cheek Part II

Here are the rest of the Canmake Cheek & Cheek, the limited edition releases from last October 2011, 05 Peach Petal, and from just this February, 06 Antique Rose.

I'm actually kind of disappointed with these two. The previous 4 duos have colors that provide at least some contrast. 01 Candy Flower and 03 Gerbera Kiss paired orange/coral with a paler pink, and the pinks in 02 Rose Tiara and 04 Love Blossom are far apart enough to be different from each other. The pinks in both 05 Peach Petal and 06 Antique Rose, on the other hand, are way too close in the gradation scale they don't look that much different to me. And they actually don't swatch that different either.

05 Peach Petal and 06 Antique Rose. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Kate Dual Blend Eyes

These Dual Blend Eyes are the successor to Kate Dual Carats, and they're way better and cooler if you ask me, at least in concept. Where as the Dual Carats are 2 eye shadows in 2 separate pans, these Dual Blend Eyes have 2 shades in the same pan with a half length separator, leaving a "blend zone" in the middle where the 2 eye shadows meet. The point is that you're supposed to blend this base/highlighter and the darker color that can be used to as a liner shade to create a gradient medium crease shade. 

All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Kiss Mix Heart Cheeks

After spotting the Kiss Mix Heart Cheek on Kiss's website, I stalked Plaza every week (not everyday, are you crazy?) until I see them on display. And as soon as they were, I snatched them up faster than I could count. How could I resist, just look at how cute they are!

All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Kiss Kiss My Eyes Glamorize Shadow Part III

Wow, I think this post pretty much rounds up the entire line of Kiss Kiss My Eyes Glamorize Shadows! I guess that's just how much I like them! This is the very first time I own all the palettes in the same line, actually. But it won't be the last, that's for sure. Hint hint. Anyway, here are the 01 Caramel Beige BE-1 and 06 Pink Beige PK-2 palettes.  

01 Caramel Beige BE-1 and 06 Pink Beige PK-2. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

In keeping up with my nicknames for these palettes, I have 02 Chocolate Brown BR-1 as the go-getter, the 03 Pink Beige PK-1 as the girl next door, the 04 Wine Brown WN-1 as the femme fatale, and the 05 Bordeaux Beige BE-2 as the Lady Vengeance. And now, I have the 01 Caramel Beige BE-1 as the seasoned manager and the 06 Pink Beige PK-2 as the hottie. I think I'm getting an inkling that Kiss likes to push boundaries with the OL market ^.^

Canmake Powder Cheek Part II

I have been collecting these Canmake Powder Cheeks for a long time. I don't have all of the colors of course, but I have a lot of them. Unfortunately, they are also at home and the only ones I have are the 4 newest ones since I just bought them recently. I haven't used any of them yet, so this is just a preview post for PW25 Sugar Orange, PW26 Pink Holic, PW27 Baby Coral, and PW28 Sweet Coral. 

PW25 Sugar Orange and PW26 Pink Holic. All pictures taken in natural without flash.

PW27 Baby Coral and PW28 Sweet Coral

White Day Macarons

French and Italian sweets are all the rage in Japan, and that means macarons (not to be confused with the coconut macaroons) on are everywhere, though honestly I was never curious enough to try these. After all, they're just...cookies. But I was so very wrong. A couple of weeks ago hubby's advisor gave us an omiyage - a box of macarons - from her trip to Nagoya, and that was when I finally realized what a fool I was for not getting all over these much much sooner. They're delicious!

So when White Day was approaching, I thought I'd treat myself to an 8-piece gift set from my local Patisserie Chou Chou.

Sweet September 2011

I just bought Sweet April 2012 yesterday and haven't gotten to it yet. But here's another backissue of Sweet September 2011 that came with a nice Anna Sui tote and drawstring pouch set. 

Since the Anna Sui Rouge Jar I got way back when, I've stopped paying attention to the brand as it's gotten a little ornate for my taste. There has been lots of other Anna Sui magazine freebies and mooks though, but I still wasn't interested, so this one is rather special. In fact, I like this one so much that I forgot I had already bought an issue and went out to buy another one ^.^ So yeah, I have two of this issue and I haven't opened the other one yet. Since it's brand new and the freebie set is unopened still in shrink wrap, I'm thinking of posting it on my sales blogs for those who collect Anna Sui things. We'll see.

Lavshuca Star Decoration Eyes Limited Edition Set

So this has happened a few times now, that the limited edition for an eye palette has gotten me to go back and check out the permanent lineup that I didn't much attention to in the beginning. For example, the limited edition Visee x Smacky Glam palettes got me to grab another Glam Glow Eye palette in the permanent lineup, and the limited edition Visee x Royal Party palettes got me to buy a few other Glam Nude Eyes, even though they didn't all work out too well. 

And now, these Lavshuca Star Decoration Eyes Limited Edition Set has got me to go back and picked up 2 more Star Decoration Eyes palettes in the permanent lineup (and I'm currently considering the other 3 too!) xD Holy crap, these are probably some of the nicest drugstore eye palettes I've ever used! They are freakin' fantastic and I love them!!!

01 Pink Series. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

02 Brown Series.

Lancome Colour Dose

Update Tuesday, March 13, 2012.

After 4 some years, I finally got some swatches for 2 of the Lancome Colour Dose below -.-': Flamingo Coast and Bungalow Berry.

From left to right: Blue Hawaii, Spice Islands, Montego Beige (will review these 3 very soon), and Flamingo Coast. Pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Bungalow Berry

Lancome Colour Dose Part II

These Lancome Colour Dose are very, very old, having been discontinued way back in 2008 (or was it 2007?)! But I do have a few tubes that are yet to be opened, Blue Hawaii, Spice Island, and Montego Beige, and so I figured I should play with them a bit before they turn into much and at least take a swatch picture ^.^ I'm shocked how fresh they still feel, actually. Crazy!

Blue Hawaii and Spice Island. These 3 pictures were taken indoor with flash.

Montego Beige.

Laura Mercier Satinee Creme Eye Colour

Late last year, I was actually looking for an eye shadow base when I started considering these Laura Mercier Satinee Creme Eye Colours. I know that sounds silly since there are so many great eye shadow bases out there, however these Laura Mercier cream eye shadows are one of the very few formulas that doesn't crease on my super oily lids (and not discontinued!!!), so I'm just sticking with what I know for sure will work with my skin. I would have opted for the pretty Metallic Creme Eye Colour in Platinum as usual, but since I was attending a wedding at the time, I figured toning down the sparkliness would be a better idea to celebrate someone else's day ^.^ And so naturally, I turned to the Satinee Creme line and settled on Ecru Silk since Pink Chiffon seemed too pink.

Ecru Silk. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Laura Mercier Metallic Creme Eye Colour Part IV

Got a hold of 2 more Laura Mercier Metallic Creme Eye Colour in Rose Gold and Pink Gold. I haven't used them yet and have only swatched them, so this is just a super short preview post.

Rose Gold and Pink Gold. Their packaging looks identical, doesn't it? At first I thought I had ordered 2 of the same color, but then it says clearly on the tube "Rose Gold" and "Pink Gold," and both swatched a different color. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Steady September 2011

Now that I don't buy many magazines anymore, I have a few moments here and there to go back and catch up with the issues I didn't get to last year. Here's a backissue of Steady September 2011 that came with a large Rope Picnic tote. 

Glow February 2012

Here's the now-backissued Glow February 2012 that comes with an Aquascutum tote in their signature check pattern. I don't know this brand at all, but I did have a chance to check out the freebie tote on display at Tsutaya and found it well made, so I picked it up.

Spring April 2012

This Spring April 2012 issue actually came out a couple of weeks ago, before March even started. It comes with a MilkFed quilted tote that has cute flower print on baby blue background.