Cle de Peau Beaute Glow Fall 2012 Mook

I drooled all over the thought of this Cle de Peau Beaute Glow Fall 2012 Mook. However, it was released in mid September, a good few weeks after I had left Japan, and was also promptly sold out within days of release on Amazon JP. I thought about trying online, but some E(vil)bay seller listed it for an absurd USD80, which was crazy and there was no way I'd bite that bullet. Just when I thought all hopes were lost, I remembered I was heading to Taiwan, and there was a small chance, itty bitty chance, that I might still be able to find it there. 

Well, with great stroke of luck I stumbled upon the very last copy at Eslite Bookstore (誠品書店) in Ximending! The moment I saw it, I gasped, grabbed, and didn't let go of it for the rest of the night. I swear my friends thought I was nuts xD But hey, I kept looking at other Eslite branches after that night and nope, the copy I got was the very very last one - how crazy lucky is that?!! Best of all, I paid NT$686 - 10% membership discount = NT$617.40 ~ USD20, roughly the same Japanese retail price of 1,500yen! Thank you Taipei and your Eslite stores!!!

X-Girl Spring 2011 Collection Mook

This X-Girl Spring 2011 Collection was another mook I never got around to posting. It was an impulse buy at the time. When I looked back, I wasn't so excited about it anymore and so eventually I forgot it even existed. When I finally opened it up, I was pleasantly surprised to find a very nice denim tote bag inside. From the picture on the cover it didn't look anything special. In fact, it probably doesn't look anything special from the pictures I took either, so you'll just have to trust me that it's a lot nicer in real life than in pictures.

Croon a Song Meets Hello Kitty Spring 2011 Mook

Of course, moving house means unearthing things you've forgotten about for ages. My (hardly) skeleton in the closet includes a few magazines and mooks that I never got around to posting. So here goes.

First up is the Croon a Song Meets Hello Kitty Spring 2011 Mook, which comes with a black tote with white polka dots and charm.

HABA Non-Additivism Mook Summer 2012

HABA Non-Additivism Mook Summer 2012 is my first mook in a very long time! HABA (Health Aid Beauty Aid) is an additive-free skincare brand that I've seen around but never had any interest in trying, only because I don't know what's what to try, really (there's only, like, a gazillion other skincare items to try in Japan!). HABA products are also available in the US via an official online shop, in addition there are a decent number of reviews on Makeup Alley so you can read about them there as well.

HABA skincare is free of paraben, fragrance, mineral oil, colorant, and petrochemical surfactant, which makes them suitable for sensitive skin. That said, this brand uses a marine life ingredient as one of the major components of their products, so HABA is definitely not "vegetarian" brand and I'm not sure if this also means it's not a cruelty-free brand. If you're squeamish about animal-based products, HABA (and probably the vast majority of skincare and cosmetics out there) is not for you. If you're willing to try and are reading up about HABA products on Makeup Alley, be aware some of the reviewers give them low ratings solely because of this marine-life ingredient, which is equivalent to saying a hamburger is bad because it's made of beef, which is not exactly helpful per se ^.^'

Kuma no Gakkou Jackie no Okurimono (Picture Heavy!)

I got this Kuma no Gakkou Jackie no Okurimono Mook (published 2010) thinking it would be cute like Suzy's Zoo Mook. The freebie tote is definitely really nice and well made, but I don't know what to make of the bear head charm.

Suzy's Zoo 2011 Mook

I bought this Suzy's Zoo 2011 Mook solely because of the freebie embroidered bear card case ^.^ Who can resist such an adorable thing? ^.^

MilkFed 2010 Fall-Holiday Collection

I totally fell for the freebie tote that came with this MilkFed 2010 Fall-Holiday Collection. You'll see why!

Peanuts 60th Anniversary Book

Snoopy!! This Peanuts 60th Anniversary Book is from 2010 and I had really tried to refrain from buying but in the end, Snoopy got to me ^.^

Tsumori Chisato 20th Anniversary 2010-11 Autumn & Winter Mook

This Tsumori Chisato 20th Anniversary 2010-11 Autumn & Winter Mook was a b*tch to get a hold of due to its popularity. It was sold out everywhere! I guess I wasn't the only person who found the glittery gold dots and bows print on the freebie tote adorable :P

Jill Stuart We Love Jill Mook

I finally got around to some of last year's mooks, one of which is the popular Jill Stuart We Love Jill Mook that came with a super nice makeup/toiletry case. That said, I'm just going to be brief with my description since there have been tons of blog posts on this particular mook already.

Sonia Rykiel Beauty Official Book 2010

I'm not really into Sonia Rykiel, but her Beauty Official Book 2010 came with a cool canvas tote so I grabbed it. And yes, this is one of those 2010 mooks I never got around to posting until now.

Agnes B. 2010 Spring-Summer Collection Mook

One of the most popular and elusive mooks out there, the Agnes B. 2010 Spring-Summer Collection Mook. It took me months to locate one!

Why? Because the mook features a really nice and well made cotton canvas freebie tote and heart logo charm!

Cecil McBee 2010 Summer Book

An older mook from Cecil McBee Summer 2010. I've no idea who Cecil McBee is or her designs, but the brand seems to be really popular here in Japan.

Peach John PJ Special 2010

Peach John is a mainly catalogue retailer of cute and girly lingerie, apparel, and accessories. Check out their official website and online store (in Japanese)! At first glance, they seem like a much tamer Japanese version of Victoria's Secret, until I learned their targeted demographics are teens and ladies in their 20s, according to Wikipedia. Yes, tame for the ladies in their 20s, but for teens too?!? Woh. I suppose the teens in the states are wearing Victoria's Secret too, so I shouldn't be too surprised. I guess kids do grow up fast these days.

Moving some posts over

Starting today I will be moving all my mook, magazine, and outfit/fashion-related posts from my other blog onto this blog. I feel those posts are more relevant here than on a blog where I post about daily life things. Plus the readers of my other blogs are mostly family and friends and to be honest, they probably want to know more about my daily life and could not careless for fashion or accessories.

So yes, you will suddenly find several more posts on this blog and less on the other blog. Sorry for the confusion!

HbG 2010 Autumn/Winter Mook

The HbG 2010 Autumn/Winter Mook is available in 2 versions (same content though), each with different cover and a different freebie bag style:

1. We Love Cameron version has a Juliette style bag measuring 21(height) x 34(length) x 19cm(width, though more like diameter because the base of the bag is rounded), and a Cameron charm.

2. Graffiti Sunshine version has a rectangular bag measuring 19(height) x 40(length) x 9cm(width), and a heart charm.

***Picture from Amazon Japan.

After seeing a Japanese review for the both the We Love Cameron as well as the Graffiti Sunshine versions, I decided to get the We Love Cameron version because the bag's print is pretty and it looks well-made. The official release date is October 23, but while running about town last night I saw it on sale at a local bookstore. Needless to say, I grabbed one ^.^

The HbG "Juliette bag" has a rounded bottom, 3 large front pockets, and a middle button, but I didn't realize "Juliette" is the name of that style of bags until I flipped through the mook itself! Totally clueless here :D This We Love Cameron freebie is a replica of the smaller version of the Juliette bag.

Boy do I totally see why these HbG mooks fly off the shelves! The bag is really damn well made for a mere magazine freebie! The outside is made of glossy PVC material with a gold tag. The 3 large front pockets has gold piping and the flip sides of the handles are gold as well.

But I am really impressed with the construction of the bag. Not only it is entirely lined with pink polyester fabric, it's also padded throughout, making the whole thing fluffy and cushy to the touch. The stitchings are all neat and even, and the bag looks and feel substantial and not flimsy or cheap. At home something like this would have easily retailed for at least $40!

The only downer is that there is no interior pockets. Can't have the cake and eat it too now, can we? :P You can sort of see how the bag is padded from the picture as the interior looks a bit puffy.

The Cameron charm is much smaller than expected, but cute nonetheless on a golden ball chain.

Now that I see how nice these bags are, I'm definitely going back to get the Sunshine Graffity version also. In addition to the craftsmanship of the bag, its candy purple lining probably tipped the scale for me, even though I'm not too keen on the dark print outside :P

Here are a couple of pictures of cute bags in the mook.

The top row middle bag is a mini Juliette bag in the HbGxMy Melody print.

My first Japanese mooks (Picture Heavy!)

Boutique and designer brands in Japan like to release a quality glossy spread they call "mook" (magazine + book) with lots of info and pictures, and as incentive they throw in a decent-looking "freebie". These mooks, usually around 1,300-1,600yen each copy, aren't regularly published periodicals. In my opinion, they seem to be what you would call glorified catalogues. I honestly didn't buy the below mooks for what they are, so really I bought whatever that came with the mooks (I guess it's the same for most people?). Yes, I am turning into an even bigger sucker as I would never pay a single penny for any catalogue in the states :X Hopefully the mooks are worth it for those who actually follow these boutique/designer brands as they are little more than picture books for me.

Japanese periodical magazines regularly come with freebies too, good thing they are about half the price of the mooks, around 550-750yen each copy. I really hope these magazines have more worth while contents to make their freebies truly "free." We'll see about that, I have my eyes on a few...

Anyway, I've been reading about the mooks and magazines online, mostly from Rouge Deluxe, and although many look so tempting with their cute and adorable freebies (or rather, the non-freebie selling point), I'd been successfully refrained because it just didn't make sense to pay a boat load to have them sent overseas to the states. But now that I'm here, I see them everywhere at the conbinis, bookstores, and magazine stands. And let's just say they're thismuch harder to resist when they're right in front of you no matter where you turn. So yes, that was how I ended up with the 4 mooks below.

Released September 21 - Mary Quant 40th Anniversary in Japan Mook.

I walk by the Mary Quant boutique all the freakin' time at the Yokohama Station, and while the daisy logo motif is super cute, I wasn't going to shell out some 2,000-4,000yen for simple pouches. And honestly, most of the pouches aren't that much better than the ones usually included in the common GWP promotions from Lancome, Clinique, Estee Lauder, et al., so the prices for the Mary Quant pouches seem totally absurd to me. But of course, that's how a brand markets itself...

Didn't stop me from being curious though :P And I definitely won't deny the freebie tote that comes with the mook is the driving force behind this purchasing decision ^.^ Who could resist such a cute tote bag and daisy accessory?

The tote has the signature Mary Quant print of the daisy on various cosmetics items. It is cotton canvas, though on the softer side, and measures 31.5(height) x 43(length) x 12cm(width).

There are no zipper or snap button enclosures but there is 1 pocket inside, barely visible from my picture...sorry!

A close up of the print shows gold glitter on the pink coloring, really cute!

The white daisy accessory is on a metal ball chain. Over all, the tote feels somewhat substantial and well made. The daisy accessory is a nice touch and together, I do think they are worth the price of the mook. Given the retails of other Mary Quant accessories, I would much rather buy these :P

Below are some highlights from the mook itself. These pictures were not taken in the order of the pages as I jumped back and forth. It seems many of Mary Quant's fashion designs are very mod (well duh, she's famous from the 60's!). Most are in black and white with stripes, checkers, plaids and other geometric prints. The only flowery touch is her signature daisy. I guess I do like these designs and would definitely wear them for their understated chic and easy pairing. You can check out more of Mary Quant's designs via the Mary Quant Online Shop (in Japanese).

Left column, 3rd from top: love this stripey one-piece with the wide black band bottom, 2 pockets and the matching stripey daisy motif at the bottom left.

Dead center: super cute babydoll one piece with puffy short sleeves and again the daisy motif in black at the bottom left.

Dead center: adore the checkered one piece with daisies across the chest.

Dead center: would totally wear this poncho with tied tassels.

Cute small pouches.

I very tempted to buy these finishing powders at the urging of my other hobby. At 3,675yen each they seem to be in line with the rest of the Japanese mid-range makeup world, namely Maquillage and friends.

But 3,150-3,570 for a strap seems a bit ridiculous to me.

Adorable wallets.

Paying more for a nice handbag, however, seems much more reasonable.

Released September 17 - Jill Stuart 世界中が We Love Jill Mook. I don't have pictures of this yet because it's with my sister - she bought it for me ^.^ That said, this was a popular mook so there are other blogs with tons of pictures of this mook already. See Rouge Deluxeand A Dream of Tokyo's posts for pictures and details of this mook and its attached freebie. I will post my pictures later, though of course they will be late and redundant. Oh well...

Released August 26 - Cath Kidston 2010 Autumn & Winter Fly to the UK Mook.

Bought this along with the 2010 Spring & Summer Hello from London edition because Amazon Japan is still stocking both. Why the hell not, right?

2010 Spring & Summer Hello from London versus 2010 Autumn & Winter Fly to the UK

Normally the frilly flowery prints are so not my type, but the boxes the mooks came in are in polka dots. If you know me in person, you'd know that I'm a total sucker for anything in polka dots.

The mook comes with a set of 2 totes, both are made of cotton canvas that is a bit thinner and softer than the Mary Quant tote above. So for daily use they should be okay, but I wouldn't load them up with heavy groceries or textbooks.

The small one measures 17.5(height) x 25(length) x 9cm(width).

There are no pockets inside and no enclosures either.

The bigger tote measures 30(height) x 41(length) x 14cm(width).

It does have an outer pocket with a small velcro closure.

No pockets inside though.

Small versus big tote.

Released March 19 - Cath Kidston 2010 Spring & Summer Hello from London Mook.

I like the freebies from this edition much better, and not just because this flower print is more elegant and easier to stomach. Between these 2 mooks, I personally could do without the Autumn & Winter edition. Having extra totes never hurts, but if I have to choose, I'd definitely pick the Spring & Summer edition over this newer Autumn & Winter edition. If you have access to this earlier edition and not having to pay an arm or a leg, I would definitely recommend it.

This freebie is a set of nicely sized makeup/toiletry/multi-purpose bag measuring 15.5(height) x 22.5(length) x 5cm(width), a mirror, and a tissue case. The bag and tissue case are made of very sturdy polyester, though they feel a tad rough to the touch. In any case, I'd rather they be rough and substantial versus smooth and falls apart easily. The craftsmanship looks solid too, even better than the 2 totes set in the Autumn & Winter edition.

The best part, for me at least, is the inner polyester lining. It is a to-die-for pale sky blue with white polka dots print. Hooray for polka dots xD *happy dance*

The mirror is pretty with the same print on the front and "Cath Kidston" written on the back. As you can see it's bigger than my hand!

The multi-purpose bag has many pockets inside and I would imagine it is excellent for travel.

Even the tissue case has polka dots lining! *squeals*

I'm not going to go into details of the contents of either Cath Kidston mooks because, you guessed it, it's just a cataloging of items. Visit Cath Kidston UK-US or Cath Kidston Japanwebsites of you want to see more.

In conclusion, I would say the Mary Quant and the Cath Kidston 2010 Spring & Summer Hello from London mooks are much better an investment, unless you're a Cath Kidston fan or like to collect cotton canvas tote bags. I don't regret my purchase of the Cath Kidston 2010 Autumn & Winter Fly to the UK mook, but I don't love those 2 totes either. Oh well...