Kose Junkisei Prime

Some time back in December/January I decided it was time to try out yet another range of skincare =X I found those super pretty dark red bottles from Kose's new Junkisei Prime range pop up on eBay so I decided to get the whole lot. I know now that there are various lotions and more stuff in the line but I got a complete set of skincare for me.


What attracted me was:
-surely the pretty bottles/jars (love the deep pink red color!)
-good price (between US$14-22)
-target age group of late 20ies - mid 30ies (yup, 28 fits)
-"exotic" look with all those cute Japanese letters on the products
-ingredients contain Chinese herbs (sounded yummy!)

So I purchased the following items from eBay (AlphabeautyUK):
-Junkisei Prime Cream Wash, 130g
-Junkisei Prime Oil Cleanser, 180ml
-Junkisei Prime Lotion, 200ml
-Junkisei Prime Milky Lotion, 150ml
-Junkisei Prime Cream, 40g
-Junkisei Prime Eye Cream, 20g


I've been testing the range for about 3 months now so I feel qualified to review it =D Most of the items are now at least 1/2 gone =D
All items carry a really refreshing herbal scent that's really delicious!

-Cream Wash:


The Cream Wash comes in a pretty squeeze tube which contains 130g. That's quite a good size in my opinion.
It is a gentle foaming cleanser (needs a bit water to lather up) and I really like to use it alone in the morning. I also use it to follow the Oil Cleanser. However in combination with the Oil Cleanser my skin doesn't feel 100% clean (I'll explain later why).

-Oil Cleanser:


The Oil Cleanser comes in a super pretty clear honey-colored bottle with a red pump dispenser. The oil itsels is clear and thick-ish.
This is probably the worst cleansing oil I have come across. It feels sort of waxy and is really hard to wash off. I always feel it leaves a residue that is only removed with a harsher cleansing foam. The Cream Wash doesn't have the strength to remove this!
All in all this gets a fat nay.

-Lotion:


The Lotion is a liquid unlike the thicker slightly gel-like texture other Japanese brands' toners sport. I actually like the Lotion because it is very refreshing and helps in removing residues from the Oil Cleanser though not completely. If I use this after the Cream Wash alone or when I use a better cleansing oil the lotion is perfect though.
Even though this is definitely a little adstringent it is not too harsh for my sensitive/normal-dry skin.

-Milky Lotion:


The Milky Lotion comes in a pretty red plastic bottle. It's a very runny lightweight moisturizer to be used between the Lotion and the Cream or without the cream if your skin isn't too dry.
It gives a fresh kick of moisture and will probably be enough for summer. I believe this and the Lotion are also available in extra moisturizing formulas but I haven't found them on eBay so far. I think I am fine with the regular Lotion and Milky Lotion though as my skin isn't that dry.

-Cream:


This is a lighweight cream with good moisturizing power. It makes my skin soft and smooth. It comes in a pretty red jar.


The Cream was the first product I got and I wasn't sure if it irritated my skin. The first 2 weeks I used this (in combination with other products and then with the other Junkisei Prime items) I found more red bumps on on my cheeks than normally (I nearly always have a few of them around).


I continued using the Cream though and my skin returned to normal. I think my skin just took some time getting used to this item.

-Eye Cream:


The Eye Cream comes in a small heavy jar with cute adornments on the cover (I think this is the only item packed in glass). The Eye Cream is a lightweight moisturizer for the delicate eye area and makes a great base for eye makeup. Concealers glide on smoothly when I am wearing this.


I don't have real wrinkles yet so I cannot say how good this is in fighting/preventing them.
Like the other items this is lightly scented but it doesn't irritate my eyes at all.


All in all I am pleased with the Junkisei Prime range. I am not that sure if I'd repurchase though as there are so many nice skincare lines out there to try out =P And after all the Junkisei Prime items don't really improve my skin, they just keep the status quo.

Xmas 2008: Paul & Joe Face Color & Lipstick Kit

Yup, right another Xmas review =P Now that Spring hit us here (25 deg Celsius! YAY!) it seems strange to review Christmas stuff but I got this lovely set a few weeks ago and think it's very worth reviewing. And you probably can find some of these kits in various online shops or on eBay...


I really loved the super cute kitty print of the Paul & Joe Xmas collection but wasn't sure if I needed to pick up one of the 2 kits available especially since both looked super bright and neon-like (especially the lipstick)... but I got really attracted to the kit in 001 after reading positive reviews (confirming the 2 items are sheer and very wearable) and soft pinks always work for me (002 comes in orange/peach).

The Face Color & Lipstick Kit contains:


-Adorable kitty print pouch
-Lipstick G 001
-Face Color M 001


The pouch is made of a shiny satin material with the cutest kitty print and a magnetic button to close.
It's not very big but roomy enough to take your essentials along.
The inner lining is hot pink. Very pretty!


The lipstick looks like a super bright hot pink but it applies as a super sheer soft pink. It feels creamy and moisturizing and leaves a slightly glossy shine. It's more like a tinted lipbalm. I really like this! It's a no-fuzz color!


The blusher is a pretty mix of pinks and white in a swirly design. It looks way brighter on the promo pics though!
It gives a soft shimmery pink sheen to my cheeks and works perfectly with the lipstick.


All in all a pretty set with colors suitable all year round.

I got mine from Bobodave. It was quite pricey at somewhere around US$65 but I think it was worth it. I think this costs quite a bit less in the US though!

Spring 2009: Kiss Pure Bloom Cheeks 05 & Rouge Kiss Melting Touch 06

So, finally back from the hospital =D Everything worked out perfectly (my surgery was on Monday) and I feel quite well today. I am already at home (there were 2 packages from Japan waiting containing wonderful body soaps and shampoos!) and wearing makeup today lol!

Time to get back to blogging!


I purchased 2 of Kiss' new spring items recently from Ichibankao so it's about time to review them.
Kiss revamped their lipstick line releasing 2 new ranges (Rouge Kiss and Rouge Kiss G). I've always loved Kiss' lipsticks so I definitely was interested in trying out one of the new lippies.

I also got the new Pure Bloom Cheeks shade 05 Cherry Blossom as it looked like a cute light pink that was sure to flatter my complexion. I really love my 01 Bougainvillea blush I reviewed here and 05 is absolutely adorable, too!

-Rouge Kiss Melting Touch:


The pink metal tube is very similar to their older range of lipsticks. Pretty and princessy but in a simple and subtle way.
The lipstick is quite pigmented with a nice creamy and quite moisturizing formula and a super light fruity scent.


The color 06 Berry Kiss is a pretty medium berry red with subtle brown tones. I'd say this color is quite neutral, neither too warm not cool.

-Pure Bloom Cheeks:


The blusher comes in a simple plastic compact. I think Kiss could have invented something prettier for their blushers like their eyeshadow quad cases but with the embossed hearts the blush looks cute nonetheless.
The brush is surprisingly soft but a bit too small to be of real use. It will do the trick when you're on the go though.


The blush is finely milled and carries decent pigment. You get a light shade you can use as a highlighter and a blusher. You can also swirl the colors together to make the blush a little lighter.
The colors of #05 Cherry Blossom are a beautiful light pink and a pale fleshy pink shade. The finish is a soft satin glow. Very lovely!


I really can recommend both items. Adambeauty doesn't carry the items yet but Ichibankao has them listed on the site.


I also purchased the mascara value pack from Kiss! It comes with the Volume & Glamorous Curl WP mascara and their Mascara Remover and retails for only 1680 Yen. This means you only pay like 200 Yen for the Mascara Remover (about US$2!). However sure online you'll pay quite a bit more but it still works out to be a nice deal all in all.


Let me tell you that the mascara is really great! It gives very good volume and holds the curl.


I don't experience smudging, flaking or fading all day long.


The Mascara Remover doesn't convince me really.


It can do its work in an emergency case but for removing my mascara with it daily this is much too time-consuming as I have to apply like 5 coats of the remover and wipe in between to get most of the mascara off.

Inexpensive Beauty Find: Canmake Liquid Shadow & Base

Canmake isn't really on top of my Japanese favorites list but they release really nice products from time to time.

A little item in their line caught my eye though - the Liquid Shadow & Base in 03 Baby Beige. I purchased it even though I didn't like Canmake's previous cream shadows (the one in the heart-shaped bottle).


The Liquid Shadow & Base comes in a cute little tube with a standard doe-foot applicator just like you're used to from most lipglosses.
I picked the color #03 Baby Beige as it looked perfect for a subtle nude eye look and a good color to use as a base for all eyeshadow colors.

The Liquid Shadow & Base is REALLY nice! It's indeed more of a liquid than a cream and feels cool when you apply it. It spreads easily and dries down to a crease-free finish so it stays on all day without fading and melting off.


I really love the color and gorgeous glistening finish of this product. The color is a nude beige with a metallic finish. In addition the whole liquid is full of super fine silver micro-glitters so the result is a pretty sparkling but natural eye look.


According to Canmake it's important to shake the shadow before application. To use it as a base use one thin layer, to use as a shadow color use 2 layers to make it show up better.


I think 2 layers are ideal to create the perfect eye look. Pigment is quite good and the formula doesn't get clumpy or gross when you layer it.

All in all for 735 Yen (about US$8) this is a really lovely item. I paid US$12.50 from Ichibankao and think it was totally worth that.

Shiseido Perfect Whip Foam & Perfect Oil

And yet another cleansing oil & foam cleanser review =P
Adambeauty added Shiseido's Perfect line to his shop and I was quite interested to try out a couple of items from the range so I settled on the Perfect Oil and Perfect Whip Foam. I don't usually like cleansing milks etc.


I quite like those cool blue bottles/tubes because they look somehow refreshing and clean.

I paid US$13 for the Perfect Oil and US$11 for the Perfect Whip Foam.

-Perfect Oil:
This comes in a hygienic 150ml bottle with a pump dispenser. The bottle is made of transparent blue plastic whereas the oil is clear.
It's a rather lightweight thin oil that doesn't feel overly greasy and spreads well on my face.


This emulsifies really well and turns into a milky color when you wash it off. My face doesn't feel greasy or oily, just clean and comfortable after rinsing this off.
I think this can be considered in my Top-3 Cleansing Oil list (along with Kanebo Naive and FancL MCO).

I think I notice a super faint fresh scent when using this but I am not 100% sure if it's really fragranced.

-Perfect Whip Foam:
According to Shiseido this cleanser foams up to create super fine bubbles to remove dirt even from the finest pores etc.
The 120g squeeze tube contains a white cream that lathers up nicely creating a dense creamy foam.


What I really love about this cleanser is that it's one of the least harsh and drying foaming cleansers I found to date. Most foaming cleansers totally strip my skin of any oils but this leaves my face glowy and soft without a dry or taut feeling.

It has a light fresh scent and it's really pleasant to use this product.

All in all I highly recommend both items and think they're well worth purchasing. Shiseido has proven again that they can come up with really fantastic products.

Jill Stuart Fruit Hand Cream & Fruit Lip Balm Tint Color

Jill Stuart released a few pretty Limited Edition items for lips and hands in collaboration with Hiroshi Kato (the illustrator who designed the cute girl on the tube and the boxes).


According to Iris from Rouge Deluxe this collection came out in October in Japan but I see the stuff popping up in all the Hong Kong beauty websites now (Gooddealer has the best prices btw) so I believe it might have been released there just now.

I got:
-Fruit Hand Cream
-Fruit Lip Balm Tint color in 101 Strawberry Tint & 102 Peach Tint

-Fruit Hand Cream:
I got the 75ml tube from Gooddealer for about US$30 (incl. shipping/handling)...not exactly cheap for a hand cream I think!! But I fell for the cute tube with the faceted disco-ball cap.

The cream contains strawberry fruit juice, raspberry fruit extract, royal jelly extract & shea butter.


The cream is nothing really outstanding. It's a nice moisturizer but my cheap Etude House and Skin79 creams are just as good and cost much much less.

The thing I really like least is the scent. It has that typical super annoying Jill Stuart fragrance that I am really getting tired of!

Retail price is 2400 Yen (about US$25 at current exchange).

-Fruit Lip Balm Tint Color:


Admittedly I am not a super huge fan of the regular lip balm. The taste/scent (typical Jill Stuart perfume) annoys me and it's not an extraordinary lip balm in any way.

Anyways, I fell for the cute pots with colors crystals (instead of clear ones) on top of the cover and for the delicious names (strawberry, peach, grape, orange).
I hoped the lip balms would be scented like the fruit they're named after and that they would carry good pigment or at least would show up decently.


All in all the lip balms are mediocre, too. They are surely moisturizing and leave a pretty glossy finish but they don't last too long and I prefer my balms to be a bit more emollient and soft. You have to rub quite a bit to get the JS balms to melt on your finger.

The Fruit Lip Balms have a mix of the regular Jill Stuart fragrance and a super light overlay of fruit which is not very strong.

The tint is super duper sheer, I'd call it nonexistent. Maybe the slightest hint but not noteworthy.


I paid US$22/balm from Gooddealer (shipping already factored in).

The lip balms contain all those yummy things:
strawberry juice, raspberry fruit extract, macadamia nut oil, shea butter, grape seed oil, peach kernel oil and orange oil.

All in all the things look so cute but I am not convinced that they're worth it.

New Winner selected....

The winner of the Etude House contest hasn't contacted me so I picked a new one via random.org.

The winner is comment 21... namely EVE (from Love Eve Beauty)

Please contact me ASAP (lotuspalace@web.de) so I can send you the prize!