Kanebo Lunasol Summer 2008

This year Kanebo Lunasol released a really fabulous collection for Summer 2008. All colors are so fresh and summery it's fantastic to even just look at them to feel cheered up.

-Sheer Contrast Eyes: Actually this is one of the silkiest Lunasol palettes in my opinion. And I don't find this sheer at all! It's definitely medium-pigmented and blends so smoothly it's a dream!
There are 2 quads, the typical Japanese bronze summer quad that's way too warm for me (EX-02) and the most gorgeous quad of taupe, cream, aqua and spring green (EX-01). The cream is glittery whereas the other 3 colors are very shimmery in a refined and elegant way. The glittery shade doesn't look tacky at all though and is very wearable.


-Full Glamour Gloss N: These are a disappointment for me since they're so sheer. Also the texture is a bit odd as it tends to just sink into my lips leaving them a bit dull. I wouldn't repurchase them.
Available in 10 colors. I got 05 Tender Beige, 07 Beige Rose and EX01 Summer Red.


-Geminate Liner: A pretty metallic grass green liquid liner (07). This is a very fresh and special color you won't find often in Japanese brands.
There is also a pale golden ivory liquid liner (06) but I don't use pale liquid liners really.


There is also a bunch of new nail colors but I skipped them.
Retail prices are 5250 Yen for the eyeshadow quad, 2625 Yen for each of the glosses and 2940 Yen for the Geminate Liners.

Esprique Precious Summer 2008

Esprique Precious has become one of my favorite Japanese brands recently. It's a brand under cosmetics giant Kose and offers great quality @ rather affordable prices.

I have to admit that most Kose items in the past were an utter disappointment. Most of the items from Kose's super High-End line Cosme Decorte and from their cheaper lines Visee and Luminous weren't really above mediocre quality-wise. But I also have to admit that Kose's overall quality has dramatically improved. It started with Jill Stuart (also a Kose brand) and their newer Visee palettes called "Jewel Crush Eyes" released last year for summer.

Esprique Precious is a brand that has been around for longer, but until last year they only offered base makeup. Since they started introducing Point Makeup to their line it has become appealing to me.

Honestly Esprique Precious looks like Beaute de Kose's small pink sister. The design of the items is quite similar but Esprique looks trendier and more appealing.

The summer collection consists of the following newest items:

-Glamorous Glossy Eyes: A cream eyeshadow duo that comes with a lighter and a darker color that match perfectly. The finish is a very luminous metallic shimmer. Those are waterproof and budge-proof. I applied swatches to the back of my hand and despite washing my hands several times that day and taking a shower in the evening the colors were still fresh and vibrant. I had to take the swatches off with eye makeup remover.
There are 5 colors available. I picked BR31 (cream/chocolatey taupe) and PU10 (light and medium lavender).



-Glitter Lash: This comes in 3 shades and is Limited Edition. I purchased the purple version (SP002). It's a very glittery purple mascara with a comb applicator. It's waterproof and takes some scrubbing to remove it. I think this can safely be skipped.
This is also available in pink and orange.


-Matte Lasting Cream Eyeliner: I love the Matte Lasting Cream Eyeliners. I have BK002 which is the most gorgeous glittery purple-gray (yea right, it's NOT matte). For summer they released 2 new colors, a bright pink and *drumroll* a gorgeous not overly bright aqua (BL901). I simply love the aqua shade and was so excited to see a pot liner in this color! Both colors are Limited Edition and are absolutely budge-and waterproof.
This also comes with a great quality eyeliner brush!


I purchased these online from ichibankao.com but I see them available on adambeauty.com, too!

My reviews on MakeupAlley =)

I am a member on MUA for over 4 years now and have written a ton of reviews on mostly Japanese and some Korean makeup.

For those who're interested to check out my reviews here's the link:

Fleckenschnitte's reviews on MUA

A fabulous invention: Sheet Masks

One thing I really love in my skincare routine are Sheet Masks. I don't think I've seen those in Western brands but Kanebo International has After-Sun sheet masks for sale here if I am not wrong.

Sheet Masks are pieces of soft and sturdy paper pre-soaked in skin care essence or gel packaged in individual sachets. You just put the thing on your face (it has holes for your eyes and nose) and leave it on for 10-20 minutes. It's a truly relaxing experience since it feels cool on your skin and in the same time it's great for your skin.

I've seen most Sheet Masks run for around US$2-3 each on ebay and probably less if you're lucky enough to shop in a Korean or Japanese drugstore.

I have tried several masks and my current favorites are the CL Raspberry Collagen masks. It's more of a gel and there is plenty in the package so I fold the mask after the first use and put it back into the package so I can use it another time. It has a very light fragrance reminiscent of raspberries. CL is a Japanese brand and I've seen more variations of their Sheet Masks online and I am intending to order some to try them out. I pay US$30/10 pieces incl. shipping.


Another great mask is the Skin Food Cucumber Soothing Mask. I put one in the fridge for 15 mins and then apply to my face for a truly refreshing feeling. Those are especially great now for summer! They carry a light cucumber scent but with a sweet note so they smell quite yummy.


I've also tried Etude House O2 Whitening masks but wasn't really impressed.

The Acerola Mask by MISSHA looks good but I haven't tried it yet. I will update after trying it out.


On ebay you can purchase small "tablets" of sheet masks in packs of 30 or 60 I think. You can just soak them in the Essence or Serum you want to turn every skin care item into your personal sheet mask.

Updated June 14: Got more Sheet Masks incl. masks for the eye area only:


Updated June 16:
More Sheet masks from CL, Mayblesally, Juju and Joseristine.


More masks from Skin Food (Red Ginseng Repair Masks) and Etude House:


Here are more masks from Mayblesally and Eye Masks from CL:

Etude House Moistfull Special Set

I've been a loyal user of Olay Sensitive Skin Moisturizing Fluid for the previous 3-4 years but felt it didnt' really improve my skin. It was just a good moisturizer in the point that it didn't cause irritations or break-outs. Recently I got some samples with an ebay purchase from Korea and one of them was a small sachet of Etude House Moistfull Water Jelly Essence. I tried it at night and when I woke up my skin was super soft and smooth.


I quickly searched ebay and found a set containing the full size of the Moistfull Water Jelly Essence and deluxe sample sizes of the matching toner and lotion. I purchased the set for around US$24 incl. shipping which didn't seem too much for me.


The Moistfull Water Jelly Essence comes in a heavy 50ml glass jar. It is really full to the brim of this pure smooth moisture gel-cream. I have to admit that the Essence can be a bit sticky when I apply too much but when I use just a bit my skin gets so soft and supple.

I also use the toner before and a bit of the lotion after the Essence and my skin feels just great all day (and night) long.
The toner has an interesting texture, like a very liquid gel if that makes sense. The lotion is a very moisturizing light fluid that feels very pleasant upon application.


All items have a light fragrance but it's not bothersome at all. My sensitive skin can tolerate all products really well.

Skin Food Bordeaux Shining Special Kit

Skin Food is another great Korean brand and recently has become one of my favorites. They offer really pretty vintage-style items and one of the best items I purchased within the previous months is their Bordeaux Shining Special Kit.

The kit comes in a cardboard box that is closed with a rubber band you just pull around a button. It seems quite sturdy but probably won't survive extreme rough handling and storing it in the bathroom doesn't seem a good idea.

There are 3 items in the kit:

-Sugar Cookie Highlighter - a baked-type pastel marbled highlighter that gives a gorgeous glowy shine to the skin. It comes in a cardboard compact.


-Sugar Dessert Eyeshadow - a baked-type eyeshadow in a reddish mauve color. It's sheer and shimmery and really brightens my eyes. The Sugar Cookie eyeshadow range is available for purchase but this shade is exclusive to the kit


-Lip Gloss - I don't know if this has a name since there is nothing written on the gloss. It's a pretty very shiny and shimmery neutral pinkish brown shade. It's strongly fragranced which is a bit of a bummer for me but I can stand the scent. This comes with a brush applicator.


This retails for 19800 Won in South Korea which equals just below US$20. I think this is quite affordable for such a pretty set of goodies! I purchased this off ebay though so I ended up paying more than double that =(

Etude House Peach collection

*Update*
I received more items from the Peach collection. Please read here:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Etude House is a really cute makeup line made in Korea and if I am not falsely informed it's made by Amore Pacific, the same company that produces Laneige.

They have a vast selection of products and I have to say I am especially fond of their Moistfull skin care (will review later) and their Orgel Light makeup range.

For Spring 2008 they released a huge selection of peach-themed makeup items incl. various face primers, a Skin Pact, eyeshadow palettes, glosses, cheek colors and other stuff. Everything looked so cute I just had to go ahead and order a good chunk of the collection for myself.


I think even the boxes the items are packed in are adorable. It's guaranteed I'll not toss them! =)

As I mentioned above there are several makeup primers in this collection. There is the Pore Erasing Peach Paste, Pore Tightening Peach Mousse and Pore Smoothing Peach Base. The Paste comes in the colors peach and mint, whereas there is only a peach colored mousse. The Smoothing base comes in lavender and mint.

I got the Pore Erasing Peach Paste in peach and the Smoothing Peach Base in mint. Both are great primers.


The Pore Erasing Peach Paste has a really thick texture. There is an enclosed spatula in the box which is really useful. I suggest warming a bit of the product on the back of your hand and smoothing it out a bit with your fingers to be able to evenly distribute it on your face. I find the base is really mattifying and gives a smooth and even canvas for the following foundation. It's not drying and feels a bit silicone-y on. I think it contains silicones but I can't read Korean so can't say if it's really in the formula.



The Pore Smoothing Peach Base is a cream-type base in a hygienic pump dispenser. It's quite moisturizing and does a great job at evening out my skin. I chose the mint color because my skin is generally a bit reddish and green is the best color to counteract that.


One of the star items in the collection is the Peach Skin Pact. It's a baked-type powder that gives sheer coverage and a luminous glowy sheen to the skin. It comes with a small puff but I love dusting this with a big fluffy face powder brush over my foundation. The glow it gives is just gorgeous! I don't know if there is more than 1 color. The one I have says #1 Peach Bloom so maybe there is a #2? The color is suitable for the fairest skin tones. I am super pale (about NW15 in MAC or OC-00 in Maquillage's foundation range) and the powder works perfectly for me. I would say the color #1 is best suited for fair-light skinned people from about NC/NW15-25.


Next item I'll review is the Peach Beam Blusher. It's a baked-type blush/highlighter duo that gives a very shimmery/metallic finish. I have 2 of the 3 available colors and they're rather sheer and light. I love the glowy finish these gives though! The colors I got are #1 Pink Beam and #2 Berry Beam.


The Peach Cheek Blushers are a very interesting product. They're like stamps for your cheeks. You get a small jar with a sponge attached to the cap and the blush pan is in the cover. You just dab the stamp on your cheek and blend. It really works well and the 5 colors available look all very soft and pretty. I got 3 colors: #1 Shy Pink, #2 Smile Pink and #3 Happy Pink.


The item I was craving most when i spotted the collection was their eyeshadow palette selection. There are 4 quads available out of which I chose 3. The texture is very sheer and a bit crumbly and normally I'd be disappointed but I am currently loving the sheer shimmery look for summer so I quite like the quads. The darkest shade in each palette is the most pigmented one and can be used as a subtle liner or to define the crease area.
The colors I have are #2 (Peach Pink), #3 (Green Orange) and #4 (Pink Purple).


The Peach Water Glosses are pretty sheer glosses that leave a slightly cooling sensation when applied. They're on the slippery/thin side so they are comfortable to wear but need constant touch-ups. They have a yummy peach scent like most of the collection.
The colors are from top to bottom: #1 Watermelon Water, #2 Strawberry Milk, #3 Plum Water, #5 Peach Milk.


There are also a bunch of Peach Collection colors from the Dear Darling Ultra Shine Lips lipstick series. I got only 1 color #11 Bubble Shine and I am disappointed with the bright neon pink color. It looked like a lovely peachy pink color in online swatches but in real life it's really a bubblegum pink.


The last item I have is the Nail Polish and it's my least favorite item out of the lot. It comes in a really adorable little bottle but the color I got (#40) is an odd lavender with purple shimmers throughout. I just don't care so much for the color.

As mentioned above most items carry a soft peach-scent which is truly lovely. I can recommend most of the collection. If you just want to try out a few items I'd suggest one of the bases, the Peach Skin Pact and a Cheek stamp.