"The most beautiful makeup for a woman is passion, but cosmetics are easier to buy."
—Yves Saint Laurent
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the glamourai
The Non-Blonde
Perfume Shrine
Lisa Eldridge
Garance Doré
Smitten Kitchen
Into The Gloss
Grain de Musc
Lacquerized
Res Pulchrae
Drivel About Frivol The Selfish Seamstress
Killer Colours
Bois de Jasmin Glossed In Translation
Jak and Jil
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Worship at the House of Blues
I Smell Therefore I Am
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1000 Fragrances
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loodie loodie loodie
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Asian Models
Ratzilla Cosme
Smart Skincare
Illustrated Obscurity
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Tom & Lorenzo: Mad Style
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Beauty and the Bullshit
La Garçonne Flame Warriors Everyday Beauty
Fashion Gone Rogue
Now Smell This
Dempeaux
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The Cut
A Fevered Dictation
Nathan Branch
101 Cookbooks
...Er. Sorry about the premature publication. Here's the post that's supposed to come next.
You've heard all about the individual colors, but I thought you might like to see how they look when depotted and placed into the larger custom palette. It holds six shadows, three blushes, or some other combination as shown here. In truth, these shadows would pair better with a cool pink blush (like Amazing) but I've got enough of those already.
Here's a quick overview of my ADDICTION reviews:
- Tinted Moisturizer and Dewy Glow Foundation
Revenge blush
North Star, Midnight Oasis, Concrete Jungle, and Arabian Ruby
Sandbar, Flash Back, Safari Mode, and Baghdad Cafe
a closer look at Arabian Ruby
Li Wen's review of Shangri-La, Cigarette, Keshi, and Arabian Ruby
Labels: addiction, beauty notes
4/29/2012 [4]
It sometimes seems to me that with every passing year my skin becomes drier. My lips crack and bleed. My eyes develop fine lines. Flakes congregate on my nose—why my nose, I've no idea. Exfoliants that leave other skins smooth and bright bite into my sensitized, irritable skin. But I've gotten used to it. By the time February rolls around, the dehydration has become so entrenched that no balm nor unguent can shift it. I do the recommended things—humidifiers, reduce cleansing, sheet masks, liters of water, omega-3 supplements—but even after tonnes of moisturizer, I'm still bone dry.
My dehydration is seasonal. When the air is humid and warm, my paper-thin skin picks up moisture readily, so all that's required is a drop or two of face oil (low sebum year round). But as the weather cools, my skin starts to dehydrate, a steady accumulation of moisture loss that, by February, can be alleviated but never quite eliminated. I've accepted this as an inevitability.
Then, late in February, a box of Naruko goodies rolled in. Based in Taiwan, Naruko was developed by famed dermatologist Niu Er. Its popularity throughout Asia is grounded on solid formulations at modest prices. Like most Asian skincare, the products lean heavily on humectants and silicones. This means that the Naruko routine is complex, with multiple steps well beyond the Western norm: double cleansing, serums to address every concern, sheet masks, whisper-light sunscreens, massage peels, and sleeping gellys. Moisturizer is practically an afterthought. Even if you've long since graduated from the Clinique Three Step, you may still balk at the thought of such an elaborate routine. This is not a technique occasionally deployed, such as the deft application of false lashes, but a twice-daily commitment. But if you suffer from dehydration, layering is by far the most effective solution. For you, a single moisturizer isn't going to cut it.
The complete Rose & Snow Fungus range: meant to be layered.
Dehydration can affect any skin type. In order to combat it effectively, you need to saturate your skin with humectants, ingredients that bind moisture to your skin, then seal it in with emollients, ingredients that create a barrier to prevent moisture loss. If you are dry and skip the first step, thinking all you need are oils, then the emollients will sit on top of your skin, and underneath the grease the dehydration remains. If you are oily and skip the second step, because you hate the heavy feel of creams on your skin, your skin will not retain moisture for long. For that reason, skincare that's focused on hydration, typically most Asian skincare, tends to be layered: light-textured, readily absorbed layers are more effective than a single heavy cream.
Naruko's system features a number of important tweaks. Each layer has a cocktail of botanical extracts and actives that brighten the skin. The effect is temporary and lasts only a day, but the results are immediate: for that reason, I'd venture to say that Naruko's formulations cannot be dismissed as a mere gimmick (fermented sake? ten-year-old ginseng? puh-leese). On top of this instant luminosity, I've never had a brand so thoroughly, so effectively hydrate my skin.
That dead-o'-winter February dehydration—gone.
Like most Asian brands, the first step after cleansing is a "softener", the Rose & Snow Fungus Aqua Cubic Hydrator ($20), a humectant-rich solution that superficially resembles a toner but functionally acts as a pre-moisturizer. In Asian skincare, the softener (sometimes called "toner", "water", or "lotion", just to confuse things further) is considered fundamental, not optional. It looks and feels like thickened water, and if you're not used to them, can feel sticky on the skin. I recommend patting it into your skin with your hands: it saves on product and aids absorption. Naruko's offering is similar to the no-frills, alcohol-free basic, Hadalabo, but less sticky (hyaluronic acid but not glycerin). It has a strong but pleasant grassy-rose fragrance, like a fine rosewater, and, like all products in the Rose & Snow Fungus range, that little extra kick from the brighteners.- water, Phytoferulin® Extract [Kalanchoe spathulata, Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice), Scutellaria alpina (skullcap), Peucedanum ostruthium (masterwort), Ginkgo biloba, Artemisia umbelliformis (wormwood), Leontopodium alpinum, Epilobium fleischeri (willowherb), Calendula officinalis, Chamomilla recutita, Camellia sinensis (green tea)], snow fungus (Tremella Fuciformis) extract, sodium hyaluronate, hydrolyzed beet starch, sodium chondroitin sulfate, ATP, vitamin B5, willowbark , L-serine, Phragmites kharka Extract, Poria cocos extract, Rosa damascena extract, PPG-26-buteth-26, hydrogenated castor oil, methyl lactate, phenoxyethanol, iodopropynyl butylcarbomate, methylisothiazolinone, essential oils of rose, rosewood, palmarosa, and petitgrain
From here, it's up to you. If you are acne-prone, then the Tea Tree Oil Out Balancing Serum ($23) might be your speed, if you want extra brightening, the Magnolia Brightening & Firming Serum ($23.50), while the Rose & Snow Fungus Aqua Cubic Complex ($23.50) adds a boost of moisture. The brand is affordable enough that you can switch according to your skin's needs. Personally, I don't care for serums, because actives usually trigger sensitivities, so instead I move onto a cream, but you can be certain I'll be saving this trick for winters to come. I was already using a softener, but it wasn't quite cutting through my winter dehydration. The thin emulsion sandwiched between the softener and the cream is brilliant. Normally, balms and butter and oils and very thick, heavy barrier creams cannot be applied to dehydrated skin. The softener and emulsion take care of that for you.
- Purified Water (Aqua), Phytoferulin® Extract [Kalanchoe Spathulata Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Alpine Skullcap (Scutellaria Alpina) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Masterwort (Peucedanum Ostruthium) Leaf Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Alps Wormwood (Artemisia Umbelliformis) Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Alpine Willowherb (Epilobium Fleischeri) Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamolmilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract], Snow Fungus (Tremella Fuciformis) Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Salix Alba (Willow) Extract, Panthenol, Ceramide, Serine, Alpha-Arbutin, Saccharide Isomerate, Retinyl Palmitate, Encapsule Vitamin E, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycereth-26, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Dimethicone, Polyquaternium-51, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, PEG-7 Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-40 Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Phenoxyethanol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Essential Oils of Rose (Rosa Damascena), Rosewood (Aniba Rosaeodora), Palmarosa (Cymbopogon Martinii), Petitgrain (Citrus Auratium Var. Amara)
At night, Naruko recommends applying their famous Night Gellys on top of your serum, which are silicone-based gels that seal in the moisture overnight, a hybrid between an overnight mask and a barrier cream. While I can see the appeal of silicones instead of oils as an emollient barrier—they slow moisture loss but with a lighter, more elegant texture—but my skin does not (it loves oils). If your skin is the other way around, you might have better luck. A more standard moisturizer, such as the lavender-scented, shea-butter based AM/PM Indoor Defense Cream ($25.50) better suited my preferences. Unlike most shea-butter barrier creams I've tried, the finish is matte, so though it's quick thick it does not feel greasy. Since Naruko takes care of dehydration so well, I did not need quite so heavy a cream as usual. Nevertheless, on dry skin, it serves better as a day cream; it's not quite rich enough for nighttime use. - water, Bifidobacterium bifidus, Eridictyon californicum (Holyherb) extract, marigold extract, Rhodiola rosea extract, Ginkgo biloba extract, tocopheryl acetate, hydroxyethylcellulose, soybean oil, retinol, lecithin, glycolipids, ceramide 3, ceramide 6II, ceramide 1, phytosphingosine, cholesterol, hydrogenated grapeseed oil, shea butter, glycerin, ethyl macadamiate, beta-carotene, scleroglucan, urea, glucose, citric acid, calcium pantothenate, magnesium chloride, sodium citrate, jojoba esters, hydrolyzed jojoba esters, butylene glycol, propylene glycol, caprylyl glycol, acetyl dipeptide-1, cetyl ester, octyl cocoate, ethylhexylglycerin, cetearyl olivate, sorbitan olivate, laureth-3, sodium lauroyl lactylate, carbomer, potassium chloride, potassium lactate, magnesium lactate, cetearyl alcohol, xanthan gum, sodium polyacrylate, polyisobutene, cyclomethicone, dimethicone, titanium dioxide, alumina, silica, chlorphenesin, phenoxyethanol, methyparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, isobutylparaben, essential oils of lavender, eucalyptus, marjoram, thyme, clary sage, rosemary, ho wood, iron cxide Cl 15510
Labels: beauty notebook, naruko
4/25/2012 [4]
No sooner do I declare that I wear only candy pink blushes, an itch for red blushes—to pair with warm red and coral lipsticks, green-gold eye looks—kicks in. If there's one color from Addiction that's most coveted, it's got to be Revenge, available in Powder and Cheek Stick formulations. This was my first Addiction purchase; it whet my appetite for more.
Don't be fooled by the eye-searing intensity in the pan. It's tempered by a pink undertone, not to the point of a coral-red but so it stays dead neutral instead of veering off into orange or blue. It's as close to 'universally flattering' as a blush can get, though of course, it is not so ideally flattering as my aforementioned candy pinks would be, since my skin is not itself 'neutral'. On me, I find it very similar to Shiseido RD401 Orchid, though Orchid looks more muted in the pan. The texture, like the shadows, is silky smooth and tightly, tightly pressed, so no fallout of any kind: a softer hair like grey squirrel (I use the Chikuhodo Z2) has no difficulty controlling the intensity.
The pan is exactly twice the width of an eyeshadow pan, so you can fit it into an empty palette, rather on the small side for a blush.
Instead of a swatch, here's a look with the blush on the eyes (and very faintly on the cheeks). It's very on trend—blush shades like pink, coral, and orange on eyes—but red is the most aggressive variation. It's sufficient statement on its own, so I simplified the eye as much as possible by eschewing eyeliner completely. The lipstick is Julie Hewett Femme Noir, blotted down to temper its opacity.
Labels: addiction, beauty notes
4/21/2012 [1]
Here I must make a confession: my eye for foundation sucks. Sometimes I'll fall under the spell of one, only to realize some months later that the match is off or its texture much too cakey. It is lucky I can do without, or I'd run around orange in hue, a proverbial warning against makeup. But now, like so many others before me, I've discovered the Beauty Blender. It's magic, I tell you. Whole new territories of have opened before me. So, with this newfound skill at hand, here are some Addiction bases (from samples), which my friend so thoughtfully included. I also got some of the primer, but I'm even more of a dunce there; I always wonder how the silicones in a primer are so appreciably different from the silicones in my sunscreen.
They were photographed under the same conditions: flash photography, applied with damp Beauty Blender, no other makeup but lipstick.
TINTED MOISTURIZER
#3 is a bit too dark for me. Under flash, perhaps in combination with the SPF, it tends to show up quite yellow rather than too dark. According to my friend, the shade range for the Tinted Moisturizer, from lightest to darkest, goes #1, #4, #3, then #2. You got me...
DEWY GLOW FOUNDATION
Labels: addiction, beauty notes
4/17/2012 [1]
Here's the second quartet of Addiction shadows for your perusal. These were in my hands briefly for swatching purposes. However, since these are not mine, I cannot describe with the same degree of detail how they wear: they never went on my eyes. Still, a picture is worth something, especially if you buy blind.
I'm not sure Addiction is really the brand to shop for browntones, though I am not of course a reliable judge. Nice though these are, tasteful neutrals are not hard to find. Even Rouge Bunny Rouge is more accessible, especially now that Beauty Habit carries the line. Addiction is really more a brand about color and glitter. Ayako trained with François Nars (some of the promotional images for NARS collections have been her handiwork) and inherited his sense of play in makeup.
SAFARI MODE
BAGHDAD CAFE
FLASH BACK
SANDBAR
Labels: addiction, beauty notes
4/12/2012 [3]
When I buy makeup, most foremost in my mind are the looks the pigment may yield*. I am of course limited by anatomy; eagle-eyed readers will remember my tendency to build eyeshadow into rounded shapes in the looks shown below, not exactly technical challenges. Nevertheless, it is pleasing to me when a color turns out to be versatile and invites invention within this most everyday of rituals. That's always fun.
Here are two looks base on Arabian Ruby, which I've already described and photographed in more minute detail, but you may recall that it provides the "smoky element" in my cool-toned palette.
The same base was used throughout: Addiction Tinted Moisturizer with Suqqu Nuancing Loose Powder, and Laura Mercier Heather Pink (the first look might possibly be NARS Gaiety) on the cheeks, with Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus and Laura Mercier Brow Definer on lashes and brows. A comparison between the Tinted Moisturizer and Dewy Glow Foundation is forthcoming, as well as swatches of some of the brown-based eyeshadows I ended up passing onto a friend who kindly allowed me to swatch.
* In a rough ordering of what I consider 'good makeup': the face must come first, followed by the pleasures of application, and only then the veneration of the commodity.
Labels: addiction, beauty notes
4/08/2012 [3]
Before they were depotted: North Star, Arabian Ruby, Concrete Jungle, and Midnight Oasis.
I miss blogging, though I've determined not to take it up again until I can figure out another project (for better or for worse, this is not a shopping diary). However, one brand in particular is well worth spotlighting, for never was a brand more aptly named: Addiction. Beyond the unusual colors and textures, these pigments offer a high level of play through customizable palettes. There is an immense satisfaction in combining pigments in fresh, inspiring combinations; as you can imagine, premade palettes generally chafe on my minimalist tendencies and browntones-hating skin. Unfortunately, Addiction is currently sold only in Japan or Japan-based sites that ship internationally, such as ichibankao and mihokoshop. As much as I dislike blind buys, no other alternative was open to me, which makes the lack of clear and comprehensive swatches especially frustrating. Notable exceptions include Drivel About Frivol and So Lonely in Gorgeous.
So, to save you weeks of trawling google.co.jp for minute images of these shades, I hope this post will prove helpful. Keep in mind, I make a conscious effort to avoid dupes, my stash is limited for comparison purposes.
CONCRETE JUNGLE
ARABIAN RUBY
NORTH STAR
MIDNIGHT OASIS
Labels: addiction, beauty notes
4/04/2012 [5]
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