Filed In: Shu Uemura

shu uemura X Maison Kitsuné | Plum Glitz & Indigo Glitz Nail Color

April 27, 2016

She Uemura, the brand that put eyelash curlers on the map not to mention made washing your face with ‘oil’ the coolest thing ever, also happens to produce some pretty amazing nail lacquers. Recently, Shu Uemura teamed up with design label Maison Kitsuné (kitsuné is Japanese for ‘fox’, hence the cute little critter on the bottles) to bring out a collection filled with eclecticism and fun glam, but what stood out for me were these two lovelies: Indigo Glitz and Plum Glitz Nail Color.

shu uemura x Maison Kitsuné | Indigo Glitz & Plum Glitz Nail Color

Plum Glitz Nail Color, limited edition (CAN $25.00) | a plummy/blackcurrant base hue filled with ultra fine pink of gold glitter flecks. The formula appears semi-sheer with the first layer but quickly becomes totally opaque by the second coat. Self-levelling and with a natural glossy finish, there is just so much depth with both these polishes that you can literally spend hours staring at your nails. BONUS: non-staining upon removal, with no excessive glitter spread either.

In the last swatch for both shades, I added a matte top coat as I absolutely love how this really makes the glitter pieces stand out against the base colour. Plus, it just looks so damn cool.

Coats: 2, plus top coat

shu uemura x Maison Kitsuné | Plum Glitz Nail Color swatch

shu uemura x Maison Kitsuné | Plum Glitz Nail Color swatch, mattified

Indigo Glitz Nail Color, limited edition (CAN $25.00) | an inky blue shade with even finer shimmer/glitter than that of Plum Glitz (or so it appears to me), that has a bronze, purple, green, and turquoise shift seen at certain angles. The formula is slightly more dense, giving excellent coverage even with the first layer, falling in a smoothly self-levelling way and ending with a glossy finish. Seen in direct light, it’s literally like having mini galaxies painted on your nails (and equally mesmerizing to behold, believe me). BONUS: non-staining upon removal with hardly any glitter spread.

Layering a matte top coat over Indigo Glitz does all kinds of wonderful to the glittery bits – you need to try this.

Coats: 2, plus top coat

shu uemura x Maison Kitsuné | Indigo Glitz Nail Color swatch

shu uemura x Maison Kitsuné | Indigo Glitz Nail Color swatch, mattified

With Spring pastels and Summer brights starting to flood counters, sometimes I like going in the complete other direction and indulging in darkling, almost brooding colours such as these two. Having a shimmer factor that’s off the charts coupled with a stellar formula doesn’t hurt the cause either and if you’ve yet to try shu uemura lacquers, I can’t recommend the brand enough. Still showing available online, and well worth the investment – that’s all I’m going to say.

Shu Uemura products are available at Sephora and The Bay across Canada. Find more information via www.shuuemura.ca

Product samples kindly provided for my unbiased consideration

Shu Uemura Vision of Beauty Vol.2 | Haute Street (Eyes)

It would be simply amazing to jump into the mind of Kakuyasu Uchiide, Artistic Director for Shu Uemura, with his incredible ability of bringing such colour to life in the world of cosmetics. Teaming up with renown artist Oyama Enrico Isamu Letter, the Haute Street Collection is inspired by the allure found in the grittiness of street/graffiti art, forming the next chapter in Shu Uemura’s Vision of Beauty series.

Divided into two groups (Warm x Vibrant and Cool x Chic) these eye products have an irresistible Crayola-like attraction to them, made more adult (and by extension, more wearable) by their incredible formulations. The eyeshadow palettes with their arresting print on the cover, offer removable shades so you can customize them if desired, while the shades of the dual ended pencils can be combined to form unique new colours, thereby increasing their versatility.

Ffigurati #88 (2014) by Oyama Enrico Isamu Letter (credit)

Shu Uemura Vision of Beauty Vol. 2 | Haute Street (Eyes)

Shu Uemura Vision of Beauty Vol. 2 | Haute Street Eyeshadow Palettes

Shu Uemura Vision of Beauty Vol. 2 | Haute Street Eyeshadow Palettes)

Warm x Vibrant Palette, Limited Edition (CAN $90.00) | These six highly pigmented shades all fall under the warmer spectrum, with the dark brown serving to act as an anchor to the more vivid hues. The ultra finely-milled powders mean there’s very little kickback when swirling brushes through any of them, with little to no fallout as well. Worn over primer, the colours stay vibrant and true throughout the wearing.

Shu Uemura Vision of Beauty Vol. 2 | Warm x Vibrant Palette

Shu Uemura Vision of Beauty Vol. 2 | Warm x Vibrant Palette swatches (in sunlight)

Shu Uemura Vision of Beauty Vol. 2 | Warm x Vibrant Palette swatches (alternate light)

Cool x Chic Palette, Limited Edition (CAN $90.00) | The six shades of this palette may be more cool than warm, but can still be made to work on a broad range of skin tones. Once again, the darkest shade serves to ground the other colours and adds depth of tone, while the other matte of the group (the dusty lilac) becomes the perfect transition shade to the other four pearly shimmers.

Shu Uemura Vision of Beauty Vol. 2 | Cool x Chic Palette

Shu Uemura Vision of Beauty Vol. 2 | Cool x Chic Palette swatches (in sunlight)

Shu Uemura Vision of Beauty Vol. 2 | Cool x Chic Palette swatches (alternate light)

Shu Uemura Vision of Beauty Vol. 2 | Eye Color Pencils

Warm x Vibrant, Limited Edition (CAN $30.00) | A dual-ended pencil with hot pink on one end and lemon yellow on the other. The colours are ridiculously pigmented and creamy, enabling them to apply easily without any tugging along the skin. You do have a couple of minutes to blend them out, if desired, but after that they set in for the duration – or until removed.

Cool x Chic, Limited Edition (CAN $30.00) | A dual-ended pencil with lime green on on end and icy blue on the other. Another advantage to using these pencils in conjunction with their eyeshadow counterparts, is that you can apply them to the lid first (after primer) and blend them out, so that they can serve to both maintain & intensify any shadows layered on top.

Shu Uemura Vision of Beauty Vol. 2 | Eye Color Pencil swatches (in sunlight)

Shu Uemura Vision of Beauty Vol. 2 | Eye Color Pencil swatches (alternate light)

Shu Uemura Vision of Beauty Vol. 2 | Eye Color Pencil swatches (blended out)

Vivid colour – unless it’s red lipstick – is way outside my comfort zone and while I can admire it on others, it’s rare that you’ll see me sporting anything even remotely this ‘stimulating’. It was with major surprise then, that I found myself falling for both palettes – it could be that the amazing quality of the shadows had something to do with that, but I love how easy it is to still stay within the confines of my tastes but with the bonus option of unique pops of colour to liven things up. The pencils were another matter and while I won’t be sporting them solo anytime soon, I enjoy using them as ‘boosters’ under other shadows. I suspect, however, that someone ∗cough cough∗ younger and whose tastes run to the more eclectic, will probably have a field day playing with all of these … makes me want to pull out a colouring book.

The Shu Uemura Haute Street Collection (limited edition) is available at select Hudson’s Bay, thebay.com, Sephora & sephora.com locations across Canada. Find more information via www.shuuemura.ca

Press samples kindly provided for my unbiased consideration

Post may contain affiliate links

shu uemura | shu:palette

April 30, 2015

There are eyeshadow palettes, and then there’s the Shu Uemura shu:palette (CAN $105.00/valued at $304.00)) – a collection of 16 neutral {read that as: totally wearable} full-sized eyeshadow shades along with a dual ended brush, in a slim profile case you might easily mistake for a watercolour palette. Designed in Japan (but made in Korea), the 16 hues range in finish from matte to shimmery, can be applied dry or with a dampened brush, and offer a wide variety of looks you can create with just this one palette, taking you effortlessly from day to night.

There’s one drawback, however; the shu:palette was a limited edition online release and sold out in the blink of an eye (although the website still shows that you can add it to a wishlist) and normally I don’t like to show items that can no longer be picked up, but all the shades of this palette are available as part of the brand’s core collection and you can even create your own mini version(s) of this palette with their custom palette case (CAN $17.00 for a 4-pan case). Thought that might soften the blow …

The case is smooth black plastic which also means it will show fingerprints (but can also be easily cleaned) and opens to reveal a full sized mirror on the inner lid. The 5 matte shades (M soft beige 814, M soft brown 851, M light beige 813, M dark brown 895, M black 990) apply buttery smooth with no visible chalky residue, the 4 metallic shades (ME light beige 825, ME medium brown 856, ME medium brown 862, ME medium olive 471) display more of a soft metallic finish and not overly blingy, as we traditionally associate the word, the 3 pearl shades (P soft beige 823, P light beige 822, P medium brown 875) offer up a subtle sheen, the 2 iridescent shades (IR light beige 811, IR dark blue 690) have an incredibly complex yet refined iridescence, the 1 glitter shade (G beige 821) has finely milled glitter for reduced fallout, and the final 1 satin shade (S light beige 815) is similar to the mattes but with a hint of a smooth shine. All of the shades have excellent wear time (especially when applied over primer), with the deepest hues saying true until removed.

Both heads of the dual-ended brush are made of synthetic bristles which means they can be used with either powder or cream formulas; one end bears a larger paddle shaped head with firm yet flexible bristles that can be used for a broader application of colour and some blending (although definitely not as effective as using a fluffier brush would be), while the other end bears a narrow head and is tapered for more precision work (definition, lining).

To facilitate a breakdown of the shades, I’ve divided them into two groups; the 8 hues (top & bottom) of the left side, followed by the 8 hues (again, top & bottom) of the right side of the palette.

Shu Uemura shu:palette

shu:palette (left side)

Top row:

G beige 821 – champagne/pale gold with ultra fine shimmer
M soft beige 814 – ivory, matte
ME light beige 825 – rose gold, soft metallic
ME medium brown 856 – mauve/taupe, soft metallic

Bottom row:

M light beige 813 – bone, matte
P soft beige 823 – nude gold, satin shimmer
S light beige 815 – fleshtone, satin
P light beige 822 – pink beige, smooth iridescence

Swatches all shown in sunlight (left side of photos) & alternate light (right side of photos), as well as applied dry (top 2 photos) & applied dampened (bottom 2 photos)

shu:palette swatches – top 4, left side of palette

shu:palette swatches – bottom 4, left side of palette

shu:palette (right side)

Top row:

M soft brown 851 – camel, matte
ME medium brown 862 – bronze, soft metallic
IR light beige 811 – oyster, smooth iridescence
IR dark blue 690 – blackened navy, smooth iridescence

Bottom row:

P medium brown 875 – chocolate, satin iridescence
M dark brown 895 – blackened brown, matte
ME medium olive 471 – silvered olive, soft metallic
M black 990 – carbon black, matte

Swatches all shown in sunlight (left side of photos) & alternate light (right side of photos), as well as applied dry (top 2 photos) & applied dampened (bottom 2 photos)

shu:palette swatches – top 4, right side of palette

shu:palette swatches – bottom 4, right side of palette

For years I was ambivalent about eyeshadow palettes that contained more than the standard 4-5 shades, considering them generally too large and unwieldy & usually made up of a couple of standout hues, with the rest acting as fillers – but there’s been a not-so-quiet revolution taking place (we can all thank Urban Decay and their series of ‘Naked’ palettes for starting things up) in this field. This Shu Uemura shu:palette has to be one of the most stellar palettes in the ‘neutral’ genre that I currently own, by virtue of its 16 full-sized and noticeably superior quality eyeshadow hues, to how well the colours meet all skin tones & makeup style preferences. Final word: Shu Uemura absolutely NEEDS to make the shu:palette permanent, and if you are able to find one of these beauties, I strongly suggest you grab it. And don’t let go.

The Shu Uemura shu:palette is a limited edition item – find more information through shuuemura.ca (currently listed as in stock), or by clicking on the link in the sidebar for direct access.

Press sample kindly provided for my unbiased consideration/Post contains affiliate links

shu uemura | Vol. 1 Brave Beauty Eye Palettes – Pink, Orange & Green

November 26, 2014

Press samples provided for my unbiased consideration

While new collections seem to be rolling out at a hypersonic pace right now, I want to take a step back and show you the utter gorgeousness of these three eye palettes from the shu uemura Vol. 1 Brave Beauty Collection (CAN $90.00 each). Debuted just a few weeks ago from beauty visionary Shu Uemura – a man who pioneered the concept of makeup as a tool for personal expression – was the introduction of the first in what is to become an annual collection by shuATELIER: the Vision of Beauty Collection. Every year, an inspiring new theme will be presented in two formats: a beauty collection (such as the palettes shown here), and an artist edition that is to be a special collectible piece of art.

Vol. 1 Brave Beauty, is about women not only exploring, but also indulging in who they are within, paying tribute to our varied natures: from strong, fearless, and rebellious, to an empowering femininity or even fierce rocker-chic side. The three limited edition palettes of Pink, Orange, and Green, each hold 6 shades in an array of textures, ranging from soft pearl neutrals to arresting matte hues. Each compact comes with a bold, almost organic-looking design on the lid, and can be further personalized by removing the individual shades and/or mixing them about, if desired. Price-wise, each palette might initially seem a little steep, but when you factor in that each individual shadow refill retails for CAN $19.00, then you are in effect actually saving $30.00 on what a 6-pan palette would ordinarily cost. And if that’s not enticement enough, a quick swatch of the incredible quality of these shades will more than convince you.

shu uemura | Brave Beauty Eye Palettes

shu uemura | Brave Beauty Eye Palettes (click to enlarge for ingredients list)

Brave Beauty Pink Eye Palette (CAN $90.00) | This palette has a surprisingly wearable collection of pink shades, a colour most people tend to avoid with regards to eye makeup (for obvious reasons: fear of looking like one either has A) an infection or B) has been crying). Colour-wise, the 3 deepest hues make for the most spectacular and unique smokey eye look, while the 3 lighter hues work well for an easy daytime look that also serves to highlight the eye area and generally add a touch of brightness to the face. A colour breakdown:

deep cerise (matte)
cranberry (satin shimmer)
dusky rose (frosted shimmer)
icy pink (complex shimmer; reminds me of a brighter version of MAC’s Vex)
thistle (pearlized gleam)
plum/raisin (pink duo chrome iridescence)

shu uemura | Brave Beauty Pink Eye Palette

Brave Beauty Orange Eye Palette (CAN $90.0) | Like the colours of Autumn perfectly captured in an eye palette, the six shades here are a good mix of totally wearable and oddly unique (the Cheetos orange hue at the end – I dare you to take your eyes away from that one) at the same time. Orange is not a colour I have indulged in overmuch – whether for eyes or lips – primarily because the wrong shade can clash violently with my skin tone (light/medium with yellow undertones) … but that was before I began playing with this palette. It should also be stated that apart from the matte orange shade, the other 5 each display the most incredibly complex shimmer. A colour breakdown:

true orange (matte)
deep cinnamon (satin shimmer)
champagne beige (duo chrome shimmer)
oyster (pearlized luster)
pink/copper (fiery glow)
burgundy/sienna (satin shimmer with pink reflects)

shu uemura | Brave Beauty Orange Eye Palette

Brave Beauty Green Eye Palette (CAN $90.00) | This palette: Oh. My. Lord. When we talk about a standout shade, that intense matte green on the end is what we refer to – almost surreal in its vibrancy. Once again, the convoluted and intricate shimmer combinations rule the other colours of this palette, as well as making them all the perfect counterpoint to the lone matte hue. The colour green has never been as originally represented, as what is seen here. A colour breakdown:

viridian (matte)
bronze/antique gold (duo chrome shimmer)
greyed oyster (pearlized luster)
icy seafoam (frosted gleam)
chartreuse (satin shimmer)
pine green (glowing shimmer)

shu uemura | Brave Beauty Green Eye Palette

The short version: all three palettes are simply divine. Shu Uemura eye shadows come in such a varied assortment, that it can sometimes be overwhelming to try and create a 6-pan version, but each of these palettes have taken the guesswork (and headache) out of needing to do so. I wish to briefly mention the quality and textures found here: superb, would be putting it mildly. Outstanding, comes closer to the mark, with absolutely no powdery kickback on any, and neither do I experience any fallout during application. Staying power is amazing as well (especially with primer – mandatory if you suffer from oily lids as I do), but the matte shades literally wear like iron, regardless of whether you apply primer first or not. I’m happy to break away from my comfort-zone neutrals with any of these palettes, and despite the more vivid hues, have actually found them all quite wearable. The slim size of each compact, makes them quite portable and perfect for travelling with, while the the full-sized mirror on the inner lid helps with on-the-go touch ups. If you’ve yet to indulge in the exquisite world of Shu Uemura beauty, then I highly recommend you give any (or all) of these palettes a look.

Limited Edition, but should still be available at all shu uemura counters/online

shu uemura | bronze gold & pink satin radiant sticks, Brave Beauty Vol. 1, Vision of Beauty Collection

September 29, 2014

From the brand that continues to lead the way in how we approach the very concept of applying our makeup, she uemura has just released the Vision of Beauty Collection, Vol. 1 – Brave Beauty, a range of ‘covetable all-encompassing beauty products’ designed to let your inner creativity emerge. The new Satin Radiant Sticks (available in 4 shades, 2 highlighters – Light Pink, Bronze Gold and 2 blush colours – Pink, Orange Coral) are not only beautifully packaged, but are meant to provide the skin with a healthy, satin-like veil of colour.

shu uemura | Bronze Gold & Pink Satin Radiant Sticks, Brave Beauty Vol. 1

shu uemura | Bronze Gold & Pink Satin Radiant Sticks, Brave Beauty Vol. 1 (ingredients list)

sshu uemura | Bronze Gold & Pink Satin Radiant Sticks, Brave Beauty Vol. 1

shu uemura | Bronze Gold & Pink Satin Radiant Sticks, Brave Beauty Vol. 1

Bronze Gold Highlighter Brave Beauty – Satin Radiant Stick (CAN $55.00) | A warm-leaning light golden cream highlighter in a twist-up stick format which bears a refined peachy/pink shimmer. Unscented and with an ultra-smooth texture, Bronze Gold literally glides along the skin and can be applied anywhere you want a touch of light: tops of cheekbones (preferred), cupid’s bow (lips), brow bone, temples, or even the collarbone area. One light swipe will give a sheer hint of colour, although it can also be layered/built up for more intensity, but it’s how seamlessly this product blends into the skin – all while never emphasizing pores – that makes it stand out from any other cream highlighter I’ve ever tried. The final look is a truly radiant glow, as though emanating from within, and not any gaudy, over-the-top bling. Staying power is quite good as well, lasting easily 6-7 hours, morphing into a softer glow as it merges with my skin’s heat & natural oils, as opposed to ay outright fading.

shu uemura | Bronze Gold Highlighter Brave Beauty – Satin Radiant Stick

Pink Blush Color Brave Beauty – Satin Radiant Stick (CAN $55.00) | A cool-leaning pink cream blush in a twist-up stick format that bears an ultra-fine pink shimmer for depth and added radiance. As with the Bronze Gold Highlighter above, Pink is also unscented and comes in the same silky texture. Created to provide a natural-looking luminous flush of colour, this shade blends so seamlessly and easily into the skin leaving a soft/satin finish and absolutely no demarcation lines behind – regardless of whether you use fingers or a brush to apply. Lasting power is excellent as well, especially considering the emollient nature of this product, going easily past the 7 hour mark without any significant fading. What surprised me the most, however, is that I’m able to carry off a cool blue-based pink hue like this; not only does it NOT clash with my complexion (which is light-medium with slight yellow undertones), but goes the extra mile by providing colour and adding brightness.

shu uemura | Pink Blush Color Brave Beauty – Satin Radiant Stick

Cream based beauty products have come a long way from the days of overly-slick textures and that telltale greasy feel; in fact, the new she uemura Satin Radiant Sticks have somehow found a way to not only feel as though they glide along the skin, but still manage to stay slightly dewy to the touch and yet set in the skin at the same time. The tone of Bronze Gold Satin Radiant Stick upon the skin is unbelievable; not only does it provide the most radiant glow, but it does so without emphasizing pores – something I’ve never seen a highlighter do before, let alone one in a cream format (and in case my gushing praise isn’t obvious enough, this has now become my Holy Grail of highlighters). Cool-based pink blushes usually make me look bruised, but once again, there’s something about the formulation of the Pink Satin Radiant Stick, that not only works on me, but just brightens up my entire face – with a nice dose of healthy-looking colour thrown in. Again … love, love, love.

Available through Holt Renfrew (Canada), find more information via: