Back to Kate with Kanebo Kate Forming Edge Eyes in GD-1

Hiya Kate Kanebo, 

I've missed you...

I started Birkinbagbeauty with a strong interest in Asian Makeup. Through the years I have developed new interests like organic beauty and other. My love for a well-balanced eye-palette from Japanese crafship has never died... 

In current times when more is absolutely too much in makeup (My own opinion), where contouring has gone to slightly "Prisilla, Queen of the Desert" proportions, lips are plump and matte and eyes are never seen without falsies, I started to long for a fresh face with a cute bit of blush and a delightfully soft but sparkly eye.

That does not mean I compromise on quality: just look at the photo above and see that perfectly pressed state of eyeshadow-ness.

I picked the golden and warmer toned palette: There's something typically summery about a golden hue on the eyes.

 

For the subtle fun, some microshimmer:

I am both impressed of the soft and buttery quality. However, for becoming more and more spoiled with strong and vivid pigments, I do find this palette a tad sheer. The mixture of a slightly bronzy gold, nice neutral brown and a buttery cream makes it easier for me to go eyeshadow again.

The effect on eyes is similar as the promotion photo:

I'm glad to have reunited with Kanebo Kate again. Although we never left (think Mascara primer), I've gone too neutral on the eyes lately with just a bit of pencil. A small palette like this makes eyeshadow not intimidating, but a fun way of bringing the eyes into focus again....

Spring-y

Happy Spring! Nice to see the sweet colours popping up for it again:

Ohhh, look at these pressed textures! 

Well, I have been a lazy blogger but somehow I have not stopped buying cute thingies. 

Zeee connoisseurs will recognize Clé de Peau's very expensive label. Hence my only justification has been that I've been a cheapskate on the front of not buying the box:

I still have a case from another quad. That justified buying this Spring 2015 selection of colours. Also, a recent sale from bonboncosmetics.

I'm not the greatest fan of pale blue eyeshadows, but the one on the left really works well in this composition.

As for the other colours: how to resist a good warm purple, a perfect warm creme brulee and that gorgeous buttery cream with a touch of peach?

Yes, still lazy so I have no real review [yet]. But spring has sprung and my eyes are flaunting it.

Same Canvas - New Brushes

't was the time for some investment-beauty!

And so this fairytale does not imply a fairy-godmother, but it does apply a new couple of [semi]-magic wands that my slightly ageing canvas will be delighted about.

* RMCA KO-5 part series palette*

A while ago I discussed a flare up of my skin. I had to take the ease of to baring flesh [think: the gym etc] and buy some high-quality cover for my body. My body is slightly more tan than my face so the variety of the 5 shades are wonderful to match up the different rates of pigmentation. And, ofcourse, it's totally suitable for face as well.

* Rae Morris Square Kabuki no 4*

Let's blame brush-enabler sweetmakeuptemptations for this one [this particular article] and another blog who gave thumbs up for a really good exchange rate on the Aussie dollar. First I struggled to use it properly until I read of using it as a finisher to buff away earlier work done to rapidly [see here, mentioned for the Radiance 7 brush but this one is capable too].

* Surratt Smokey Eye Small*

I was looking for the perfect blending brush for my eyeshadows when I stumbled upon Wondergondigo review [here]. I could not rave more about the softness and efficiency of this brush. Moreover, I found an even better use for this baby: blending in undereye concealer:

The video:

Vincent Oquendo uses YSL Touche Eclat but I've never been a fan of it. I do my version with Charlotte Tilbury the Retoucher and like the effect on blending in concealer for blemishes as well.

* Rae Morris  Brush 2: Mini-Kabuki *

This functions predominantly as my nose-shaper brush. Other uses:

 

Morris also uses it for body-contouring like shaping a six-pack: ofcourse, this one will probably work better when the abs are flat already. Cool idea, btw.

*Chikuhodo Z Series Z-4 Cheek/Highlight*

I'll spare you my measly brush-description skills in order to leave it to the pros of hugely fanatics. But it's pure brush-gasm! My beautiful powder blushers have been waiting for the one and now they have to share him? Scandalous! I have to bring more of these in their lives so the fairytale perfect ending will continue.

The Blush of my dreams & other newbies I'd been eager to get...

Holy purchasy October...

I've finally caved on a couple of items that were very wishlist for a while. 

It has been a yes/no/yes/not-yet debate, resulting into visiting certain sites frequently, making a cart, leaving the cart behind, getting reminders from websites I have a cart (I KNOW, it's so hard to forget), pretending I don't want it, visiting the same reviews over-and-over again to decide I still want it...

I've scored the most perfect blush I have encountered in a while: Meet my Surratt La Vie en Rose.

After falling in love with the neutral Grisalle shader (here) I upgraded towards colour. I picked a colour most closely to my own flushed cheeks (after working out/being embarrased/in love, ect): a rosy flush. 

Picking a colour like this is like adding youth to your face. It's my effortless colour, though I need a softer brush for application (think NARS Mie Kabuki) as it is delightfully pigmented. 

I have been wearing this blush 7 days in a row: a record! Then I decided my other ones felt neglected and I went for some peachy pink again: sometimes I like to look made-up dolly instead of natural :).

The other haul: my 1st Suqqu & Chanel brush.

After debating for more than 1 year I've finally have my 1st Suqqu blend palette in the most neutral no. 10 Kochueza. As for elegance sake, I added the Chanel brush No. 19 for eyes that is supposed to be quite the catch (review here & here)

I'm glad I caved to see what's the deal about Suqqu blend, but I'm also slighty underwhelmed. Don't get me wrong: Suqqu's texture is simply amazing, but the colours are too neutral for me. It's a "maybe in 3 years"-type of palette.

And finally that horribly pricy Tom Ford brush no. 2: foundation-time.

Tom Ford's brush no 2 feels slightly too limp. Oh gosh, I could imagine telling mr. Ford that his brush it too limp, and then I couldn't. Perhaps I'm too used to Real Technique's expert face brush firmer bristles. Temptalia reviewed this one as the most flawless foundation-brush ever and I'm probably not that used to it yet....

*Practice-makes-perfect?*

And sorry, I don't have any reviews or swatches going on yet. It's been busy and if it wasn't, it was just too cloudy for photos outside. I might take it slower on this blog as I'm slightly too obsessive/high maintainance on beauty lately: think full-face makeup to the gym whereas the other girls go bravely barefaced (or mascara only). Just a bit easier on being pretty on the outside to focus more on my inner beauty, or such... :). Well, we'll see...

Beauty Newbies

Weather is still nicely summery even if it's getting closer to Autumn. I still felt like grabbing some autumn-like purchases: 

1. You have probably seen Rouge Bunny Rouge's latest Chronos palette on all the grande beautyblogs. Me too, so when my fave high-cover foundation of '14 (see here) was on sale, I added this palette for beauty's sake. 

2. I've already started sampling some new oils for when Autumn weather will appear. I've been reading plenty about YÜLI Skincare: SpiritBeautyLounge has a sampling service which makes it affordable to try out. 

3. Candles: How Autumn/Winter they are to me. I still picked out the tropically Gardenia based 'Je t'aime Jane' from Bella Freud's line. I mean, my blog is called 'Birkinbagbeauty' because I love Jane Birkin so I couldn't resist a candle in her homage.

4. Chanel quad in Poésie: The national beautystores have 25% off on eyeshadows and this L.E Chanel was finally in stock. It's described as a set of the most effortless neutrals by most beautyblogs: Probably dupable but still highly chanel and supereasy on undecided mornings of 'how to dress the eyes'.

Makeup Forever Artist Shadow in Crystalline Gray Beige ( D552)

*Makeup Forever's new color-shadows popped up at Sephora's website -> curiosity triggered*

There are so many new ones [210], and the Makeupartist in the video were raving about aalllll colours.

I picked one that looked rather like a neutral taupe online: Crystalline Gray Beige:

It's a shade with the promise of a Diamond lustre: Diamond people! I had Rihanna chanting in the back of my mind...'Shine bright lika a diamond...'

There are also eyeshadows in satin, matte, idirescent & Metallic. However, I thought it would be nice to see MUFE's translation of a diamond lustre.

The eyeshadows are sold in separate pans. You can either muster up your own palette, or buy the MUFE version of 2, 3 or more. There was a good deal for the palette version so I chose that option:

 The case is plastic, but the sturdy type in MUFE's signature sleekness. The pallets have magnet adherence so you can take out your pan whenever you want. This is handy for travellers and makeupartists or aspiring colourists who like to vary their colours on daily/weekly basis.

 Talking about the size of the pan: it's the same as Le Metier de Beaute eyeshadow pans:

 

That got me into comparing mode again. Hence, I also picked up my cheaper brand Makeup Artist palette in Undress Me too.

Ofcourse, those are baby pans compared to big-sized MUFE & LMDB, but the colour-family of one of them is quite similar: a mauve-ish silver Taupe.

This swatch is made in daylight/indirect sun, foundation base but no specific eye primer. The Le Metier de Beaute palette is Bauhaus in colour Graphite (review here). 

• MUFE is the warmest of the 3: a reddish mauve base
• Le Metier de Beaute has the best opacity
• The diamond aspect of MUFE is slightly dissapointing: all 3 have similar lustre on skin

Verdict:

I have not been as enthousiastic about the eyeshadow as the makeupartists in the video. Honestly, I'm spoiled with Le Metier de Beaute and others, but I think that a budget eyeshadow like Makeup Artist wears just as well.
However, I think it's a wonderful neutral, office-appropriate sparkle that will cooperate well with Edward Bess eyeprimer. And I will add another shadow of MUFE's Artist collection in a different finish to complete the duo-palette.

Conclusion:
Usefully pretty, but not a musthave if you have similar hues.

Marc Jacobs Eyecon Palette 7 in Dreamer

Last week I showed you my latest palette, only as a teaser. Today I'm gonna swatch my Marc Jacobs Eyecon in Dreamer.

Marc Jacobs' Eyecon palettes have gotten some mixed reviews. The case was supposed to be not that luxe, the eyeshadows were not as good as ...[fill in a good name]...

I still bought this palette and basically for the gorgeous mix of sunset colours. There was also this mustard-y colour which was still golden enough not to mix with pickles or hotdogs...

But before swatching, I'll show you the pleasure of a new palette layout:

 

Now the joyous experience of feeling 'back to school' has passed a bit, let's check the content:

 

Earlier reviews told me that there would be a mirror, and no brush. I don't mind the absence of a eyeshadow brush, as I prefer my Suqqu or my Hakuhodo ones anyway. Often the brush with a palette is not that fancy, but there are exceptions, ofcourse.

As for the colours inside, MJ has the simplicity of the numbering system. So you can make up your own names like 'sizzling sunset', 'almost sex at the beach but he had BO' or 'I tripped over a coconut'  kind of names:

For your reading sake, I'll keep to Marc J.'s one to seven:

Swatches: shadow

This set of swatches has been photographed in sunlight:

 My base is Kose Addiction Dewy Glow Foundation in 2 Madeleine: it might be that it expired because I think it looks a bit pasty on my arm. In my earlier review (here) it looked a lot glowier.

Now I have to describe colours, which is not really my thing.

1. A slightly ashy vanilla with a micro-glow, not entirely matte

2. A neutral to slightly warm gold with a gorgeous lustre

3. This one is more glowy than on my photos: coconut & banana with a lovely glow. Perhaps my latest favourite highlighter colour now I have a bit of a faux-tan

4. A charcoal dark, also with microglow and not entirely matte

5. Peach with milk: it reminds me of Rouge Bunny Rouge Bashful Flamingo

6. Glowy peach, similar to D&G Quad Stromboli (the peach colour)

7. YES, mr Mustard is all I want him to be! So unlike my other mustardy colours. It's a burnished gold with a tiny hint of green. I think it lights up different in different kind of light: see the 2 different swatches.

Verdict:

• the pigment in on the sheer to medium side. A good primer helps to make it vivid let it last for 9 hrs 
• I personally love the colour blend and think they are so Summer-adequate
• The charcoal dark is a bit off IMO. I think it would be too stark for shading with the softer other colours.
•  The case is sturdy enough without being heavy. I'm sorry to contradict the other reviewers but a lot of so-called stronger cases will have their flaws too and Urban Decay is made from almost carton
• So I think it's a pretty and sleek case so perfect for travelling/around and the 'pencil' protection case is another extra protection that looks elegant.
• It's on the expensive side

 Conclusion:

 A palette can be a personal hit based on some personal preferences. Or, I'm a happy dreamer...so a husky-voiced tune to conclude:

Something New

Something easy & something new. 

Ok, easy might be a big word but easier is more matching for my 2nd Sephora haul:

Despite various bloggers warning me about the quality of Marc Jacobs palettes, I still ordered his latest Dreamer. Truth is, I'm not dissapointed at all...

Koh Gen Do has already wowed me with the Maifanshi foundation: how will the Maifanshi powder perform?

I'll elaborate on Marc Jacobs in one of my next posts and will test the Maifanshi powder soon.

Kanebo Kate Colouricious Diamond in BR-3

I seem to have a penchant for mauve-toned palettes:  When Kanebo Kate reworked something 'Beyonce'-liciously named  palette and added some Diamonds (hi Rihanna) I caved again...

The palette is in Kate's neutral and more grown-up theme and has some excellent glow-factor:

The palette exist of some flat pans (1 & 2) and some heaved pans (2, 3, 4) that remind me of baked eyeshadows. I actually think that they are baked eyeshadows, at least peachy shade no 3 gives that flecksy "baked eyeshadow" quality.

I thought the colour-scheme was most similar to my Chanel Seduction palette  and Burberry Plum Pink 06.

My intuition has been right, however, the glow/lustrous/flecks/glimmer factor is a different story.

cool winter light ouside, no sun

The difference in glowiness if most visible under flash-light:

This is what makes Japanese eyeshadows so desirable in my opinion: they bring an amount of glow to the eyeshadow that brings eyes and forward.

Visuals:

• Kate CL Diamond shade 1, the whitest. It has a fleck-sy texture which shimmers silvery cool. It absolutely doesn't compare with either Burberry nor Chanel. Chanel lightest colour is sandy brown and opaque with a hint of a glow. Burberry is a peachy sand with some opacity and a low amount of shimmer.
• Kate CL Diamond shade 3 is a fleck-sy peach with a cooler undertone. I think this one layers well in the middle of the moving eyelid for an extra hint of light. Again, Chanel & Burberry do not compare at all. Both Chanel & Burberry are opaque. Chanel's 'peach' lingers towards terracotta sand and Burberry's directs towards a brownish mauve.
• Kate CL Diamond shade 4 is a gorgeous shimmery mauve with a silvery undertone. I think it is opaque but nowhere near the matte-ness of Chanel & Burberry.  I like how shade 3 lingers between Chanel & Burberry's 2 & 3 colours.  Burberry's 3 shade hints towards a burgundy mauve and has a gorgeous glow, but not as shimmery as Kate. Chanel 3 is a couple of tones deeper and has a hint of pinkish glow over it.
• Kate CL Diamond Shade 5 is the strongest colour qualitywise with a high opacity and still a good amount of interesting, multidimensional glow. It looks like a cool brown in the pan but on the skin it is almost a greyish black. Perhaps the multiflecks have something to do with it. Chanel's 4 shade comes close to it but only a more matte & a one-dimensional glow. Burberry is definitely more brown.

Texture/quality:

Kate Colouricious Diamond applies almost creamy but as you can see from the swatches (with crappy brushes -> my good brushes were getting a wash) they do need a bit of work and an extra layer. There is a difference in opacity which makes some colours more prone to fade than others (colour 1 & 2). The darkest colour is a dream in both texture, blending and the multiflecked quality that is still office appropriate.

Overal:

The theme of a mauve-based palette is similar to the likes of Chanel & Burberry but the colour payoff and the glow is quite different. I really like this palette because the sublime shimmer brings my eyes more alive and it blends a bit easier. I mix Kate up with either Burberry or Chanel for a mauve-ish eye.

Conclusion:

Fame isn't always better and the shyer sisters of the cosmetic branches have some good values out there1

Availability:

I got mine from adambeauty.com for $17 
 

1Ofcourse, when living in Japan Kate might be just as big as Chanel or Burberry but hey...for the Western posse

The Spoiled Christmas...

Before we forget about the gluttony & decadence that is called Christmas...

This perfume set By Killian is in synch with the real desire of Travel to Shanghai, same as the Australia resolution. Also, I will need to look for the Best of '14 Perfume winner in advance ; )

for Da Peepers....

Yes, after declaring LMDB Bauhaus as my fave pair of eyeshadows '13 I was bound to buy 'Carnaby Street' on sale!

How can I not love these set of glowy neutrals: I cannot get enough of the peach colour and the taupe below is a eyeshadow dream. All of the colours are winners in the 'subtle but not too subtle' range of eyemakeup!

Last, but not least...Chanel Ultra Rose:

I was craving for a vivid cool pink blush: it was either NARS Gaiety or Desire, and then I found this post from Indigo Kir Royale that made it Gaiety & Desire's baby, only in zeee Chanel quality.
 
Ps: Some of these were self-indulgences from either sales or mere lust-have-ism.

Before Resolution 'Spend Less'...

I have found some really interesting sales going on:

Selfridges has the cutest Takashi Murakami Collection palette from £60.00 -> £40.00 in both colours. I have found some swaches here & here.

The SA in Holland said that Laura Mercier's baked eyeshadows "Les Petits Bonbons' were a limited edition and really hard to get. Well, it's on sale now over here in the most gorgeous wooden box. 
While you're saleshopping, do not forget Selfridges non-sale-but-really-useful Suqqu range & the hyped Charlotte Tilbury too.

Harrods has a good deal on the pricy Chantecaille range and especially their palettes are tempting: The Bengali Tiger & the Shadow & the Rose palette are half price now. Karla's famous arm shows Bengali over here

Beautybay is having a fair discount on the Le Metier de Beaute range and I already caved and own the gorgeous Carnaby Street Kaleidoscope. Cultblogger Sabrina from TheBeautyLookbook has them swatched here.  BTW, isn't it strange that the so-called 'exclusive' Bloomingdales/Neiman Marcus palettes are often to be found somewhere else? Not that I'm complaining.
Another cult-LMDB is their dewy lip & cheek Fresh Tints.
 Beautybay also has Rouge Bunny Rouge on sale & Edward Bess, but mostly for about 10% discount

Liberty is having the spring-zesty/summery Jovoy Mojito candle on sale with a gorgeous glass bell jar: what a way to tone down your Holiday's alcohol habit and rejoice for summery times & mojitos. If you prefer your room to smell like cake (think Marie Antoinette), they have this candle without the jar.

Also, this Kenzo cosmetic purse is now discounted from £90.00 to £27.00 so you can be fierce about carrying your makeup around.

Some December Newbies

December often makes me feel more (self-) indulgent than normally:

 I finally ordered my first Charlotte Tilbury! I've read some mixed reviews but couldn't resist the name "Golden Goddess" and it's stunning hues:

The Golden Goddess upclose

I absolutely like the effect of the colours in the dictated suggested Tilbury colour scheme. However, I have some brilliant primers (hello mr. Bess) so I do not feel the need to overlayer. I received the compliment "wow, nice eyeshadows" from a makeup expert so I guess I put it on in a kinda right way too? Oh jolly!

However, I do not feel like glam shimmer & flecks on everyday base even though Charlotte T thinks everyone can benefit from that (can't remember where I read that but her line proves she likes shimmer). But I rarely have a standard eyelook anyway so I like this addition to my bronzy stash.

Relaxing in times of pre-Holiday tension is not only an indulgence: you'll be a much nicer person towards others and get some more focussed gifts as well. I think a bath is relaxing but most importantly warming when temperatures drop.

I've bought a bottle of Tisserand De-stress bathoil based on a good & detailed rave on naturisimo (here): I agree! I've really think its an awesome blend and it really outdoes it pricetag. I've had samples of Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax bath & shower oil and this is quite similar, only a whole lot more afforable: and that's relaxing as well

And yes, you can use it as a shower-oil as well!

 Kate = Queen...
whether it is the Dutchess of Cambridge, the ubermodel Moss or our Driveller-guru. So when she declared Suqqu M eyebrush to be a superior choice over mr. Ford (review)... I added it instantly to my Selfridges cart.

Thanks to its superior quality my blending skills have gotten better. Also, I have been rediscovering older infatuations such as Sienna Orchid.

 I've become more curious about natural and personalised blends so I ordered a couple of samples from Pollen & Wax: Among it their Peridot Cleansing Oil:

The Peridot Cleansing oil really smells refreshing, more like a Spanish Cava than a Peridot but I'm hardly the wine connoisseur. Most importantly, it cleanses the more profound makeup with the most gentle and beneficial of ingredients (listed here)

The Gold Petal facial serum (=oil) is indeed of a golden colour and smells more neutral. It is made for "{sensitive, ruddy, inflamed, combination, dry, irritated skin types}" so the amount of fraganced essential oils is not too strong. I detect the rose geranium.

Both have been really lovely. They last about 2 times and I do think I need a bit more to give out a good conclusion.