Japanese Holiday Collections Haul

My haul from the Japanese holiday collections finally arrived today courtesy of a dear friend in Tokyo!


Majolica Majorca Majolook Line Impact SV801 and PK122
Majolica Majorca's 2007 collections have largely been a disappointment to me. The Majolook Line Impact palettes released in spring had very strange color combinations while the blue-themed collection in summer was not very wearable for your typical conservative office environment. But Majolica Majorca's annual holiday collections are usually solid so I was looking forward to this year's collection to surprise me. The two eyeshadow palettes contain a lovely range of shimmery silvers and icy pinks. The silver shade in SV801 is very similar to the silver shades in GD852 and VI261 while PK122 is also similar to the pink/plum Majolook (Illuminator) #1 palette that MM released last Christmas except that the latter had a dark plum shade. Nevertheless, PK122 and SV801 are gorgeous in their own right and would make great additions to any makeup collection. However, all the shades are on the light side so you won't be able to create a very dramatic look with these but the dark cream eyeliners in each palettes are great for adding definition.



Majolica Majorca Snow Carat Powder
The holiday collections are usually dominated by a preponderance of shimmery highlighters. MM's Snow Carat Powder is an excellent affordable option if you're looking for a soft, super finely-milled powder to add some sparkle to your usual eyeshadow or blush. The sparkle in this is also very fine without any chunky glitter. It comes in a tiny tub with a cotton puff that is a bit tricky to use as it's so small but you can always use your own brushes for a more even application.


Lavshuca holiday palettes #1 Berry Creme Framboise and #2 Bon Bon Chocolat Classic
Lavshuca has copied the cardboard palette with elastic band design of Majolica Majorca's Siam/Persian holiday palettes from a couple of years ago. I absolutely adored the shiny metallic cover of these palettes which look much more glamorous and elegant than the MM palettes. Inside, each palette has a small eyeshadow trio and a lipgloss duo along with two brushes. The amount of product is really not much but then again, when was the last time that you used up a palette?! I certainly have yet to manage to finish a makeup palette! These are great fun to play with and I can't wait to see what Lavshuca will come up with next! Lavshuca's target audience is older than MM which is geared more towards the teenage segment so Lavshuca's products tend to be a lot more wearable than MM which has funkier or more mod colours.

My lovely friend, The Muse, has also reviewed the Lavshuca palettes here!


Awake Christmas Coffret set
The Prismatic Colors set is priced at 6825yen, which is very reasonable considering that you get a full sized face powder, mascara, lipgloss and mini nail polish. Awake's mascaras usually retail for 3150yen. I loved the mascara that came in their holiday set in 2006. The All Direction Stardom Mascara #1 Ultra Black in this year's set has an unusual brush with a flat tip. You're supposed to apply the mascara first using the middle part of the brush and then touch up the lashes at the inner and outer corners as well as the lashes along your lower lashline with the flat tip. I haven't tried it out yet so I'm not sure how well it works. The face powder is split in half with one half having a very fine shimmer for a more glowy finish while the other half is the standard velvety matte light beige shade that can be used as a finishing powder all over the face to set your makeup. The eyeshadow palettes are super tiny and adorable. The shades inside are unique and pretty, with the potential for creating a great variety of looks.

Another dear friend, Fleckenschnitte, has posted a wonderfully detailed review and photos of the set here. Do check it out!


Canmake Loose Cheeks #6 Pink Mauve and #7 Cinnamon Sugar
These are a great option if you're looking for a loose powder blush that gives a soft pop of colour with some shimmer. #6 Pink Mauve is the more wearable of the two. #7 Cinnamon Sugar is probably more suitable for tanned skintones. The convenient and sturdy packaging design also makes these great for popping into your bag for touch ups on the go. And the best part? These cost only 819yen each!


Aube Rouge Tiara Veil RD615 and PK613
I fell in love with these when I saw them featured on the Aube website. I'm happy to report that the lipglosses look as pretty and deliciously yummy in real life as they do on the website! I'm very pleased with the two shades I picked :-)


Aube Jewellery Shower Eyes EX02
I haven't played around with this yet so I'm not sure how it'll look on me.


If you have purchased any of the above holiday items, I'd love to hear your thoughts too!