Shu Uemura Sakura Collection by Mika Ninagawa

The Shu Uemura Sakura Collection will be launched in Singapore tomorrow (Friday 25 March) exclusively at Takashimaya! The other counters here will release it on next Friday 1 April.

As mentioned in my earlier posts, this collection is the brand's second collaboration with illustrious Japanese photographer Mika Ninagawa who is renowned for her incredibly vibrant photographs of flowers. Ninagawa's images are kawaii ("cute") with a distinctive "pop and sweet wonderland" style, but with complex undercurrents that hint at erotic instincts, fragililty or melancholic beauty. Shu Uemura had first used Ninagawa's prints in the packaging of their 2008 holiday collection.

The Sakura Collection includes:
1. UV Under Base Mousse SPF30 PA+++ in Beige, Pink and BB Beige. (S$78)

2. Powder Foundation Case (S$25)


3. Rouge Unlimited (S$39): 5 lipsticks formulated with a new generation sakura hybrid pigment and encased in a clear pink case. Shown below are PK356 (hot pink) and BG932 (pink-toned beige)

4. Rouge Unlimited Supreme Shine (S$40): 2 rich dewy shine lipsticks in SS PK307 and SS PK314

All the products are limited edition except for the UV Under Base Mousse which is available in the permanent line in Beige and Pink. The collection also marks the 1st year anniversary of the UV Under Base Mousse, which was revamped for the 8th time in February 2010 and met with great success, selling 100,000 units in 2010 alone. The mousse has an innovative light airy texture with water-resistant pigments to give skin a natural glow and translucency while providing a perfect canvas for makeup.

The Beige shade (above) provides a natural, healthy-looking finish while the Pink version (below) adds a rosy glow.

The new limited edition BB Beige has a slightly denser formula with greater coverage and can be used as a BB cream to lighten a dull complexion without an unnatural whitish effect. Makeup Stash and Makeup Blogette have swatches of all three shades, plus the lipsticks.

I wore the UV Under Base Mousse in Beige today topped with only Shu Uemura's Face Powder Sheer Colorless. While the combination doesn't provide as much coverage as using powder foundation, it did make my skin look smoother and more even-toned. What really impressed me was the oil control. Usually, I have to blot about every 1.5 to 2 hours when wearing liquid or powder foundation but today, I only had to blot about every 4 hours. The light texture of the UV Under Base Mousse makes it particularly suitable for Singapore's hot humid weather as it is much less likely to clog pores than creamier formulas.

The ad visual features the brand's Beauty Ambassador, Yamada Yu. You can watch the video clip on the shooting of the ad visual and download the wallpaper and screensaver for the collection here. Do also check out the Shu Uemura Singapore Facebook page!