Astalift New Base Makeup and Haircare

Astalift, by Fujifilm, will launch a new sakura-inspired Lighting Perfection base makeup range on 1 September in Japan. The range is formulated with a sakura aura powder that absorbs yellow light while reflecting red light to give skin a lit-from-within glow. It includes:

1. Lighting Perfection Long Keep Pact UV Powder Foundation: Formulated with 'sakura aura powder', water-soluble collagen and astaxanthin, this longlasting powder foundation comes in 6 shades with SPF20 PA++. (3700yen for 9g refill, 1000yen for case)

2. Lighting Perfection Moist Pure Liquid UV Foundation: Formulated with 'sakura aura powder', three types of collagen, astaxanthin and lycopene, this comes in 6 shades with SPF25 PA++. (4200yen, 25g)

3. Lighting Perfection Pressed Powder: For a radiant, polished finish. SPF18 PA++ (3500yen for 9g refill, 1000yen for case)

Astalift is also venturing into the haircare catgory with its damask rose-scented Scalp Focus series set to debut on 24 September. It includes a shampoo, conditioner and scalp essence. The shampoo and conditioner are both silicone-free and contain collagen and astaxanthin. Both will retail at 2000yen for 360ml and 1600yen for the 300ml refill pack while the scalp essence will retail at 5700yen for 150ml, and 3200yen for 75ml.

Operation Use It Up

Just in time for Chinese New Year, I managed to clear out this bumper crop of products, which were used up between December and January.


1. Pixi Glow Tonic: I hauled back four bottles from London to Geneva after reading the online raves sparked by Caroline Hirons' recommendation in this blog post. Pixi has literally not been able to keep this on the shelves since Hirons wrote about it. It used to be available only in their flagship store in London but it recently became available on their UK and US websites in a new clear bottle packaging. The UK website ships internationally but is currently out of stock again of the tonic. It's not that expensive at £16 for 250ml. It contains 5% glycolic acid for exfoliating the skin and warding off acne. Used once daily, it did help to keep my skin relatively clear, smooth and blemish-free without irritating it, although my pores still needed manual purging from time to time. The only time that it stung slightly was when I applied it after using a Lush fresh mask. I would definitely repurchase this again if it is available.

2. REN Clarifying Toning Lotion also worked well with my skin but is more expensive than Pixi Glow Tonic at £18 for 150ml. Used once daily, I finished this bottle in less than three weeks. The combination of salicilin from willow bark, glycolic acid, lactic acid, citric acid and tartaric acid works to exfoliate, tone and decongest the skin. I did not experience any irritation with this. It does help to keep my skin clear and is more easily available than Pixi Glow Tonic.

3. Astalift Cream did a good job of hydrating my skin but it also made me break out in small blemishes.

4. Astalift Moisture Foam is a pretty standard foaming cleanser that left my skin feeling slightly dry.

5. Astalift Essence Destiny is a light serum that comes with a pipette dispenser. I liked this better than the Astalift Cream as it hydrated my skin without making me breaking out.

6. Astalift Lotion does a good job of refreshing and toning my skin. I still have a full-size bottle of this in my stash.

7. Astalift Complete Make-up Remover Oil did a decent job of removing makeup but didn't feel that special to warrant a full size purchase.

8. Peter Thomas Roth Mega-Rich Body Wash has a lovely citrus scent and cleanses well without drying out my skin.

9. Peter Thomas Roth Mega-Rich Shampoo and Conditioner did not feel as deeply moisturising as Shiseido's Tsubaki range.

10. Lancome Tonique Radiance Clarifying Exfoliating Toner is alcohol-heavy (second on the ingredient list). I accidentally got some in my eye while closing the cap and it stung pretty bad. The Ren Clarifying Lotion and Pixi Glow Tonic are much better alternatives.

11. Helena Rubenstein All Mascaras Complete Eye Makeup Remover proved to be no match for Majolica Majorca's infamous waterproof mascaras. I still don't understand why HR's mascaras top many Japanese beauty magazine polls.

12. Kiehl's Clearly Correcting Dark Spot Solution feels very light on the skin and absorbs well without leaving a film. I didn't notice a significant reduction in the spots on my cheeks though so I probably will not repurchase this.

13. La Mer Moisturising Gel Cream worked surprisingly well with my skin. It helped keep the skin flakes at bay and did not make my skin too oily or cause any blemishes.

14. Lancome Genefique Yeux did a good job of hydrating the eye area without causing any milia. I liked it but probably won't repurchase it as I still have some other eye creams to use up.

15. Sarah Chapman Skinesis Neck and Chest Rejuvenating Complex: This deluxe sample was a gift with purchase. It did a decent job of hydrating but other than that, it was nothing special. I don't really see the point of using a different moisturiser for the neck versus the rest of the body.

16. Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream is gentle enough to use two to three times a week. I find it to be more effective than Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant. When I use this, I skip the exfoliating lotions so as not to over-exfoliate my skin, which can cause it to get thinner.

17. REN Frankincense Revitalizing Night Cream worked well in hydrating my skin during these dry winter months without making it excessively oily. It does have a distinctive scent but I didn't mind it. The Frankincense range has been revamped and renamed the V-cense range.

18. Vera Wang Satiny Body Lotion was nicely hydrating and did not leave an oily film. The scent is cloyingly sweet though.

19. Rituals Lao Tze Chinese Mint and Yi Yi Ren Cooling Foot Balm did a good job of moisturing my feet and I loved the relaxing scent. The cooling sensation isn't that strong.

20. Bioderma Crealine Solution Micellaire cleanses away makeup pretty effectively except for eye makeup, so I always use a separate eye makeup remover. I also follow up with a facial cleanser to make sure that my skin is thoroughly cleansed.

21. Noble Isle Summer Rising Bath & Shower Gel has a lovely elegant green scent that makes me miss London.

22. L'Occitane Fleurs Merveilleuses Shower Gel has a sweet floral scent that is not too cloying. I liked L'Occitane's shower gels but I only purchase them when they are on sale as they are too pricey at normal retail price.

23. Philosophy Sweet Honey Orange Jam was a delicious orange scent but it does not linger on the skin much.

24. Josie Maran Argan Oil Hair Serum works very well for de-frizzing my hair and I like the scent too. It is pricey but I would repurchase this.

25. Nick Chavez Volumizing Shampoo wasn't particularly volumizing.

26. Percy & Reed Beautifully Bouncy Volumising Conditioner was also not that memorable in terms of the effect it had on my hair.

Operation Use It Up

With winter now upon us, I've been slathering on all manner of moisturisers to stave off the dry flakies, which explains the preponderance of moisturisers in this batch of product empties for October and November.

1. Korres Basil Lemon Body Milk: This has a lovely citrusy scent that is refreshing without being too generic. The body milk is light with a runny texture well-suited for the summer months when skin needs less hydration.

2. Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker Soft Body Lotion: Lovely was one of my favourite scents a few years ago and a distinctively unique creation amidst the flood of cynically sweet floral fruity celebrity juices. It's a pity that SJP has stopped releasing fragrances as she had an interesting range. (Chandler Burr wrote a great book "The Perfect Scent: A Year Inside the Perfume Industry" detailing the creation of Lovely and a Hermes fragrance, which is a must-read for anyone interested in fragrances.) I liked this body lotion for the dreamy scent. It moisturised my skin without leaving any greasy feeling.

3. Rituals Mei Dao Rich Moisturising Body Cream in Organic White Lotus and Yi Yi Ren: Rituals offers several beautifully scented bodycare lines and this is one of my favourites. It's a calming, comfortable scent. The cream offers good hydration without the greasy after-feel of Body Shop's Body Butter.

4. Kenzoki Energisant Stimulating Body Moisturiser: This was the most pricey body moisturiser that I ever purchased but it was well worth it with a cooling texture that hydrates without feeling greasy or heavy. The scent is also wonderfully relaxing. I liked using this in the summer.

5. Philosophy Summer Grace Perfumed Body Emulsion: This worked nicely enough on my skin and had a pleasant scent although it was much less memorable than the Lovely, Mei Dao and Kenzoki moisturisers.

6. The Body Shop Candied Ginger Body Butter: A past holiday release, I liked the ginger scent but this never fully absorbed into my skin and I could feel the oiliness when my skin brushed against the furniture.

7. Shiseido Tsubaki Massage Spa Mask: This was pretty mediocre in terms of conditioning my hair. The Tsubaki conditioners in red or white are much more effective.

8. L'Oreal Elseve Relaxing Mask: This helped to detangle and soften my hair but it was otherwise rather average, so I would not re-purchase.

9. Suqqu Refining Foam: This was included in Suqqu's holiday coffrets for both 2013 and 2012. It lathers up easily and cleanses my skin thoroughly but like many Japanese foaming cleansers, it does tend to leave the skin feeling dry so following up with a good hydrating lotion or moisturiser is a must. Not quite worth the £33 price tag as there are much more affordable cleansers that are more gentle on the skin.

10. H2O+ Marine Cleansing Gel: This has a clear wobbly jelly-like texture that feels refreshing on the skin. It cleanses well without leaving the skin feeling stripped.

11. Ren Micro Polish Cleanser: This contains small scrub particles and glycolic acid for double exfoliating action. This is gentle enough to use 2-3 times a week and it never irritates my skin. Used in combination with Pixi Glow Tonic, this has helped to keep my skin clear.

12. Astalift Jelly Aquarysta: This red jelly moisturiser works well for my skin without making it more oily than normal. My skin also feels more supple when I use this.

13. Elisha Coy Herb Clay Pore Refining Mask: This left my skin feeling softer and smoother. It felt like a nice weekly detoxing treat for the skin and does not dry it out excessively even if left on for more than 20 minutes.

14. Lancome DreamTone 1: Just released a few months ago, this supposedly helps to even out skintone. The 5ml sample lasted around two weeks with daily usage. It absorbs nicely without making my skin greasy but I didn't notice any significant lightening effect on the dark pigmentation spots on my cheeks, although two weeks is probably too short a testing time to make a definitive assessment.

15. Philosophy Clear Days Ahead Overnight Repair Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment Pads: My skin stayed generally clear and free of major eruptions while I was using this. The pads also stayed nicely soaked up until the very last one, unlike some other brands which dry out in the pot.

16. Lancome BiFacil: This works well for removing eye makeup including waterproof mascara without irritating the eyes. It's too pricey for me to purchase it as L'Oreal makes a cheaper alternative, but I often get BiFacil as a gift with purchase or included as part of a set.

17. Jill Stuart Shower Gel: This was part of a summer travel bodycare set. The scent is a tad artificially sweet, typical of Jill Stuart and probably too cloying for some people.

18. Lush It's Raining Men: This has the same sweet honey scent of Lush's bestselling Honey I Washed the Kids soap, so I did not hesitate to purchase it. It cleanses thoroughly without drying the skin. I would re-purchase it except that I still have far too many shower gels to use up.

19. The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Shower Gel: This was pleasant enough but not that special that I would re-purchase it.

Operation Use It Up

Completed a bumper crop of empties this month!

1. Acca Kappa Calycanthus is a lovely uplifting white floral fragrance with dominant notes of jasmine. It is the first fragrance I've used up in years. I purchased this about four years ago in Kuala Lumpur, and it's been a perennial favourite since then. Always soothing and comforting.

2. Peter Thomas Roth Max Complexion Correction Pads contain 10% glycolic acid and 2% salicylic acid to help prevent blemishes. Drenched in a sweet peach scent, it also has a terribly high alcohol content at 46% but it didn't irritate my skin. I didn't find it to be a wonder product in terms of preventing blemishes though. There was quite a bit of liquid in the pot, which helped to ensure that the pads did not dry out over the three months that it took me to use them up.


3. RMK Creamy Soap N cleanses thoroughly but it does leave the skin feeling stripped, so I use it only once a day after using a cleansing oil to remove makeup.

4. Mario Badescu Seaweed Cleansing Soap had an odd scent and thick texture that I never got used to. It doesn't strip the skin but other than that, it was pretty average. I ended up putting generous dollops of it on my Clarisonic Mia to use up the giant bottle. Ingredients list below.

5. Astalift Priming Lotion is one of my favourite toners. It feels ever so gentle on the skin and doesn't leave it feeling sticky. I will re-purchase this but first I need to use up the other toners in my stash. Ingredients list below.

6. Lush Ayesha: Reviewed earlier here. I like this for detoxing and clarifying the skin. The pot looks tiny but it provided eight applications for me. The only downside is that you have to use it up within a month as it does not contain preservatives.

7. Brewed from beer, Lush Cynthia Sylvia Stout shampoo is supposed to help add shine and tame hair that is prone to frizziness. It doesn't lather that well but it doesn't strip the hair like Lush's shampoo bars usually do to my hair. The scent does take some getting used to but I didn't hate it. Ingredients list below.

8. Lush Glogg shower gel is inspired by the traditional Swedish brew with cinnamon and mulled wine scent. The wine note literally made me gag every time I used it. It has just been brought back under Lush's Retro programme but I would never touch this stuff again!


9. Philosophy Bridal Bouquet was much more pleasant to use but the sweet floral scent seems a bit bland and much less memorable than Senorita Margarita. Ingredients list below.

10. Dove Indulgent Nourishment Body Lotion with Shea Butter is an effective hydrating lotion that helped to stave off the dryness without leaving any greasiness or stickiness on the skin.

11. L'Oreal Elseve Liss-Intense Serum Anti-frizz works well for taming my hair but the 50ml bottle lasts less than a month for me with daily usage.

12. Wen Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner is a shampoo-and-conditioner in one that came in a UK Glossybox. It feels like a conditioner as it doesn't lather, which is an extremely odd feeling to get used to. I wasn't impressed by this, so I won't be purchasing it.

13. L'Oreal EverPure shampoo is sulfate-free but it lathers extremely well. It did leave my hair feeling a tad dry though, so I doubt I will repurchase this. Ingredients list below.

14. Kenzoki Ice-cold Eye Cream is great for plumping up the eye area without making it feel greasy. It absorbs easily and doesn't result in milia for me.

15. K-Palette Lasting 2Way Eyebrow 02 is a daily staple that I've used up countless times. Quick, easy and stays put no matter how many times I blot my skin.

16. Josie Maran Bearnaked Wipes have a refreshing grapefruit scent. This works well for taking off light makeup but I still follow up with a face cleanser to ensure thorough cleansing and reduce the likelihood of breakouts. Ingredients list below.

17. Sana Esteny Salt Wash is a great exfoliating scrub with a sweet blackcurrant scent. It feels invigorating and the scrub particles don't melt away quickly. I would re-purchase it if I come across it again.

Fujifilm Astalift Essence Destiny and Brand Renewal

Astalift, the anti-aging skincare line by Fujifilm, will revamp its product range this September on its 5th anniversary. Aside from their trademark nano-astaxanthin, the new product range will also contain nano-lycopene. Their star product, Jelly Aquarysta will be available in an easily refillable packaging that is protected with a UV-block coating. A 40g refill will cost 8925yen, versus 9450yen for the usual 40g pot. The Astalift Lotion, Cream, Emulsion, Night Cream and a new product, Essence Destiny, will also be available in refill format. The Essence Destiny (6300yen for 30ml, 5775yen for refill) is a beauty fluid containing resveratrol, nano-lycopene and nano-astaxanthin for restoring radiant, supple skin.

Friday Photo Meme – What’s new edition

It's finally Friday again, which means it's time for another edition of Yumeko's Friday Photo Meme. This week's theme is new stuff!

1. Something you bought recently

Picked up a Lancome Rouge In Love 340B Rose Boudoir with a 20% voucher at Sephora in France recently. It's a bright feminine pink, with creamy, opaque coverage.

2. Something you got in the mail this week

Kas sent me a surprise package recently that included this Lakme Eye Color Quartet in Peacock. The rich jewel hues offer lots of creative combinations.


3. Something you could not live without this week

It's been a long week of irritable moods and mundane tedium. What kept me sane was marathon Watsapp chats with dear Mag and unwinding at the end of the day by watching Mentalist and Castle (Simon Baker and Nathan Fillion never fail to make me laugh). In the mornings, Ayumi Hamasaki's new album, Party Queen, gets me ready for the day. Now that summer is almost here, I'm depending on Biotherm Lait Solare SPF50, which has a lovely soft citrus fragrance, and my arsenal of Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatments with SPF15 to protect and hydrate at the same time. I just finished the Rose version and am looking forward to purchasing the new Coral shade.

4. Something you are trying out this week

It came as a surprise to me that Fujifilm is behind the premium Astalift skincare line, which recently debuted in the UK and France. Fujifilm leveraged on its expertise and understanding of the process of oxidisation and nanotechnology to design this line, which I first read about on Yumeko's blog. When I chanced across a store offering a 30% discount, I quickly snapped up the Moisture Foam Cleanser, Priming Lotion and Jelly Aquarysta. The cleanser is average but I do like the lotion and Jelly Aquarysta very much. Both have a soft rose scent and help to hydrate and plump up the skin. The Jelly also melds back to a perfectly smooth surface after each use, so it always looks brand new.

5. Something you are wearing this week

My standard complement of accessories: Windy Bunny Beast Swatch, a Swarovski bangle that my husband gave me for our anniversary this year and my ring. I'm not familiar with the Windy Bunny Beast character but the fierce design just caught my eye.

Do join in if you have a blog by leaving a comment on Yumeko's post and here with a link to your blog post, and I'll be sure to check it out!

Après Fujifilm, les cosmétiques LG...

Il y a parfois des sujets dont j'ai envie de vous parler sur cette Planète mais que j'abandonne lorsque je vois qu'ils ont déjà été traités un million de fois au moins par mes consoeurs ! C'est le cas par exemple de la gamme de soins Astalift lancée tout récemment par la marque d'appareils photos Fujifilm. Une reconversion (ou diversification, chacun verra les choses comme il le souhaite) pour le moins inattendue, vous en conviendrez. J'avoue qu'au départ, j'ai été plus que perplexe sur la chose, ne comprenant pas très bien où se situait la légitimité de Fujifilm en matière d'anti-âge. J'ignorais à ce moment là que l'activité photo était également parfois confrontée à des histoires de collagène et d'antioxydants, comme quoi, on en apprend tous les jours. Je vous le dis franchement, j'ai d'abord considéré que ce lancement me semblait, sur le papier en tout cas, un brin farfelu. 

Sauf qu'en regardant tout cela de plus près, j'avoue que je trouve finalement ça plutôt bien foutu. Si les formules ne m'ont pas l'air particulièrement révolutionnaires, je trouve que le projet est quand même du genre plutôt bien markété. Le design des produits et leur couleur orange vif pas courante dans les linéaires beauté, des produits démarquants à l'instar de cette fameuse gelée anti-âge que l'on voit pas mal en presse en ce moment (et que j'ai même envie de tester à titre personnel, c'est dire!), un positionnement prix volontairement premium qui assoit le côté haut de gamme, un plan média qui démarre sur les chapeaux de roues avec pas mal de pub dans les magazines féminins... rien ne semble avoir été laissé au hasard. Il y a même une égérie (Naomi Watts en l'occurrence), comme chez les grandes marques du sélectif. 

Vous me direz, mieux vaut que Fujifilm mette les petits plats dans les grands car ils ont quand même de grandes ambitions pour Astalift. Leur objectif : se placer dans les 10 marques les plus vendues de France d'ici fin 2013. Bon, moi j'aime les gens qui ont de l'ambition donc je trouve ça très bien de viser haut, mais néanmoins, il faut quand même faire preuve d'un peu de réalisme. Réussir à doubler en quelques mois les Clarins, Chanel, Dior, Guerlain, Shiseido, Clinique, Lancôme, Biotherm, Estée Lauder... installés depuis des années, cela me semble quand même un peu présomptueux sur ce coup. Au Japon où Astalift est implanté depuis 2007, la marque revendique 6% de parts de marché. A voir s'ils feront aussi bien par chez nous...

Arrivé à ce stade du billet, vous vous demandez peut-être pourquoi je vous parle d'Astalift aujourd'hui, alors qu'il n'y a fondamentalement pas d'actualités particulière la concernant ces derniers jours... Minute papillon, j'y arrive ! En fait, je trouvais que ce passage d'une marque de high-tech vers une marque de cosmétiques était assez étonnant et m'était posé la question, en découvrant tout cela, de savoir si oui ou non cela pourrait des idées à d'autres marques. Je m'imaginais déjà Kodak sortir une BB Cream avant de faire définitivement faillite, Samsung sortir une gamme de maquillage slide-up façon Fred Farrugia... Avant de revenir à la réalité et de me dire que ce serait quand même pousser le bouchon un peu loin. Et bien figurez-vous que ce n'est pas si farfelu que ça car hier, en lisant le journal Métro, je tombe sur cette news pour le moins étonnante...

Mais non voyons, si vous avez lu le passage sur le fait que ce soit la Danette saveur crème brûlée façon catalane qui a été élue saveur de l'année, ce n'est pas ce qu'il fallait faire. C'est la news d'en dessous qui nous intéresse ! Celle qui explique que le fabricant d'électroménager LG va lancer à la fin 2012 sa propre gamme de cosmétiques ! Même si je n'aime pas trop faire preuve de grossièreté, laissez moi quand même exprimer un What the fuck ?! Non mais sérieux quoi, du frigo aux crèmes visage, j'ai hâte d'entendre comment la marque va légitimer cela, même si on devine déjà un semblant de réponse dans le fait qu'il faudra conserver les soins en questions... au réfrigérateur ! CQFD ! J'imagine déjà les scènes chez Darty et Conforama de couples qui viendront pour acheter un nouveau frigo, et le vendeur qui essaiera de draguer Madame en lui disant que "Dans le modèle LG, vous avez en plus la crème pour le contour des yeux offerte" ! 

Pour le moment, aucune info précise sur la composition de la gamme baptisée Frostline (je ne vous fais pas l'offense de traduire cela, je pense que même les plus novices en anglais auront compris), mais promis, dès qu'il y a du nouveau, je vous tiens au courant sur le Facebook du blog (tiens d'ailleurs, j'en vois encore quelques uns qui ne nous ont pas encore rejoint, c'est ICI que ça se passe si vous voulez nous rejoindre!). Enfin bon, on est pas au bout de nos peines avec tout ça et si cela venait à donner des idées à Whirpool, Indesit, Dyson, Brandt, Vedette...  on est pas au bout de nos peines ! Qu'est ce que vous en pensez vous ? 

Trouvez vous ces projets aussi légitimes que n'importe quelle marque qui se lance où considérez-vous au contraire que ce côté "ce n'est pas notre métier premier mais on tente quand même l'aventure" dessert finalement des marques comme Astalift ? Est-ce que vous vous verriez investir 50 euros ou plus dans un soin Astalift ou seriez-vous tenté de vous rabattre sur des valeurs sûres dont l'ancienneté inspire peut-être davantage confiance ? La gamme LG, gadget débile ou légitimité par rapport à la cosmétique fraîche à conserver au frigo ? C'était Teddy, à vous les studios !