Musings of a Muse

Care to Muse Majolica Majorca with me? It’s been a while since I mused Japanese cosmetics. After talking with some of my mates on Twitter today I realized how much I miss musing about on CozyCot about makeup and just posting hauls and such. Good times!

I was inspired to product muse about one of my favorite mascaras soon after. Majolica Majorca Lash Expander is worthy of a muse for sures!

For the longest time Majolica Majorca mascaras were my go to holy grail mascara for longer, fuller lashes. I swear MJ mascara has some magical formula that makes my lashes look incredible. I’ve been so busy testing everything in the sun the past year or so I can’t recall the last time I purchased a new version of MJ mascara. With each new season Majolica Majorca has a knack for introducing a new mascara with a supposedly new and improved formula. Most times the formulas are as incredible as the last but I’m a traditionalist and love the simple old Lash Expander as is.

The design of the mascara is meant for Asian eyes and lashes as the applicator tends to fit the contour of an Asian eye very well and pulls lashes upwards and out. I love it because it always gives my lashes a fuller, longer look. Particularly longer! Many mascaras I’ve tried and none give me as much length as I get from MJ.

It’s my first Japanese love and will remain so ever after. I’ll continue to buy new versions as it releases and I’ll try not to push it aside when I’m busy testing other mascaras as I must remind myself it’s superior to all others. Loves it!

Are you a fan of MJ mascara?

Why or why not?

If you’d like further details about Majolica Majorca Mascara do see my full review here.

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Ahhh blessed relief. Let’s all let out a collection sigh of utter, blissful relief. My good friend Iris from Rouge Deluxe reports about the Lavshuca Fall Collection 2009 and what a pleasant surprise it is!

Finally something great to look forward to from Lavshuca this year.

With it’s disappointing release after release as of late Lavshuca has fallen into the do not buy list for the Muse. Look at Summer, utter disappointment there!

My last known purchase from Lavshuca was Summer 2008 and I do think, currency conversion aside, this is testimony how bad collections have been as of late from Japan. Because seriously if I’m not hauling something is terribly wrong.

But have no fear the Lavshuca Fall Collection 2009 is so something special to look forward to it appears. The floral motif and interesting color selection shown in the photo above is enough of a reason to get this Muse excited. I’m looking forward to how this develops and I’ll start saving my pennies as of now so I might indulge. Iris reports the following items will be released:

• Lavshuca Light Mix Eyes (5 Shade Selections)
• Lavshuca Grade Color Eyes (1 New Shade Selection)
• Lavshuca Dual Prism Eyes (2 New Shade Selections)
• Lavshuca Full Baloon Rouge (15 Shade Selections)
• Lavshuca Rouge Star Classics (2 New Shade Selections)
• Lavshuca Power Memory Eyebrow (2 Shade Selections)
• Lavshuca Power Memory Eyeliner (1 Shade Selection)
• Lavshuca Pore Concealer Base

Count me excited for Fall to get here!

Anyone else?

It’s no secret Jill Stuart is one of my very favorite cosmetic brands. With it’s elegant packaging and unique makeup items, is it any wonder why it’s a makeup junkie’s dream come true?

As of late I haven’t indulged in Jill Stuart cosmetics due to the repetitive color releases and bad currency conversion. But regardless how repetitious it becomes or how high the cost, Jill Stuart still remains a true favorite that stands out in my makeup world.

Click ahead for the Best of Jill Stuart Cosmetics at Musings!

Click through some great posts, reviews, and babblings about Jill Stuart Cosmetics!

Jill Stuart Jelly Eye Color Review

Stash Spotlight: Jill Stuart Blush

Jill Stuart Cleansing Oil Review

Jill Stuart Christmas Coffret 2007 Review

Jill Stuart Perfume Review

Fake Jill Stuart Palettes

Jill Stuart Illuminance Review

See all tagged Jill Stuart posts

I hope you enjoyed clicking through these and learning more about Jill Stuart or just drooling over the greatness of Jill Stuart Makeup!

Do share some of your favorites from the brand!

Or e-mail me some stash pictures of your collection to share with readers!

As you may know I have a slew of Asian drugstore finds hiding out in my closet. I really like shopping inexpensive Asian skincare and I’m always full of glee when I can score a deal online or have a friend pick me up something from Japan or Korea. One of my fav finds from the Asian skincare world is B&C Aqua Way Super Off Eye Make-up Remover. You may recognize the B&C name if you know Japanese cosmetics as they are the company behind Love Clover. B&C also offers a slew of inexpensive drugstore skincare items such as Aqua Way Super Off Eye Make-Up Remover. This retails for around $4-$5 USD in Japanese drugstores but it’s available readily online for US shoppers at around $8-$9. The price is a tad jacked up so the question to answer is it worth the price increase?

Jump ahead to hear about it!

Yes, if you have no friends or contacts in Japan to get this for you than yes it’s worth the price jack. It’s a quality item that I’ve used for two years or more now and absolutely adore.

What is it?

It’s a subtly orange scented gel which removes waterproof mascara, hard to remove eye makeup, and eye shadow.

I’ll start off by saying I’m not partial to gels or balms for removing my shadow. For example I think theBalm Balms Away is awesome however it’s not my ideal makeup remover. I do prefer liquid to remove my eye makeup. That being said I can be convinced to love good quality items like Balms Away and Super Off Eye Make-Up Remover.

The formula is a very thick gel that doesn’t foam or sud, no tricks or gimmicks, simply a gel here. Taking a little more than a pea size amount you rub it on makeup laden eyes sans water. As you rub the gel breaks up makeup and goes to work to remove it. After gently rubbing for a minute or so you can proceed to rinse with warm water. Presto! Eye makeup, even hard to remove waterproof mascara, is rinsed off.

I imagine the idea of rubbing your eyes for a minute or so isn’t too appealing but I find that the gel allows your fingers to gently glide across your eyes so no severe tugging is involved. If you’re terribly uncomfortable with rubbing you can simply work the gel onto lashes and ever so gently rinse them clean. Honestly, the friction of the gel makes for a ever so gentle removal.

It’s possibly one of the best removers I’ve come across aside from Lancome Bi-Facil plus it’s way cheaper. You get about a 3.7oz to 4oz tub for the price which will last well over 3 months with daily use.

If you’re looking for the Best Inexpensive Asian Eye Makeup Remover, B&C Eye Make-Up Remover is it. It’s Muse Approved for purchase! A tried and true favorite.

The Muse recommends purchasing from the following places:
Sasa $8.90
Imomoko $12.95

I’ll be bringing you more of my favorite, best inexpensive Asian skincare picks soon!

Click through some past posts from yesteryear!

This Time Last Year I was Musing about…..

This time last year I was thinking mark Gorgeous Eye Trios were quite a cute little value!

This time last year Vincent Longo Liquid Eye Shadow failed to wow me!

The This time last year Banila Co Sun Blessed Collection caused one or two lemmings!

This time last year I was busy musing a plenty about the Susie N.Y. Summer Collection 2008!

This time last year I remembered how much I fancied Bourjois Paris Rouge Hi-Tech Lip Stain!

This time last year my lust for the Shu Uemura Fluer De Source Palette knew no bounds!

This time last year I was digging all over Red Point Airbrush Effects BlushWhip (I still reach for this daily!).

This time last year Beaute de Kose Summer Collection 2008 was a story I shared with you!

Hope you enjoyed clicking through some past posts from last year! Do check out all my archives located on the left hand drop down menu.

Fill in the Beauty blank above with your answer in the comment box and click ahead to read what creates my favorite smoky eye look!

This wasn’t a hard one for the Muse. I know at least a dozen people who will shout MAC Carbon Black! But for me the perfect smoky eye comes housed in a dual palette by Japanese brand, KATE. KATE Dual Carat Eyeshadow in BK1 has two shades that create a simple and easy smoky eye that always comes out flawless for the Muse and with just the right amount of shimmer (I love shimmer in my smoky eyes).

Count my beauty blank filled with a bit of KATE!

See the the Muse wearing BK1 by clicking here.

One day, not today but one day soon, the Muse will come to terms with the fact that we never, ever get the good stuff in the US. For example did you know that DHC introduced Rose the Beauty Collection within Asia but not within the US? Proceed to go right ahead and stamp your feet and cry, the Muse did.

I’m suck a sucker for anything that’s rose related in terms of cosmetic and skincare! I recently hauled some of the DHC Rose the Beauty Collection one item of which I’ll be bringing you a review of today!

Jump for it!

So far I’ve been testing out plenty of yummy goodies from the DHC Rose the Beauty Collection and loving it but one item I’m utterly disappointed in is DHC Shiny Color Base Q10. Ew no likey.

Few things to know before I tell you all about this base. My skin is rather dull at the moment, it’s looking drown out from lack of sleep, change of weather, etc…it’s also terribly dry too at the moment since it’s in that adjustment period between wanting to be a bit oily and still wanting to be dry because of the cooler air.

On with the review!

The entire Rose the Beauty Collection comes housed in some sincerely cute packaging. The base is packaged in a tiny rose pink color bottle with a squeeze top tip for simple, mess free application and a sweet little rose shaped top. The sweetness ends with the packaging.

Really disappointed in this one.

It’s available in three shades and I choose Shiny. Shiny being for oily skin types but a pink shade that I deemed suitable for my skin tone. Now the problem wasn’t the skin type selection I made at all but just the general formula and feel of the product.

Don’t quote me on this but I believe it’s an SPF 30 which is rather fabulous for one small base. The product is used as a base, prep prior to foundation. It contains Q10 to repair skin and is an anti-aging ingredient.

I admit that I expected it to smell of roses so I was slightly disappointed it wasn’t. Now mainly I didn’t like the formula on my dull skin, it looked strangely iridescent. The shade is a creamy beige, far from pink and I was hopeful it would lighten, brighten, and erase dullness but for the most part it does nothing of the sort which, in it’s defense, wasn’t promised anyway. But I have come to expect Japanese bases to brighten my skin up. The formula contains a multi-color pearl granule and this in itself could be why I didn’t like it since this casts an eerie glow on my face and makes my already full face look even fuller eep! Not a good look. On top of this it sits on top of my skin rather than sinking in and absorbing fully, yak!

For the most part the overall formula was what disappointed most. It felt terribly wrong going on and proceeded to make me look even more washed up than I was already looking. I was already dull to begin with so this just added to that washed up, tired look. The entire point of a good base is to prep skin well for makeup and offering a good, flawless working canvas for foundation. This did none of that.

Sadness. Really wanted to love this but just wasn’t feeling it!

Anyone try anything from the DHC Rose the Beauty Collection?

Loving it?

Tell the Muse!

I got my haul of rose goodness from my favorite online shop Imomoko

You ever have those very favorite products that seem so amazing, so great, so incredible that you feel like you couldn’t possibly live without them? Indeed, the Muse knows that feeling well!

Jump ahead for a few Beauty Items that I can’t live without.

Shills BB 6 in 1 BB Cream (review coming sometime soon) is something I can’t possibly live without. It’s one of thee best BB creams I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing! So much so that I’ve forsaken most every other BB Cream in my collection for it. This is love people.

Speaking of BB Creams no question that Etude House Magic Cream and InnisFree Trouble Care BB Cream are two of my other favs in the BB Cream world!

Benefit Coralista omg! I can’t think of three letters that explain how great Coralista is other than O M G. This pigmented peachy powder is my very favorite blush of all time.

On the topic of Benefit let’s not forget the awesomeness that is Thrrrob and my staple product, Benefit Lemon Aid.

I find that lately I can’t live without the very beautiful Ella Dean’s Beautiful Twist Lip Balm in Winter’s Cherry Snow Slushie Kisses. Who doesn’t like slushies? Especially cherry ones! Yum!

Although it’s sticky and tacky and ooey and gooey I probably couldn’t live without Lipstick Queen Shine Gloss. It gives my lips such incredible slippery shine plus it makes them look twice the size! Loves it!

The day NARS Super Orgasm entered my life I think the angel’s sung! What an incredible blush. Needs no commentary from me about it’s awesomeness.

I can’t live without Urban Decay Primer Potion and I don’t want to think about it not being in my life. ’nuff said.

Bobbi Brown Blush in Apricot entered into my collection quite by chance when I happened upon it at my local CCO. Ever after it’s been my staple blush and favorite shade!

Oh Bobbi your name is on my lips today! Let’s not forget how I went from feeling unsure about the Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer palette and quickly having it become a staple product for me. I NEED this in my life.

Shu you know how to treat my lashes right. The cadillac of lash curlers would be my trust Shu Uemura Lash Curler, we be best buds.

Although it’s meant for aging skin I absolutely love Lancome Absolue Makeup. Flawless perfection comes to mind after use!

Speaking of perfection that would also come in my jar of Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer, nope can’t live without, can’t go for that!

Another beautiful foundation that graces my daily cosmetic regime would be Lavshuca Creamy Liquid Foundation, we loves each other for about a year now with no end in sight!

It’s Summer again so the Muse is hauling out Urban Decay Baked Bronzer in Glided Gold. Indeed, this product single handedly changed my mind about bronzers!

Life isn’t worth living without Urban Decay Midnight Cowboy in my life, golden perfection.

Mally Concealer System, worth it’s weight in gold peeps.

Majorca Majolica Mascara probably couldn’t live without that and not willing to try either!

Ok that’s Beauty Items that I can’t live without! Any of ‘em match yours? Name a few you can’t live without!

My little eye spies the brand new Excel Shimmer Mix Shadows available from Sana this Summer!

Pretties!

Available in three shades for 1,260 yen each these pretty mosaic shadows look quite interesting. I have three of these LE’s from a few year’s ago but they are solid colors and not as pretty. The finish is a heavy duty shimmer so if you’re not a big fan of such a finish I’d avoid but for those of us that are sparkle junkies these should please!

Colors available are SM01 (Pink), SM02 (Gold) and SM03 (Green).

Wants ‘em!