Jelly Pong Pong Wide Awake Palette

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Jelly Pong Pong kindly sent me over some new products to test and review a while ago and since I got delayed with my reviews due to my exam it´s time to finally start!

The first item I am going to review is the Wide Awake palette for primp your eyes!
The palette itself is really cute, I love the sweet design and even though it´s a cardboard palette it feels really sturdy and well-made to me.

The Wide Awake palette contains 3 colors of eyebrow powder, an illuminating cream and a highlighter cream. Furthermore there is a mirror, an eyebrow powder brush and a pair of tweezers.

The creams are infused with candellila and beeswax and other good stuff. The items have not been tested on animals.
The illuminating cream is a light peachy slick cream which feels quite moisturizing however it can crease when used on the eyelids. The level of pigment is sheer to medium but still this product makes my eyes look awake and fresh.

The highlighting cream is a bit lighter and with a pale yellow tint. Like the other cream it´s quite slick and miosturizing and can crease when worn on the lids.
I like using this on the top of my cheeks, nosebridge, forehead and chin.
I recommend using both creams with a layer of powder on top for better lasting power.

The 3 eyebrow powders should suit most hair colors, I like using the darkest one as my hair is a deep brown color right now.
The included brush is a good helper in applying the eyebrow powder and the small tweezers get the job done well, too!

Overall this is a good eye-brightening and eyebrow-defining palette very worth purchasing.

Rating 4/5

Kanebo Impress Color Powder N in 01 PK

Today I am going to review the one and only product I own from the VERY expensive Kanebo Impress range.
I wouldn´t have bought the Color Powder N for its full price anyway which sums up to a total of 8000 Yen (+tax...around US$98) for the case and refill. But on ebay I scored it for less than half that price...still hefty but along the lines of "normal" Japanese brands and I remember I read somewhere about the excellent quality of the Impress face makeup items.

The case is sturdy, elegant and simple but after all..made of plastic! Considering that one has to pay over US$30 for the case alone one should be able to expect something more elaborate.

There is a very wide super soft brush included which actually can do a wonderful job dusting a sheer layer of this product over the face.
The refill is a metal pan and is fixed with the soft glue attached to the back of it.

This is a finishing powder..so it should be used on top of any kind of foundation AND powder or powder foundation...so like the Météorites as the very last step of the makeup process.

I chose the color 01 PK which consists of a very sheer pale pinkish flesh and a light beige color. The powder is very finely milled and feels silky and smooth. It has the most gorgeous light sheen but there is no actual color, glitter or even shimmer showing up...just a beautiful soft glow. Really gorgeous and I really love this powder as the last step of my makeup routine!

Even though this product is expensive it´s a wonderful finishing powder and I am happy I found an opportunity to try this out.
There are also a yellow and a purplish color available.


Rating 5/5

Esprique Precious Double Shine Face Powder

Happy Christmas to everyone! =D
Kosé released a limited edition face powder (or actually a highlighter) called Double Shine Face Powder back in summer or fall (don´t remember exactly).
I got mine for cheap on eBay (it came along with a Toning Lotion (Mist) face spray) for less than 20 bucks.
This is the item description from Esprique Precious´ Singapore website:

"Product Features
	Enjoy two types of shine with different tones. Reflect Shine Pearly White with 3 types of silver pearls compounded. Gives skin enhanced brightness and translucency as if reflecting the light. Defines the features of the face with shine and brightness akin to reflected light from a reflecting board. Glow Shine Platinum Beige with large highly-luminant silver pearls compounded. The even shine gives skin the sparkle and brilliance of diamond. A skin tone tinted shade suitable for all skin types.
•	Offers good coverage appropriate for touch-ups.
•	Spreads with a fluffy and smooth touch and dresses skin well with an even veil.
•	Protects skin from UV-rays and damages from sunburns preventing dark spots and freckles.
•	Allergy tested. (It does not mean that it is allergy proof for all)
•	Fragrance free.
•	Comes with a face brush.
•	ESPRIQUE PRECIOUS Foundation can be set in."

The case is very pretty albeit it comes along a bit cheap due to the white plastic part which feels a bit lightweight.
If I understand the description correctly this is a face powder and I tried it out as such for the sake of this blog but it looks terrible, a total glitter overkill.
As a highlighter powder however it´s a lovely product when applied in the right places and with a light hand.
 
There are 2 shades in the compact, a white and a light beige but both blend together for a nice silvery shimmer finish. I like this applied on the middle of my forehead, bridge of the nose and on the highest point of my cheeks. You can detect the glitters in bright sunlight but in the current dreary winter weather it looks relatively subtle and pretty. 

This carries a weird smell though it´s not scented. It´s more like a chalky smell in my opinion so probably results from the ingredients.


Overall a pretty highlighter but not suitable as a face powder. I have other highlighters I like better though as they give a rather dewy than glittery finish so for me the Double Shine Face Powder is rather mediocre.
The included brush however is actually excellent, very soft and wide so it helps distribute the product evenly.  
Rating 3/5

Fall 2010: Kanebo Coffret D´or Moist F Coat

I don´t usually pay much attention to the base makeup line from Coffret D´or as the foundations are too dark and so far nothing else really cought my eye.

As usual among Japanese brands there is a new base foundation line out for the fall/winter season with generally more moisturizing richer textures for the cooler weather.

This year a small pot of a pearly pink cream looked very appealing and when I read that it´s a moisturizing primer/base for eyes and lips I had to try this. 
Adambeauty listed this for US$16.50 incl. shipping (but add US$2 per order for registered mail) which seems to be the lowest price I can find online.

The heavy small glass jar reminds me design-wise of Jill Stuart...it´s really pretty with a cover embossed with cute jewels.

The Moist F Coat is a smooth light pink cream with a fine pearl sheen. I use it mainly around my eyes and I love the highlighting effect this gives. It´s not actually concealer as it´s not pigmented, more like a brightener or base but for my only light eye-circles it´s a great product. 
This feels moisturizing and smooth and really is a pretty product. Good also as a highlighter for the cheeks/forehead.

This is not scented and contains 13g so this should last quite a while as I only need a little per application. 
Overall a nice little item and inexpensive for the amount one gets. I can recommend this!

Rating: 4/5

Xmas 2009: Luasol Party Coffret 2009 - White Lighting

Admittedly I am very fond of Lunasol's Party Coffret 2008 (Soft Silver Lighting). You can read my review here =D


And I can say that I like this year's collection probably even more, mainly due to this wonderful taupe-gray/pink eyeshadow quad!

The theme for this year is "White Lighting" and Lunasol is strictly abiding to this theme as all products come in sleek shimmery white packaging presented in a pretty white cardboard box. Indeed a perfect Xmas gift!


The coffret contains:
-Lighting for Eyes in EX05 White Lighting 6.5g
-Full Glamour Gloss N in EX11 White Lighting 7.3g
-Geminate Liner in EX03 White Lighting 4g
-Shining Powder EX03 White Lighting 2.2g
-White Lighting clutch


Retail price is 6825 Yen (about US$80). I paid US$78 plus shipping.
You can get this for US$79.90 on Facial-Shop incl. shipping which is a bit better deal than what I paid.

Update: Adambeauty got this, it's really a good deal there. Only US$72 (&US$ 2 for registered shipping or US$12 more if you want it faster via EMS service!). Check here!


Since the Lunasol quads retail for roughly US$60 the kit is really a sweet deal as you get 4 items and a pretty clutch.

-Lighting for Eyes in EX05:
This is definitely the star of the kit and it's worth getting the kit for this alone =)
Firstly this comes in a very pretty shimmery white compact case, very much like glistening snow. I like this much much better than the metallic chocolate bronze used for all regular items.


Normally I am not really a fan of the Lighting for Eyes series but this quad (like last year's Soft Silver Pink Lighting quad) has a nice texture. The only pet-peeve is that Lunasol is still insisting in adding that useless silver glitter shade but to add a little sparkle it's ok.


The pink is a nice sheer-medium pigmented color and the deep taupe gray has a silky texture and a good dose of pigment. The white shade is a satin-matte with a sheerer finish and a drier texture. I personally believe that a very neutral sheer highlighter is a good contrast to the silky shimmery pink and metallic deep color so it's a great combination.


-Full Glamour Gloss in EX11:
This is a clear gloss with a high amount of glitters, mainly white but also in various colors from pink to green.


I wish Japanese companies would stop adding clear glosses with microglitters to the Xmas coffrets. Esprique Precious and Jill Stuart both have a clear gloss with pink glitters and Lunasol's gloss is clear with white glittesr so there is on difference on my lips.


The glitters also feel a little gritty but otherwise this is surely a high-quality gloss with a nice smooth texture and a very glossy finish.

-Geminate Liner in EX03:
This is a pretty liner for the inner 1/3 of your eyes and inner corners. It's a clear base with shimmer bits so it looks very pretty when the light hits from various angles.

Left swatch is the liner, right is the gloss.


-Shining Powder N in EX03:
This is a shimmery white loose highlighter. I am generally not a fan of loose powders in any form (may it be blush, powder, eyeshadow etc.) and this one has some quite large glitter bits so this is probably my least favorite product from the kit.


-White Lighting Clutch:
This is a really pretty white satin clutch covered with clear square sequins all over. It's flat so it won't hold so much stuff but it would be pretty as a makeup pouch (which is the only use I would see in this for me personally)


All in all this is probably my favorite Xmas coffret this year, I like it more than the Jill Stuart one (which is very nice, too, and will be reviewed soon!)