CANMAKE, the one and only Japanese cosmetic brand that I’m using celebrated its grand 30th anniversary last weekend at Beauty Expo and unveiled the latest range of face, eye, cheek, and lip colours.

The theme Glossy & Shiny for the party season gave a natural, light, translucent looking skin with dewy glow is the centre stage of this look. Complement the look with glossy lips to accentuate natural lip colour. Another trend that is currently popular in Japan is Color Coordinate. This look is all about coordinating the lips and cheeks using the same colour. Seal the look with gel blusher blended high on the cheek, just below the eyes for the oriental doll look.

These two latest makeup trend – Glossy & Shiny and Color Coordinate are suitable for Malaysian women as they will be able to carry it easily. There are certain similarities between the two cultures when it comes to makeup styles such as a general preference for lighter makeup for the natural look.

Here are some of the new CANMAKE products for Glossy & Shiny and Color Coordinate range.

Top left to right:

• Juicy Pure Eyes Eyeshadow Trip (RM39.90) – Eyeshadow trios that provide natural definition. Featuring a top coat that offers juicier, longer-lasting eye color.
• Secret Color Eyes (RM45.90) – Eyeshadow palette that features a red shadow to create a delicate tint on the lower lid to enhance the skin’s translucence, while deepening eye contours using the palette’s shader and highlighter.

Bottom left to right:

• Lip & Cheek Gel (RM49.90) – A melting smooth texture that can be used on both lips and cheeks. The 2-in-1 product gives a burst of color that can be applied in layers to deepen the intensity.
• Matte & Crystal Cheeks (RM49.90) – Comes with two shades of powder designed for the perfect texture. Matte blush that gently conceals pores and crystal topping, packed with delicate pearl powder that adds a dewy sheen to enhance translucence.

The post CANMAKE unveiled latest makeup trends with Glossy & Shiny and Color Coordination theme appeared first on Street Love. by Fiona

Who doesn’t love pretty princessy packaging? I do. Pretty? Sold. Princessy? Sold! sold! Canmake had quite a busy year as they launched a few new products earlier this year. Among the few new products launched in May is this CANMAKE Just For Me Essence Rouge lipstick.

After all the oohhss and ahhhss on the pretty packaging, the first thing I was eager to find out is the shade I got. However, knowing Canmake, I knew Canmake shades would be on the girly girl side, which is literally right down my alley so I wasn’t worried that I was sent a nude shade

CANMAKE Just For Me Essence Rouge is a moisturizing lipstick dry and chapped lips. It comes with SPF20 PA++, colours that are vivid true-color finish and natural gloss that plumps up the lips. Overall, there are just 4 shades available:

• [C01] Natural Beige – A versatile beige ideal for any occasion.
• [C02] Camel Beige – A yellowish beige for a sophisticated finish.
• [C03] Brilliant Red – A bright, glossy red.
• [C04] Pink Coral – A pink that will make a superb impression.

Guess which shade I got? I got [C04] Pink Coral, which is exactly what I was hoping for. I am always with mauve-y shades, which resembles my lips but better shade or deep red. I have always wanted to try coral shade but I can never seems to find any that can goes on my darker lip tone.

Now the princessy packaging. This lipstick caught me by surprise just a little as it’s quite petite compared to other lipstick. Interestingly, I found out that the base of the gold cap features a ‘ring-like’ motif, with a crystal in the middle, just like an engagement ring. The base of the tube on the other hand is designed to be as the size 9 ring and Canmake has a good reason for it. It’ is said to be a symbol of the brand’s hope that all the girls who wear the lipstick will be lucky in love. Okay Canmake. Please send me a dozen of this lipstick please?

In order to close the cap back to the lipstick tube, the cap need to be aligned in a specific way. The crystal is required to be aligned with the word Canmake. Otherwise it doesn’t close down. When you do, it goes down with a solid and loud click.

[C04] Pink Coral is exactly a pinky coral shade on the lipstick bullet. I like that the lipstick doesn’t comes with the typical lipstick scent. Coral shade usually make me look washed out. This one doesn’t

When I used it for the first time, I get a rather matte and opaque finishing. That was because the bullet is new. When I used it subsequently, the lipstick is actually very moisturizing and not matte like how it is for the first time. Well, understandably this is a moisturizing lipstick after all . I actually prefer it to be matte as I can get an opaque coverage. As I have darker lips, it doesn’t goes on too coraly on me. My lips catches more of the pink than coral *lol*, to which I have no complain at all. I like that the shade goes on pretty soft on my lips and doesn’t wash my complexion out. Although the shade payoff is soft, it blends well with my skin tone and complexion overall. Lip balm is not necessary prior applying the Just For Me Essence Rouge lipstick as the lipstick will slip away and settle into lip wrinkles. This lipstick is moisturizing enough to be used on it’s own . It’s very comfortable on the lips, doesn’t wear off fast despite frequent sipping on the straw from my water bottle. However I do need to press my lips together thereafter to even out the colour because afterall this is a moisturizing lipstick, not matte.

Disclaimer: Press gift.

The post CANMAKE Just For Me Essence Rouge: A soft pink coral lipstick that doesn’t make me look washed out appeared first on Street Love. by Fiona

I haven’t been talking about CANMAKE for quite some time now but I’m back! . CANMAKE makes the most prettiest makeup products. If you are a sucker for pretty makeup, you’ll be up for what CANMAKE has to offer. Just last month CANMAKE launched Flaring Curl Mascara, a rather interesting new mascara. Why do I say so? You’ll about to find out

The outer box packaging for the new CANMAKE Flaring Curl Mascara is the prettiest I’ve seen recently and I’ve no idea what was written all over the box front and back as I can’t read Japanese . I had totally forgotten to snap a photo but hey, we are here for the real thing. The ‘interesting’ mascara, not the box so let’s get to it.

CANMAKE described Flaring Curl Mascara as a ZERO VOLUME mascara that gives existing lashes the length needed for a modern, natural sophisticated look. To achieve this, brown fluid and black fibers are combined to create a brown shade that is virtually deep black aka Chocolate Black in short. Interesting enough? It is to me as I had totally forgotten about it when I started using, which was two weeks after I received it so I was wondering why the mascara doesn’t give me the vava voom volume! lol

When it comes to mascara, I am very picky with the wand type and wand size. I absolutely hate huge wand and I’m not a fan of plastic comb wand. Bristly brushes works much better on my lashes as it hugs and coat each strand of lashes. CANMAKE Flaring Curl Mascara is exactly the type I like. It’s bristly wand is in medium size and slightly curl in the middle.

Some mascara give lashes the length and volume with hidden fibers that builds up as you coat the lashes again and again so I have to warn you in advance that Flaring Curl Mascara is the type of mascara with fibers separated from the fluid and it is visible even from the wand itself. Now, this is where I starts to cringe. I have extremely sensitive eyes and loose fibers does not fare well with my eye condition. I have horror thoughts of fibers all over my oily face and poking my eyeballs from the inside. And if you notice, this mascara is drier than any other mascara as it gives zero volume. With formulation as such, fibers in it tend to not stick well with the fluid thus the loose fibers.

Putting the fiber story aside, I love the result of using CANMAKE Flaring Curl Mascara! This mascara is a deep brown shade mascara so don’t expect jet black like normal mascara. However the shade resemble black as black-colour fibers are added in. The shade kinda confuses me. Sometimes I see brown, sometimes I thought I see black LOL. The shade payoff is very very soft. I am used to mascara that gives me instant BOOM of volume and length so I wasn’t used to this mascara at the beginning. Layering is necessary with this mascara especially if you’re like me that are into mascara that looks like mascara. This is certainly not a love at first use for me. I don’t like to spend too much time in layering mascara to build the volume but somehow I have grew to like the “barely there” mascara look.

The fibers doesn’t stick well on my lashes at all. It drops off from the wand as I was applying and drops even more as the day goes by. The good news is, it doesn’t irritate my eyes so phew! That is a relief. I learnt that the mascara contains 5 types of moisturizing and emollient agents to condition the lashes throughout the wear time.

• Moisturizing agents: Isostearoyl hydrolyzed silk, panthenyl ethyl
• Emollient agents: Sodium dilauramidoglutamide lysine, phytosteryl/octyldodecyl lauroyl glutamate, and jojoba seed oil

As for the curl claim that comes with the name, it does not give me the curl I need. If I were to simply curl with eyelash curler, the curl doesn’t last long on my stubborn straight lashes. If I curl my eyelashes as dramatic as what you see here, the curl lasts the whole day. On another hand, this mascara doesn’t weight lashes down. It’s zero volume remember? . It’s a blessing in disguise.

Flaring Curl Mascara is waterproof and oil-proof on me. I’ve tried removing with water and failed. I even tried rubbing with other makeup remover and it failed as well. The only method that works in removing is with cleansing oil. Throughout the day, I did not experience any smudging nor does it melts under the hot weather. Only fibers dropping but the mascara stays put until removal. Not bad at all!

In a nutshell, LOVE IT! <3

Disclaimer: Product was sent to me for review consideration. This doesn’t affect my judgement in the review in any way.

The post CANMAKE Flaring Curl Mascara: Zero volume brown that is virtually deep black mascara for the modern, natural sophisticated look appeared first on Street Love. by Fiona

Powder blushes is undeniably the most common and easiest to work with type of blush available in the market. Personally I would choose powder blush over any type of texture. I didn’t say this because I am a cream blushes virgin. I’m not :). I’ve won one from a reputable brand before. I’m not sure if it’s me or it’s the blush texture but that one failed on me. The cream was so dry that it is almost impossible to apply on the cheeks.

I’ve since waved a white flag on cream blushes and only uses powder blushes. Now, now. It is undeniably as well that there is one particular brand that came out with cream blushes and it is quite a hit I must say. What? You’ve not heard about Canmake Cream Cheek before? Good then. Let me briefly tell you about this cute lil pot.

I’ve seen a few types of cream blushes. This one by Canmake is a melting-gel type that comes in a clear, plastic pan. The claim on what this blush give is as sweet as the candy. Canmake said that by wearing this Cream Cheek, you are creating a complexion that exudes health from deep within the skin. It simply means that your cheek will looked like a naturally flushed cheek therefore resembling a fountain of happiness. You know how some people are born with good, fair skin that their cheeks are flushing all the time? Yeah that’s what it meant. I wasn’t exaggerating. Try looking at Canmake website

Every words printed on the back of the pan is in Japanese. That’s the downside of Japanese makeup products. You need to do a little bit of googling to learn or read more about the product. What I have gathered from Canmake website on Cream Cheek is that the whole range comes in just 11 shades [05] Sweet Apricot, [06] Nut Cream, [07] Coral Orange, [08] Marshmallow Pink, [10] Sweet Orange, [12] Marshmallow Orange, [13] Love Peach, [CL01] Clear Red Heart, [CL02] Clear Love Song Pink, [CL04] Clear Pink Joy and [CL05] Clear Happiness. I’m not so sure if Malaysia get the same or ours are different. I guess the only way to find out is to pay SaSa a visit eh?

The one I’m reviewing today is CL2 Clear Red Heart, which is a darker red.

Cream blushes takes a bit of effort in mastering the application method. Some cream blushes just doesn’t goes well on finishing powder. It just makes everything blotchy and even smudge the powder off when you apply using fingers. Canmake Cream Cheek on the other hand doesn’t do any of those. The formula is uniquely a gel-type on the pan but once it goes on the cheek, it becomes dry. It’s quite immediate so working fast is a must. Canmake Cream Cheek contain masses of emollient agents also known as squalene of vegetable origin and amino acid-based emollients. The texture is quite different. It is silky soft when touch as it is enclosed in a special stretchy gel. This gel protects your skin from drying out and the color payoff is better and long lasting too.

Another plus point on Canmake Cream Cheek is that you can apply this under OR on top of powder. Previously I googled on the proper way to apply cream blush and most beauty blogger said to apply cream blush after foundation, before finishing powder as the application could ruin the powder. I was a bit worried when I first used this Cream Cheek but it turns out so good. It doesn’t ruin my foundation, doesn’t ruin my finishing powder and doesn’t make the face makeup blotchy.

Here is the strip swatch and smudge swatch just to show you how it will looks like on the cheek.

I can say a whole lot of the things I like about this Canmake Cream Cheek cream blush but what I love the most is the finishing look that it gave me. It gave me this natural-looking flushed cheeks without looking as if I’ve piled up on blusher. The hint of color is just right despite the redness on the pan really freaks me out at the beginning.

There is a few ways to apply this cream blush but my favorite fastest and easiest way is by using index and middle finger, pat on the cream blush then pat on the cheeks. Just like that. Repeat if necessary. Cream Cheek lasted about 5-6 hours on me. Just today my colleague commented that my face looked flushed because I was complaining that I’ve been feeling hot due to the heaty weather. But actually I was feeling hot because I was in a lot of pain for the past 2 days. You will know how the feeling is like when you are in pain and you need to suck it up and continue the day :(. I don’t have natural flushed cheeks. It’s all Canmake Cream Cheek lol

These cute little one can be a bit costly but let me tell you this will last you very long as a little goes a long way. Imagine that I was literally just patting on the cream blush, not swiping it. When this Canmake Cream Cheek was released a few years ago, I didn’t quite get it why people would go crazy on this. But after using it myself, I begin to understand all the love that the product received. It is hard not to love this cream blush

Disclaimer: Product was given to me as door gift during CANMAKE 2013 Spring Look Event. This doesn’t affect my judgement in the review in any way.

The post Review: Natural-Looking Flushed Cheeks with Canmake Cream Cheek appeared first on Street Love. by Fiona