First Impressions: Japonesque

Japonesque

About the Brand: They've been around for quite a while and are known for their makeup tools like brushes and lipstick pan palettes, but have just recently launched a full cosmetics line.

Where to Buy It: ULTA

Price Point: High End, similar to MAC, Smashbox, Urban Decay, etc.

Why did I try the brand: Honestly, this was a total surprise to me. I was wandering my local ULTA and out of no where I noticed a new display for Japonesque set up next to the Laura Gellar stuff. On a whim, I picked out a product to try blindly without knowing anything about the line.

Packaging: The compacts and foundations have a lovely acrylic packaging with the main color being black. The eyeshadow compacts however have a pretty blue case and come in your standard white and black cardboard packaging similar to the boxes that Japonesque makeup brushes and tools come in.

First Purchase: Velvet Touch Eye Shadow Palette in 02, $34 , Pro Performance Lip Lacquer in 01, $20 (received as promotional free gift)

Pros/Cons of First Purchase: The eyeshadow quad has a lot of product (6g) and I love all of the colors in it. There's not many choices in quads at the moment, there's only three, but hopefully they will be expanded upon as the line develops. The shadows are buttery smooth and are not powdery at all. The lip lacquer texture is a little thick in my opinion and for that reason you can see some of the brush strokes if you aren't careful. It isn't drying or uncomfortable to wear on the lips.The color I have is a peachy nude which is not something I would have necessarily selected for myself, but when you get a full size product for free, you don't complain!

Unique Items/Qualities of the brand: There's actually two ranges of foundations, which I find surprising for a brand new cosmetics line. There's an enormous range of eyeshadows (many many duos) but only four blushes all of which seemed to cater towards lighter skin tones. I have an olive/tan complexion and only one of the blushes seemed like it could maybe be worth trying on my face.

Other Items that caught my eye: Velvet Touch Foundation, $36

Overall First Impression Grade: I'm going to rate Japonesque at a B+. The main reason I didn't give this an A rating is because I think the line is a bit limited in what it has to offer at the moment. The eyeshadow quad I purchased I love, but I'm still undecided on the lip lacquer. I think the pricing is reasonable given the price points for their tools and the packaging is simple but beautiful.

First Impressions: Guerlain

Guerlain

About the Brand: Nordstrom has a really interesting description you can read here which is better than anything I could write up :)

Where to Buy It: Sephora, Dillards, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus

Price Point: Luxury, comparable price points to Tom Ford and Cle de Peau Beaute.

Why did I try the brand: I went into Saks one day to check out some of the Armani Eyes To Kill eyeshadows and wandered by the Guerlain counter. I sort of impulsively decided that I wanted to try something because I was curious to see if the products were really worth the price point but had no idea what to try. The sales associate recommended I pick out a bronzer since the brand is known for them, so I followed her advice.

Packaging: This seriously might be some of the most beautiful packaging I have ever seen. Guerlain features a chocolate brown and gold color for many of their products and the compact I picked out has a lovely design on top. The top half of the compact has a mirror while the bottom half holds the product. There aren't any brushes or poofs, though I think the eye palettes may have slots for some. The closures on the compacts are magnetic, which is just awesome. There is a good amount of weight to the items, so that may be a downside if you want to travel light.

First Purchase: Four Seasons Bronzer in 08 Ebony, $75

Pros/Cons of First Purchase: Gah, first thing has to be the price. I'm pretty sure this is the most I've paid for a single makeup item thus far, and the realist in me is still flabbergasted that I purchased this. That being said, the product is pretty phenomenal. The powders are very soft and creamy, blending out like a dream. The powders are heavily pigmented so you just need a light hand. There's a good amount of product as well so I know this will last me a long time.

Unique Items/Qualities of the brand: There's a HUGE range of bronzers. In addition to the eight four seasons bronzers, there's also a whole line of terra cotta bronzers. If you are really pale or dark, Guerlain will definitely have an option for you when others dont.

Other Items that caught my eye: Rouge G de Geurlain lipstick ($49.50), Rouge Automatique Lip Color ($35)

Overall First Impression Grade: I'm going to rate Guerlain at an A-. Obviously the price point is sky high which I don't love, but the quality of the products is amazing and each piece feels like you are holding a little piece of treasure. I think that the line has some limitations, particularly with regards to its foundation and concealer selections, but there's a great range of eye, lip and cheek products.

**all pictures from Nordstrom.com

First Impressions: NP Set

So I decided that to start my blog back up I'd start a new series. As of late I've had the opportunity and inclination to venture out and try some brands which have been around but I have never explored. Hopefully this will be interesting and informative :) Anyways, let's get started!

NP Set

About the Brand: Created by makeup artist Napoleon Perdis and launched as a prestige makeup line at Target with slightly lower price points than the original Napoleon Perdis line that's available at retailers like ULTA.

Where to Buy It: Target

Why did I try the Brand: Honestly, the permanent lines at the drugstore can get a bit boring. I'd always hesitated when seeing NP Set because the prices are high at the drugstore and I didn't want to be disappointed by the quality. I also don't see items from the line mentioned as frequently in reviews. But, curiosity and boredom got the best of me so I went for it.

Price Point: Lower Mid-range (aka expensive at the drugstore but not quite Sephora/department store prices). Similar price points to Pixi, Sonia Kashuk and Boots.

Packaging: Ugh...to start with, all of the packaging is white. WHITE. Don't get me wrong, I love me some beautiful white furniture and clothing, but it's basically a complete disaster for makeup products (I'm looking at you Urban Decay setting spray). You're bound to get a thousand smudges all over it within the first few days of use. Being someone who loves keeping their makeup and packaging looking pristine, this is really problematic for me. Otherwise, it’s your general plastic packaging from the drugstore. One major plus point is that it seemed like very few of the items came with spaces for brushes or sponge tips. I don't mind using sponge tips now and then on the go, but inevitably they fall out of the package and that becomes wasted space.

First Purchase: Day to Night Palette, $24

Pros/Cons of First Purchase: Right off the bat, I love that it’s a large palette with many options. Also, who doesn't love the versatility of having one item to take you from day to night? Again, the packaging is a debbie downer. The eyeshadows and blushes swatch and apply well, but are definitely on the powdery side. Lasting ability without a primer isn't great, but I never put on makeup sans primer.

Unique Items/Qualities of the Brand: There are lots of palette options that aren't just quads or trios and limited to eyeshadows. The drugstore seems to be over-run by duos, trios and quads that are all for eyes. NP Set has a variety of palettes which include eyeshadows, blushes and lip products. There's also a large range of primers in the line, which is definitely unique for the drugstore.

Other Items that Caught my Eye: Liquid Eyeliner Duo ($15), All That Glitters Gel Duo ($10), Calming Foundation Primer ($29) 

Overall First Impression Grade: Gotta go with a solid B-. You can't beat the versatility at the price point and the products I tried did perform well. If you refuse to wear primers for eye and face makeup, you might have some issues. They definitely offer some options that you can't find in typical drugstore brands.

**all pictures obtained via Target.com, they do not belong to me