The Karl Lagerfeld for Shu Uemura Holiday Collection is perhaps the most awaited of them all this 2012. It features sophisticated colors picked out by none other than Mr Lagerfeld himself, with a quirky muse, Mon Shu Girl, to represent the glam yet aloof theme of the collection. It's been out since mid-October so you should hurry while there are still stocks of the limited edition pieces!

Photo from Beautezine.com

As you can see, it's a pretty extensive collection. Go for the palettes if you love daring sultry eyes, lipsticks if you like shine and sparkle, and brushes if you're looking for a handy travel set. I feel that you can miss the nail polishes since they don't particularly stand out in terms of quality and color selection, as well as the limited ed lash curler. The avant garde falsies though are of course Shu's specialty, so get this set if you're a makeup artist or just really love fun lashes!

So! Today I'm going to review the Karl Lagerfeld for Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited in Celebrity Beige (P1,350).

This is much like the Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Supreme Shine lippies when it comes to the level of shine and slinkiness on the lips. It's light, non-drying, and leaves an au natural stain when it's all gone. It stays on for a decent three hours - as with most moisturizing, light lipsticks - so you will have to retouch every so often during the day. That's SOP really.

Cute box

Yesterday I went to the mall with only serum, an illuminating SPF base, a spot of concealer, and pressed powder. I felt I didn't need foundation! I used to have a TON of blemishes on my face, but they are clearing out faster because of a product I've been using these past two months: the Shu Uemura TSUYA Skin Serum (P3,250).

The TSUYA Skin Serum is perhaps Shu Uemura's star product of the year. It promises bright, translucent skin in seven days as it re-activates the cells that make our skin look younger. Yes, we've heard that before in other serums released this year. I'm still not sure if it's possible for skincare to do that, but claims aside the TSUYA is damn good and here's why!

What I LOVE about the product

• I did indeed get brighter, less tired skin in seven days or less. That may be due to the fact that the serum is infused with a purplish pearly shimmer that instantly gives skin a subtle glow. It's also an illuminator aside from skincare, but I didn't spot shimmer once it's on.

I love how matte lipsticks look but I don't like how they feel on the lips. They're heavy, thick, and drying if I don't prime my lips properly with a hydrating balm. They're less comfortable compared to glossy lipsticks but in exchange they last waaay longer and leave a pretty stain.

One lipstick that I'm really digging is the new Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Supreme Matte Lipstick in M PK 335 (P1,285). It feels like silicone primer on the lips - indeed, it's silicone-based! - so it's cushy, soft, and not at all heavy. Trivia: this lipstick's main ingredient is dimethicone, a type of silicone oil that is largely used in shampoos to keep hair smooth and shiny. It's safe, don't worry! I just think it's neat.

Aaanyway. This matte lipstick lasts super long and doesn't fade completely even after eating. It doesn't transfer too much on glasses and utensils, plus, it's not drying.

Is it chocolate or is it makeup? The Shu Uemura Chocolat Donna Limited Edition palettes look good enough to eat! In fact I wanted to keep mine pristine so badly that I only used it a grand total of three times since I got it last July. I know it's silly, but if you had something this pretty you'd want to keep it new-looking for as long as you can.

Packaging aside, the eyeshadows can stand on their own. They're super creamy and pigmented, and the color selection is great too! The one I have, the Orange & Pistachio Palette has a glittery orange shade, a matte green, satin beige, taupe, chocolate brown, and dark brown all together. They don't have names, just numbers (1,2,3,4,5, and 6 respectively).

As a huge fan of the Shu cleansing oil, I was v.v. excited about their latest and supposedly greatest skin purifier: the Shu Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil. Well I'm not going to beat around the bush. I love. This stuff.

So how is this different from Shu's other cleansing oils?  

• It's way lighter than usual and you need much less to remove a full face of makeup. 
• It rinses off completely and doesn't leave a film on the face.
• It can dissolve stubborn mascara quickly. Waterproof mascara just takes more work but Ultime8 can indeed remove it.

How do you feel about orange on your lips? It's a fun shade to wear but definitely not something I would try to pull off everyday. It's too tricky to match! Most of the time I would find myself adjusting my whole look just to accommodate true orange lips, and that just won't do. 

But I do like orange a lot so I think I've found a way to sneak it in my everyday routine - via this Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Supreme Shine in OR 541 (P1,195)!

It's orange indeed, but not the crazy fluo kind. It's a wonderful uber shiny shade that goes with my medium-yellow skintone so well! Formula-wise, this feels more like a lip balm than a lipstick. I even already skip moisturizing my lips beforehand because this lippie handles that job pretty well by itself.

Every year, Shu Uemura gives it their all for the Holiday Collection. It's a culmination of everything that the brand stands for - whimsical, colorful, and bold beauty to tickle the imagination. Here's a quick look at a few years' worth of campaigns!

2009 saw a collaboration with designer Tsumori Chisato, 2010 with artist Aya Takano, and 2011 with famed film director Wong Kar Wai

This year, Shu Uemura will be working with one of the biggest names in fashion: none other than the great Karl Lagerfeld himself!

For two decades Karl has been using Shu Uemura eye shadows to illustrate his fashion sketches.

I've been meaning to do this for a while now but I've just never gotten the chance. I keep bumping it off for some newfangled thing or another. But today, I will finally reveal my favorite everyday mascara after months - months! - of using it. 

It's the Shu Uemura Ultimate Natural Mascara in Dark Brown. :) I always reach for this when I need a brown, beautifying mascara, and here's why!

What I love about the product 

• As the name promises, it looks super natural and clean while magnifying your lashes. Just look at the photos. Two coats, no more, and I get such beautiful lashes.
• Keeps the curl of my lash hairs ALL DAY. No drooping here. It's best used with the Shu Uemura curler, another great love of mine.

I taught myself everything I know about makeup. That may not sound as impressive as going to makeup school, but my skills are not too shabby, I think. :P What with all the YouTube tutorials and beauty blogs out there, there's no excuse not to master at least the basics of makeup application!

Nonetheless, it pays to learn from the professionals. They have lots of insights to share, and of course joining a personal, on-hand class is a richer learning experience! That's why I decided to take the Shu Uemura Yume Advanced Makeup Class. I know for a fact that Shu has some of the best accredited makeup artists out there, who've done countless magazines, ads, and celebrity clients here in the country. 

True enough, John Pagaduan taught the class that day. John is a well-known makeup artist here. I frst met him four years ago, when he did my face for an event. He was very kind and humble back then, filled with raw talent, and until this day he's very much the same artistic guy. I was very happy to get him as my instructor!

I brought all my favorite makeup, of course. Those Beauty Pro Cosmetic Palettes are perfect for trying out looks, since they have all the colors I can possibly need.

Okay, let's start! I'll show you my looks and some tips on how I did them. :D

When Shu Uemura claims something, I find that it rarely jokes around. If it says brightening, it's brightening! If it says that a product will make you look less yellow, you will look less yellow. That's what I discovered with the Shu Uemura Whitefficient UV Under Base Brightening Mousse (P2,150).

I have to admit that I was extremely hesitant to use this product at first. SPF products tend to break me out so I don't really experiment much. But since most Shu products have wowed me in the past, I thought, why the hell not this one? Good thing I did try it, because now this Shu Underbase is an indispensable part of my day makeup! I've been using it for a few weeks now so I can confidently say that. :P

Okay, down to business!

What I love about the product

• It brightens my face instantly, without the use of shimmer or shine. The Pink Purple shade mixes with my yellow skintone to provide a more enhanced color. Call it color correction, if you will.
• My face makeup looks smoother and more pigmented on top of this! It's a great foundation base in that sense. 

If you've seen Memoirs of a Geisha, don't tell me you didn't wish you were a geisha, even for a moment! Screw the fact that your whole livelihood will depend on pleasing men, or that you have to enter a form of slavery (back then) just to train to be one. The beautiful kimonos and the makeup made it such an exciting and glamorous career.

The geisha tradition may have declined throughout the years, but one aspect of it remains an eternal symbol of Japanese culture: the kimono. Artisans still pour their life's work on this garment as the Japanese still prefer to wear it during special occasions.

One of these artisans is Mamechiyo, who recently designed Shu Uemura's limited edition packaging of their Cleansing Oils, UV Under Base Mousse, and powder compact.

I love makeup - not just products per se but the whole process of painting it on. It's a calming and deeply satisfying activity for me, so I don't mind setting aside some time for it. However, I gotta admit that I have lazy days too. There are days when makeup is the last thing on my mind, so I turn to no-brainer products that take only seconds to put on perfectly.

My latest discovery under this department is the Shu Uemura Creamy Dome Blusher in Fairy Pink. It's a cream to powder blush that has a very soft finish, so you don't need to blend it much or even use any tools. Just swipe and go! It's a godsend for hectic and/or lazy makeup days because it takes only all of 10 seconds to wear this.

Fairy Prink is a peachy pink shade that's not too pigmented - it's just right. I usually swipe across my cheeks twice to get a natural pink flush.