I'm Gonna Bogie, Oogie, Oogie till I Just Can't Bogie No More...China Glaze Bogie Nail Lacquer

Bogie is a blackened, smoked-plum purple with multi-colored shimmer, and a muted metallic finish.

The formula is great, needing only two coats for perfect coverage. However, once dry, Bogie's finish is rather dull, requiring a top coat to bring this pretty polish back to life.

In the photo, Bogie looks dull, but I was wearing a top coat and, in person, it had a pretty shine.
In the photo, Bogie looks dull, but I was wearing a top coat and, in person, it had a pretty shine.
Looking gorgeous one lipstick at a time.

15% Off Shu Uemura

Hey lovelies,

In case you were thinking of placing a Shu Uemura order, I wanted to share what I found in my inbox. Hope you enjoy this savings!

Looking gorgeous one lipstick at a time.

The Sight Of Sonia Rykiel Makes Me Blush...Sonia Rykiel Beaute Glowing Powder Blusher 01, 02, 03, 04 Swatches

The Glowing Powder Blusher are a multicolored-striped blush, that give the cheeks this sensational flush of sublime color.

The Glowing Powder Blushers come with a flat, fan-style brush and, although the quality is rather good, it still goes the way of the Stila Pocket Rocket I reviewed ages ago...goodness, that produc was vile.

The multi-stripes allow you to customize your own flush, but I don't have the time nor patience for that...and besides, I like the results I get when I swirl my brush into all the stripes. Whether I tap off the excess from my brush or delicately swirl the brush on the back of my hand, both forms blend the product evenly, offering heavenly application.

From left to right: 01, 02, 03, 04.

Pigmented with a velvety smooth texture, these blushes have a gorgeous satiny-matte finish, with a subtle, radiant, dreamy sheen that I wasn't able to capture in the photograph above...Shame!

The Glowing Powder Blusher retails for 5,500 yen (plus tax) and contains 6g (21oz) of product.

Bonus information, the Sonia Rykiel counter will be around until March 30th. Crossing fingers, let's hope it will be around longer.

Looking gorgeous one lipstick at a time.

Oil Of Youth...SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil

Having finished Shu Uemura's Anti-Oxi Skin Refining Cleansing Oil, and after a long absence from my makeup removal regime, I purchased an old friend, SK-II's Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil. It's been a while since I used this oil-based cleanser, but I remember it being a favorite during Winter.

The SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil is rich and silky, with a consistency that is not too thin nor thick. The cleanser removes the most, stubbornest, water-proof makeup, and impurities, effortlessly; it also deeply cleanses, and conditions, the skin without leaving any residue. The oil cleanser has a pleasant, Japanese floral (maybe rose) scent that helps to relax me. As with the Shu Uemura cleansing oils, the mechanics of the SK-II cleansing oil works in the same fashion; applying the product on dry skin and emulsifying when coming into contact with water.

This oil cleanser does wonders for my skin during Winter. My skin looks and feels clean, calm, soft, radiant, and absolutely wonderful!

SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil retails for 7,560 yen (8.4oz/250ml).

What are your thoughts on oil-based cleansers?

Looking gorgeous one lipstick at a time.

La Rose de Versailles

Isetan's window, and in-store displays, started 2015 off with a visual bang by displaying the anime characters, of Riyoko Ikeda's, The Rose of Versailles.

There are many sub-genres to my passions and addictions, but a large portion of my proverbial obsession pyramid (and, in no particular order) would e makeup, anime, and horror films.

One of the most influential series, The Rose of Versailles, is set in 18th century France and centers around Oscar Francois de Jarjayes, a girl raised as a boy (whose brilliant swordsmanship earns her the title of Commander of Marie Antoinette's Royal Guards).

As Marie Antoinette's bodyguard, Oscar soon realizes the royal court in Versailles is filled with thorns of ruthless ambition, sordid schemes, love affairs, scandals, and political crisis; and, with a revolution brewing in the wind, she is torn between her duties to protect her king and queen, and upholding justice for the impoverished, oppressed peasants of France.

Isn't the art work beautiful?! It's one of my favorite styles of Japanese illustration. 

Have you read/seen The Rose of Versailles?

Looking gorgeous one lipstick at a time.

That I Loved these Lipsticks For More Than Their Color...Les Merveilleuses Laduree Rouge Swatches

When I started So Lonely in Gorgeous, one of the main purposes of the blog was to document my makeup collection; kind of like, "my own," online cosmetic museum. In the beginning, my momentum was good, but then the beauty train got derailed. However, it's my goal this year to get that train back on course.

As a "makeup addict" I want to share the beauty (and not so beautiful), and wonders of what is, and once was. Although, many of these items are no longer available, we live in the time of ebay, amazon, blog sales, and endless online shopping sites.

Years ago, when the Les Merveilleuses Laduree Beauty line first launched, aside from their blushers, the Rouge Lipsticks were an exquisite, eye catching, piece in the brand's collection.

Renowned for their macarons, Laduree is also synonymous for its marvelously, opulent, decorative style; which they've transitioned, eloquently, to the cosmetic line.

The ivory-colored, wand-like plastic tube has a frosted-pearl finish, with lovely Rococo-inspired, embossed, detailing throughout its length.

The gold twist-up bottom is adorned with a short chain, that attaches to an engraved cameo charm, bearing Laduree's trademark silhouette.

From left to right: 01, 03, 05, 06, 07. 

01: a shimmery gold. 

03: a warm, medium caramel.

05: a warm, brown-peach nude. 

06: a warm, brown-rosy-peach -nude

07: a bright, mid-tone pink. 

From left to right: 08, 09, 10, 11, 12. 

08: a muted, peanut-brittle. 

09: a yellow-based, medium pink.

10: a dusty, brownish-rose-mauve. 

11: A berry-red. 

12: A bright tomato-red. 

From left to right: 13, 14, 101, 102.

13: a peachy-pink with gold shimmer. Bascially, Nars Orgasm blush in lipstick form. 

14: a bright, medium, hot pink.

101: a red-based, burgundy-plum.

102: a deep, fuchsia-red. 

Les Merveilleuses Laduree Rouges are luxurious, highly pigment, and  moisturizing with a lustrous finish. I was absolutely gutted when they were discontinued, and I'm still scratching my head as to why they're gone. I believe the shorter, glossy rouges were suppose to replace the rouges, but they pale in comparison to their predecessor.

Another thing that erks me about the discontinuation of these lipsticks, is that my collection is incomplete. I'm miss two of shades, and that drives my OCD up the wall!

The Rouges retailed for 4,410 yen and came with 0.07 oz/2g.

Looking gorgeous one lipstick at a time.

THREE For Three Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Dawn Pokorn*, you are the winner of the THREE for Three giveaway! 

Please email me the names of the items you want, your address, and I will ship your new lovelies out to you ASAP. 

I will be hosting another giveaway soon, and wanted your feedback on which Japanese Cosmetic brand to choose next. Please write your choice in the comments.

Looking gorgeous one lipstick at a time.

We Do Not Sow...Happy Iron Anniversary to my beloved

Two days ago, Aki and I celebrated six years of marriage. The traditional wedding gifts for your sixth anniversary are suppose to be candy and iron. After some thought, I got Aki a canister of Gummy Bears (his favorite), and  the Special Edition 25th Anniversary DVD of Arnold Schwarzenegger's Pumping Iron; he got a kick out of it :P

Hope you are having a great day/evening!

Looking gorgeous one lipstick at a time.

Washing My Hands with it...Sabon Lavender Apple Liquid Hand Soap

I feel a little strange doing a hand wash post, but I feel this is a product that doesn't get much thought given to its importance.

You may not be consciously aware, but whether you're shaking someone's hand, making a gesture, giving or receiving something, your hands draw more attention then you know. Your hands are one of the first parts of your body to show aging. So, the first line of defiance is investing in a good hand wash that will thoroughly cleanse, without stripping away moisture.

Sabon's liquid hand soaps are glycerin-based (glycerin cleanses, helps to restore hydration, and retains moisture), enriched with chamomile (chamomile soothes, and promotes cell regeneration), aloe vera (aloe vera moisturizes and fights aging), as well as being SLS and Paraben free.

I wash my hands a lot, not in an OCD or germaphobic way, but often. This hand wash leaves my hands feeling cleansed, hydrated, and silky smooth. I love, love, love, LOVE the scent of Lavender Apple; it's one of my favorite fragrances from Sabon. After washing my hands, I can't help cupping my nose, and smelling my hands...now, there's an awkward visual for you.

I adore all things Sabon, and shopping there is truly an experience. The store's exterior, interior, and product packaging makes you feel as if you've stepped into a luxurious, Edwardian Apothecary. If you've never been to one of their stores, it's a must!

The SA asked me if the hand wash was a gift, which I jokingly told her it was a gift to myself. So, while I was distracted making my purchase, she went ahead and wrapped the bottle all cutely.

Sabon's Liquid Hand Soap contains 200ml, and retails for 2,160 yen.

What hand wash do you use?

Looking gorgeous one lipstick at a time.

Baaa, Baaa...Happy Baalated New Year!

Happy Belated New Year to you amzing beauties! On December 28th, I was bamboozled, and spirited away to an impromptu getaway with Aki and fam. We went to an Onsen (hot spring) in Hakone, and I just got back today.

Well, I'm glad to put 2014 to rest. Professionally, 2014 was a very busy year for me; I got to work with some brilliant people and I enjoyed every moment. However, I had a lot of aliments in the family. So, I'm looking forward to a different chapter.

I don't really do New Year resolutions. Personally, I don't know what I want to accomplish for 2015, just yet, how about you?  But, I'll let you know once I've figured it out. One thing I do want to work on is my cosmetic spending, which I always fail at. I know myself and my nonexistent limits, and I can never commit to a "no buy", but I'm reeeeally going to try to limit the amount of collections I purchase. Instead of buying almost every collection, maybe I'll limited myself to three or four brand collections per season?

Blog wise, I was really disappointed in the amount of post I did for 2014; time and life had a way with me. I'm going to make a attempt to post more. I have a plethora of ideas that I've been mulling over for the last few years, and 2015 is the year that they finally come to fruition. For the last year, I've been wanting to revamp and change the visual layout of the blog. I know what I want the blog to look like, and the format, but Aki is way too busy with his own projects to help me...and I'm not technologically competent to execute my vision. So, if anyone could assist or recommend someone, it would be much appreciated!

Most importantly, I want to thank any, and all, of you who've taken the time out of your day to visit me. If you've been with me from So Lonely in Gorgeous's inception, a big thank you to you. If you are new, or fell through the rabbit hole and just stumbled onto this online space that I've craved out for myself, a big thank you to you also. I wish you all the best possibilities and fabulous opportunities for 2015.

What would you like to achieve in 2015?

Looking gorgeous one lipstick at a time.

Taking a Nude Dip

Before I upload my New Year's post, I need to upload the looks I wore on the 24th and 25th of December. Yes, Christmas is over, but that doesn't mean you can't wear these looks, or if you like, try them next year.

Christmas really isn't celebrated in Japan; the 24th and 25th are treated as any other day, with the exception of the 25th as being a kind of date night for couples. Aki and I were very low-key last year; we didn't have any huge parties to attend, and instead of give each other gifts, we made a few donations to animal rights groups.

Tom Ford's Eye Color Quad, in Nude dip, is a lovely, radiant, neutral quad. Three of the eyeshadows have a sophisticated, pearly, semi-metallic finish, and the fourth shadow (my favorite shade in the quad) has a stunning pearled-satin finish. Whether used dry or wet, all four shadows have fantastic pigmentation.

03 Nude Dip Eye Color Quad swatches.

A soft, pearly, semi-metallic beige-champagne.

A medium, pearly, semi-metallic rosy-peach.

A soft, pearly, semi-metallic grey-taupe.

A deep, Pearled-satin taupe-brown.

Both of the Contouring Cheek Color Duos were my favorite pieces from the collection. The smooth and finely-milled texture, and color payoff, are simply breathtaking; warming up the complexion, giving the cheeks a dreamy, beaming flush.  I wish both of the blushers and highlighters were in the permanent line.

 From left to right: Contouring Cheek Color 01 Softcore, 02 Stroked.

Softcore: a shimmery peachy-pink highlighter/ a warm, muted, reddish-pink-rose satin blush.

Stroked: a shimmery champagne-peach highlighter/a warm, muted, bronzy, terracotta-coral satin blush.

Tom Ford's Extreme Mascara in 02 Mocha Rush was my first introduction to TF's Mascaras. You should know by now that I have a soft spot for colored mascaras. And, as excited as I was to purchase Mocha Rush, I have to say I wasn't entirely thrilled after using it. When I swatched Mocha Rush, my heart went pitter-patter with glee, the formula was creamy and the color gorgeous! I love Mocha Rush's large wand, but I had problems with the way it performed. I found the wand didn't grab onto my eye lashes very well, or didn't offer much resistance when I combed it through my lashes. The color did show up well on the lashes, but the formula did nothing to make my lashes look fuller or longer.

Both, Negligee and Twist of fate, are highly saturated and opaque. Their formula is creamy, smooth, and long-wearing without drying out my lips. Negligee is a beautiful shade for Fall/Winter. But, Twist of Fate needed a little muting down with a lip liner, so I could feel comfortable enough to wear it during Fall and Winter.

From left to right: 04 Metallic Moss Eye Defining Pencil, 02 Mocha Rush Extreme Mascara, 30 Negligee, & 31 twist of fate Lip Color.

The Eye Defining Pencil in 04 Metallic Moss wasn't part of the Fall Collection. But, since I used it in the two looks, Included it in the swatches. Btw, isn't it purrty ^^

04 Metallic Moss Eye Defining Pencil: a dark emerald green with emerald green sparkles.

02 Mocha Ruse: a bronzed brown with topaz sparkles.

30 Negligee: a muted, medium-toned brownish-plummy-rosy with a satin finish.

31 Twist of fate: a warm, semi-bright, orange-coral with a satin finish.

On the 24th, we met up after work in Aoyama, and had a casual dinner. This is what I wore:

Look Breakdown:

Face:
Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Santa Fe (Medium 2).
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer.
Tom Ford Contouring Cheek Color in 01 Softcore (blush on the apples of the cheeks blended out, and the highlight on the cheekbone, center of the forehead, dusted lightly on the brown bone, chin, center of the bridge of the nose, cupid's bow).

Eyes:

Browlash EX Water Strong W Eyebrow in Grey Brown.
Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener.

Mac Mineralize Concealer in NW20.
Tom Ford Eye Color Quad:
From lightest to dark I layered the beige-champagne, rosy-peach and grey-taupe over one another on the lid.
Blended the the taupe-brown in the crease, used to line the upper lashline and to blend out the Metallic Moss on the lower lashline.
Tom Ford Eye Defining Pencil in 04 Metallic Moss.
Lips:

Tom Ford Lip Color in 30 Negligee.

On the 25th, we, along with several other friends, had dinner at our friend, Mattiaz's, home. Here is what I wore on that day:

Look Breakdown:

Face:
Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Santa Fe (Medium 2).
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer.
Tom Ford Contouring Cheek Color in 02 Stroked (blush on the apples of the cheeks blended out, and the highlight on the cheekbone, center of the forehead, dusted lightly on the brown bone, chin, center of the bridge of the nose, cupid's bow).

Eyes:

Browlash EX Water Strong W Eyebrow in Grey Brown.
Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener.

Mac Mineralize Concealer in NW20.
Tom Ford Eye Color Quad:
Used wet, apply the taupe-brown on the lid, blended out into the crease, and to blend out the Metallic Moss on the lower lashline.
Use the Rosy Peach shadow to blend out the taupe-brown in the crease.
apply the grey-taupe in the inner corner.
Tom Ford Eye Defining Pencil in 04 Metallic Moss (on the upper and lower lashline, and waterline)
Lips:
Mac Lip Pencil in Stripdown.
Tom Ford Lip Color in 31 Twist of Fate.

With the exception of one product, I loved everything I got from Tom Ford's Fall 2014 Collection. I'm so grateful to my girl at Tom Ford Beauty for reserving the items for me. Thank you Tanya!

Did you purchase anything from this collection?

Looking gorgeous one lipstick at a time.