Favorite beauty stories of 2012

I admit that I haven’t been blogging about beauty that often.  For that reason, I got dropped from Beauty Blogazons and other beauty blogger networks.  Still, I had several serendipitous events with respect to The Style Page.  Here are my favorite beauty stories from 2012:

Sulwhasoo ShineClassic compacts
One was the invitation to introduce Sulwhasoo ShineClassic compacts to the U.S.  I love Asian aesthetics, and the compacts were inspired by traditional Korean symbols and artistry.  They are truly works of art.

Sulwhasoo commemorated 10 years of limited edition compacts in an elegant cloth bound coffee table book featuring traditional Korean artistry.  Flip the book over, unfold the pages, and lo! it features all LE compacts!

Sulwhasoo ShineClassic 2003 LE compact - lattice pattern

The invitation also had extra meaning for me, as I admire Korea for the way it has lifted itself up and I have fond memories of my trip to Korea ten years ago.

Softlips giveaway
Another event was the LE Softlips giveaway.  I have to say that I didn’t think that this would be a successful giveaway; however, it exceeded my wildest expectations.  I have record visits to my blog and a spike in new followers on Twitter.

BTW I still have one prize to claim.  The first person to write to me at thestylepage[at]ymail[dot]com and respond with his/her mailing address will win the prize.

LuMESH beauty from Costco
I enjoy bringing stories about beauty in unexpected places to readers.  Beauty is truly where you find it.  I’ve been in touch with Lu Camerena Meshulam, and I hope that I played a small role in moving product at Costco.

Karen Murrell lipsticks
I love the demi-matte finish of Karen’s lipsticks, and I am proud to have played a role in introducing her lipsticks to the U.S.  Karen introduced 4 lipstick shades in 2012, and plans to introduce more in 2013. I’m anxiously anticipating the new introductions. I’ve seen previews of Karen’s new Rumba Red lipstick.

Sulwhasoo limited edition SHINECLASSIC pressed powder compacts

The Style Page lives for breaking stories to her readers. It is exciting to see Sulwhasoo, one of Asia’s top luxury cosmetics brands, come to the United States, where it is sold exclusively by Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus. I want to introduce you to the way science and traditional Korean knowledge of medicinal herbs is artfully fused in Sulwhasoo - a comprehensive line of high-end skin care and color cosmetics.

Sulwhasoo’s SHINECLASSIC limited edition pressed powder compacts are works of art that not only satisfy a woman’s concept of beauty but also travel easily in her purse. Every year since 2003, Sulwhasoo has released limited edition pressed powder compacts featuring traditional Korean design motifs, especially crafted to satisfy a woman’s senses at every moment throughout the day. When I saw and held its pressed powder compacts, I instantly fell in love with the sensual and seductive designs, tender composition, enchanting effects on contact, and romantic embrace.

2005 Sulwhasoo 7 Treasure "Chill-bo" LE compact

A closer look at the Sulwhasoo SHINECLASSIC 7 Treasure LE compact

For its 2005 SHINECLASSIC Seven Treasure “Chill-bo” LE compact, Sulwhasoo’s inspiration was a traditional Korean patchwork quilt. From time immemorial, quilts in Korea have signified the belief that endeavors bring good luck. The colorful strips of fabric that are stitched together represent a prayer for good fortune. It represents WEALTH, one of the 5 traditional Korean blessings.

Korean 7 Treasure quilt

Inside the compact, there is a delicately scented soft pressed powder. The pressed powder is embossed with a stylized design motif of the Prunes Mume, or plum blossom, one of the first flowers of spring, with the powder whispering in a gentle, powdery way for a sensual aura of opulence. Beautiful!

Image of plum blossom from Wikipedia; Credit: Kakidai

Other compacts in the series of Sulwhasoo SHINECLASSIC limited edition pressed powder compacts include:

• 2003: lattice pattern – signifies the blessing of Health 
• 2008: Plum Blossom design: signifies the blessing of Virtue 
• 2010: Prunes mume floral pattern: signifies the blessing of Longevity 
• 2012: “Wa-Dang” ornamental tile design – signifies the blessing of Nobility 

Sulwhasoo SHINECLASSIC limited edition compacts

You may see pictures of the Sulwhasoo SHINECLASSIC limited edition compacts at SkinnyScoop. In the interest of space, I will describe the Sulwhasoo SHINECLASSIC 2003 lattice design compact in a subsequent article.

Sulwhasoo SHINECLASSIC pressed powder powder compacts may be purchased ($150) through bergdorfgoodman.com or niemanmarcus.com. Bergdorf Goodman is offering free 2-day shipping for the holidays: check its home page for the promo code. 

DISCLAIMER: The Style Page received two SHINECLASSIC pressed powder powder compacts from Sulwhasoo’s PR representative. It also received remuneration for this article. Opinions are The Style Page’s own.

My favorite skin care products

A rewind of my January 2012 post Seven fave skin care products, using SkinnyScoop to display the list:

View this SkinnyScoop List

My favorite skin care products

Saturday night's face mask sheet treatment

In my post 7 Fave Skin Care Products, I mentioned my fondness for Korean face mask sheet treatment.  Here's last night's Korean face mask sheet treatment, which I picked up at the Cinderella boutique within Lotte Plaza:

Leaders Clinic Dr. for Skin 2-step Snail Collagen Filler Mask

Vegans will go nuts!  This treatment contains snail mucus, which the package says is an "elasticity building ingredient."  It's as slimy as it sounds, but I wake up with such a glow!

Seven fave skin care products

sigh.  Skin care.  I hesitate to write about it, as I don't know the science behind it: for that, I refer the reader to medical student Nicki Zevola's FutureDerm blog and Paula Begoun's cosmetic ingredient dictionary.

Nonetheless, here are seven skin care products that I enjoy using:

Source: perlabella.com via STYLE on Pinterest

1. Perlabella PureDose Pearls are airtight capsules containing serum that offers a fresh product with each dose.  You may find Perlabella at Walgreen's stores. See my post New skin care at Walgreen's, dated April 2009, for more on Perlabella.  Later in this post, I'll provide an update on skin care at Walgreen's.

Source: media.dermstore.com via STYLE on Pinterest

2. Lisa Hoffman Beauty A & C Serum goes on slick and oily, but when you wake up in the morning, your skin is soft.  I also like her Day Cleanser, which I use at night.  I have never understood the purpose of washing the skin both morning and night.

Lisa Hoffman Beauty skin care is no longer sold through her web site, as she seems to be focusing on her fragrance concepts.  Nonetheless, you can find some products through DermStore.

I received a treasure trove of Lisa Hoffman Beauty skin care products from her former PR rep, but let it lie in the closet: bad :-(  I'm glad that I pulled it out.

Source: thestylepage.blogspot.com via STYLE on Pinterest

3. The Solution by Envision Beauty streamlines skin care. It is designed as a multi-tasking product that replaces night cream, serum, eye cream, and makeup primer. It also advertises itself as a replacement for day cream, but since it's not rated for SPF, I hesitate to call it a replacement for day cream. The Solution by Envision Beauty is a lightweight lotion that leaves a non-greasy, non-oily finish.  This is one of the few samples that I have received that I've used to the bottom of the bottle and went back to become a paying customer!

Since I reviewed The Solution by Envision Beauty in April 2009, my skin has become dryer and my skin care needs have changed.  I need a richer moisturizer.  Nonetheless, I occasionally apply The Solution by Envision Beauty as a lightweight primer before my makeup.  Founder Kimberly Snyder has since fashioned herself as a "celebrity nutritionist."

You may shop The Solution by Envision Beauty at its web site.

Source: betterbotanicals.com via STYLE on Pinterest

4. Better Botanicals Rose Tulsi Toning Mist ("tulsi" is Sanskrit for basil) is not a necessary skin care step, but I love spritzing this fragrant mist on my Beautyblender sponge with it before applying makeup.  You may shop Better Botanicals through its web site.

What are my three other picks?

Lioele Beyond the Solution BB Cream

The Washington, DC metro area is home to a large Korean community. Koreans have found a niche in dry-cleaning establishments, nail salons, and cafés that serve office workers breakfast and lunch. They have also been active in establishing church congregations. Two Korean firms Lotte and H Mart have opened large supermarkets-cum-department stores in the Washington, DC metro area to serve the Korean community.

I was roaming around the recently opened Lotte Plaza in Chantilly, VA, outside Washington, DC. I stopped at the beauty counter, where the beauty advisor graciously supplied me with samples of skin care products by Lioele.

One of the most popular cosmetics products to come out of Korea is BB Cream, a combination foundation and acne treatment. BB stands for Blemish Balm. Several Korean companies in addition to Lioele market BB Cream.

Lioele Beyond the Solution BB Cream

In hot, humid weather, my skin gets oily and I get pimples on my nose. Paula Begoun, in her book The Original Beauty Bible, identifies bacteria, clogged pores, and oil secretions as the culprits in forming pimples. Benzoyl peroxide lotions disinfect and BHA preparations penetrate the pore and exfoliate. I’ve found that BB Cream handles the oil problem nicely. I apply it to my nose in lieu of ordinary foundation or mineral makeup. It stays matte all day, and there’s no need to use blotting papers on my nose.

New skin care at Walgreen's

My slogan at More Than a Pretty Face is "beauty is where you find it." At one level, that means I search out dollar stores, drug stores, beauty supply stores, mail order catalogues, department stores, specialty stores, and more to discover beauty products. Today I focus on new skin care products sold through Walgreen's.

Walgreen's is now discontinuing its European Beauty Collection of skin care brands, which means that people can now buy these products at discount.

At the same time, Walgreen's has entered into exclusive distribution agreements with Korea's The Face Shop and Italy's Equilibra.

The principal product from The Face Shop is a moist mask sheet that you lay over your face for 20 minutes. The mask sheets is available in a variety of different formulas, including botanical solutions.


Equilibra Perlabella Anti-Aging Retinol Face capsules

The principal product from Equilibra is Perlabella, "pearls" or capsules of face serum in different formulas. You may buy packages containing 28 capsules from walgreens.com or Amazon.com. Packets containing seven capsules may be purchased at Walgreen's stores.

VOV: The Style Page seeks your help!

Here are two inquiries about VOV, an Asian makeup line, which I have received via Email :

from India:

"...just heard about VOV Cosmetics
from a Friend of mine and had a search about
vov.cosmetics.co.kr.

The website is completely in Chinese/Japanese/Korean
language which i don't know.

I wanted to know about the VOV Cosmetics Outlets,
particulary in India if so.

Please do help me out.

Waiting for the reply

Bye
Take care"

from Australia:

"Hi, I am searching for a VOV hi tech lip gloss that I purchased a little while ago and the shop has since closed down the colour is a beige honey colour and the bottom of the gloss has a number BE3 which I assume is the colour"

If you can provide answers, please respond by adding your comments to the blog, and I will respond by Email.