Beaute de Kose Esprique Precious Face Styling Powder (contour/ highlighter) review/ swatch

So I'm finally getting through my massive stockpile of skincare pictures and reviews so now I can look at more makeup and nail polishes again!

Here's a recent staple item in my makeup bag- Kose Esprique Precious "Face Styling Powder", shade is #00. (Currently I'm not aware of any other shades being released).

When I received this I was slightly disappointed and worried since it looks a bit dull- in the pan it looked like a plain beige vanilla highlighter and a probably too dark taupe brown looking contour powder.

It comes in a nice white compact with crystal designs on the corners.

Back of palette has instructions on suggested usage.

Contains 9g of product total and also a dual ended brush applicator is included.

Plastic separator on top:

Here's a closer look at the color. You are not mistaken- the contour side is matte so there's no visible shimmers. While on the highlighter side you can see subtle shimmers.

Brush is dual ended, one with longer bristles and the other with shorter. I can't read the back packaging but I'm sure they recommend the longer bristle for 1 product and shorter bristle for the other. I think it's a smart idea having a dual ended applicator since given highlighting and contouring are pretty much the opposite objectives, you really wouldn't be wanting to use the same brush to apply both!

For me personally, I use the short bristle side for highlighter since it allows more precise application, the long bristle end for contour since it's a larger area application and the longer bristles seems to pick up a bit less powder so I can build it gradually.

Here are the swatches. I had to swatch quite heavily to get more color payoff:

The vanilla beige side is rather soft and finely milled. There are some flecks of larger shimmers but they are not large like MAC mineralize blush or skinfinish sort of large, just comparatively larger. The base color is really quite finely milled.

The Contour shade does not have as much taupe as I imagined. Instead it's not "flat" matte either, it's more a very finely milled satiny shade of natural tan that you would see on Asian skintone if I was actually a bit more tanned. It applies so subtly that makes it excellent for contouring and building up to desired shadow (without looking dirty).

I know I don't sound like I'm giving glowing reviews above, but this is an excellent and compact highlighter/ contour in one. The highlighter shade is very nice on my NC15/NC20 skintone. (I wear about the lightest or 2nd lightest shade in most foundations).  It provides that extra glow and highlight and make me look really refreshed.   I swipe this on bridge of nose, just under eyes and above cheek, and on C-shaped zone outside brows along temple.

The contour shade helps with that morning bloated face that I sometimes get from too much fluid retention. I apply the contour shade at the edge of face where the face meets the neck- this is also great as my neck is a shade lighter than the face so when I wear foundations that actually match my skintone, it can look like it's actually too pale compared to the neck, what this does is seamlessly blending the edges together to make it look more natural.

I think the contour shade is extremely natural especially on pale Asian skintone. I generally do not contour as I had a bit of difficulty finding a right contour shade- a lot of Western brand bronzers tend to be too 'tanned' in base color and too pigmented to allow a really subtle, buildable application.

While there are probably better highlighters out there, you can't really beat the convenience factor of this one. (The highlighter in this compact probably beats most Japanese drugstore highlighters I've used like from Canmake or Fasio or even highlighter shade in Coffret D'or blush compacts, as most of the shimmers in other brands are usually too chunky or the base color is too white or silvery to look natural).

Rating is 4/5. This retails for 25-30USD depending on where you get it. There's also no scent, and not a lot of powder flyaway. It stays in place quite well throughout the day and great for the 'refreshed' look and office days.

Beaute de Kose Esprique Precious Fit Up Concealer #40 Light-Beige review/swatch

Beaute de Kose Esprique Precious line is the mid price ranged line from the Kose group. Most items are under 40USD.

This is the "Fit up Concealer" in the lightest shade #40, Light-Beige. It's in a squeeze pink tube packaging, with a small nozzle, which makes it easy to control the amount.

 

On the very left is how it would look like under the eye and blended in. It's a very pigmented concealer, and dries quickly. I usually just pat it under eye with my finger tips.  As you can see it definitely has a strong yellow tone, which is too yellow for my face but ok for undereye.

However I find it a bit too drying and the opacity means it can look ashy under eye and a bit unnatural looking.

It has the added bonus of SPF25/ PA++. Contains 15g.

Overall 2/5. Unfortunately I find the majority of the Kose foundation lines to be very yellow, when I purchase something called light beige I really don't expect it to have this much yellow tone to it. The formula is also a bit drying and the pigment could be finer to make it look more natural on the skin.

Beaute de Kose Esprique Precious 2008 fall

Beaute de Kose Esprique Precious
丰靡美姬 2008秋冬新粧 (Estimated release date 16th August 2008)

(Apologies for certain product not having English names and color codes, since I sourced most info from Chinese websites and these were not provided).

After Gemma Ward's successful spokeperson role for the past year with the strong theme of 'mature but cute' with great market response, Esprique Precious has replaced her with the new model this year.

The new look features the 'glamourous Cinderella', twisting the old stereotypical princess looks which usually featurs pinks, purples and golds (hello? isn't that Esprique Spring and Summer?).
The 2008 Autumn features grey-toned blue eye looks with rose lips to portray the Cinderella princess with both personality and gracefullness.

上市一年迭創佳績的丰靡美姬，今年秋冬主打的主題是「華麗仙度瑞拉」，以童話故事中的灰姑娘做發想，顛覆傳統上公主就應該使用粉紅色呈現出可愛樣貌，或是宴會粧就應該是由紫色金色展現華麗的概念，透過全新的灰藍色調眼粧與玫瑰色唇膏的搭配，讓彩粧與心情都華麗換裝！展現出同時具個性與優雅的仙度瑞拉粧感！

Here are some pictures
The look:
I thought it looks like a sudden overly mature transition in huge contrast with the Gemma Ward fresh sort of cute looks from Spring and Summer 2008.

The lipstick (featuring high gloss and moisturising properties, fragrance free):

10 new colors, NT$900 (about $30USD)

丰靡美姬 華麗幻粧水潤唇膏
*豐沛的水潤感，如同唇蜜般的光澤，與唇部服貼度極高，濃密又滑順的觸感。*添加特殊新原料「多彩光潤油劑」，能提高潤澤感、光澤感與密著性與持粧度。*在滑順密著油（Smoothing Fit Oil）的作用下，雖是唇膏卻具有液態般滑順的觸感。*「動感偵測粧膜」技術，能經過長時間也能維持剛完粧時的顯色、光澤及豐潤感。 創造飽滿具光澤的唇粧，顯色澄淨且具高度透明感。*服貼度高，能長時間維持剛上粧時的粧感與潤澤。*全新珠光白與鑽石般的外型設計，搭配唇膏頂端光感鑽石切面，讓唇膏也如同配件般，呈現秋冬的華麗感。*無香料。

Eyeshadow Palette-
4 colors, NT1050 (which is about 35USD)
The blue color featured below.

丰靡美姬 華麗幻粧眼彩盒

Featuring the new pearl-creme base texture, which is meant to be high luminosity, I'm thinking whether they actually mean it's a cream-to-powder texture. That will be interesting!

三重漸層色彩搭配珠光纖細光澤 任意創造想要的光澤感同時賦予光感與立體感的多色眼影盤

*新開發「珠光霜狀基質」，可如同眼彩釉般作為眼粧打底使用；也可在眼粧最後，如眼影凍打亮眉骨般，加強眼粧光澤度。*具高度透明感的澄澈顯色，與帶有細緻光澤的三重漸層色彩，能創造具立體感的動人眼粧。*耐汗水、耐皮脂，即使長時間也不易暈染暗沉，能維持剛上粧時的美麗粧感。*全新珠光白與鑽石般的外型設計，讓眼影盤也如同配件般，呈現秋冬的華麗感。*無香料。 Eye color singles (these are not new products, but new color releases).
13 new colors, NT290 (around 14USD)

The eyeshadow duo compact case (empty) will be sold separately for NT290. (can put two eye color singles inside).

丰靡美姬 嬉色眼彩餅

共13色 建議售價各NT.290元〈另售: 丰靡美姬 眼彩餅盒 建議售價NT.290元(可放2個嬉色眼彩餅)〉

Duo eyeliners (5 colors, NT$600, approximately USD20)

丰靡美姬 雙色眼線筆

共5種 建議售價各NT.600元

These really remind me of the new Sofina Aube duo liners, which I bought several of. I quite like duo eyeliners since they are easily portable and fool-proof combinations, great for a uniform eyelook.

Lipgloss, will feature 3 new colors, NT $850 which is about USD28. These are not new products, simply new color releases.

丰靡美姬 絕色唇晶

新3色 建議售價各NT.850元
*具高度光感，鮮豔奪目的08年秋冬流行色，華麗登場。*在充滿彈力與透明感的唇晶成分中，加入大顆亮片及晶 亮珠光。高透明度及閃亮感，讓唇晶的光澤度閃耀升級。*新原料「強化透明度凝膠」的「凝凍粉末凝聚力」，能形成長時間充滿彈力及光澤的水嫩薄膜。*柔和清爽油讓唇晶不黏膩好推展，緊貼唇部不脫粧。*持續保濕，經過長時間也能維持水嫩雙唇。*無香料。


source: iswii.net.