Shu Uemura Brave Beauty - Vision of Beauty Rouge Unlimited and Satin Radiant Stick

(Press samples. Affiliate links.)

The lip portion of the Shu Uemura Brave Beauty collection is, much like the palettes, a mash-up of the in-your-face and the very wearable. The packaging has that same bold, almost-floral design that reminds me of hothouse blooms, and the Vision of Beauty Rouge Unlimited lipsticks as viewed in the tube promise equally florid colour on the face: the deep plummy wine of Maroon, and the vivid tangerine orange of, well, Orange.

I think claret shades for fall are entirely appropriate, and after this spring's orange lip trend we're all well used to citrus tones. Still, these aren't exactly meek shades, and I imagine that for folks who generally favour nude or MLBB lipsticks (and I place myself in that category) they can come across as a little....much.

Vision of Beauty Rouge Unlimited: Orange and Maroon

Vision of Beauty Rouge Unlimited: Orange and Maroon

The formula, however, is what makes these waaaayyyy less intimidating to actually wear. This is one of those hybrids between a gloss and a lipstick that has a translucent, stained glass effect when worn. The colour applies very true to the what's in the tube, but the sheerness softens it without altering the actual shade. Orange is NOT a colour I will normally wear, but the shade here was surprisingly pretty, and looked more like pumpkin than tangerine with my colouring. I don't know, what do you guys think?

(There are two milder shades in the collection, namely Rose and Beige, if you're not at all inclined to wear bolder colours, as well as equally robust offerings like Red and Fuchsia - which is, as far as I'm concerned, a Modern Classic.)

In terms of texture, this is a very comfortable, emollient lipstick with a nice amount of slip that doesn't slide around or feel greasy. As it dries down some of the gloss fades, and it lasts a couple of hours before wearing away relatively evenly. It's not a revolutionary formula, but it is a very nicely done version, and very comfortable to wear. Again, I'm just kind of wowed by an orange that doesn't make me look jaundiced or like the 8-year-old-version of me, who had an unrelenting love for those orange Freezies.

Vision of Beauty Rouge Unlimited: Maroon and Orange

Vision of Beauty Rouge Unlimited: Maroon

Vision of Beauty Rouge Unlimited: Orange

If you prefer shimmer over colour, I suspect the Satin Radiant Sticks might please you. A more elegant version of the Maybelline Master Glaze Blush Sticks, these toe the line between a highlighter and a blush. Though they are split out on the site by category (the highlighters being Light Pink and Bronze Gold, the blushes being Pink and Orange Coral), I think I would still consider them all as highlighters, at least based on the two I have.

Light Pink is a very pale champagne pink that just barely registers as a colour on my skin, and sheers out to essentially shimmer. Pink has more obvious pigmentation when swiped on heavily, but the sparkle content wouldn't incline me to wearing it quite that heavily. Sheered out, it's a very light babydoll pink.

And these are shimmery. Not obnoxiously so, but very obviously so, especially in sunlight or certain overhead lights. This is not the subtle glow that suggests a recent bout of yoga, but a more perceptible shimmer and shine. For me personally it's just a little too much, but if sparkle is what you've been looking for, then this is probably what you want. (And here I'm thinking of a friend who uses a shimmer lotion all over her body, including her face, and looks absolutely stunning. For some people, the shimmering halo just works.)

Texture-wise, this is a more wearable formula than, for example, the Nars Multiple or the afore-mentioned Maybelline Blush Stick. Both of those can feel overly greasy and slippery (and the matte version of the Multiple has that weird dry-silicone feel), but these have a nice amount of initial slip, which makes them very easy to blend and diffuse. After that, they set and feel weightless on the skin.

Satin Radiant Stick: Light Pink and Pink

Satin Radiant Stick: Pink and Light Pink

I will say they photograph really well, as none of the swatches had perceptible shimmer particles in the photos, while they do show up in real life.

Satin Radiant Stick: Light Pink (blended and heavy) and Pink (heavy and blended)

Availability: These are up on www.shuuemura.ca and www.shuuemura-usa.com, as well as Shu Uemura counters. The Rouge Unlimited lipsticks are 36$ CAD and 30$ USD, and the Satin Radiant Sticks are 55$ CAD and 39$ USD. (To which I say, What the price jump, Batman??)

I can definitely see myself getting more of the lipsticks (I have a lippie problem, I know), but the radiant sticks are not something I would pick up, especially not at that price point. What do you guys think?

(Items were provided by the brand/PR to be considered for review. This post is not sponsored or compensated, opinions are my own. Contains affiliate links.)

Shu Uemura Brave Beauty - Green and Orange Eye Palettes

(Press samples. Affiliate links.)

I don't know if Shu Uemura has made better palettes than the Brave Beauty ones. I think sometimes the concepts behind the Shu collection don't always translate to an immediately accessible product...and that's cool. That's sort of to be expected with a brand that is grounded in both makeup artistry and the art world in general. I like that there's a brand on the makeup field that's in it for the risks and the high concept and the artistic vision. (Much in the same way that I appreciate the existence of Prince.)

And when all that comes together with great performance and top-notch execution? Perfection.

The packaging is the classic hard plastic casing with an abstract print that somehow looks vaguely botanical. I personally love the packaging, because it is sleek, simple, and practical. It's also completely convertible, as the pans can actually be removed by pulling on the piece on the left side of the palette. Each pan then slides out and can be added to a z-palette or what have you. (You can also theoretically mix and match your shades in these palettes if you so choose.)

Exteriors aside, it's all about those colours.

It all starts with the incredible evergreen matte shade in the Green Eye Palette.

I have a vast and varied collection, but I can honestly say that I don't own anything that comes close to the intense and utterly gorgeous depths of that green. I'm a bit of a dramatic gasper by nature, but when I opened this palette I think I knocked myself back by a pace or two. 

The texture is firm and almost a touch dry feeling, but it puts out the pigment like nobody's business. Due to the opacity it can be a bit tricky to work with in terms of blending out, but no more so than the mattes in the Lorac Pro 2, for example. 

The olive shimmer right next to it is actually my second favourite, and it has the kind of rich, smooth texture that immediately telegraphs both high-quality formulation and artist-friendly functionality. Very lovely to work with, and great payoff as well. The third colour is a interesting variation on the classic shimmery beige, with that slight khaki undertone. Smooth and soft, slightly sheerer but easily built up. The very pale, slightly minty frost is also dense, with a high-gleam intensity. The chartreuse and forest green shades have a more subdued shimmer, and a similarly smooth, easy texture with great pigmentation.

The Orange Eye Palette is no less awesome, and includes an incredibly vivid tangerine orange. I like that they went with complimentary shades of coral and plum rather than more orange tones (as they did with the Green palette), because it can take some serious stones to rock a blazing orange eye. This palette actually winds up being the more versatile one, strangely enough.

The orange has that same matte finish as the evergreen, and can build up to equally amazing pigmentation - but best represented over a primer. Otherwise it can look dusty.

The mahogany shimmer is gorgeous, and also follows along with the formula of the olive in the Green palette - smooth, dense, rich, easy to blend. The beige shimmer and champagne frost are similarly textured, though the beige is more sheer and can apply a bit flaky. The light coral pink satin is very smooth, though also a bit sheerer. The plum shimmer at the end reiterates the texture and pigmentation of the mahogany, and actually leans almost metallic. It's definitely my favourite from the palette.

Compared to the wondrousness that is the palettes, the Lasting Gel Pencil Eye Liners do, unfortunately, feel like a bit of an afterthought. The formula is waterproof and smudge proof (though not quite the 12 hours claimed, at least not on me), but I find the pencil doesn't apply all that smoothly or opaquely. It requires several passes and still looks a little feeble, yet the formula is firm enough to make that a little uncomfortable, especially on the waterline. If you're a completist and want to have the eyeliners to go with the palettes, then by all means - but I think if you're in the market for a long-wearing eye pencil there are more impressive options out there.

Top to bottom: Lasting Gel Pencil Eye Liner M Green and M Violet

Top to bottom: Lasting Gel Pencil Eye Liner M Green and M Violet

Availability: Currently on the shuuemura.ca site, as well as at Shu counters. The palettes are 90$ CAD, and the eye pencils are 36$ CAD.

In all honestly, my jaw did drop a little when I saw the price for the palettes. The individual eyeshadow pans available on the site are 19$, so the palette is 24$ less than buying six pans would be (plus the cost of the empty case). Still that's not an insignificant amount of money, certainly placing it in the realm of extra-fancy for a lot of people, me included. If I splurge, I tend to go for a top-notch formula in conjunction with the kind of packaging that could knock someone's teeth out. As lovely and practical as the Shu casing is, it doesn't fall into that latter category, so I'm left wondering if I would spend that much money on the eyeshadows alone. If I consider the great balance of textures and colours in each palette (especially those incredible mattes), and weigh it against the cost of each pan (12-15$ each, depending whether you take the cost of the case into account), then I definitely think the value is worth the price, despite the initial sticker shock. (Though I do recommend signing up for the newsletter, as there are the occasional promo codes that can lessen the sting.)

(These items were provided by the brand/PR to be considered for review. All opinions are my own, this post is not sponsored or compensated. Contains affiliate link.)

Shu Uemura Ready To Wear Palette (Pink Hues) and Drawing Pencils (M Black 01, M Grey 05, M Earthy Brown 82, ME Green 51)

(Affiliate links.)

Shu Uemura recently revamped their eyeliners 9 dubbed Drawing Pencils - and introduced four new eyeshadow palettes, each featuring a monochromatic colour scheme.

Side note: As the name of the pencils suggest, I immediately took to doodling with them. :P

Although I love a good plummy eye, I can't say I'm usually drawn to a full-on pink look. With my olive-leaning skin and brown eyes, it can look like I've lost ten rounds with my pillow. The Ready To Wear Palette in Pink Hues palette was just so PRETTY though, that I put my hesitation aside and committed to trying it out in a variety of permutations.

Overall, I was really pleased by the performance of the shadows in this palette. The matte grape wasn't impressive upon swatching, with a firm, smooth and slightly dry texture that appeared a little sheer and patchy when dabbed on the arm. However, when it was applied with a brush to the eyelid, the pigment transferred without an issue. This is not the kind of colour that goes on with full-blast intensity right away, but with a dark shade like this, I can't say that's a bad thing. It was easy enough to build up to greater depth, and it blended well. It's perfect for adding deepness to the outer corner, or building up a hazy smoky eye.

The soft matte pink had a softer texture than the grape, swatched more opaquely and applied to the lid smoothly. It's definitely a shade I need to use sparingly with my colouring, but I have no complaints about texture or performance. I actually don't have this kind of colour in my collection, so once I got over that bit of shock, I was happy to have it in potential rotation.

The "wet" sparkle of the third pink from the left makes it a fantastic layering shade. The hot pink base is quite sheer, so what you get is this glistening effect that looks incredibly when dabbed to the centre of the eyelid. Applied like that over the grape (heavily built up into a smoky eye) looks intense and totally unexpected.

The pale pink and pale peachy-pink shimmers are smooth, creamy and dense, with intense pigmentation. They apply beautifully, but look virtually indistinguishable from each other once on, so I do wish there had been some greater variation. That said, they are both completely lovely.

The matte beige has a similar texture to the matte pink, and is that rare near-white colour that doesn't look chalky. Perfect brow bone highlight, especially if you're going with an otherwise shimmer/sparkle heavy look.

For 85$ CAD, I do think this is a pricy little set, especially considering the monochromatic theme. It's definitely not a palette that stands by itself, though the quality of each shadow ranges from good to great, so there is no doubt they would each get their use in combination with other products.

And the Drawing Pencils. These are meant to be blend able and waterproof, with 21 different shades to choose from, and 4 different textures.

The M Black 01 and M Grey 05 are probably the best performing of the four. They apply smoothly, with very rich pigmentation and a creamy texture.

The M Earthy Brown 82 actually has to be built up a bit as the first layer is sheer, and rather than feeling creamy it's more oily/waxy. I have to say, the colour reads a little off to me as well, and looks a little dirty around my eye. It's my least favourite of the four, both in terms of texture and actual colour.

The ME Green 51 is GORGEOUS. A perfect teal with incredible golden sparkle, it's also sheerer at first swipe.

These had more of a learning curve than I'm used when it comes to eyeliners. With the shades that required a second swipe for full opacity, I found that I needed to let them dry, or the product wound up coming up with that second pass. It was a little frustrating until I figured that out. Fortunately, they dry down incredibly fast, so waiting to do a second layer wasn't a hardship. Un-fortunately though, that über-quick dry down time means that you have to work incredibly fast if you want to smudge these. Even at that, I don't think they blend out all that well, as they just wind up looking a little patchy and washed out more than anything. As the name suggest, I do think these are best suited for creating strongly graphic lines, which they do very, very well.

Because of their intense creaminess, they're also best when sharpened to a good point, and applied almost laid down on their side, with the length of the exposed "lead" along the lash line. They tended to skip or crumble along the lash line for me when applied in the usual, point-first manner.

I can attest to the waterproof claim, but I can't say that they're epically long-wearing, as I got fading and a bit of crumbing/cracking in the line after 6 or so hours. They contain a combination of a rigid and flexible silicon polymer, which together are supposed to provide good adhesion and flexibility. On my eyes, I suspect the rigid ingredient just doesn't hold up, either because of the natural oils on my lid or that way my eye moves/is shaped. I suspect that if you have problems with eyeliner wearing off, you'll either love or hate the Drawing Pencils, depending on how your personal skin chemistry reacts with the polymers and other waterproofing ingredients.

While I do love the colour range, the waterproofness and the intensity that can be achieved, they are spendy, especially considering the potential application issues.

Have you guys tried any of the newness from Shu? I get the feeling that it's a very cult-y kind of brand. I know a lot of MUAs who adore it, but I tend to get a lot of blank looks when I chat with the average makeup lover about them.

Availability: At certain Holt Renfrew and Sephora locations, as well as online at www.shuuemura.ca. Price is 85$ CAD (65$ USD) for the Ready To Wear palettes, and 28$ CAD (25$ USD) for the Drawing Pencils.

(These items were provided by the brand/PR. All opinions are my own. This post is not sponsored or compensated. Contains affiliate link.)

Shu Uemura Tint in Gelato Lip and Cheek Color - Spiced Orange (CR 04), Blood Orange (CR 01), Berry Berry (PK 01)

I do believe this dual lip/cheek thing is a trend. YSL did it, and Shu Uemura is in the game as well with the Tint in Gelato Lip and Cheek Color.

Tint in Gelato, top to bottom: Spiced Orange (CR 04), Blood Orange (CR 01), Berry Berry (PK 01)

Like its sister brand, Shu Uemura has created a dual-purpose product that actually works well on both the lips and the cheeks. 

Both products share a similarly perforated doe-foot applicator that captures a bead of product, making for a smooth application to both lips and cheeks - though Shu opted for the more classic lipgloss tube packaging rather than the nail polish bottle shape of the YSL variant.

Tint in Gelato, top to bottom: Spiced Orange (CR 04), Blood Orange (CR 01), Berry Berry (PK 01)

The formula for these two products is markedly similar, with the first 14 ingredients being identical. (Not surprising, since YSL and Shu are siblings in the vast l'Oréal luxury family.) I didn't find there to be a difference in terms of how the product applied or wore, but I did find the Tint in Gelato formula to be less...translucent? It's thicker and more opaque in texture, and more matte on both cheeks and lips, even when freshly applied. Where the Kiss & Blush dances the line between lipgloss and lipstick when worn on the lips, these are more clearly in the liquid lipstick family. (You can, of course, vary the pigmentation by applying it more lightly and blending with a finger.)

The Gelatos have that creamy, whipped texture that makes them a dream to blend out on the cheeks. Seriously no-fuss, and easily polished in less than three seconds. (They also work just fine over both foundation or powder.) You can apply with a brush if you prefer, but I like just dotting the product on and blending out with my fingers.

The formula also shares that quality of sitting slightly on the lips, due to the particular nature of the silicone polymers used. I find this is what keeps the formula feeling cushy, even as it dries down, but the sensation can feel odd. (See Tracy's review here, if that's the case for you.)

Because it has a thicker and more matte texture, as well as the slip of the silicone, it's best to apply in light layers to the lips - it's easy to underestimate how much you're putting on, and wind up with goopy lips. I don't find these drying or line-emphasizing, but they don't leave my lips looking quite as full as the YSL Kiss & Blush, probably because they reflect a less light due to the matte finish and opaque pigment.

Below are swatches - thicker and blended out - and you can see that they can go on quite punchy when applied straight on (the way you might prefer on your lips) but also sheer out and blend nicely for a faintly glowing but still relatively matte blush.

Tint in Gelato: Spiced Orange (CR 04), Blood Orange (CR 01), Berry Berry (PK 01)

I received a few shades to try out, included two from the "orange" portion of the twelve shade range. I admit to being a little wary of that word included in my lipstick/lipgloss names, but these were anything but tangerine on my lips. (I'm really curious who does the shade naming over at Shu, because I suspect they need to have a little convo with Inigo Montoya.)

This is Spiced Orange, which is more of a light, peachy nude. It's a completely wearable nude sorbet shade on me, and looks even lovelier as a blush - just healthy and faintly sunny.

Tint in Gelato in Spiced Orange (CR 04)

Tint in Gelato in Spiced Orange (CR 04)

This is Blood Orange, which is a bright pastel version of the classic coral that generally looks amazing on anyone with olive or tanned skin (and with the pastel quality will also look awesome on paler skin). This shade is ALL about the Summer.

Tint in Gelato in Blood Orange (CR 01)

Tint in Gelato in Blood Orange (CR 01)

And finally this is Berry Berry, which...ok, this one sort of makes sense. If your berries are GMO'd like whoa, that is. This is a HOT berry shade, just this side of pink to be considered fuchsia. And obviously, I love it.

Tint in Gelato in Berry Berry (PK 01)

Tint in Gelato in Berry Berry (PK 01)

Though you can see the blended out swatches above, here is a picture of what the Spiced Orange looks like worn as blush (also on the lips).

Availability: At Holt Renfrew and select Sephora locations, as well as at www.shuuemura.ca. Price is 28$ CAD.

What are you guys feeling for these? Are you liking the dual function, or do you want your lipstick to be lipstick and your blush to be blush, dammit?

(Items were provided by the brand/PR to be considered for review. All opinions are my own, I am not compensated. This post contains an affiliate link.)

Shu Uemura Bijoux Collection for Spring 2014 - Silk Cushion Eyeshadows and Blushes

I've decided that Shu Uemura is my go-to brand when it comes to creating subtle, ethereal looks. I don't think their range lacks in any products for creating stronger or more graphic makeup, but I do think they excel in particular when it comes to evoking a more delicate, fey sort of beauty. More than any other brand, I think of creatures of air and water and woodland when I look at their collections.

The Bijoux collection for Spring is no exception. Kakuyasu Uchiide, Shu Uemura's international artistic director, suggests that "the key for this look is natural freshness, through using light reflection effectively, and also by using soft colours to create soft contours".

The key words here are "soft" and "light reflection". The formula of the blushes and eyeshadows is a literal interpretation of those concepts: their texture is marshmallow-soft and springy, and they are infused with a shimmer that comes across as either a soft sheen, or as a sunlight-on-ocean-waves sparkle.

The Silk Cushion Blusher is offered in two shades: Rose Quartz, a rose pink, and Orange Quartz, a peachy orange.

Shu Uemura Silk Cushion Blush in Rose Quartz and Orange Quartz

Shu Uemura Silk Cushion Blush in Rose Quartz

Shu Uemura Silk Cushion Blush in Orange Quartz

If you've poked at the Maybelline Dream Bouncy blushes, you won't be taken aback by the texture of these. They have a similar sort of plush "give" when you press into them, leaving behind a dent that very slowly fluffs back up. I would say these have a slightly more mousse-like consistency, but with a similarly slippy feel. They're cream blushes, technically, but don't fall precisely into the dewy camp or the cream-to-powder finish. They don't feel tacky on the skin - or even perceptible, for that matter.

They are actually fairly pigmented, and can be layered up to the full-blown shade featured in the first swatches below, if so desired. I do think they are best applied with a soft touch - specifically a duo-fibre brush. They blend so easily, and look very natural. Even the orange, which I normally would give wide berth to, looks fabulous applied like that. The finish is a satiny sheen, which only underscores that enchanted wood nymph image I have going on in my head. They have this lovely luminosity that doesn't rely on any kind of obvious shimmer.

Wear time was not exceptional. They averaged about 6 hours before I saw fading. If you're prone to having makeup slide off your face, you're better off stashing it in your bag and touching up. The nice thing is that they don't get all weird and cakey if you do need to add a bit throughout the day, even over powder.

In the swatches below I've applied them straight on and then as a softer wash, which is truer to the way I would wear them. (Apologies for the flipped swatches, but I trust you can tell which is the Rose versus the Orange. :P)

The Silk Cushion Eyeshadows are offered in four shades: Amethyst Purple, a pale lilac, Morganite Pink (MORGANite??? Come on now, Shu has to be with me on the fey thing with that one), Peridot Green, a light apple green with a hint of gold, and Amber Brown, an almost minky shade of brown, not nearly as warm as I expected from the name. It actually looks barely darker than my lid shade when applied, despite how it swatches out.

From top left, clockwise: Shu Uemura Silk Cushion Eyeshadows in Amber Brown,
Amethyst Purple, Peridot Green, Morganite Pink

From top left, clockwise: Shu Uemura Silk Cushion Eyeshadows in Amber Brown,
Peridot Green, Morganite Pink, Amethyst Purple

From top left, clockwise: Shu Uemura Silk Cushion Eyeshadows in Morganite Pink,
Amethyst Purple, Peridot Green, Amber Brown

These have the same exact texture as the blushes, with the same potential for pigment payoff. My caveat to this is that they both look and perform better when applied lightly. Applied full on, the same way you would something like a Color Tattoo or a Paint Pot, can actually cause them to fade and crease within a few hours. It's like the slippery texture bunches up over itself as your lid moves naturally throughout the day. (Similar to the way the Flower Beauty and Lise Watier mousse-like cream shadows perform on me, actually.)

I had the best results applying a light wash, be it over a primer or as a finishing veil over another eyeshadow. The colour intensity is diminished, but the sparkle factor is enhanced. (Applied opaquely, they look more metallic/frosty.) The effect looks almost liquid, like the sun reflecting off water. It's a really beautiful look, but if you do prefer to have the colour intensity, you'll definitely need to use a fantastic primer and anticipate reduced wear time.

Shu Uemura Silk Cushion Eyeshadows in Morganite Pink, Amethyst Purple, Peridot Green, Amber Brown
Applied straight on for color intensity.

Shu Uemura Silk Cushion Eyeshadows in Morganite Pink, Amethyst Purple, Peridot Green, Amber Brown
Applied as a sheer wash.

Availability: This collection can be ordered from www.shuuemura.ca and www.shuuemura-usa.com. In Canada, they can also be purchased at Holt Renfrew and select Sephora and Hudson's Bay locations, if still in stock. Prices are 22$ USD/30$ CAD for the eyeshadows, and 25$ USD/35$ CAD for the blushes. (And yeah, the price difference for the blush is...not fun.)

Have you guys checked out anything from this collection yet? Or are you already onto the summer one?

(Items in this review were provided by the brand/pr. This post is not sponsored or compensated, all opinions are mine.)

Shu Uemura The Lightbulb Foundation and Sponge - 764 Medium Light Beige and 774 Light Beige

I'm always on the hunt for the perfect foundation, as are, I think, most people who wear makeup. And my requirements are extensive: it needs to look like my skin, cover all my redness, smooth over fine lines and pores, and provide a naturally radiant finish. So basically...magic.

The Lightbulb Foundation from Shu Uemura was the latest to be put to the test.

I recently found out that Shu Uemura has a particular expertise when it comes to oils. They have a huge reference catalogue of pretty much every oil in existence, complete with the most up-to-date information about their various properties and benefits. When they formulate anything involving oils, they have this vast resource to pull from, and do so with very specific aims in mind. When they formulated the Lightbulb foundation, they did so knowing they wanted to create an oil-based foundation that would have high coverage, yet retain an illuminated appearance no matter the actual level of light. They achieved this with a mixture of fast and slow-evaporating oils, including macadamia nut oil - which is more reflective than other oils, and remains on the skin longer, with a longer-lasting glow.

In practice, what does this mean for the look and feel of the foundation?

Shu Uemura The Lightbulb Foundation in764 Medium Light Beige and 774 Light Beige

Top to bottom: 774 Light Beige and 764 Medium Light Beige.

I actually had a bit of a learning curve when it came to application. For one, I needed less foundation than I would otherwise, due to the high pigmentation. I made the mistake of over applying at first. I also used my hands, which is how I usually test foundation the first time I use it, to get a solid impression of consistency and feel. Again, I felt like it went on too heavy this way. This foundation really does best when applied with a sponge - and luckily, a unique, specially designed sponge is actually included with the Lightbulb foundation. (And can be purchased separately if you need a replacement.)

Shu Uemura The Lightbulb Sponge

The idea behind the sponge is that it can be used to enhance glow by using the bigger side in a tapping motion, or to diminish it by using the pointed side in a stroking motion. I didn't see a huge difference in terms of glow, but I do think the tapping application results in the smoothest finish. (The sponge is much denser and smoother than the Beautyblender, by the way.)

(Side note: I noticed that the kind of moisturizer I used made a big difference in how the foundation turned out on my skin. I was testing a water-based cream with alcohol content at the same time as I started testing this foundation, and they did NOT like each other. It just looked like a hot, flaky mess. When I switched over to my trusty Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentré, no such issues. If you have dry skin, I would recommend using a rich, oil based moisturizer as well.)

Overall, I think the Lightbulb foundation has great coverage - solidly medium to full. It's very buildable, as the oil-based texture keeps the product pliable and layerable for quite a while.
It covers pores nicely, too. What's amazing is that for such a full coverage foundation, it does indeed have this perpetual glow. I happened to pass by a mirror in my house during a dimly lit evening, and I was taken aback by how much radiance my skin managed to bounce back. Despite this, it doesn't look shiny in the daylight, and it photographs beautifully.

One thing to keep in mind is that the very ingredients that create that glow and pliability, also keep it moist and movable. This is by no means a transfer-resistant foundation, and it can collect in lines created by movement (such as crows feet). Setting with powder was a must for me. (For what it's worth, the Nars Light Reflecting Powder is my favourite, because it doesn't interfere with the luminous finish. The Hourglass Ambient powders might be a good pairing as well.)

To give you an idea of the finish and coverage, this is a before and after of me wearing just the Lightbulb foundation, no powder or concealer. I used a mix of both the Medium Light Beige (which has a neutral undertone) and Light Beige (which is marginally lighter, with a yellow undertone). Both of them look quite yellow when compared to my skin in the swatches above, but as you can see they blend out perfectly with my skin tone.

I'm really impressed by how alive it makes my skin look, considering a) the coverage level and b) the fact that I was just getting over the flu, and looked like a wet rag.

Have you guys tried this foundation yet?

Availability: Can be purchased from www.shuuemura.ca and www.shuuemura-usa.com, as well as from select Holt Renfrew and Sephora locations in Canada. The Lightbulb foundation comes with the sponge, and retails for 66$ CAD , and the sponge by itself is 26$ CAD.

(These items were provided by the brand/PR to be considered for review. This post is not sponsored or compensated, all opinions are my own.)