Lunasol Fall 2011 Collection - Research!

Is anyone excited about Lunasol's upcoming release? I was pretty pumped when I saw the ads for it! Each palette provides 3 different shimmer levels for the liner and highlight shade, which is awesome. I usually a prefer matte or semi-matte highlight to balance to shimmer present in most Japanese eyeshadow palettes. Obviously each section will be difficult to pick up if you're using brushes, but I'm a sponge-tip girl so this presents no problem.

Several asian bloggers have posted swatches of the collection. Originally I wanted all 5 palettes, but after looking at the swatches, I've preliminarily narrowed it down to 2 for now - 03 Mysterious Beige (purple) and 05 Deep Beige (gray). I will focus on the 05 palette in this post, as that is the one I'm most excited for. Here are the posts that helped me out:

1)  Tingjp's Lunasol post
2)  Sharon0418's Lunasol post
3)  Yuki's Lunasol post 

All photos below belong to their respective bloggers. If you are one of the 

bloggers listed above and wish to have these photos removed, please let me know.

First, I looked at Tingjp's swatches below. As you can see, everything appears to have very subtle shine. 01 looks a bit warm, and even though 04 is called "Cool Beige," the swatch of it (not shown very well here) is still quite warm and yellow-based. 05 looks the coolest by far, and 03 also appears more neutral. I love how 05 looks here!

Next, looking at Sharon0418's post, you can see more swatches and an FOTD using the 05 palette. Although the palette itself looks quite cool, the swatch and FOTD makes it seem warmer, and greener?!?!? I was a little puzzled. Sharon herself noticed the green. At first, I thought maybe the gray, once applied to the yellow-ness in asian skin will make the shadow appear like an olive-gray. But then I realized that doesn't make much sense. Lunasol just isn't the type of brand to do things accidentally.

Finally, looking at Yuki's post, I was able to discern a more plausible explanation: there seems to be green shimmers in the 05 palette! Yuki's swatches and product photos are fantastic as you can clearly see the sparkle details.  Except for the darkest liner shade and two white shades, the 05 palette has green shimmer particles throughout. This can better account for Sharon's olive-y FOTD above.

OK, that's the end of my analysis! Regardless of how detailed blog photos are, it's nothing compared to holding and using the product yourself.  So, here my personal conclusions from researching the palettes in this collection:

1) The liner and highlight shades do indeed have shimmer variation, and thus make these palettes more versatile for me.

2) The shimmer level as compared to previous Lunasol releases is difficult to discern, but seems to be on the more subtle side.

3) The green shimmer in the 05 palette worries me, since green isn't that flattering on me IMO.  I don't mind that 01 and 04 are a tiny bit warm, I just have too many warm-neutrals. The 02 pink doesn't excite me much, but I may change my mind. So far, 03 is still on my list. 

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! I already have reading due, even though school has not started yet. How silly is that?

Chip Review: OISHI Ribbed Cracklings Salt and Vinegar

I love chips! I have no qualms about opening up a bag of chips at a friend's house, even when said friend is not there to give express permission. That is how I came across this little bag of delight. How can I resist when salt and vinegar are my two favorite ingredients?! This thing had my name written all over it.


There are 2 major points of excellence about this bag of Cracklings:

1) The flavor complexity is just right. As you take a bite, spurts of salty and sour hit your senses independently. As the chip disintegrates, the flavors mix into a tangy brilliance and right before you swallow, a surprising and refreshing spice builds and remains.
2) The delivery is fantastic. The chip is thicker than most, and thus gives a satisfying "CRUNCH!" when you bite into it. This properly distributes the flavor everywhere. Each chip also takes a few more chews so it feels more substantial than your average LAY'S. This is true to their claim on the bag: "Beer Match series of snacks are cut in big, big bite-size pieces. Flavors were selected specifically for a beer drinkers enjoyment!" Amen! (Although I don't drink, and you certainly don't have to in order to enjoy this.)  Credit: The photo below was taken from Cindy's (theasianaisle.com) review. Check it out here! She's obviously more experienced than I am, so if you are a chip connoisseur, you may find her review more helpful.

Next I'll point out some less crucial and yet not-so-trivial details about this bag:

1) The packaging is very good. The plastic feels smooth and weighty - not as heavy as Kettle, but good enough. I also like how it's matte instead of shiny.
2) The size is perfect. The 1.67oz/50g bag isn't so big that you'll look like a monster eating out of it, but isn't so tiny that you wish you had some leftovers. If you feel overzealous and want more than usual, eat the whole thing. Or, you can finish it over 2 or 3 sittings.
3) Price and Availability.  I haven't tried looking for this in stores yet, but here's an online store that sells it for a good price. This is a product of the Philippines.

Overall, I give this a  4.5/5. The flavor, texture, and crunch factor are all excellent. -0.5 for availability. Ok ok, so an entire post about chips and not a peep about nutrition? What kind of doctor will I be, you ask? So here I'll state the obvious: chips and other processed foods are not good for you. (But is it good for my S-O-U-L? You betcha.) Please eat at your own discretion.