My Newest Makeup Crush: Anna Sui Cosmetics

Promo Picture for Anna Sui's Fall 2011 Makeup Collection

Although I rarely write about fashion in this blog, the topic was bound to make an appearance sooner or later, as there is an undeniable link between fashion and beauty: the colours, textures, and attitudes of both truly work in tandem. As fashion goes, I love everything from Value Village to Holt Renfrew (and all that lies in between!), but my favourite high-end designer has always been Anna Sui.

The lovely, talented, and creative Anna Sui :)

Although my bank account is not padded enough to afford her designs, I have always admired (and drooled over) her vintage-inspired, feminine runway looks. A little bit fairy, a little bit rock n' roll, her clothing is a true expression of a modern woman with a colourful and bohemian aesthetic.

From Anna's Spring/Summer 2012 show

To go along with these looks, the makeup sported by Sui's runway models is likewise dreamy, bold, and ladylike. Here are a few looks from her Spring/Summer 2012 runway show:

Lush lips and rosy cheeks at the Anna Sui S/S 2012 runway show

Despite my long-time fascination with Sui, last week marked my first foray into her makeup line, Anna Sui Cosmetics. I had always appreciated the elaborate, feminine, gothic packaging her makeup offered, but it was a generous gift-with-purchase at Sears, along with the suggestions of a kind, helpful sales associate, that led me to test out the brand for the first time. I came home with several goodies, and used most of them to create the look below. It is a slightly more toned-down version of Anna Sui's Spring/Summer runway look: juicy berry lips, rosy cheeks, and dewy skin:

My final look, using several of my new Anna Sui products!

Here's a picture of the box the gift-with-purchase (GWP) came in, after which I'll picture and review each of the products I received:

My GWP came with this lovely box, with the featured goodies displayed on the side...

In order to get the GWP, I purchased two items: the Moisture Rich Foundation Primer and her Moisture Rich Fluid Foundation in B02. Both feature vintage-inspired and utterly feminine rose-shaped bottles, and the products themselves feature a rosewater scent, which is apparently a trademark of Anna's cosmetics. I have not yet tried the foundation primer (as I want to see how my skin reacts the foundation first), but it was described to me by the sales associate as being a balancing product- one that smooths dry areas and also controls oily bits. It has quite a liquidy texture, which I actually find to be a nice change from the typical silicone-laden primers on the market.

The texture of the foundation is relatively thin and watery, yet it is quite moisturizing on the skin. Shade B02 is very similar to my tried and true Revlon ColourStay Foundation in Buff. Although the finish of the foundation is slightly too moisturizing/dewy for my combination skin at the moment, I can see it being a godsend during the winter when my skin can get parched. It is also great mixed with my ColourStay foundation, adding a more glowy finish to the normally matte foundation.

(L) Anna Sui Moisture Rich Foundation Primer and (R) Moisture Rich Fluid Foundation. Love the rosy bottles!

Amazingly, the GWP I received included three full-sized products. The first was Anna Sui's Full Mascara in Black. The sleek, adorable packaging also features a ladylike rosette on the lid and- as you'll see in the pictures below- the formula provided my lashes with incredible length and volume!

Anna Sui Full Mascara in Black

The second item I received in the GWP was a full sized Eye Colour. It's encased in such a lovely compact! Check it out:

The Eye Shadow compact is gorgeous!

There were 4 different shades to choose from (it's always nice when you have some choice with your GWP options!), and the one I selected was #700, a shimmery champagne beige shade. I assumed that #700 would work well as a highlight shade or as a wash over the entire lid- and I was right! I'm wearing it in the pictures below... and here is a closeup of the eyeshadow itself:

Anna Sui Eye Colour #700

The final item I received in the GWP was a full-sized Lip Rouge V lipstick. Again, there were four shades to choose from, and I opted for #361, a sheer cherry fuchsia shade. Not only is the packaging gorgeous, but the colour complements my skin tone very well. It's the perfect "I just ate a cherry Popsicle" colour! Here are some pictures of it:

Anna Sui Lip Rouge V #361

Overall, I have been quite pleased with the performance of the Anna Sui products I've tried so far! Luckily, the formulas of the cosmetics are just as satisfying as the adorable packaging! I'm also happy with how the products I received worked so well together to create a colourful, but wearable makeup look. Here are a few more pictures from my Anna Sui Spring/Summer 2012-inspired look:

The final look!

As you can see, the Anna Sui Full mascara gives some impressive length to the lashes!

A closeup of Anna Sui Eye Colour #700 on my lids

Wearing Anna Sui Moisture Rich Fluid Foundation in B02, Eye Colour #700, Full Mascara in Black, and Lip Rouge V #361



Thanks for reading! Let me know if you have any questions about other Anna Sui products, or about other products I have used to create this look :)