Shu shines once again

MANILA, Philippines - It has been quiet on the front for top Japanese skincare and makeup brand Shu Uemura for a while, and its brand of maquillage and skincare science couched in boundary-pushing artistry has been missed. While other brands have become more aggressive in enticing women to spend hard-earned money on their latest products, nothing quite hit the mark in exciting makeup fans the way Shu Uemura did — remember the frenzy created whenever they introduced another one of their iconic out-of-this-world lashes?

This year, Shu is set to remind the market that it is still a brand to be reckoned with, starting with the Imagine party held last March 2 at the Robot Supper Lounge in Makati. An event that fused skincare and makeup with visual arts and fashion design, Imagine, became a platform for Shu Uemura to roll out groundbreaking products and to present teasers for makeup lines that the public can look forward to in the months to come. Said Pamela Picazo-Garcia, L’Oreal Philippines senior corporate communications manager, “We wanted to create an event with substance, where we can present Shu’s talented makeup artists and the brand’s strong products, as well as collaborate with artistic individuals. We wanted to show that boundaries between the fields of art, fashion, and beauty are practically nonexistent.”

Cut and paste: Jujiin Samonte’s fun video featured ionic Shu Uemura products as the main attractions.

Stylist and visual artist Lotho Lotho, for example, presented his “Another Zen” installation, inspired by water as the core of beauty and created with 20 empty Shu Uemura glass and cleansing oil bottles, wool, and curled strips of acetate. Playing on a loop on two flat screens were blogger/photographer/artist Jujiin Samonte’s fun, short film that is filled with his trademark collage-type images that present iconic Shu Uemura products as the main attractions. The images created by the team of photographer/model Jo Ann Bitagcol, stylist Kat Cruz, L’Oreal Professionnel hair artist Borge Aloba, Shu Uemura makeup artist Patrick Alcober and model Isabelle Daza embodied the brand’s philosophy of “With makeup, there are no restrictions, no rules,” while young designer Camille Co presented gowns that brought to mind the delicate beauty of spring blossoms and the modern geisha.

Of course, the biggest draws of the evening were the new Shu Uemura products. Presented like works of art inside glass cases atop pedestals, these new releases have double-pronged purposes: to titillate even a non-makeup lover’s senses with their sleek and modern packaging and to remind everyone that Shu Uemura has remained at the top of its game despite its recent time off from the spotlight.

Lit from within: The Whitefficient line focuses on the skin cells’ mitochondria with the help of its new Algae White formula, bringing visible results within seven days.

With the Shu Uemura brand operating on the skincare tenet that beautiful makeup starts with beautiful skin, it is introducing the Pure:nu cleansing oil, a two-in-one gentle cleansing oil in fluid gel formula that spreads smoothly on the skin and eliminates light makeup and dirt. Filled with high removal natural oils, this facial cleanser can remove excess oil and pollutants that have settled on the dermis but remains gentle on delicate facial skin; 97 percent of the formula’s raw materials are biodegradable and the product contains no paraben, colorant, alcohol, petroleum surfactant and soap, making it friendly to the environment as well. Due to its gel form, Pure:nu can be used both with or without water, perfect for those nights when you can’t be bothered to rinse off your face. A bottle of this cleanser costs P1,500.

For visibly translucent and supple skin, Shu Uemura has also come up with a revolutionary bio-science whitening formula in the form of its new Whitefficient line. Complete with an essence (P4,000 for a 30 ml. bottle), a cream (P3,000 for 50 ml.), a lotion (P2,200 for a 150 ml. bottle), an emulsion (P3,000 for 75 ml.), and an instant spot brightener (the Pen56, P2,400), Whitefficient can transform the skin into a brighter version of itself within only seven days of use by focusing on the skin cells’ mitochondria, protecting and nourishing the cells with the Algae White formula.

A clean break: Strong enough to wash off even excess sebum and settled pollutants on the skin, the Pure:nu cleansing oil’s gel formula is still gentle and easy to apply on the skin, with or without water.

On the makeup side, Shu Uemura gets on the spring/summer trend of colors inspired by the rainforest and the wildlife: iridescent grassy green, yellow gold, deep blue, and earthy tones. The Morphorium line, which is already available this month, is the brand’s response to the call for ecological consciousness and sustainability in all commercial industries. Imitating the natural beauty of nature, the Morphorium and Sunset Gold Eye and Cheek palettes (P4,000), Shine Mystique eye colors (P1,150), and partial false eyelashes (P1,100) evoke the ephemeral flashes of an exotic fish’s tiny scales, the purple-and-blue gradations on a butterfly’s wings, and the shimmer of dew on leaves in the morning.

For those who prefer to dress up their visages with the eye-catching slash of red lips, there is Shu Uemura’s Rouge Unlimited Supreme Shine (P1,450), the “ultimate fusion of Supreme Shine’s pure, high fidelity color supported by the brand’s signature hybrid pigment technology.” Have full, rich, and dewy-looking lips with maximum color, thanks to Rouge Unlimited’s revolutionary film-keeping capsule and ultra-shine oil, as the lipstick’s ceramide and melting complex keep your kissers moisturized while allowing for easy application and re-application. With 17 shades to choose from, plus three artist shades that give a new dimension, Rouge Unlimited’s palette is sure to have a color to flatter every woman’s complexion.

These are just the current product releases from Shu Uemura; expect more skincare and make-up innovations to come out in the summer. Of course, there are still the time-tested iconic Shu Uemura items that have long become staples in many women’s vanities and makeup kits. As the brand makes a grand re-entrance onto the scene, we can only imagine how much more thrilling makeup shopping is going to be.