As I mentioned in my Tokyo Lash Bar post, up until recently I had never tried any Shu Uemura products other than their famous lash curler (which I love, and have as a staple in my kit). That all changed a few months ago when I was given the opportunity to learn about their upcoming collections. 

Their Autumn/Winter collection for 2011 launched on counters this week, and I absolutely adore the concept. The collection is Novadiva, and the collection is all about the multifaceted personality of a diva - coquettish; sweet; sensual; even evil.

I have tried a few products from this collection, and here are my thoughts on them. Stay tuned tomorrow to see a face of the day using (almost) all these products:

Cream Cheek in Amber:

This is a cream blush in a warm browny peach. If you're wondering why it is in a naked pan, it is because it is designed to go in the Colour Atelier palette, and I haven't yet picked up the beautiful "Prima Palette" (pictured in the promo shot). This is marketed as suiting any skin tone and make-up look. I question the accuracy of that, I really don't think there is such a thing as a "one size fits all" approach to makeup. Having said that, this is a really lovely cream blush on my skin tone. It leaves a beautiful dewy glow on my skin. Worn alone I get 4-5 hours wear out of this blush. All said, I really do enjoy this product.

RRP $38.00

Cream Shimmer Highlighter in Radiant Pearl:

This is a cream highlighter, and I am so in love with it! I feel like this highlighter was made with my skintone in mind. The silvery shimmer is perfect against my pink toned, very pale skin. It is slightly glittery, but very subtle and still appropriate for day wear. It lasts all day on my skin. I have fallen hard for this highlighter.

RRP $38.00

Pressed Eyeshadow in P Dark Blue 696:

In the pan this looks like a breathtaking eyeshadow, a black base jam packed with a navy blue shimmer. Unfortunately I found this eyeshadow didn't neet my expectations. I found the black base to be not especially pigmented, making it more of a dirty grey on my skin, and the blue micro glitter didn't really translate onto my skin. I can still use this to create a lovely traditional smoky eye, but I need to make sure I apply a dark sticky base first. Pair this with NYX jumbo pencil in Black Bean for the best effect.

RRP $28.00

Shimmer Eyeliner:

You wouldn't believe it, but I conpletely forgot to use this in my Face of the Day! It's another product I have fallen in love with. This shimmery highlighter is surprisingly versatile. It applies completely sheer, but packed full of silver micro glitter. It works applied alone to the inner corners of your eyes as an instant eye brightener, it works over the top of a regular liner to give it an action packed punch of sparkle, and it works as an eyeliner on its own over naked lids to add a bit of sumthin' sumthin' to an otherwise boring look.

It is also seiously waterproof. I swatched it on my hand and left it overnight. It was a little dull and worse for wear but there is no doubt it was still there! Crazy staying power!

RRP $38.00

Rouge Unlimited Supreme Matte in Darling Beige:

This matte textured lipstick is a brand new formula for Shu Uemura, and gosh they do it well. Like every other matte lipstick I have ever tried, it can feel a little dry on my lips, and I really need to make sure I use a good lip scrub before applying it.Unlike most other matte lipsticks though, it glides onto my lips extremely easily. It applies with a very dimethiconey (yes, I'm sure that's a word!) slip, but once I've been wearing it for a few minutes, I forget it is even there. I get a decent wear time out of this formulation, lasting 6 or more hours, even when I have been eating and drinking. The colour is probably not something I would have chosen for myself, but it's grown on me and I have gotten quite a lot of wear out of this lipstick. I'm definitely considering picking up a few more of these in Angelic Pink and Sensual Red.

RRP $44.00