make point: anna sui rouge lipstick

For an old-school gyaru, there are really only two lip colors that matter: white and a very light pink. Since a white lip does me little to no favors, I've been on the hunt for the perfect pink.

Old-school gyaru lipstick follows the trends of the 90s and early 2000s (when ganguro was at its peak); the lips are light and frosty. While Mac has a solid range of frosted lipsticks—including some nostalgic 90s re-releases—I wanted to try a different brand. 

Enter stage left: Anna Sui. 

Yesterday, I picked up two of Anna Sui's "Rouge" lipsticks, which is their newest line. I got the colors 001 (Sunshine Pink) and 306 (Mauve.) I picked them up at a Cosme store near my work.

Swatching in-store, I immediately gravitated toward the lightest tones.

The packaging is gorgeous. The tubes are designed to resemble the Anna Sui perfume bottle, with its glossy black embossed details. 

The top features a beautiful rose. 

The lipstick itself clicks out from the bottom, which feels very luxe!

The colors are gorgeous, especially 001. The kira kira is magical. 

The feel of the lipstick on my wrist is buttery and smooth. 001 is sheer and very reflective, and 306 is exactly as described: mauve. It's slightly cool-toned and delicate. 

A closer look...

Now on the lips! 

The feel is very luxurious and almost... melty. Like it's sinking into my lips instead of just sitting on top of them. One layer was enough to get this nice shine. It's sheer, but the glitter really stands out.

I can definitely see myself wearing this alone or layering it over concealer for an even more gyaru-inspired look. 

I was worried 306 might be too dark, but it actually reads as a soft, pastel pink.

FINAL THOUGHTS

These lipsticks are adorable. They both look and feel great on the lips. The color applies effortlessly, and the smooth texture makes it feel really indulgent.

I think I will try combining 306 with 001 for an extra frosty effect!

Price: 3,850 Yen each

Now the real question is... do I need to get an Anna Sui perfume to match???

make: my super easy daily ganguro eye look

These days, I've been doing my make like a mid-to-late 90s ganguro. I love it. I think the blue shadow compliments my orange hair, and it makes me feel super gyaru. Even more gyaru than I did when I used to do a tarume (droop).  

I wear this look almost every day, altering it slightly depending on the occasion. Sometimes I don't wear lashes. Sometimes I buff the shadow out for a more "subtle" look. But this is, more or less, my most recent daily gyaru eye make.  

I am pretty amateur at makeup application (even after about 25 years of doing it...), so I'm sure there are more efficient methods of accomplishing this, but this is how I do it.

行こう〜！─=≡Σ((( つ•̀ω•́)つ

What I use:

• Lashes
• Blue cream eyeshadow stick 
• Eyeshadow palette with blue shadows
• White shadow
• Mascara
• Eyelash curler
• White cream liner (I use the Kryolan TV paintstick in white) 
• Liquid eyeliner
• Creamy pencil liner 

Step one: do your usual base.

Step two: put your desired blue shade on the lid. I try to keep it restricted to just the lid as much as possible. I try to do a more rounded shape, without pulling it outwards. 

Step three: I like to "set" the cream shadow with a powder, and in this case, I used a blue eyeshadow that's a bit darker than the original stick. I have a couple of blue shadows, and I'll alternate which I use depending on my mood or if I want to color-match with my coordinate. 

Step four: Do a reverse raccoon eye with white! I know this looks a little crazy, but come along with me on this journey. I've noticed that many ganguro girlies have a preference as to where they place the white shadow (although the white on your aegyo sal is a must), but this is how I've been doing it lately. 

Step five: Buff out and "set" the cream white with a white powdered shadow. This is where the most blending takes place. However, try not to mix the blue and white too much lest it look muddled and grey. 

Step six: Line your eyes! I personally use brown, as I think it suits me better, but black is also a great option. I tight line with a creamy brown pencil liner and then do the top liner with a liquid. 

Step seven: Mascara. I won't lie to you: I use a lot of mascara. A lot. At the end of the day, when I take all of it off, my eyes are basically big black holes. 

Sexy, ね？

Step eight: Lashes! These are my favorite lashes. I used to use them religiously when I did more 2010s-era gyaru eye looks, but nowadays, I switch between these spikey ones and some more fluffy ones from Diamond Lash. 

Finished!

With a white lip...

I actually don't usually do a white lip. This is just for funsies. (I'm not sure it suits me?) Typically, I'll just add a lip balm or do a frosted or nude lipstick. 

(˶  >   ₃  < ˶)♡