shu uemura

Lucky for us, a slew of beauty products come into our lives each week. Some we’ve discovered during our all-too-frequent San Francisco shopping missions, while others have come to us from both local sources and those farther afield. Some are splurge items available at major stores, and others are downright steals available on etsy.

So away we go with seven of our current beauty obsessions:

 

Sourcing Mother Nature as muse, the makeup masters at Shu Uemura have outdone themselves yet again with their latest lash collection: Lashes in Nature. A striking fusion of flowers, forests, oceans and the sky, you're sure to find a perfectly fresh accent to inject your look with anything from delicate femininity to high drama. Here are a few of our favorites from the nine-piece compilation:

FLEUR-EVER by Gina Brooke, $79: Proudly show off your feathers with these extravagant lashes made of flecked purple plumage.

 

 

Shu Uemura may be the go-to beauty destination for lush lash applications, but the Japanese cosmetics brand is attempting to edge into Benefit’s brow grooming territory with the recent launch of its Tokyo Brow Bar at Shu Uemura boutiques across the country. While several of the boutiques have rolled out in-store wax and tweeze services, SF’s Fillmore Street store still awaits the green light on its aesthetics licensing (we’re told to stay tuned for the full services to arrive by late summer). The good news?

Madonna hits the stage at Oakland’s Oracle Arena this weekend on the Bay Area stop of her Sticky & Sweet world tour. In between unpacking her beauty arsenal and getting the Queen of Pop camera ready, Gina Brooke, Madonna’s longtime make-up artist, will be teaching a master class at the Fillmore Street Shu Uemura boutique on Saturday. We caught up with Brooke, who was still touring in Canada, for the inside scoop of life on the road, how she keeps Madonna looking fine, and her best, stress-free beauty tips.

New Year’s Eve parties are the perfect excuse to go completely over-the-top glam. And that includes your make-up.

Shu Uemura, in my mind, equates with my simply-can’t-live-without 18K gold lash curler and my wanna-be Madonna faux mink false lashes— so I was a little skeptical when I heard the hubbub about the Japanese cosmetics brand venturing into hair care. I definitely have my preferences when it comes to hair products (whatever I try, I end up going back to Paul Mitchell’s lightweight Super Strong Daily Shampoo and Conditioner, and Bumble and Bumble’s styling lotion for a smooth and shiny finish).