Shu Uemura Murakami Holiday 2016 Collection | Review

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Admittedly, I am a super-fan of all things Shu Uemura and Shu Uemura Art of Hair, and the Shu holiday collaborations rank among my favorites. This year, Shu is joining forces with Takashi Murakami, a contemporary Japanese artist– who I have loved long before I was a blogger, or an Art Historian, for that matter. Murakami has long blurred the boundary between High and Low Art– and his highly recognizable smiling flowers are the motifs used in his fantastic collaboration with Shu Uemura.

According to The Broad Museum,

Takashi Murakami is one of the most visible and important Japanese artists working today. Murakami’s influence on Japan rivals Andy Warhol’s on the United States, and he is known for disseminating and promoting pop art strategies in ways unforeseen by American critics and artists. Unifying many strands of culture that are frequently considered in opposition—traditional Japanese painting with Western influences, the realm of fine art with otaku lifestyle (juvenile culture obsessed with toys, anime, and video games), and commercial retail spaces with museums and other public venues—Murakami’s work is recognized for its ambition, polish, and fine execution.

Cleansing Oil Gentle Radiance Cleanser For Normal Hair And Scalp ($57.00 for 13.4 oz. from Shu Uemura Art of Hair): SHU UEMURA Art of Hair Cleansing Oil Shampoo is described as a, "delicate formula that transforms quickly into a rich foam that effectively draws out the impurities and build-up on the scalp without stripping the natural oils. Leaves hair naturally radiant, soft and in balanced state – volumized and moisturized." Paraben and silicone free.

This shampoo is made for dry scalp and hair, but it will do wonders for all types of hair. It is so gentle and non-stripping that my hair is manageable before I even condition my hair.  It deeply and gently cleanses the hair and scalp, and it hydrates without overdoing it. Hair is never left greasy or feeling dirty, but instead feels nourished, moisturized and soothed. Furthermore, my hair is left soft, supple and shiny when I use this shampoo, and for me that is something that I am generally only able to achieve with a richly moisturizing conditioner. Additionally, the scent is absolutely an intoxicatingly beautiful and refined fruity floral.

Perfect for all hair types and textures, the oil-to-foam formula binds with the grease and product buildup on your scalp before gently whisking them away. At the same time, it respects your hair’s natural oils, so your strands never feel dry or stripped. Finally, it adds bounce and body to your locks while leaving behind a calming yuzu citrus scent. All in all, it’s a true superhero product.

While this shampoo is made with dry hair and scalp in mind, it is so gentle and nourishing that its benefits are far more reaching for all types of hair. This is one of the most luxurious and exceptional shampoos that I have ever used, and it is so much more than a mere shampoo that it really deserves a whole different category of its own. It is such a joy to use that I find myself savoring the experience of washing my hair, and that is something that I seldom do! A+

According to Shu Uemura,

This holiday season, shu uemura collaborates with world renown contemporary Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. Our iconic Cleansing Oil Shampoo has been decorated with Murakami's iconic flowers for a limited-edition makeover.

Cleansing oil shampoo formulated with delicate ingredients that leave the hair balanced--with both moisture and volume--without stripping the scalp of its natural oils. The shampoo transforms into a rich foam that effectively draws out the impurities and buildup on the scalp. Leaves hair soft and shiny with a lightweight finish. Safe on color-treated hair. Paraben and silicone free.

Onsen is known in Japan for its purification properties to cleanse and nourish the hair. Onsen-inspired Ferment is drawn from volcanic sources, situated 2000m deep off the California coast, and is renowned for its ancestral benefits on the mind and body.

Directions: Apply a quarter-size amount of the Cleansing Oil Shampoo to wet hair. Massage into scalp using fingers and palms. Rinse thoroughly. For oilier scalps, repeat steps 1-3.

Essence Absolue Nourishing Protective Oil Nourishing Protective Oil ($69.00 for 5 oz. from Shu Uemura Art of Hair and Barneys New York): This is a fantastic hair oil that is infused with camellia oil to nourish, moisturize and smooth hair. It eradicates dry hair, fights frizz, and protects against UV damage. It feels silky smooth, adds shine, and smells utterly delectable!

FRAGRANCE: Camellia Petal
TOP NOTES: Grapefruit, Green, Aqueous
MIDDLE NOTES: Camellia, White Essence, Heliotrope
BASE NOTES: Powdery, Gourmand, Musk

According to Shu Uemura,

This holiday season, shu uemura collaborates with world renown contemporary Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. Our best-selling Essence Absolue Nourishing Protective Oil has been decorated with Murakami's iconic flowers for a limited-edition makeover.

Multi-use hair oil that moisturizes and protects hair with intense nutrition. Camellia Oil absorbs rapidly, deep into the hair's cortex, leaving it soft and silky with high shine. This velvety hair oil rebalances the hair's moisture level and provides all-day UV protection without weighing down even the finest of hair. Formulated for daily use. Safe on color-treated hair.

Directions: Apply 1-2 pumps to dry hair from roots to tips before shampooing or afterward as a leave-in treatment.

GREAT FOR:

• Sleek Blowouts
• High-Shine Updos
• Healthy Looking Lengths

Directions: To use as a styling aid, apply 1 pump to your hands (a little goes a long way) and work through hair from mid-lengths to ends. To use as a pre-shampoo treatment, use 3-4 pumps and comb into dry hair before shampooing. To use as a conditioning treatment, apply 1 pump each to 4 sections of hair from mid-lengths through ends, and massage into scalp. Leave overnight and style as normal in the morning.

Anti-Oxi+ Skin Refining Cleansing Oil ($37.00 for 150 ml and $77.00 for 450 ml from Shu Uemura): This antioxidant-rich cleansing oil, which is formulated for all types of skin, gently and effectively lifts dirt, makeup and impurities from the skin without ever leaving skin stripped, and without an unwanted oily residue. I simply massage it into my skin and and a small amount of warm water to emulsify the oil, and aroma calms the senses while the skin is being nourished and cleansed. Skin is left undeniably soft, supple and radiant. It can be used by itself, or as the first step in a double cleansing routine.

According to Shu Uemura,

Anti/Oxi is a cleansing oil with enhanced power to remove micro impurities and stubborn make-up with no residue. Shu Uemura’s latest anti-pollution breakthrough, Anti/Oxi with moringa and green tea extracts are combined for a more powerful removability. Anti/Oxi is balanced to provide a sensation that is refreshing and relaxing by awakening your senses at first touch with a top note of elemi, mandarin and ginger. During massaging, a stimulating and comforting middle note of lavender, cardamom and geranium invigorates your senses. After washing, you sense a healing base note of guaiac wood. An extraordinary cleansing experience that brings intoxicating fresh and relaxing scents to everyday cleansing rituals and restores dull yellow skin to a refined, supple and radiant complexion.

Rouge Unlimited Murakami Holiday Collection ($30.00 each from Shu Uemura): If you love Shu Uemura lipsticks, then you can only imagine the extent to which you will covet the 2016 Holiday Rouge Unlimited Sheer Shine lipsticks. I have Pinky Bloom and OR 520, and both are utterly gorgeous. They both glide across the lips effortlessly, deposit color evenly, and they neither bleed into lip lines, nor do they migrate. The texture is lusciously smooth, and the beautifully emollient lipsticks melt into the lips. While the formula is designed to be slightly transparent with a sheen, it is buildable, and the pigmentation is impressive.  Finally, both shades have the perfect amount of cushion, are very comfortable on the lips, and I get several hours of wear time from each.

According to Shu Uemura,

2016 holiday rouge unlimited sheer shine comes in 5 shades carefully selected to maximize balance with multi-colored ombre eyes. 

The new rouge unlimited sheer shine is a lightly melting lipstick with a slightly transparent finish with floating pearls and smooth texture. 

Top to Bottom: OR 520 and Pinky Bloom

OR 520 is a Peachy Orange shade that is sightly more opaque than Pinky Bloom, and it has a slightly creamier finish. Pinky Bloom, on the other hand, is slightly more sheer and the glossy finish is punctuated by shimmer.

Top to Bottom: OR 520 and Pinky Bloom

Not the luminosity as the swatches receive more direct light.

Overall Assessment: If you love Shu Uemura haircare, skincare and makeup, then you probably won't want to miss out on this fantastic collaboration with Takashi Murakami! A+ Collection!

Press Sample. All views expressed are categorically my own (Affiliate Links).
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