A Face You Can’t Miss
By Heather Harlan

For Japanese cosmetics manufacturers, summer’s hottest sell isn’t the self-tanning lotion. At Shu Uemura, it’s UV White EX, and over at the Shiseido counter, Bio-Performance Advanced Super Revitalizer Whitening Formula is moving quickly.

“It’s like a pseudo-foundation,” says Uemura spokeswoman Laura Lee of the UV White line, a best seller in Asia. “It won’t suffocate the skin, and it makes makeup wear longer.”

Lee explains that the “whitening” line of powder, liquid and cream formulas is designed to smooth out uneven skin tones while protecting skin from sun. UV White EX, Lee says, contains “progressive-release Vitamin C” that the company says helps repair damage from the sun and generally enhance the appearance of skin.

UV White Face Cleansing foam comes in two versions: Type I for oilier skin and Type II for drier skin. UV White Refining Softener EX is a balancing lotion that also comes in two different versions, depending on the oiliness or dryness of your skin. UV White Refining Emulsion EX provides moisture, and UV White Refining Essence EX, which is designed to help the skin recover from daytime UV damage.

Like those products, Shiseido’s Whitening Formula contains anti-oxidants that the company claims helps to fight aging. The cream also includes ingredients said to fade sun spots and to protect against freckling.

5S STANDS FOR...
Shiseido’s latest 5S makeup line, which made its debut this year, serves as a makeover in multifunction ality -- sticks and palettes of color in 45 shades can be used on lips, cheeks and eyes. Mascara can decorate your lashes or your hair, and the oil-free UV protective base color can go triple as foundation, concealer or highlighter.

What’s behind 5S is a catchy concept based on aromatherapy -- the simplicity movement and the likelihood that women will place themselves into one or more of the categories that Shiseido calls “the five senses of well-being for every woman: Energizing, Purifying, Calming, Adoring and Nurturing.”

Shoppers mulling that decision can get help from computer terminals conveniently located next to display samples at the store’s communal “mingling tables,” designed to show how easily and how well Eastern and Western herb and flower extracts can mix. For soaps and cleansers, for instance, the lotus flower pairs nicely with lavender extract; chamo mile is combined with ginseng; the Sha Zao flower is paired with rose.

If all the choices and combination possibilities become a bit overwhelming, the boutique does have a cozy sofa and complimentary tea. Check out some Japanese fashion magazines or 5S saleswoman Susana Endo’s pottery art.

A SUBTLE SHINE
Shimmery amber lips and iridescent pink eyeshadow make up part of this summer’s hot look for Asian and Asian American women, say the Japanese cosmetics makers. “Colors are more subtle for this season,” explains Lee. “For attire, the trend is a lot of color, so you don’t want to compete with that on your face.”

For lips, Lee recommends two glosses, both mostly sheer: Uemura’s amber, a garnet shade with just a hint of orange; and topaz, a honey-yellow tint. If you want more defined color, try Shiseido’s No. 126, a brown-orange; No. 141, a light-brown shade called “sepia leaf”; or No. 142, a faded mauve.

Asian eyes are best played up, Shiseido says, with No. D26 (earthy beige) D27 (dusty mauve), which work nicely with the lip shades above. Another nice option: the moonglow shadow set in iridescent pink/blue and purple, all in one compact.

Options from Uemura include No. 802 a matte oatmeal beige; and No. 803, a gold with khaki green iridescent flecks. Both work especially well with most East Asian skin tones, says Lee.

And don’t forget cheeks, which Lee calls “the big thing.” For Asian skin, she recommends Uemura’s Peach No. 43 and Pink No. 33.

“The trend for the past two years is even toned skin -- all-over clarity,” Lee says. “But you need blush, because otherwise it’s a flat palette. You need some definition.”

Where to Buy It
Shu Uemura: Available at 121 Greene St, Manhattan, (212) 253 - 2596; 8606 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (800) 743-8205; Nordstrom, San Francisco Shopping Centre, Fifth and Market, San Francisco.

Shiseido: Available at Macy’s nationwide; 5S Boutique in Soho, NYC (opening at Macy’s Union Square July 31).

Laura Mercier: Available at Macy’s and Nieman-Marcus stores nationwide.