If choosing my favorite makeup brand was based souly on visual appeal – Shu Uemura (both past and present) would be my undisputed choice. Now with their genius collaborative Holiday 2012 collection with Karl Lagerfeld (genius again), I have been happily mesmerized and giggling like a child waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve.

Seriously!! How clever was that video? The collection is available NOW for a limited time!

[READ SHU UEMURA’S PATRICIA LEE’S REVIEW (and check out her portfolio – brilliant)]

I’m definitely picking up a few of these KARL LAGERFELD FOR SHU UEMURA EYE LASH CURLERS as little gifts for sweet friends (and one for myself too!). If you’re looking for a cool stocking stuffer, the KARL LAGERFELD FOR SHU UEMURA NAIL COLOR comes with adorable nail decals to create a fun look that reminds me of that viral “Gangnam Style” video.

Available in four Holiday ready colors, KARL LAGERFELD FOR SHU UEMURA ROUGE UNLIMITED is housed in a tube so chic it looks like little Mon Shu Girl is encased in a futuristic bubble. Just FYI, the Rouge Unlimited formulation is incredibly smooth and moist with just the right opacity to make it last without looking heavy – making them futuristic indeed. Shades: Mon Shu Red, Parisienne Pink, ♥ Celebrity Beige, Luxe Burgundy.

Karl Lagerfeld has been using Shu Uemura Pressed Eye Shadows to color his sketches (he says they are better than pastels) and personally, I think they are the best shadows ever. I will say that the 2nd revamp of the range (one of the perils of being owned by cosmetic giant L’Oreal) is a “shadow” of its former self – but with glorious collaboration collections like these KARL LAGERFELD FOR SHU UEMURA EYE AND CHEEK PALETTES, I’ll quickly forgive the downsize. I particularly love the Prestigious Bordeaux collection which pairs warm brown/bronze tones with cool violets – which is one of my favorite color combinations for shadows.

Images (L-R): Karl Lagerfeld for Shu Uemura Eye and Cheek Palette Case, Prestigious Bordeaux, Smokey Velvet. 

Its not a Shu Uemura look until you add a pair of outrageously over the top pair of lashes. In my days as an artist behind a Shu Uemura counter, I wore lashes from natural to glamorous to outright insane. Lashes can take your style to a whole new level (sometimes a bit too over the top) yet they pull a look together and give you a little je ne sais quoi. The KARL LAGERFELD FOR SHU UEMURA PREMIUM AND MINI LASHES have the same whimsy and sophistication as the rest of the collection and while they can easily look a bit too cartoon-ish, they are a must for collectors and those with enough personality to pull off the look.

Overall, I find the KARL LAGERFELD FOR SHU UEMURA MON SHU COLLECTION to be absolutely irresistible, fresh and one of the best collections since the Mode Makeup Collections done by Mr. Shu Uemura himself.