bloomzy /

Say hello to GLiA!

ハロー！
My copy of GLiA arrived today from my lovely Japanese friend (thank you~), so I thought I would do a little write up about it…
So what is GLiA? It’s the lastest Gal magazine to hit the shelves and it comes from the makers of EGG to which it is the ‘older sister‘. That may sound a bit odd, I mean how can a magazine be an ‘older sister’?! 
Well it’s quite simple actually. It’s a more mature version of what you would usually find featured in Egg, and is aimed at 20+ rather than the ‘teen’ crowd Egg usually goes for – like PopSister is to Popteen.

Click on pictures to enlarge!

Who are the models? The makers didn’t want to stray too far from their roots, so they picked a handful of well-known models from Egg and a few other gorgeous Gals. Like PopSister, they carried over one of their most successful models to be the spokeswoman, and that was…ろみひ, of course!
She has been with the magazine for years and has always been a fan favourite. Recently her style has matured, along with herself and so she was the perfect choice for GLiA.

Yumachi and Aina join in along with other models such as; Anna Fujita, Yenah Hirano, Iena Hirai, Reina Kizu and more.


And the content…the content is great!!

FASHION



I thought ‘night snaps’ was a nice idea.
I wanna know what people are partyin’ in!

 Plenty of street snaps (9 pages!), categorised in ways such as;
shop staff, outer, hair pieces etc.

MAKE-UP

HAIR 

How to wear this seasons hair accessories.

With 14 pages worth of hair and make-up tutorials, I was sold!!
I don’t think many Gal mags offer enough tutorials, and even though some of the make-up in GLiA did look a little similar there was still plenty to choose from and practise with. The hair tutorials were great and had a range of styles for long and short hair.

– final thoughts? – 

As it’s a new magazine on the scene it has been compared to other more well-known ones, which is a little unfair. Even so I felt that GLiA holds it own against the other rivals. Slight warning though, don’t expect the content to be like EGG because it really isn’t…apart from the models. It’s more along the lines of Jelly and Happie Nuts. Although I think it has a more refreshing and appealing layout to some similar magazines that like to cram in as much as possible.

If it manages to keep up with the same layout and content it brought out in this issue I think it will soon become a firm favourite~♥

And with a slogan such as; 「Glia is… no rule woman’s style bible」 I think it’s certainly going to try it’s best!!


Disclaimer: I didn’t upload the whole magazine as there were so many great pieces that it’s definitely worth investing in for yourself. I also apologise for the photos – I don’t have a scanner here in Paris.

bloomzy /

Check out my room!

Thank you to all of those who entered the poll – and for those of you who didn’t, well you still can!

As some of you who follow my twitter may know I was given a very small baggage allowance by my university when travelling to Paris – ONLY 14KG!! I swear my suitcase weighs about 4kg by itself…so I had to pack lightly!
Then when I got to Paris I was placed in a rather awkward accommodation situation…But you have to make the best of things, right?
So anyway, how about taking a peek at my room & some of the stuff I took?!

 

 

 

 

 


bloomzy /

Get the ‘Retro’ look!!

Everyone knows ‘Retro Girly’ is one of the biggest trends in Gal this Spring/Summer…

So how do you get the look? For those who don’t have access to gal brands or are thinking of trying out this kind of style for the first time (it’s not just for girly-girls or people in their teens!), it might seem difficult. Therefore I thought I would compile a list of the key items for this trend [image heavy]

  • Blouses – Airy, lace, chiffon, frills and pale colours.
Dazzlin’ & Rojita
  • High Waist Bottoms – tuck in tops/blouses
Ank Rouge

  • Small Polka Dots
Min Plume & Titty&Co
  • Apron & Denim Onepieces
Rojita & Dazzlin’
  • Collared Tops – onepieces & tops (cardigans too), plain and lace, with ribbons and accents

Miel Crishunant & Pinky Girls
  • Red Gingham Check – think pin-up girl style
Ank Rouge & BACKS

  • Flower Print – bright florals, great for an ‘otona’ retro look
Spiral Girl & Cecil McBee
  • Scarves – neck, head or on bags
Rose Fan Fan & Duras
  • Ribbon/thin belts – red being very popular
  • Small Socks – think; lace, frills, floral and ribbons, wear with pumps or boots

Pinky Girls & tutuanna
  • ‘Vintage’ style accessories & shoes – vintage-looking, brown & camel (colours) are big
MILSQUR, Liz Lisa & R&E

  • Marine styles can also be worked in, but be careful not to go ott.
  • Bell bottom jeans are also great for the ‘retro’ trend, although they tend to suit a more ‘adult’ style – but they can still work!
  • The Gal brands really representing ‘retro girly’ right now?! Liz Lisa, Rojita, Dazzlin’, Ank Rouge, Minir Dees, Titty & Co and Pinky Girls.

Source; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
bloomzy /

Review: Eyeshadow & Blush Palette

This post is sponsored by KKcenterhk
Recently I was sent the ‘10 Shimmer Eyeshadow-Blush Palette‘ to review, by kkcenterhk. And here it is…

Shimmery, no? The colours range from neutral to almost neon and it all comes in a handy black case – like this. The first thing I thought when I opened the package and saw the case was DECO PROJECT! It sounds a little strange but all I could see was a brilliant blank canvas…so I’ll keep you updated on that.
As for the colours…

[ignore my arm hairs haha] 

As you can see the colours are very vibrant, which I was really pleased with. I hate palettes that offer pale shadows, because I always end up trying to apply more and more with no real result. However these went on easily, cleanly and left a great colour!

I played around with a few of the colours and I was able to create a ‘pink’ look, inspired by Popteen’s love of pink make-up from last months issue. The 4 colours I used in these pictures were these ones. I also used the lightest shade as a highlighter and the darkest to shade underneath my lower lashes (that didn’t show up well on camera, unfortunately).

 [No lashes/Mascara] 
[Accent lashes & Mascara]

Overall I thought the colours were brilliant and shimmery (without being too glittery), with the shadows being easy to apply. The shadows are a good quality and texture, whilst still managing to keep the colours vivid – I can’t wait to try the rest out soon. I also want to test out the pink as a blush and combine it with the light cream as a highlighter. When I do I’ll make sure to link back to this post so you will all know!

The only downside is that the palette is rather large, however that also means you get a decent amount of shadow too, so there’s a silver lining. 

Want to order this palette for yourself? –


They ship worldwide and delivery is super fast~

KKcenterhk also sell cosmetics, wigs, hosiery etc. so be sure to check them out!!

Mie has also done a review of a similar palette from the same sponsor on her blog.
bloomzy /

Manba Returns?!

I think by now, most of you have seen this from EGG’s May issue;

I was intrigued to see it, and read it – especially with a title such as ‘Manba Returns!!‘ We all know Manba is a hit-or-miss topic when it comes to Gal – some say it is out, others say it isn’t. Well I decided that I was going to translate this for those who can’t read Japanese – and as far as I know there isn’t an English source for it at the moment.

So what does it say?

When I/You say ‘Manba’ it’s probably this person.
[meaning this person comes to mind]

“Ka~tan is a charisma Manba who began the 2nd Manba movement.
Now she is a reader model on one magazine and has started a work clothes brand ‘kon-burenda’.“

Manba Transformation~

“The finished look, all 5 of them applied too much foundation.
They clearly have a border between their face and neck (lol)”
“Mami having her foundation applied by Ka~tan. 
Mami was really nervous in front of her.”

“She couldn’t apply concealer straight onto the face as the foundation was so dark. Therefore she applied it with a brush.”

“I liked that person (referring to Ka~tan), Manya said.”
[showing an old issue of EGG with a feature on Ka~tan]

“The last weapon is FACE STICKER DECO!
[They emphasis how great and cute it is for creating a winning look]

“Their hair didn’t have much power with their normal style.
Therefore hair extensions/decorations from CARRY were put on.”
The desired Manba project finally started!
Going to change to the strongest Manba!


” ‘Let’s do Manba project!’
Word started of this project through E.GIRLS. To tell you the truth they were inspired by issues of EGG that they had read when Manba was popular – these 5 girls wanted to try Manba (lol).
In fact, they were so eager to do the project that they even made a proposal (project paper) and handed it in directly (lol).
Anyway, let’s be Manba~☆

So they met up, but they weren’t sure how to be Manba as they weren’t around during that time (Kanako was around in that generation?? lol).
To know the special secret (essence) of Manba they invited a girl who is Manba.
Founder of Manba religion: Ka~tan sama ☆☆

She graduated from Manba 6 years ago and [today] there are no signs of Manba on her. [you can’t notice she used to be Manba]. However her sense of Manba may be revived [she may became excited with the ex-soul of Manba when she remembered].

She picked up a CANMAKE white concealer (for eyes) and black foundation and began her lecture. 

The 5 girls were confused about using [very] black foundation and massive eye make-up, but they also introduced their own way by themselves and created a new generation of Manba (Neo-Manba), which was a combination of old and new styles.” 

Finally, from left to right:
Gugun, Pink Manya, Kawabatan, Mamin, Mira (Daiso?)
[The kanji on the end of some of their names means old woman/hag/bitch]

There you have it! Unfortunately this is more of a special interest piece (likely due to EGG’s recent anniversary) and not a proper revival of Manba. But who knows? Maybe people will be inspired by these girls and will feel the call of Manba once again ;D

Special thanks go to my Japanese friend who helped me with the parts I got stuck on! This is not a literal translation, otherwise it wouldn’t make much sense. I translated it into English that made more sense but still kept the original meaning.

bloomzy /

Where are they now?

「Where are they now?」
Who: Natsumi Yoshida (吉田夏海)
Then: Natsumi started modelling for EGG around 2002. Her style began as Ganguro – She had the tan, heavy white and black make-up and she even did a few Manba spreads in the magazine. She tried out long hair, short hair, blonde hair, black hair – which is normal for a Gal model. But she always went back to blonde.
She was a regular in EGG, and often shared the limelight with Hiromi, whom she was close friends with. At the time she dated a Men’s EGG model/DJ and she was even featured in a few music videos, along with the odd Para Para video.

Next to Hiromi, Natsumi was one of my favourite EGG models. She was cute and perky, and she totally rocked short hair – which for me made her stand out. Even so, I always felt that she didn’t quite shine as much as the others. I was always hoping for her to get her own major deal, but she just tended to share; like Lip Service with Hiromi.


Now: After leaving EGG in 2006, Natsumi has been a very busy girl. At first she went to Ranzuki for a little while, but then finally became a regular model for BLENDA magazine, also becoming an exclusive model for PINKY. She moved away from the heavy make-up of Ganguro, and went for a more mature/sophisticated look – she has also quit the heavy tan opting for a more natural look.
Like most Gal models she also tried her hand at DJ-ing, which apparently she isn’t too bad at.
She made her TV debut in 2008 and went on to make a guest appearance in a few episodes of the drama ‘Nanase Futatabi‘. She also had a small run on Asahi ‘Easy Sports’, but has yet to do anything substantial. She has also appeared on a few Web Casts for GyaO and Amoeba.
She modelled for the SWORDFISH and SBY web catalogues in 2008, and also other online stores and mail catalogues.
In late 2009 she released a special photobook entitled 「Bootleg」, which showed pictures of her fashion and private life. This also came with a dvd which featured private movies, and followed her everyday life.
She has also released a special line of Rock-inspired lingerie and accessories designed by herself, which can be found on her website J-Vision – you can also buy her book+dvd here.

Natsumi has definitely been busy since she left EGG. I think she was determined not to become one of those models who disappears after they graduate from a popular magazine. During her time at BLENDA I think she really grew with her fashion and make-up etc – it has matured so much. To me, she is even more beautiful than before – she always dresses perfectly and her hair/make-up (so envious of her hair) looks great even when she’s having an off day – she has a natural pretty-ness. It’s such a difference from her time at EGG.
She may not have become a designer or producer, or opened a store but she seems happy and I really hope she does well with the book+dvd/accessories, even if it doesn’t look like a brilliant venture right now.
P.s. She is now working a short brunette bob, which suits her perfectly. She also keeps talking about how she wants to be married soon, which if you were a fan of her in EGG will sound familiar as that was where she saw herself in 10 years time. Good luck~
In her latest blog entries: She blogs about meeting with model friends, going to events and of course eating Takoyaki – that girl can’t get enough of it haha. And yes, she is still friends with Hiromi, she recently went to GIMLET to congratulate her.
Were you a Natsumi fan?
Which model would you like to see in the next ‘Where are they now?’
Source; 1, 2
bloomzy /

Where are they now?

I decided to do a new set of posts, featuring past Gal idols etc.
I thought it would be nice to offer some past insight on Gal, and also keep up to date with old favourites. So say ‘hello’ to…
 
「Where are they now?」
Who: Hiromi Endo (遠藤裕美)
Then: Hiromi began modelling for EGG around 2002. She started off with blonde hair, following a toned down version of the popular Yamanba style – Later on she dyed her hair black. During her time at EGG her popularity rose, and it was almost impossible to open an issue of EGG without a Hiromi feature – she was also the face of Lip Service. She was the ‘Tsubasa’ of the time.
During her final days in EGG she started showing off blonde hair again, and paler skin. From Yamanba, to B-Gal, to Ganjiro – she always carried the looks off well.
Hiromi was also my personal favourite at the time, as she was always showcasing the latest trends, and she always managed to transcend styles. I was sad when she left, especially since there was no real ‘graduation’ like the Gal’s have these days. She just kind of disappeared…
 
Now: After leaving EGG, Hiromi went on to become a designer for popular Gal brand Lip Service – a brand which she had been the face of only a short time before. She is currently the producer of new 109 store GIMLET. She isn’t modelling for the brand, unlike a lot of ex-model’s-come-producers, instead she is taking more of a backstage approach. She constantly updates her blog about the brand’s progress and genuinely seems happy. The chosen models for the brand are Maria and Maya Mori, two very popular and current models. It seems like Hiromi is making good decisions when it comes to the advertising of the brand, but only time will tell how popular GIMLET will be.
P.s. She is now rocking blonde AND black hair…guess she couldn’t decide which to stick with this time haha.
In her latest blog entries: She mentions that she is heading to Nagoya, for the opening of the new GIMLET store in the Maruei department store. She also mentions that she has her model’s sporting nude make-up…something which she wasn’t seen without in her modelling days.
 
I hate to admit it, but she’s not the Hiromi she used to be. She was always skinny but now she seems ridiculously tiny, which has led to her looking a lot older than she actually is (27). It also seems that she doesn’t carry the strength that she used to…no one seems to be particularly raving about GIMLET, apart from the models (obligation) and Hiromi herself.
Were you a Hiromi fan?
Which model would you like to see in the next ‘Where are they now?’
Source; 1