As mentioned in my previous post, this review (amongst quite a few others) is long overdue so without further ado...
SUQQU's Christmas 2009 collection is Yukihana, which means snowflakes in Japanese. Both the palettes are decorated with snowflakes to fit in with the theme. The snowflakes on the eye palette are silver and ones on the lip palette are pale pink.
Holiday Makeup Kit A
This pretty makeup kit contains Eye Lucent EX-03 Yukigasumi, Blend Eyeshadow quad EX-06 Maiyuki and Original Pouch A (roomy chocolate brown makeup pouch with 4 inner pockets).
I really love the Eye Lucent; it's a very fine opalescent pink powder that comes with its own cute mini puff and can be used on eyes, cheeks and anywhere else you want to add a bit of shimmer. Really beautiful for a bit of extra sparkle when lightly sweeped over eyeshadow, and gives an awakening effect if used on the inner corners of eyes.
Swatching this was a bit tricky but you can see the shimmers here
The Blend Eyeshadow quad contains: Bottom right - a pearly off white shimmery base to be used all over the lid Bottom left - pigmented shimmery copper brown; this is the main/lining shade and I use it mostly along my top and bottom lashes Top left - sheer pale mauve with very fine shimmers, used in the crease Top right - medium taupe brown, I blend this on my top lid to add definition
On the whole this is a very wearable and versatile palette.
Swatches:
I think SUQQU makes the highest quality eyeshadows that I've tried so far; their ultra smooth textures blend effortlessly and stay all day without creasing. All shadows in EX-06 Maiyuki have a pearly/shimmery finish but I don't mind because I prefer shimmery shadows over matte ones.
This is the first Blend Eyeshadow quad in my collection and as much as I adore it, I don't plan on collecting them all. Then again because this is SUQQU I'll probably be persuaded otherwise ¬_¬
Holiday Makeup Kit B This kit was sent to me to review by SUQQU; it was actually sent before the holidays but as I was away I missed the delivery and couldn't pick it up till I returned.
Makeup Kit B contains Gloss & Lip Color Palette EX-02 Yukiiro, Nail Color EX-25 and a shimmery lilac makeup pouch with detachable wrist strap.
I'm not usually much of a nail polish fan and only really wear it on my toes, however this sheer iridescent pink Nail Color in EX-25 really took me by surprise as it's different to the various shades of bright pink polish I own. I can wear it on my fingernails without it being too obvious. Up close swatch which shows the multi coloured pink sparkles
Although I liked the lip products used on me at my makeover, I decided not to purchase Makeup Kit B as I felt two of the lip colours in the palette were too dark for my liking.
All the lip colours are wearable, but my favourites are top left (pretty shimmery lip gloss similar to the nail polish) and bottom right (pinkish red which gives a "my lips but better" effect). I like to layer the gloss over the lip colour as I'm not really one for lipsticks.
Swatches on my arm:
The lip colours & gloss have decent staying power and don't dry out my lips, but I like to use a balm underneath anyway to keep my lips extra hydrated.
The only minor gripe I have with the palettes is that their dark shiny reflective cases are major magnets for fingerprints (same goes for all SUQQU makeup actually) so I'm always having to wipe clean.
Both kits were still available for purchase at Selfridges when I visited SUQQU just over a week ago. Needless to say I took the opportunity to pick out a few more items...
After my previous SUQQU post I decided I did want a few more items, so phoned up Selfridges last Saturday to place a mail order (I'm probably addicted to SUQQU...). I should have received the order on Tuesday but I was in my own little world watching the latest episode of Heroes with my near soundproof headset on, so didn't hear the DHL van outside or the knocks on my door. I didn't expect my order to arrive this quikly either; I guess it was sent out on the same day - how's that for speedy service!
The makeup base and foundation sponge I wanted were unfortunately out of stock so I ended up with: Musculate Massage Cream - thought I'd get the gankin massage cream after all; unfortunately it doesn't come with instructions but I think I can still remember (more or less) how the massage was done. Face Refresher - removes the cream after gankin massage. HA Whitening Mist - a makeup fixing brightening & moisturizing mist which can also be used throughout the day.
And the Eyelash Curler because it gave me a lovely natural looking curl during my makeover, and didn't crimp my lashes into a 90 degree angle. It also comes with 2 rubber refills which is rather handy.
I know it's been quite a while since my last blog post - I've just been so busy in the past couple of weeks that when I have had a chance to relax I just wanted to chill out a bit, so blogging naturally took a backseat.
As much as I do enjoy writing reviews, I don't wake up every morning thinking "YES I want to post on my blog" - I guess I'm just not that hardcore haha. Writing isn't too much work, but as I'm not the best photographer in the world, it always takes me ages to select pics I'm happy with, then resize & upload so it usually eats away hours at a time.
Anyway in one of my previous posts I mentioned how much I wanted SUQQU's new Christmas collection. Went to London Selfridges for my gankin massage this afternoon (which was a bit uncomfortable at times and I couldn't stop giggling but my skin was left feeling uber clean, perky and refreshed) plus makeover - unfortunately by the time I got back it was dark and the photos I took of my eye makeup just sucked so I gave up.
I bought pretty much everything used on me with the exception of some makeup items being out of stock and I'm pretty happy with the skincare stuff I currently use. I'm still debating whether I want to do that gankin massage on myself daily though so didn't get the cream this time, but I'll be going for another gankin massage for sure :P
Took some photos of what I'd purchased but the pics aren't that great at night (flash doesn't work too well on reflective packaging) so I'll post reviews/swatches etc during the day.
Skincare *Face Protector N SPF30 PA+++ - I adore good sun protection *Pore Purifying Effector - to purge and cleanse my pores *HA White Mask - it gives a brighter, more even skin tone after just 10 minutes
Makeup *Eye Makeup Remover - Felt I absolutely had to purchase this as after a mere few seconds it totally dissolved my favourite (but otherwise a pain in the ass to take off) mascara Majolica Majorca Lash Glamour Neo before my massage & makeover. *Powdery Cheeks Blush in Hanamomo *Powder Foundation Fresh 15 - apparently a bit lighter and less yellow toned than the Glow version; I'll compare them in the morning. They were out of stock of the foundation case though which is a shame.
SUQQU 2009 Christmas Makeup Kit A Contains SUQQU Blend Eyeshadow EX-06 Maiyuki, Eye Lucent EX-03 Yukigasumi and a makeup pouch.
I did originally quite like the look of Makeup Kit B but having seen it in person I only liked 2 out of the 4 lip colours and wasn't blown away by the nail polish, so I ended up leaving it. Not to mention I literally have truckloads of lipglosses already...
Samples *Musculate Massage Cream - same stuff used in the gankin massage *HA White Soap Ex *Extra Off Cleansing Gel *Extra Off Cleansing Milk *Face Refresher *HA Whitening Lotion *HA Whitening Essence *Face Protector N Will be trying these and getting the full sized versions next time if I like them enough.
Once again I really enjoyed my SUQQU experience, especially since one of their senior makeup artists, Noriyuki Yanaka, was flown over from Japan; he did a really subtle but pretty eye look on me using the Maiyuki palette. I'll definitely try to recreate it but obviously my skills aren't anywhere near that pro
Once in a while I think we all come across something we simply have to have, and for me it's none other than the mega awesome Face Brush by SUQQU.
Quick background story of how I came across it. I discovered SUQQU on my most recent London trip where I had a makeover by one of the (loveliest) MAs. Various brushes were used on me but the one that particularly stood out was when foundation and powder were applied to my skin. It was honestly the softest brush I'd ever felt on my face that it didn't even feel like a brush. I commented on how nice it was, and noticed how it made application even & utterly flawless. As she proceeded to work the products into my skin, I decided there and then that I would not leave without that brush!
Looking at the entirely shiny black body the Face Brush doesn't look that special, but (this is a huge but) it has the softest, most luxurious and exquisite hairs imaginable. I'm not sure what hairs they are (squirrel maybe?) but they are so damn fine and of such superior quality that I actually look forward to using the brush every single time.
Trying to describe how soft the hairs are will not do this brush any justice; I think being wrapped & caressed in warm fluffy clouds would be the most appropriate. The hairs are so soft and light it literally feels like gentle air on my face. The MA didn't even have to sell it to me; it completely sold itself.
The quality of the whole brush is exceptional with very densely packed hairs which pick up the perfect amount of product. There's been no shedding whatsoever (unlike MAC & other brushes I own), and after each wash the brush retains its shape beautifully, but I always look after my brushes anyway.
At £160 it could be considered bit of a ridiculous purchase, but in my opinion a 100% worthy investment because it's provided me with the most enjoyable foundation & powder applications since. This isn't just any face brush; it is the face brush.
I'll be booking a makeover (maybe go for a gankin massage too hehe) at SUQQU for around end of November, which is conveniently about a week after my birthday so I'll definitely be treating myself to some goodies! And yes, I'll be posting about it!
Generally I'm not a fan of Christmas or any other commercialized holidays, but this year I'm actually getting quite excited but only because of SUQQU's tempting new Yukihana release (does that make me strange?).
Received this in an email Those snowflakes look so pretty - that eyeshadow quad will be mine mwahahaha!
I had an awesome beauty experience at the SUQQU counter at Selfridges, where I was fortunate enough to be greeted by the loveliest sales assistant I have ever spoken to. She was very thorough in the consultation (I didn't even make an appointment!) and gave such knowledgeable application & product advice that I left super happy and impressed with the result.
I was recommended the Powder Foundation Glow in shade 15, which is one of SUQQU's lightest foundation shades. Shade 10 also looked like a good match on me but it's slightly pink toned so I decided to go for 15 after my previous disaster with pink shades.
This is probably the most expensive foundation I've purchased to date, but I think it's a genuinely a superior product and therefore totally worth it; when I've had foundation matches/makeovers I was happy with in store in the past, once I'd taken the product(s) home I couldn't recreate the same finish or the colour match was totally off. With SUQQU Powder Foundation, it looks exactly the same on me now as it did in store, making my skin look fresh, radiant and effortlessly flawless. I don't normally use a primer and don't need a concealer afterwards either as the coverage is so perfect.
Packaging is very sleek, but annoyingly the case picks up every single little fingerprint. It comes with a protective velvet sleeve to store the case in. I wish the foundation had a higher SPF though - at only SPF16 PA++ it's not enough so I wear at least SPF35 underneath.
The foundation compact is sold separately
Even after 10+ hours the foundation still looks as freshly applied as when I first put it on, which is miles better than any foundation or BB cream I have ever used as I don't need to touch up at all. The sponge is velvety soft and I love the finish provided by its comforting soft strokes. Powder Foundation Glow comes in a smooth powder form, but feels lightweight and almost moist at the same time. The finish is very natural - not flakey/cakey/powdery and I don't notice any dry patches whatsoever. It evens out my skintone, makes me look poreless and my skin super smooth to touch.
As far as colour match goes, 15 is actually a bit too dark & yellow for me under natural light, whereas under shop light it looked like a perfect match (yes I should have walked out to double check first). However if I blend furiously and apply my favourite powder (Majolica MajorcaPressed Fantasia 24h) on top, it brightens the foundation so it looks like a perfect match unless I inspect really closely with a mirror.
Is it worth £40? Absolutely. Will I purchase again? I'm certain I will, though possibly a different type of powder/liquid foundation if they better suit my skin type, or even a different shade (10 maybe?), but either way unless I find something better SUQQU Powder Foundation Glow is officially my favourite.
Next time I revist SUQQU I will definitely go back to the same SA - I honestly cannot rave about her enough and I'll actually phone in advance to make sure she's there
