I’ve definitely been on low power mode for the last year, and I’ve noticed that as a result it’s sort of dulled my ability to get really excited about anything. Which is fair, since I’m guessing this is my brain’s way of saving energy in case I need to outrun covid zombies.
I’ve actually felt so meh about so much that I distinctly remember the first “OMGWHATISTHATINEEDIT” spark that shot through my brain this year, and it was when someone in my group chat posted preview photos of this exact SUQQU collection, Garden After Rain. The colours immediately caught my eye, but it was the multi-coloured shimmer pans in the eyeshadow quads that had me doing a double take.
See what I mean?
This is 102 Ayashizuku, by the way. I just purchased 103 Amaoto this morning after having been alerted to the restock on Selfridges by the very same, invaluable group chat. These two quads feature SUQQU’s new-and-improved eyeshadow line Signature Colour Eyes, which I initially couldn’t quite understand the need for since their previous formulation was already so good. Having tried this new formula though, I can say that I did notice an improvement in the eyeshadows’ texture – albeit quite a small one that may well be subjective. The best way I can describe this new formula would be to say that it is semi-sheer and conducive to layering in the way the Blend Colour Eyeshadows (BCE) were, but extremely pigmented at the same time, like the Designing Colour Eye (DCE) range.
So unlike the sheer and chiffon-y BCEs, the colour you see in the pan is entirely achievable on skin if you build it up in a couple of layers. With DCEs, the pigmentation was so strong that the pan-to-skin colour translation could often be achieved in a single swipe. Obviously this was great for dramatic looks, but it was quite a departure from SUQQU’s original BCE formula that encouraged play and discovery through colour layering. And while this new formula is texturally closer to DCEs I think you can tell from the swatches that we’re back to having SUQQU quads that amount to more than just 4 colours each.
And don’t even get me started on 126 Yuribeni, one of the two Pure Colour Blush offerings in this collection.
In another example of SUQQU magic, the flattering champagne highlighter and cool bright pink magically blend into a warm berry hue when you swirl them together, making this an incredibly versatile blush to own. While all Pure Colour Blushes do feature (typically) two shades that combine into a third, 126 Yuribeni is unusual in how dramatically it shifts from cool to warm. If you’re someone who demands the most of your luxury makeup, this would be an ideal blush to own.
Last but not least, we have Vibrant Rich Lipsticks in 112 Natsufuyou and 113 Yuuchairo. While 112 Natsufuyou is the nude pink of my dreams and goes with literally everything, I have to admit that 113 Yuuchairo, which registers as a warm milk tea hue on me, takes a bit more planning to work on pale skin. I’ve found that (on me at least) it pairs best with a more neutral eye, vs Natsufuyou that so far has held up to every colour story I’ve thrown at it. Can I just say SUQQU has been killing it with the ultra-wearable nudes lately? Their Comfort Lip Fluid Fog in 102 has been in heavy rotation ever since I got it last year, and I can already tell this lipstick is going to get tons of use as well.
In terms of formula, these live up to their name. They’re categorised as a “soft matte”, which is also very accurate. Usually I cringe whenever I read “matte” in a description because I can just tell the bullet is going to skip across my lips and make every crease on there look 1000% deeper, but these had the exact opposite effect. The went on creamy and left my lips looking and feeling very natural rather than powdery and dried-out.
I hope this review was helpful. It certainly ended up being a bit of an essay, but I find that I always have so much to say when it comes to SUQQU! Aside from its current (but limited) availability at Selfridges, SUQQU Pre-Summer 2021 launches on May 6th at Harrods and Liberty London.
This post features products that were provided as press samples, however all opinions and observations are my own and not influenced by the brand or its PR team. This post contains affiliate links.
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