Eyeshadow Showdown: Suqqu Hanamari vs LMdB Cherry Blossom

I have decided to do something new today and review and compare two palettes that look very similar to each other. Two birds, one stone. You know. 

Lets get something clear right from the start. These two palettes are quite different. It has a similar colour theme for spring, but they aren't dupes at all.

Top Swatches: Suqqu Hanamari, Bottom Swatches: LMdB Cherry Blossom

When Suqqu Hanamari started popping up on various blogs, I knew it was something I wanted to try. I bought it sight unseen and to be totally honest with you, I am quite ambivalent about it. Its...OK. Its very pretty and it has the Suqqu Sparkle that everyone loves. The colour combination does not work well on me and the green gets lost when you layer and blend it with other shades in the palette. LMdB Cherry Blossom, in my opinion, has produced a more unique colour combination, though the softness and texture are not as good as Suqqu. It is also much more restrained with the shimmer. The green is light with plenty of gold pearl which makes it a very interesting colour and you can see the green even when applying the Couches de Couleur method.

Suqqu Hanamari contains a pinky, pearly white, a darkened grey green with multicolour sparkles, a cool brown with multicolour sparkles, and a frosty cool pink. LMdB Cherry Blossom has a shimmery beige champagne, a light green with gold shimmer, a matte warm brown, and a slightly lilac tinged matte pink.

As much as I love my LMdB eyeshadows, I have to concede that the Suqqu's are much softer and more buttery, especially their matte shadows. In terms of pigmentation, I think LMdB is more pigmented overall. The green in Hanamari is much more sheer than the green in LMdB. The Suqqu brown is more easy to apply while LMdB's brown was harder to the touch and slightly patchy eventhough the LMdB is once again more pigmented. I had no issues with the lighter shades (base and pink shades) in both palettes. LMdB performs better throughout the day, with very light creasing and fading on the 5th-6th hour. Suqqu eyeshadows last me till the 4th hour and then I usually have to redo my eyes. I think its just because I have oily eyelids, and really soft, really buttery eyeshadows (Suqqu, Burberry, Rouge Bunny Rouge) do not last well on me :( Since I found my perfect eyeshadow base , Shu Uemura Cream Eyeshadow in P Beige, all and any eyeshadows wear like iron on my lids. Thank god for Shu Uemura! 

I think the Suqqu palette is a "nice to have" but not absolutely necessary. LMdB absolutely nailed the brief with these Spring colours and I think it will be the one I reach for the most in the spring season.

Cindy