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

Collection Roundup - Le Metier de Beaute Eye Kaleidoscopes (Part 2)

Okay, so I may have taken a while longer to compile Part 2. I have had to actually compromise and take indoor photos since I rarely have time to take photos since my new job. That said, the pictures are colour accurate (at least to my eyes) so you can still use them as a point of reference if you so wish :)

Cherry Blossom

Cherry Blossom was a kaleidoscope that was released in a very small quantity and exclusive to one boutique. A friend of mine procured it and I was (and am) so glad she did! Its an amaaazing palette. The three top tiers are incredibly smooth and pigmented, without any powdery kick that is associated with soft eyeshadows. The brown liner shade is a little harder in texture, and a little sheerer than the rest. The result on the eyes is a springy, brightening effect with softly smudged lashlines :) Its a little hard to capture the layered effect since my skin is very dark but I assure you that it performs incredibly well under your preferred eyeshadow base.

Chinoiserie Azure

Mmmm Chinoiserie Azure. Mmm mmm mmm. This palette is so deliciously textured I could just eat it up. I love the vivid blues, though my favourite shade is that second tier. Its a greeny blue gold shimmery shade that is so pigmented that a light touch is required unless you want to overwhelm the other shades. When you wear this shade, you get a nice three dimensional blue that has amazing gold pearl shot through. 
 
Violaceous Splendour

Violaceous Splendor is my favourite LMdB palette of all time. No joke. Its not one I wear most often, but the quality and colour combination is just stellar. What I do is usually layer the top two tiers (the red a little lower and closer to the lashline), then dab the orange in the middle of the lid. The black to finish off on the lashline and a little dab on the outer V for depth. Violaceous Splendor is a shining example of bright matte eyeshadows done well. Urban Decay, please take notes. Creamy, smooth, pigmented with no fallout and no powdery mess. The pigments melt into the skin instead of sitting on top of it. SO many things to rave about really. This one is worth hunting down, peeps.

Modernist Merlot 

I have to admit, this pallete is a miss for me. I just don't get it. It will probably look OK on my lid since I am tan, but this palette layered is a muddy mess. I can't imagine what it would look like on someone with fair skin. If you have a different (positive) experience, please do let me know. Overall, this is too dupable to be worth the big bucks. Huge miss.

Devotion 

I feel amazingly lucky to have Devotion. The eyeshadow formulation/standard is on par with the superb Violaceous Splendor and Chinoiserie Azure. I cannot help but be amazed at how it swatches, and the fact that its soft without being powdery. How did they achieve this?? Devotion is a relatively old palette, and I LOVE that it has stayed in the fattier stage till now.

Northern Lights

 I don't like this palette at all. I can't get past how bad the first two shades are. Definitely not up to LMdB's standard and I had high hopes. I think it layers quite nicely but the colours (with the exception of the orange), aren't ones I would wear anyway but I gave it a shot in case LMdB decided to weave some magic in this one. Nope, too ordinary and not worth the trouble to make this work. I do know some people who like this palette a lot though, so maybe I'm just being difficult :P

   
Chauvet Pont d'Arc

This was the palette that restored my love for LMdB. I just find this palette so wearable and can easily create a soft smokey eye in 5 minutes flat. The teal liner shade is such a surprise! And, it is very soft to the touch and very pigmented. I need to be careful not to use too much pressure or it just crumbles. This shade is a little powdery (another surprise!) but its not unworkable.

Pallid Incandescents 

As much as I LOVE the idea of Pallid Incandescents for a colourful eye look, its much too light for me. It looks great layered together, but it shows up on my lid as a pale ashy blah colour unless I wear a strong base like UDPP. On pale ladies, however, its magical. See it in action here.

Out of the 8 palettes I have reviewed and swatched here for you today, I would definitely recommend Violaceous Splendour, Chinoiserie Azure and Devotion as the best palettes. All of these palettes are very very colourful though. For a more neutral palette, Chauvet Pont d'Arc is a nice choice that isn't super boring.  

From Part 1, I like Splendid Frost, Oscar de La Renta and Antiquite Poupee. Le Cirque would be a close fourth! :D

I would really love to have the full complete set of LMdB kaleidoscopes ever released but its a very far fetched dream. What I might do is ask my friends for their swatches and post it for you :) Let me know if this is something of interest. 

Have a good day!

xx Cindy

Collection Roundup - Le Metier de Beaute Eye Kaleidoscopes (Part 1)

This is going to be a long post, but if you are an LMdB fan or want to see a swatch heavy post, this is your lucky day! :P

LMdB Kaleidoscopes were once my obsession. They still are. I skipped on the recently released Nouvelle Vague collection but I think I might cave on Bauhaus. It looks interesting and hopefully not dupable. For a great review on this palette, check out Birkin Bag Beauty or Best Things in Beauty (my first resource for LMdB kaleidoscopes :)). If you are interested in the lip kit from this collection, head on over to see the review on my favourite beauty blog ever, Cafe Makeup.

Anyway, it looks like we will be having mild weather here in Perth today and I thought it would be a great chance to do a comparison post/swatch archive of all the LMdB kaleidoscopes I have accumulated through online purchases/swaps/custom purchases by my lovely friends in the US. 

I will list my kaleidoscopes below... This post is actually an excellent way for me to keep track without having to look in my "Kaleidoscope Drawer" and you guys can enjoy the swatches :D Kaleidoscopes listed in order of acquisition:

{Part 1}
- Splendid Frost
- Le Cirque
- Silk Road
- Penelope
- Oscar de La Renta
- City Girl
- Come One, Come All
- Antiquite Poupee 
{Part 2}
- Cherry Blossom
- Chinoiserie Azure
- Violaceous Splendour
- Modernist Merlot
- Devotion
- Northern Lights
- Chauvet Pont d'Arc
- Pallid Incandescents

Btw, I met Dustin Lujan in New York when I was over for my holiday. Oh my, he is a lovely one, and we are catching up for lunch when he visits (hopefully sometime this year!).

There are a few kaleidoscopes that I really would love to own, especially Aphrodite, Mediterranean Seas, and Smoldering Embarkment. Also within my collection, there are a few that I really could do without; Northern Lights (blah), Modernist Merlot (a little muddy on me but when my skin is tan, it is ok), and Cherry Blossom (I only got it for the green shadow lol...) 

Please note that for all my swatch photos, I did not use the flash so the shimmer and sparkle will not show. The shadow finishes will be noted next to the swatch instead.

Splendid Frost

This is the first kaleidoscope that I swapped for and remains my favourite (initial review here and tutorial here). There is something about the colour pairing that suits my skin and lights up my face everytime I wear it. I would have got a backup of this if it was still available at the time. I believe this palette sold out like hot cakes as soon as Messy Wands published a post about Vintage Kaleidoscopes. My review on this palette stands, eventhough my collection has grown considerably. It is simply the best. 

My favourite palette (not just kaleidoscope) of all time. Love love love it.

Le Cirque

This palette is taupe heaven. Oh my gosh, I got this shortly after Splendid Frost and I decided to take it on holiday with me to Indonesia. For two weeks straight, this palette is the only one I wore on my eyes. It is amongst the most used palette in my collection. I have to use this with restraint because I don't have a backup and I will really be sorry to not have this around. Will the kaleidoscope fairy shine upon me and grant me another Le Cirque please? :)

For my initial review, click here.

Silk Road

Oh, I die for this palette. Specifically, the first two tiers. The third plummy colour seems to make this look a little too bruisy for my taste but used in moderation, it gives beautiful depth. I have a soft spot for golds, and the gold in this palette is stellar. Just... amazing. The last shade is harder to the touch but it performs beautifully as a liner.

 

Due to the intensity of the colour and the saturation of shimmer in the layered look, there are few occasions where I could actually wear this confidently. Definitely not one I can wear to work (unlike Splendid Frost or Le Cirque) but it is SO beautiful. Also, I prefer to wear this in the traditional way with lid, crease, outer v and liner placements instead of the couches de couleur method.

   
Penelope

Penelope is another beautiful palette. The overall textures are so smooth, I think the best out of the bunch of eye kaleidoscopes that I own. I am not a big fan of the lavender in this palette though (and by that, I mean layered in the couches de couleur technique) but on its own its a great colour. What I love about this palette is the combination of finishes. It has two satin finishes and two shimmery finishes, which are my favourite eyeshadow finishes to work with.

In terms of texture, eventhough the LMdB shadows are really smooth and finely milled, I believe Burberry is still best in class in this category. However, Burberry loses out in terms of pigmentation, lasting power and selection of colours. 

 

Oscar de La Renta

I have previously reviewed this palette here and also did a FOTN here. This was my first eye/lip kaleidoscope and I loved it. I love the blue-based red lip creme and I love the fact that a highlighter is included. The pink eyeshadow is extremely flattering and the navy teal shade is so gorgeous as a liner. I might be slightly biased though, I do prefer navy colours to line my eyes :)

This palette is the most luxurious LMdB palette ever (and the most expensive). The smooth, buttery texture of the powder products in this palette reminds me of Burberry's infamous texture, but it has the added bonus of terrific pigmentation. The combination of the red lip and a blue liner just ticks every box for me. I think you can create a whole look just with this palette and a good base makeup. Note to self: next face of the day post with under five products?

City Girl

My lovely friend (and fellow LMdB fan) Anthea informed me that Hong Kong LMdB has released their own kaleidoscope and I reviewed it here.

Having owned a few kaleidoscopes already at this point in time, I was a little disappointed to find a few dupes in the kit. The layering of the four shades create a very light, shimmery colour for the eyes that is very easy to use.

Come One, Come All

This is the palette that started to create waves for LMdB (in a not so good way). This kaleidoscope is also known as the dupes palette. Three of the colours in this kit are repromotes (different shade names in the promo, of course) and a lot of LMdB fans were not happy about this at all, especially for a palette that costs $95 dollars a pop. The only original shade, whose originality will indeed be investigated later on in this piece, is the first tier - a satiny peachy pink.

Eventhough this palette had so much bad press surrounding it, I cannot deny that this is a palette that is superb in quality and the couches de couleur technique produces one of the most beautiful gradation of colours. Its a peachy pink-taupe-plum-browny version of heaven. AMAZEBALLS.

Antiquite Poupee

Ahhhh... my FIRST Dustin Lujan creation! I loved this palette when it was released. I was wearing it so much that I actually had to stop myself from reaching for it so that I don't run out within a few short months. My initial review can be found here. I think my favourite thing about this palette is that you can use it to create a rosy smoky eye look, and I don't quite have anything like it in my stash at all.

The finishes of the first, second, and fourth tier are beautifully shimmery and just like the Oscar Palette, the eyeshadows are extremely buttery. The third tier (a scary terracotta red) is harder in texture and sheer, and I like it just fine as it is. I hope you have enjoyed my post and please stay tuned for Part 2.

xx Cindy

Shu Uemura Mon Shu Collection (Karl Lagerfeld) - First Impressions and Swatches

As you may have noticed, there have been a few little changes to the blog that I have been making in order to mix things up a little. I realised that I much preferred the old layout (simpler, all photos laid out etc) because I can see all the little details as soon as I open the page. 

Also, I've been branding all my photos with the website name. For this post, I actually forgot to do that prior to uploading all the pictures. Oh well...

The Mon Shu Collection has recently hit David Jones across Australia and I (unexpectedly) picked up a few items. The reasons being:

- Scary Dora isn't as scary in real life as the promotional photos

- The palette price is AUD 88, which is significantly less than the prices of previous palettes

This collection comes with its own Shu Uemura paper bag! How cute :)

Since I purchased three items from the collection (totalling over AUD 150), I received a complimentary Shu Uemura/Karl Lagerfeld cosmetics couch decorated with the Mon Shu theme. The red shimmery colour of this cosmetic case is amazing!

I purchased three items from this collection, the Prestigious Bordeaux palette (browns and purples), the Blackish Purple Eyeliner, and the Special Edition Mon Shu Eyelash Curler.

The back of the palette box...

The eyeliner box...

The spiel on the back of the eyelash curler box...

I think I am MOST excited about the eyelash curler. I see this as a collectible and I don't think I will ever use it :)

The shape of the curler is consistent with the original. The only difference being the red rubber lining and the detachable charm.

Back view...

Side View...

I have never done a review of the Shu Uemura eyelash curler before, but I just want to say that it is amazing!! It curls my eyelashes beautifully and I am so glad I took a chance and tried it. I think this product is AUD 50.

The palette , Prestigious Bordeaux is a beautiful mix of shimmery browns and purples. There is a gold glitter pan and also a red blush with a touch of teracotta.

Upon swatching, I realised that the top two shadows are cream (still not sure about this, it looks like powder but its sooo soft and creamy). The middle two are definitely powder though. All four eyeshadows are so pigmented (swatches are at the bottom of this post) with amazing texture. Its blowing my mind right now!! 

The festive gold glitter accent applies beautifully, and adheres to the skin well with little fallout. The blush is a little patchy, but I think if you use the right blush brush, this can work really well and look natural.

The cover of the palette... what is with the red eyes, Karl? Seriously.

Scary Dora is also on the lid of the eyeliner. She won't stop me from using this baby though. The colour is truly blackish purple (brown) with shimmer. Again, so creamy and long lasting. My arm is still stained from where I swatched the liner. 

Finally, I will let my swatches do the talking. These colours are so much more beautiful in real life. The dark purple cream shadow has multicolour shimmer strewn throughout, and the pinky lilac shadow is also quite shimmery.

 

The liner is swatched on the left (thin line and thicker smudged band). The palette is swatched next to these and the blusher on top.

Overall, I love this collection. Not super thrilled about the packaging, but the quality of these products are outstanding. I expected nothing less from such a collaboration between a fashion powerhouse icon and Mr Shu!! 

Hope this post has been helpful. 

Cindy xx