Suqqu has reformulated their eyeshadow quads and slowly phased out the iteration that made me fall in love with their subtle (yet nuanced) play with texture and finish on the eyelids.
For the better? I can't quite say.
For one, the packaging is more prone to attracting fingerprints and smudges, even if it looks more "luxe." This is perhaps a truer representation of their alienating price tag-- roughly $70 USD if you are lucky enough to have a friend send it to you across international waters. Still, I think they're not quite as hefty as Tom Ford quads-- not that heft matters, but if we're meant to be excessive in our materialism and pay the price for it, shouldn't we be allowed a few more kilograms?
The lettering on this new packaging is also in a much larger font placed on the upper left side on the compact. It looks a little less glamorous than the distinctly hard-to-read lettering placed on the bottom center of the old compact. (Which, funnily, enough was misread as a sideways "COOCH" by my husband.)
Now, it's a 5.6 v 4.2 gram difference for total amount of product, and you might appreciate the larger & flatter pan size in comparison to the rectangular & domed shape of the past. They've gotten rid of the velvet pouch (goodbye, excessive nothings) but kept the standard dual sided sponge tip and brushes. The gold SUQQU lettering fades off with the first few uses- sorry!
I chose 02 Hikaritouka for the gorgeous light taupe and orange leaning coral. The mid-toned and cool leaning brown, along with the shimmery pale gold, adds a lot of depth and versatility to the palette. The pigmentation is bolder than the last formulation, and everything *feels* creamier to the touch. There's no noticeable fallout, and everything wears for 5 hours without primer and 9+ with. I wouldn't say that it's the most ironclad formula, but I don't see crazy migration as the day progresses.
However, the reformulation falls short in one aspect: no mattes! As gorgeous as that brown can look in the outer crease, I almost feel like it blows out every single look I attempt- whether they're subtle or full blast smoky as God intended. As an extension of this defect, the white gold can't be used on my brow bone(s??) because--- shimmer overload!
It's all very avant-garde when I attempt a Western placement. I end up keeping everything close to the lash line and choosing two or three shades out of the 4 options to create a slight vertical gradation. Biggest letdown: the subtlety and layer-able aspects of the original quads, which built up the complexity and playfulness of multiple possibilities, are gone. These feel like Shiseido trios but with even less singular complexity in each pan.
I was expecting a deep, fall-appropriate, grunge-y vibe with 04 Ayanadeshiko...and I got... goth lite. It's actually more coral and reddish brown than a true mauve or Cola brown, and ultimately, wearable for the office space. Again, my major complaint is with the lack of variety and nuance between all 4 pans. I could easily use just ONE pan (perhaps bottom left) to create a look that can be reached with the entire quad. Feh. No thanks.
I
don't think either of these quads are a must-buy if you have other
eyeshadows in your wardrobe. I may say that from the POV of a hoarder,
but I don't see how these quads are more unique than Western eyeshadow
brands such as Urban Decay or LORAC (and especially not in terms of
lasting power and pigmentation!)
xo Be
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