Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 20 Kaoribara (香薔薇) and Gel Eyeliner Pencil Ex-01 Bordeaux for Fall 2015, Review, Swatch & FOTD

I am super excited to share today's post and the upcoming two more posts about Suqqu Fall 2015 Collection. I have started testing Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 20 Kaoribara last weekend. Then what happened is that I couldn't stop testing! There are a few more items that need to be photographed from other Fall Collections as well as Suqqu but the bordeaux/burgundy hues, they are too stunning to go past it. So I decided to stay there and enjoy. I came up with two different looks which I would like to share with you today as well. Hope you enjoy them.

Matching to the palette, I also have one of the new Suqqu Gel Eyeliners in limited edition color Bordeaux. This is a new product at Suqqu Line-up so I am excited to share my thoughts on that as well. Right after the *jump*.

Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 20 Kaoribara and Gel Eyeliner Pencil Ex-01 Bordeaux 

As usual I have to start a Suqqu review by showing my terribly non-existing Japanese skills to the world. Bara (薔薇) means "Rose" and  Kaori (香) means "Fragrant". So my best guess is that Kaoribara means a rose which smells divine.

Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 20 Kaoribara is a stunner. It is an unusual combination of red with gold shimmer, a cool taupe and a rosy peach. The difference of this particular quad and others in the collection is that they all have a cream base color instead of a powder one. Now you might think that cream and powder in a product is not the best combination but bare with me because it actually works much better on me than the powder bases of Suqqu I used so far.

All the three quads in Fall 2015 Collection has "Suqqu" written with an overspray on the bottom left shade. This unfortunately goes away by the first usage but still super pretty to look at. I am trying to preserve mine by using the shade from the side with the other quad, it is a sweet challenge.

Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 20 Kaoribara

You can see the full product list at lovely Rouge Deluxe website here. There are three Blend Color Eye Shadows, one of them is limited edition, Ex-26, which I will show you soon. There are also three Gel Eyeliner Pencils, a black a brown and a limited edition shade Bordeaux, Ex-01. Bordeaux goes so well with Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 20 Kaoribara. I am tempted to say they are like butter & bretzel but I'd better formulate it differently for Japanese make-up, what about like Sushi & Soja Sauce or Sashimi & Wasabi? Any more ideas here?

Suqqu Gel Eyeliner is sleek and the product is disposed by turning the body in one direction. It is important not to turn it too much since it just works one way. If you have too much product out, you can't put it back again. Since it goes out very slowly, this mechanism works fine for me. At the other end of the pencil, you can find a sponge applicator for smudging. I love using this one because I don't like very defined eyeliners. 

Now as for the quality, I am not sure if I like the Blend Eye Shadow 20 more or if my obsession is this Bordeaux liner after all. It applies so smoothly, so fine and precise. You can smudge it easily with the sponge tip end and it sets and doesn't move. Like literally, you need something "strong" to get rid of it. Lately it has been too warm here and I end up with Panda Eyes if liner goes all over the place from my water line down, but this one is a champion. It doesn't move a cm! If you have problem with your liners propagating, make sure to check Gel Eyeliner Pencils out. 

Suqqu Gel Eyeliner Pencil Ex-01 Bordeaux 

Now on to the stunner, Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 20 Kaoribara has the following shades:

Top left (powder): light golden peach with pink undertones and shimmery finish. This works beautifully as inner corner highlight on me but also as an all over shade or layered on red as an accent.

Top right (powder): the most stunning light to mid toned taupe with beautiful shimmer. I die for shades like this. Apply it all over your eye lid, you don't need any other makeup! It also pairs beautifully with the red shade for a little more drama while balancing cool and warm.

Bottom left (powder): the star shade of the palette, a mid-toned to deep red with soft golden shimmer. If you know Suqqu make-up, you know what I mean about "soft shimmer". These appear in no way frosty or too shimmery, never emphasize lines or imperfections. This one is beautiful as all around color, as crease color, as liner, whatever you want you can do with it.

Bottom right (cream): A very light pearlescent champagne cream eye shadow which smooths out the eyelid in both texture and color and prepares it for the eye shadow application. It doesn't feel sticky nor heavy. I found it works best if you apply it with your fingers. The other shades look much vibrant once you apply the base first. First day I skipped this step since I was rushing and didn't think about it until I was done with the eye look. Second day I applied this first and with the second application, I had much better color pay off. As for the longevity, Suqqu powders are anyway long lasting so you don't need to tweak it ;-)

Close-up: Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 20 Kaoribara

You can also see Gel Eyeliner Pencil Ex-01 Bordeaux swatched below. Its tip is super fine and it applies so smoothly. The shade is a little deeper than the red shade in the palette and it doesn't have any shimmer. It complements Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 20 Kaoribara perfectly.

Swatch: Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 20 Kaoribara and Gel Eyeliner Pencil Ex-01 Bordeaux 

Now onto the eye looks. I would like to show you how diverse Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 20 Kaoribara is so I have two very different looks for you. 

The first one is for those who like it cool. After the cream base, I applied the taupe shade all over, peachy gold on inner corner and red on the crease. I completed this look with Gel Eyeliner Pencil Ex-01 Bordeaux along the upper lash line as well as on the outer half of the water line.

I combined this look with cooler shades on the cheeks and lips. I am wearing Tom Ford Frantic Pink (my cheek uniform) and a discontinued Chanel Rouge Allure.

Look-1: Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 20 Kaoribara and Gel Eyeliner Pencil Ex-01 Bordeaux 

FOTD 1: Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 20 Kaoribara and Gel Eyeliner Pencil Ex-01 Bordeaux 

Now on to second look, this one is warmer, with more red. From Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 20 Kaoribara I applied the bordeaux all over the lid and layered the peachy gold over on the center. I applied a bit of the taupe around the crease to cool it down. I then lined the water line and the upper lash line with Gel Eyeliner Pencil Ex-01 in Bordeaux.

For the rest of the make-up I am wearing Tom Ford Cheek Color in Ravish and Suqqu Creamy Glow Lipstick in 13 Akanebara. The review of the latter is coming soon although I smashed it a little during photo taking. 

Look 2: Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 20 Kaoribara and Gel Eyeliner Pencil Ex-01 Bordeaux 

FOTD 2: Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 20 Kaoribara and Gel Eyeliner Pencil Ex-01 Bordeaux 

If you have Suqqu Eye Color Palettes in Ex-01 Benikakesora (reviewed here) and Ex-02 Yosaizora (reviewed here) from Summer 2015 Collection and wondering how these compare, here are some swatches for you. 

Ex-01 Benikakesora also has peach and a reddish purple but peach is less golden and a little cooler. It is also a little deeper than the golden peach in Kaoribara. Deeper shade of Benikakesora is clerly more plum, less red and less shimmery.

Ex-02 Yosaizora's interesting taupe shade is very close to taupe and red in Kaoribara layered, yet it is different than the both.

Comparison swatches to summer trios: Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 20 Kaoribara

Final thoughts: Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 20 Kaoribara has a beautiful very unique combination of shades which are very pretty and versatile. The base shade works great for me but if you have problem with cream/powder palettes, keep it in mind that it is cream (bottom right shade). Gel Eyeliner complements the palette in most stunning way and it is very long lasting. To the degree that you need all your weapons to get rid of it at the end of the day ;-)

Availability: Suqqu Fall Collection will be released on the 14th of August at Selfridges and 28th of August at other stores in UK. Suqqu is available in-store at Fenwick of Bond Street, Harrods, Selfridges and Selfridges online. 

How do you like this shade combination? Are you eyeing anything from this collection?

Disclaimer: The products in this post were sent free of charge for my consideration. 
I am not pad for this review. All opinions are honest and my own.