When I had a chance to stop by SUQQU in Selfridges in London for the first time in 2006, I was very impressed by how soft and smooth the blushers were. Among the shades available, the wearable 11 Ashibi really caught my eye at the time.
When I heard about SUQQU’s planned revamp a few months ago, my instant reaction was that I really wanted to get Ashibi as soon as I could. (SUQQU’s fall 2010 makeup collection, which marks the start of the brand’s renewal, is out in Selfridges now.)
11 Ashibi is a moderately pigmented muted warm dusty pink. It has a softly matte finish and does not have any shimmer. It goes on a little more vibrant than it looks in the pan. Color-wise, it really suits my slightly warm-toned complexion, and, texture-wise, the soft and silky powder melts into the skin effortlessly.
It goes on quite sheer initially, but the color is buildable. It is an exceptionally natural color for my complexion, and I love the understated and elegant look it creates.
A look at the ingredient list sheds light on why the blusher is so smooth and silky. The blusher is talc-based (talc is the first ingredient on the list), but most powder-based makeup products from Japanese brands are talc-based anyway (which is mainly why they tend to be smooth and silky). The real answer lies in the rich emollients that it has, as it contains petrolatum, paraffinum liquidum (mineral oil), beeswax, and squalane. All these ingredients help give the blusher the beautifully smooth and almost-creamy texture, and I think the blusher should be suitable for those with very dry skin who don’t usually like powder-based blushers.
I also decided to pick up 14 Oshiroibana, which is a gently cool light pink. Like Ashibi, it is moderately pigmented and shimmer-less, but it is considerably more vibrant. I do need to be slightly more careful with it and try to be relatively light-handed with it, but I like the fresh look it creates.
I have been enjoying wearing both of these two blushers. The warmer and more muted Ashibi is going very well with my warm neutrals, while the cooler and fresher Oshiroibana is complementing my lilac-toned eyeshadows.
Between the two, I slightly prefer Ashibi because of how ultra-natural it looks on my skin. It is now among my favorite blushers, and I will certainly go back to it again and again. According to Hiroko, it appears that the Powdery Cheeks range is already off the counter in Japan. I think it will still be available in the UK for a while, but I am fairly certain that it will be phased out eventually. In the meantime, I have high hopes for all the new blushers from SUQQU.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m so envious! Suqqu is so expensive to buy online. Sigh~ As for the blushes themselves, both are pretty but I think I like Ashibi more. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Reene,
You are very welcome! :)
I certainly like Ashibi better, but I really like Oshiroibana as well. Both are very wearable colors and the quality is simply superb.
Thank you for stopping by again! :)
I love Suqqu’s makeup. They also make the most beautiful brushes too. xx
http://www.beautymole.blogspot.com
Hi Jenny,
If you are interested in SUQQU’s makeup brushes, you might want to have a look at my review of SUQQU’s Cheek Brush and Eyebrow Brush L:
http://www.atouchofblusher.com/2009/05/product-review-suqqu-cheek-brush-eyebrow-brush-l.html
Thank you very much for stopping by! :)
A powder blush that melts into the skin? it sounds like an amazing fit for my skin that tends to be on the dry side. Definitely on the lookout for this one. Thanks for the heads up!
Hi Jessyclaire,
You are very welcome! :)
If your skin is on the dry side and if you are looking for powder-based blushers that go on smoothly and evenly, SUQQU’s blushers are certainly worth looking into. Do let me know what you think if you decide to give them a try.
Thank you for posting your comment! :)