Suqqu Creamy Glow Lipstick Moist in Akanebara

Continuing on with my Suqqu "research", now let's get to their lipstick! Originally, to fill my high-end lipstick quota, I was more gravitated toward the fall release from Lunasol but decided to switch to Suqqu to save money. It must sound ridiculous, it's just that everytime I was on Rakuten, I always ended up with cartfiller(at least one item I am lukewarm about) I didn't plan to buy, the high price for Suqqu actually stops me from buying more to "save" on shipping, thus producing less guilt and making me feel more at peace with myself.

Akanebara (akane means deep red and/or plants in the Rubia family, bara is just roses)is one of the three (four if you count the clear balm) lipsticks released this fall and the poster color on the model. I liked it when I saw it in Sasaki Asahi's video, when she tried the lipstick out during collection launch.

A side note, the holiness in the picture was unintended, lipstick wouldn't balance otherwise. #woesofwildlifephotographer

The lacquered metal packaging of Suqqu is minimalist, solid and a fingerprint-magnet. Substantial packaging is a must-have when I purchase high end lip products (which I barely did for the last few years thanks to brands like Revlon and Maybelline's sheer) because not only I want the package integrity to stay as long as the content remains, it's also a quietly pleasant sight whenever I take it out and reapply.

The cap fits snugly with no scratch, squeak or gumminess. And the bullet rests securely within the casting. Perfect.

Akanebara looks deep and brown at first sight (like the color pork blood jelly or blood sausage), unmistakably warm. Thinner swipe reveals its true muted berry identity.

Lipstick Queen Butterfly Ball Sigh, Akanebara and Fresh Tinted Lip Treatment in Berry. All three are effectivly pigmented (for what they are) and look strangely similar in this picture so I will just describe the difference. Sigh is the most pigmented per layer thickness and obviously glittery. Fresh Berry is deep in color and the thicker swipe also yields decent amount of pigment. Akanebara is more like a condensed balm than the other two, so it applies like a stain with a subtle shine.

Beside the packaging, what makes Suqqu Akanebara (freshly applied in the above picture) stand out is the balance in tone. While being deliciously berry, Akanebara has that muted tone which stays berry/doesn't turn into bright pink or magenta on me. Akanebara effectivly throws Lipstick Queen Sigh out of the picture (I have been meh about the color, don't like the teal shimmer and the gummy packaging is already getting tacky). Fresh Berry will continue to be used because it's nice lip balm. 

Akanebara is a very wearable color that makes me look madeup but not heavily so. I can comfortably wear it with bare face or other products without feeling they are clashing each other. Anyway, this might be a minor thing that only myself notice. It wouldn't even be a perk given your lips aren't as purply as mine.

While I really like the color, I don't find the Creamy Glow Moist formula to be all that special. It's (slightly different from but) most similar to the three Revlon Lip Butter released back in summer of 2013 (Sorbet, Wild Watermelon and Juicy Papaya) in a way that both formulas are balmy, packed (you don't get a thick layer of goopy pigment per swipe) and clear with a soft sheen. I don't find either formula actively moisturizing but Suqqu seems a tad more nourishing while the Revlon turns more matte after an hour or so. Even though it's not a plumping, line-erasing formula that I used to obsessed about, I like how it sits on the lip contour.

Half an hour application(minus shadow cast web or direct sunlight), the sheen fades further and it resembles a berry stain.

Overall: Even though the formula isn't anything spectacular and admittedly overpriced, I am actually really happy with the purchase: The color is flattering and very wearable (that alones ranks it the no.1 berry in my stash), packaging is great and it probably provides more uses than Revlon and Fresh since the stick isn't too slippery/loose. I have used it for more than five times already, which means it's already less wasteful than the few drugstore toys I have purchased for fun(and didn't want to touch twice).