SUQQU Blend Color Eyeshadow in Ginbudou

Finally getting to my first Suqqu quad, which I purchased back in August. Ginbudou was one of the six Blend Color Eyeshadow released back in Fall 2010, as a part of the brand revamp. The six quads released then have since been discontinued in Japan but still available in UK. Beside the scarcity factor, I find that the colors combination of the 01-06 core quads has a very distinct identity from other Japanese brands. It's very muted and boring grown-up but in no way does it remind me of a grandma (or my cranky middle aged neighbor). 

The quintessential Suqqu woman is mature but in an ageless way (Nowadays it seems that their target customers are just younger women with expensive taste?). If Lunasol is somebody I wanted to grow up into. SUQQU circa 2010 is more like, "I wish I can be that cool when I am her age". 

Normally, I stick around with a theme when I pick out my palette. I heavily favor rosy or purple-toned neutral, lilac or wearable pastel. I found it silly to get (pay the jacked up price for) another boring workhorse when I already have a few I like in my rotation. In this case, I picked the most clash-y one of the bunch. 

Unlike many other poetic names of Suqqu, which often left me feeling privileged (I can pronounce and remember them with ease. Ha!) and illiterate (most of them are name after something botanic or classic way to call a certain tone) 06 Ginbudou is the one of the most straight forward ones, as it means Silvery Grapes. I probably picked it because it's named after something edible. 

Technically Matsusaka is also edible, but I am no squirrel.

One of my main criteria when it comes to high end (or any) cosmetics is the packaging: It has to be substantial and well-designed. No matter how nice the actual product it, I don't pick something up and use it if the packaging is an eyesore. Of course, designer Yoshioka Tokujin nailed it:  The whole range is sleek, substantial without being bulky and it's a nice weight to hold. In a way, it reminds me of the glossy finish of a piano.

Suqqu compacts seem to utilize the same type of plastic (or they use the fancily named plastic/resin?) as older generation Anna Sui mirror, which is glossy, tough and not easily scratched. Each of their compact products comes with a black dust bag, which turns into a dust magnet the moment it's exposed to air.

  In retrospect, I should have brought it with me to the photoshoot to wipe off the dust...Maybe it would make things worse.

 The sponge applicators are with quality but I prefer the puffier and smoother ones from Shiseido's drugstore brands (maybe it's in my head, I think the ones in Lunasol are a tad better as well). The double sided brush seems to be a squirrel-blend as it's silky but with a body/firmness to be directional and grabby. Both applicators are highly functional to work well with the eyeshadow formula.

Finally to the actual palette. As I mentioned earlier, I picked Ginbudou because it looks like a strange combo. There are three colors that I love wearing as clothes (minus the soft gold) but not necessarily as eyeshadow. I thought the kind of combo would only appear in those luxury fashion house brands (and there is no way I will be able to wear them comfortably).

"Surprise me, SUQQU".

The bottom right shade is a matte white that works as a base and subtle highlight. It's very finely milled that it literally dissapears into skin, leaving an even and smooth canvas. I really like this pan as it works when my lids are oily or dry.

The top left (what Suqqu calls the arrange shade) is a very soft gold with a subtly pearly finish. It has a soft, misty quality that imparts a soft tint and a bit of pink flash.

Upper right is the main shading pan(the gin in Ginbudou). The medium deep charcoal is hardly silver to my eyes. I would even call it a sooty black with a hint of khaki.

Lastly, here comes the grape. The lower left is a matte plummy purple which isn't particularly warm or cool. It looks reddish in this picture(taken during sunset)but gets more eggplant on my skin. While blotchy by itself, it's maleable and smooth on top of the matte white and with the two satin-pearl. It's highly effective as a cake liner and can also be extended then layered with other two pearly shades to impart an allover purple tint.

A tiny finger swipe swatch of Ginbudou on wrist. The texture of the palette is very tightly packed (but not lacking in pigments) that you don't get a whole lot of powder with each dip/swipe. It took me a few tries to just get used to the dense texture, as the normal gradation (starting with the lightest going to the liner shade in layers) doesn't work with Ginbudou. 

Instead, I do the opposite with this. First I smooth the matte white all over the lid. Then I apply the matte plum close to the lash line. The charcoal is layered on top to shade and to blend out the plum (if the area of overlap is big, the result color is a bullet-silver dusty purple). Finally, the look is finished off with the pinkish golden mist. Technically you can go back and use the plum liner for further definition, I don't because it would take up most of my below-fold lid space.

While the two mattes are easy to apply with any brush, it seems that I need to use finger tip to grab enough of and deposit the satin pearl shades. 

I got a little heavy handed on the lower lashline. At least you/I can make out each color? This shoddily applied look is more to illustrate the delicate finish of the shadow. 

  I shouldn't have over-blended the plum in outter corner. One thing about Ginbudou that I really enjoy is how it's smokey but not heavy. Even though it's not something I reach for when I go out (I prefer no-brainer neutrals I can just slap on), I never wanted to remove it whenever I had it on. So, I wore this sharp silver-bullet look to grocery and library a few times already(completed with hoodies and sweatpants).
Overall: Ginbudou is like a fancy dress I buy for special occasions. While it's never something I reach for by default, as the formula is hard to maneuver and the look is too deep for my daily wear. It doesn't fail to make me feel pretty whenever I have it on so it will occupy a special place in my heart/mini palette drawer.

There is no point to hunt it down specifically but if you like this kind of color and have decided to get it, you won't regret your choice either. Oh, I forgot to mention the 01-06 core quad all contain 6.5 grams of product, which is (60% more than Lunasol quads/Suqqu's current palettes) quite a deal/will last you for years.

More palette shots. Because shiny.