On a different occasion when J. and I were browsing Three Flash Performance Eyeliner Pencil (will post that soon!), I also stopped by the Lunasol counter and swatched the newly released Sparkling Eyes. There are 2 quints available, 01 Gold Sparkling and 02 Rose Pink Sparkling.
***Screencap from Lunasol JP.
Sadly, despite the fact that these are quints with super smooth and silky texture and excellent pigmentation, I'm going to have to call meh on them both. Why? Because the colors are meh, the color combinations are meh, and even the finishes are meh. I'm so disappointed I don't even know where to begin! In short, these are repetitive and derivative, without a shred of attempted complexity. Lunasol, what's going on with you?
Let's start with 01 Gold Sparkling. How many times have we seen this exact same color combo from Lunasol (and every other Japanese brand)? Fine, so neutral colors sell well at every level, drugstore, mid-range, or high-end, I'll grant them that. But how is this quint any different? The answer is: there's no difference. There's no metallics or semi-metallics. These are satiny, shimmery finishes that are totally flat and boring.
The second quint, 02 Rose Pink Sparkling would be more interesting if it's not a total derivative of Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 22 輝杏蕾 Kikyoutsubomi. Okay, I don't actually know which came first or who copied who, but without the complex layering or intricate shimmers, it pains me to say this but Lunasol comes off as the bland copycat. The only color that catches my eyes in this quint is the peach with peach, gold, and a few greenish shimmers.
Did you test the duo with split pan as well? I am kind of interested in the green one since it reminds me of layer bloom
ReplyDeleteDid I just hit submit? I thought the green duo reminds me of white gradation from layer bloom eyes...I like a few shades in that range as well but the huge liner pans are quite intimidating (I can't wear dark color without getting a bad case of bitch face). I am probably skipping violet sparkling since I already have two violet palettes already.
ReplyDeleteHey Citrine,
ReplyDeleteYes, I looked at the duos with split pans but didn't swatch them. I thought they were pretty meh as well, because the colors were pretty standard, nothing different or even stood out. If I have time later, I could go back and swatch them, but I didn't even look at them twice after seeing the first time. Sad.
:(
D.
Hello, can you please tell me the difference between Suqqu and Lunasol eyeshadows texturewise? Which one is better? Thanks
ReplyDeleteHi Clidre Vandijk,
ReplyDeleteI can't really say whether Lunasol or Suqqu has better texture. Depends on the palette, both can be similarly smooth, buttery, and pigmented.
In my humble opinion, the real difference lies in the finishes of the eye shadows. Lunasol has much more variety in terms of finishes: metallic, shimmery, satiny, matte, etc. They do sparkles very well--I love my Lunasol sparkling top washes. On the other hand, the vast majority of Suqqu eye shadows are shimmery-satiny. There are several mattes and very few metallic. Even their sparkling top washes are more subdue than Lunasol's.
I hope this helps,
D.
Thank you so much! Very helpful comment! I personally don't like sparkles, so maybe Suqqu is more appropriate for me. However I see more color variety in Lunasol palettes, and more type of palettes too. At equal finish (let's say satin), do you see a difference in quality? And last question: if I would like to try a Lunasol palette with satin finish (no sparkle) wich one do you recommend? Thanks a lot!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi again Clidre,
ReplyDeleteYou're so welcome :) Thank you for reading and commenting!
At equal finish, both brands market their eye shadows differently. Suqqu emphasizes on their eye shadows' blendability and layering (for depth, to create different colors, etc.) while Lunasol has never made such a claim. So if you like mixing and blending, you might lean towards Suqqu.
If you like soft, pearly shimmers and mattes, I'd say Lunasol Selection de Chocolat is your best bet. I've actually swatched all 3 palettes here:
http://alittledabintomakeup.blogspot.jp/2015/11/lunasol-selection-de-chocolat-eyes.html
Cheers,
D.