One of my favourite brands - Suqqu

I've been a big Suqqu fan since it was first introduced to the UK in the winter of 2006. It's currently only available in Selfridges (London) here, but there are quite a few products that have a cult following. 

This is a Japanese line aimed at the more mature end of the market. Mature does not mean boring; there are some beautiful colours in this line and they have innovative and unusual seasonal colour stories. What it does mean is that, without exception, everything is wearable. 

The brand has a triumvirate focus:

Skincare - includes the famous gankin massage with a special massage cream that relaxes and lifts the facial features. I notice that my face feels less puffy and my jaw and cheekbones are noticeably sharper after a well-done gankin.

Base makeup - primers, foundations and powders. Suqqu is famous for fantastic textures in these, and I also find the colours very wearable and natural looking. I wear 10 in the cream foundation, which is the lightest shade. In common with many other Japanese ranges, it does not cater for extremely fair or darker skintones. 

Point makeup - the colour cosmetics. Originally, this consisted only of single eyeshadows, blush and lipsticks in mostly non-shimmery colours. All the permanent eyeshadows and lipsticks were non-shimmer (there were some shimmer colours in limited editions in special colours stories, like the beautiful summer 2007 Black Pearl eyeshadow and nail polish collection.) Most of the blushes were also matte, although a few had subtle shimmer to them. Shades in the range were mostly variations on natural colours - beige/pink lipcolours, and pink/brown/orange eyeshadows, with a couple each in blue and purple as well. 

In Autumn 2007, the seasonal collection, Moss Monchrome, introduced the blend eyeshadows, blush and lipsticks. These are eyeshadow quads, blush duos and slightly sheerer lipsticks. At the same time, gel eyeliners were released (eyeliner creamy) together with some new brow products. In Autumn 2008, the eyeshadow duos were also introduced. There is some shimmer, particularly in the eyeshadows, but the textures are still exquisitely wearable. Most of the products are not limited edition, and join the permanent point makeup line up.

I like to think of the original point line up (which is still part of the main line up) as your basics. These are BBBB colours ("Bobbi Brown but better!) wearable and flattering matte shades that are easy to co-ordinate and give a polished, understated look. I very much hope that Suqqu does not discontinue this range in favour of the new Blend products. 

The Blend products are more fashion orientated to my eye. They are very beautiful and wearable, but have different textures and give a more defined seasonal "look." That is not to say that they are only wearable for a single season; but that each collection has a definite mood that it invokes. 

I plan to review the specific collections in more detail in future, as well as reviewing the basic products I love from this line (eyelash curler, cream foundation, loose powder, lip balm to name but a few!)  

Suqqu often has special events when a new collection is released or when a special kit (usually limited edition) is being sold. It is well worth booking in for these if you intend to purchase products from the collection; you have a full facial with a gankin massage before a makeover. For the Spring 2009 Sakurakage collection Suqqu flew over one of their top Japanese artists, Kazumi Ohbayasi, and I was completely priviledged to have her make up my face. 

The website is at www.suqqu.com