While I was in Isetan yesterday, I happen to come across the Shiseido counter and stopped to take a look. I have never really been a fan of Shiseido makeup, mostly because I’m allergic to the eyeshadows from Shiseido The Makeup line. For some reason, Maquillage has never really grabbed my attention much.
But this time it did.
These are Shiseido Maquillage’s offering for Christmas 2008. An eyeshadow palette with 4 colours and a highlighter designed in collaboration with Christopher Kane, British fashion designer. The blue set is Princess Tiara (black case) and the Gold set is Noble Glamourous (gold case) – names that don’t mean anything really.
Each decorated case comes with the eyeshadow inserts packed separately, and you can insert it yourself. Not quite sure why this is so but there you go. Kanebo Lavshuca did it with their Summer Gradually palette and I recall Majolica Majorca has done the same too. I just did not quite expect it of Maquillage which is priced higher than the other 2 brands.
That aside, I must say that I was positively blown away by the texture of the eyeshadows. Each set comes with 4 eyeshadow shades from light to dark and one large pan of highlighter. The highlighter in the blue set (a pale pink) is very pretty and sparkly while the gold one is less so.
In terms of texture, the 4 eyeshadows were buttery soft and super pigmented. I loved the colours! They were so shimmery and gorgeous going on my hand I was tempted to buy them there and then 😛 I didn’t of course, but I thought of it. The highlighter on the other hand, felt hard and dry. If the shadows were sold separately, I might have walked out of the store with the blue palette in a heartbeat! Or maybe even the gold one 😛
Which brings me to my little rant. The eyeshadow palette is not sold individually – not in Isetan Malaysia anyway. I’m told that its just been launched in Isetan and will be available at other Shiseido counters soon but I was also told that they are only sold as a coffret set (pictured below) for RM213 so there is no price available for the eyeshadow set. If anyone can confirm otherwise, it would be awesome.
The coffret set contains 1 eyeshadow palette, 1 Dramatical gel eyeliner and a decent metallic clutch. The Dramatical gel eyeliner comes with a brush and are special limited edition colours. This whole collection is limited edition.
In Japan, the eyeshadow and highlighter palette retails at 4200 Yen (RM164). The Dramatical Gel Liner retails at RM75 (if I recall correctly) and eyeshadow palette is a special set so there’s no price attached to it. The usual 4 colour eyeshadow palettes retail at RM112. If the 4 eyeshadows were available (without the highlighter and in slimmer packaging) as a set separately, then I’d say its a winner on all counts. As a set with other items and priced at RM213 I find it a little too pricey.
blue says
December 12, 2008 at 9:39 amThat sucks that they force you to buy the set! I guess you could still order it online though right? I was tempted to get these but I think I can hold off for now since its more money that I’d like to spend on eyeshadows at the moment.
ParisB says
December 12, 2008 at 10:43 am@blue : Yes I could get it online, but I’d likely pass on this one because of the highlighter which I did not quite like.
Monstro says
December 12, 2008 at 11:27 amToo bad about the highlighter-the eyeshadows sound so tempting!
I go check it out later…:-D
mel says
December 12, 2008 at 11:52 amhi, wad symptoms did u face when u had allergies to shisedo eyeshadow?
thanks 🙂
Tine says
December 12, 2008 at 11:56 amOh dear, it’s sold as a set? That’s lousy of them to make sure you spend more money if you want just the eyeshadow palette. I thought of getting this when I go back to M’sia for CNY (providing it’s still available), but if it’s only going to be sold as a set, then it’s not worth getting. Shucks. And I was so looking forward to it too 🙁
Nikki says
December 12, 2008 at 1:55 pmI hate it if you want something but you have to buy the bundle! darn, that’s how they attract customers to pay more!!! It looks really pretty though!
jojoba says
December 12, 2008 at 3:18 pmanother blue eye shadow palette… are you trying to kill me? well, i don’t like highlighter being inside these palettes . wish they were blushes. i do like MQ compared to the makeup and PN. i think MQ is a lot better in quality. I used to have 3 singles when it just launched. but i can tell you that you gotta get darker colours from MQ or else they tend to wash out. (or maybe just one me again.) i’d give these a look to see why are they separated from the compact and how’s that blue… but as there is a highlighter, it’s most likely that i’d pass it.
hmm, maybe i should get my butt moving to review those long overdue MQ e/s singes!
prettybeautiful says
December 12, 2008 at 3:27 pmeee they con consumers like that! buy a bundle of unnecessary stuff when u only want ONE of it
ParisB says
December 12, 2008 at 4:42 pm@Monstro : The eyeshadows are wonderful but that highlighter… bleh…
@mel: My lids get heavy and feel irritated until the eyeshadows are removed.
@Tine: Yes its sold individually everywhere else, why not here 🙁
ParisB says
December 12, 2008 at 4:44 pm@Nikki : Yes thats how I felt but the girl was nice to me which was a bonus and yes its pretty.
@jojoba: The blue one is gorgeous but I agree – a blush might have worked better. I now remember that Maquillage eyeshadows are ok for me. I have some singles too and they are like butter!
@prettybeautiful: Not con la, just trying to make it look good I guess but yeah, the other 2 were superfluous for me.
plue says
December 12, 2008 at 5:33 pmi actually wanted this… cuz it’s pretty and the colour payoff is good…
but how come it’s more exp in a bundle? 🙁
tat’s a letdown…
i shall just go grab some MAC blushers 😛
Amanda says
December 13, 2008 at 12:23 amI’ve never tried anything from Shiseido before but people I know are allergic to their make up products, including my mom.
I need to stock up when I’m home for CNY. Cosmetics are too expensive here.
MisSmall says
December 13, 2008 at 4:29 pmThe blue set doesn’t appeal to me much, but I’m drooling over the gold palette! Love love love the colours! I’m starting to believe that this olive-gold-bronze craze is not just a phase for me. 😀
ParisB says
December 14, 2008 at 10:26 pm@plue : I was told that its only in a set – real pity because I’m sure the set would sell well.
@Amanda: Ah! So I’m not the only one! Thanks for that and yes I’ve read that cosmetics are way high priced in Europe.
@MisSmall: The gold palette is really pretty too. Its a lovely warm combination of gold and bronze that I’m sure would be lovely on mostly anyone.
plue says
December 14, 2008 at 10:29 pmsigh. i might just go grab this, when my craze come 😛
i hope this won’t sell out too fast though! cuz my money ain’t coming back till next week 🙁