Japonesque Lip Lacquer S3 and Velvet Touch Eyeshadow S1

Japonesque, known mostly for their excellent makeup brushes and tools, have diversified into a makeup line.  The initial launch is a carefully edited (read small) range of products - there are eyeshadows in singles, duos and quads, an eyeliner pencil, two mascaras, powder, blush, concealer, two foundations, a lipstick and a lip lacquer.

The packaging is both beautiful and a bit unique - there's the usual sleek black compacts and tubes, mixed up a little with poured acrylic accents.  The colourful acrylic bits are created with multiple colours and mixed whilst liquid, making every combination unique.  Nice touch.

The eyeshadow singles give you a reasonably sized pan, with a good sized mirror inside the lid.  The lip lacquer has a firm but flexible brush for a precise application.

Both lacquer and shadow are well pigmented indeed. with the lip lacquer providing intense, opaque colour with a shiny finish and the eyeshadow having plenty of shimmer.

I really like the lacquer - the shiny, intensely pigmented texture makes for a lush lip, even if it is a little heavy and prone to transfer during wear.  The lacquer loses its shine and wears down to a more soft-focus stain over a few hours, and it's preferable to reapply completely rather than topping up.

I wouldn't normally choose a white eyeshadow, particularly one as frosty as this, but it does wake the eye area up beautifully.  The eyeshadow texture is reasonably soft and blendable - it's not that buttery texture that almost applies itself, but it is smooth and silky, blending well across the lid.

And finally, a face-shot of both products together.  They make for a nice low-effort look.

At £15, the Lip Lacquer is well priced for the intensity in pigment.  I think the eyeshadow is a bit overpriced at £14 for a single - particularly in this colour, which is easily dupeable in cheaper brands.  The eyeshadow duos are better value at £18, and the quads even better still at £24.

Overall, I'm pretty impressed by Japonesque's foray into makeup, and I look forward to more shades and products in the near future.  Having been down to John Lewis (which has the range exclusively) and stuck my fingers in things, I'd pick out the lip lacquers, eyeshadow duos, and foundations as the highlights of the range so far.

Disclosure:  PR samples

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