Suqqu Gankin Facial and Makeover: Selfridges Manchester
As a fblblogger (that’s a fashion, beauty and lifestyle blogger, if you weren’t sure), I’m pretty confident at playing around with my own make-up, and I’ve tried a LOT of brands. However, last weekend I was invited to Selfrdiges in Exchange Square, Manchester City Centre to try out a Japanese make-up brand that I had never had a go of before… Suqqu.
Suqqu is a make-up brand which is a pretty big deal in Japan, but doesn’t seem to have fully made it’s way into consumers laps in the UK yet. Heck, I like to think I’m pretty well informed about make-up and I hadn’t heard much of them before, let alone tried them. As far as I am aware, they are only available to buy from Selfridges and Harrods in the UK, so that should give you an idea of the price range: their products are pretty high-end, so I was excited to give them ago!
I arrived wearingly minimal makeup and was greeted by the lovely and friendly Natalie – she was so approachable (not like some makeup counters in Selfridges *ahem* MAC) and gave me some background info on Suqqu (e.g. a lot of their customers are mail order customers, with the majority of their walk in customers being Chinese or middle aged/older ladies). She then proceeded to talk me through the skincare range and remove the little make-up I had on, read: eyebrows.
Natalie was knowledge about Suqqu’s products and talked me through each one as she performed the famous Suqqu Gankin facial* on me. For this, my hair was wrapped up in a special hair-towel contraption and a towel placed over my shoulders and lap. I did feel a little silly in the middle of Selfrdiges dressed like this, but I soon forgot where I was. Natalie started by warning me it would be quite a ‘rough’ facial… Different. But it was, very rough! She started by ‘opening the lymph nodes’ by pressing into two pressure points on my chest, and then proceeded to use the Suqqu Massage Cream as part of my Suqqu Gankin Facial, moving and quite literally lifting areas of my face, whilst I pressed my back into her as a body rest. It was certainly the most unusual facial I’ve ever had, but I actually really enjoyed it – there’s something about it that was really relaxing, perhaps because my face doesn’t get that much touchy-feely attention usually!
Natalie then fully cleansed/exfoliated/toned/moisutrised/spf’d my skin, talking me through ingredients of each products. The price points for these ranged from around £40 – £120 for each product used, which let’s face it, isn’t cheap, but y’all know I would rather spend money on skincare that actually works and makes a difference then some other areas of beauty. (I mean, it is your face after all!). I then sat in the make-up chair ready for a full Suqqu makeover!
Suqqu’s make-up range is pretty vast and as a new addition, they have just launched their Suqqu Summer 2015 collection, which is based on the colours of a Japanese Sunset – such a pretty image! Natalie used the first eyeshadow trio from this collection for me, which includes a shimmery white highlight colour, a bright pastel orange statement colour and a dark purple crease colour. Certainly not my usual eye look but Natalie did a great job and I liked that she recommended these colours to me to bring out the green in my eyes.
After my make-up was complete, Natalie talked me through the rest of the products on the Suqqu stand. They have a great variety of colour in their eyeshadows and lipsticks, so it was the perfect opportunity for me to try out something new. The favourite products Natalie used on me were the waterproof eyebrow pen – a favourite of star make-up artist and beauty vlogger Lisa Eldridge apparently – and the Suqqu Liquid Foundation. I was colour 101, and it was the perfect shade for me, which is pretty hard to find for a pale person such as myself! I was tempted to purchase, but at £58 it might have to be a special occassion buy…
Over all, I really enjoyed trying out Suqqu, particularly the skincare element: it seems very much like the types of products I like buying – rich, gentle and thick creams rather than the more ‘scientifically’ marketed products. Their products definitely aren’t high street, but hey, we all need to treat ourselves and I would rather buy products that are good to my skin in the long run. I am highly tempted to pop back in for the Suqqu Liquid Foundation on payday, but only on the condition that I get to have another Gankin facial… I’m a convert!
Full time I'm an ambitious Head of Marketing and Communications in the luxury industry. Part time, I'm an enthusiastic British Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle blogger and YouTuber from Manchester, UK. This blog has been my outlet for the past 7+ years, and as a longstanding, Award-winning blogger I take the most enjoyment from creating content I truly love and believe in. All authentic. Always.
