The 5 Most Impressive Chinese New Year Makeup Collections You’ll Want To Flaunt

As we’re gearing up for Lunar New Year, you might have noticed lots of red, gold, and lucky motifs popping up around your shopping mall or HDB estate. Oh don’t worry, your vanity table won’t be left out too.

To celebrate the ‘Year of the Ox’, beauty brands have come up with CNY limited edition products to shower us with good luck, prosperity, and a pretty product or two. Here are the ones who went beyond just impressive packaging — you’re looking at full collections that include eyeshadow, highlighters, and more, alongside the yearly red lipstick drops.

shu uemura — Iron Reds collection

shu uemura’s Iron Reds collection celebrates both the New Year and the resilient confidence of modern women, which the brand believes is best expressed with red lips — 13 shades, in particular.

Rouge Unlimited lipsticks are infused with a molten metal finish, in shades inspired by ‘oxy fire’, or a stimulating fusion of orange and red. These range from orange-tinted reds to cool rusty browns, and include the ultra-flattering RD163 to suit Asian complexions.

The limited edition packaging of melting gold on a red backdrop extends across Rouge Unlimited Lacquer Shine, Matte, Metallic, and Liquid Matte formulas, as well as other iconic products from the Japanese beauty brand.

shu uemura ultime8 sublime beauty cleansing oil, $165 (450ml) ; Hard Formula in Seal Brown / Acorn, $33 ; petal 55 foundation brush, $80 ; rouge unlimited RD163, $44.
available at shu uemura stores and counters.

Urban Decay — CNY 2021 collection

Manifest both luck and good vibes with Urban Decay’s series of CNY goodies, which come wrapped in limited edition packaging. A beautiful red and gold foil design goes across the famous All Nighter Setting Spray, the Vice Lipstick in the deep red shade of Bad Blood, as well as the Stoned Eyeshadow Palette, launched last year.

The gemstones-inspired palette is the star of the Stoned Vibes collection, and features 12 shades with plenty of glitter within the palette; these formulas are actually infused with genuine tourmaline too, so you can carry the power of healing crystals with you wherever you go. It’s also a nice way to rock an unexpected eye look during this year’s festivities.

Urban Decay Limited Edition Stoned Eyeshadow Palette, $83 ; Limited Edition All Nighter Setting Spray, $48 ; Limited Edition Vice Lipstick Bad Blood, $31.
available at urban decay stores and counters.

Charlotte Tilbury — limited edition New Year collection

Charlotte Tilbury’s beauty secrets are all stored in these Hollywood-ready formulas of hers, and this time, we’re getting the most lucky red packaging as well, studded with gold and looking as dreamy as we’d expect. The bestselling Magic Cream gives skin a lustrous glow that’s always welcome any season, making this moisturiser a worthy gift for a CT-obsessed friend (or yourself).

Then, there are three new red shades to rock on your lips, all in that limited edition packaging, of course. The Matte Revolution Lipstick is represented by the shades Lucky Cherry, a bright red inspired by love and luck, and Rose Wish, a muted brick red; then, there’s the K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Sweet Blossom, a hydrating rusty rose inspired by the blossom.

Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte’s New Year Magic Cream – Limited Edition, $150 ; Matte Revolution Lipstick in Lucky Cherry and Rose Wish, $52 ; K.I.S.S.I.N.G in Sweet Blossom, $52.
Available on SEPHORA.SG and at Sephora ION, Ngee Ann City, Westgate, Marina Bay Sands, Vivo City, Plaza Singapura and Tampines.

Estée Lauder — Lunar New Year collection

You’d recognise Estée Lauder’s ANR bottle from a mile away, though this year’s limited edition packaging of red and gold is inspired by peonies, which represent prosperity, good luck, and honour.

The Lunar New Year collection extends just beyond that skincare essential though — there are also makeup items that include a Double Wear Cushion Compact, Pure Color Envy Eyeshadow Palette, and Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick in a creamy, classic red of ‘Immortal’. As for the palette, your eyes will bloom with flattering, versatile shades of light, mid, and deep toned neutrals.

Estée Lauder Limited Edition Eyeshadow Palette, $75 ; Limited Edition Red Double Wear Cushion Compact, $75 ; Limited Edition Red Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick in Immortal, $52.
available at Estée Lauder stores, and via the Estée Lauder Concierge Service WhatsApp +65 9641 3792. Limited Edition Advanced Night Repair and Limited Edition Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick in Immortal, available at Sephora and Sephora.sg.

M.A.C Cosmetics — Moon Masterpiece collection

M.A.C. Cosmetics is clearly steering away from predictable red this season, with an exciting New Year collection that sees their respected makeup products adorned in limited edition Pop Art-inspired packaging.

The auspicious goldfish is doing swimmingly well on both the vibrant cases, and as the centrepiece motif of the Extra Dimension Skinfinish, a liquid-powder highlighter that gives a luminous gold glow.

Then, there’s the 9-pan Eyeshadow Palette of rich, trendy colours, where a glittering sky blue and coral-pink certainly stand out among the more neutral taupes, beiges, and browns. If there’s one thing to get though, consider the Powder Kiss Lipstick for its comfortable soft-focus matte finish.

M.A.C Cosmetics Moon Masterpiece Eyeshadow Palette in Sea of Plenty, $80 ; Moon Masterpiece Extra Dimension Skinfinish – Liquid-Powder Highlighter in Double Gleam, $62 ; Moon Masterpiece Powder Kiss Lipstick in Turn Up Your Luck, $36.
Available at m.a.c stores and counters, including TANGS.

 


Banner images: shu uemura, Urban Decay, Charlotte Tilbury.