We all know that 2023 has been predicted to be a Barbie girl summer with the launch of the campy, pink-filled, and cute Barbie movie coming out later this month. However, what if I told you that it might be a “Sanrio summer” instead?
That’s right! I seriously think that the Sanrio stans are out to play, and it’s all because of the newest launch from K-beauty brand Rom&nd (pronounced as “rom and you,” but I also like to call them “rom and” for the logo’s sake). They recently released the cutest collection by far on July 1, 2023, and features their popular characters, My Melody and Kuromi.
My Melody and Kuromi: Why Are They The Focus?
Both My Melody and Kuromi are both iconic bunny characters that have been heavily integrated in Sanrio’s branding. My Melody has been a long-time favorite for young girls since its creation in 1975, a year after the creation of Hello Kitty. It’s crazy to think that this character has existed for so long. I even found out that my mom loved this character so much when she was a teenager around that time, so the love for Sanrio definitely runs in the family, so to say.
On the other hand, Kuromi is somewhat of a newer addition to the Sanrio character lineup. Kuromi was created in 2005, which is 30 years after the creation of My Melody. The reason for her creation was to act as a rival in the anime series Onegai My Melody. I always thought that Kuromi and My Melody were twins or best friends with opposing aesthetics/personalities since they were both cute white bunnies. Did you know about this?
Don’t be fooled by the fact that My Melody and Kuromi are not the founding characters of the Sanrio brand. Turns out they are more popular than you’d think! According to a 2022 annual popularity ranking by Sanrio, both of the bunnies were more popular than Hello Kitty. Almost 26,500,000 people (that’s more than the Australian population, by the way) took part in this poll where it was shown that My Melody was in 5th place and Kuromi was in 3rd place, just behind of Pom Pom Purin and Cinnamoroll. I guess people love using Kuromi as a way to show their edgy side since she makes it look so kawaii.
With the popularity of the rival bunnies in a single collab by a top Korean beauty brand, it’s clear to see that this cute collab makes lots of sense to add to your makeup collection or your Sanrio obsession. If this collection is tugging at your heartstrings and your wallet, I seriously don’t blame you because I’m with you, too.
The Product Lineup
Upon first glance at this collab, you would be impressed to see that there is something for everyone. The product range is surprisingly great since they have not just everyday makeup, but also lip products and nail polishes.
You can tell that Rom&nd knew that we couldn’t get enough of Sanrio because they provided two versions of their products: one for the My Melody fans, and one for the Kuromi fans. Well, you don’t have to choose sides because both characters are so cute.
Both sets include:
- a liquid foundation cushion with a color-coordinated applicator
- an eyeshadow palette
- two Juicy Lasting Tints (aka lip glosses that leave a slight stain) that have been described to be an affordable dupe to Rare Beauty’s plumping lip gloss stains
- a water gloss tint (aka transparent glosses)
- two nail polish shades
- a cap decor for the Juicy Lasting Tints
In total, there are 14 products that you can purchase from this collection. Compared to other collections I’ve seen, this is pretty generous! Check out Rom&nd’s Instagram post below to see the lineup for My Melody and Kuromi-themed products:
I think what makes this collab stand out is that there are two different color palettes: a bright, neutral pastel pink palette for My Melody and a mauve-y, dark-hued palette for Kuromi. There’s two different ranges of colors that you can choose from if you’re thinking of dabbling in a palette outside of your comfort zone. I personally love this since I’ve been wanting to experiment more with mauves and berry hues in my makeup collection.
Even the nail polish releases are so tempting to try out. There are two shimmers that are either a clear base with pink glitter or a black base with purple glitter. The plain shades are pastel and seem to have a light consistency that reminds me of Korean GelX polishes. You can call them GelX finishes or the glazed donut finish.
The only slight similarity between the two designs would have to be the foundation cushions and maybe the darker shades for the eyeshadow palettes. However, this collection from the packaging to the colors has a lot of thought into it.
It also appears that this collab will come with its own gift set. From one of Rom&nd’s Instagram posts, you can see that you can purchase a cushion along with a set of transparent glosses. The best part? It all comes together in a box that looks like a gameboy! The collab is Y2k themed, so it’s supposed to give the same vibe as the cute little stationaries you would use when you were younger.
Of Course, You Can Get Freebies
To make the Y2K theme hit even harder, Rom&nd will also be providing stickers and cap sets for the Juicy Lasting Tints for decoration. These decals will be given to people who purchase a certain subtotal minimum, so they are not sold separately.
Where Can I Find This?
Unfortunately, this collection seems to only be available in OliveYoung stores in South Korea. Yes, I am also crying inside as I type about this lol.
The good thing about the world wide web is that you can probably find some Kbeauty resellers if you really have to get your hands on this. In the meantime, you can probably wait for this to be distributed later on through the OliveYoung website. It will just take a while to see if that happens.
So, will you be keeping an eye out for these? Are they not something you want to try? Let us know down below.
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