Maybelline Color Explosion palettes are Diamonds in Asia!

I am always fascinated to see foreign versions of US products, whether it be candy, beauty products, or anything else! So when my lovely reader Steffany was recently in Taiwan, she spotted the Maybelline quints, only they're not called Eye Studio Color Explosion in Taiwan: they're called Eye Studio Diamond Palettes.

But that's not the only difference!

image credit: Steffany for Nouveau Cheap

As you can see, instead of the "luminizing top coat" that we get in the US, there's a matte black with glitter in its place. Also, the shades of the other shadows look to be slightly different (or in some cases dramatically different) and the locations of the shades within the palettes are different as well.

Steffany writes:

Green palette: a matte black with green sparkles, a metallic silver, two shimmery olive shades and a light shimmery green.

Here's the US version so you can compare for yourself:

 (all US version pics courtesy of Jess -- originally published in this post)

Next, here's the Asian version of the blue palette:

image credit: Steffany for Nouveau Cheap

Steffany writes:

Blue palette: a matte black with blue sparkles, a metallic white, a shimmery navy blue, a shimmery silver and a light shimmery cerulean blue.

 The Asian version of the brown palette:

 

 image credit: Steffany for Nouveau Cheap

Steffany writes:

Taupe/brown palette: a matte black with browny-bronze sparkles, a metallic beige, a shimmery maroon, and two shimmery taupe shades. (You would love this palette, G.!) 

You are absolutely RIGHT, Steffany! I do! I do!!

Steffany said there was also a purple palette, but it was sold out. I think we can assume that it's a variation of the US purple palette, which you can see here.

[UPDATE: Steffany visited another store and discovered there are TWO additional Diamond Palettes: one contains pinks and the other contains greys.]

Also, there is a GOLD palette (we do not have a gold palette in the US, but instead we have a pink one, which you can see here). Lucky for us, there was a tester available of this gold palette, so Steffany even shared some swatches!

 image credit: Steffany for Nouveau Cheap

Steffany writes:

Gold/bronze palette: a matte black with bronze sparkles, a metallic creamy white, a shimmery taupe, a shimmery light bronze and a shimmery yellow-y gold.

As you can see, the gold has pigmentation that leaves much to be desired, as does the black. In the pan, both seem very promising but fall short when applied. However, the other three shades (especially the taupe!) pleasantly surprised me with their pigmentation.

image credit: Steffany for Nouveau Cheap

Thanks SO much, Steffany, for taking the time to share these beautiful Diamond Palettes with us!

What do you think of the Asian version of the Color Explosion palettes? Do you live in Asia? If so, have you spotted these in you area and do you own any? If you don't live in Asia, do you wish you had access to this version? I'd love to hear your thoughts!