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Which edition to buy: 8 luxury skincare samples, or a full-size tint and eyeliner?
Based on the February issue preview published on MAQUIA’s official site on .
Prices change; check the latest on each EC site.
The short answer: which one suits you
MAQUIA (マキア) is Shueisha’s monthly beauty magazine. The February issue goes on sale on Tuesday, December 22. Its gift boxes were curated by beauty expert Megumi Kanzaki, and for the first time the issue comes in three editions at once. According to MAQUIA, the editions are identical except for the cover, the cover-makeup pages and the gift — so the gift is all you need to compare.
- 7 department-store brands, including SHISEIDO, Cosme Decorte, Givenchy and Helena Rubinstein
- Mostly serums, lotion and cream
- An early sample of POLA’s new serum, released January 1, 2027
- Full-size Laka tint and D-UP eyeliner
- One random shade of each
- Plus Lancôme serum, UV cream and foundation samples
Plenty of readers buy both: the Special edition for skincare samples, the regular edition for everyday makeup.
Special edition: the 8 items in THE 恵 BOX
The cover calls it an “8-piece luxury department-store cosmetics set”. Here is the list:
| Brand | Item | Size |
|---|---|---|
| SHISEIDO | Ultimune Power Infusing Serum | 10mL |
| Cosme Decorte | Youth Power Essence Lotion | 14mL (about 6 uses) |
| POLA | Wrinkle Shot Medical Serum (quasi-drug) | 1 sachet |
| Parfums Givenchy | Sculptural Serum | 5mL |
| Yves Saint Laurent | Libre Eau de Parfum | 1.2mL |
| Burberry Beauty | Beyond Wear Radiance Primer | 5mL |
| Helena Rubinstein | Re-Plasty R.C. Cream | 2 sachets |
| Helena Rubinstein | Re-Plasty Reconstruction Night Cream 50PX | 1 sachet |
The five minis alone are worth about ¥9,000
Gift-info site furoku.net worked this out from each brand’s full-size volume and price: the five mini-size items add up to about ¥8,984. The three Helena Rubinstein sachets and the POLA sachet aren’t included.
| Gift item | Full size (reference) | Value by volume |
|---|---|---|
| SHISEIDO 10mL | 50mL · ¥15,180 | ~¥3,036 |
| Givenchy 5mL | 30mL · ¥15,730 | ~¥2,622 |
| Cosme Decorte 14mL | 150mL · ¥16,500 | ~¥1,540 |
| Burberry 5mL | 30mL · ¥7,370 | ~¥1,228 |
| YSL 1.2mL | 30mL · ¥13,970 | ~¥558 |
| Total for 5 items | ~¥8,984 | |
Full-size prices are each brand’s tax-inclusive list price, as compiled by furoku.net (checked November 11, 2026).
Highlights
- Helena Rubinstein‘s Re-Plasty is the brand’s top-tier line, and getting to try two of its creams is rare.
- POLA‘s Wrinkle Shot Medical Serum is a new version launching January 1, 2027 — the cover promises you can “try it before release”.
- Cosme Decorte‘s 14mL lotion is about six uses, enough to test it properly for several days.
Regular edition: THE 神 BOX with two full-size items
| Brand | Item | Qty |
|---|---|---|
| Laka | Popping Balloon Tint (full size, 4.5g) | 1 (random 1 of 5 shades) |
| D-UP | Silky Liquid Eyeliner WP (full size) | 1 (random 1 of 3 shades) |
| Lancôme | Rénergie C.R.x Triple Serum RT | 1 sachet |
| Lancôme | Absolue The UV Cream | 1 sachet |
| Lancôme | Teint Idole Ultra Wear Liquid N | 2 sachets |
| INOUI | Glow Primer | 2 sachets |
| LOA | THE EMULSION | 4 scents × 1 sachet |
The two full-size items: ¥3,410 at list price
Laka’s Popping Balloon Tint lists at ¥1,980 and D-UP’s Silky Liquid Eyeliner WP at ¥1,430 (tax included, per furoku.net). These are the actual retail products, not samples, so they go straight into your makeup bag.
- Laka: described as a plumping tint with “a clear, water-like shine and plenty of moisture”. You get one of five shades.
- D-UP: a long-wearing liquid liner with a “smooth, brush-like glide”, in Brown Black, Chiffon Pink or Perfect Brown.
- Lancôme Rénergie is a serum aimed at “stubborn wrinkles, morning and night”.
You can’t choose the shade. MAQUIA states that each box holds one shade, which can’t be selected or exchanged. If you need a specific colour, buy the product itself.
A third option: the Shueisha Special extra edition
A “Shueisha Special extra edition” (集英社スペシャル増刊) comes out the same day. Its gift is THE 美 BOX with 15 items — Kiehl’s, IPSA, a SABON eau de parfum (one of two scents, random) and a CANMAKE eyeliner among them — mixing department-store and drugstore brands. Its cover is Fuka Koshiba, like the regular edition.
The Special edition cover is orange and the regular one is pink. When ordering, check that the title includes “スペシャル版” or “スペシャル増刊”.
How to pre-order and when it arrives
- Open the product page from a button above and check the title matches the edition you want (“MAQUIA（マキア）2027年2月号 集英社スペシャル版” or “MAQUIA（マキア）2027年2月号”).
- Click “今すぐご予約ください” (pre-order now) to place the order.
- The release date is Tuesday, December 22; delivery follows the date shown on the product page.
MAQUIA notes that online shops may sell out and recommends also reserving at a bookstore. It also warns about fake sites selling the magazine at inflated prices, so check the seller before you order.
For more Amazon Japan deals, see our daily-updated Amazon deals. For New Year lucky bags, see Japan Lucky Bags 2027.
FAQ
- Q. Is the magazine content different between editions?
- No. Apart from the cover, the cover-makeup pages and the gift, all three editions are the same (per MAQUIA).
- Q. When does it go on sale?
- Tuesday, December 22, 2026. All three editions release on the same day.
- Q. Can I get both gift boxes with one copy?
- No. Each edition comes with its own box only, so you’d need two copies to get both.
- Q. Can I choose the tint and eyeliner shades?
- No. Laka comes in one of five shades and D-UP in one of three, at random, and they can’t be exchanged.
- Q. Which gift is all department-store brands?
- The Special edition’s THE 恵 BOX: SHISEIDO, Cosme Decorte, POLA, Parfums Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, Burberry Beauty and Helena Rubinstein — 7 brands, 8 items.
- Q. What is the Special edition gift worth?
- furoku.net puts the five mini-size items at about ¥8,984 by volume, not counting the three Helena Rubinstein sachets and the POLA sachet.
- Q. What is the POLA sample?
- A new version of Wrinkle Shot Medical Serum (quasi-drug), launching January 1, 2027. The magazine gift lets you try it before release.
- Q. Who is on the covers?
- Masaki Hashimoto of timelesz on the Special edition; Fuka Koshiba on the regular and extra editions.
- Q. Where can I pre-order?
- At online stores such as Amazon Japan and at bookstores. MAQUIA recommends bookstores too, as online stock may sell out.
Sources
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