LES 4 OMBRES
Quadra Eyeshadow

Of the eye palettes I tried: Chanel, YSL, Dior, Guerlain, Chanel was the best. Pros: 1) formulation and texture - so finely milled that it's almost creamy to the feel, yet is a powder; 2) color - neither too shimmery nor matte, more of like a "glow" effect. (One needs a little tiny bit of shine for dimension but I found that the other brands I've tried [mentioned above] tend to be too shimmery); 3) pigmentation - very richly pigmented, you don't need a lot to achieve the color desired; 4) well-coordinated - colors go well together, depending on the application, can go from light (for day) to deeper (for night); 5) long-lasting - I apply in the morning and colors stay put until evening without any running or smudging and no irritation. Cons: I do have to agree with other reviewers who are disappointed with the swatches online. You really need to try it on in-store to get the right colors. Overall, I am happy with these palettes and have purchased the Kaskia beige and Nymphea.

I have heard many times that Chanel quads can be either hit or miss regarding the quality and pigmentation, so I was happy to discover that 42 Seduction is a beautiful eyeshadow quad. The colors are very pigmented and soft, a bit powdery, but they apply and blend beautifully on my lids, no fall out at all (make sure you tap off the excess on the brush). Over primer they look soft and pretty, but over MAC Soft Ochre paint pot they become much more vibrant. I think it's a beautiful quad and I'm going to get a lot of use out of it.

It's hard to find good eye shadow at my age. Some can make my eyes look "crepey" and some don't go on as smoothly and blend as well as they did when I was younger. This one is pretty good, but I still haven't quite found what I'm looking for. Also, the colors on the website photo don't quite match what the actual product looks like.

I know this eye shadow is really pricey, but it is absolutely beautiful when applied. If you use their eye primer, it will stay on all day and night. I thought my days of shiny eye shadow were over, but after having my make-up done at the Chanel counter a few years ago, I realized that this is the good stuff and it just applies better than most shadows that are not matte. If you're not sure, get your make-up done by a Chanel rep and then decide if you want to spend the money. I have had my shadow compact for almost two years and just now had to replace it because one color is gone. I have another 4-shade compact that I use alternately, and I do not wear full blown make-up every day so it lasts a little longer than others may find. I would never carry these in my purse and risk them breaking, and I pack very carefully when I travel.

I had strayed from Chanel quads for a period, but they brought me back with Raffinement...so when I learned about the release of Mystere I was very excited! Chanel did not disappoint with this quad. The khaki/bronze tone of this quad makes it a sure fire staple in my collection, and I especially can't wait to wear it in its full intensity come the crisp weather of Fall! I think this quad is beautifully put together albeit a bit on the dark side, it can be blended sheer for daytime or applied more intensely for a bolder look. The texture of the shadows is amazing, and they are perfectly pigmented so that a plethora of looks can be created with this one palette. I am on the pale side (Chanel B20, MAC nc20), but my sister has deeper medium skin and we both love Mystere. Applied correctly, I think it would flatter almost any skinton...just keep on mind that 3 of the 4 shades are fairly dark. Chanel did a superb job with this year's Fall collection and this quad is the perfect centerpiece for such a lovely instillation!