Chanel single Ombre Essentielle eye shadows are often overlooked in favor of the glitzy quads, but the truth is the singles have proven to be a better buy for me- they have richer and deeper pigments than several of the quads, less shimmer and often a smoother texture. The Ombre Essentielle shadows blend perfectly and I often reach for them when I'm in a hurry and need a fool-proof, quick and easy look.
The fall 2010 collection, Les Contrastes de Chanel, offers Enigma, a very nice quad which I liked in theory but when tested at Saks it just wasn't all that exciting and the light pink shade looked all kinds of wrong on me. So I passed on it and picked instead the two gorgeous singles, 87 Taupe Grise and 88 Vert Khaki, both embody the look and spirit of the dramatic fall collection while still easy to wear and combine with nudes and neutrals. These two colors have depth, subtle shimmer and look like a million dollar even with minimal effort and work.
Vert Khaki is a dark golden olive. It's very close to Bobbi Brown's Golden Leaf from last year's Ivy League collection, just less shimmery and a little more brown-based. Taupe Grise is a complex taupe (thank you, Ms. Obvious) that looks like a gray smoke over a chocolate base. If you saw Christine's photos and swatches on Temptalia, hers seem to be much more cooler toned. I double and triple checked mine to make sure I didn't pick and photograph the wrong color and it's a warm taupe both in the pan and on skin. Please also take note I swatched with a sponge applicator to show the colors' full intensity. When using a good brush the shades are more muted and can be softened and toned down for an elegant daytime look.
Bottom Line: I'm wearing these eye shadows right now. Not waiting for fall.
Chanel Ombre Essentielle Eye Shadows in Taupe Grise 87 Vert Khaki 88 are a limited edition for Fall 2010. Both colors ($28.50 each) can be found at every Chanel counter and on chanel.com.
All photos are mine.
Lovely photos and swatches. Taupe Grise is more warmish brown on me too. I also thought I had mislabeled my swatches so I checked again - but no, for some reason mine goes on warmer than it appears in the container.
ReplyDeleteI have Vert Khaki now I NEED Taupe Grise - as if I wasn't already obsessing over this. I have worn my Vert Khaki for a work safe smoky eye look. Yes, I cannot wait for Fall either - I even wore Paradoxal on my nails last week. However, I switched back to Coral this week just so I can stay tuned with the current season even though it's FOGGY here in SF =(
ReplyDeleteHonestly I'm drooling. These look amazing, after seeing these photos I think I want these much more than the Enigma quad. I can't wait for their release in the UK (Aug 13th in case anyone else was wondering).
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing,
Jane x
I agree. I think I'm going to make the switch from quads to singles. There are quads in my collection that I love, butthe single eyeshadows are stunning and have a better success rate.
ReplyDeleteI bought the Enigma quad and Taupe Grise. Although at first glance it might seem like Taupe Grise replicates one of the Enigma colors, when I actually swatched them on my skin, there was enough difference to justify buying them both. You're right, though, about the singles all too often being overlooked. That's a shame as many of them are true treasures. I have several and love each and every one for the smooth texture, gorgeous color, and ease of blending.
ReplyDeleteGray over chocolate and complex describes this well-- I get a warmer tone too (nc15). This is a must have -- over Enigma-- for most women. Love your review!
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