Chanel Le Rouge Collection N°1 Les 4 Ombres Candeur et Expérience, Stylo Yeux Waterproof Éros & Dimensions de Chanel Subversif

Hello August!  I am crushing hard on this Fall 2016’s collections, and I just can’t wait to get all of them out to you.  I had started giving you a peek at the fabulous Chanel Le Rouge Collection N°1 yesterday with the Le Vernis [see here], and today I will be jumping into that fabulous Les 4 Ombres powder eyeshadow palette along with the complementary Stylo Jeux Waterproof and Dimensions de Chanel!

This season, Chanel gives you no reason to hide, but empowers women to break taboos.  Wearing red on the eyes was once something to be feared, but no longer so.  And that old saying that one should pick 1 feature to play up and leave the rest of the face soft is definitely out.  If there is ever a time to step out with bold eyes, bright cheeks and red lips, it is now.

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Candeur et Experience is a stunning limited edition eyeshadow palette that demands to be noticed.  It is unlike anything I’ve ever seen from Chanel or anywhere else, not only because of all those warm hues and that brick red… but it is entirely matte!  It is definitely a challenge for me because warm hues generally clash on my skin tone, and matte textures tend to age my mature eyes even more.  It appears that the makeup gods heard my lament about how everything is starting to look the same, and given us something truly exciting.

Just a quick word here for my fellow Chanel fiends, if you examine the palette closely, the individual shadow pans are less domed than the usual Les 4 Ombres, and the surface is perfectly smooth instead of textured.  It is mostly just presentation though, because the quality is top notch and Candeur et Experience is made in Italy.  Each shade is creamy and smooth to the touch, and so well pigmented even the lightest shade here shows up on my lids with just the merest of touch.  All 4 shades blend like a dream, and they complement each other so well it doesn’t require any guesswork in terms of color placement.

The swatches, from left to right, correspond to the shades on palette clockwise from top left:

• Top left of palette – medium reddened brown
• Top right of palette – light-medium brown-beige
• Bottom right – dark chocolate brown
• Bottom left – medium brick red that pulls brownish

My arm is rather dry when I swatched these, in reality the shades are much smoother and lusher than it appears.  I am also very happy to find that there is a luster to the shades so they wear beautifully even on my dry, crepey lids, and does not look flat at all.

Here is how Candeur et Experience looks on me:

This is a softer take on the look worn by Kristen Stewart in the campaign poster, but it is a look that I feel is more wearable  on a daily basis.  I started with the light-medium beige all over my lid, and layered the medium reddened brown on the inner half of my lid.  Thereafter, I placed the red on the outer third, and dark chocolate brown on the outer v.  I lined the outer third of my lash line top and bottom with Stylo Yeux Waterproof in Eros and blended it out with the dark chocolate brown for a bit more emphasis.  Finished with 2 coats of Dimensions de Chanel in Subversif.

And as I had just demonstrated, they really all work together beautifully.  But just in case, Candour et Experience is too overwhelming for you, or you prefer subtler touches, I highly recommend you check out Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof in Eros.  I love these pencil eyeliners from Chanel as they are unsurpassably smooth (the formula seems to get better with every season!) and pigmented.  The fact that they swivel up and down and have a built-in sharpener at the end just makes them even more desirable to me.  Eros is 1 of 2 new shades this season, and is going to be available permanently (the other Agape is limited edition though not as interesting imho).

I thought I’ve had enough of coloured mascaras, but I cannot resist another Dimensions de Chanel!!  This new formula was released just a few months ago [reviewed here] in the Eyes Speak Volumes collection, and this Subversif is a new limited edition shade.  It is a deep eggplant, so deep it looks black on my lashes, but softer and less harsh.  The color may be more prominent on those with lighter lashes though.  Here are the swatches for your reference:

And finally, here is how it all look in context:

I’m also wearing Chanel Joues Contraste Blush in Rouge Profond and Rouge Allure Velvet in Rouge Charnel in this look above.  Will be reviewing them along with more of the collection in the ensuing days, so stay tuned!!

_{This post featured products that were generously provided for my consideration.  Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.}