Chanel Eyeshadow Quad in Enigma - Review & swatches

I couldn't resist this beautiful eyeshadow quad by Chanel last week when I made the trip to my local Chanel counter (which is not that local!) to get my hands on Paradoxal. So here is a closer look at it.

The quad is number 19 and is called Enigma, part of the Chanel Fall Collection 2010 that was released on Friday 13th August. Perfect for creating a smokey looks, it consists of a shimmery peach, a dark taupe, a blackened plum and a charcoal grey. All 4 shades have a shimmer to them. For the swatches, the shadows were applied dry but obviously they could be applied wet for more intensity. Unfortunately, the peach shade doesn't show up that well in the photo because it is very similar to my natural skin tone.

From left to right the colours are:

Charcoal Grey
Blackened Plum
Dark Taupe
Shimmery Peach









Although the colours are not groundbreaking, I adore this palette because they are just the shades I have been looking for to create an easy yet sophisticated look as Autumn draws near. I have been wearing the lightest colour all over the eye and then the plum colour as a liner for day. For the evening, I have used the grey and taupe on the lid and crease with the plum applied wet as liner. The peach colour makes a great highlighter for underneath the brow bone and in the inner corners of the eye.

The great thing about the palette is that the colours are fairly neutral, they would be hard to class as either warm or cool. Although I feel that the Collection as a whole is probably more suited to those with cooler undertones, I think that this palette would suit everyone.

However, I would recommend before buying that you dig out your exisiting eyeshadows because it is quite possible that you may already have a few of these shades, in which case it is probably not worth spending £34 for maybe one unique colour. I have a lot of Bobbi Brown neutrals but the Chanel quad is deeper in tone than these, but I think if you own a lot of Dior quints then you may be at risk of duplicating.

If, like me, you have fallen hook, line and sinker for the whole Chanel Fall look, then this palette is worth the money as it will tie in with any other products you buy from the collection. When my bank balance has recovered from from my latest haul, I look forward to trying the shadows with the eyeliner in Cassis, the new blushers and the latest Rouge Coco in Chintz.

Chanel Fall Collection has arrived at www.garden.co.uk

Just a quick heads up to everyone that the latest Chanel Fall Makeup Collection has now arrived online at www.garden.co.uk. The collection hit the stores last Friday so it is a week late at the Garden Pharmacy. However, the good news is that products that might have already sold out in store last week are available to buy online. In particular, the Nail Vernis in Paradoxal is still showing as in stock on the website.

Having already bought Paradoxal myself last week, I was looking through my nail polish collection to see if there were any dupes and yesterday I think I found one! Nails Inc Fulham Road looks almost exactly the same in the bottle (I haven't tried it on the nails yet). I think that it may be veering more on the lilac side as opposed to the Chanel that is more dove grey, but if you either can't get hold of Paradoxal or want a cheaper alternative, Fulham Road could be for you.

It is available for jut £5 at www.bathandunwind.com/brands/Nails-Inc-Fulham-Road-Nail-Polish.htm

Chanel Paradoxal - Worth the hype?

In the words of Jane Austen, 'It is a truth universally acknowledged that ............ every season Chanel will design the must-have nail colour of the season'. It started with Jade, then came Particuliere, Nouvelle Vague was this summer and now Paradoxal has hit the shelves.

I managed to pick up a bottle of Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Paradoxal first thing this morning and the sales assistant said they were expecting it to sell out by lunchtime. Previous must-have colours by Chanel have ended up on eBay for 2,3,4 and even 5 times the RRP of £16.50 so the lesson is if you want it, buy it now!

The question is, is it worth all the hype?

Before I answer, I must confess to being a bit of a nail junkie. I adore colour and am like a human magpie for all things shiny, so nail varnish is the perfect way for me to express this. As you can see from the photo above, I have the most recent Chanel sell outs but I was a little hesitant over this latest as I had thought it could be a little too similar to Vendetta. For this reason, I have taken some photos of this shade on my nails so that if you were thinking the same thing, you can compare the two.

Vendetta is a very dark purple that can almost look black in certain lights. It has a metallic edge to it and is best described as black with a hint of purple.

When I saw Paradoxal in person and tried it out, I was surprised at how light it is. It is almost more similar to Particuliere than Vendetta. It is a cool mushroom colour with subtle metallic lilac running through it. At first glance it looks like a slate grey, but the lilac that is shot through it gives it that modern edge. It has proved quite difficult to photograph, despite my best efforts, but at least it gives you an idea how it looks on the nails.

I love purple and this shade was not what I expected, but I think it is a fantastic colour for Autumn/Winter. Neutral enough to be worn everyday to work, but the added twist gives it that extra air of sophistication. There are many colours on the market that may appear similar, for example Nails Inc have some great greys and OPI do fabulous metallics and shimmers, but I haven't seen anything that combines this dove grey base with cool lilac in such a natural way.

So, to answer the original question, yes, Chanel have done it again and Paradoxal is worth the hype. I think it would look fantastic on any ages and is the perfect shade for any woman looking for a bit of Parisian Chic. If you prefer bold, statement colours, this may not be for you, but if effortless elegance is what you are after, Paradoxal can't be beaten.

If this post has whetted your appetite and you can't get to a Chanel counter pronto, there are 3 online retailers that I know of that haven't yet launched the Fall Collection so they should have stock tomorrow. These are :

http://www.garden.co.uk/,

http://www.debenhams.com/

http://www.boots.com/

I had a quick look at the rest of the Chanel Fall Collection and it is stunning. I think it would probably suit cooler skintones as there are a lot of deep purples and smokey greys but there is something for everyone. There are 3 new blushers, a bright pink, deep plum and neutral rose, a smokey eye shadow quad, 3 new shades of the Rouge Coco lipstick, 2 eyeliners and 2 single eye shadows in khaki and grey.

I couldn't resist the eyeshadow quad and rose blush, but I could easily have bought everything if my budget had allowed! Although I really enjoyed the Summer pop up collection of nail varnishes and lip products, this new collection is my favourite from the last few years. When my bank balance has fully recovered, I will undoubtedly be back for more.

I will try and post some photos of the eyeshadow quad and blush tomorrow but a word of warning if considering entering a department store this weekend, there are so many beautiful Fall Collections out now, particularly at Dior and Estee Lauder, not to mention Nars and No.7, that your wallet could take a beating!

Happy Shopping

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