I've been testing out a three new eyeshadows and a quad from Clarins during the last week or so. The shadows are from the new singles range - 16 mineral-based colours that range from basic neutrals to surprisingly vivid brights. The three colours I picked are Lavender Tea, a plummy taupe, Silver Green, a shimmery khaki, and Slate Blue, an almost-matte blue-grey.
Each one comes in a mirrored compact in Clarins' classic cold-gold finish. They're very luxe-looking and enjoyable to pick up and use, although they do attract more than their share of fingerprints. The colours here may be muted, but the payoff is very good, as the swatches show. I've found all three of these work well as a quick all-over-wash colour. They're ideal for work mornings.
The eyeshadow quad is from the forthcoming Odyssey collection, which will come out in mid-October. The case is printed with an ornate circular design - the same design is embossed on the accompanying face palette's lid and powder surface.
The collection is inspired by Greek mythology, and the eyeshadow colours are smouldering neutrals. The standout shade is the foiled gold - it's a creamy consistency that can be built up from a hint of gold sparkle to pure gold leaf all over the lid. It's quite mesmeric. There's just a hint of it in the quick look below.
The other shades are high-quality, smooth and well-pigmented, making this a winner of a palette for those who need to go neutral for work or prefer their makeup subtle. The three flanking shades make for a great warm-neutral everyday look, with the foiled gold providing the "dress up" element for special occasions.
Ombre Minerale eyeshadow singles are £16 each and are available now from Clarins
The Odyssey palette is £30, out in October.
Disclosure - PR samples