Lancôme | Or Vendôme, Parisian Lights Collection 2014

Inspired by the chill Wintry beauty of Parisian nights & lights at the end of the year, the Lancôme Parisian Lights Collection for Holiday 2014, includes this truly fabulous Or Vendôme (DR09) palette that holds five eminently wearable shades that can be combined to create enough looks to tide you well past the party circuit.

Nude colours are still holding court with beauty lovers the world over, and this Or Vendôme palette is one that has been flying under most people’s radar, being overshadowed by so many other brands. But don’t let the fact that it’s part of a ‘gold collection’ fool you; this is a palette that will transcend the seasons and quickly become a makeup wardrobe staple. I mean, just look at it.

Or Vendôme, Limited Edition (CAN $55.00) | Housed in a sleek rectangular compact, this limited edition version comes with a textured gold cover that gives this palette a vintage-y & somewhat glamorous vibe. The inner mirror displays an eyeshadow placement chart (useful only if you’re not sure where to layer the shades; otherwise, feel free to mix & match) and there are 2 small applicators included (I’m not a fan of these types of included applicators as I prefer to use my own brushes – plus, I feel that the space allotted for the applicators could have been put to better use here, by enlarging each shade in the centre section instead. But maybe that’s just me). Where the Or Vendôme palette really comes into its own, however, is with the actual shades … that are nothing less than absolutely gorgeous.

The surface of each eyeshadow bears a textured look – almost like that of raw silk – which becomes quickly smoothed out with use. The shades are finely milled and emit very little powdery kickback when brushes are swirled through them, and all can be applied with either a dry brush for a light wash of colour (that is still buildable), or with a dampened brush for more impact, drama, and intensity. The colour breakdown, with 1 & 2 being the two largest shades in the compact, respectively:

warm taupe with rose-gold undertone, satin finish
soft gold with a peachy undertone and slightly more visible gold flecks, satin finish
sooty charcoal with slight pink & blue reflects (very understated), satin finish
milk chocolate brown, satin finish
pale gold (warm-leaning), the most shimmery finish of the five

As seen in the swatches below, applying these shades damp also serves to bring out all their complex qualities, with each individual shimmer becoming more apparent, but still well within a very wearable context. The beauty of the Or Vendôme palette, is that while the theme may be gold, I feel it falls closer to the neutral/nude range, and as such these are selections you’ll want to turn to over and over again – although that doesn’t take away from the fact that these shades can also be amped up for a more sophisticated evening look, if desired.

Lancôme | Or Vendôme Smoky Eyes Palette, limited edition

Lancôme | Or Vendôme Smoky Eyes Palette, limited edition (swatched dry)

Lancôme | Or Vendôme Smoky Eyes Palette, limited edition (swatched damp)

For some reason, I don’t own many Lancôme palettes in my beauty arsenal, but after having played with the Or Vendôme palette these past few weeks, that’s all about to change. The versatility of this palette – both in terms of colour/payoff and dual nature (as in the shades being able to be worn wet or dry), makes this a worthy investment, especially if you’re a fan of neutral shades like I am, while the superb quality overall, just sweetens the deal. The only downside, is the fact that it’s a limited edition item – which is a damn shame, as something like this needs to be part of the permanent lineup. Listen up, Lancôme.

Still available now, while supplies last at counters. Visit www.lancome.ca for more brand info.