Clarins’ Palazzo d’Oro Collection: Gold Attraction Eye Quartet
Clarins Gold Attraction Eye Quartet & Liner Palette ($66.00) is a limited edition holiday palette from Clarins’ Palazzo d’Oro collection, which was “inspired by the light and sumptuous radiance of the architecture of Venice.” It’s a very minimalist collection with four pieces: an eyeshadow palette, a face palette, a lipstick, and a mascara.
The Eye Quartet includes a soft, shimmery milky pink, high-sheen peachy-gold, subdued taupe brown with subtle gold shimmer, and a richer, chocolate brown with just a smidgen of gold specks in it. It also has a black-brown cream liner included with the palette. All four shades are pigmented, and the eyeshadows themselves are smooth to the touch. They blend easily, and this combination of shades is actually very easy to use, because they work so well together. It’s not quite a neutral quad–almost like a neutral quad with a kick, I suppose. It’s perfect for the holidays, but it’s a palette you could easily continue to use throughout the year.
The packaging is stunning; it’s a heavy metal-ish compact that looks like gold. I may even go as far as to say I like the packaging more than the contents! It’s just particularly lovely and well-done, and I am happy that the insides didn’t disappoint.
I only found one drawback for this eyeshadow palette, and it’s the price. The price is really tough to swallow, even for Clarins. Even though you are getting 0.17 oz. of eyeshadow in the palette, it still works out to be $388.24/ounce–which prices it above MAC and NARS, but around the level of Givenchy and Chanel. They sell eyeshadow quartets as part of their regular line-up at $40 each, so I do think you are paying quite a bit on top of this for the packaging itself.
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- Product: 28/30
- Value: 6/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 5/5
Recommendation: If you’re a sucker for packaging, Clarins’ Gold Attraction palette just might sucker you in!
Availability: Clarins, Nordstrom
See swatches…
I tried this on a few days ago, and quite frankly I wasn’t too impressed. The colours all showed up pretty much the same on me, kind of a champagne colour. Also, it was too expensive. I’ve dropped considerably more than that on makeup but this just wasn’t good enough. The lip products from the launch, though.. Mmm mmm.
Hmm, they all looked very different on me! I’m really surprised they looked the same on you – since they’re definitely different colors in the pan. Did even the darkest brown show up as champagne on you?
Sorry you didn’t like it!
Hi, Christine! Well, I’ve got pretty dark skin (NC45/50), so the white flat-out disappeared, same for the gold and the taupe. To be fair, the brown WAS visible, but the quartet just wasn’t good enough to justify the price. Maybe I’m just unlucky!
ahhh, gotcha!
expensive or not these colors look really pretty in the swatch. i agree with your “neutral with a kick” assesment
Thanks for the swatches!!!! I’m torn between this one and Guerlain’s Bal de Nuit quad!!!
Between those two? I’d go Guerlain, no contest.
LOL thanks!!! I was looking to expand my horizons a little
TBH, the quality of Guerlain’s quad is phenom, and the combo is stunning. It’s cheaper, too. I never thought I’d say that about a Guerlain quad…
Yes, I do love their shadows!!! I absolutely fell in love with the bottom left shade of the Bal de Nuit quad!
I love all of the shades except for the pink! But I don’t have seventy bucks for three eyeshadows and a liner, unfortunately.
The colours seem nice and warm and would work well with a brown/bronze smokey eye. Would you be able to post up the pictures of the packaging?
I didn’t snap any, but Karen and Musey have some good shots!
http://www.makeupandbeautyblog.com/cosmetics/clarins-palazzo-doro-collection-gives-the-royal-treatment/
http://www.musingsofamuse.com/2009/10/clarins-palazzo-d%E2%80%99oro-collection-review-swatches-and-photos.html
Very pretty, but I think the price is just too much for me. It will probably be around $80 CAD… That’s 5 MAC eye shadow refills
That’s a very strange price. The spring palettes from Clarins, which are huge, are around 45$ in Canada. And these colours aren’t that special or unique.
The gold is gorgeous, but I would never spend that much on a fairly neutral palette =/