Going Luxe:  Cle de Peau Satin Eye Color

Cle de Peau Satin Eye Color ($45.00 for 0.07 oz.) is the ultimate luxury in eyeshadow.  It’s absolutely fantastic eyeshadow–soft, smooth; it applies like butter and feels like silk.  At $642 per ounce–and to put that into perspective, MAC is $290/oz., NARS is $328/oz., Chanel is $407/oz.–it’s the most expensive eyeshadow I’ve ever tested.  (But I got curious, so I did some research, and La Prairie’s Eyeshadow comes in at $900/oz. and Sisley at $920/oz., so it’s not the priciest one out there…)

Knowing that it’s Cle de Peau, a luxury line, there’s a sense of, “Mmm, ahh, ohh!” from the get-go, which is part of the experience of using high-end or luxury brands.  When I did the math, however, even I had to go,“Whoa!“  I’m going to tell you point blank that I don’t think I’d ever fork over $45 for a single eyeshadow myself (of course, if it was antique gold, maybe we could talk, if my wallet didn’t run away).  But this is something that has to be put into perspective.  I would have (and I have) paid $45 or more for a lipstick (Guerlain) or lipgloss (Cle de Peau!) that I really liked.  I also want to say that Cle de Peau is a luxury brand, so their business is not built on being affordable.  The price tag very much reflects that.

So, putting price aside, the eyeshadow formula does not disappoint.  I tried two shades:  #101, which is a shimmering warmed-up white, and #107, which is a softened plum-mauve with a shimmery finish. Both shades swatched very true-to-color, and the shimmer is softened a bit (almost like a diffused glow) but on the frostier side.  The best way to describe these is exactly as I said earlier:  “it applies like butter and feels like silk.” The two shades I tried were well-pigmented and shimmered in their loveliness.

These also adhere very well to the lids, whether or not you use a base.  Typically, I don’t bother trying out eyeshadows without a base, since wearing an eyeshadow base is nearly a must-do when you wear eyeshadow, period.  However, because Cle de Peau advertises that it can be applied without “fading, creasing, or dulling,” I had to give it a shot.  The eyeshadows have “Hydro-wrap Complex” and Argan Tree Oil for “smooth application and wear.”  Fancy talk, but these do wear well as an all over color and no base, so count me surprised.  They didn’t soften, crease, or fade during the eight hours I wore them to test (and yes, I totally wore #101 on one eye and #107 on the other!).

They are truly lovely and beautiful from start to finish, even if they are jaw-dropping-ly expensive.  I can easily see why someone would purchase these, even if I myself can’t quite afford them!

Has anyone else tried these?  Anyone caved on these?  Must-see shades?

There are also eight other shades in the formula: 102 (smoked, gray-purple), 103 (nude), 104 (peach), 105 (pinked-peach), 106 (subdued brown-pink), 108 (purple amethyst), 109 (medium green), and 110 (soft sky blue).

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• Product: 29/30
• Value: 7/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

Recommendation: For the ultimate indulgence in eyeshadow, there’s Cle de Peau. I would indulge only if it was a product I could see myself using regularly and finishing.

Availability: Saks Fifth Avenue

See more photos & swatches!

Cle de Peau #101 Eyeshadow

Cle de Peau #101 Eyeshadow

Cle de Peau #101 Eyeshadow

Cle de Peau #107 Eyeshadow

Cle de Peau #107 Eyeshadow

Cle de Peau #107 Eyeshadow

Cle de Peau Eyeshadow: #107, 101