Guerlain Bal de Nuit Eyeshadow Quad Review, Photos, Swatches
Guerlain Bal de Nuit Eyeshadow Quad ($58.00) is the latest limited edition palette to be launched with the Imperiale Holiday Collection this October.
This is a stunning, incredibly elegant combination of classic shades that are perfect for year-round, but the shimmer and sparkle make it particularly fitting for the holiday season. This is not necessarily the most original eyeshadow quad of all time–it’s, at the very least, four shades of neutral-toned eyeshadows.
It includes four shades: a soft, sparkling gold-tinged white; a peachy-pink champagne with a frosty finish; a neutral-cool dark taupe brown with brighter bronze shimmer; and a warm-toned chocolate bronze with gold shimmer. All four shades have good color pigmentation, and as is standard with Guerlain eyeshadows, they feel silky smooth and apply like butter. They’re very blendable, and all four shadows work extremely well together. (Sometimes you’ll get a beautiful quad, but it’s not so easy to work with on its own.)
For me, this is just an easy, no-brainer eyeshadow quad that looks good, works well, and great for travel. I can just use the lightest two shades for a quick swipe of lid color, or I can use the two darker colors to add depth to the crease or go for more of a smoky eye. The quality is exactly what I’ve come to expect from Guerlain, so overall, I’m pleased.
It’s pricey, but as far as value goes? These eyeshadows are the same price, by the ounce, as MAC eyeshadows are. This eyeshadow quad contains roughly 6.7 oz. of eyeshadow, which is pretty good for a palette. With Guerlain, you do get the velvety soft case and the luxe, slighty hefty gold-esque packaging. It just all requires more of an initial investment than smaller-sized MAC eyeshadows.
Bottom line: This is a great, easy-to-use eyeshadow quad that has soft, silky colors that are natural and suitable to many. It’s practical and looks elegant while the shimmer is sophisticated.
- Product: 28/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 5/5
Recommendation: If you’re in the market for a travel-worthy eyeshadow quad or a great set of neutrals, Guerlain’s latest just might work.
Availability: October 2009
See photos and swatches…
I love you Christine! 🙂 I’m eagerly awaiting this year’s holiday collection, as Guerlain is one of my favourite brands and I collect the Meteorites pearls and voyage powders, plus eyeshadows, so very excited about this now. 🙂 The colours look so gorgeous, very wearable. I’m really glas I didn’t buy the new brown palette (the one that cam out at the same time as the Tsarina quad) as I don’t wear much brown, the shades in this are slightly pinker and cooler which works better for me.
Looking forward to your review on the Meteorites pearls and voyage powder, and glosses/lipsticks too. 🙂 Oooh, this is going to cost me sooo much money, lol.
I won’t be reviewing the Voyage powder for awhile (not sure if I will), but the Meteorites are gorgeous 🙂 Will post on those, as well as a lipstick and gloss!
Ah well, never mind, I’ll most probably get it anyway. 🙂 I just love looking at pictures of pretty things more than anything, lol.
Wow these look soooo pretty!!!
Definitely 🙂
This is a really gorgeous palette and definitely makes me reconsider buying some of the MAC pigment minis and opting for this instead! Especially since it sounds great for travel and I’m looking for an easy to wear and travel quad for a wedding I’m heading out to next year. I’ll definitely be checking this out when Sephora gets it in.
Glad you’ll give it a peek, Wilcoa! It’s quite lovely, even if it’s price tag is hefty.
ooooh!! i hope you can do a look with this! looooove the colors.
Will try!
could you do a look based on this ? I’d love to see how they would be in a look
I’ll definitely try!
Really pretty, I don’t wear brown, but I’ll buy that Quad definitely!!!
Fantastic pigments and texture I guess.
But most of all I’m waiting swatches of Sublime Radiant Powder Face & Body & Météorites Perles Impériales. I collect both of the items and I hope it will be something unusual and charming. It will be interesting to look at KissKiss glosses swatches too.
Let me know how you like it, Viktorija! 🙂
Will have those later in the week!
Very pretty, but not in my beauty budget at the moment.
I can understand that, Christy!
they dont look special
Sorry you didn’t like ’em!
That’s my palette!!! love it, loos so natural!!!
Yayyy!
These quads are my favorite of all other brands. I agree with your reviews. Tsarina is my altime favorite. However this is going to be a nice staple to keep in my car for those days I didn’t have time to do a makeup. You can never go wrong with neutral. How do you know about these items before they are released? And how do you get to try them out before they are even advertised? I’m glad you do because it makes my budget for cosmetics well planned. Thanks so much.
Guerlain PR sends me information about the upcoming collections so I can keep you all informed 🙂
Thank you and thank the PR. How lucky we are 🙂 The pictures also make me very happy.
Guerlain makes some of the best, highest quality makeup HANDS-DOWN. My first product was a blush from the past season and I’ve been hooked ever since. It’s kind of pricey (I think due to the packaging for some things), but otherwise worth every penny.
Ohh, their blushes are amazinggg.
It reminds me a lot of Dior’s Iridescent Quint, Earth Reflections. But it is very pretty.
Hmm, I don’t think I have that one!
Finally, an eyeshadow quad that I really really want. The quality of the texture, the elegance of the packaging, the neutral shades with shimmer… When the math is done you’re paying 14.50 for each eyeshadow and I totally see this as a good value, especially for a quality compact by Guerlain. You’re right, it’s just that initial investment vs. paying individually for each shadow. This is SO going on the Christmas wishlist next to all the Chanel Rouge Allure laques I want (yes… I just wanted one, now you’ve made me want 4… and possibly more with the upcoming posts!)
Ohh, I hope you get everything on your list, Christina!! 🙂
You will love both the quad and the laques!
Ooh I’m looking for a beginner quad exactly like this. But this might be too much..I’ll have to see this packaging in person 😛
Check it out & see what you think! 🙂
christine, is this anything like that beiges de chanel palette from last winter (or was it year before?!)? i hope i got the name right… it never came out round here, so i was a bit depressed, but maybe if this one’s anything similar….
It’s in the same vein, but Beiges de Chanel was matte or semi-matte, and this one is differently shimmery/frosty!
Oh… that is gorgeous! It looks so similar to my TBS Shimmer Cubes 06 (minus the gold and plus the white from 16). I *think* I am debating between this and Dior’s Smokey Crystal though… hope you review that one soon! Will you do a look with this quad? I always have trouble wearing whites…
I’ll definitely try to do a look with this quad! Not sure about Dior yet!
So glad you swatched this! It’s a nice set of neutrals, much nicer than BB and Chanel. Just perfect for travel, and to combine with pops of green or blue. I’m definitely getting it! And a Guerlain question for you: How does the Sculpting Blush #1 show up on you? I’m about as dark as you, and I’m looking for something subtle, but still there.
I’ll have to see if I own that one, not sure… but here are my swatches – http://www.temptalia.com/guerlain-blush-4-eclats-sculpting-blush-product-photos-swatches
if i were going to step into guerlain, i’m sure this would be what i would get.
It’s a great, easy to use quad!
Pretty all the colours work really well together, although they are not that unique it can be used everyday and every kind of situations. I picked up the Tsarina palette today and decided to spend less at MAC for the next couple of collections. It was pretty much sold out in all the major department stores in Vancouver and I just happened to see one lonely Tsarina sitting by herself at Sephora. I stepped away for about 30 minutes and went back to Sephora and it was still there, so I just picked it up, made a bee line to the cash desk and ran home afterwards.
Exactly, Amy! 🙂 It’s not a “oohh, SO ORIGINAL” kind of product, but it’s so easy to use and perfect for everyday.
Looks really pretty and blend-able. I love neutrals — so easy to wear when I’m not in the mood to go all out with color.
Exactly! 😀
hi Christine!! what’s the texture?are they the velvety shimmer eyeshadows or the ones that you can actually feel the shimmer particles? Thank you!!
Velvety shimmer, superrr soft!
I love this quad! A good cooler-toned neutral quad is a must have for me! Do the meteorites run neutral-cool as well??
They run a little cool, IMO!
I adore this quad, but i just don’t adore it enough to spend 58 bucks on it 🙁
It is pricey 🙁
i was devastated when I missed l.e style snob and smoke and diamonds are they similar to this quad’s colors at all christine?
I don’t think so, sorry 🙁
I am really into neutrals as of late and this is definitly something I will check out the next time I’m at The Bay.
Definitely stop by!
Cristine, thank you very much for swatches.
I have one question. This shadow’s colors is not the same colors like Chanel quad Mistic Eyes No14 from spring collection 2009 have? I have this one and I think it’s very similar… But I didn’t see Guerlain Imperial Collection yet. and I can’t know it….
Hi Christine
I think you want to check out this following Chinese blog:
debbbe.pixnet.net/blog
She stole all your pictures without your consent in all her articles and she translated your reviews into “her own”.
She also posted “her blog articles” on some other Chinese beauty websites and I am in the process of warning the websites administrators.
Do you have her contact information (like an email)? If you do, could you send it to submit@temptalia.com? Thank you, Sara!
Hi Christine,
Unfortunately, I don’t have her contact information. There’s a way to get to her though. When you go to her blog, on the very top of your right hand side. There are 5 options (the very right one says “痞客幫Pixnet”). Click on the middle one, then you can convert this blog into English format. Then, you can go to her articles stolen from you and leave her a message at the very bottom 🙂 If you need help, please feel free to contact me again 🙂
Thanks, Sara!!
how beautiful great highlites!