Chanel Clair-Obscur (308) Eyeshadow Quad Review & Swatches
Clair-Obscur (308)
Chanel Clair-Obscur (308) Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow ($61.00 for 0.07 oz.) is a new, permanent all-matte neutral palette featuring a light beige, soft taupe, mid-tone brown, and deep brown. All four shades were more subdued, though they were a little warmer, but I could see them leaning slightly more neutral on cooler complexions. They had good to opaque color payoff and were blendable but could benefit from a primer for improved coverage and longevity.
Ingredients
CETEARYL ETHYLHEXANOATE | SILICA | GLYCERIN | CAPRYLYL GLYCOL | POLYSORBATE 80 | SQUALANE | ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN | 1,2-HEXANEDIOL | CALCIUM CHLORIDE | PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE | C12-20 ACID PEG-8 ESTER | CHONDRUS CRISPUS EXTRACT | XANTHAN GUM | DICALCIUM PHOSPHATE | SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE | TOCOPHEROL | [+ / - (MAY CONTAIN) | CI 75470 (CARMINE) | CI 77000 (ALUMINUM POWDER) | CI 77007 (ULTRAMARINES) | CI 77163 (BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE) | CI 77288 (CHROMIUM OXIDE GREENS) | CI 77491, | CI 77492, | CI 77499 (IRON OXIDES) | CI 77510 (FERRIC AMMONIUM FERROCYANIDE) | CI 77510 (FERRIC FERROCYANIDE) | CI 77742 (MANGANESE VIOLET) | CI 77891 (TITANIUM DIOXIDE) | MICA] | BS000076A Ingredient listing | CETEARYL ETHYLHEXANOATE | SILICA | GLYCERIN | CAPRYLYL GLYCOL | POLYSORBATE 80 | SQUALANE | ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN | 1,2-HEXANEDIOL | CALCIUM CHLORIDE | PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE | C12-20 ACID PEG-8 ESTER | CHONDRUS CRISPUS EXTRACT | XANTHAN GUM | TIN OXIDE | DICALCIUM PHOSPHATE | SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE | TOCOPHEROL | [+ / - (MAY CONTAIN) | CI 75470 (CARMINE) | CI 77000 (ALUMINUM POWDER) | CI 77007 (ULTRAMARINES) | CI 77163 (BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE) | CI 77288 (CHROMIUM OXIDE GREENS) | CI 77491, | CI 77492, | CI 77499 (IRON OXIDES) | CI 77510 (FERRIC AMMONIUM FERROCYANIDE) | CI 77510 (FERRIC FERROCYANIDE) | CI 77742 (MANGANESE VIOLET) | CI 77891 (TITANIUM DIOXIDE) | MICA] | BS000077A Ingredient listing | CETEARYL ETHYLHEXANOATE | SILICA | GLYCERIN | CAPRYLYL GLYCOL | POLYSORBATE 80 | SQUALANE | ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN | 1,2-HEXANEDIOL | CALCIUM CHLORIDE | PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE | C12-20 ACID PEG-8 ESTER | CHONDRUS CRISPUS EXTRACT | XANTHAN GUM | TALC | DICALCIUM PHOSPHATE | SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE | TOCOPHEROL | [+ / - (MAY CONTAIN) | CI 75470 (CARMINE) | CI 77000 (ALUMINUM POWDER) | CI 77007 (ULTRAMARINES) | CI 77163 (BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE) | CI 77288 (CHROMIUM OXIDE GREENS) | CI 77491, | CI 77492, | CI 77499 (IRON OXIDES) | CI 77510 (FERRIC AMMONIUM FERROCYANIDE) | CI 77510 (FERRIC FERROCYANIDE) | CI 77742 (MANGANESE VIOLET) | CI 77891 (TITANIUM DIOXIDE) | MICA] | BS000078A Ingredient listing | BUTYLENE GLYCOL | POLYGLYCERYL-3 POLYRICINOLEATE | ISOSTEARYL NEOPENTANOATE | CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE | SILICA | POLYGLYCERYL-4 CAPRATE | ZINC STEARATE | HYDROGENATED POLYCYCLOPENTADIENE | GLYCERIN | TREHALOSE | ISODODECANE | HYDROGENATED LECITHIN | CAPRYLYL GLYCOL | ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN | HYDROGENATED RAPESEED OIL | 1,2-HEXANEDIOL | POLYGLYCERYL-3 DIISOSTEARATE | CALCIUM CHLORIDE | CHONDRUS CRISPUS EXTRACT | XANTHAN GUM | TALC | TOCOPHEROL | [+ / - (MAY CONTAIN) | CI 75470 (CARMINE) | CI 77000 (ALUMINUM POWDER) | CI 77007 (ULTRAMARINES) | CI 77163 (BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE) | CI 77288 (CHROMIUM OXIDE GREENS) | CI 77491, | CI 77492, | CI 77499 (IRON OXIDES) | CI 77510 (FERRIC AMMONIUM FERROCYANIDE) | CI 77510 (FERRIC FERROCYANIDE) | CI 77742 (MANGANESE VIOLET) | CI 77891 (TITANIUM DIOXIDE) | MICA] | BS000079A
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Look Using this Product
Clair-Obscur (308)
PPermanent. $70.00.
Clair-Obscur #1
Clair Obscur #1 is a medium brown with subtle, warm undertones and a matte finish. It had opaque pigmentation with a smooth, velvety texture that wasn’t stiff to work with but wasn’t powdery either. The eyeshadow blended out fairly well on my skin, though it did seem to sheer out a bit in practice. It wore well for seven and a half hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Stila Being (PiP, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Anastasia Boie (LE, $12.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Sleek MakeUP Entwined (PiP, $9.99) is lighter (90% similar).
- MAC Brown Down (P, $17.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Hourglass Neutral Brown (PiP, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- MAC Mocha Minded (LE, $17.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Makeup Atelier Natural Chestnut #4 (P, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- LORAC Black #4 (LE, $19.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Viseart Duir (LE, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Pretty Vulgar Nest Egg (PiP, ) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
Look Using this Product
Clair-Obscur #1
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Clair-Obscur #2
Clair Obscur #2 is a soft taupe with subtle, warm undertones and a matte finish. It had semi-opaque, buildable pigmentation with a soft, smooth consistency that was dense without being thick or stiff in the pan. It blended out easily and stayed on well for seven and a half hours before fading noticeably.
Top Dupes
- Tarte Mud Mask (LE, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Marc Jacobs Beauty Covets (LE, ) is warmer (95% similar).
- Sydney Grace Pismo (P, $5.25) is lighter (90% similar).
- Sephora Mushroom (LE, ) is warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Groundwork (P, $23.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Cover (PiP, $19.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Speedway (P, $5.25) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Love on the Run (LE, $17.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- NARS Mahe #2 (PiP, $19.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- bareMinerals Graceful (LE, ) is cooler (90% similar).
Look Using this Product
Clair-Obscur #2
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Clair-Obscur #3
Clair Obscur #3 is a light beige with warm, golden undertones and a matte finish. The color payoff was opaque, while the texture was soft and smooth without being powdery nor too firmly pressed in the pan. It almost felt a bit cream-like to the touch. This shade lasted for seven and a half hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Tarte S'more (PiP, ) is darker (95% similar).
- MAC Best of Me (P, $20.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- Make Up For Ever M518 Nude (P, $17.00) is darker (95% similar).
- LORAC Buff (PiP, $19.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Viseart Peche (Sable) (P, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Kaja White Chocolate (PiP, ) is cooler (95% similar).
- Tarte Tiki (LE, ) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Estee Lauder Vanille (LE, ) is darker (90% similar).
- MAC Frosted Fizz (LE, $17.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Vertex (349CM) (LE, ) is cooler (90% similar).
Look Using this Product
Clair-Obscur #3
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Clair Obscur #4
Clair Obscur #4 is a deep, taupe-brown with warmer undertones and a matte finish. It had good color coverage in a single layer, which was buildable to full coverage with less than half of a layer on top. The texture was a bit denser and stiffer compared to the other shades, so it was a little more challenging to blend out but definitely workable. It seemed to take on the natural finish of my skin, though, so I would pair it with a primer if you have oilier skin. It wore well for eight hours on me before it started to fade noticeably.
Top Dupes
- Chanel Ombres Lamées de Chanel #2 (LE, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- NARS Give In Take VI (LE, $29.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Too Faced Night Fever (LE, $16.00) is warmer (85% similar).
- LORAC Espresso (Mega Pro) (LE, $19.00) is warmer (85% similar).
- LORAC Cedar (LE, $19.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Juvia's Place Nubian #12 (P, ) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Stila Bark (LE, $18.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- Too Faced Give Me S'more (LE, $16.00) is lighter (85% similar).
- LORAC Espresso (PiP, $19.00) is cooler (85% similar).
- Too Faced Chocolate Cake (LE, $16.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
Since this is ‘Clair’, out of curiosity I wonder if they are going to come out with a Moyen and a Dore? Beautiful neutrals and I like the look of them, the velvetiness. I love the blues you mixed in from the Quiet Revolution quad.
Clair-Obscur is “Light-Dark,” the French equivalent of Chiaroscuro, which plays up the contrast between light and dark shades. It’s probably standalone.
This just seems so “non-exciting”. When Chanel launched their “Tisse” quads with the wonderful formulas, they really seemed to be onto something. This quad, though – it just doesn’t generate any excitement for me and I’m someone who generally gets very excited by neutral e/s assortments. The Dior Feel palette from last year seems somewhat similar to this but a lot nicer and with one extra shadow.
The Dior Feel palette you’ve mentioned is so, so beautiful Mariella.
I swear if this doesn’t remind me of an old Almay quad I used to death back in the mid 90’s! LOL. Also, an old Physicians Formula quad, too.
I used to have a CoverGirl quad very similar to this in 90s.
I really love a good neutral palette and would have loved seeing how this looked without all the other colored shadows that were incorporated into the look muddying it up. Using so many different colors from another palette just obscured the look of the Chanel palette that was being reviewed. I know I am probably in the minority in expressing this opinion, but before anyone hates on me, remember, it is just my opinion–nothing more; nothing less. I’d much rather the product being reviewed be the focus of the look.
Thanks for the feedback, Eileen! Unfortunately, I don’t always have the time to test available to just use four shades per eye, particularly due to the other quad needing other shades to come together, and since these were released together, it made perfect sense to combine the two 🙂
I had the exact same thought as Eileen when I saw the eye look. Believe me, I and most others here have a lot of sympathy with the sheer volume of products you have to test, often in a very short time, and that’s on top of photographing, editing writing your review/copy, etc. The thing is that some people (maybe many) would only be buying one of the 2 quads so seeing how they function on their own, as they’re sold, would be helpful just from an information/”will this work for me/what sorts of looks can I achieve with it” point of view.
Hi Eileen, I agree. I know the Clair will work for me (and would love to have seen what Christine did with it) but am unsure if the Quiet Revolution will work. Would like to see each on their own though appreciate the volume of products Christine is reviewing and if (when) I buy both, I can see how Christine made them work together.
This is pretty and probably valuable as a neutral starter but I’m kinda hoping there will be something more exciting in the quad department coming from Chanel this fall/winter. They have done such original and wearable color combinations in the past and lately it seems it’s either just a mix of basic browns or it’s into the super bold flaming reds. There’s so much territory in between where they used to be a pleasure for me.
For someone who really loves their neutral mattes either alone or to use with another palette that is totally shimmery, this would be perfect. These are fairly basic shades, but these mattes have been done very well and it is often these matte shades that are not done well in other palettes.
This looks like a good, everyday quad. May consider getting this eventually.
For me this is love at first sight. The swatches look more demi-matte to me, a bit like some of the shades in the Candeur et Experience quad. Happy this is permanent.
I adore a quad like this and was hoping Lucia would release another matte quad. I’m impressed with the shade range of the quads being added to Chanel’s permanent line. Definitely on the buy list!!