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Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad Review, Photos, Swatches

Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad

Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad ($65.00 for 0.07 oz.) is described as a “soft pink, violet-plum gray, golden beige, [and] luminous black.” These eyeshadows can be used wet or dry, depending on the level of intensity you’re looking to achieve. A dry application will result in softer, sheerer color, while a wet (or damp) application results in more intense pigmentation. Overall, it’s a nice quad; all four shades performed fairly well with the gray-purple shade being slightly powdery but the others were better in texture.

Can we just take a second to look at how little product is actually contained in the palette? A mere 0.07 oz.! That’s a little more than the average full-sized single eyeshadow. Visually, they seem full and normal, so I imagine part of it is due to the formula being naturally very lightweight, even if it fills up a normal volume.  Chanel regularly releases one-off (well, as far as we officially know!) formulas, like last July had Ombres Fleuries which contained 0.14 oz. The formula on these seems very similar to Ombres Fleuries but is not like the formula used in Harmonie du Soir. Regular quads typically have 0.24 oz. (U.S. versions).

Jardin Zen #1 is a muted, medium-dark purple with neutral-to-cool undertones and a satin finish. It had sheer color payoff when applied dry, and then mostly opaque color payoff when applied damp. The texture was soft but powdery, while the color itself wore well for almost eight hours before fading. Too Faced Candied Violet (P, $16.00) is more frosted, darker. Too Faced Jingle All the Way Eyeshadow #6 (LE, $16.00) is cooler-toned. Marc Jacobs Beauty The Tease #2 (P) is more matte. Fyrinnae Agenda (P, $6.80) is brighter. Tom Ford Beauty Enchanted #3 (LE) is lighter. NARS Charade #2 (P, $24.00) is darker, warmer. NARS 413 BLKR #1 (P, $24.00) is more frosted, lighter. See comparison swatches.

Jardin Zen #2 is a peachy-beige with a golden shimmer-sheen that looks almost metallic in finish. It had semi-sheer pigmentation when applied dry, and it was nicely pigmented when applied damp. The texture was soft, finely-milled, and it was not powdery. This shade wore well for eight hours before beginning to fade. theBalm #18 (P, $6.50) is lighter. NARS Mississippi Mermaid (LE, $24.00) is pinker. Disney by Sephora Scuttle (LE) is similar. See comparison swatches.

Jardin Zen #3 is a soft, light-medium pink with warm, yellow undertones and a satiny sheen. It had semi-sheer to semi-opaque color payoff when applied dry, and when applied with a dampened brush, it was fully opaque. The powder was soft and finely-milled, and it applied smoothly. It wore well for almost eight hours on before it showed signs of fading. Too Faced Too-Too (LE, $16.00) is warmer. Urban Decay Minor Sin (LE, $18.00) is lighter. MAC Pink Frontier (P, $21.00) is warmer. See comparison swatches.

Jardin Zen #4 is a deep black with subtle, warm undertones and a satin finish. It had semi-opaque pigmentation when applied dry, and then it was intensely pigmented when applied with a dampened brush. The color wore well for eight and a half hours before it seemed to fade around the edges slightly. It’s a very basic color, though certainly a nice iteration, so there are a fair number of similar shades — see comparison swatches.

Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad

Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad

Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad

Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad

Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Jardin Zen #1 Eyeshadow

Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Jardin Zen #1 Eyeshadow

Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Jardin Zen #2 Eyeshadow

Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Jardin Zen #2 Eyeshadow

Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Jardin Zen #3 Eyeshadow

Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Jardin Zen #3 Eyeshadow

Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Jardin Zen #4 Eyeshadow

Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Jardin Zen #4 Eyeshadow

Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad

Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Jardin Zen Eyeshadow Quad

62 Comments

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Angela Avatar

The reason I did not buy this is because of how shockingly little product is actually in the palette. I ALWAYS check product weights with Chanel. I never feel the need to do that with other brands. It seems like Chanel needs to at least pay some attention to the amount of product offered in their eye shadow quads. It has really put me off buying them!!

Mindy Avatar

Wow, this is much prettier than I expected, but I’ll be passing. The size is a turn off, especially since the price is increased. But that golden beige shade looks perfect. Ahh, I’m sure a have several shades similar to it.

Kristina Avatar

The made in Italy and the intensity differences between the dampening of the brush leads me to believe these are baked. Baked products versus pressed powder have such a discrepancy between weight and volume.

This quad is gorgeous, anyone know where to buy in Canada? Holts on Bloor maybe?

Emily Avatar

I’m seriously torn. This is a beautiful palette, and I was immediately drawn to it. But only 0.07oz! And for a higher price than a normal Chanel quad! It just seems insulting.

Emily Avatar

OK, wait–I reread the comment about the lightweight formula being potentially to blame for the reduced volume. I feel slightly less insulted. Maybe. 😛

Christine Avatar

It’s an excuse, whether it’s meaningful or, who knows without going to the bottom of the pan!

I just know that baked eyeshadows like MAC Mineralize Eyeshadows (and Chanel’s non-U.S. eyeshadow formula) are significantly lighter by weight, even though they don’t seem small by the space they take up. I feel like someone needs to do a “how many licks does it take to get to the center of Tootsie pop” kind of test with these 😉

Martyisblue Avatar

I don’t like this palette for the springtime.. Chanel is a chic, high end brand, so i didn’t expect anything bright or bold.. But the black and the muted violet would be better for fall.. If only they would had chose a coral or a warm based brown.. Anyway i love the lipsticks from the same collection!!:)

Aida Avatar

I’m wearing this quad today: the pale gold inner corner, purple shade rest of lid, the black outer third and into the crease. A softer look than I’m used to, but I rather like it. I wasn’t sure I was going to keep it, but I will.

meganlisa Avatar

Thank you for highlighting the size issue. I’ve been feeling like a lot of companies have been selling smaller sizes for the same price or even more lately (I’m not naming names but am happy to do so…as I am thinking of specific examples). I get that they have marketing costs, etc…but most cosmetics are pretty small and for $65 that’s not a lot of product! I do buy Chanel so I guess I’m very guilty of overpaying (I haven’t bought this nor am I likely to) but I still really appreciate when you point it out so people can make reasoned decisions. Pretty but, for me on this palette, not worth $65. Not that I haven’t totally overpaid for other products..

_An_ Avatar

I really like your eye look! Pretty, subtle, and fresh. It looks great for spring. ^^
I actually saw your eye look in another review, but then I had to look up your review/swatches on this quad. ^^

Mariella Avatar

The 2 shades I like in this palette are ones for which I have multiple dupes (I guess I’m hitting that point where I have many similar shadows in the shades for which I have a marked weakness) so I don’t feel bad about passing on this. Lots of dosh for not a lot of product…

Jules Avatar

I did a MASSIVE double-take when I saw 0.07 ounces! I did the math and that works out to $14,857 a pound!

I know that’s not the fairest comparison because part of the price is packaging, but seriously…this is too ridiculous. I wouldn’t buy this on principle – Chanel is making fools of us, charging that much money for a bit of, what, talc and mica? Just because it has the Chanel name on it? No way.

Rae Avatar

Man, what’s up with all of these oz. drops recently? First Tarte, then NARS, now Chanel… I hope this one, at least, won’t be reflected in future releases.

I really love the patterns imprinted on these (not something you usually see in a baked formula!), but at that price, and with that little product? No way.

(Not even if the black looks SUPER BADASS in the pan, which, admittedly, it totally does.)

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