Archived Post

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad Review, Photos, Swatches

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad ($59.00 for 0.04 oz.) is a new and limited edition palette exclusive to Chanel.com from their summer collection. It features four shades of eyeshadows in varying finishes that can be “applied dry for subtle shading, or dampened for more intense colour, all with long-wearing results.” Outside of the U.S., this quad and its formula will be very familiar, while those within the U.S. will note that the shape, texture, and feel of the formula is different. This is, essentially, the baked formula, compared with the traditional power eyeshadow that we typically see in the quads here in the U.S.

Metamorphose (44) #1 is a medium-dark, cool-toned green with a hint of blue/teal and a frosted sheen. It had semi-sheer color payoff applied dry, and it was more opaque applied damp, but it could have applied more evenly and smoothly. Tom Ford Emerald Lust is a touch darker. MAC Sweet & Sour is greener. Dior Garden Pastels #5 is very slightly warmer/greener. Tarina Tarantino Violet Storm is cooler-toned.

Metamorphose (44) #2 is a cool-toned, green-tinged, pale gray. It looks more like a mint green in the pan, but it comes off rather grayish when I applied it. The color payoff is very sheer when used dry, and then it is decent to good in opacity when applied damp. Giorgio Armani #10 is more metallic. Dior Cruise is similar. is a bit darker (and a cream product).

Metamorphose (44) #3 is a lightly warmed-over yellowy-green with a frosted sheen. It was sheer to semi-sheer when applied dry, and it was more opaque when applied damp. Too Faced Fantasy Island #2 is more metallic but very close in color. bareMinerals Wicked is more intense, greener. Wet ‘n’ Wild Comfort Zone #6 is much darker, greener. MAC Juxt is brighter and much warmer. MAC Valiant is very similar.

Metamorphose (44) #4 is a deep navy blue with cool undertones and a satiny finish. It had decent pigmentation when applied dry, but it was much more intense when applied damp. Urban Decay Evidence is a more pearled sheen. MAC Naval Blue is more frosted. MAC Lunar is darker. bareMinerals Climax is more pearled. Guerlain Les Ombres de Nuit #3 is darker–more blackened. Make Up For Ever #81 is darker.

Generally, the baked eyeshadow quads are less intense and pigmented than the regular powder eyeshadow quads. To an extent, I would agree. These really have to used damp to see decent color payoff, as when they are applied dry, they are subtle and on the powdery side. From my own experiences, I tend to prefer the powder eyeshadows over baked ones as well for both blending, wear, and color payoff. Metamorphose had faded noticeably when I checked at the eight-hour mark.  The texture was always on the drier, powdery side, and when applied damp, it didn’t blend out as easily as Chane’s best eyeshadows do.

P.S. — 0.04 oz.? Ouchhh! I know that baked eyeshadows tend to weigh less, but whoa does that seem crazy small. They look like a normal-sized eyeshadow, all domed and the like, but the weight is (somewhat) concerning.

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Metamorphose (44) #1 Eyeshadow

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Metamorphose (44) #1 Eyeshadow

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Metamorphose (44) #2 Eyeshadow

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Metamorphose (44) #2 Eyeshadow

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Metamorphose (44) #3 Eyeshadow

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Metamorphose (44) #3 Eyeshadow

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Metamorphose (44) #4 Eyeshadow

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Metamorphose (44) #4 Eyeshadow

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad

32 Comments

Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!

Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).

We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!

Comments on this post are closed.
Aida Avatar

I actually bought this as soon as it launched on the website, but it went back. It was my first Chanel eye shadow purchase and I was pretty disappointed with them. I’m surprised it didn’t get a much lower rating from you :). There are way too powdery for my taste and they seemed to disappear off my lids/crease during blending.

Raquel Avatar

You should definitely try some of the US formula Chanel quads. This one is baked, so it is a different formula than the rest of the US Chanel quads.

Kate Avatar

This formula is why I don’t buy Chanel quads here in Canada. The only one I got was the Harmonies du Soir one, which was a completely different formula from either. I’ll stick to the singles and duos, which come in the reliably good formula sold everywhere. I think if I want these shades, I’ll go for one of the Dior quints from their summer collection.

Sara Avatar

I fail to understand the purpose of baked makeup. Like, are there supposed to be perks to it? It just always seems to be so lackluster.

Christine Avatar

Sometimes there’s more versatility, because you can use it wet/dry (not all powder eyeshadows can be, though many can!), and some baked eyeshadows (or products) can have an even stronger metallic finish and/or more nuances to the color – but usually they have to be used damp/wet.

Sara Avatar

Thanks for the info! It still sounds like a fail all things considered, but at least there’s some method to the madness.

malinda jane Avatar

the colors are undeniably beautiful. i wish i could wear blue eyeshadows but they make my blue eyes look dull.

furandlace Avatar

And this is exactly why I own NO Chanel eyeshadows since the baked version is all that’s available to me. Never understood the purpose of them having two different formulas for their eye shadows. Does anyone know if their Joues Contraste formula is also different/baked in Canada? I bought a couple of those and they weren’t too impressive as far as pigmentation was concerned. When I compared mine to swatches from US bloggers…the US ones seemed waaaaaaaaay more pigmented. And that was the end of me buying the Joues Contraste blushes…

Eileen Avatar

Hi Furandlace,
Chanel does, indeed, make a “baked” version of Joues Contraste for Europe/Asia so I assume that is the one you get in Canada. Joues Contrast in the US is super soft like the eyeshadows.

Mika Avatar

Yep, I know this baked quads too good. I own only one Chanel quad, prelude, because quality of the baked ones is mostly really poor, for me it’s glittery-like mess wirh lots of fallout and ridiculous price. I hope for You they will keep selling the pressed ones in the US.

Ellen Avatar

I have the Chanel Intuition quad but got it in France on my honeymoon, only to realize that it was baked! I read somewhere that this is true of European Chanel quads…how disappointing, and the color payoff is nothing to write home about. I still want to play with it wet, but it just doesn’t perform as well as I’d like. This looks similar in terms of payoff. Sad

lily Miramontes Avatar

Colors are very beautiful but i can tell hoe flakey the powder looks , bummer ! To bad they can’t make these in that cream whip formula !

miranda Avatar

Wow, pretty, but I think I will pass ~~~ thanks I have been waiting for this review before I bought it or not.
Major $$ for too little.

Liz Avatar

That looks really pretty. However, after purchasing a few Chanel products, I’ve determined it just not worth the money to me. I can get good quality for less money.

Zainab Avatar

Looks like faded drugstore makeup when worn and if you can’t make it work there’d be no chance for me… I don’t understand why we even have baked eyeshadow, and especially don’t understand why Chanel offers this inferior product to the majority of their consumers- even in places where more customers have darker skin so it will show up even less, or in markets where their makeup costs even more.

Az sunshine Avatar

I think that blue is beautiful but I don’t think the palette is worth $59… And like you I prefer their pressed powders over the baked.

Anne Avatar

I don’t know about other countries, but there’s a restriction on ebay for us Frenchies that don’t allow us to buy Chanel cosmetics outside of France. I know it applies to other brands as well. It’s SO frustrating, because there’s hardly any way for me to buy US quads. I want PROOF that it’s more lucrative for Chanel to sell us these subpar bakes versions. Otherwise, I won’t believe it!

Anna Avatar

I didn’t know that there was a difference between eyeshadows in US and outside US from Chanel. I live in Europe and I stay away from Chanel eyeshadows in general. They do not transfer from the pan to my eyelids unless I use them wet and I don’t want to have to work with my eyeshadows to get them to show up.

lilakid Avatar

The older Chanel quad shadows, that were round, worked much better with water. Had 51 Marbres Intense and all 4 were wonderful with water.

We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!