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Clarins Odyssey Face Palette Review, Photos, Swatches

Clarins Odyssey Face Palette
Clarins Odyssey Face Palette

More Lightweight Pressed Powder Than Goddess Glow

Clarins Odyssey Face Palette ($55.00 for 0.30 oz.) is described as a “shimmering, lightweight pressed powder [that] brings a goddess glow to face, neck, and decolette.” Clarins says it is “the must-have holiday accessory for all skin tones.” It’s a softened peach with strong orange undertones (no pink) and a mostly matte finish. There’s a sparkling gold overlay that brushes away in one use. NARS Sex Appeal is pinker.

What is most remarkable about this product is how utterly finely-milled the powder is. It feels like a mixture of silk, butter, and cream. It’s incredibly soft, indeed lightweight, and easy to blend. The powder sits well on skin and never looks powdery. I didn’t detect any luminosity or shimmer when applied, because the only “shimmer” I saw at all was the overspray. Beneath the overspray is really a rather matte powder, and it can help with keeping oiliness at bay if you are prone to it. When I wore it on my cheeks, it lasted for eight hours. I used it later on my t-zone, and it did help minimize some of the oiliness I see after eight hours.

Those with very pale complexions might use this as a blusher or a bronzer, while medium skin tones can easily use this as a finishing or setting powder. I’m not certain how this well this will work on darker complexions, because while it doesn’t seem to have a white base, it is quite pale, so there’s potential for it to turn ashy–Clarins did, very specifically, say it’s for all skin tones. With a very fluffy brush, lighter complexions could also use this as a finishing powder that will add some natural warmth and golden tones to the skin.  I think with a touch more luminosity, this product would have been truly exceptional.

Clarins Odyssey Face Palette Review, Photos, Swatches

A
9.5
Product
9.5
Pigmentation
10
Texture
9
Longevity
5
Application
96%
Total

Clarins Odyssey Face Palette
Clarins Odyssey Face Palette

Clarins Odyssey Face Palette
Clarins Odyssey Face Palette

Clarins Odyssey Face Palette
Clarins Odyssey Face Palette

Clarins Odyssey Face Palette
Clarins Odyssey Face Palette

Clarins Odyssey Face Palette
Clarins Odyssey Face Palette

Clarins Odyssey Face Palette
Clarins Odyssey Face Palette

Clarins Odyssey Face Palette
Clarins Odyssey Face Palette

Clarins Odyssey Face Palette
Clarins Odyssey Face Palette

Clarins Odyssey Face Palette
Clarins Odyssey Face Palette

43 Comments

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Yellowlantern Avatar

This sounds like a lovely setting powder for certain complexions and possibly blush for the uber pale. I love the compact; it would be a real treat to have it on a vanity. I’m a bit disappointed that this isn’t more shimmery so I could use it as a highlighter, but who am I kidding I’m already spending way more cosmetics this year than I have in prior years and I don’t need any more reasons to spend!

Theresa Avatar

I have pale skin, and I think this would look great as a blush on me, but I couldn’t risk messing up that beautiful imprint! It’s so elegant and ethereal looking!

Emi at Project Swatch Avatar

I totally understand the need to test multiple products at once, and similar looks on different sides of your face don’t bug me in photos, but I find this kind of look – two totally, completely different styles of eye makeup – very very distracting. Perhaps you could do a profile picture so we can only see one side of your face, take photos at the end of the testing period (when you can remove all your eye makeup), or the beginning of the testing period, or something?

Or maybe it’s just me, and you shouldn’t change anything at all 🙂 Just some unsolicited feedback!

Christine Avatar

Hi Emi!

I’m super backed up right now with reviews, and the turnaround time for this palette had to be really fast (because it’s already sold out online and I have only had for a little over a week). I thought I’d test something on the cheeks at the last minute, and if I photographed it, I’d be able to get a review for the Clarins’ face palette up sooner rather than later since a lot of people seemed excited about it. I appreciate your feedback, and I apologize for ruining several photos for you now and in advance! Again, I’m super sorry for making the wrong decision. It’s definitely not my plan or desire to take this route often. I was hoping instead that it might show how it worn with a neutral and more dramatic eye – and the point, of course, of that was to demonstrate two different look within the same palette since those Tarte palettes have so many eyeshadows!

I updated the post with half of my face cropped out – could you let me know if that’s any better? I’m so sorry!

Chloe Avatar

Hi Christine,

I on the other hand enjoyed the look. We all know that these are just swatches and not that you are walking out of the home like that :). It is actually great to compare the product with two different looks at the same time.. (we all struggle with these decisions).. great job! And thanks!

isla Avatar

i was just going to comment how amazing the cropped photo is 🙂 i think you should definitely do this on a regular basis…it is very original and serves the purpose perfectly 🙂

xamyx Avatar

I didn’t even notice until I went back to read the “What Makeup Are You Wearing” segment (because I really want to know what that lip color is!).

helen Avatar

The combination of GA Maestro and the Clarins setting powder is absolutely gorgeous. You look airbrushed (in a no-pores, amazing, not distorted) way.
What GA Masetro colour are you wearing? I tried a sample of 5 and 5.5 and i still can’t find a colour that suits me. I THiNK i’m an NC-15. I wear Cle de Peau concealer in Beige and Guerlain Extreme foundation in #3 (and find it still a touch pink..).

Becca @ The Beauty Sample Avatar

The packaging is absolutely stunning, but I just don’t understand why Clarins keeps putting out these types of powders. It seems too sheer and matte to be used as a highlighter or cheek color but just pigmented enough so that only a specific skin tone would be able to use it as a finishing powder. Seems a little silly, but maybe that’s just me pouting. I always get so excited by the Clarins powders bc the packaging and embossing is so pretty, so when I see it’s one of these types of really natural powders that don’t do much, I throw a little tantrum inside 😛

Julia B. Avatar

I don’t really see it “imparting a glow” to your skin. It actually looks rather matte to me, but the 24k shimmer brick looks pretty on you. Too bad it is so orange on my uber pale skin. I am, however, super hyped for the new Dior nudeskin shimmer that comes out in the US in February.

Miriam Avatar

Would you happen to know how this compares to Urban Decay’s Abc Gum eye shadow? If this happens to be an exact dupe, I’ll buy it because Abc Gum is my #1 most used highlighting shade and this seems more cost effective vs. UD in the long run.

An Avatar

I like this product more in the palette than on the face. I don’t see that ‘shimmering’ look Clarins mentioned in the description, only the matte part.

FYI, the “Any dupes?” section at the end of this review has the wrong links/info (L’Oreal The Queen’s Might Nail Lacquer Review).

VickyM Avatar

Epic! the packaging is Epic! the lipgloss is also Epic! The price for the palette is epicly expensive 😛 . The gloss is on my shopping list already but I´m a little unsure about this gorgeous palette. I don´t think I would use it, it would be just to collect it and look at it if I bought it… expensive, historical as I like it, very beautiful…will have to look at my budget to decide if I can make this purchase 😛 .

cncx Avatar

does this product have the clarins “smell”? some of the clarins powder products I have bought smell kind of like physicians’ formula powders used to smell- this dank, talc-y smell. I love how it looks and would probably get it (looks like a nice highlighter for pale skin) if it doesn’t smell like old talc. Does it?

Ru Avatar

Wow. How disappointing. There is no way this would work for anything past Christine’s skin tone. I have Indian olive/brown skin and I would look like a joke if I put this on. They should at least be real about who the product will work for.

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