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YSL Saharienne (4) Couture Palette Review, Photos, Swatches

YSL Saharienne (4) Couture Palette
YSL Saharienne (4) Couture Palette

YSL Saharienne (4) Couture Palette ($60.00 for 0.18 oz.) includes five shades of eyeshadow with a variety of textures. According to YSL, the formula has “intense color” and is “long-wearing, crease-proof” with “crease-resistant … 12-hour hold.” There was noticeable fading with some shades between seven and eight hours, and a couple had actual creasing after eight hours of wear. The texture of the formula is what sells the palette, I think, as it is incredibly soft, finely-milled, and buttery without being too dense–it feels almost like a cream formula, though it is definitely powder. The palette had fairly good color payoff with some shades being more or less pigmented, but these blend like a dream and have a very flattering shimmer finish on the skin.

Saharienne #1 is a light, yellow-toned beige with a soft, frosted finish. It had fairly good color payoff with a very smooth, soft texture that was a smidgen powdery. This shade showed signs of fading after seven hours of wear. Too Faced Riviera (P, $16.00) is similar. bareMinerals Celebrate (LE) is lighter. Clarins The Essentials #1 (LE) is similar. Kat Von D Galore (LE) is yellower. Disney by Sephora Scuttle (LE) is similar. Urban Decay Broken (LE, $18.00) is lighter. MAC Sweet Eyes (LE, $15.00) is warmer. MAC Shroom (P, $15.00) is more beige. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Saharienne #2 is a brightened, light gold with strong, yellow tones and a metallic sheen. It had good pigmentation, and the texture was incredibly soft and smooth. It lasted for just over seven hours on me. It’s a lovely shade, but it is very common. Tarina Tarantino Fantastical #3 (P) is lighter. Makeup Geek Bling (P, $5.99) is darker. Tarina Tarantino Taurella (LE) is similar. Kat Von D Galore (LE) is lighter. theBalm C1 (LE, $16.00) is similar. Disney by Sephora Charming (LE) is lighter. Disney by Sephora Sea Shells (LE) is similar. MAC Vanilla (P, $21.00) is more metallic. MAC Nylon (P, $15.00) is similar. MAC Dazzlelight (P, $15.00) is less yellow. Make Up For Ever #101 (P, $20.00) is similar. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Saharienne #3 is a medium-dark, chocolate brown with subtle, warm yellow and red undertones and a satin sheen. The texture was soft, finely-milled, and fairly smooth with good pigmentation. This shade wore well for eight hours before there was slight creasing. LORAC Cocoa (P) is more matte, darker. theBalm #37 (P, $6.50) is similar. bareMinerals Toasted Espresso (LE, $14.00) is similar. Makeup Geek Bada-Bing (P, $5.99) is less shimmery, warmer. Too Faced Brown Sugar (LE, $16.00) is warmer. Chanel Seduction #4 (LE) is reder in tone. MAC Constructivist (P, $18.50) is a cream product. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Saharienne #4 is a medium-dark, gold-shimmered brown with warm undertones and a frosted finish. It is lighter and warmer, plus more shimmery, compared to #3. It had really good pigmentation, and the texture was buttery and soft without being powdery. Applied, the color had very slight creasing after eight hours of wear. theBalm #37 (P, $6.50) is darker, less shimmery. theBalm #8 (P, $6.50) is less shimmery. Tarina Tarantino Delightful #2 (P) is similar. bareMinerals Toasted Espresso (LE, $14.00) is less shimmery. Urban Decay Nevermind (LE, $18.00) is similar.Dior Fairy Golds #5 (LE) is darker, less shimmery. bareMinerals A-Ha (P) is cooler-toned. Inglot #402 (P, $6.00) is similar. See comparison swatches/ view dupes.

Saharienne #5 is a light-medium, gray-leaning taupe with a hint of a golden shimmer/sheen. It had a slightly powdery texture, which reduced the color payoff, as the eyeshadow didn’t stick to the skin as well. It is a shade that benefits greatly from using a primer or base first. This wore well for seven hours before there was noticeable fading. I wish it performed better, because it was the most unique shade in the palette. MAC French Clay (P, $15.00) is lighter, warmer. Le Metier de Beaute Oyster (LE, $30.00) is grayer. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

YSL Saharienne (4) Couture Palette
YSL Saharienne (4) Couture Palette

YSL Saharienne (4) Couture Palette
YSL Saharienne (4) Couture Palette

YSL Saharienne (4) Couture Palette
YSL Saharienne (4) Couture Palette

YSL Saharienne (4) Couture Palette
YSL Saharienne (4) Couture Palette

YSL Saharienne (4) Couture Palette
YSL Saharienne (4) Couture Palette

YSL Saharienne (4) Couture Palette
YSL Saharienne (4) Couture Palette

YSL Saharienne #1 Couture Eyeshadow
YSL Saharienne #1 Couture Eyeshadow

YSL Saharienne #1 Couture Eyeshadow
YSL Saharienne #1 Couture Eyeshadow

YSL Saharienne #2 Couture Eyeshadow
YSL Saharienne #2 Couture Eyeshadow

YSL Saharienne #2 Couture Eyeshadow
YSL Saharienne #2 Couture Eyeshadow

YSL Saharienne #3 Couture Eyeshadow
YSL Saharienne #3 Couture Eyeshadow

YSL Saharienne #3 Couture Eyeshadow
YSL Saharienne #3 Couture Eyeshadow

YSL Saharienne #4 Couture Eyeshadow
YSL Saharienne #4 Couture Eyeshadow

YSL Saharienne #4 Couture Eyeshadow
YSL Saharienne #4 Couture Eyeshadow

YSL Saharienne #5 Couture Eyeshadow
YSL Saharienne #5 Couture Eyeshadow

YSL Saharienne #5 Couture Eyeshadow
YSL Saharienne #5 Couture Eyeshadow

YSL Saharienne (4) Couture Palette
YSL Saharienne: #1 (inner lid), #2 (middle of lid), #5 (outer lid), #4 (crease), #5 (crease), #1 (brow bone)

YSL Saharienne (4) Couture Palette
YSL Saharienne: #1 (inner lid), #2 (middle of lid), #5 (outer lid), #4 (crease), #5 (crease), #1 (brow bone)

53 Comments

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Carolina Avatar

At first glance the palette is gorgeous, but the look you created with it seems like something easily achievable with any neutral palette around. Nothing too stand-out. This is a pass for me. Thanks for your review, as always.

Kate Avatar

I picked this up a little while ago and am just loving it. For some reason on me, the wear time has been exceptional, so I guess I’m lucky. I agree that it’s not the most original mix in the world, but I suppose it’s hard to go wrong with a strong neutral palette.

tzwiggy Avatar

Pleeeease say the other two palettes you have are #5, #7 or #8..!

I really like the shades in this one, very wearable everyday shades, but also more dupable than not. What I don’t like at all is that they’re all shimmery. I prefer to mix finishes and never do an all-over shimmer look, so I would have to reach for a single shadow or another palette everytime. Kinda defeats the purpose of a small palette like this.

Ellen Avatar

Love the peach with plummy browns, but I got Lorac[‘s Unzipped, Two Faced Naturals, and MAC’s Sharon Osbourne’s Duchess palettes this spring already!! Any way this look can be duplicated with some that I own? I do love the plummy browns, Naked 3 was too cool for me, and Lorac’s Unzipped runs very orange, but I found that mixing the mattes with the shimmers gives me the rosey gold I was looking for. I was considering buying a back up of Duchess because it is so perfect for a redhead with hazel eyes, but then new palettes come around that I will want too. Do you know if the YSL palettes contain fragrance? Their products usually do, and that is a deal breaker for me.

Brenda - 9 days to go! Avatar

The colours are lovely, though for a name like YSL I’d expect

a) more pigmentation when put ON the LID
b) more of a difference between colours 3 & 4

I’m being picky. I went through my palette drawer last night and I can satisfactorily dupe these to quell any urges to purchase. Realistically how many eyeshadows does a person need? No, don’t anyone answer that LOL!!!

ps Christine, thank you so much for all the work you do – esp the swatch and dupe lists. I frequently use those tools to find dupes/substitutes for new items within my existing collection!

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