One of the highlights of the Clé de Peau Beauté Holiday 2020 beauty showcase, Collection Le Lac Enchanté (The Enchanted Lake), Magnificent Plumage is a limited-edition eyeshadow palette comprising 4 shimmery colours overlaid with a delicate feather motif.
The collection extols the beauty of the black swan…
…but the eyeshadow quad does not contain a black or any inky shade.
Instead—perhaps to reflect the moody dimension of dusk and dark feathers—the deepest hue is a plum whose warmth shows up as the colour is intensified. Preceding the plum are an iridescent ivory, a sparkly sky blue and a shimmering lavender.
Swatched dry:
The ivory is luminous and refined; the even gleam of its sparkles never so overwhelming that it edges over into a frosty white. I love how its twinkly diaphanous quality allows it to be more than a highlight—I can use it from socket to browbone without overpowering the entire eye look. In warmer lighting (which I’m sorry I couldn’t capture), it even carries a lilac lilt.
On their own, the blue and the purple are somewhat lacklustre, pigment-wise. The initial colour payoff was disappointing for I’d certainly hoped for more, given how they come across as accent colours in the quad. Over a base, however, they pop up in an almost-ethereal way, underscoring their smooth and soft texture.
By itself, the plum has a semi-sheer but buildable finish. When layered over a deep brown or berry eyeliner, it shows up with a beautiful richness. Noticeably strewn within the pan are tiny aqua sparkles that add interest to the colour.
And if you’re wondering, the shimmery overspray doesn’t interfere with the actual shadows.
Formulated with argan tree oil and Hydro-Wrap Complex (an advanced moisturising ingredient exclusive to Clé de Peau Beauté), the palette promises smooth application and wear.
The silky texture is evident in every pan; each eyeshadow embodying the softness and finesse that Japanese luxury beauty brands are known for. This characteristic allows the shadows to blend seamlessly into one another, and when layered over a base, it also means they build up without skipping or caking.
Below are 4 quick eye looks I’ve done with this quad. With all of them, I’d used the cult favourite Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer as an all-over base.
This was the first look I’d ever tried with this palette, and one that I go back to with subsequent uses. I like the harmony of the blue and lavender, and how the blue softly pops on the centre of my lid.
This is the same look, only without false eyelashes, and in muted natural lighting. As you can see, the colours impart a subtle lustre.
To deepen the lavender, I used a violet Urban Decay eyeliner on my mobile lid. I particularly like how the plum, as a liner, complements the purple.
This look was created with a dampened brush which brings out a metallic finish from the blue and purple. Although this method is unforgiving with layering, I like how the two hues blend side-by-side without caking. I completed the look with a simple swipe of the ivory under the iris, using a wet pencil brush.
Here are all 4 shadows swatched with a dampened brush. What a marked difference from the dry swatches, yes?
This final look is one that I would use as a reference when asked for simple smokey eye recs. I’d used the plum over a deep cocoa Sephora Collection eyeliner on the lid, blending it out easily.
The liner offers definition under the powder shadow, whilst the softness of the plum allows me to effortlessly feather it, creating a quick and easy understated smokey eye. The lashline can be intensified with added layers of the shadow.
To make the smokiness stand out, I placed the lavender in the inner corner but you can use the plum on its own for a monochromatic look.
Available at the Clé de Peau Beauté boutique at Mandarin Gallery (#01-09) and leading department stores, this palette retails at S$110 in Singapore.
An eye-watering price, certainly, but if you enjoy these cool-toned hues and appreciate soft eyeshadows that blend and layer well, you might want to put this on your Christmas list. ;)
