Guerlain Les Tendres eyeshadow palette for Spring 2014




Guerlain's spring 2014 makeup collection, Meteorites Blossom, is without a doubt my favorite new release so far this year. In fact, I haven't loved a new makeup collection so much in a good while. Proof is that I hadn't bought a high-end eyeshadow palette in many months, but I decided to purchase Les Tendres. I felt like I couldn't pass on such a unique harmony of shades, despite its hefty price tag ($63 - are high-end eyeshadows becoming even more grossly over-priced or is it just me??). 



Ecrin 4 Couleurs in Les Tendres is an eyeshadow quad containing a frosty minty green, a shimmery champagne beige, a satin medium taupe and a mostly matte plum with strong red undertones. The two lighter shades have a similar frosty finish but the mint is more opaque while the beige is sheerer. However on the skin, the mint shade is not quite as vibrant as it appears in the pan, it loses some of its green tones to look more like a greenish off-white. The taupe shade looks very brown (and sheer) when swatched on my arm, but it looks more true-to-pan when applied to my lids. The plum shade is a beautiful reddish purple, and although it seems to have some faint shimmer in the pan, I can't detect any pearl or sheen on the lid. 



A lot of people seem to have doubts about the color combination in this quad, particularly the addition of a cool mint and very warm plum to a duo of neutral beige/taupe. I personally think that pastel greens and purples compliment each other incredibly well, so I am absolutely in love with the shade association here. It is pretty unique in the world of high-end makeup, and it works wonders to create fresh looks reminiscent of spring flowers. In fact I sometimes use nothing but these 2 shades that some find "clashing", the mint all over the lid and the plum blended inward from the outer corner, to create a playful flower petal look. They work together and blend together beautifully, so if you're on the edge about getting this palette or not because you're afraid of the color combo, I'd say go for it, you won't be disappointed. 



In terms of shadow texture and quality, this quad is on par with what I have experienced with Guerlain in the past: soft, buttery powders with medium to good pigmentation, no fall-out, excellent blendability and good lasting power without creasing. The swatches look a little weak, but they do perform better when applied on the lids with good brushes. 


Minty green all over lid, plum in outer corner blended in

On a side note, the sponge-tip applicators that come with the palette are actually very decent and usable to create a simple look, so you might be able to skip brush transportation if you take the palette with you for a short getaway. The traditional golden compact is simple and elegant, and the black velvet pouch protects it from scratches and fingerprints. 

Overall: les Tendres is without a doubt the best high-end eyeshadow palette released for spring. With a unique mix of colors that can surprise at first, but combine beautifully to create refreshing looks, it is well worth the splurge if you're looking for more daring associations or are simply bored by the classic all pastel or all neutral spring palettes. Kuddos to Guerlain for offering us something a little different! 

The product featured in this review was purchased by Lulle. I received no compensation to write this post, which only reflects my personal opinion. This post contains affiliate links.

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