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Another week, another post featuring a French beauty brand. This time, it's about Lancôme, again! The brand has really become my favorite for French department store makeup products in the past few months.
A few weeks ago I showed you their Fall 2015 color collection called Parisian Inspiration, and just as planned I bought the Hypnôse Dazzling in Brun Bibliothèque. Let me start by saying that Bibliothèque means library, that'll help you understand my inspiration for the photos!
This hybrid cream-to-powder eyeshadow is similar in texture to what a few other French brands have in their permanent range, like the Chanel Illusion d'Ombre or Dior Fusion. The bouncy texture lies somewhere in between a firm mousse and Play-Doh: it doesn't feel wet or creamy like your typical cream shadow, and once dry it behaves pretty much like a powder.
I wasn't too sure why this shade #305 was named Brun Bibliothèque until I decided to take a picture of it next to one of my favorite books, the complete works of Charles Beaudelaire in the Bibliothèque de la Pléiade edition (read about this collection here). That's when I noticed that the color of the shadow as it looks in the jar is almost identical to the gold lettering on the spine of the book. Was that really the inspiration for this shade? I don't know, but I'm satisfied with the explanation!
So this shadow is obviously a beauty, but how does it perform? Let's take a closer look:
The Pros
- The rounded clear jar is hefty, elegant and sturdy enough to be thrown into your makeup bag for a getaway. It's the same container as the Color Design Infinité.
- The texture makes the application foolproof, whether you prefer to use your fingers or a firm synthetic brush (the tiny brush that comes with the shadow isn't very useful, it only works for lining the lower lashes). Just dab first, and then swipe to even out the coverage.
- Brun Bibliothèque is a very flattering shade that leans cooler or warmer depending on the lighting and your own skintone. It stands at the crossroads between beige, gold and copper.
- This is a very shimmery shade, but it also yields almost opaque color, not just sparkles (unlike the similar products by Chanel and Dior, at least for the shades I've tried).
- Despite all the shimmer, it's not over the top and I find it easy to wear during day time. The texture also doesn't emphasize the skin texture on my lids too much (common problem with high shimmer/metallic shadows).
The Cons
- It's not the most blendable product out there, so it works better all over the lid than in a complex look with multiple shades. I usually use it on its own for a casual look, or paired with a few powder shadows for a more structured look: deep brown in the outer corner, medium brown in the crease, ivory on the brow bone, all in matte finishes.
- I've had some sparkle fallout after a few hours of wear, especially if I rub my eyes. It wasn't so much as to be a deal-breaker for me, but be warned - and maybe use a primer underneath (I haven't, it works well enough on its own for me).
- If I try to layer too much it can become flaky over time. One to two layers is all you need anyway.
Overall
Another new product by Lancôme I'm a big fan of! While not perfect, this Hypnôse Dazzling is a great little shadow for easy and quick makeup looks. Its shimmery finish makes it multi-dimensional so it can be worn alone and still look, well, dazzling. Highly recommended if the idea of creating a beautiful eye look in 2 minutes using only your fingertips seduces you! I wish Lancôme would make this product permanent, but at least they're launching new limited edition shades every season (the ones released with the Holiday collection are stunning, I want at least one).
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| Wearing Hypnose Dazzling Eyeshadow in Brun Bibliotheque and Color Design Matte Lip Crayon in Only Wine Will Tell, both by Lancome |
Bonus track: here are swatches of the other two shades of Hypnôse Dazzling available with the Fall 2015 collection, plus the LE Grandiôse Mascara color.
Where to buy?
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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