Palette Perfection, starring Hourglass and Clarins

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Hourglass Modernist palette in Color Field and Clarins Garden Escape palette – Swatches and Review

Two palettes were introduced to my vanity recently that are as much eye shadows as they are works of art. And since their arrival, it’s been hard to reach for anything else. Now, I introduce them to you, dear readers, in a piece I’ve titled Palette Perfection (with good reason).

Let’s take a closer look at these two green-hued beauties…

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This brand rarely releases something that I don’t flip for. I mean, they were the entire reason we created a Packaging Porn category on we heart this! So, it’s no surprise to me that I ADORE the Hourglass Modernist Palette ($58).

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I chose Color Field from the seven beautiful options because I am a sucker for a gorgeous green. Color Field gives you two of them, plus a gold and two neutrals to round them out.

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Within the elongated rosy bronze case, the five shadows sit architecturally, dipping and rising like sand as waves move over it. The peaks and valleys of shadows range from being placed deep and wide (in the lightest shade) to shallow and thin (in the darkest shade). Honestly, I could stare at this palette for hours!

Hourglass-Modernist-Palette-Color-Field-2Like waves crashing in the sand…

Hourglass-Modernist-Palette-Color-Field-3The ripples beckon…

Not only are the ripples beautiful to look at, I think they make getting the shadow on your brush easier too. On the lighter shades with a bigger brush, or on the darker shades with a finer tip, you can angle your brush along the creases and pat to load the product on to your brush. That patting maneuver works much better with these creamy, finely milled shadows than a typical swipe of a brush.

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The Shades are:
Ivory Nude (matte)
Buttery Gold (pearl)
Light Cocoa (satin)
Golden Khaki (satin shimmer)
Blackened Khaki with gold micro glitter (satin)

Hourglass-Modernist-Palette-Color-Field-9-swatchesswatches indoors

Hourglass-Modernist-Palette-Color-Field-10-swatchesswatches in sunlight

The shades in this Hourglass Modernist Palette can be worn wet or dry. But I found that they are so richly pigmented that wet application wasn’t necessary. They blend like a dream too, allowing for numerous looks with just five shadows.

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The soft airy yin to Color Field’s moody olive yang is the limited edition Clarins Garden Escape 6 Colour Eye Palette ($45). If Mother Nature had to put spring into palette form, I’m pretty sure it would look a lot like this.

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I’m embarrassed to admit this is the first product I have ever tried from Clarins, the luxury French line first released in 1954. Zut alors – that’s shameful! But I am very sure to announce it will not be my last.

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The packaging is beyond. Honestly, just another level. From the red velveteen case…

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To the etched soft gold packaging, complete with a thumb divot for easy opening.

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There’s a mysterious hole on the back of it too. Which makes me think that maybe I can pop the pans out when they’re empty one day and use the perfectly sized mirrored palette for the classiest business card holder ever. Can you even?

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The palette also comes with a double ended brush and sponge tip applicator.

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The shadows are embossed and debossed with beautiful patterns. Combined with the shade range itself, the whole effect is very French garden. Again, I could stare at this beauty for hours.

The shades, all with a shimmery finish, are:
White
Forrest Green
Sage Green
Pink Coral
Icy Pink
Brown-Based Light Taupe

Clarins-Garden-Escape-Eye-Palette-8Indoors: each shade shown dry, then wet

Clarins-Garden-Escape-Eye-Palette-9In sunlight: each shade shown dry, then wet

The colors have an entirely different effect when used wet, sometimes almost looking like new shades altogether. Dry, the colors are light and sheer. Wet, they’re intense and pearlized. Wet is my chosen method of application.

Clarins-Garden-Escape-Eye-Palette-10Indoors: each shade shown dry, then wet

Clarins-Garden-Escape-Eye-Palette-11In sunlight: each shade shown dry, then wet

If you’re looking for a palette that doubles as a work of art, look no further than Hourglass and Clarins latest offerings. I’ll say it again: palette perfection.

photos: we heart this, swatches shown on NC25/30 skin tone

Stef is many things. Amongst them: co-editor of we heart this, photographer, condiment connoisseur, Philly girl in the California desert, borderline hoarder and a hardcore beauty junkie.
skin tone: NC 25/30
skin type: oily with a fear of rosacea
favorite beauty product: high end skincare and lip products

Author

  • Stef Andrews

    Stef is a plethora of things. Amongst them: co-founder of we heart this, photographer, condiment connoisseur, Philly girl in the California desert, borderline hoarder and a hardcore beauty junkie. She also has a touch of wanderlust and, arguably, the cutest dog in the whole world... skin tone: NC 25/30 skin type: oily with a fear of rosacea favorite beauty product: high end skincare and lip products

13 Comments

  1. Okay, so I NEED that Clarins palette. I’m a sucker for pink and green shadows together for the spring and this palette is chock full of pretty. Thanks for the heads up on this palette, @stef, I wouldn’t have known about this without you! Thank you for enabling me :D

    1. RIGHT? I saw it on Instagram and made it my mission to get it in my hands!

  2. OMG!!! Both of these look amazing. The Hourglass is just breathtakingly beautiful and unique while I think that the Clarins might be slightly more wearable for me. They are both simply lovely!!!

  3. Oh my word – these are some gorgeous palettes. I love them both, but if forced to picked one I would go with the Clarins Garden Escape. It is so, so spring-y and girly-pretty, but the greens add a bit of edge. I’ve never had a Clarins’ makeup product either – just skin care. That needs to change soon!

  4. Both of those are BEAUTIFUL. Especially the Hourglass palette–it’s a work of art! And I agree that textured pressed shadows are easier to pick up product with a brush. The actual Clarins palette is super cute… but I’m too lazy to use shadows wet though :(

  5. The HourGlass palette is stunning! Wow! I’m curious to see the other choices! Clarins has lovely face creams, so it totally makes sense to have such amazing shadows!

  6. This post is wonderful and terrible at the same time. On one hand, I’m so happy to have an “up close and personal” look at these palettes– they’re both so beautiful in different ways. On the other hand, I’m a green addict, so there goes my budget!

  7. Nothing says spring like all of the beautiful pallets! I am hoping the Easter bunny brings me make up — I do not need the candy.

  8. Good LORD! Hourglass Modernist Palette is stunning! Your site needs audio sounds..just saying, I was making the following utterances aloud all the way thru this post oooooooooh, ooooooooooh, oooooooh.. MAN, really pretty! Everything about it has gotten to me. I am a sucker for the whole enchilada!

    1. You need to go look at the Hourglass palettes at Sephora @irene – you’ll flip when you see all 7 of them!

  9. Love the Clarins palette and wish I had money to splurge on it!! The greens are fabulous and I like how they paired them with some pinks.

    1. It’s a real unexpected color combo, isn’t it?

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