Chanel Les 4 Ombres in Prélude & A Bit of Geekery

Sometimes I order things without really knowing why. When I was wandering around the Chanel website to order my Knightsbridge lipsticks [reviewed here] I decided on a whim to order my first Chanel eyeshadow quad. I had no idea which one to get, so I turned to my trusty Google search. I pretty much just picked the first one that showed up. Luckily it turned out to be the perfect everyday quad for me.

The quad comes in the standard shiny black Chanel packaging, which I adore but wish it wasn't so prone to collecting fingerprints. It comes with a little velvet pouch, which is a nice touch.

Chanel Prélude [natural light]

The quad comes with a mirror and two sponge applicators; one is slightly pointed for lining and the other is the standard rounded shape. Like most included applicators they're pretty useless, but I try to hang onto them for travel purposes. The mirror is a decent enough size that it's actually usable. I don't understand the point of mirrors in small single or duo eyeshadows (does anyone use those, like ever?), but in a larger palette like this, it's nice to have. 

Chanel Prélude [flash]

The top left shade is a taupe with a hint of purple that looks beautiful on its own or combined with any of the other shades in the quad. The top right shade is a golden white, which is a nice highlighter. The bottom left is a beige with a hint of warm pink, it looks great with the top left shade. The bottom right is a combination of black, brown, and eggplant, it makes a great liner and brings some much-needed drama to make this palette great for day or night. These shadows all lean a bit cool, but I think they could work across skin tones. 

As you can see, the shadows all have a very fine microshimmer. I usually prefer matte shadows for everyday use so I don't end up looking like a disco ball at the office, but this shimmer translates beautifully onto the skin and only really shows up when the light hits the shadow. You can see the difference in how the shimmer looks in the swatches below. 

Chanel Prélude, swatched clockwise from top left [natural light]

Chanel Prélude, swatched clockwise from top left [flash]

All of the shades are fantastically pigmented and smooth. They blend well and I haven't had any issues with wear time. You really need just the tiniest bit of shadow, so I expect this will last me a very long time [especially as I've only hit pan on a few eyeshadows in my lifetime].

Below is the makeup I wore today for a shopping trip with my mom, featuring Chanel Prélude. It's been unseasonably warm this week for March in Wisconsin, reaching 80 degrees today. I wanted to look glowy and beachy, so I wore a good deal of bronzer and highlighter.

FACE:

Avene Cold Cream

Skin 79 BB Cream

Covergirl Aquasmooth Foundation in Natural Ivory

Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel [contour cheekbones and around face]

MAC Wonder Woman MSF in Pink Power [pink shade as blush, highlight on cheekbones]

MAC MSFN in Light

EYES:

Chanel Prélude

Top left shade on outer half of mobile lid and lower lash line

Top right shade to highlight brow bone and inner corner

Bottom left shade on inner half of mobile lid

Bottom right shade in crease and outer V

NARS Larger Than Life Eyeliner in Rue Bonaparte on waterline

Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara in Noir

LIPS:

Revlon Lip Butter in Creme Brulee

I also thought I'd throw in a little non-makeup photo. This is my newest necklace, and I absolutely love it. It says "Do or do not, there is no try" which is a quote from Star Wars. I was over the moon to find such a pretty version of something geeky that I love. It's the Alisa Michelle Do or Do Not gold pendant necklace and I purchased it on HauteLook a few weeks ago. 

And those are two of my new favorite things! 

Have you bought anything lovely lately?