YSL's Ombres 5 Lumières (5 Colour Harmony for Eyes) in Tawny ($56) grabbed me on Friday, even though one of the shades is orange! After asking last Friday who would or could wear orange on their eyelids, I found an irresistible palette that includes an orange shade.This palette isn't brand new, although I chose to test it because the YSL rep had put it front and center with the holiday collection. I might have skipped by it if I hadn't already seen it on my friend (see below). The golden shades in the palette are gorgeous. The orange? Even I can wear it blended, as I'll show you.
YSL Beauté's Ombres 5 Lumière palettes have five monochrome eyeshadow colors. Each palette holds four luminous, alluring shades of varying intensity and finish - matte, shiny, pearly, or iridescent - and one highlighter. The highlighter is the magic touch, to lighten and widen the look instantly, while the deepest brown color should be used to structure, define, or line the eyes.
From the most natural style to the most sophisticated, the shades in YSL's palettes always coordinate nicely to create a perfect look. You can explore numerous interpretations of color and endless changing effects with these versatile Ombres 5 Lumières palettes - and I am still playing with this one. "Straight up" or blended, you'll find these colors gorgeous on your eyelids. I wore a blend to work yesterday. The shimmer works for day, which is nice since I spend so much time working.
I had seen an artist-finished look of #3, Tawny, on a friend with very similar coloring. She had a golden-bronze smoky eye that day, and it was gorgeous! I resisted for awhile, but finally surrendered and bought the palette. The shades in Tawny include a shimmering golden orange (yes, it's orange to my eye, although some would call it copper), shimmering ivory (in center), shimmering peach, shimmering gold, and shimmering chocolate brown. The palette comes with two double-ended sponge applicators, in case you find yourself without a brush.
At right is a swatch photo of the five shades. At the top, you'll see the orange shade (top left in the palette). I swatched clockwise, ending with the gorgeous highlighting shade in the center. All of the shades will make you a golden goddess, except possibly the orange shade. That will depend on your coloring. I can't wear the orange shade unless I blend it with one of the other shades. Blended, though, with the gold shade below it in the palette, it's gorgeous. Check out the blended swatch below. I created my own shade, and I think it's beautiful. You can create the same effect by blending it with the central highlighting shade.
Both of my photos were taken in full sun. I applied each shade "strip" fairly heavily with a sponge-tipped applicator. You can see the range of gold, from light, yellow gold shades to golden brown and golden orange. The orange shade has so much gold in it, it's perfectly wearable for many, unlike some of the DayGlo colors you can find in the "orange" range.You can purchase this palette at YSL's Web site and get a discount through today, November 30! Use code FRIENDS at checkout for a 20% discount. There's free shipping at YSL too. You can also find it at YSL counters at the best department stores and Sephora. I bought mine at Neiman Marcus, which was fairly silly given YSL Friends & Family, but I'm sure you'll understand how the "want it now thing" happens when makeup shopping.
Photo at top courtesy of Sephora