Chanel’s eyeshadow quads (aka instant credit card debt) are one of my weaknesses. For months, whenever I’d hit a Chanel counter I’d go straight for the quads, fiddling joyfully with them and looking for my next favorite palette.
But a while ago, while at Nordstrom peeping the summer collection, I decided to swatch all of the Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow singles. I loved them all! Hello, more credit card debt.
I’m glad I didn’t overlook the singles because the colors seem richer and more vibrant than those in the quad.
Unfortunately, as far as eyeshadows go, the singles ain’t cheap ($27.50, eep!), but if high-end makeup is your thing then these shadows belong in your collection. They’re available in matte, shimmer and satin finishes and come in a whopping 25 different shades.
On the Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus websites there are only 24 of them listed; Midnight, the elusive 25th shade, is only available online from Chanel.
Chanel Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow Shades – All 25
- Abricot (listed as “Apricot” on the Nieman Marcus website)
- Amethyst
- Bambou (“Bamboo” on Neiman Marcus)
- Beige
- Candide
- Cinnamon
- Ebony
- Fizz
- Gold
- Island
- Ivory
- Jungle
- Khaki
- Lagoon
- Lavande (“Lavender” on NM)
- Lotus
- Mahogany
- Midnight (available on Chanel website)
- Nomade (limited edition)
- Quartz
- Safari
- Sand
- Silvery
- Starlight
- Tigre (limited edition)
I grabbed two of the shades, Safari (a shimmery gray-taupe) and the limited edition Nomade (a cool light pink with gold glitter sparkles), and this week they made their way into my workday makeup rotation.
While you can mix and match the Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadows, I prefer using the two shades I have all by their lonesome. Individually, they’ve been great for creating simple washes of color over the entire eyelid.
When I use them I apply a layer of eyeshadow primer first, like Too Faced Shadow Insurance. Then, I grab one of three brushes — the MAC 252, MAC 217 or the Sephora All Over Shadow brush from the Smokey Eye brush kit. Any one of the three can do the job.
I swipe the brush across the pan to load it up with color, but before applying I tap it against the side of the sink to unload any excess shadow.
Gently patting my eyelid with the brush has given me better results than when I swept the brush back and forth. I do it until I’ve got an even layer of color on each eye.
Chanel Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow
Price: $27.50
Use: Eyeshadows for a simple wash of color
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B+/A-
