Paris After the Rain

L: Lip Parfait Creamy Colour Balm in Rive Droite and Rive Gauche R, Top: Matte Eye Colours - Champs Elysée, Saint Germain, Tour Eiffel and Le Marais R, Bottom: Multi Chrome Pearl Toppers: La Madeleine, Arc de Triomphe, Rue de Rivoli, and Montmartre      I'm never one to turn away from the chance to try a new make-up look, so I basically jumped at the chance to give the new spring launch from Laura Mercier a go.  The launch (in stores as of January) included two new colours in the Lip Parfait Creamy Colour Balm (USD $25) range, as well as a limited edition eyeshadow palette, entitled Paris After the Rain (USD $55).      The Lip Parfait formula is creamy, with a medium coverage and a gloss-like shine. Both Rive Droite and Rive Gauche are lovely nude colours, wearable with so many looks and so easy to wear.  I am all about a nude lip of late, and so I was thrilled with these. Not to mention that my parched lips very much appreciate the balm in Colour Balm. These lippies are seriously hydrating and I am officially a fan.    

Eyes: Laura Mercier's Saint Germain, Le Marais, Champs Elysées, Montmartre and  Tarte Lights Camera Lashes Mascara  Lips: Laura Mercier's Rive Gauche      The Paris After the Rain palette has beautiful colours encased in simple and classic black matte packaging. Inside, there are four matte shades and four "multi chrome pearl toppers", or, in layman's terms, shimmery shades. With the exception of Saint Germain (matte) and perhaps La Madeleine (shimmer), these are fairly dramatic colours for everyday, and are much more suited to a smoky eye look, accented with the pearlescent shimmer of the multi chrome colours.  Saint Germain is also the most buttery of the matte shades, to the point that it almost feels like a different formula to the other three. Even though the remaining three matte shades are also quite creamy - they are just not as next-level as Saint Germain.  That said, all four are richly pigmented, and long-lasting: the make-up look I tried out above lasted for hours and hours with no touch-ups required.       The glittery pearl shades are also beautifully formulated, much like Saint Germain, and are super easy to apply. I went for my fingertips instead of a brush and was very pleased with the resulting dimension it added to the look.  The only real drawback for me with this palette is that it's pretty pricey for the quantity of shadow it contains. Consider that the Tartelette in Bloom palette with 12 shadows instead of eight, in USD at least, is ten dollars less. However, for the die-hard eyeshadow fan, and especially for fans of Laura Mercier products, I think this palette wouldn't disappoint.  I know I'll certainly get a fair amount of use out of this palette, especially for evening and more dramatic looks. Follow