Friday, August 18, 2017

$100 Palette?!? | Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan Olympia's Wonderland Palette: Review and Swatches

Disclaimer: The product featured was provided for review.
Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan Collection Olympia's Wonderland Palette: Review and Swatches
Alright guys, are you sitting down because I'm about to share with you what's, in my opinion, the most gorgeous palette that's ever been bestowed upon the world of beauty. For Fall 2017, Lancome has teamed up with quirky French designer Olympia Le-Tan, who's well known for her vintage-inspired embroidered book clutches (google them, you can thank me later). Adorned with an exclusive cotton embroidery design, the limited edition Olympia's Wonderland Palette ($100 CAD) includes colors for the eyes, lips, and cheeks. Curious to see more? Read my review and see my swatches by clicking......
Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan Collection Olympia's Wonderland Palette: Review and Swatches
Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan | Olympia's Wonderland Palette
Packaging:
Housed in a hefty compact the size of a small book (with a sturdy cardboard sleeve for storage), Olympia's Wonderland Palette is wrapped with a layer of fabric on the outside. The front is covered in a whimsical embroidery design, which is nothing short of breathtaking. I know $100 is a crazy price to pay for a moderately sized palette but considering that an average Olympia Le-Tan book clutch costs well over $2000, this palette is an absolute steal. Admittedly, the embroidery work is not as detailed and intricate as that of an actual Olympia Le-Tan clutch (or the promotional image shown on the website, for that matter), the overall design is still very exquisite. This is undoubtedly the most unique and special palette I've laid my hands on.
Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan Collection Olympia's Wonderland Palette: Review and Swatches
Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan | Olympia's Wonderland Palette
Inside the palette, you will find a large mirror on the underside of the lid flap. You get four eyeshadows (0.5g each), one cream blush (5.5g), one lip balm (1.3g), and four "luster lip powders" (0.4g each). Also included is a dual-ended brush with a slanted eyeshadow side and a tapered lip brush side. I kind of wished that the actual products came on a removable insert, allowing the compact to be used as an actual clutch but alas, the packaging is super amazing nevertheless.
Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan Collection Olympia's Wonderland Palette: Review and Swatches
Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan | Olympia's Wonderland Palette
Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan Collection Olympia's Wonderland Palette: Review and Swatches
Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan | Olympia's Wonderland Palette
Formulation:
For the eyeshadows, you get four sophisticated colors that are perfect for the fall and holiday season. "Nommé Désir 1971" is a satin off-white cream. "Paradis 1956" appears as a shimmery dark plum in the pan but swatches more like a warm brown. "Brun Nacré 1965" is a shimmery gray and "Gris Argent 1988" is a stunning silver-gray shimmer. With the exception of the plummy brown, which is just a tad patchy, all the shades are creamy and ultra-pigmented. At first, I didn't really think the colors would go well together but after creating a look with all four (see below), I was pleasantly surprised by how well they complement each other.
Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan Collection Olympia's Wonderland Palette: Review and Swatches
Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan | Olympia's Wonderland Palette | Eyeshadow
For the look below, I used the shimmery gray all over the lid, the plummy brown in the outer corner, the creamy white on the brow bone and the inner corner, and the silvery gray in the middle of the lid. I love how the shades blend together and silvery gray is definitely my favorite out of the four!
Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan Collection Olympia's Wonderland Palette: Review and Swatches
Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan | Olympia's Wonderland Palette
In the center of the palette are a beautiful soft pink cream blush (see how it looks on the cheeks in the last photo) and a sheer pink lip balm. I don't think the cream blush actually has a name unless "La Base 1960" refers to both the balm and the blush. The cream brush has a velvety texture on its surface which fooled me into thinking that it's a powder blush. However, the formulation is creamy, rich, and very pigmented. The color applies evenly and it sets to a powder-dry finish that's quite smudge-proof. I'm usually not a fan of cream blushes but I'm actually really digging this one. Both in terms of color and formulation, it kind of reminds me of the Chanel Le Blush Creme in "Rose Perle" but the pigmentation of this Lancome blush is even more intense.
Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan Collection Olympia's Wonderland Palette: Review and Swatches
Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan | Olympia's Wonderland Palette | Cream Blush & Lip Balm
Before realizing that the four brightly colored powders on the right side of the palette are not eyeshadows but "luster lip powders, I thought the lip balm is another sheerer cream blush. It has a standard lightweight formulation and the pigment is pretty sheer. However, what's really interesting here are the four powdered lip colors. On the Lancome website, these four shades are described to have a powder-to-cream formulation but they honestly just feel like any old powder. I'm not sure if the pigments are safe for the eyes but the texture is identical to that of a pressed eyeshadow.
Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan Collection Olympia's Wonderland Palette: Review and Swatches
Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan | Olympia's Wonderland Palette | Luster Lip Powder
Intended to be blended on the lips with the lip balm as a base, these worked surprisingly well. They are pretty darn pigmented and give the lips a soft-focus effect. "Rouge de Rose 1955" appears as a warm plum shimmer in the pan but it swatches much more wine-red on the lips. "Olympia 1980" is a retina-searing orange red and "Anémone 1959" is a bold fuschia. Lastly, "Couture 1962" is a soft rose. All four shades have a subtle shimmer but it's really not noticeable unless you are examining them up-close. For the look below, I used the hot pink all over the lips and dabbed a bit of the soft rose in the center of my lips (using the lip balm as a base). As you can see, the colors have a very matte finish; it's lightweight but slightly drying. The colors aren't smudge-proof but they wear pretty well. Overall, I think the concept behind the lip powders is very creative and unique but I just don't like the application (you have to use a lip brush) and the slightly drying finish. When it comes to everyday lip colors, I'm still a cream lipstick kind of girl.
Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan Collection Olympia's Wonderland Palette: Review and Swatches
Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan | Olympia's Wonderland Palette
Despite not loving the "luster lip powders", I am hugely impressed with the palette. Not only is the packaging to die for, the eyeshadows and the cream blush are all beautifully formulated. For the contents of the palette alone, $100 is definitely a whole lot to pay but considering that you are getting a unique, limited edition Olympia Le-Tan design, the price is actually kind of a steal...... If you are thinking of getting this, act fast because it will sell out!
So what are your thoughts? Will you be adding this palette to your collection? Let me know in the comments below!

Check out my review of the rest of the Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan Collection here!

Availability:
The Lancome x Olympia Le-Tan Collection is available online at www.lancome.ca and in stores at Lancome counters.
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