I’m honestly a bit gutted by Clarins The Essential Palette. I really like Clarins as a brand and love what they do skin care, but The Essentials is, well, not essential at all.
It’s just all round meh. There aren’t any shades in here that anyone who likes a nude palette won’t have covered off about a million times already and the pigment isn’t that great either. Even allowing for the poor lighting of today, these colours completely lack any vibrancy or even any interest.
Clarins The Essentials Palette uses a wet or dry formula, so here are the shades wet. I didn’t find them at all easy to work with as wets and think the shades have all come out rather sludgy, with the exception of the gold colour. Initially, when wet, the colours take on a sheen but as soon as it dries, that disappears. And to get any colour intensity, you will have to wet them – which is messy and requires a brush clean between each application.
It looks absolutely beautiful, but doesn’t perform well enough for a £35 price tag in my view. And I do feel really sorry to say that. I honestly find it hard to believe that nothing a bit more creative and premium could not have come out of the Clarins NPD department – come on, it’s Clarins! And it’s Christmas – who wants a sludgy Yule?
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9 comments
I don’t know… There’s an overload of the nude palettes! #bringbackcolors
🙂
My Beauty Blog
Sludge is more appropriate for autumn I think to accompany the darkening of lipsticks. For Christmas I like sparkle and something a bit brighter because the light changes so much by then. Shame that this palette didn’t do anything to excite you. I thought this might have been quite a nice colour selection initally.
Ting | http://www.thetingthing.com
Such a shame, there really isn’t anything special looking here, even the packagaing doesn’t do it for me!
Saloca in Wonderland
I actually saw this on Boots and I thought it was a ridiculous price! I’m glad I resisted!
Stephanie
http://missstephanieusher.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3436251
xxxx
I bought it a while ago and was not too happy – I do like the colours, but you are right, the pigment is just not there and the colours just sort of morph into one sludgy greyish hue after a while…
Actually also meant to say, I bought some separate eyshadows from Catrice after that, and both in terms of pigment and blending they were way better, and this for literally a quarter of the price… Don’t they have a research h team or something?
I love the colours in this palette! This is now on my must buy list!
Leonie x
ikonikbeauty.blogspot.com
I was thinking that as well it is a bit….blegh isnt it? i mean for over £30 i would have expected more they look rather chalky as well
http://www.beautyandtheboy.com
I think the Clarins Essentials Palette from last year was just gorgeous. Lovely warm rosy and copper tones. This year’s looks really flat and boring in comparison. Everything seems to focus on the gold shade in the middle and then they didn’t bother to make the other shades worthwhile. Shame really. I like Clarins and their eyeshadows are usually really good.