Review: Chanel Smoky Eye Palette (Les 4 Ombres, 83)

One of my first introductions to high-end makeup was to Chanel, over ten years ago when I first travelled to Paris with my mum.  It was the first time I had ever seen a Sephora and I remember being completely overawed by the giant store on the Champs Elysees and its vast array of products from almost every brand I could imagine.  It was a revelation to be able to be able to look at luxury brands such as Chanel and Givenchy, which were all just laid out on shelves rather than the more traditional counters in department stores I had seen previously.

My mum and I enjoyed a happy spree for a couple of hours in the store, oohing and ahhing over all the pretty products, and I recall that one of the purchases I made was a Chanel eye palette in various shades of grey and silver.  This palette has stayed with me throughout the past ten years and I am now on to my third repurchase!  It is by no means the best smoky eye palette ever - I know there are many who detest the European Chanel palette formulas, as they tend to be baked shadows and less pigmented than their North American counterparts - but it has worked for me over the years and has become almost like an old friend!
Lets take a closer look.

The palette contains four shades: A shimmery pale white highlight, a soft, pale grey / silver with shimmer, a darker, deeper shimmering grey and a matte black.

As you can see from the swatches below, they do not look terribly pigmented.  However this is with one swatch with my finger and the most attractive property of these shadows for me is that they are so easy to build up and intensify, so it is easy to go from a  sheer wash of colour to a bolder, full on smoky eye.  The shimmer in these shades is carried out in the elegant way that Chanel is so adept at.  It is a very grown up shimmer, which catches the light perfectly and doesn't make you look like you are ready to go out all night partying when you are just heading to the office!  

The shadows blend easily and last for a full eight hours for me without creasing.  When used with a primer, I would expect an additional couple of hours wear. When they wear off, they do fade slightly but the glitter also fades with them, meaning that you are not left with only glitter and no colour, sparkling on your lids.

I wear this palette in a multitude of ways.  The lightest shade is often used on the browbone as a highlight or occasionally as a base colour for the lid.  The lighter grey is sometimes used as a wash of colour for days when I just fancy something neutral and easy or if I am in a rush, and the darker grey is often used in the crease to add definition or in the outer V, when paired with the lighter grey shade.  The matte black is an excellent liner shade and stays put for hours.

Verdict
I love this palette, although I accept that for some it may have its flaws.  If you prefer super-pigmented products, this is not the palette for you, but if you enjoy easy to use, blendable shadows with a hint of sparkle, or are just a fan of Chanel's eye palettes in general, this is a must have staple buy.  I'm really hoping they don't discontinue this palette as I'd be lost without it! 
4.5/5

Price - £37 , pricey but this is to be expected with Chanel. I actually made my latest repurchase from Buyapowa for almost £10 less!
Where to Buy - Boots, House of Fraser, Debenhams