Lancome La Palette Saint-Germain by Sonia Rykiel: Review and Swatches

Rich, seductive color makes a bold statement but for fall I like to kick it up a notch with even more glam and smokiness. The late French fashion designer - Sonia Rykiel collaborated with Lancome to create a beautiful array of shadows that compliment all complexions and captures the essence of the season. With inspiration stemming from Saint Germain des Pres - a highly coveted neighborhood in Paris, the palette incorporates midnight navy, sparkling grey-blue, brilliant silver, soft green, matte rose, khaki and cream.

The packaging is fun and comes with a double-ended brush.

These smoldering shades are perfect for a night out and the cool undertones are also suitable for day wear. The finishes range from shimmer, matte and glitter although I don’t think the extra sparkle is necessary since the particles can be difficult to contain and the colors are bold enough to stand alone. That being said, sometimes I do like a bit of dazzle and these hues are certainly great for events and parties.

The pigmentation varies by shade – the light silver is the sheerest in the palette but the other glitters and deeper hues provide medium to full coverage when layered. It may take a bit of work and a primer with good adhesion but most of the shadows have the potential to be enhanced quite nicely and the mattes are silky smooth. There are great options for the lids, highlighting, transitioning and defining, although I recommend not blending the glitters to avoid fall-out. The best way to apply the sparkle is by patting on the color for more precision and building up to the effect you desire.

At the far right end of the palette there is a little metal flap that opens to reveal 2 liners (deep glittery blue and dark shimmery navy) plus a matte pink highlight/base. The liners are very saturated so you can also use them in the crease for more depth and contrast.

Overall I really like these shadows and there is a nice balance of deep blue and blue-grey that looks lovely for dramatic smokey looks. This palette is limited edition and retails for $75.00 at Lancome counters and online at lancome.ca.