Le Metier de Beaute Splendid Frost Kaleidoscope Review, Photos, Swatches

Le Metier de Beaute has recently become one of my favorite brands and their signature Kaleidoscope kits are on my must-have eyeshadow palettes list. This particular Kaleidoscope was released during the Holiday 2010 but it's still available at a few Neiman Marcus counters and at Nordstrom.com for $95 - this is not an affiliated link. I'm just making it easier to enable you!

Let's start with the swivel-out compact. It's compact, lightweight, and durable so it's a joy to travel with. I've dropped mine twice now and there isn't a single dent! The only drawback is the weak glue but LMdB is reportedly improving the glue so that the eyeshadow pans will stay put more securely. Now let's talk about the shadows. I'm not an eyeshadow worshipper - rather on the ambivalent side, honestly - but more and more I am apt to reply "LMdB" when I'm asked what my favorite eyeshadow brand is. The shadows apply smoothly and there is very little fall out whether I use a brush or my fingertips.

In Bright Sunlight

Indoors [More True to Color]

Now we'll break down the colors, starting with the warm-toned taupe with a metallic finish. The base appears more intense depending on how much light the shimmers reflect. The next shade in the Kaleidoscope is a cool matte grey and the closest shade I have to it is Guerlain's 186 Eclat Mono. I prefer the LMdB grey because it's better pigmented but the Guerlain 186 is more flattering on me when worn alone, as it has less of a blue undertone. The next shade, the hot color, is a peachy-pink that doubles up as a blush! I was hesitant about using it but it actually adds dimension and brightness without overpowering any other colors on my lids. Finally, the last shade is the cold shadow, the most complex navy in my make-up collection. It's incredibly pigmented and even has coordinating violet and peachy-pink shimmers to compliment the hot shade above it, creating a striking duo that can be worn separately from the traditional LMdB couche de couleur method, which I will dedicate a spotlight post to. 

This was my first LMdB purchase and I am proud to say it was one of the best purchases I made in 2010. Make it yours this year before it's too late!