Monday, April 15, 2013

Le Métier de Beauté Femme Fatale Kaleidoscope Eye Kit

This popped into my e-mail box last night - sent from Le Métier de Beauté's e-commerce site. The Femme Fatale Kaleidoscope Eye Kit ($95) will be available for a limited time. The subliminal message is, "Buy now."

I won't be buying now. Will you? Without time to compare the photograph to other Kaleidoscopes, I have a strong feeling - intuition? - that this Kaleidoscope contains four dupes. Since I cannot see it at my favorite counter, I can't prove that.

Desirable, lust-worthy, seductively charming, and irresistible to all... this is Femme Fatale. A new Kaleidoscope – exclusively for LeMetierDeBeaute.com – Femme Fatale brings with it just the right aura of mystery and charm to make this spring a sultry one. Mixing deep blues and bronze tones with delicious plums and ivory shades, the four jaw-dropping hues will leave you wanting more. Take a risk, we dare you. Shades (from top to bottom)...
  • Oyster - satin shimmery dust
  • Sapphire - midnight blue with jewel tones
  • Autumn Rust - deep and rustic topaz
  • Matte Plum - bodacious, bright purple
Besides my feelings about Web exclusives, which cut out all the hard-working company reps at the counter, I'm tired of plum and red shades, which always seem to make their way into Kaleidoscopes. Plus, these are not spring or summer colors. Femme Fatale seems strange to me, one of Le Métier de Beauté's biggest fans. Why not save it and give us something exciting for summer - now?

I was duty-bound to show it to you. Now, you've seen it. Will you be ordering one?

P.S. I've been investigating. Sapphire is in the new Melange de Colour Palette. Found it immediately. Melange de Colour was marketed as a collection of the most popular shades from prior Kaleidoscopes. I think I'm onto something.

Photos courtesy of Le Métier de Beauté

18 comments:

LuckyRedLisa said...

I'm with you. I have a gazillion k-kits and love (almost!) all of them. But looking at this one, well, the thrill isn't really there. Is it because Dustin isn't there to talk it up and show us all how fabu even the oddest looking combos can look? Is it all the dupes? Is it that this just doesn't look like Spring at all??
This week's pennies are going towards the amaze-balls Armani palette you recently reviewed! Then I'm keeping my eyes on the prize- Tom Ford Summer, with, of course, Dustin to sell me on it!!

Nemo said...

I think the Femme Fatale eye kit is beautiful. I would have no problem buying it all. The Armani summer palette's eyeshadows look like those in the Armani Mirage palette, so there are dupes there, too. As for Tom Ford, I have one eye quad. It was overpriced and of mediocre quality. Like CHANEL, LMDB spells happiness to me.

Eileen said...

I agree with you and LuckyRedLisa. I look at this promo pic and think, "Been there, seen that, done that." As pretty as it is--and I can definitely see the layering possibilities--whether it is interesting enough to purchase would probably depend on what other LMdB kits a person currently owned. Since I have similar Kaliedoscopes, I'll just keep playing with my delightful Mélange de Couleur palette instead.

As for Tom Ford, I really hope the products live up to the beauty of the promo picture. As one of your readers said, I don't want to look like a butterfly or a peacock so I'm hoping TF's collection will be the answer to what to wear this summer :-)

Eileen said...

Hi Nemo,

I gave both the Mirage quad and the Amber Glow palette a miss because they were so very similar to my Summer Heat quad from 2011. I took my Summer Heat with me when I visited the Armani counter. Swatching all three on my skin, I'd say the slight differences in tone were negligible. Like LMdB, I guess it just depends on what you already have in your stash. All three of the Armani palettes are gorgeous, though, and they are a bit different in finish if not in color. I'll just go with my Summer Heat for now and replace it next year. This summer, my eye is on Tom Ford.

Virginie said...

I never owned any LMDB make up item until recently, I purchased the 18 eye shadow palette, I went through such a hassle with a SA at Nordstrom, never again!! As far the product, I was very disappointed!! I am big on eye shadow, I have big eyes lol, so I have a pretty big arsenal of different brands, colors, textures etc...but this palette to me is not just where a luxury brand should be. Fall out, not pigmented for the most part. I also got in my email this femme fatale K, and I actually like it, I am missing some of those plummy colors, I tend to wear those less. I would buy it, but I Cannot find their return policy on their website, do you have any idea?
I don't want to be stuck with it if the same thing happens again. I know that you (CG) have a few of those Kaleidoscope, how do you compare them to burberry, or Armani, or any high brand basically?
I have had such a bad experience 1) to get it, and 2) with the actual item. ;-(

Christina said...

I feel the same way as Virginie. My first purchase was the Melange palette, and I, too, had difficulties with the pigmentation. I was just expecting more, I guess. It's definitely a different texture from other eyeshadows I own.

I like the way the Femme Fatale palette looks (can't resist blues and purples paired with gold), but I'm scared of having the same problems. I love their color pairings, though!

Charlestongirl said...

Hi LuckyRedLisa,

I love all my Ks, but I don't need this one. No spark for me.

I was just at NM, where the TF did not come in with a shipment. Sob.

LuckyRedLisa said...

I will say that the usual quality for lMdB eye shadows is very high. I have had no issues with fall-out or payoff with any of my k-kit or singles. I have the 18 palette, but haven't used it.
In general, I find the le metier shades have as much if not more depth, richness, and pigmentation than Armani and Chanel- two of my usual faves. The closest comparison would be to some of the better Dior quints. I won't compare to Tom Ford because the quality on those palettes is a bit hit (Enchanted) and miss (Silvered Topaz).
And who am I kidding, I probably will buy this kit too. LOL

Charlestongirl said...

Nemo,

There are always dupes, and I usually don't care about them. This one struck me as a strange intro for spring. Plus, I'm not a femme fatale.

Charlestongirl said...

Eileen, I was just stalking the TF counter, and the pieces have not arrived. Now they are saying this week, except for one ditz who said May.

Anonymous said...

I'm getting a fall vibe from this particular Keyekit so methinks it's just not hitting me the way it could.

Eileen said...

Hi Virginie; Hi Christina,

I think LMdB had some major--and I mean major---quality control issues with the Mélange de Couleur palette. I got mine and have had no problems with it. But one of my friends got it and the pans were loose and a couple of the shadows had crumbled. It was in terrible condition so she took it back. When I showed her my palette, she couldn't believe her eyes because the quality was so different.

Virginie, of the two brands you mentioned for comparison purposes, I think Burberry has the best texture. It's just so smooth and creamy. The problem, though, is that the color selection is pretty unimaginative. Once you've picked up a few basics, you're done. In the past, LMdB has had better pigmentation than Armani (Giorgio loves his sheers :-) ), but Armani has been producing shadows with better color saturation just lately so I think that is changing. Here's one you didn't mention--Clé de Peau. Clé de Peau makes some awesome quads with beautiful colors and a silky texture that wears extremely well, but their singles are hit or miss. If selecting singles, I'd choose LMdB. If selecting palettes, I'd choose CdP. When it comes to favorites, so much depends on the condition of your eyelids and your personal esthetic. If possible, it's always best to swatch in person because every line has its winners and its losers.

Anonymous said...

I have vowed to never purchase LMdB again. I deplore how they set up such a sense of urgency to "get it now" by only making 100 here and there. And then what I got was a lot of dupes or something that didn't work on me. Yes, my bad as I let myself get caught up in it. There are so many other superior brands out there that value their customers. Yes limited edition here and there is fine - but not all the time.

Lisa said...

I'm passing on this one, I'm in the "been there done that group". Thanks for the post! Love your write up on eyeshadows likes and dislikes singles verus quads Eileen. I think it is absolutely spot-on! Picked up a lovely Cldp spring quad just last week, love, love, love!

Evelyn said...

I am a Femme Fatale (well, in my dreams! lol) but this one isn't quite hitting the spot. I have been very picking about buying LMdB kaleidoscopes, so far I only have one but I do love it. For the rest I've bought singles over the sets. I'll keep my fingers crossed for a future "wow."

Anonymous said...

I just ordered mine and I've gotta say despite the naysayers I couldn't be more excited. The mix of rich plum with bronze, satin and indigo... I could NOT resist.

Not only is this right on trend for Spring, but I have a feeling these colors will carry me through Fall just fine. Bravo LMdB! You have now officially made me a Femme Fatale!

Charlestongirl said...

I'm back. I missed a lot of comments last night while I watched Boston on TB and cried for the victims - and the PSD that first responders will likely suffer.

If I didn't have LMdB colors like these, I might have been more excited. I also have some foreboding thoughts about the company that I find discouraging. Some day when the time is right, I'll share them. Anyhow, I'm happy for those who are revved by Femme Fatale. I am woman; hear me roar!

As for pigmentation, LMdB shadows have always been light and buildable. You can have it both ways: a wash of color or drama. Got to love that choice!

morelikespace said...

I've only been buying LMdB for a couple of years and I didn't take the plunge into their kaleidoscopes until recently, so this one still looks absolutely beautiful to me. Too bad that it's online only and that they charge nearly as much as the cost of the palette itself to ship to Canada...