An All-In-One Smokey Eye Palette: Marc Jacobs The Parisienne

(Product was purchased by me.)

I didn't exactly rave about my first Marc Jacobs Style Eye-con Palette (The Siren), but as I used it more and more, my opinion improved. So when I saw the new holiday 2014 palette, The Parisienne, with all of its sultry shades, I knew I was probably going to get it. One Sephora F&F sale later, it was here, and I am very pleased.

The palette itself is a dark, sparkling navy blue, not the black of the permanent range palettes. It's sleek and I really like the color stories for the MJ palettes, I have to say.
(Um, I may have also ordered The Enigma. What can I say? I'm having a palette moment, here. Also, it's hard to pass up a good pun in a beauty world that usually takes itself very seriously. Icon, indeed.)

The left two shades are similar, but on lids, Shade 1 is more of a pewter gray without the brightness of Shade 2. Shade 3 is a vibrant, cool silver. Shade 4 is completely matte (hurray!) which makes it excellent for blending out the dark shades; the pigmentation is good, but it's very close to my skintone. Shade 5 is a lighter, pearly white-gold. Shade 6 is an olive brown, more emphasis on the brown, and 7 is a reddish plum with glitter specks. The specks do make it to eyes, but it's not fallout city, surprisingly.
I think the beauty of this palette lays in the middle shade (4)- it's a completely matte nude, with easy pigmentation that makes it perfect for blending out the darker shades. A lot of smokey palettes lack this, I think, but it's a crucial shade. You could also just use 4 & 6 to do a neutral eye (especially over a cream shadow base), so the versatility is nice to see; you could travel with this, especially if it's for a wedding or another event that calls for more dramatic makeup.

Shades 4, 5, 7 over a NARS primer. Blush is Shiseido Camellia and gloss is Maybelline Intoxicating Spice.
I really like that plum shade. Maroon? Whatever. The palette runs cool, but is still very wearable for those of us of a different persuasion.

Shades 4-6 over NARS primer. 6 can be a bit muddy, but I think that's often the case for olive browns. Also, sorry for the color changes. I shoot in front of my window, so natural (mercurial) lighting rules all.

The white shade also helps brighten up smokey looks, and it can be used lightly as a highlight. I like palettes that are all-inclusive, because to me, that's the beauty of a palette. I know others worry about repeat shades, and while I don't want multiple palettes with the same color schemes, I also like having fully functional ones that can be used for travel without having to bring additional items. Personal preference.

Shades 1, 2, 4, 5. I think it's Illamasqua Zygomatic Tarte Stellar on cheeks, and just Epic Blend More Moisture (Unflavored, of course) on lips.
Overall, I can see myself getting a lot of use out of this one - all the smokey shades, collected in one convenient place! And the quality is nice; the darker shades don't pill up and though over-blending can make them muddy, that can be avoided by patting them nicely into place.

This look is still my favorite (same as the first). I'm going to have to repeat it over and over, haha. I also really love that Maybelline Lip Elixir. Goes with everything!
This one is limited edition, I believe, but so was The Siren, and that one is still available, so it doesn't seem like it will sell out all that quickly. Of course, I could be wrong - their experience with The Siren could have made them make a more limited quantity, this time around. What with the VIB sale and all right now, if you want it, I'd get it now - the 20% off discount makes it $47.50 vs. retail $59, which is always nice.

(Also, could you please like my look at Savvyist? If you do, I mean. It's the Jewel-toned Eyes Challenge! Thank you!)

Ingredients (from the back of the box):
Shade 1: mica, oryza sativa (rice) extract, calcium sodium borosilicate, boron nitride, lauroyl lysine, magnesum myristate, caprylic/capric triglyceride, sodium dehydroacetate, phenoxyethanol, sorbic acid, tin oxide, carmine (CI 75470), silica.
Shade 2: mica, oryza sativa (rice) extract, magnesum myristate, boron nitride, lauroyl lysine, caprylic/capric triglyceride, sodium dehydroacetate, phenoxyethanol, sorbic acid, tin oxide, carmine (CI 75470), silica.
Shade 3: calcium sodium borosilicate, calcium aluminum borosilicate, oryza sativa (rice) extract, mica, silica, boron nitride, lauroyl lysine, magnesium myristate, caprylic/capric triglyceride, sodium dehydroacetate, phenoxyethanol, tin oxide, sorbic acid, stearic acid, carmine (CI 75470).
Shade 4: mica, boron nitride, lauroyl lysine, magnesium myristate, oryza sativa (rice) extract, caprylic/capric triglyceride, sodium dehydroacetate, phenoxyethanol, sorbic acid, silica.
Shade 5: mica, boron nitride, lauroyl lysine, oryza sativa (rice) extract, magnesium myristate, caprylic/capric triglyceride, sodium dehydroacetate, phenoxyethanol, sorbic acid, silica.
Shade 6: mica, oryza sativa (rice) extract, mica, boron nitride, lauroyl lysine, magnesium myristate, caprylic/capric triglyceride, sodium dehydroacetate, phenoxyethanol, sorbic acid, silica.
Shade 7: mica, boron nitride, lauroyl lysine, calcium sodium borosilicate, silica, magnesium myristate, oryza sativa (rice) extract, caprylic/capric triglyceride, sodium dehydroacetate, phenoxyethanol, sorbic acid, tin oxide, carmine (CI 75470).