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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Chantecaille L'Elephant Palette - Swatched

Chantecaille's palettes always excite me. They're gorgeous. Each new one makes me  wonder how Chantecaille will top it the next time - and they do. The latest, L'Éléphant Palette ($82), provides a demonstration of the amazing creativity of the Chantecaille team. Everything about it is stunning, from the design of the palette, with the elephant on the front of an elegant dark green case, to the colors within. Add to that the celebration of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust - a charity I've avidly supported since I discovered it - and I'm delirious. This introduction is one of the best palettes of of 2012. Ask me at the end of the year, and I may tell you it's the best.

L'Éléphant Palette (refillable) was inspired by the fall runway trends and the tireless efforts of The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Chantecaille created L'Éléphant Palette, a lustrous eye palette that fuses trendy colors from the catwalk and the Kenyan grasslands with simplicity in an innovative and wearable way.

The palette features Ivory, a soft, pearly beige inspired by the African elephant's tusks, at the top left. Grasslands, at top right, is a trendy green inspired by the color of the lush savannah grass after the rainy season. Red Earth, lower right, is the eye color of the fall runways - a strong copper that mimics the rich, red color of the African cliffs. Iron Ore is a glistening deep grey liner with flecks of gold. It mirrors the way the mineral shimmers in the bright African sunlight.

I was thrilled to have a chance to play with L'Elephant last week at Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie - thanks to Jeannine Barnes. As I swatched the shades, trying desperately not to "ruin" the elephants, I was struck by how down-to-earth they are. Each of the four shades could be a standalone, but together, they offer more than four eye shadows. In the truest sense of the word, they offer a collection, with the shades providing many ways to create complementary looks.

I ordered the palette the second I learned it was available at Chantecaille's Web site. Here is my palette, safely living with me now. This will be the first. I need one to use and one for my makeup museum. Oh, why delude you? I will probably purchase four of them. I've already pre-ordered the second from Jeannine.

I swatched the shades in clockwise order, using a sponge-tipped applicator. I swatched heavily. My photos were taken in full, early morning sun. I'm nearly drooling as I write this feature. Every one of the shades is special.

The Ivory is perfect for my skin tone. For me, it will be both base and highlighter. It blends into my skin tone so well, you may find it hard to see at the top of my arm. Grasslands has to be one of the best green eye shadows I have ever seen. I know that's a sweeping endorsement, and I mean it. It's a green that is totally wearable, and it should reassure green phobes that green is good.

Red Earth is copper on my skin - a copper that looks great with my blue eyes. It has no muddiness in the color. It dazzles. The big surprise of the palette (to me) was Iron Ore. The shade is drop-dead gorgeous. It's supposed to be "the liner shade," but it's light enough that I'll be able to use it as an accent shadow. I fear you won't see the complexity of the color in my swatch photo. I think it's is a hybrid between brown and grey. It's not simply grey, and those little gold flecks give it a life. I may try to get color close-ups later with friendlier lighting.

I am so totally smitten with L'Elephant, I'll babble if I write much more about the superb colors. For now, I'll leave you with the information about Chantecaille's philanthropy. Five percent of all proceeds from L'Éléphant Palette will be donated to The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, one of my favorite charities. I've adopted orphaned elephants, donating to help the trust take care of them. I have a special place in my heart for them. Would you support them too, please?

Chantecaille first became aware of the Kenyan-based David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust through a very moving article in National Geographic. Established in 1977 by David Sheldrick's wife, Dame Daphne, the trust embodies her life-long mission and devotion to rescuing and fostering orphaned elephants in Kenya. A pioneer in understanding elephants, Daphne was the first person to successfully hand-rear a newborn fully milk-dependent African elephant.


Dame Daphne's keen ability to identify their needs for survival, from the formula they drink to the emotional nurturing they require, has helped save African elephants from extinction. Her life's work has proven that elephants and humans are extremely similar, from their emotions to family structure. Both species share a mutual need for support and love, with baby elephants taking up to four years to be weaned and needing almost 10 years of care before they are able to join their wild elephant families. Since the trust was established in Tsavo National Park, over 80 elephants have been successfully released back into the wild.

Elephants are the planet's largest living land mammals; they symbolize strength, wisdom, and intelligence. Sadly, the threat to elephants from ivory poachers is greater than ever, with an estimated 38,000 African elephants killed annually, a rate that, if left unchanged, will see elephants wiped out by 2025. Please don't buy ivory!

To help save this species from extinction, in addition to their contribution for every palette sold, Chantecaille has printed a QR code on the back of the palette box. Scan the QR code with a smart phone's QR scanner app to be directed to the screen that provides a link to foster an orphaned elephant. On the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's interactive site, you can choose an orphan based on origin and age. As a foster parent, you will receive a fostering certificate with a detailed profile and photograph of your adopted orphan. You will also be granted access to your baby elephant's Keeper's Diary, which is filled with daily calendar entries and monthly photos. Along with the update, you will be sent a collectible, monthly watercolor of your adopted elephant hand-painted by the talented Angela Sheldrick. I can personally tell you it's a rewarding experience.

Today, you can purchase L'Elephant Palette at Chantecaille's Web site. It will be at store counters very soon.

Three photos courtesy of Chantecaille; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

27 comments:

  1. You are making me want to buy this! lol I am very tempted even though they are not colors I usually wear.

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  2. It looks beautiful! Do you know anything about the ingredients in the HD powder they're supposed to be coming out with later this fall?

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  3. What wonderful people! They manage to create palettes which are even more gorgeous than the previous ones and God knows they are all superb! Their causes are so right too..the African elephants have suffered from heartless and cupid poachers and they do need all the support they can get! Thank you, Charlestongirl for this review: Chantecaille is definitely a "different" brand ....and I like the idea of fostering a baby elephant:-)

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  4. I've been a reader for quite some time now but a first time commenter. The second I saw your swatches I knew it has arrived at Chantecaille.com and I just finished ordering my very own palette along with the kabuki brush. I'm fairly new to the brand. I've only had the Coral Reefs palette and a lip chic in my collection and I've used it quite often. I love the quality of the shadows (remind me of LMdB) and the colors are very wearable. This Elephant palette I knew I would get much use out of this coming season, perfect for my NC30 skin tone. I can't wait to play with my very own palette to play with. And thank you Charlestongirl for swatching asap.

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  5. Though I had thought this pretty from the pictures online I dismissed it as I thought the colours would be too harsh and intense but they look really wearable from your swatches, thank you for you review, its been really helpful :)

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  6. "I need one to use and one for my makeup museum. Oh, why delude you? I will probably purchase four of them."

    Seriously.
    a ROFL moment. XD

    I, too, adore Chantecaille palettes. I don't have any Chante but I do lurve Chante products. Sel has been on my Christmas/Birthday wish list for a few months now. :D

    What's your favourite Chante product, CG?

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  7. Hi Evelyn!

    I think you'll look great in this palette! :)

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  8. Sorry, Gail, I do not have any written info on the HD powder.

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  9. Hi Clarisse,

    It's so rewarding to foster a baby.

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  10. Thanks, Emile! I'm glad you commented. You are going to love your palette.

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  11. Thanks, Replica. If I can wear them, anyone can.

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  12. This is gorgeous. Thanks for the swatches CG. That green is to die for! I've been told that the entire Chantecaille collection will be available at Neiman Marcus for their Beauty Event starting on Sept. 6. I'm keeping my fingers crosssed. I have a preorder in for the entire collection. LOL!

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  13. Such a beautiful palette. Thank you so much for the swatches, the colours are delightful!

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  14. Hi Jo!

    NM is really hoping, and I suspect they are correct. However, my reps told me they can't promise. Who knows? Only Chantecaille knows how fast they can ship it out.

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  15. Thanks, Modesty! Nice to see you. :)

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  16. Sold! Off to order now...;-}

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  17. Oh, wow! I can hardly wait now to get mine. My eyes are a dark, mossy green so I know this palette will be perfect for me. I love the idea of combining green with a reddish brown. Opposites on the color wheel really make the colors sing (I'm tired of the word "pop" LOL). I was totally in love with the palette based on the promos and the wonderful cause, but now, after seeing your swatches, I can invasion so many ways to apply these rich, earthy colors. And, of course, Chantecaille's superb quality is legendary.

    I think the cause the purchase price is helping to support is also outstanding. Even though 5% isn't much ($4.10), at least it brings awareness to the cause and hopefully it will inspire others to do as I do--send off a separate check to the organization in a more appropriate amount. I also love the idea of fostering a baby. They are so adorable. Isn't it wonderful to think that by purchasing a beauty product, we are doing something meaningful for these helpless little guys? Not only will our eyes be beautiful, but so will our hearts.

    I have an antique ivory bracelet from the late 1700's that was handed down to me. I don't wear it very often because it is so old and fragile, but whenever I do, people invariably comment on it so I use it as an opportunity to talk a bit about the deplorable situation that the ivory poachers have wrought. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is always one of the first things I suggest supporting because, even though it is too late for the parent, the Trust provides hope for the orphaned baby. Most people are very responsive to my spiel, but there are those who think I'm nuts and ask me why, if I feel so strongly, am I wearing an ivory bracelet. I tell them it's to get their attention and that if it gets even one person to make a contribution, then the elephant who was killed over 200 years ago did not die in vain. Mellow dramatic, huh?

    Whew! I had better get off my soap box or all of you will think I'm nuts, too! :-)

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  18. 38,000 elephants killed each year?? I'm shocked and sad, thank you for sharing these facts with us. I will take a look at this organization's website.
    I can't believe people still kill elephants for ivory in the 3rd millenium. Makes me so angry!

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  19. Aaahh great--I was set on purchasing the blush and thought the eyeshadow palette would be easy to resist, but now I'm not so sure anymore...that green is gorgeous!

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  20. Hi Eileen,

    I'm glad you can turn that bracelet into a learning moment. When shopping with friends, I won't even let them look at knock-offs! I don't want anyone to think that buying ivory is OK. When I think about the horrors of murdering elephants for their tusks, I get physically upset. I'm so glad Chantecaille is drawing attention to the elephants with this palette.

    Last night, I went to sleep thinking about the palette. Can you tell I love it?

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  21. Hi Lulle,

    It makes me angry too. There is so much cruelty in our world.

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  22. Becca, you didn't REALLY plan to bypass this palette, did you? :)

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  23. The whole collection is actually out at at least one counter here in the Boston area now (South Shore Plaza, if there are any locals). Not my normal Nordstrom, but was in the area today for a meeting and couldn't resist checking, and got a chance to play with it. I had to tear myself away, because I'm not allowed to buy anything until after my bonus comes in, but I will be back. The complexity of Grasslands and Iron Ore is stunning in person.

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  24. They look so beautiful I would not want to use them just look at them, Since I am fair skinned also with freckles I think the lighter one would be more for me :)

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  25. They look so beautiful I would not want to use them just look at them, Since I am fair skinned also with freckles I think the lighter one would be more for me :)

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