Chantecaille Wild Horses Palette for Fall 2013 - Swatched

Fall 2013 will embody a minimal and serene elegance through timeless iconic pieces with a sober luxury. The tone is set through materials of fur (faux, I hope), leather, cozy knits, and textural tweeds in more forgiving styles with volume, menswear influences, longer hemlines, and oversized coats. The trending colors will be warm earthy browns, rich neutrals, black, white, camel, and pops of red.

Inspired by the grounding and moody shades of nature in winter, paired with the simple sophistication of purity and strength, makeup will be a light wash of eye shadow in shades from the earth: warm browns, copper, and ash, emphasized by black eye liner. The lips create the perfect counterpoint in soft nudes or rich reds.

Inspired by the magnificent beauty and free spirit of wild horses, Chantecaille has created a striking, palette that effortlessly compliments the Fall 2013 runway trends. Four shades fill the refillable Wild Horses Palette ($83).

• Black Stallion, a midnight black liner with a whisper of shimmer, inspired by the elusive Black Stallion
• Palomino, a soft, creamy beige eye shade, inspired by the golden coats and glistening blonde manes of Palomino horses
• Mustang, a warm chestnut brown eye shade illuminated by flecks of gold, inspired by the iconic, wild Mustangs of the West
• Freedom, a flattering sunset pink that creates a soft, windswept-flush

The Wild Horses Palette benefits the Humane Society of the United States. Embodying the spirit of freedom, wild horses have graced the American landscape for centuries, reminding us of our deepest connection to the Earth. Sadly, in just the past 40 years, over 22 million acres of wild horse habitat has been lost in the U.S. to make room for cattle, fracking, and mining industries. By conserving land for wild horses, we not only help save countless herds, we help save our environment from the polluting extractive industries that are destroying it. Ensuring that wild horses are able to roam freely means keeping a part of our Earth untouched and unexploited. I would have purchased any new Chantecaille palette, but this "cause" warms my heart.

I was lucky to be home today, dialed into an all-day conference call in Missouri when my palette arrived from Chantecaille. I had ordered it Saturday. It's pictured above. The second my call ended, I zoomed outside to get swatch photos to show you the gorgeous colors.

I remember that some had commented that it looked in the advance photos like Tiger in the Wild. Now that I have it, I can say that it's totally unlike Tiger. I applied all shades heavily, breaking through the overspray with my sponge-tipped applicators, to try to get true shade depictions. My photos were taken in full, late-afternoon sunshine.

The color at the top of my arm is shown top left in my palette: Palomino, a soft, creamy golden beige shade. I think it's as pretty as golden beige gets. The second color down is the top right color in the palette:  Freedom, described as a flattering sunset pink. I would not describe it that way. To my eye, it's a pastel brick shade, a hybrid between red and copper - and unlike anything in Tiger. I would never describe it as pink. Anyhow, as a cheek color, it's fabulous for fall.

Black Stallion, a midnight black liner with a whisper of shimmer, is the third shade down on my arm, lower right in the palette. True to description, it's a perfect liner for any look.

The copper shade at the bottom of my arm is, amazingly, Mustang, described as a warm chestnut brown illuminated by flecks of gold. I might call it a golden chestnut with an emphasis on golden. It's stunning.

I have had not time to play with the palette, but Chantecaille has never disappointed me. I'm sure the Eye Shades will offer me the top-notch quality I have learned to expect from Chantecaille. Their shadows never irritate my eyes, wear well all day, and look fabulous. The cheek color can be worn on your cheeks or eyes. The palette is gorgeous, with its beautiful horses on each shade. The compact has horses on the top (as you can see in the top photo). Even the box has a beautiful horses motif - worth a photo.

I can't wait to hear what you think! The palette has not arrived at most Chantecaille counters. It wasn't scheduled to be available until September. However, it did arrive at Chantecaille's Web site, so I pounced. Perhaps I galloped right to Chantecaille's site to order it.

If you would like to watch Chantecaille's videos that accompany the season and explain the Wild Horses campaign, just pop over to the Web site.

Please note: the palette delivered to me had the colors "rearranged" from the original press photo at the top of this feature.
Photos at top and bottom courtesy of Chantecaille; other photos by Best Things in Beauty