Clé de Peau Beauté Eye Color Quad in #209 from the Mediterranean Beauty Collection

Lest you have any doubts that blue shades are trending for spring and summer, check out Clé de Peau Beauté's Mediterranean Collection. The two new Eye Color Quads ($55 or $80), #209 and #210, both add a touch of blue - although different hues - to a neutral palette.

I was able to catch photos of #209 this afternoon after I did some power shopping at a warehouse store for my mother. I had wanted to get over to Chevy Chase, but I never made it. Maybe tomorrow. I know there are exciting arrivals I must photograph for you.

I purchased both new quads from the Mediterranean Collection at Neiman Marcus. As with all the new items, I opted for the refills, so you will see a plastic container below. The compact adds an extra $25, which adds up when you buy one of the quads. Since they take up less space when stacked in my bathroom, I'm perfectly happy with the refills. Plus, these shadows are so amazingly good, I want them close at hand. If I had to look for a specific quad in my house - the makeup warehouse - I would be up a creek.

Layers of light in whispers of color. More than eye shadow, it's the feeling of light and translucence. Soft shades combine with skin-care benefits to achieve delicate depth and refinement.

The skin-care benefits to which Clé de Peau Beauté refers are argan tree oil, which provides smooth application and hydrating wear, and Clé de Peau's proprietary advanced moisturizing Hydro-Wrap Complex. Somehow, the ingredients the company uses combine to produce luxurious makeup.

Quad #209 will attract you even if you don't love blue. I have to jump out of my conservative habits and wear it more often - appropriately, of course. Just a pop. The neutrals in this pastel palette are stunning. Sheer but buildable, they are gorgeous shades for year-round wear.

I took swatch photos in full, afternoon sun. I applied all four shades heavily with a sponge-tipped applicator. I'm always disappointed to see the classy design disappear on first use, but then I think about how pretty these eye shadows are and get over it.

The golden shade at the top of my arm (left in quad) offers a beautiful warm gold sheen. In a Mediterranean beach theme, it could equate to shimmering sand. It's not terribly sparkly. It offers an adult sheen. Perfect, huh?

The copper shade is flattering on the eyes. Isn't it interesting how copper has become, over the last few years, a must-wear shade? I might have passed on it five years ago, but now I drool when I find a good one.

The blue is a beautiful color. I applied it heavily for the swatch photos, but if you apply it lightly with a brush, it will give you a periwinkle wash that's elegant - not at all 1980s blue.

The thin stripe at the right in the quad is a pastel yellow. I wish there were more of it. It is a gorgeous base shade, and it can also serve as a highlighter on the inner corners of the eyes.

Conclusion? It's love. How perfect for Valentine's Day!

I'd recommend you stop by a Clé de Peau Beauté counter and explore the magnificent new colors. Or, check them out online at the Clé de Peau Beauté Web site.

Photo at top courtesy of Clé de Peau Beauté; other photos by Best Things in Beauty