So, I caved. I got another Kaleidoscope Eye Kit from Le Métier de Beauté. What’s a Kaleidoscope Eye Kit, you say? I talk about them, at length, over here. This is a very, very, very careful purchase, just because I don’t exactly have an extra $95 lying around at my disposal all the time.

Anyway, I expressed disappointment over the first Eye Kaleidoscope. Northern Lights wasn’t as pigmented as I expected it to be. But I couldn’t shake off the feeling that LMDB SHADOWS ARE MEANT TO BE BETTER THAN THIS.

So I bought another one. Naturally.

(Source)

This pretty thing is called Silk Road. It refers to trade routes that “connected Afro-Eurasian landmass.” Though the routes were used for several trade systems (and certain diseases like the Bubonic Plague), it was primarily used, or I guess, known for its role in the promulgation of Chinese silk.

I think Le Métier de Beauté is excellent at naming their colors! This eye kit has a beautiful contrasting richness to it that was sadly absent from Northern Lights. It reminds me of the exotic lands that the Silk Road passed through, with merchants from different parts of the world carrying things like spices, textile, and new technologies to barter and trade.

THIS IS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. Look at how rich this palette is. I got this much pigment from a single swipe. From L-R (top to bottom layer), the shades are:

• Tapestry — a cool plummy shade with a smattering of gold flecks
• Damask — a shimmery coppery gold
• Ikat — a satin plum with warm brown undertones
• Brocade — a warm chocolate brown with bigger (not chunky) copper glitter

(Image sources: Tapestry, Damask, Ikat, Brocade)

I love these names, all of which refer to different types of textiles. Tapestry and Brocade are the words I’m most familiar with since they’re used pretty often in the English language. Damask is an Arabic name for a certain type of “back-to-back” weaving that has interesting patterns, and Ikat refers to an Indonesian fabric that made using a woven and “warped technique” that sort of distorts the pattern a little. Ikat patterns appear through dye techniques. I think. I’m not an expert. Anyway, it turns out, I’m familiar with these fabrics, too. I just didn’t know that they were called these specific names.

Now, of course, I have to show the couches de couleurs technique that Le Métier de Beauté products are known for. It involves layering the colors from each quad, from top to bottom (the fourth, being a liner), to create the most contrast and dimension against your eyes. I can’t speak for the effectiveness of this techniques, but these sure look pretty layered all together.

The swatch on the left picture are the first three layers. Tapestry, a cool color, goes on first. It is followed by Damask, a warm shade, and then by Ikat, which is a cold color. The last one, which you can see on the right swatch, is Brocade, a hot color. So, technically, you can recreate the technique using other Le Métier de Beauté individual shadows or kits.

These swatches were made from the FINGER SWIPES. I am still marveling at how amazing the pigmentation is. And now, to unveil the look on the face—without any primer, and using the couches de couleurs technique—ta-da!

Well, don’t hide your impressed-ness. Just kidding. P.S. I look like I just ate a lemon (on the left).

I know it looks basic, and I can’t explain why I love it so much, but I do. I think it’s a classic subtlety that I appreciate a lot. I don’t like LOUD looks or overly colorful ones (so IDK why I keep on buying products… but that is neither here nor there), so I am in love with this eye kit.

On my face: The Body Shop Brow & Liner Kit (02), Le Métier de Beauté Kaleidoscope Eye Kit (Silk Road), K-Palette 24H Kuma 0 Cover Control Concealer (02 Yellow Beige), Chanel Joues Contraste (Frivole), Chanel Rouge Allure (Envoutante)

VERDICT: Silk Road is a great introduction to Le Métier de Beauté Kaleidoscopes, especially in terms of shadow quality.
How much? $95 for 14g or 0.49 oz.
Will I repurchase? Yes.
Where to buy? Nordstrom, Zuneta, Neiman Marcus.