Clarins summer 2012: going in circles
July 17, 2012
I thought this eye shadow quartet from Clarins' summer collection would be a good follow-up to yesterday's post on Chanel's Indian-inspired palette. I didn't purchase this because I didn't think it was quite up to Museum standards, nor do I see it fitting in to any upcoming exhibitions just yet, but it's worth a mention.
The outer case has a delicately dotted pattern along the left and a large circular one on the right. The same shapes appear on each eye shadow.
I'm not sure about the teardrop-shaped design, but I'm fairly certain the circular pattern is a variation on a mandala, a motif in Buddhist and Hindu art. According to mandalaproject.org, "the word 'mandala' is from the classical Indian language of Sanskrit. Loosely translated to mean 'circle,' a mandala is far more than a simple shape. It represents wholeness, and can be seen as a model for the organizational structure of life itself--a cosmic diagram that reminds us of our relation to the infinite, the world that extends both beyond and within our bodies and minds."
Here are some examples on a temple ceiling in Madurai, South India.
Here's a more detailed shot of the ceiling:
And a mandala on the floor:
(images from kitchenoperas.com)
However, I'm inclined to think the Clarins design looks less authentic than the mandalas you'd find in temples - it looks more like this henna tattoo drawing:
What do you think?