Chanel Illusion D’Ombre Review

I swatched this cream-powder eyeshadow when I was in Sephora in Rome, having looked at so many adverts in magazines for it but I wasn’t that impressed.  It didn’t appear to be very pigmented, it certainly didn’t last very long on the back of my hand compared to my other swatches of the day (MUFE and Benefit) and so I just left it and thought no more of it.  Until I started reading rave reviews about this product in blogs everywhere.  Could I have been wrong?  On a whim while I was shopping for make-up for New Year (I convince myself every year that I need new make-up for the holidays!) I swatched it again at my local Chanel counter.  I don’t know what happened in Sephora but my experience was totally different second time around!  This swatch was incredibly pigmented, full of sparkle and had the most gorgeous creamy consistency I’ve ever experience in an eyeshadow.  I had to have it!

 

Unfortunately, I couldn’t get it.  My local counter had sold out of the colour I wanted, which was 85 Mirifique.  Having read so much about this particular colour I knew it was the one for me.  I haven’t bought a dark eyeshadow in so long and it definitely felt like the time to buy one – especially a rather luxurious one!  I stormed around every Chanel counter in Glasgow like a woman possessed in order to have it for New Year’s Eve but it was sold out everywhere.  I would have been gutted that I couldn’t have it for my special occassion (does anyone else suddenly decide they need a certain product and they need it right at that very moment?  That’s me!) if the assistant at the Chanel counter in John Lewis (to whom I still have to say a massive thank you!) hadn’t scraped some of the tester pot into a plastic tub for me to try.  The only counter to offer in the whole of Glasgow!

As you can probably guess from the fact I am now doing a full review on the product I immediately ordered it online and a few days ago it arrived from Selfridges.

 

I could barely wait to start testing it but I took some photos of it untouched for you guys!  It comes in a little box (first picture) which was so small that I thought they’d forgotten to include the brush!  I was wrong, obviously, the brush is just incredibly small, and one of those brushes where the lid becomes the handle of the brush once you slot it on.  It’s not the greatest brush in the world, fine for application across the lid but nothing else.  Chanel, on the box that the eyeshadow comes in, suggests that the Illusion D’Ombre can be used as a liner – with the brush they’ve included.  I personally don’t think I’d be able to get as precise a line as I would like with this brush.  But it would be incredibly handy just to throw into my handbag on a night out so I’m keeping it.

The packaging is stunning.  I am a massive Chanel make-up fan and I adore how expensive the packaging looks.  It just looks and feels like quality.

On to the product!  Described by Chanel as ‘long wear luminious eyeshadow’, Shade 85 Mirifique is a deep black with multi-coloured sparkle, which can make it appear grey – especially when smudged.  It is a cream to powder finish and the texture is like nothing I’ve ever experienced in an eyeshadow before.  It’s like a mousse, but slightly spongier.  Very creamy.  Completely odd and entirely perfect at the same time.  The texture can make it difficult to apply this product sparingly however, so be careful with application.  Works excellently as a liner because of the texture, and is easy to smudge before it sets.

I applied it across my lid with a flat shader brush (and once with the brush it comes with) and blended it at my crease with a MAC 217 (which immediately became filthy!).  The first couple of times I used it I did not use a eyeshadow primer.  The first time it did crease, but the second time it didn’t, so I think the key to making this eyeshadow last without a primer is really not to use too much of it and go sparingly.  The pigment is incredible so you won’t need a lot anyway.

 

With Flash

Without Flash

This is just with one swipe of my finger.  Amazingly pigmented!  Honestly, I have no idea what happened in Sephora but I was so, so wrong about this product.

Another great thing about this eyeshadow is that it is so easy to use and can instantly transform your look, without the use of any other eye products.  I think it would work amazingly if you wanted to use it for an easy day to night look.  The first time I tested this I simply applied it over the liquid eyeliner I was wearing at the time and it looked great.  Instant glamour!

The only cons I have for this product (which is becoming a fast favourite!) is that the glitter fall out is insane.  My cheeks had extra sparkle at the end of New Year’s Eve and even after I had removed my make-up and washed my face with a face scrub I was still looking at bits of glitter on my face.  Not a good look.  But I can live with that because the pros of this product more than make up the cons.  Another con would be the price.  $36 or £22.50 is a lot for an eyeshadow but it’s a bit of a luxury splurge for me and totally worth it at the moment!

I am so glad I gave this eyeshadow another chance!