Chanel Illusion d' Ombre in Mirifique

When they were initially launched, I purchased three of Chanel’s Illusion d’Ombres in quick succession (review here). I was also very tempted by the black shimmer shade, Mirifique, but due to funds, I decided to hold off for a while.

Recently I caved in and bought it and here it is!

The packaging for the Illusion d’Ombres is standard Chanel – luxurious, heavy glass pots which look very ascetically pleasing. The eyeshadow comes with a small brush for application, but I tend to use my fingers to apply and only use the brush for lining.

As you can see from the swatch, the shadow initially looks very pigmented, however it can easily be sheered out to provide a less bold look. The shimmer is what I would term a ‘grown-up shimmer’, not so sparkly that it leaves you looking like you have dived into a bucket of glitter, but subtle enough to provide extra interest and dimension to your look.

I’ve covered the consistency of the product in my previous review – its very soft and is essentially a cream shadow, which blends quickly and easily to help you achieve your desired look. You do have to work quite fast when blending as it sets very quickly and once set, it is budge-proof for the remainder of the day!

I find lasting time with the Illusion d’Ombres is generally very good. When used with primer, Mirifique easily lasts through an eight-hour day, although without primer, I only get around half this time, but I have exceptionally oily lids. When used as a liner, the shadows last all day without migrating or fading. My favourite way to wear Mirifique is probably as a liner, smudged along my bottom lash line, although I have been experimenting recently with pairing it with dark grey shadows and using it to smoke out at the outer corner.

Verdict

Like the other shades amongst the Illusions d’Ombres, this doesn’t really have any particular faults. It is pigmented and easy to apply, staying put throughout a whole day without migrating, fading or creasing. The only downsides to Mirifique would be the price, which is pretty high, although in line with other products from Chanel’s range, and the fact that you need to ensure you screw the lid on VERY tightly to ensure the shadow does not dry up. This is common with all cream shadows but it especially seems to be the case with Chanel’s Illusion d’Ombres. All in all, a recommended buy if you enjoy perfecting a smoky eye look or if you fancy adding a sophisticated edge to your everyday liner.

4/5

Price – £22.50

Where to Buy – Boots, Selfridges, House of Fraser, Debenhams

Review: Mac Interior Life Eyeshadow Quad

The Mac Daphne Guinness collection was launched in stores a couple of months ago and I picked up this quad, Interior Life after being drawn to its subtle grey and purple shades, in the hope of creating a neutral, soft smokey look.

It is well-known that Mac’s limited-edition quads have been lacking in pigmentation lately, but these shades looked so pretty in the pan, I couldn’t resist!  The shades included are:

• Stratus – a very pale pink which was very difficult to swatch.  I have been using this mostly as a highlight shade or as a base for other colours.
• Bruised Sky – a mauve / purple tone that I have been using as a subtle wash of colour on my lids for an almost neutral look.
• Interior Life – a medium grey.  This was my favourite of the four shadows as it was very easy to apply and blend.  I have been using it a lot with my Chanel Illusion d’Ombre in Illusionoire, and blending it out a little.  It also works well in the crease with Bruised Sky.
• Heather Belles – a charcoal black which you will probably have similar versions of in your collection.  I use this either to line the eyes or blended in the outer v for a smokier eye. 

L to R: Stratus, Bruised Sky, Interior Life, Heather Belles

The shadows all appear to be of a matte consistency when swatched and applied to the lids, (so there’s nothing here for shimmer addicts!) although only Stratus is actually named as a matte. Bruised Sky and Heather Belles are named as satins, and Interior Life is a veluxe.  They do take a little more effort to use as they are on the whole, very sheer, but when layered and combined, they work well for an understated, polished look.  As with other Mac eyeshadows, these have an excellent wear time and last throughout a full working day for me, without creasing or fading, when used in conjunction with a primer. 

Verdict

For those of you who prefer more pigmented shadows with a good colour payoff, this quad probably will not be suited to you.  However, if you want a subdued look which would go perfectly with a light rose lip, this quad could work well.  It will especially suit those with fairer or cooler skintones and I always find Mac’s quads useful for helping to formulate a complete look for your eyes.  It would also be very useful if you want to branch out into matte shadows as these are all neutral colours which can be adapted for a variety of looks.

3.5/5

Price – £35

Where to Buy – This is now sold out online but I found it at House of Fraser last week so there is definitely still stock available. 

January Favourites

I seem to have quite a few favourites this month, I guess because some of these were Christmas or Post Christmas purchases and they all still seem very shiny and new!

Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash

I haven’t managed to review this yet but I am finding it great for my oily / combination skin as it cleans without stripping away oils and really makes my skin feel very clean.  I’m not sure how good it would be for drier skins though.

Tom Ford Violet Blonde

A Christmas present from my lovely hubby!  This is more of a weekend scent for me, reminding me of holidays and trips away.  I won’t embarrass myself by trying to describe the notes, but needless to say it is gorgeous!

Top Shop Cream Blush in Neon Rose – I reviewed this here as part of my cream blush post and was reminded of it when The Sunday Girl posted about it recently.  I love the way that it is not a traditional cream blush formulation, as it changes from a cream to a powder on the skin and lasts all day.  Only the tiniest amount is needed!

Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Mascara – review here

This is my current favourite mascara (and boy do I have a lot of mascara!).  A great natural look, no flaking or smudging and the most important thing-  no CRISPY LASHES!

Mac Matchmaster in 3.0 - review here I have been wearing this foundation a lot recently and although I did find it a little too dark initially, I have been wearing it with a little of the Nars Orgasm Illuminator to tone it down a little and give a more radiant look.

Kiehl's Eye Alert – review here

I really enjoyed using this eye cream which I bought on a  whim from a blog sale.  I’m almost finished it and currently deciding whether to repurchase at full price or to finish off my Liz Earle eye cream which I wasn’t as enamoured with.

Laura Mercier Lip Gloss in Mauve 

This is my first Laura Mercier gloss and I very much like it.  A great my-lips- but-better shade, it has a gorgeous cocoa butter scent and is a great shade to go with lots of looks.  This was a limited edition product I think with the Space NK gift set, but based on the quality of this gloss, I will be investigating others from her line.

Chanel Illusion d’ Ombre in Emerveille - review here

This has been included in my monthly favourites previously and I am still enjoying the ease at which I can smooth this on with my fingers, add some mascara and I have an easy eye look in less than a minute, with no complex blending of several different shades. 

What were your favourites this month?  See anything above that catches your eye?

2011 Favourites: Part 1- Makeup

I’m a little late with this but I wanted to do a short list of my highlights of the last year. There are some gaps, especially around the skincare and bodycare, mainly as there have not been any stand out superb items this year in these categories. I am still searching for these!!

 

Perfume of 2011 – Viktor & Rolf, Flowerbomb

http://www.julietinton.com/

I adore this and chose it as my wedding scent in June. It is a lovely sweet floral scent with an undercurrent of pepper to it and is very distinctive. I am on my second bottle of it already!

 

 Lipstick – Chanel Rouge Coco Mademoiselle(review here)

 

Bought on a whim, and my first foray into Chanel’s Rouge Cocos, this is a neutral, easy to wear shade which goes with everything. It helps me to look polished and pulled together in one easy swipe.

Lipgloss - Benefit Ticket to Glossytown (review here)

There has not been one outstanding lipgloss for me this year, however I have enjoyed using Benefit’s Ticket to Glossytown set, which was a set of 6 mini lipglosses from their permanent line, suitable for all occasions. 

Lip Balm- Carmex Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balm in Peach  

I reviewed this in full here but it has been my staple through all of summer, during my holidays and into the winter. It keeps my lips feeling super smooth and provides a hint of colour which warms up my skin.

 

Eyeshadows – Chanel’s Illusion d’Ombres (review here)

I started with one and swiftly bought another two shades, and I have a feeling there will be more purchases in the future…. These are really easy to use and stay put for hours. I reviewed these here.

 Mascara – L’Oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara

 

This was the mascara that finally made me shift my allegiance from Max Factor False Lash Effect. It applies easily, has a wand that I haven’t managed to poke myself in the eye with yet, and stays on all day without flaking or smudging which is a rarity for me!

 

Foundation / Tinted Moisturiser – No 7 Triple Protection Tinted Moisturiser (review here)

 

This was a winner for me and I’m onto my 3^rd bottle! I have been using this daily for over a year as it evens out my skin tone and provides a small amount of coverage for those days when I don’t want to wear full foundation.

 

Blush – Benefit Coralista

 My go-to everyday shade for an easy flush of colour without too many sparkles. It is very similar to Nars Orgasm.

 

Concealer – Bobbi Brown Touch up Stick in Warm Sand

A HG product for me, I have been buying this for several years now. In stick form, it is very handy for touch ups throughout the day and blends effortlessly to cover blemishes and imperfections whilst never caking.

 

Nail Polish – Chanel Graphite

I did a recent NOTD using this for New Year’s Eve and it is the polish I have worn most over the past 6 months. I never have a problem with wear time with Chanel polishes and this glides on beautifully and is unique to my collection.

What were your makeup hits of 2011?

My Chanel Illusion d'Ombre Collection

A little bit of Chanel always brightens up one's life!  And these little pots of joy are so gorgeous, I initially swore I was only going to purchase one but have gradually been building up my collection.  I think this should be enough for the moment, although the black one in Mirifique has been whispering my name!

If you are unaware of these eyeshadows that have taken the blogsphere by storm, they are a cream / powder hybrid which glides onto the skin like silk.  You get a small brush included with each pot of shadow, although I prefer to use my finger to smooth it on as I think they work well with the warmth of your skin  You need to work quickly though as they set fairly rapidly and once they are on they don't budge!  I have fairly oily lids and with a primer they stay on for about 8-9 hours, and have around the same lasting power as the Georgio Armani Eyes to Kill shadows which I also adore. 

I first bought Emerveille and Epatant in quick succession.  Emerveille is a gorgeous peach shade with shimmer which looks amazing as a wash of colour across the lids for a easy daytime look

Epatant is a creamy green / grey which can either be smoked with a little grey for a twist on the classic smokey eye, or sheered out for a more wearable, daytime shade.  I often also use this as a liner and the brush with it is perfect as it is quite stiff and can be used to create a hint of colour beneath the lower lash line.

When finishing off the last of my Christmas shopping last week, I stopped by the Chanel counter, just for a look you understand (!), and discovered that, Illusoire,  the Illusion d'Ombre that I had been stalking for months, was finally in stock!   So I just had to buy it!

Illusoire is a mixture of several colours.  It is not purple, not grey, not taupe but more of a mixture of all three, if that can be possible.  It shimmers and sparkles under the light, making it a multi-faceted colour that can work for all occasions and is my favourite of the three shades that I currently own.

Verdict

These super versatile shadows are a must for any makeup bag, although they are fairly pricey, which is to be expected with Chanel.  Perhaps one to hint for  for Christmas?!

5/5

Price - £22.50

Where to buy -Boots, House of Fraser, Debenhams, Selfridges