Chanel Epatant Illusion D'Ombre Eyeshadow Review, Photos and Swatches!

Chanel Epatant Illusion D'Ombre Long-Wear Luminous Eyeshadow

The Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Long Wearing Eyeshadows is a small line of  "gel" eye shadows that newly launched this past Fall of 2011. During that time, it seemed everyone was going mad over the Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Intense Shadows, but the attention steered away from them for a little bit as these little glass pots stole the spotlight. I still have yet to get my hands on a Giorgio Armani!

What's special about the Chanel shadows is their unique formula. Are they a cream, gel, mousse? 

 Chanel describes them by saying, "An innovative gel texture that is both soft and cushiony allows it to be worn as eyeshadow or eyeliner." They are like hybrid between a mousse (but more dense) and a gel (like a MAC Paintpot, but much less dense). The texture is light and spongy, creamy and blends beautifully with intense pigment.

There are (6) shades in the line-up: Fantasme (shimmering white), Emerveille (shimmering peach/champagne), Illusoire (shimmering purple-mauve), Epatant (shimmering pewter-green), Mirifique (shimmering black) and Ebloui (shimmery burgundy). The shades I was most interested in is: Illusoire, Epatant and Emerville, but at $36 a pop, I only purchased one for now.

 

Epatant is a pewter-golden khaki green shimmering with silver reflects. On the eyes, I don't notice the green as much as I notice the silver. It reminds me a lot of Chanel Graphite Nail Polish, but in eyeshadow form.

Swatches of Chanel Epatant

The shadows come with a small synthetic applicator brush (pictured above), which actually works really well. It's almost like a lip brush (but angled) and you can apply it directly to your lash line as a liner or all over the lid for a wash of color. 

I wore it last night for the first time, applied all over my lid, with a black gel liner smudged into my lashline. It wore really well - 9 hours later, it was still there, even though I didn't use a base.  

I wrote a quick break-down of everything I wore. I was testing out the Chanel Perfection Lumiere (but my thoughts about that later!)

Face:  

Coastal Scents Camo Quad Concealer in Medium

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Foundation in #20 Beige

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores HD Micro-Finishing Powder

Tarte Amazonian Clay Exposed Blush

MAC Porcelain Pink Mineralize Skinfinish

Brows:

MUFE Brow Corrector #3

Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel

Eyes:

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in Epatant 

YSL Eyeliner Effect Faux Cils Long-Wear Cream Eyeliner in Pure Black 

Shiseido Mascara Base

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

Lips:

MAC Creme Cup Lipstick

Chanel Bagatelle Glossimer

I can't wait to pick up a couple more shades. It's such a low maintenance shadow, that you can take a quick sweep of it with your finger or brush, apply it to your lid and be out the door.