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Chanel Gri-Gri (101) Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow Review, Photos, Swatches

Chanel Gri-Gri (101) Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow
Chanel Gri-Gri (101) Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow

Chanel Gri-Gri (101) Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow ($28.50 for 0.05 oz.) is described as a “metallic taupe.” It’s a medium-dark, gray-tinged gray with bronze, mauve, and gold shimmer. It has a frosted, slightly metallic, finish. Marc Jacobs The Starlet #1 is purpler. Urban Decay Rehab is a cream product, browner, darker. MAC Fashion Fix is matte. MAC Hypnotizing is purpler. Giorgio Armani Shimmer Greige is grayer. See comparison swatches.

The color payoff was decent but could have been more intense. The texture was powdery and a little grainy, so the color sheered out all-too-easily on the lid. If you like sheer washes of color, then it’s right up your alley, but if you’re looking for true-to-pan goodness, you may find this lacking. Applied on bare lids, it was somewhat sheer, faded after six hours, and had quite a bit of fall out when worn. I’d recommend a slightly tacky or creamy primer when wearing this to minimize both the fading and fall out. This was probably the one item from Chanel’s fall collection that I was, personally, quite interested in seeing, but it was a let-down.

Chanel Gri-Gri (101) Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow
Chanel Gri-Gri (101) Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow

Chanel Gri-Gri (101) Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow
Chanel Gri-Gri (101) Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow

Chanel Gri-Gri (101) Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow
Chanel Gri-Gri (101) Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow

Chanel Gri-Gri (101) Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow
Chanel Gri-Gri (101) Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow

Chanel Gri-Gri (101) Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow
Chanel Gri-Gri (101) Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow

Chanel Gri-Gri (101) Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow
Chanel Gri-Gri (101) Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow

21 Comments

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Mariella Avatar

Wow – a C-? Maybe now I should be glad that this hadn’t arrived at my Chanel counter when I was there last week because I almost certainly would have bought it. What was odd is that they had no Taupe Grise in the counter display and the spot where it should have been was just an empty hole. I asked the SA about it. She didn’t seem to be too knowledgeable at all (she was quite young and might have been a student working part time/summer) – hadn’t heard of Gri-Gri, didn’t know when the fall products might be arriving and had no idea why there was no Taupe Grise in the display – her response when I asked was a pretty vacuous and superficial “oh, they must have discontinued it….” and at the time, I thought maybe Gri-Gri was replacing it but they look nothing alike. I guess the good thing is I’m saving myself a fair bit of money since the single shadows here are close to $40! Taupe Grise was worth it but it doesn’t look like Gri Gri is.

Veronica Avatar

I love this eyeshadow, even with the C- rating. 🙂 I get most of the fallout during application, but I always do my eyes first, so that’s not a big deal to clean it up. Most of what falls out throughout the day is minor, otherwise. As for the lasting power without a base, I can’t speak for it – primer is a must on my hooded eyes. 😛

Melissa C Avatar

I feel much better about passing now – I think I have enough taupey colors that I don’t need this one. Though I do really like my only other Chanel single in Complice – that was worth it. Every time I wear it I get a compliment.

Christina Avatar

Very interesting. Mine is nicely pigmented with one swipe and has absolutely no fall-out. I think it does kick up a bit of powder because it’s so soft, but there were no residual flakes or powder on my cheeks when applying it. I have pretty oily lids, and with my Nars Primer, I get a good 8 hours of it without needing to touch up.

It’s not the best Chanel eyeshadow, I admit, but it’s extremely pretty! Swatches online do not do it justice! It shimmers and twinkles like none of my other taupe shadows. I usually wear it as a wash on my lid, but I’ve found it works equally well in my crease and pairs well with many colors. It’s definitely worth checking out!

Janelle Avatar

You know, I have it on my eyes right now and ended up on this page looking for dupes. The girl at the Chanel counter put it on me and I too love how it twinkles. I’m thinking Sidecar from the Naked palette is close, but maybe browner. That too has a nice twinkle, but some fall out, which I can deal with by doing the eye makeup first. 🙂

Wwendalynne Avatar

Oy vey!

As a comparison point, Hasard is so lovely and performed well and my thoughts on the quad I also shared.. I purchased this shade as well with high hopes, haven’t had the time to try yet..really busy with mostly no makeup days. I won’t be holding my breath when I do try, but I still like the colour.

pockykami Avatar

I would never buy a chanel single personally (too pricey), but I was eagerly waiting for your review because I heard so many people raving about. I guess I’m not missing much in this case!

Jan Avatar

Like bummer man.

I was just at the Chanel counter today and noticed that a ton of people had tested this one. But I stayed with those that you had already tested and ranked well – and I am so happy I did. Picked up the 39 Raffinement eyeshadow quad, the 64 Inspiration Le Blush Crème de Chanel, and a lipstick.

Laurie Avatar

Personally I loved this shadow . I use Urban Decay primer, swipe Gri gri over the lids and into the crease and then a layer of Hasard over it . A little liner and mascara and I am good to go!, I work some twelve hr days and this eyeshadow has maintained with little creasing or fading. No problems!

R Avatar

I agree! I’ve really enjoyed it over UDPP!!! I wear it on the lid with Bobbi Brown “Slate” in the crease almost every day since I’ve bought it. It lasts 8 hours on me, and I wait tables outside in Florida, I can sweat through almost anything.

J Avatar

I bought this one yesterday and I love it. I put it on with the sponge applicator that was included in it and it went on smoothly with zero fallout. It’s actually a little more pigmented than I was hoping for, but it looks really flattering on me anyway.

Amanda Avatar

I personally love this shadow. It pulls a bit more purple or mauve-y on my my fair skin and looks really nice with my green eyes. I wear it over Nars concealer and don’t have a problem with fall out or any more creasing and fading than I do any other shadows. I’m considering ordering a backup.

Bora Avatar

This is THE most flattering eye shadow ever on me. I have gray-green eyes and very light skin and this really makes my eyes pop, brings out the light in them. LOVE IT! The application was easy too, because it’s soft it doesn’t pull the skin on my eyelids. Don’t blend it to much though, just lay it there with a flat brush like Mac 239. If you have fair coloring skin/eyes give this a try!

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