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Chanel Iridescent (112) Illusion d'Ombre Eyeshadow Review, Photos, Swatches

Chanel Iridescent (112) Illusion d'Ombre Eyeshadow
Chanel Iridescent (112) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow

Chanel Iridescent (112) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow ($36.00 for 0.14 oz.) is aptly named, as it is a pale white with an iridescent sheen that flashes pink, lavender, and blue paired with a soft, frosted finish. bareMinerals Skinny Dip (LE, ) is less shimmery (95% similar). Dior Magnify #1 (PiP, ) is lighter (95% similar). Melt Cosmetics Skeleton Kiss (PiP, ) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar). Makeup Geek Sugar Rush (P, $12.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar). MAC Triple Impact (LE, $20.00) is cooler (90% similar). Anastasia Cube (DC, $12.00) is less shimmery (90% similar). Makeup Geek Mood Ring (P, $12.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar). NARS Haedus (DC, $25.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar). Too Faced Le Marais (LE, $16.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar). NARS Cassiopeia (P, $29.00) is darker (90% similar). Smashbox Sparkle Pony (PiP, ) is less shimmery (90% similar). Tom Ford Beauty Ripe Plum (Left) (LE, ) is less shimmery (95% similar). KVD Beauty Opal (PiP, ) is lighter, brighter (90% similar). ColourPop GRLFRND (LE, $4.50) is lighter (90% similar). Tom Ford Beauty Crushed Indigo (Left) (LE, ) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar). Anastasia Pink Heart (LE, ) is less shimmery (90% similar). Pat McGrath Astral White (PiP, $25.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar). Dior Mellow Shade #2 (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (85% similar). Bad Habit Illuminate (PiP, ) is more shimmery (85% similar). NABLA Cosmetics Madreperla (P, $8.00) is darker, warmer (80% similar). Top 20 dupes listed, see the rest. See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

The Illusion d’Ombre formula is supposed to be an “intensely shimmering long-wear eyeshadow.” If you’re unfamiliar with the formula, it is lightly spongy and slightly emollient, but it doesn’t feel like the traditional cream eyeshadow and is much thinner and more powder-like in how it applies and wears. The texture was soft, smooth, and blendable on the skin and had semi-opaque coverage in one layer. It was buildable to opaque coverage after two layers or sheered out for more of a wash of shimmer, if desired, without issue. It lasted for nine and a half hours on me before creasing slightly.

See more photos & swatches!

Chanel Iridescent (112) Illusion d'Ombre Eyeshadow
Chanel Iridescent (112) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow

Chanel Iridescent (112) Illusion d'Ombre Eyeshadow
Chanel Iridescent (112) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow

Chanel Iridescent (112) Illusion d'Ombre Eyeshadow
Chanel Iridescent (112) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow

Chanel Iridescent (112) Illusion d'Ombre Eyeshadow
Chanel Iridescent (112) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow

45 Comments

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Katherine T. Avatar

Christine, can this be used as a transforming shade, like UD Roadstripe? I’ve been using UD Roadstripe under and over shadows to lighten/brighten them up, but it’s LE, not sure what to do when I run out

KJH Avatar

IK exactly what you mean. Somebody oughta make a Z that is deep enough to accommodate whole pots. It’s so much harder to org the loose stuff, which must remain in-container. Suspect that’s one of the reasons I prefer pressed to loose. Got a S L of Bare Minerals in a sturdy faux bamboo train case, that gets major overlooked. That, and the loose/mess factor. Really disappoints-to-annoys me when depotting is not an option. The containers are too deep for everything, including dome palette. Wish there were a ‘pour-in’ palette, with wells that seal off, for loose powder products. I bent my liner brush @ ( circa, not at) 70-71, before any commercial brushes. Somebody please steal this idea (flip down clear plastic lid for the row?) because I am to old and tired to invent it/mock it up. I don’t want to resort to glueing pots in a shallow box, without good look-in or moveability. Loose pots are a menace.

Joanne Avatar

What about one of those pill boxes that have the days of the week? I have used the eye contact container to repot to carry in my purse. Just a thought.

Abir Avatar

Christine, someone mentioned using the Chanel one as an eye base to make colors pop. Would these two dupes, MUG mood ring and Nars Cassiopeia also work as an eye base? Thanks.

Phoebe Avatar

I can’t quite tell how iridescent this is in the picture, is it more sparkly than duochrome? I clicked on the link hoping for some proper colour shifting eyeshadow as those are my favourite kind.

Fran Avatar

I might really like this. I hope it comes to a retailer where I can try it out or order and return if necessary (Blue Mercury or Nordstrom). I haven’t used an Illusion d’Ombre before, don’t really want to order from a website sight unseen, even with your great review, because it might work differently on me (might crease on my oily, hooded lids — quite a few cream shadows do). But I think this might work as a really nice base for me.

Pami Avatar

Your description “pale white with an iridescent sheen that flashes pink, lavender, and blue paired with a soft, frosted finish” made me swoon! I didn’t realize from the swatch that it also flashed lavender and blue in addition to pink! I have both the MAC and the Nars dupes, but they are mainly a pink flash. I think I’m going to have to get this since I think it will get a lot of love (use). I really want the whole collection!

It’s funny, today I wore Nars Cassiopeia over Nars Porto Venere with just very light contouring of UD Tease (or Chanel Slate, they’re pretty interchangeable) above the crease (as I now have hooded eyes ? ), a light dusting of the purple/grey/taupe shade from WnW’s Silent Treatment on the outer third, and then deepened the outer corner into the crease with BB Heather. I lined the top eye, and lower third (the shape of my eyes doesn’t look good with eyeliner all the way across the bottom) with BB Gel Caviar Ink, then tightlined to top lashes from the top with a very thin angled e/l brush, and then I put UD Ether on the outer third. Finally I lined the lower waterline with the Porto Venere (and put it in the inner corner outside the tear duct), and ran the Chanel Clair Eye Pencil over that, and finished with Benefit Roller Lash. It was a lovely fresh and bright look.

Those light colors on the lids help to make my eyes pop when I’m wearing glasses. My eyes have been getting too dry to wear contacts comfortably, so I pretty much wear glasses all of the time now.

Christine Avatar

I would not have thought to use NARS Porto Venere as a base for Cassiopeia! That’s really cool. Sounds like a very gorgeous look 🙂

My only tip for dry eyes is to try and find out what’s causing the dryness (what layer), because after a LOT of opinions and a LOT of whining, my eye doc finally said that only the lipid area looks like it has any issues – and that at least helped me stop wasting $15 a bottle on eye drops that weren’t going to help with that layer, lol.

Pami Avatar

Thank you! I had forgotten to add that I also patted Benefit Bo Peep over the ball of the eye. I was really happy with the way it turned out. I wasn’t going to write down the whole look, but then I thought some people might be interested, as I often enjoy reading about other people’s eye looks. I used a very light amount of Illamasqua cream blush in Laid (I’m still waiting for Promise which is lighter, I didn’t get it before because I thought it was too similar to BB Pale Pink, but once I tried Ilamasqua’s cream blushes, they blew me away! They last until I remove my makeup, so I’m probably going to purge most of my cream blushes and stick with Illamasqua).

Then I used Illamasqua Lies to highlight the usual places, and used a single coat of YSL Volupté Tint-in-Oil in 5 Cherry My Cherie. The whole look was so pretty, I’ll have to remember to do it again. It’s very flattering too.

So what did your ophthalmologist recommend? Mine suggested I use those thick drops for dry eyes, but they haven’t been bothering me too much lately, still they seem to be too dry to wear the contacts comfortably. My eyes used to be my best feature, but now that they are hooded, not so much, so wearing glasses doesn’t bother me as much from a vanity standpoint 😉

Christine Avatar

Well, I had already been using Systane Balance drops, which are designed for support of the lipid layer. That’s the one I’ve had the best luck with, so she said I should stick with that (but it was reassuring to get an idea as to why THAT one was actually seemingly better than others I have tried in the past). She also recommended eye cleansing wipes (OCuSoft Lid Scrub). Those I’m not sold on, but she said that it would help prevent clogging of oils (I think that’s what she said).

I also like the overnight treatments (usually contain petroleum jelly and give you blurry vision for 15-45 minutes), but a nice one for day time is Bausch + Lomb Soothe XP-Xtra Protection eye drops; those have mineral oil but a much lighter concentration than night time options so I like them for day time (I usually pop some in after I get out of the shower). Depending on when you apply your makeup, you might need to be careful about priming and/or cleaning the lid in case any oil gets on the lid.

Pami Avatar

Wow, thank you so much for giving me such a detailed and super helpful reply!!! I’m going to try some of your suggestions! BTW, I just went to the B+L site to see if I could use the Soothe XP with soft contact lenses and came across this $3 off coupon you can use: http://www.sootheeyedrops.com/coupon.aspx
As far as using the Soothe XP you have to remove the lenses, and then wait 5 to 10 minutes before putting the lenses back in your eyes. I asked the question with their live chat and they answered immediately!
Thanks again Christine 🙂 🙂 🙂

Jill Cohen Avatar

I think this is a lot more like Bare Minerals loose shadow “Ecstasy” than Skinny Dip, which i by the way thought was a light, ready bronzer. In any case the Chanel shadow is pretty similar to Ecstasy in many ways

Jill Cohen Avatar

I need to add that I believe the Bare Escentuals ‘Ecstasy’ eyeshadow dupe I mentioned was limited edition. However there is a color named Whisper that would make a nice dupe. And yes, Skinny Dip is a bronzer.

Cathy Avatar

I picked this up on Saturday; it’s really, really pretty. I don’t have anything else like it so that’s how I justified the purchase 😉

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