Chanel LA Sunrise Illusion d'Ombre Eyeshadows Reviews, Photos, Swatches
Chanel Spring 2016 Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadows ($36.00 for 0.14 oz.) are an unexpected miss. Chanel was one of the first brands to debut this type of product, where it’s a cream eyeshadow but applies and feels more like a powder on the skin with a spongy texture. It’s been a favorite for a long time, but I had serious issues with application with two of the three shades.
Chanel Moonlight Pink (118) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow ($36.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a softened, light-medium rosy pink with warm undertones and a pearly sheen. The texture was slightly dry compared to a lot of the range, but it applied decently. It had weak pigmentation, but it was buildable without emphasizing the lid texture. The eyeshadow started to crease after eight and a half hours of wear. Smashbox Booty Call (PiP, ) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar). NARS Firenze (P, $22.00) is more shimmery (90% similar). Tom Ford Beauty In the Pink #2 (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar). Hourglass Monochrome #2 (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar). ColourPop Lifted (P, $5.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar). Wet 'n' Wild Nude Awakening #2 (PiP, ) is warmer (90% similar). ColourPop Wattles (P, $6.00) is less shimmery (90% similar). NARS Mojave #1 (PiP, $19.00)(85% similar). Dior Chimere (821) (P, $31.00) is more shimmery, cooler (85% similar). MAC Give Me Fire (LE, $17.00) is lighter (85% similar). MAC Pure Bred #2 (LE, $21.00) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar). Tarte Pop Art Princess (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar). NARS Orgasm (LE, ) is less shimmery, brighter, warmer (85% similar). Lancome My French #5 (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar). Kaja Ballerina Pink (PiP, ) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar). Sephora Pink Champagne (LE, ) is lighter, cooler (80% similar). Urban Decay Last Sin (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery, lighter (80% similar). NARS Atomic (LE, $22.00) is more shimmery, lighter (80% similar). NYX Golden Peach (P, $6.00) is lighter, brighter, warmer (80% similar). Sephora Tea Rose (LE, ) is lighter, cooler (80% similar). Top 20 dupes listed, see the rest. See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.
Chanel Ocean Light (122) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow ($36.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a brighter, medium blue with fine blue glitter. It’s hard to describe why this ended up being such an atrocious product, because even in the pot, it doesn’t feel half as dry as it looks on the skin. It’s so splotchy and uneven; it applies and barely wants to blend out. I think the only way to salvage it is to use it as a base and layer much more opaque colors over it, but there are better products out there for that purpose. The color lasted for eight hours before creasing, but I had fall out over time. MAC Switch to Blue (LE, $22.00) is darker (95% similar). LORAC Blue Quartz (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery (90% similar). ColourPop Kimono (LE, $6.00) is darker, brighter (90% similar). Sephora Aja (LE, ) is darker (90% similar). Buxom Backstage Pass (P, $12.00) is more shimmery (90% similar). Stila Lapis (LE, $18.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar). Buxom Bulldog (P, $18.00) is darker (90% similar). Make Up For Ever I218 Indigo Blue (DC, $21.00) is darker (90% similar). LORAC Cobalt (LE, $19.00) is darker (85% similar). Fenty Beauty Midnight Bolt (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter, brighter (85% similar). Anastasia Azure (LE, $12.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar). Urban Decay Skywalk (DC, $20.00) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar). Chanel Swing (116) (P, $29.50) is darker (80% similar). See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.
Chanel Griffith Green (126) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow ($36.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a muted, medium-dark green-ish teal with fine gold frost. It had semi-opaque color payoff, but the texture, while it felt smooth, was difficult to blend out. I also encountered an issue where the color would lift off if I tried to blend it out along the edge (even gently). It lasted for eight and a half hours before creasing slightly. Huda Beauty Gemstone #3 (PiP, ) is lighter (90% similar). Urban Decay C-Note (DC, $19.00) is lighter (90% similar). Viseart Shameless (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar). Dose of Colors Palma (LE, ) is darker (90% similar). KVD Beauty Scarab (LE, ) is darker (90% similar). NABLA Cosmetics Babylon (P, $8.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar). ColourPop Fishy (LE, $4.50) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar). Milani Bella Emerald (18) (P, $4.49) is darker, warmer (85% similar). Makeup Geek Typhoon (DC, $6.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar). Clarins Garden Escape #2 (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar). Urban Decay Damaged (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery, darker (85% similar). Anastasia Peacock (DC, $12.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar). Rouge Bunny Rouge Whispering Ibis (P, $19.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar). Urban Decay Big Sky (PiP, $19.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar). MAC Try Me On (LE, $18.00) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar). Anastasia Emerald (P, $12.00) is warmer (90% similar). Sydney Grace Promenade (DC, $6.25) is darker (85% similar). NYX Jaded (P, $6.00) is warmer (85% similar). Coloured Raine Forbidden (DC, $6.99) is darker (85% similar). Charlotte Tilbury Cleopatra (DC, $34.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (80% similar). Top 20 dupes listed, see the rest. See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.
Moonlight Pink (118)
LELimited Edition. $32.00.
Ocean Light (122)
LELimited Edition. $32.00.
Griffith Green (126)
LELimited Edition. $32.00.
See more photos & swatches!
Chanel Moonlight Pink (118) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow
Chanel Moonlight Pink (118) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow
Chanel Moonlight Pink (118) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow
Chanel Moonlight Pink (118) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow
Chanel Ocean Light (122) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow
Chanel Ocean Light (122) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow
Chanel Ocean Light (122) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow
Chanel Ocean Light (122) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow
Chanel Griffith Green (126) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow
Chanel Griffith Green (126) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow
Chanel Griffith Green (126) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow
Chanel Griffith Green (126) Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow
Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadows
Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadows
I’m surprised that Griffith Green scored as highly as it did. In the heavy swatch, it looks really nice but blended out, it doesn’t look a whole lot better than the blue one. Here’s another company that seems to be coasting on the laurels of a product’s initial popularity and success. The first Illusions d’ombre were really good but so many of the newer and LE releases have been mediocre (and that’s being kind!) and at these prices, consumers have a right to expect excellence on all counts from an eye shadow.
Mostly just the pigmentation score alone brings it up a lot, and it wasn’t as hard to use as the blue, even though it was by no means great, lol! It also lasted longer without fall out!
I kind of felt like the green won points b/c even though it was so weak when buffed out, it still managed to maintain all facets of the color. With that performance it’d probably do interesting things as a base layer under mattes or even some satins.
The left swatch is a normal swatch, while the swatch on the right is deliberately sheered out so it is sheer – that is to show what it is like as a wash 🙂
Ah ha! Understood. Still I’ve been known to try underperforming colors as washes, either under or over and at least 50% of the time it saves the whole thing.
It could work, maybe! The dryness/blending issue concerns me, though depending on what you’re pairing it with, it may go better or worse!
I repeat: WTF did they do with the illusion d’ombre formula? Is it that they have more saturated colours here than typical for the line? In any event, whatever they did, it blows. These could have been some fantastic shadows.
I was really boggled when I swatched Ocean Light. I was like, “What… How…” There’s just something off about the texture.
Wow, those are pretty sad. Chanel and Dior haven’t really impressed me with the spring collections, and that’s cool. More money saved for other things…like Mr. Ford…
I like the concept of the Chanel collection, but the execution on these has left me scratching my head in confusion!
Exactly what I was thinking! Can’t wait for his launch!
You always manage to make a great look out of subpar product. Lovely.
Thanks, KJH! 🙂
So true! 🙂
I was really hoping for these to pull through! My wallet would have been beating me with a baseball bat. But, these would be so nice if they worked! 🙁
Thanks for reviewing Christine!
No problem, Nicole!
Ocean Light and Griffith Green are both so beautiful in their pans, this is a real disappointment!
Oh, well, at least I have MUFE I218, a dupe for Ocean Light, although it’s the small pan from the Studio Case and it’s not listed on the Sephora site or the Make Up For Ever site any more — I wonder why?. Kimono isn’t listed on the Colour Pop site any more. Maybe this shade of blue is hard to make? Maybe a supplier discontinued a dye or pigment used in it?
For Griffith Green, I’ve been wanting Makeup Geek Typhoon anyway, maybe it’s time for me to go through my Temptalia wish list and come up with a Makeup Geek order. Chanel, you are going to have to wait, and come up with something better, to get me as a customer! It somehow seems to me that, whenever Chanel comes out with a new or different or interesting color that I love and it seems like it would be worth paying a premium for, there turn out to be performance issues.
I was like, “Typhooon is way better and more nuanced!” so at least there was a really good, affordable dupe to it.
Yes! Thank you, Christine!
This is one of those times where I just knew these were going to do poorly just looking at the preliminary swatches. The green and pink are just “okay”, but not worth Chanel’s price. And that blue is utterly atrocious! QC must’ve all been away on vacay for these to pass into distribution!
I don’t know what happened to Ocean Light 🙁
Oh, Chanel, why! With such lovely colours this should have been a clear A+. and what do yyou do? We don’t know, but I hope you, Chanel, fix this ASP!
I’m really a bit sad about Griffith Green, in theory it’s such a fantastic green, I’m not even mentioning the blue, I can’t find words for such an epic fail.
The warm pink is pretty, but still it’s a huge NO!
You did a good job with the makeup, Christine. I think we all know what it’s like to work with less than good products, so, well done!
I was really disappointed by how these applied! Not at all like the usual Illusion d’Ombres!
Moonlight Pink looks kind of meh to me, nothing exciting, but I can see it being a workhorse wash of color on someone or a base for other shadows. Ocean Light looks tragic, I can see how patchy it looks on your eye. Chanel doesn’t seem concerned at all about how poor quality products can tarnish their brand, oh well. Griffith Green looks like it could’ve been great –a unique color that’s hard to dupe (many dupes are LE), I love the chameleon mix of green, teal, gray, gold. I might swatch this in store over eye primer on my hand to see if it works any better. If not, maybe I’ll just put it on and not blend, as I do like bolder eye looks, so this a maybe
One reader purchased Griffith Green and quite liked it, so maybe there are batch issues!
Ok will give it a swatch. Speaking of QC batch issues, I got 3 of the Charlotte Tilbury Nocturnal Eyes kits. I know you ran into issues with the blue and purple eyeliners (got rated C- and F) but mine are very smooth, no dryness, no tugging, easily built up, and last +15 hours on my oily lids with primer. The shocker was the purple shadow (On the Prowl), which got an A-, but mine is dry, not much shimmer, and a ton of fallout even with primer, might be returning 🙁
Oh no!! 🙁
Boo, Ocean Light could have been soooo pretty 🙁
It could have been!
Ocean Light is just a different shade of screw up along the lines of Mono Shadow 116 SWING! Maybe I can mix the two and arrive at some sort of magical product that I love. Sadly I did order this online & it’s due in soon. Dang!
LOL! I was like, the two together might just work!
I thought these were going to be a fail when I saw the swatches the other day. Why would anyone spend money on Griffith Green when you could get that lovely MUG Typhoon?
Another big booboo for the HE brands…..
Very true!!
I was considering Griffith Green…not now though. I’m glad I saw this. Thank you!
No problem!
Ocean Light looks about as disappointing as UD’s Blue Bus is. Everytime I open my BOS IV, I have to give that one a headshake.
It’s a shame, the blue sparkle in Ocean Light looks like it’d add a cool dimension if the rest of the shadow actually performed.
It was so not fun to work with. I think it is worse than working with Blue Bus!
Bizarre, I think Canada, and do correct me if I’m wrong gets the European formulation, whereas the US has a different line to themselves. My green is incredible, creamy, more teal, just luscious as I mentioned applies and blends like a dream. That’s so disappointing for the US market!
As far as I know, the Illusion d’Ombre doesn’t have regional formulas. I think that was only the eyeshadow quads, though I do not think that is the case any longer, but I’m not 100% sure on that (since Chanel converted their formula a year or so ago).
Just as bad as I thought from seeing the swatches ?! At least I have a dupe in Lapis (just got A Whole Lot of Love). I do like the colour of Griffith Green, just a shame it’s not great on.
Thank goodness for a good dupe!
Once again, you have saved me money. I swatched these in store the other day and I almost bought Griffith Green but decided to wait for the review. I’m glad I waited. More for me to be able to potentially spend on MAC and Tom Ford’s Spring collections!
I might try to go to a counter and see, because two readers are loving theirs but mine is so dismal 🙁
thanks for great reviews .i bought the blue and teal a week ago (in canada). i love them .i got so many compliments at work wearing both together .SA told me to use sponge applicator and i did and it was very blendable . i tried them with fingers and same great results .i have absolutely no problem with these. love love the colors especially ocean light and formula is so beautiful but too bad it did”t work out for you i wonder why?
I have no idea! I bought mine from Neiman Marcus 🙁
I’m actually glad these sucked because I liked how they looked in the promo shots. I don’t like that Chanel put out something this bad though!
lol!
I like how these eyeshadows look on you. There is something cool about their texture and how they look on your eyes, almost remind me a texture of some fabrics. I know it sounds weird, but I find this imperfect finish more modern and stylish than a typical thick, even metallic finish of other cream eyeshadows. Nevertheless, I am still too lazy to make it work on my eyes. I really hate it when I can not properly blend the cream eyeshadows because they apply patchy or are not creamy enough to sheer out on edges (experienced it with Bobbi Brown).
I’m with you Jane — nothing is more aggravating than an eye product that won’t blend!
How similar is moonlight pink to emerveille
They’re not similar at all!