Chanel Urban & Memory Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Eyeshadows Reviews, Photos, Swatches
Urban
Chanel Urban Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Eyeshadow ($36.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a blackened navy with cooler undertones and fine lighter blue and silver pearl. It had semi-opaque pigmentation in a single layer, but the more emollient consistency made it difficult to build up coverage. The problem with such a deep shade having a cream base and being less than full coverage was that it always looked patchy and uneven. This might work as a base under other deeper shades or more shimmery eyeshadows, but on its own, it looked disastrous on the lid. That disaster lasted for a solid 14 hours on me and looked the same across that length of time, but it lacked the blendability necessary to m ake this type of color work as a standalone product.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- MAC Shop & Drop (LE, $17.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- NARS Ubangi (P, $25.00) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- Tarte Starry Night (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Pseudonym (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Bobbi Brown Blue Onyx (LE, ) is lighter (85% similar).
- Urban Decay Goddess (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- MAC Imaginary (DC, $23.00) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- bareMinerals Shaken Not Stirred (P, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Too Faced De La Mer (PiP, $16.00).
Formula Overview
$36.00/0.14 oz. - $257.14 Per Ounce
Chanel describes the formula as a “smooth-textured cream shadow [that] glides on effortlessly” and is “long-wearing.” Overall, the consistency has moderate slip–emollient but not greasy or overly wet in feel–and feels more like a traditional cream eyeshadow than Chanel’s Illusion d’Ombres. They go on as a thin layer but have fairly good pigmentation. The formula dried down quite quickly leaving little time for blending or diffusing edges, even when working one eye at a time, which was where I struggled. I think some of them tended to work better as lid colors and using something else for a more diffused/blended out crease color. They did, however, wear impeccably for as long as fourteen hours on me–no creasing, fading, or flaking.
Browse all of our Chanel Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Eyeshadow swatches.
Ingredients
Urban
LELimited Edition. $36.00.
Memory
Chanel Memory Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Eyeshadow ($36.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a golden bronze with warm, brown undertones and a pearly sheen. When diffused and buffed onto the lid, it had more of a satin-to-pearl finish, whereas leaving it as a more opaque layer and only diffusing the edges yielded a more pearl-to-metallic finish. The consistency was smooth, thin, and lightweight on the lid that was easy to apply and achieve full coverage out of. It dried down within 20 seconds and stayed on well for 14 hours (and there were no signs of creasing, just a bit of fading).
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Tarte Keepsake Frame (LE, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Anastasia Topaz (P, $12.00) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Makeup Geek Pretentious (DC, $6.00) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- Too Faced Peanut Butter Cup (LE, $16.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Dior Lucky Star #4 (LE, ) is more muted, warmer (95% similar).
- Bobbi Brown Tiki (LE, $22.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- Smashbox Nutmeg (LE, ) is warmer (95% similar).
- Burberry Gold Shimmer #4 (LE, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Chanel Codes Elegants #3 (PiP, ) is warmer (95% similar).
- Too Faced Buttered Rum (LE, $16.00) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
Formula Overview
$36.00/0.14 oz. - $257.14 Per Ounce
Chanel describes the formula as a “smooth-textured cream shadow [that] glides on effortlessly” and is “long-wearing.” Overall, the consistency has moderate slip–emollient but not greasy or overly wet in feel–and feels more like a traditional cream eyeshadow than Chanel’s Illusion d’Ombres. They go on as a thin layer but have fairly good pigmentation. The formula dried down quite quickly leaving little time for blending or diffusing edges, even when working one eye at a time, which was where I struggled. I think some of them tended to work better as lid colors and using something else for a more diffused/blended out crease color. They did, however, wear impeccably for as long as fourteen hours on me–no creasing, fading, or flaking.
Browse all of our Chanel Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Eyeshadow swatches.
Ingredients
Christine, I love this sentence: “That disaster lasted for a solid 14 hours on me and looked the same across that length of time…” Made me laugh out loud! Well, it was horrible, but at least it lasted a long time…LOL!!!
I guess so!
Urban looks painfully awful. Just baaad. That you got stuck wearing it for 14, oh my. Tenacious little shadow, if nothing else!
Got enough dupes, and then dupes of those dupes for Memory! Don’t imagine I need another shimmery bronze for at least 10 years.
Thank goodness for dupes!
Wow, I’m surprised Urban didn’t receive an F. Memory looks lovely. Although I can’t wear this formula, I might look for a dupe.
It lasted quite awhile and wasn’t sheer.
I used to love cream shadows. No longer. Menopause.. even your eyelids sweat. Ugh.
That must have been interesting when that started happening regularly – eyelid sweat!
Yikes on Urban!
I know!
Oh, Urban is really looking bad!
Memory is pretty, but to pay the Chanel price I want something more unique.
Yeah, Memory is crazy dupable!
Hi Christine, i had my eyes on memory for a while now. How long do you think they last in the pot before drying out. I know it all depends on how you store it and how tight the lid is screwed, for an average person how do you think it works. I hate spending money anf in a couple of months its unusable. In Australia its 56 dollars.
I really couldn’t tell you since none of mine have dried out, and as you said, there are a lot of things that it can depend on. I’m also not the average consumer since I do not use mine regularly, so I’m useless answering this question since I can’t make any assumptions on what the formula would or wouldn’t do if I haven’t experienced it!
Thanks Christine, for being completely honest.
Hi Sweta, All my Chanel eyeshadows last a long time I have so many and some are at least a couple of years old and they are just like new but like you mentioned it could be also the way they are stored that might have an affect on how long they will last. Heat & air probably could probably dry them out much sooner.
Hi Maria,
Thank you so much, that’s really helpful. Appreciate your response.
This shadow is utterly gorgeous. I also have Undertone, which is a perfect golden brown (exactly the color of light brown sugar). And the little white brush that comes with them is great for applying them. Who would have thought?
Glad you like Undertone!
Would you say that makes a great one and done type of shadow?
There are two shades reviewed here, so I’m not sure which one you’re asking about!
I am sorry, I am referring to Memory.
Hey Laurie!
I think Memory could work that way if you are light to tan in skin tone – if you are very fair, it might be a little dark overall!
Urban had so much potential!!
I hear ya!
WOW, Urban is bad! Surprised it managed a C. Looks like it would have been a cool color if it had worked out.
It lasted quite awhile!
By looking at the dupe list, I can see that lots of brands struggle with that navy shade, but it’s surprising that with all the experience and resources that Chanel does. So it’s a major disappointment that Urban is so bad.
On the other hand Memory is fabulous, but a shade that lives in lots of palettes and is eminently dupable for a much cheaper price.
Yeah, a navy cream eyeshadow is not easy!