Believe it or not, the only Chanel makeup products I kept myself away from for the longest time, were Les Illusion d’Ombre Long-Wear Luminous Eye Shadows.
I clearly remember there was a time when I was literally mesmerized by #82 Émerveillé, but when I found myself swatching it at a Chanel counter, all that in-your-face-glitter-shimmer-fiesta wasn’t an option for me. Then Ébloui came along, a gorgeous burnished, brick-red eye shadow that made me finally surrender to the amazingness of these products. Yup, my faith was sealed!
When #95 Mirage was launched with the Summer 2014 Collection, I tried my best to resist it! But because it’s one of the eye shadow colours I gravitate towards, as you will see next from the swatches, and it has that amazingly soft formulation, which blends like a dream, I simply couldn’t leave that Chanel counter without it! I wasn’t impressed this time by the other two shades that came in the same Collection: #96 Utopia and 97 New Moon, even though they were listed as Limited Edition.
Mirage, as all Illusion d’Ombres, is a semi-sheer but really buildable eye shadow with fine but intense shimmers. A golden, almost taupey, medium-to-dark, luminous bronze colour with beautiful warm undertones. The interesting gel texture that is both soft and cushiony, allows it to be worn as an eyeshadow or eyeliner. I have never worn it as an eyeliner, since I’m always using it to create a really warm, brown smokey eye look, nothing too dramatic or fancy though.
It is quite similar with other eye shadows in my collection but somehow manages to keep its particularity. Here you have it swatched next to Burberry‘s Pale Barley, By Terry Bronze Moon and Dior Météore.
Pale Barley is the closest one in colour and finish, even tough it is a sheer powder eye shadow, when Mirage is a cream formula. The other two are cream formulas; Bronze Moon has more golden undertones and it is the most shimmery one, and Météore leans more warm and coppery than Mirage.
I love this formula of these eye shadows because they make a really great base for your eye makeup, Mirage being an extremely versatile colour and easy to wear in any occasion – day or night. Its texture felt particularly soft compared to the other Illusion d’Ombre eye shadows I own which made the product literally glide on the lids, therefore the easiest, effortless of applications. It also wears really well ( hence the name “long-lasting” ), even on oily lids without a primer. I use it all-over the lid, by itself or as a base, applied with my Hakuhodo J142 Eye Blending Brush or directly with my fingertips.
I can admit now that I am a Chanel Illusion d’Ombre converted!
I would love to see in the comments below what are your favourite cream eye shadows, so please share!
See you soon, beautiful!
xx, Annie
Mami și Zâna 