Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Eyeshadow in Illusoire

I just want to state, for the purposes of this post, that I really love my husband.

Not just because he's a totally kick ass kind of guy in all the best ways possible (and he totally is), but because he pays attention to the little things that are important to me. Like makeup. Especially high-end makeup.

Declaration of love stated and noted.

Helllooooo, Chanel!

I have been dying to get my little mitts on the recently released Chanel Illusion D'Ombre eyeshadow for months. This range debuted in Chanel's Fall 2011 collection and is a permanent product in the Chanel makeup range. At about $40 a pop, these little pots of sparkle aren't your everyday eyeshadows; they're a bit of an investment. But man, are they worth it. And until the day I can finally afford to purchase my holy grail purse , my love affair with the brand will have to revolve around the "affordables" (in quotes because on a teacher's salary, this is still debatable).

Packaging: First of all, the packaging is pure Chanel. A classic black lacquered top with that oh-so famous logo in crisp clean white greets you as you open the box. The product sits in a substantial glass pot; this thing has a lot of weight to it!

The color: Illusoire is described as a mid-tone brown-grey with strong undertones of lavender. I hesitate to put it solidly in the taupe family, but it's definitely taupe-ish. I think the level of purple that comes out once applied is really going to depend on the color of one's skin and eyes. On my green eyes and medium skin, this baby takes on a a pretty strong purple personality. My sister-in-law is far more fair than I am and has big blue eyes. This color took an entirely different approach to her eyes, and the result was that it looked more grey. Gorgeous nonetheless, but I do think it's a pretty mutable color; I can't imagine it looking ick on anyone! So cheers to that!

I should point out that this color can be a bit tricky to apply with anything other than one's fingertip. Typical makeup brushes don't really work all that well (or at least, I haven't found a good one yet). The shadow pot does come with a little angled brush, which is actually pretty nice for a defined under eye line, but isn't really great for applying product to the upper lid. If you want a really concentrated amount of color on your lids, it's best to use your fingertips.

The texture: OMG. OMG. Incredible. I don't know what technology Chanel has tucked away in its Paris offices, but this stuff is fluffy. Like, the shadow is actually springy when pressure is applied to it. I don't understand how this is possible. Running your finger over the top of the product is like touching  a cloud. Very soft, powdery, and smooth. There is micro glitter in this shadow, and yes, despite looking a bit gritty in the pot, there is no roughness to this shadow. It applies like a silky dream. And there's zero fall-out! After applying Illusoire all over my lid and the under eye area, there were no itsy-bitsy glitter specks on my cheeks. Perhaps coolest of all, it even feels a little wet and cool to the lid when you apply it.

Naturally, I couldn't wait to put this to work!

Look at the sparkle!

So, do I recommend this product? Absolutely!....but only if the price tag isn't a deal-breaker for you. At $40 per shadow, this stuff is definitely on the high-high-end of the makeup counter. My goal isn't to tell you you need to run right out and purchase Chanel makeup, but rather to give you an honest opinion and my own two cents.  For me, this stuff is absolutely worth the price tag, but it's also probably a "once a year and only on my birthday" sort of indulgence.

Unfortunately this shade isn't easily dupable, so there's no drugstore product I can recommend to achieve a similar look. However, more cost-efficient brands like MAC and even L'Oreal have product ranges that are a bit more varied than others you'll find out there. L'Oreal Infalliable eyeshadows are GORGEOUS and obviously inspired by Chanel's Illusion D'Ombre range, but unfortunately they're still very hard to find in the U.S. I'm still kicking myself for not stocking up when I was in Montreal this summer!

Let me know if you've tried the Chanel shadows, and if so, which shade is your favorite. Personally, I'm hoping that maybe Santa will leave Ebloui under the Christmas tree this year! ;)