Chanel Rouge Noir Illusion D’Ombre

Chanel’s most iconic shade has to be Rouge Noir and when I saw they were releasing a cream eyeshadow in that shade, I knew I wanted to get my hands on it. Chanel’s cream eyeshadow formula is formally called the Illusion D’Ombre and are a cream to powder formula and Rouge Noir has to be not only there more iconic shade, but one of the prettiest for wearing this holiday season. Let me break it down for you.

Chanel Illusion D’Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eye shadow in 857 Rouge Noir

I already knew I would like this product as I already own one of the Illusion D’Ombre. I bought one in the shade New Moon from last year’s spring collection. Come to think of it, I think that shade may look good over this one as it is more sheer and shimmery than Rouge Noir. You can see my review of that product here.

Let’s have a closer look at Rouge Noir shall we? An Illusion D’Ombre contains 4 grams of product and costs a whooping €30,95. That isn’t cheap but for that money you do get a unique shade in a unique formula. The shadow comes in a pot that is housed in a cardboard box with a miniature brush. The box is classic Chanel and I always feel a little giddy when I decide to buy one of their products. It remains a special brand for me.

Can you hear angels singing yet? The packaging of this is to the point yet classy. The Chanel logo is neatly embossed in the middle of the lid and the glass jar feels heavy and good quality. When I first opened this up it already had the different texture at the top and I am sure it hadn’t been touched before. You’ll see why in the pictures below.

The shade in the pan is spot on. Rouge Noir is the best description this shade could possibly get. It has a hint of sparkle to it that looked much more intense in store than it did once I got home. I don’t mind though as I like my cream shadows to be a tad more matte anyway. Shimmers and glitters are great for wearing on its own, but mattes and satins are much more versatile as they can be worn underneath other shadows.

When you stick your finger into the product the product smooths out nicely. That is why I think this product hadn’t been touched when I first opened it. There must simply have been some fault in the product as it came right from the drawer in the store. So I am sure it was unopened before I took it home.

Swatched on my arm the color pulls a lot more brown. On the left you can see what happens if you build up the color. On the right you can see the result of one swipe across my skin. You can see a tiny hint of sparkly flecks in the middle, which I think will look great when the light hits it just right. But that mostly goes for the more opaque version.

The texture of this product is creamy at first but settles as a powder. However, when you build up the product that powdery texture disappears and it becomes a straight up cream. I wore this several times since I got it and if I wear it on its own with the color build up all the way, I find this creases on me, even with a primer underneath. If I set it with a little bit of eye shadow though, it stays all day.

I wanted to show you the effect this shadow has on my eyes as is. This is Rouge Noir applied over nothing but a little bit of primer and a little bit of blending out with my fingers. I did not apply any other eye shadows. On my eyes the shade looks a lot more like a reddish, purple-y brown shade with a deep dark under tone and a few sparkles. I like the look of this on my eyes a lot more than in a swatch.

In this next eye look I have added a few shadows to create more of a complete look. I used Naked Basics 1 & 2 to round up the look with a darker crease and a brow bone highlight. I found this shadow to be a great base shade for wearing under MAC’s Heritage Rouge pigment, which was one of my Holiday purchases in 2014. It makes for a super festive look when adding a bit of gold glitter.

With a completed eye look, you can go for subtle or you can go for bold and vampy as I show you here. On the left is the first look I ever made with this shadow. Earlier this week, I just had to take a selfie as I wore Rouge Noir under Heritage Rouge and paired it with Estee Lauder’s Black Cassis.

My conclusion is that Rouge Noir is a great Holiday staple. If you are willing to shell out a bit of money you have a product you will use with joy and that will always feel a tad special. However, I also realize that not everyone will have the money to spend on an item like this. If you want to save up a bit, then I can assure you that it is worth the splurge.

What has been an item from the 2015 Christmas offerings that you have been lusting after?