A few things from the new Chanel Ombre Premier Eyes collection
I swear, nobody does subtle fancy finishes like Chanel. It’s their makeup super power. I love the way they handle satin and shimmer — love it deep down in the marrow of my bones! — and if you also get a thrill from subtle flashes of glossy shine here or shimmer there, I think you’ll love what Chanel is doing with their new Ombre Premier Eyes collection.
It’s a massive collection! It just launched at chanel.com and is coming soon to Chanel counters with a new line of cream eyeshadows (eight shades, $36 each), a new line of powder eyeshadow singles (16 shades, $30 each), a couple of dual-ended retractable eye brushes ($42 each), some eyeliners ($30 each) and two brow gels ($32 each).
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The bulk of the pieces are also permanent, so yay! If you fall in love with something (and you just might), you don’t have to decide right away. You have time to ruminate.
Don’t miss the Chanel Ombre Premiere Longwear cream Eyeshadows
I tried three of them and was hooked. They’re the things I was most looking forward to when I heard about the collection, so I had high expectations already, but even with that Chanel didn’t disappoint.
Chanel Ombre Premiere Longwear cream Eyeshadows clockwise from the top in Pourpre Profond, Scintillance and Noir Petrole ($36 each)
I’m already a super fan when it comes to the Chanel illusion D’Ombre long wear luminous Eyeshadows, and the new Ombre Premiere line has a similar, spongy, soft formula. When you press your finger into one of the pans and work it around, you can feel them give and sort of…bounce. They aren’t dense like a MAC paint Pot.
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From the top: Chanel Ombre Premiere Longwear cream Eyeshadows in Scintillance, Pourpre Profond and Noir Petrole; Ombre Premiere Longwear Powder Eyeshadows in Talpa, Desert Rouge and Noir Satin
The featherweight formula also skims across my skin just as easily as the Illusions. It’s easy to forget I’m wearing them when they’re on my lids.
Highly pigmented too
Unlike the Illusions, the Ombre Premieres are very pigmented. Like, I think of the the illusion D’Ombres more as accent shadows. They’re more sparkly than pigmented, and I use them most often to boost an existing eye look by adding them as an extra layer on top.
But the Ombre Premiers are more like straight-up cream shadows, so you can do an entire eye look from start to finish just using them.
And yet, even though Chanel gave these ample pigment, they still found a way to make them blend easily. It only takes a few swipes.
You have about a three-minute window in which to work before they set, so if you like to dilly-dally while you buff and blend (*ahem* I do), don’t, because once these dry, they won’t move.
My favorite: Pourpre Profond
My favorite one so far is Pourpre Profond, which is a… I mean, I don’t even know how to describe this color. It’s mostly reddish brown, but sometimes it looks more plummy and reveals secret bronze micro glitter.
Wearing Pourpre Profond cream shadow all over my lid with Desert Rouge powder shadow in the crease
And what the heck is up with this finish!? sometimes it looks matte, sometimes satin, and sometimes it shimmers like sunlight on the water. That’s what I really love about Chanel. They can squeeze so many different personalities into the same product. It’s downright rare and magical.
As for the Chanel Ombre Premiere Longwear Powder Eyeshadows…
The collection’s Chanel Ombre Premiere Longwear Powder Eyeshadows seem just as complex, too, especially taupe Talpa and red Desert Rouge.
Three of the Ombre Premiere Longwear Powder Eyeshadows from the top in Noir Satin, Talpa and Desert Rouge
At first glance, Desert Rouge looks matte, unless you’re looking at it in sunlight. then more of a satin finish comes through.
And when I’m indoors, Talpa shows up as a velvety shimmer, but if I’m wearing it in the car and catch a glimpse of my lids in the rear view mirror, I swear, it looks like a wet eye gloss.
That texture, tho!!!
It’s easy to get carried away while swirling fingers and brushes in the Ombre Premiere Longwear Powder pans because of how otherworldly soft and creamy they feel.
Remember that epic eye palette with the creamy powder shadows that Tarte did earlier this spring? Rainforest of the Sea volume II? I think these feel very similar.
Wearing Scintillance cream shadow and Talpa (lid) and Noir Satin (outer corner) powder shadows
Lastly, Talpa and Desert Rouge both have urban Decay levels of pigment (which is unusual for Chanel), but the black shade I also tried, Noir Satin, is more typical of Chanel. It’s right around the middle in terms of pigment.
A few thoughts on the brushes and brow gel
Both the Retractacble Dual-Tip Eyeshadow brush and Eye-Contouring brush ($42 each) are supernaturally soft and SO GOOD. They’re also dense and easy to maneuver, which makes them good at getting product exactly where I want it to go.
Sadly, now I have it in my head that I need more Chanel brushes in my life… WHY YOU DO ME like THAT COCO?
The Retractable Dual-Tip Eyeshadow brush and Retractable Eye-Contouring Brush, $42 each
I’ve also tried the transparent Le Gel Sourcils Longwear eyebrow Gel from the release, and it has a lovely matte finish, but it isn’t very strong. It doesn’t have enough hold to tame my unruly brows.
Seriously, I need brow gel that can stand up to a wind tunnel, man.
Honestly, though, part of me is relieved that I didn’t fall prey to a $32 brow gel…
The verdict
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There’s a lot to like in this collection, but it’s easy to love the cream shadows in this launch. I think they’re well worth a special trip to the mall to swatch all by themselves.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen