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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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
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
PJ says
May 4th, 2017 at 2:58 pmOh yay! I’ve been waiting for someone to start writing these up. Thanks Karen!
A few questions for you – I loved the colour of Noir Petrole when it came out as a liner but I didn’t need any more liners (LOL) so I passed. Do you think the NP Ombre Premiere is the same shade?
Also, do you think Pourpre Profond is similar to the gorgeous burgundy from last fall (Rouge Contraste, I think?)
Talpa looks especially stunning on you. I definitely think I’ll have to pick that one up. 🙂
Karen says
May 5th, 2017 at 9:01 amHi PJ,
I love that liner! And yes, I think the colors are very similar. I have a swatch here.
As for Pourpre Profond, I think it’s bronzier (is that even a word? LOL!) and richer compared to Rouge Contraste.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Pj says
May 5th, 2017 at 9:14 amAwesome, thanks so much Karen!!
Happy Friday ?
Karen says
May 5th, 2017 at 9:48 amYou’re welcome, PJ!
By the way, I’m really enjoying your Instagram feed! Especially the cat pics. LOL
LK says
May 4th, 2017 at 3:00 pmThese look a m a z i n g …! Cannot wait for them to reach the UK. Before I even actually read the post, I just looked at the images and when I saw Pourpre profond on you, I immediately thought – Wow…*this* will have to appear in my collection asap. 🙂 Love reading your posts, thanks!
Karen says
May 5th, 2017 at 8:56 amThanks, LK! I had the same reaction when I first swatched Pourpre Profond. I went, “Ahhhhh!”. LOL! Don’t you love it when makeup wows you like that?
LK says
May 5th, 2017 at 9:13 amTotally! And Chanel has a habit of doing that to me! Can’t wait to get my hands on some of these. Probably the brushes, Pourpre profond, Desert Rouge and… trying to stop there. Trying real hard… 😉
By the way… Was at a Chanel boutique yesterday wondering what to buy, and remembered your post about the Malice blush. Thought I’d have a look at it… and I guess that was just another ‘wow’ moment! You were totally right, it looks awesome. So happy I got it. Needed some malice in my life. 🙂
Karen says
May 5th, 2017 at 9:49 amOh, good ol’ Malice! My fave!!! You should chat with Kim here in the comments sometime; she loves Malice so much that she’s worn it for years.
Even though it’s #basic have you ever tried their 88 Noir Intense Stylo Yeux? It’s the best black eyeliner, I swear!
LK says
May 5th, 2017 at 10:09 amOmg, yes! Coincidentally, also bought that recently! Did you get a chance to try their new eyeshadow palette, the Les Beiges Palette Regard? It’s divine, really. It’s very discreet and the tones are subdued, but it looks really distinguished on the lids, and kinda sexy at the same time! But I didn’t want it to be too washed out, so I felt like it really was calling out for something dark to line the lashes with – turns out the Noir Intense Stylo Yeux was just perfect for it! These two together immediately became one of may fav looks these days! 🙂
My other fav from the Stylo Yeux range is Eros… You’d think that reddish shade (which in images at least, looks so much like Pourpre profond, by the way…!) would look weird on the lid, but …. wow, it’s amazing! Bought one more for when I finish my current one.
I’ll be sure to have a look for Kim in the comments!
Karen says
May 5th, 2017 at 11:41 amYa know, I don’t think I’ve seen that one here in the US, but I’ve seen pics online and it’s beautiful! I’m hoping we get it soon because it looks like something I’d wear often.
Oh yeah, Eros is AMAZING. The whole fall red collection was amazing! It was so unlike anything I’ve ever seen Chanel do before, but leave it to them to take red and make it elegant. I’ll have to try it with Pourpre Profond; thanks for the idea!
Rachel says
May 4th, 2017 at 3:25 pmI love Talpa!
Chelsea says
May 4th, 2017 at 4:05 pmTalpa is gorgeous! And Pourpre Profond!
Tatiana says
May 4th, 2017 at 4:17 pmI’ve been looking forward to these. With all the new releases and formulations they better not discontinue my favorite Stilo Yeux Waterproof.
Any news on the Beiges Gel Touch foundation? It’s available in France and the UK. I wonder if it will be released in the US.
Karen says
May 5th, 2017 at 8:56 amHi Tatiana,
I haven’t heard anything about it yet. I’ll do a little digging and see what I can find. 🙂
I would FREAK OUT if Stylo Yeux was discontinued!
Chris25 says
May 4th, 2017 at 4:45 pmI also really like Pourpre Profond.
Chris25 recently posted … Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Manic
Eleni says
May 4th, 2017 at 7:19 pmNoir Petrol?? THE Noir Petrol they had released as a liner earlier this year?? I loved that one so much! I look forward to these!
Eleni recently posted … Swatch Sunday: “Hello Summer!” with the new Mac Fruity Juicy Collection for Summer 2017!
LindaLibraLoca says
May 4th, 2017 at 11:23 pmDesert Rouge, so pretty! And I love cream shadows. I missed out on the one last year, so it is great that these are meant to be permanent.
LindaLibraLoca recently posted … pixi + Caroline Hirons Double Cleanse – The bias
LK says
May 5th, 2017 at 2:15 amAh, question: what do you think is the best way to apply the Chanel Illusion D’Ombre textures? I have a pot of Illusion d’Ombre (Rouge contraste, LE), and I find that if I use my finger, either the thinest veil of colour gets scooped up the surface of on my finger and I have to spend ages building enough colour, *or* I manage to displace a whole little blob in one go, which is also quite hard to then work across the lid… Maybe I should try a brush? Curious to know your thoughts, since it might help me decide whether to now get an Ombre Premiere (Pourpre profond… <3), or maybe just stick to the easier-to-use eyeshadows in this new collection… Thanks!
Karen says
May 5th, 2017 at 8:53 amHi LK,
I use either a flat, stiff brush (preferably with a smaller brush head because I don’t have a ton of lid space and I like to place things exactly where I need them to go), or fingers. Something like a MAC 239 works, or any flat shader brush with a smaller surface. Then I use a pressing motion, rather than a wiping motion, to deposit the color onto the lid. I also use an ancient Burberry brush, which is super stiff (and kind of scratchy, to be honest), but the stiffness helps to lay the product down. When I use a finger, I rub it around the pot in a circle to grab a good amount of color. Hope this helps!
LK says
May 5th, 2017 at 12:14 pmThanks so much for the tip! Tried it just now with an old brush. It actually works much better than I thought, and to think I was going to get rid of that brush! It was a little too stiff, and always seemed to break up powder eyeshadow from the pan into dust, without scooping it up. But it turns out it’s perfect for an Illusion d’Ombre! Nothing holding me back from some more Chanel pots now. 🙂
As for the Les Beiges palette mentioned above, it does seem to exist in the US – at least there’s defo an entry for it on the Chanel US site (going for $65 tho… owch). But looks like it’s out of stock just now. The beauty vultures must have swooped down on it almost as soon as it came out, cuz it only just launched recently.
Honestly, I absolutely love it. The eyeshadow texture is great: super soft and velvety smooth. And the other thing I like about it is that the browns in the palette work *beautifully * with red lipstick (my fav at the minute is the Shiseido Rouge Rouge in Real Ruby – a kind of brown-red). Hope you manage to find it, I think you’ll like it!
Karen says
May 5th, 2017 at 12:22 pmHow did I miss that?! I combed through the site and must’ve flashed by it without realizing it. I’ll have to see if I can find it through a counter at another retailer. Um, not that I *need* another Chanel eye palette though. I should really be saving my fun money for some more of those cream shadows. ?
So glad that the brush worked out for you! Funny, because that’s the same situation I was in with my Burberry brush. It’s SO scratchy but flat and very dense, and works great to pick up and push out the Chanel creams. Oh, do you fill in your brows? You might be able to use that brush with brow powder (I also do that with my Burberry brush).
LK says
May 5th, 2017 at 12:53 pmAh, great idea! I keep trying to take care of my eyebrows, but 99% of the time, I leave it for last and then don’t have time to do it anyway, since by that point I’m usually already on the verge of being late somewhere…! Might give it a go tho, with the stiff brush.
Btw, it’s from a small-ish brand called Lily Lolo, who do great mineral makeup though, so I feel like I can’t criticize them *too* much. Actually, I don’t really wear liquid foundation at all, just mineral powder, which tends to stay glowy and luminous on me for the whole day, unlike foundations. My skin also seems to look healthier since I ditched them and switched to mineral powders. Gosh, could talk about this for ages…
But I do hope you’re able to find the Les Beiges palette! Dying to know what you think of it, if you manage to try it. Maybe one of these days I’ll be checking FB and a new MBB post will appear in my feed about it. 😉
Actually, might use it myself tomorrow, with some Malice too. Exciting!! 🙂 Again – thanks so much for the tip with the brush, I’m super, super pleased about it!
Karen says
May 5th, 2017 at 1:40 pmI’ve tried them before! They’re kind of hard to find here in the US, but are available online. From what I tried, I liked it. I have a palette and a blush which I enjoy.
With your Beiges/Malice look, I vote for a coral lip!
Jane says
May 5th, 2017 at 6:23 amI was so waiting for the release since I saw an early preview of them. I am curious about the cream shadows and how they feel on the eye. I have used Bobbi Brown cream shadows before in both pot and stick formulas. My eyelids are very dry and I find the sticks, while very convenient, they are not that smooth and dry very fast. The pots are a little better, but once you get close to the end, they are a pain to get out of the pot. I tend to apply both types with my finger. I was also interested in the powder shadows. I will check them out when they arrive in the stores.
Be well!
Kim says
May 5th, 2017 at 12:03 pmOh, hey, you know how you’re like “Coco, why you gotta do me like that?”? Guess what I’m saying right now. I’ll give you a hint, it sounds very similar but starts with “Karen!”. HAHA! Something about Chanel and reds. I would never, in a million years, wear Desert Rouge. But now I desperately want it. I’m locking my wallet away. And maybe slamming my hand in a door. 😉 Kidding, but why is Chanel so tempting?
Karen says
May 5th, 2017 at 12:15 pmI don’t know, but it is! I think they just do finishes in a way that nobody else can. Plus there’s something extra special about the quality of the powders and creams and the products in general.
GIRL. Have you ever tried a Chanel makeup brush? Honestly, I can’t stop thinking about them.
LK says
May 6th, 2017 at 2:49 amHey Kim, hey Karen. Noticed this comment yesterday but never got round to adding something. I have tried Chanel brushes – have quite a few. They are pretty damn amazing. Was in exactly the same situation – saw them, even tested them in the shop, and couldn’t get them out of my head! Until I bought some, ofc. 🙂 I’d say with the exception of the kabuki / touch-up one which I found a little bit scratchy, they are all pretty great.
I guess the ones I’ve been loving most these days are:
– the *blush brush #4* – which seems to be the only one I have that doesn’t overdo things given how crazily pigmented some of the Chanel blushes are (like Les Tissages de Chanel in Cherry blossom, which easily gives you pink clown cheeks if not super careful). Actually, I find even the Tom Ford blush brush to pick up way too much product in one go, no matter how gentle I am. It’s just so dense! So it’s just this Chanel one that does the trick.
– the *blending foundation brush #7*, which I just use to make sure bronzer or highlighter streaks are not detectable, and it works wonders,
– and the *eyeshadow blending brush #19* – particularly the one with white hairs, which seems much softer than the one with black hairs.
But they’re all kinda great actually – the bronzer brush and the powder ones too. Love them so much. It’s my little brush family. 😉
disneyrollergirl says
July 25th, 2017 at 4:47 pmI’m the same. I’d never look at a red eyeshadow (red eyeshadow! Are you kidding me!!) but Chanel reds always have a very wearable texture and finish.
Suzanne C says
May 5th, 2017 at 12:10 pmYou are reading my mind again- I just started really getting into cream eyeshadow and was wondering if the Chanel versions lived up to their hype. Aaaaand, I happen to be taking my girls to the mall tomorrow, where the first thing you see when entering Dillard’s from the underground car park is a Chanel kiosk. It’s destiny.
Karen says
May 5th, 2017 at 12:23 pmI think it might be. 🙂 Have fun at the mall tomorrow with your girls. Are you gals going to just look around, or are you on a hunting/gathering mission?
Happy early Mother’s Day, by the way!
Suzanne C says
May 5th, 2017 at 3:11 pmWe’re on a mission. I need shoes (and Chanel cream eyeshadow) and my 10-year-old niece needs bras. (She and her mom aren’t allowed to shop together; it usually ends in yelling and crying, so I just take her now whenever she needs anything.) Yesterday was a tour of next year’s middle school, tomorrow is bra shopping, and in two weeks it’s elementary school graduation. I’m just wondering how we got here so quickly, lol.
Erin says
May 5th, 2017 at 12:56 pmShhhh, these don’t exist 😛
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Daewyn says
May 9th, 2017 at 10:48 amHnng. That cream eyeshadow in Pourpre Profond, and the eyeshadow in Desert Rouge are calling my name!
Mary Heffner says
May 11th, 2017 at 8:04 amKaren,
Which Chanel brush is the blender / shader brush? On all the websites even Chanel they have the same image for both brushes as definer / smudger. Just don’t want to purchase the wrong one.
Thanks!