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This Peachy Cream Eyeshadow Creates Real Beauty From Something Abstract: Chanel Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadow in Abstraction

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chanel abstraction
Wearing the new Chanel Illusion d’Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow in Abstraction on my eyes

Yesterday I did an epically fast eye makeup look with the new Chanel Illusion d’Ombre Longwear Eyeshadow in Abstraction ($36) because I needed to rush outta the house for this:

These are fancy-schmancy, kinda hipster versions of char siu bao from a food truck called Chairman Bao at Off the Grid in Larkspur yesterday.

Bao, also known as manapua in Hawaiian pidgin English, are soft, hella good steamed dough buns (or sometimes wraps) filled with pork, beef, tofu and/or veggies.

They’re among the most delicious foods known to humankind…

Almost as delicious as Chanel’s Abstraction, the cream eyeshadow I wore all weekend long. 🙂 Mmm… Chanel. Delicious and, unlike bao, fat free.

chanel abstraction
Chanel Illusion d’Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow in Abstraction, $36

Part of the new Les Expressions de Chanel collection, Abstraction is a peachy coral cream eyeshadow with purple flair and flecks of golden glitter. It’s very unique, and unlike anything else in my cream shadow stash.

I think it’s fab for soft washes of color and/or a sheer, shimmery glow. If you like wearing eyeshadow but prefer quiet, laid back looks, or if you have mature skin (because Abstraction kindly steers clear of my fine lines), Abstraction’s worthy of OM-NOM-NOM!

Oh, but no matter how loudly your hubby grumbles about how hungry he is, and how you’re gonna miss the food trucks if you don’t hurry up and get ready…don’t skip the primer with this bad boy.

chanel abstraction swatch

chanel abstraction closeup

Even though Chanel claims the Illusion d’Ombre eyeshadows are long wearing, they tend to scoot around on my combination dry/oily lids if I don’t start with a primer.

If I do (still lovin’ NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base), I get a good 6-8 hours with minimal creasing.

For a 5-minute makeup look, I pat a small amount on my lids with a finger (starting first with the primer), and blend out the edges with a domed eyeshadow brush. Then, I coat my lashes with a layer of mascara (this past weekend, I wore Le Volume de Chanel), and swipe a peachy coral blush on my cheeks (saving the gloss for the car!).

Char siu bao in three, two, one…

PRICE: $36
AVAILABILITY: Available now at Chanel counters and coming soon to chanel.com
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+ (I love the color and how easy it is to use, but I wish I could wear it without primer)

Desperately seeking the best damn turkey you’ve never cooked

The dining room’s been painted, and a table and chairs are on the way. 🙂 It’s official! — El Hub and I are hosting Thanksgiving this year.

I think I have the sides and dessert covered, but the turkey situation is giving me hives… I don’t know if I can cook a turkey (well). I mean, I’ve never done it before. I can follow a recipe just fine, but the thought of handling that bird and those innards…

I’m freakin’ out!

I’m thinking about ordering a pre-cooked turkey from the grocery store. Have you ever done that before? Costco, Safeway, anything like that? If you have any recommendations, I’m all ears.

Hope you had a nice day today. Talk to you soon.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Another for the Christmas list! I do love these colors 🙂 Lately I’ve been wearing NARS Deep Throat as a bit of color on my eyes.

    Reply

  4. Check out Trader Joe’s, too. I’m pretty sure I saw some precooked turkeys there yesterday and if you choose to do it yourself, their website has pretty good instructions for roasting one.

    Reply

  5. Did you chop off your hair??

    I’ve cooked a couple of turkeys and I keep it pretty simple – coat the entire skin with butter & herbs, stuff it with onion & celery, keep it covered when cooking til the last hour, then uncover to get a nice crispy skin. I’ve done this twice & both times it turned out super juicy & delicious (and I’m a horrible cook!).

    I’m excited for you about your dining room! I just finally had additional cabinets/pantry & island installed in the kitchen of my new house. Feels good to make progress in the home decorating department, right? 🙂

    Reply

    • Hi Steph,

      Nope, I just tucked in the ends and pinned it so that it looks like a bob. I desperately need a haircut, LOL!

      Thanks for the turkey recipe. If I end up having time I may try making it.

      And yay for your new cabinets and pantry. When did you guys move?

      Reply

      • We moved into our new house on 8/8. Actually, I should say I moved…hubby was still in training with the Navy in San Antonio. We’re just outside the city now in a neighboring suburb…close enough to the city but far enough to be in a safer neighborhood with great schools (my son started kindergarten this fall).

        Reply

  7. We get our turkey fully cooked from the Hof Brau Roast House in Terra Linda (Northgate 1). We’ve gone to them for several years. We will probably go there this year too. You call them on Monday & tell them what size you want. You can pick up on Thursday morning. They even provide mashed potatoes and gravy if you want. it’s so much easier that way and it’s really good.
    marisol recently posted … Weekly Weigh In & iPromise Week 7

    Reply

    • Thank you for the rec, Marisol! This really helps. So far I’ve researched Whole Foods, Andronico’s, A.G. Ferarrari, Paradise Foods, Safeway and Harvest Market. Adding Hof Brau Roast to the list. 🙂

      Reply

  9. YAY!! fo’ da manapua love! Also, what about WholeFoods for the turkey? I baked a turkey once (only) and I needed a “coach” the entire time–it felt like I’d run a marathon after getting that thing out of the oven…
    Aloha from Honolulu!

    Reply

    • Hi Agata,

      I tucked the ends under (a hairstyle I saw on Taylor Swift a long time ago) because my hair is getting out of control. I really need to go the salon!

      Glad to hear you liked Skyfall, btw. What makeup did you end up wearing to the movies?

      Reply

      • Ohh, I see, that’s clever! I am still waiting for your hair tutorial 🙂 My hair is getting long too but I just bought a Redken Damage Control restorative mask and it’s amazing. I used it twice and my hair feels healthier already and super soft.

        Skyfall was great indeed. I ended up wearing a golden eye make up with dark winged eyeliner. I still haven’t even tried mastering putting on false eyelashes, I have to get on that! Would be perfect for a New year’s eve party. And of course I painted my nails with one of the OPI Skyfall nail polishes.

        Reply

    • Hi Nina!

      This one’s so, so wearable. Kinda pricey, though, but that’s Chanel for ya.

      Hope you’re having a nice day so far. Are you ready for Thanksgiving?!

      Reply

    • Hmmm…that’s a good idea! If I’m feeling extra motivated maybe I’ll give that a go. I bet it would be really tasty if I brined the pieces, too.

      Reply

  18. The shadow is very pretty but there’s too much else to address for me to say any more. 🙂

    First of all, YOU CAN DO IT. Cook the turkey, I mean. This is the best recipe (imo) but I make a different stuffing. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/oven-roasted-turkey-with-sage-butter-recipe/index.html
    I know raw meat is gross but I promise, if you can push sage butter under a turkey’s skin, you will have a fabulous dinner and feel like you’ve overcome a major (raw meat) cooking hurdle. The drippings also make the best gravy ever. Honest. 🙂

    Reply

  19. Did you cut your hair? It’s so cute!

    I’m definitely going to get myself an Illusion D’Ombre for Christmas.

    And turkey isn’t too hard! We bought a brined one from Trader Joe’s last year – grease, season, stick it in the bag, and fuggedaboutit. It was so good.

    Reply

  21. As for the turkey, don’t worry, Karen, you will get used to it. I roasted my first turkey at Thanksgiving last year, and subsequently I have done 2 more birds, at Christmas and a party. You’ll get use to it.

    But yea, despite teaching Anatomy, I found the first time handling a bird a bit ewwwww and Hubby had to brine it, etc.

    I got Abstraction in Malaysia this summer and love the shade very much!

    Reply

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