Review & Swatches: Chanel Illusion d'Ombre in Emerveillé

There's nothing quite like a new Chanel release to make the beauty world go a little bit wild.  The focus of the hype has, up until recently, rested on lipsticks and nail polishes - but with the release of Illusion d'Ombre, eyes are firmly in the spotlight.  Illusion d'Ombre is a bouncily textured cream to powder shadow, with a sparkling finish that's full of light.

The most striking thing about these shadows is the texture.  It's firm yet bouncy, and if you press your fingertip atop the gently sloping dome, you'll find it springing back.  To actually use the shadow, you're best off with a synthetic brush - the included one is a little bit small and fiddly for my liking, unless you're wanting to use the fine, tapered edge for applying the shadow as a liner.  The key to a good application is a gentle hand - if you remove too much product from the pot, you'll find it balls up and doesn't blend on the eyelid, so it's best to build the colour up gradually rather than trying to apply a lot in one go.

Swatched, Emerveillé is a pretty neutral pink with a slight coral cast and plenty of golden shimmer.  It's a very pretty, very wearable shade, which makes the eye area look bright and wide awake.

I've been reaching for this shade rather a lot recently, as it makes a very easy, flattering eye look with a generous dose of sparkle, which is something I personally love.  At £22.50, these aren't cheap - but they are undoubtedly rather gorgeous, and moreover for me, something a little bit different to play with - I think I'll be buying Illusoire, a sparkling purple, very soon.  Find them at Chanel counters and concessions, and online at Boots.com.

What do you think?  Tried Chanel's Illusion d'Ombre yourself? Let us know in the comments!