Part 2 of CHANEL’s Fall/Winter 2023 Équinoxe Collection focuses on eyes + lips (part 1 reviewed here), and introduces an innovative new product from the brand. Still in line with the fall theme, on offer are rich hues that are nevertheless versatile enough to be worn in so many ways.
Follow @ommorphia YouTube ♦ Instagram ♦ Facebook ♦ Twitter ♦ Pinterest ♦ Bloglovin’
Ombre Première Libre (CAN $51.00/each) | Housed in a black gradient-effect glass bottle which also depicts the shade, this is a loose powder eyeshadow. There is a softly pointed sponge applicator built into the cap that you can use for the actual application of the product, although that in itself does come with a bit of a learning curve (more on that later). The texture is extremely fine-milled and intensely pigmented; a little really does go a long way. Also buildable for more coverage as well as being easy to blend out, the finish has a luminous shine and stays true when worn over primer. As to the application, you can definitely go in with the applicator, but its chubby size makes it somewhat difficult for precision work. If going for a soft wash across the lid, I find the applicator effective in dabbing dots which I then blend out, adding more dots in areas that I want to intensify. Another — and easier — method, is to use a brush to pick up product from the applicator itself, and then apply to your lids as per usual.
Available in 6 shades, limited edition
Rouge Coco Bloom (CAN $56.00/each) | Housed in the brand’s iconic black lacquered tubes with the double C’s embossed on the transparent cap top, this is a hybrid lipstick/balm with a lush buttery texture, excellent pigmentation, and coming to a lovely shine finish. Despite their emollient nature, the colour saturation is surprisingly good, with the deeper hues obviously having more staying power and leaving a faint stain behind. The 6 new shades created for this collection may all be in harmony with the fall theme, but each hue can easily be worn year-round and what’s even sweeter, is the hydrating feel left behind.
I have a confession to make: from this collection, I wasn’t sure that I’d get excited about either the Rouge Coco Bloom shades or the new Ombre Première Libre shadows, although I was definitely curious about the latter, but I’m happy to say how wrong I was. Even with the plethora of lipsticks I own, these stand out by virtue of their texture, look, and feel. As to the Ombre Première Libre, my initial thought was they’d be too much of a hassle to work with, but their finish is exquisite and so worth the effort. The down side is that they are limited edition so get on them while you can.
Available at CHANEL counter and online
Kindly provided by CHANEL for my unbiased consideration