The latest collection from CHANEL draws inspiration from the world of dreams & imagination — and probably sorbet ice cream too, in my opinion. With warmer weather around the corner, it seems so right to break out the pastels and you can bet that I’ll be rocking these all. That said, can first we have a moment of silent admiration for the perfection of this highlighter? Utterly swoon-worthy.
Follow @ommorphia YouTube ♦ Instagram ♦ Facebook ♦ Twitter ♦ Pinterest ♦ Bloglovin’
Coral is the new neutral, if this look is anything to go by. Love, love, love
Les 4 Ombres 384 Imaginaire (CAN $76.00) | Bearing a range of matte, satin and shimmery textures, the four coral-based shades of this palette all lean warm, but can definitely be made to work on those with cooler complexions. Beautifully pigmented & displaying a buttery smooth texture, each is also effortless to blend out. Suitable for everyone, these shades will be especially impactful on those with green eyes (like me!) but truthfully, they will compliment all eye colours.
- upper left: burgundy brown
- upper right: coral beige with micro shimmer
- lower left: peachy coral
- lower right: soft coral pink
When I saw the first images of this palette, I immediately thought that it was a reissued version of Warm Memories (reviewed here), one of my favourite and most-reached for quads in my collection. And while there appears to be some overlap shade-wise, the finish of Warm Memories leans more satiny, and apart from the deepest hue, Imaginaire leans brighter and more coral overall. If you have Warm Memories, do you need Imaginaire? Probably not, but the collector in me loves that the applied finish is different enough to justify having both, and I’m sticking with that.
Stylo Lumière Regard 557 Éclat (CAN $44.00) | A brand new creation from the brand (Scintillement, not shown), you can think of these as magic wands for the eyes. Housed in a click-pen format, the product is dispensed by turning the end until it appears on the brush. You can wear this all over the lid on its own as a sheer wash of colour that has a subtle shimmery shift, or patted over eyeshadow to add depth and a touch of shimmer. Another way to wear this, is applied at the inner eye corner or even along the brow bone — both great tips to help add luminous touches. Finally, you can even apply this along the cheekbones as a conventional highlighter. No matter which method you choose, you need to work fast and if applying to the eyes, I suggest working one eye at a time, as once this sets, it’s basically budge-proof.
Rêve de Camélia Illuminating Powder* (CAN $108.00) | The undisputed star of the collection, I can sum it up with one word: EXQUISITE. Housed in the brand’s signature black lacquered compact case with a full sized mirror on the inner lid, this highlighter also comes with a beautifully crafted mini kabuki brush. The powder’s surface bears a raised camellia flower, emblematic of the House of CHANEL and Coco Chanel’s favourite flower, and it’s literally like a work of art. The texture is very finely milled and displays a lovely shimmer that’s never over the top, but one that instead helps to provide a stunningly ethereal glow. I had high expectations for this beauty, and she does NOT disappoint.
My first thought was that Rêve de Camélia was very similar to Éclat du Désert (reviewed here), but while they appear to be in the same colour family, the two are nothing alike. Éclat du Désert is somewhat denser, more pink-leaning and has a subtle shimmer, while Rêve de Camélia is slightly more translucent and bears a “fairy dust” shimmer — trust me, it’s drop-dead gorgeous.
There are two lip options released with this collection: three Rouge Coco Flash shades (Romance, not shown), and two Rouge Allure Ink shades (Évocation, not shown). All are in line with the dreamy theme and compliment the pieces of the collection. The Rouge Coco Flash formula displays really good pigmentation considering its balmy nature and the texture is like butter, leaving lips feeling hydrated throughout wear. The Rouge Allure Ink has might be longer-lasting, but it never fully dries down the way a traditional matte liquid lipstick does, meaning your lips won’t feel desiccated.
- 168 Halo Rouge Coco Flash – tranlucent lavender/mauve top coat
- 172 Flânerie Rouge Coco Flash – nude brown
- 232 Poésie Rouge Allure Ink – dusty orange
Le Vernis (CAN $39.00/each) | If these hues are anything to go by, then pastel season is fully upon us — and I’m here for it. I do love crisp reds and brooding vampy shades, but all three of these sorbet-esque polishes are like summer encapsulated, no? The formula is amazing: the jelly-like texture spreads effortlessly along the nail without pooling at the cuticles, and leaves a natural brilliant gloss behind.
All swatches are with 2 coats of polish, no base or top coat
- 919 Utopie* – soft peach
- 921 Évanescence – delicate lavender
- 923 Onirique* – rosy beige with hint of mauve
It’s no secret that CHANEL is one of my all time favourite brands — and the main reason is because the products rarely disappoint. Take this collection, for example: every single piece I tested is a sure-fine winner and what’s more, will suit a broad range of complexions. The downside: everything is limited edition and my prediction is that it will all go lightning-fast … you’ve been warned.
Available at CHANEL counters and online
Kindly Provided by CHANEL for my unbiased consideration
*Purchased product
