Chanel Illusions d’Ombre de Chanel Fall 2011 Collection, Swatches, Photos & Review
Chanel has put out quite the little collection for fall 2011 called Illusions d’ Ombre de Chanel.
The collection includes three new colors called Graphite, Peridot and Quartz, two of which I feel are VERY worth the sky-high pricing. 
Formula. You know Chanel, plenty chippy on most people including myself. Well most polish is chippy on me within 48 hours anyway so really, it’s hard to tell. The first time I wore Peridot though I got a very random circle chip in the middle of my pointer finger within 24 hours. STILL the color is so gorgeous…
Peridot and Quartz applied a little streaky. Peridot does even out when it dries, but Quartz still showed some streaks. Graphite is thicker and I didn’t have any issues applying it and it dries pretty quickly also.
Note: Graphite and Peridot are limited edition (sadly) but Quartz will be part of their permanent collection.
Chanel Illusions d’Ombre
Chanel Peridot
Chanel Peridot
Chanel Peridot
Chanel Graphite
Chanel Graphite
Chanel Peridot
Chanel Peridot
Peridot is a green/gold/yellow/ multi-chrome color. Depending on the lighting it switches colors easily and beautifully. There is always that hint of green lurking on the corners, which I love. I definitely do not have another green like this one, so no dupes for me yet!
This applied in two coats and dries to a nice streak-free finish.
Chanel Graphite
Chanel Graphite
Graphite is a super glittery foil green/silver/grey color. Like Peridot (though the finishes are quite different) this changes depending on how you move your hand around. Overall I would say it’s mostly a very pale evergreen color with a super strong grey/silver cast to it. Again this is really unique to anything else I currently own. Love it.
This one applies best with three thin coats I have found, rather than two thicker ones.
Chanel Quartz
Quartz is a medium metallic taupe with a slightly frosty finish and pink and green shimmer. At first swatch I wasn’t all that impressed with it because it went after I swatched Peridot and Graphite.
However after looking at it again I realized I do actually like it, just not the same as the other two. I used two coats for this swatch but think three coats would have brought out a nicer depth in the base color.
Availability: Chanel’s website, select department stores.
Pricing: $25.00 each (gulp).
What do you think about these colors? Will you be picking any of them up?
-Kelly
I loved all of these! Especially Peridot and Granite (which I still firmly believe should have been named Pyrite) lol
I totally agree about Pyrite- c’mon Chanel, get with the program!!!
But pyrite wouldn’t have made any sense! Pyrite is clear!
But they needed some sort if name like that 
xo
Sara
Peidot and Graphote are gorgeous, I just can’t bring myself to pay that much for a nail polish. Maybe when I finally finish school and have more extra money!
i know how you feel. having to pay for school is cutting into my polish budget. hahahha
Peridot looks amazing!
I picked up Peridot and Graphite! They’re my first Chanel polishes and I feel they’re worth the price this time around – very unique and gorgeous!
I have Peridot and really love it a lot. Like you said, it’s quite unique and I don’t have anything like it. I’ll probably go back for Graphite.
I broke down and bought Graphite 2 weeks ago – it is now a contender for All-Time Fave. Seriously.
Welp, looks like my pocketbook will be $50 lighter by the end of the week lol. Silly question, but how much do the Chanel bottles hold?
They hold .4oz in each bottle. ^_^
Does Graphite feel rough once dried? Or is it like those Orly fx finish from last year?
Hi Tamika,
Nope totally smooth once you put a thin top coat on!
Peridot looks like a must-have for me! And this is coming from someone who hasn’t bought anything from Chanel ever. From your swatches, it’s definitely worth the high price tag!
all of these are stunning, I particularly want Graphite! wow
I got these as soon as I saw they were available on the Chanel website – I love, love, love these.. chippy formula and all.
i looove peridot!
I want Peridot and Graphite…although I tell myself I cannot afford them, I still want them…
I’ll be picking up Graphite and Peridot, but waiting on Quartz since it’s not LE.
None of them really speak to me, especially at $25 pricing!
Wow, these nail polishes look stunning
Love Christine ♥
OMG! I luv them but will never purchase them! $25 is way too much, I think $8.50 is too much. Thx for showing them to us. Maybe someone will make a dupe?
Hi micki,
You can bet Revlon will probably try, they seem to do it a lot.
I believe Revlon already has with their new color, Carbonite. I got it today and it looks very similar.
you can fin a dupe of peridot at sephora stores it’s called diving in malaysia and it’s cheaper !!
I splurged on Graphite, and I looooove it!
This collection (like most of Chanel’s polish releases) have gotten so much press and blog space – it’s created another major run. Folks on eBay want $34 for one plus postage and more it it’s Peridot. Some are selling all 3 for way over $100! I try hard not to fall for Chanel polish because of the price. I think high end for me is Deb. Lippmann and I get what I pay for because her formulation is so exquisite! For me, the polish heads who are nuts over Peridot have not seen really good duochromes in my mind. This one is too gold for me when I see it on. Looks better in the bottle. I bought Graphite but have yet to wear it – only swatched it once on with a dot of it on paper. I like Graphite because it is different – pewter with gold in it. But I never should have popped for the $25. Like other Chanel’s of mine – it will sit and not get used much at all. Maybe I will swap it. Oh and a friend gave me Quartz as a gift. She knows I am a polish hound and also heard the editors going on about this collection. She knew I had one of them but was not sure which. I am happy to have a gift – but this shade is very unimpressive. I have not even used it yet. Every photo I see of it – it’s full of brush strokes and does not seem to lay well at all.
Hi meme,
I have seen plenty of amazing duo and multi chromes, and I think it’s great! And yes, Chanel will always get tons of press and blog space and ebayers will sell it for $$$ because people will pay it! :/
I have to agree. I have seen tons of amazing duo and multi chromes and I happen to believe that Peridot also falls into that category. It may not flow into 8 different shades and back but I still happen to think it’s a great polish and something different from Chanel, and I hardly ever buy Chanel nail polishes.
I agree as well. I think what puts Peridot on the level of other amazing multichromes is the metallic finish. If Chanel would make a metallic duo/multichrome along the lines of Ozotic Pro 505 or Sally Hansen Turquoise Opal, I’m sure it would sell by the millions.
Peridot’s my favorite and I would consider paying the hefty sum for it. I have never seen anything like it.
Peridot is gorgeous! Graphite is great too. I don’t think I could shell out $50 though so I hope someone makes some dupes.
Hi VV, although your pics are the best I’ve seen so far, these are not really calling my name… Peridot looks better in the bottle…
Can Graphite be a dupe for Hard Candy Mr Wrong?
Mr. Wong is no dupe. It has a darker grey/purple base and the gold particles are much larger. Still quite pretty though!
Hi Rie. Thanks for the info!!
HI JenMei,
Sadly no, not at all…
I succumbed to all three of these and let me say that your photos capture them more closely than any others I’ve seen! I love LOVE all three. I thought Quartz would be boring, but then I saw the light hit it, and it has a really pretty green/pinkish shimmer that is too gorge!
If only it weren’t so expensive. *sigh*
I keep telling myself I can’t afford a Chanel polish right now, but every time I see new swatches I covet it more and more.
My biggest problem right now is that the Canadian dollar is *higher* than the US dollar currently, and they’re still charging several dollars more per bottle here than across the border, but if I were to order it online the shipping would nullify any discount. Either way, I’m looking at over $32 US per bottle. :/
By “it” I mean Peridot. I realize I never actually specified XD
Of the three, Graphite is the eye catcher for me. I seriously doubt I will shell out twenty-five clams for it, tho. Maybe Revlon will do a knockoff…
I picked up Peridot and I’m really happy with it so far. I’ve been wearing it for a week with no chips, and I type all day!
Thankfully for my wallet I am not too into these polishes. I still have hope that they might re-release Jade once again.
HI marisol,
I missed that one also for some reason!
Best pictures of these I’ve seen so far!
Both Graphite (which should be Pyrite, like Brooke said!) and Peridot are stunning.
Why do they come out with TWO gorgeous polishes when I’m STILL unemployed??? That is just wrong.
So these won’t be happening for me, but at least I have your swatches to lull me into a cozy Chanel coma! Yay!
Oh I don’t know what I was thinking – I blame it on the background music playing in the cosmetics department at Nordstrom’s – I purchased all three plus, gulp, a back-up of Peridot! In fact, I also purchased three of the new cream shadows, lip gloss and the new face highlighter! I think I may have a problem – LOL!
I’m loving Graphite and Peridot. Quartz does nothing for me.
I’d be interested to see Graphite compared to Zoya Edyta, even though they probably aren’t dupes… just to see how close they are, if at all.
So far I only own 1 Chanel polish, but one of these two might just be the second. By the time I make up my mind which one I want they’ll both be long gone I’m sure!!
Hmmm.. I do have a birthday coming up. Maybe if I hint loudly to my friends they’ll figure it out and get me both!
Please God let someone make a dupe for Peridot. I just can’t pay the price for Chanel polish. It’s so beautiful. The othe two I don’t care about that badly.
I purchased Quartz & Graphite. I swatched Quartz on my nails and I love it with my skintone (african american). And Graphite is amongst one of my all time faves!
I am on pins and needles waiting for these to be released in the UK!
xo
Sara
I grabbed Peridot the first chance I got. It’s my new favorite! I feel the color has to be so supremely unique to warrant the purchase. The only other one that comes to mind is Chanel Holographic (a missed opportunity for me).
Is OPI Your Royal Shine-ness a dupe for Graphite?
Hi Jen,
I don’t review OPI anymore and don’t have it, but I can tell you definitely not even close from online pics. That’s just a silver foil.
Guess I’ll be headed back to the store for Graphite then! I already have Peridot. This entire collection has been calling my name…I bought 2 of the eye shadow creams too! Love them!