Can you save dried up cream eyeshadows?

So recently I got the new lavender scented MAC Fix+ and I had been researching on ways to use it. I spotted online somewhere that it can be used on dried up cream eyeshadows to restore them, and I remembered about one of my faves from last year, which was the Chanel Illusion d'Ombre in New Moon. God, I was obsessed with this thing but somehow it totally dried out despite me being so careful and always making sure the lid was on tight. So here is a little experiment to see if I can fix it!

So you can see that the shadow has shrunk from the edges of the pot…

In fact it has shrunk so much that it just falls out of the pot and looks like this little dried up disc.

So first I sprayed 2 sprays of MAC Fix+ into the pot, then I got a little spatula and just started mixing it together.

At this point it started flaking like crazy and I was so upset because I just thought I had ruined it completely!

Then I just started packing it down with my finger and it began to look a lot more smooth and almost normal again.

I was afraid that the Fix+ would water the shadow down and it wouldn't look the same as it used to, but  so far the formula was pretty much the same and the pigmentation seems unaffected, fingers crossed!

So the next part of the experiment was to actually use it on my eyes!

It felt very smooth and creamy, just like when I first got it and I applied it just using my fingertips like I normally did. I always loved this cream shadow because it was like nothing I had ever seen before. It's completely multi dimensional and has pink, purple, brown, even red tones in it. I think this shadow was limited edition too which was another reason why I was prepared to give it another lease of life! I had to take the below photos with a desk lamp shining on me so you can see how incredibly sparkly it is too! 

So there is hope if any of your cream eyeshadows have died on you! 

Chanel - Illusion d'Ombre - "New Moon"

I have been obsessed with this ever since I got it! I spotted it in duty free before my holiday (at 4.30am…) and I knew i couldn't leave without it. I tested nearly all the Illusion d'Ombre eyeshadows but "New Moon" stole my heart the moment I laid eyes on it!

The colour is just phenomenal. How can I even describe it! It's like a purpley cranberry, and wow, that shimmer! I cannot get over how sparkly it is. I could look at it all day!

I used to be quite fond of cream eyeshadows, particularly the Benefit Creaseless Cream eyeshadows. But New Moon is not like them in any way. In the pot, it has a mousse / spongey texture. There is a tiny little brush supplied but I prefer to pick it up on my fingertip and tap it onto my eyelid.

I wore this every single day on my holiday and loved it. I wore it on it's own, no primer, and it held up throughout a good portion of the day, despite the intense hot weather. In the evening time I would notice it creasing ever so slightly, but by that time of the night I didn't really care!

Now that I'm back home, I've been trying different ways to use it. I still like to wear it alone with just a flick of eyeliner and mascara, but now I do put a bit of primer underneath (my trusty ArtDeco eyeshadow base) just to give it a bit more intensity and longevity.

But after playing around with it a bit, I think I have found my favourite way to wear it. It requires the help of my old faithful Naked palette!

I used the shade "Toasted" all over the lid, and "Hustle" in the crease. Then with my ring finger I tapped a bit of "New Moon" over it to give it that lovely shimmer. I love how this looks!

Have a great day everyone!