Question is how useful are they really because I've had characters that have used low level illusion like fear an fury an healing hands with restoration but I'm thinking of doing a Breton explorer/hunter type build that relies healthily on both illusion an restoration with archery thrown in but I'm sceptical to say the least.

I also just plan on using low level armour like fur or mage robes an I do plan on leaving most quests alone an have him just wander an stick to the outskirts who would mainly trade with the khajiit caravans if not make him/her a khajiit.

Any help would be very grateful even what race would be best suited for the build.

From a purely mechanical standpoint, Altmer: you can start practicing the style in Helgen thanks to your bonus Fury spell.

From a roleplay perspective, the explorer/hunter is the least suited to the Altmer though, at least to me. Bosmer, Breton, Argonian and Nord all work well; Khajiit and Orc aren't bad choices either.

From your idea of sticking to the outskirts and trading mostly with the Khajiit, also being a Khajiit would be a great fit.

Breton or Bosmer. For me, I'd use invisibility + sneak then sneak attack with a bow. Switch to one-handed if the enemy gets close with a heal spell on your left hand.