CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Tinted Moisturiser

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The CHANEL Les Beiges Sheer Healthy Glow Tinted Moisturiser is an example of when it's worth spending a bit extra. It feels virtually weightless on, gives a your-skin-but-better finish and really does seem to add a healthy glow to the complexion.

I sought out the tinted moisturiser because, with a 4 week old and 4 year old, I felt I needed something to make me look (and in turn feel) a bit brighter and I wanted something a bit special that I perhaps wouldn't normally buy. The Les Beiges Tinted Moisturiser has been around for a while now and it's something I've always been keen to try so figured this is the ideal time. I'm certainly not disappointed.

The SPF 30 tinted moisturiser is designed to add luminosity and hydration to the skin, while evening out the complexion and imparting a 'healthy outdoor glow'. I think it does just that and it's really almost foolproof to apply- I just dot it on and blend it out with my fingers. The hyaluronic acid rich formula contains antioxidant Kalanchoe Leaf extract (a type of succulent), with mineral pigments and soft-focus powders providing the glow-giving finish.

I have the shade 'Medium' which actually surprised me a little as I'm usually matched to shades with 'Light' in the title, and this product comes in two pale shades - Light and Medium Light. When dotted on, Medium does look too dark for me but once blended out it is pretty much a perfect match. There are currently 6 shades in total, with the 3 darkest being Medium Plus, Light Deep and Deep. As this is a tinted moisturiser rather than a medium to full coverage foundation, I think the limited shade range is ok, though I had trouble finding examples of the tint used on darker skins so I could be very wrong here!

Overall, this might just be my favourite complexion product so far. It's simple to apply, feels breathable and weightless on, evens things out and gives good glow. Well played CHANEL!

CHANEL Les Beiges Sheer Healthy Glow Tinted Moisturiser retails for £40. I got mine at Bentalls but I think it's worth buying from Boots so you get some loyalty points to soften the blow a bit.

Chanel Vitalumière Aqua Foundation Review

I know, I know, it's another Chanel Vitalumière Aqua Foundation Review! This foundation has been so hyped among Bloggers that I pretty much had to try it though, right? First things first; I have purposely avoided trying Chanel Vitalumière Aqua Foundation for one simple reason: I was terrified I was going to like it and that would only eventuate in me shelling out to purchase it.

Chanel Vitalumière Aqua Foundation Review

The Chanel Vitalumière Aqua is one of those foundations that's both loved and loathed- for some the coverage is too light and watery and it's been reported that the formula is prone to sticking to any flaky bits of skin, and we all know that's not the look you want to achieve with any foundation let alone a luxury one. At the other end of the scale, some say it leaves their skin dewy and luminous and the lightweight consistency makes blending a quick and easy task, leaving a fresh and natural finish. Annoyingly, I'm sitting firmly in the latter camp. I love this foundation, dammit. I love the natural yet polished finish it gives my complexion. I love the touch of luminosity it seems to add and I love the very watery, light consistency. It feels virtually weightless on the skin and I'm weirdly looking forward to wearing it during the summer- and I can't stand foundation in hot weather as a general rule. 

I find it blends really quickly and there is no need to use a beauty blender- I tried that initially and the blender just sort of sucked it up- and fingers do the job perfectly for a light to medium coverage.

Vitalumière Aqua has an SPF of 15 but I would wear a separate SPF underneath in spring/ summer. The foundation contains Hyaluronic Acid derivatives (yay) for hydration as well as 'Lotus Water' and a Brown Algae derivative to promote toning and give an energizing effect. I'm not sure how much of an effect the skincare ingredients will have long term but the addition of 'High Definition Light Pigments' provide the superficial hint of luminosity that make this a great foundation.

I have a bit of a love/hate thing going on with the packaging. Yes it's convenient and light and compact and therefore brilliantly portable (and the squeeze-ability of the tube makes it easy to dispense the right amount) but on the other hand, this is Chanel and a part of me feels a little disappointed that the bottle isn't made of thick, weighty glass, impractical as that may be. If you're going to spend on designer, you want it to sort of look designer, if you know what I mean? This is a bit like wearing a plain T Shirt that nobody would know is actually Chanel unless they looked at the label inside. 

At £34, this is not the cheapest foundation out there but it's also not the most expensive and I see it as a pre-baby treat to myself. After all, if I'm going to have baby sick in my hair at least I'll have Chanel on my face.

Chanel Vitalumière Aqua Foundation is available at Boots

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Hair Mist Review

This isn't really a review of Chanel Hair Mist because there isn't actually an awful lot to ponder besides this; it's beautiful, it's Chanel and I love it.
I was very kindly given the Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Hair Mist on my birthday and since then there's barely been a day when I haven't spritzed it into my hair.

My first thought when I unwrapped this was 'Oooooh how lovely!' swiftly followed by ' ...but what's the difference between hair mist and standard perfume? Yes you can spray perfume in your hair (does everyone do that? I always have) but perfume can be extremely drying on the hair strands, which is where this is different.
The Chanel Hair Mist contains silicone derivatives - like you find in many shampoos. I know some people take issue with silicones but they do leave hair shiny, soft and healthy looking (notice how shampoo companies use the phrase 'healthy looking' rather than just 'healthy').

So while the hair mist might not include ingredients that are actually good for your hair, it does contain ones that at least make it look good.

The scent? Well this just smells exactly the same as the perfume - floaty, floral and fresh. But here's the kicker: It's £15 cheaper. A 35ml frosted bottle of Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Hair Mist is £44 while 35ml of the Eau de Parfum is £57 (prices from Boots Nov. 19).
Yes, the perfume would have better staying power but it is worth mentioning that the hair mist is the slightly less expensive way to get your hands on some Chanel fragrance.

A little bit of luxury: Soleil Tan de Chanel

I'm not going to lie, I've been googling the heck out of this product for months now just out of sheer admiration and intrigue and as of three days ago,I can finally call it mine.

At first I couldn't quite work out exactly what this gigantic pot of shimmering brown luxury was all about.

 Is it a base? A primer? A bronzer?

Turns out it's all of these things rolled in to one. Multitasking and Chanel? Don't mind if I do...

I've been wearing this over my make up for the past few days and I'm pretty impressed with its performance. I may be slightly brainwashed into thinking it's amazing by the fact that it's got the word CHANEL in giant letters across it, but either way, I love.

To apply I patted it on with a stippling brush across my forehead, cheekbones, top of my nose and anywhere else the sun hits naturally.

with & without flash

a closer look

I think my application technique needs a little improvement but hopefully you can get an idea of how it warms up the complexion.

At the moment I'm not brave enough to use it as a face base but maybe when I've got a bronzed body I won't be quite so meek. 

the ever so decadent Chanel packaging

 The formula is housed in a generous 30ml pot with the Chanel logo displayed boldly on the side

excuse the brush bristles :0

The formula is a cream/gel hybrid that makes for a smooth application that feels barely there on the skin.

To be honest, I've never tried a cream bronzer or anything along those lines before so I don't have a lot to compare it to, but the Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronze Universel gets a big tick in my book for what it is and the huge 30ml pot means I can bronze up through summer and beyond!

You can find Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronze Universel at Chanel counters around the country for £30, though I go mine a little cheaper on ebay.

Have you tried this product? Are you loving it as much as me?

Thanks for reading :)

I have too many...Red Lipsticks

To me, cold weather means it's time to crack out the red lipstick. I feel like make up can be a little heavier in the chillier months, probably because it's less prone to smudging or sliding off my face in a tube induced sweat, so I've been digging out my scarlet lippies, some old, some new and thought I'd give you a little look. Yep, this is my saturday night. Hardcore.

First off the bat (and my current favourite) is the Rimmel Kate Lasting Finish Lipstick in 001

This smells kind of like cherries and contains a 'black diamond pigment complex'. I'm not sure what that means, but I really dig this lipstick. It stays put for a long time but doesn't feel like a long wearing product. I got mine from Boots for £5.49


And this pot of loveliness is the Crimson  Rouge by Besame

I wrote about this stuff in a previous post. It's essentially a rouge for the cheeks, but makes a great long lasting lipstick. To apply I just press it onto the lips with my fingers. I got mine from the What Katie Did London Boutique. I've had it for a couple of weeks, use it everyday, and have barely made a dent in it!

This one is New CID i-pout in Scarlet

The i-pout is smooth and creamy and glides on pretty effortlessly. The staying power isn't great, possibly because it's packed with vitamin E, but the built in light and mirror mean you can reapply it anywhere. It feels really hydrating and I love the brightness of the colour. I bought this one from New CID at Debenhams, Oxford St for £15.

Chanel Rouge Allure in Passion

This is the lipstick that started it all! I first purchased Rouge Allure a few years ago. I'd just been offered a job at a magazine so I decided it was time I treat myself to a red lippy and make an impression :)
I bought this from David Jones in Australia, but over here you can get a little Chanel of your own from department stores or larger Boots stores for £24.

Collection 2000 Volume Sensation in Cherry Pop 8

This was one of those impulsive lunch break purchases. Cheap and cheerful, I found this lipstick to be great value at only £2.99 from Boots. The formula is supposed to be moisturising with 40% 'volumising' ingredients. While it definitely is hydrating, I'm not particularly sold on the volumising aspect. This lipstick has an unusual minty/ menthol feeling which I don't personally like too much but minty fans would. I really like the brightness of this one and the pigment is incredibly strong, especially for something so affordable.

Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Lipcolor

This was my first venture into the realm of stay-put lipsticks. While I love the colour of this one, I have found that it doesn't stick around for as long as other long wearing lipsticks (Maybelline Superstay is the best I've tried) and it has a rather chemically smell. I've seen a few mixed reviews about this one, and a lot of people really rate it. I don't detest it but I do find it really drying - perhaps this could be remedied by adding my own balm over the top? This liquid lippy is £8.99.

Lastly, the latest edition to my red wardrobe is Sleek MakeUp Pout Paint in Pin Up

I've done a post about this before and it's truly amazing. I can't believe how intensely pigmented it is and I think it's pretty cool that you can mix Pout Paints together to create a custom colour. Pout Paints retail for £4.99 and you can find them at Superdrug.
So there you have it, that was the best of the reds that I own. I'm hoping to get my paws on a tube of MACs Ruby Woo because I've read so many great reviews on it. Could it be the ultimate red? Hopefully I'll find out soon enough ;)

Thanks so much for reading.

Hannah Rose xxx

P.S. sorry about the mildly terrifying self portrait pics :o