Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation

I bought Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation the very day it launched (Friday 11th of April - sad that I know this eh), basically a gift voucher burning a hole in my pocket and the allure of the Chanel counter was just too much. It is always too much, like a bad smell I can often be found loitering around my local Chanel stand, spending money that I don't really have. Pity party over Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation could be the perfect natural matte yet lightweight foundation you have been looking for...



Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation
Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation

I can't discuss a Chanel purchase without somewhat drooling over the packaging - much Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation this comes in a somewhat squishable (wordsmith skillz firmly on point today) bottle with a rather handy nozzle. I loathe any liquid product that doesn't come with a nozzle or pump - I waste far too much product and forever worry that it will leak or get knocked over mid preening session. Real life problems y'know. I have no complaints with style of packaging what so ever - the nifty nozzle makes dispensing the foundation a dream and let's face it no-one quite does monochrome chic like Chanel.

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation

A quick glance online shows that Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation comes in six shades (at least in the UK anyway) and match the same colour chart as other Chanel foundations. Like most foundations this Chanel offering doesn't cater to those with really pale or deep complexions. One day my friends, one day! What I do like about Chanel foundations is the fact that they offer shades with a yellow undertone or a pink undertone so the colour match is pretty natural. In Chanel foundations I typically wear the shade B30 Beige which I find to be a good match for my NC30-35 skin tone and doesn't have a tendency to oxidise over the course of wear. Now feels like a good time to mention that this foundation unlike my other Chanel purchases has a strong, floral come chemical fragrance. I don't personally like it but have come to expect heavily scented products from Chanel - the good news is that it doesn't seem to break my skin out.

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation
Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation is a light to medium coverage foundation (it doesn't build as easily as I'd like) which I like to use combined with a concealer (typically MAC Pro Longwear Concealer) on good skin days. The texture of this foundation is very, very light and loose - to apply you really have to shake the bottle as it has a tendency to separate otherwise. In my opinion this is a foundation you want to apply using your fingertips as brushes and sponges will absorb this like no other and at £33 a bottle the last thing you want to do is waste a drop. Being a velvet, almost matte finish foundation this was of course made with oily to normal skin in mind, the soft, velvet texture works really well on such complexions, melts on to the skin instantly but would be the devil reincarnated for drier skin types due to the high alcohol content. Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation has a light almost matte finish which most would describe as being velvet, it gives a soft focus finish but it won't truly disguise enlarged pores et al for that you will need a primer. It somehow blurs imperfections and gives an almost airbrushed finish without looking mask like, heavy or unnatural, having oily skin this is often unachievable so I rate it highly on this aspect alone. Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation is what us matte base lovers have been waiting for - undetectable coverage that won't wane under the stress of day to day wear yet is perfectly light even for balmy weather.
Fellow oily skinned peeps rejoice (dry skin types weep as this is not for you!).

Love at first application.

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation £33/30ml via Debenhams - link, Selfridges - link, House of Fraser- link and Boots - link (you may have to shop around to find your shade as some sell out fairly frequently).