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| Above: The three creme blushes I chose…Inspiration, Revelation and Destiny. |
Chanel’s Fall 2013 Collection arrived at counters a couple of weeks ago and, since then, the Internet has been buzzing with excitement regarding the cadre of creme blushes in a spectrum of stunning shades. Of course, the collection also includes the requisite eye shadows, nail polishes and lip color (to be reviewed soon!), but the blushes are what initially lured me to my nearest Nordstrom!
Upon arrival, I assumed that I would buy one, two at maximum; however, upon experiencing their delightful texture and pigmentation, I knew I couldn’t leave without three…
- Inspiration (a pale baby pink)
- Revelation (a pinky coral creme)
- Destiny (a clutch decision…this rosy bronze tan can be used as a contour shade and bronzer!)
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| Above: Inspiration, Revelation and Destiny in direct sunlight. |
Retailing for $38, this creme blush comes in the sleek black compact packaging we’ve come to expect from Chanel. Each compact houses 2.5 grams of product and contains a generous square mirror useful for application and touch ups. The formula is decidedly creamy (which is apropos for a cream blush!) and extremely pigmented.
Additionally, it lacks the shimmery properties often associated with a cream product (in turn standing in stark contrast to another favorite, the much more luminescent LMdB Creme Fresh Tint for Lips and Eyes). Instead, it dries down to a satin-matte finish that glows without the use of traditional light-reflecting particles. When applied with a stippling brush (see my video tutorial, embedded further down in this post), this blush lasts a respectable 6-8 hours without fading or migrating.
Thankfully, it does not contain fragrance and the relatively brief list of ingredients (featured below) have not in any way irritated my sensitive skin or caused excessive oiliness, which is often a risk with creme products.
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| Above: The full ingredients list for the creme flush formula. |
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| Above: The compact comes in a signature Chanel velvet sheath. |
Scroll on for images and swatches of Inspiration, Revelation and Destiny as well as my video review/tutorial for this formula and the Bottom Line…
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| Above: Inspiration is a pale baby pink. |
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| Above: A swatch of Inspiration in direct sunlight. Since purchasing these blushes, I have found myself using Inspiration the most since it is the most subtle and is an excellent compliment for bronzer. |
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| Above: Revelation is a pinky coral creme. |
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| Above: Swatches of Inspiration and Revelation in direct sunlight…although these shades may look similar in the pan, side by side swatches reveal that Revelation is much deeper and brighter, making it a wonderful shade to wear on its own. |
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| Above: Destiny is a rosy bronze tan. |
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| Above: Swatches of all three shades…Destiny can multitask as a creamy contour or warm, rosy bronzer! |
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| Above: Swatches of all three shades in outdoor shade. |
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| Above: Chanel Destiny (for contour) and Inspiration (for a pink glow) on the cheeks. |
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| Above: Chanel Destiny and Revelation on the cheeks (applied 5 hours earlier!) in extreme heat…who says target practice in the desert can’t involve a dash of Chanel?! |
Bottom Line: The Chanel Fall 2013 Collection yields delightful surprises…the creme blushes are pigmented, silky and long lasting, creating a shimmer-free radiance that lights up the face in a natural way that is suitable for every day use. I highly recommend the three shades that I picked up…Inspiration is the pale pink towards which I gravitate daily, Revelation adds a believable flush that is beautiful by itself and Destiny can be used for both contouring and enhancing a tan. Dare I ask, what else does one need for cheeks?!
Keep your eyes peeled for a post and video covering my lipstick selections from this collection (hint: Icone and Secret!)…what did YOU pick up from the Chanel Fall 2013 offerings?
xoxo,
–The Beauty Professor
Comments (26)
🙂
Thanks for stopping by! ; )
–The Beauty Professor
Dear Rachel, these blushes will not be available here in the UK till August or even September! Can you imagine my heartache?!! Instead, we are being seduced by the limited edition selection of 4 satin/subtly pearly Dior cream blushes in little glass pots, with the lightest shade Capri – to die for the palest baby pink. And they are said to be multi-taskers for cheeks, lips and eyelids… Have you tried them? How do they compare? Should one skip Dior and wait for Chanel? Or will one regret bitterly such negligence?
Love
xx Julia
Hello Julia,
I can't believe you won't be getting these blushes until then! I assure you, I think you will love them once they arrive, though! Did you guys already get the Chanel Les Beiges Collection? We have been eagerly waiting for that for ages!! The Dior Creme blushes (which are also currently accessible here) are gorgeous, but since getting the Chanel ones, I haven't felt compelled to get the Dior as well. You make Capri sound just lovely, however. Keep me posted on what you decide!!
xoxo and talk soon,
–The Beauty Professor
Hi Julia
I have one of each!
I am extremely fair and I couldn't get Capri to translate to any meaningful color on my skin. I got the hot pink one (Panama, I think). I also really liked the watermelon pink one (Bikini), but the store only had the tester and not the product for purchase.
I, too, have the Chanel Inspiration. The Chanel is creamier and somewhat more opaque on the skin. The Dior looks slightly more like a cheek stain. Both are very pretty! Due to the texture of the Dior product, I worry that it may dry out relatively quickly (perhaps that's why I couldn't get color payoff with the Capri tester??).
Kara
Thanks for weighing in on this, Kara…good to hear that Capri, despite its beauty, is low in the pigmentation department!
xoxo,
–The Beauty Professor
Many thanks, Kara, for the pros cons of Chanel versus Dior. I guess packaging speaks volumes: the tightly screwed on lid in Dior's pot preserves the formula from drying out (but may still dry out…), whilst Chanel's more convenient portable mirror compact presumably shows this formula's relative resistance to drying out. Decisions decisions. After careful consideration, it appears logical to give Dior's limited edition cream blushes a miss on this occasion. But is it on the balance of probabilities, or beyond the reasonable doubt? And have we been unbiased or prejudiced? :))))
Compelling thoughts, one and all, Kara and Julia ; )
xoxo,
–The Beauty Professor
Hi Rachel,
Yours is the review of these I've been waiting for. My foundation shades often match yours but I have black hair. Your picks will be a good starting point as I try to edit down my choices to something that won't break the bank! Thanks for a great posting.
Hello! Thank you so much! I am so glad you found this review helpful and wish you the best in selecting your shades…keep me posted on what you end up selecting!
xoxo,
–The Beauty Professor
We have had Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Powders for many months in the UK now. Can't remember exactly since when but I vividly recall still wearing fur and cashmere and winter boots and looking my usual blue toned pale. I've recently heard expression "frightened chalk" in reference to one's extreme paleness and it's about me! At that time Les Beiges were widely available in 6 shades with 10 being the palest peachy tone, than 20 – yellow based, 30 – peachy, 40 – yellow, etc. I tried number 10 at the time on three separate beauty counters – Boots, Debenhams and House of Fraser. All three consultants agreed that number 10 was too bright a peach on my skin – it was visible – almost to the point of making a light blush for me. Months gone by and a couple of weeks ago I decided that maybe now when everyone around me is bronzed and tanned and looking healthy and sun kissed, I might do myself a favour by using a “health glow” powder of some sort… Only to find out that Les Beiges have sold out not only in the UK but Europe-wide in most shades, including 10! I am told that Chanel as a company have run out of most shades (except 40 and 50) and that I cannot get any, and that Chanel are manufacturing and stockpiling the entire line, and the full stock will come back into stores in September – maybe late August. All colours are available from private sellers on eBay at twice the price. Nightmare! But… is there anything more motivating to obtain a product you don’t really need as this product’s unavailability?!! Every Chanel counter I have rung assured me that it is a waste of my time to try and find Les Beiges in number 10, because it’s currently extinct. …Of course, Chanel counter in Harrods found one safely hoarded at the back of their magic drawer! They did charge me a premium mail order fee. But now I have my Les Beiges in number 10. And I love it! It smells divine. I still cannot buff it on like a mineral powder foundation, but it looks beautiful lightly swept on with the enclosed brush and makes me look deceptively more human than I actually am. Why didn’t I have the wisdom to buy it when it first came out and was available with 15% off and without delivery charge? That’s what happens when you leave home, and get married, and move away from your mammy halfway across the world, and your mammy is not there for you to ensure you buy your Chanel products when you have a chance… I know that Le Blush Creme de Chanel in Inspiration will be mine!
HI Julia,
Please make sure to see Kara's very helpful comment to you above! Thanks for descriptive rundown on the Les Beiges…you are making me yearn for the collection's arrival more than ever now! I am so happy that you were finally able to track down the #10 and that you love it. Can't wait for you to get Inspiration, too!
xoxo, talk soon and have a lovely rest of the week,
–The Beauty Professor
Thank you, Rachel, for facilitating the most enjoyable high end beauty debates on your blog (and YT channel)!
We have a heat wave (?) here in the UK: real feel 25-27C and there is no air-conditioning in our offices. We sit with blinds shut to avoid sun stroke and during lunchtimes escape to the nearest air-conditioned department store to prevent heat exhaustion.
I shall be in touch soon re TF…
Lots of love,
xx Julia
Your comment brings me great joy…I am so happy to be a part of the facilitation ; ) !!
I cannot believe that it is so hot in the UK…oh my! I hope you are able to continue to stay cool…hang in there, and if you must, do indeed head to the department store (perhaps for a bit of shopping!) to get some respite from the inferno!
xoxo and talk soon,
–The Beauty Professor
all the shades are beautiful, I have one Chanel blush, it is a very sheer pink. My favourite of these three blushes is Revelation
Thanks, Violets! Revelation is gorgeous…such a bright, saturated color!
xoxo,
–The Beauty Professor
Hi.B.P, thank-you so much for the video/review. I really appreciate it b/c I usually don't gravitate towards cream blushes as they never seem to last on me & I don't have oily skin. I will definitley pick up 1& maybe even destiny as it seems like a more affordable version of Tom Ford's shade & illuminate. I wanted to update you on the Mally moussse foundation I got today. I am pleasantly surprised to report I love the finish & feel of this foundation. I am so used to higher end brands but this is light, luminous & even covered my brown hyper-pigmentation spot w/out concealer. However, I still want/need the Kanebo & thanku for the Rep's name & number you deal with. I called again yesterday & spoke to a girl with the # I had for Beverly Hills. Again the Kanebo rep was not in but she took my info & assured me she wld pass it on to her & send me my samples. If that does'nt work, I will call your connection. Thankyou so much for answering all our questions in a such a timely manner. It must be exhausting but us beauty junkies really appreciate it. Have a great week.
Of course! I am so glad that you may end up picking up some of these shades…yes, Destiny is a great option for the TF Shade and Illuminate effect. The Mally mousse foundation sounds divine…I just might have to take a peek ; ) What shade did you end up getting? I find that her light options are usually a bit darker than expected! I hope Kimmy is in and able to help you with Kanebo…she is a delight! Always a joy to communicate with you!
xoxo,
–The Beauty Professor
Hi again! A great update…spoke to Kimmy. She was awesome just as you said. When she called me back she said, did u read this on Rachel's blog? haha I said yes I did. She took down the names & shades of various foundations I wear & match me & send samples. She will send me skincare samples as well. So excited. Should be here in about a week. Will keep u updated as always. In Mally I actually got medium instead of light b/c of selftanner. The real test will be tomorrow when I go back to work. Had some time off for the 4th. Will see if it holds up during my workday. So glad I called Kimmy…your the best!!
This makes me so happy, Lynn…thanks for the update! I am glad you were able to get a hold of Kimmy…she is an excellent person to deal with over the phone, no?! Hooray for foundation and skincare samples…so thrilled to be able to help!
Can't wait to hear how the Mally holds up and the final verdict with the Kanebo once it arrives…xoxo and talk soon!
–The Beauty Professor
Thanks for this post, very informative! Love the transformations on those lovely ladies 🙂
You're welcome…!
Hi BP!
I've been wanting to try cream blushes for a while now, and am totally torn as to which to get! I know you said in your video that the Chanel blushes are less "glowy" than the Le Metier blushes. Do you have a preference between them, or notice much difference in terms of ease of application, pigmentation, finish, or lasting power? I'm considering Poppy and Ginger Lily from Le Metier, and Affinite and Revelation from Chanel. I'd appreciate any thoughts you have on the subject 🙂
Thanks!
Hello,
Thanks for your question…yes, the Chanel blushes are definitely more of a demi-matte finish rather than the glowy sheen of the LMdB. In turn, they do appear a bit more pigmented than the LMdB as well, though that is not to say that the LMdB are not pigmented; they are just slightly less because of the luminescence. I recommend trying one from each formula (because they are both quite beautiful…perhaps Ginger Lily (as a sheer pale peach option…I also love Coral Nymph as another choice in this color family) and Revelation (as a deeper, more opaque pinky-coral choice). This way, they could even be worn together!
I hope that helps…xoxo and do keep me posted on what you decide,
–The Beauty Professor
Me want!!!! Live Inspiration shade!
Love
Coco et La vie en rose
Coco et La vie en rose on Bloglovin
Coco et La vie en rose on Facebook
Hope you get it…I've been wearing Inspiration nonstop and have hit pan (that rarely happens!).
xoxo,
–The Beauty Professor