Love natural make up? Nude shades? Well, I have to be honest here, I don’t. That is, I don’t like full natural look. I do wear it sometimes, but I find it boring on the constant basis. I’ll tell you though how and when I like to wear my nudes. With bright eye make up nude lips are the best. The same way nude eye shades are the best match for bright lips.
Anyway, even as someone who is not a crazy fan of nudes I’m ever so impressed with Chanel Les Beiges collection for this summer. The products in this collection are just so beautiful and so good. Chanel promises with this collection to give us a healthy glow. And it does. It does 🙂 Let’s not linger any longer and see them.
The first two items in the collection are two Les Beiges Healthy Glow Multi-Color Powders. Mariniere № 01 and Mariniere № 02. It makes sense to start with them as the whole collection is called Les Beiges 🙂
I have to tell you, I generally don’t like Chanel powders. I just don’t think the quality is up to the mark. And application is problematic. But I’ve never tried Les Beiges, because I was so disappointed with other powders by Chanel and because I don’t really need the bronzer, or else tan, element, which is present in Les Beiges.
But when I tried these two Multi-Color powders, I was impressed. They are great. Looking at the promos, I was sure I wouldn’t go for shade 02, as it looked too dark to me. When I was shopping for this collection though, I thought – well, as long as I picked up all the other items it’s just a pity to leave this one thing behind. I’m so happy I didn’t. The feel of this powder is so awesome. And the shade actually proved to be less dark than I thought initially.
Let’s get back to the beginning here and take a closer look at the packaging.
I like the cream packaging, as I’m a little bit tired of all the darker shades powder boxes. Also, this kind of package design supports the whole healthy glow and natural look idea. There’s a kabuki brush that comes with this powder and is in a little black tray.
Mariniere № 01.
Lighter beige and pink stripes.
This kind of pink is just what I like about powders. The texture is awesome. And there’s this scent to it. It’s like floral fruity or fruity floral. Almost getting into the bubble gum territory. I’m sensitive to scent in make up, very much so, but this scent I happen to love. Anyway, if your skin has yellow undertones to it, this shade is just what you need for summer. And not only summer. I’ll use it as a powder, highlighter and blush. It has it all for me.
Mariniere № 2 is the one I was afraid will prove too dark and orangey.
Well, it’s not as dark as I expected, and there is some orange in it, but only mildly so. It’s rather a darker beige than orange bronze. I’d say, Mariniere № 1 was designed as a blonde kind of shade. This one was designed as a brunette kind of shade. This one is good for countouring and highlighting, in case it’s too dark for you, but you’re still looking for a reason to get it 🙂
Here in the swatch Mariniere № 1 is on the left, Mariniere № 2 is on the right.
Then there are three shades of cream blush.
I was so glad it’s not the ever so boring and overdone orange-pink-berry kind. The blush has the same kind of scent to it as the powder. Delicious. Feels to me like this blush is pretty thick for a cream blush. Much thicker in texture than cream blush by Burberry from Summer Showers collection from last year. It was the latest of all the seasonal cream blush releases, I think. Burberry is sheer almost, Chanel is not. Although its texture allows to get just a little bit of it on your cheeks. Also, Burberry cream blush had a cooling effect to it. Chanel doesn’t. The one thing that I don’t like and that cream blush by Chanel and Burberry has in common is that when you’re applying it, bits and pieces of it snap off from time to time hindering the smoothness of application. I don’t know why that is. Maybe, it’s cream blush texture in general that’s doing it. I hoped Chanel dealt with it in their version of blush, but no, the issue is still there, so be careful.
There are three shades of cream blush in Chanel Les Beiges Collection. The first one – № 20 – is beige.
It’s a darker beige, but once again, you can work with application a little bit and get the result you want.
This beige is a great shade for giving your cheekbones a special kind of emphasis in make up.
Next shade is pink – № 21.
It’s not the doll kind of pink YSL liked to do when making cream blush. It’s an elegant pink. A natural pink which is in line with the collection concept. It’s a nice and fresh complexion kind of pink.
You’ve always thought pink blush is too girly dolly for you to wear? This one might be your starting point then. A very nice shade.
№ 22 is an orange shade, but once again, it’s not the crazy coral you think it is. It’s a warm and calm orange, that will give you a healthy look.
By the way, if your skin has yellow undertones, beware, orange and bronze aren’t the best shades for you in blush and foundation. Go for the pink and you’ll look stunning.
Anyway, this orange here will go well with tan, so it’s good for summer time.
Please, see the swatch, left to right here I have:
№ 20, № 21, № 22.
By the way, I have no idea why, but the coloured circle at the bottom of the cream blush tube for these two shades is confusing. Somehow 21 looks more orange and 22 looks more pink, but in real life it’s the other way around, so don’t get misled.
Next we have 3 lip shades. For starters, something that nude and natural look lovers do use a lot, that is lip balm. It’s a good idea to have it in summer. We always think winter, fall and bad weather, when we think lip balm. In reality in summer our lips tend to get dry because of the heat and dehydration, and lip care is as useful in summer as it is in colder seasons. Anyway, there’s only one lip balm shade by Chanel in Les Beiges collection № 10, but it’s so beautiful.
See how small it is? 🙂 Yes, this is something I actually can carry around.
The colour is very mild, there’s shine, no sparkle, so it is very natural indeed. And the shade is perfect.
It’s like beige pink, nude pink, well balanced pink, the kind of pink that will look good with any kind of complexion. It’s looking good without looking made up kind of pink. I love it.
There’s no flowery fruity scent to it. No scent whatsoever, actually, and I like it, because my lips are way to close to my nose J for me to be able to bear any kind of strong scent. The texture is balmy, and I trust Chanel on lip care stuff, because their two lip balms – Rouge Coco Balme and Hydra Beauty Nutrition Balm – are fabulous. I love them and use them all the time. I’m going to do a separate post about my favourite lip care products very soon. So, if you’re interested, you can take a look 🙂
There are more lip shades in this collection. That is, two lip gloss shade. They are so beautiful!
204 Rose Tendre is tender and rose indeed.
It’s this lightest possible nude rose shade, no sparkle, just sheer wet shine pink. So sophisticated. So summery. Will look good with almost any kind of make up and outfit.
206 Beige Star is a great beige.
Not too dark, not too light. Nude. My favourite kind of beige. Elegant. Chic. Yes, chic, that’s what it is. Both glosses are typically Chanel good quality, medium thick, apply nice and easy, comforting on the lips.
These are wonderful lip gloss shades, really. I’m happy 🙂
Here they are – back to back. Rose Tendre is on the left, Beige Star is on the right.
To round up Les Beiges look, there are three nude nail polishes. All beige.
Now it’s like with everything else in this collection, I don’t even like nude manicure, but this… spectacular. Love it. Especially one shade. Let me show you.
659 Beige Pur. Pure Beige.
The lightest one of all, a true nude, manicure without colour kind of shade. I’m glad it’s not really sheer though. I don’t like sheer nail polish. I like full coverage. As much as I’m not a fan of this manicure that doesn’t look like you have one, this is nice. The right way to do it.
661 Precious Beige is a little darker than Beige Pur.
It’s like if Beige Pur is light beige, this one is just beige. With a touch of pink. A womanly, be yourself shade. Really cool. Truly sophisticated.
There are occasions in every woman’s life when she might want to wear one of the above shades.
663 Lovely Beige. My favourite. Lovely. More than lovely.
It’s on the darker side of nude range, it’s like if you want to add a touch of colour to your natural nails look. This shade is so warm, so classy, so sexy in a way. It’s a wow shade, I need to go out and buy another bottle kind of shade for me. Impressive.
It’s an understated, noble kind of chic in a nail polish bottle.
All three shades of nail polish are great Chanel nail polish quality. Chanel and Deborah Lippmann keep being the top on the market.
Nudes are not my cup of tea, generally speaking, but Les Beiges collection managed to win me over completely. I totally buy this healthy glow natural look for any season and summer especially. It’s well done. And all the products are so good. The fact that this collection did drag me – someone who isn’t really into this – into the whole made up without looking made up stuff really tells you something. This collection is exciting. And it reminds me, why Chanel is unique. And how make up is so full of surprises. So versatile. So much fun.