Latest make-up obsession? The Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation, of course

by Nejla Matam-Finn

For those of you who know me or have been reading page five, you know that I love my beauty products as much as I love fashion. But here is the thing, I am a big believer and user of skincare but when it comes to makeup, I am simply too lazy. I have to admit that it's mostly because I don’t necessarily know what to do.

Don’t get me wrong, as most women, I love makeup and do buy some occasionally but despite that, it has a tendency of just decorating my bathroom like trophies and not getting much love.

My five year old daughter, however, has no problem playing with it and letting me know that one day she will be “an artist of the makeup” (thank you YouTube).

BUT I DIGRESS OR MAYBE NOT… 

Anyway a few months back I was generously invited to a Chanel and Buro Singapore event to discover the new addition to the les Beiges Collections, the healthy glow foundation. So, on a Friday afternoon (sadly I was planning to stay home that same evening), here I am getting my face done by a Chanel makeup artist while sipping some champagne.

Yes, life could be harder…. but lets face it, I certainly do not have a glam squad around me and on the rare occasion you see me wearing makeup, that is because I've reached the point where my lack of sleep and the 10 more hours a day spend in front of the computer have started to show. (I'm going to spare you the details of my latest breakout. sigh) 

But, hey, things could be worse, right? 

Ok, so let's get back to the Chanel event.

While the makeup artist laid out the products she was going to use, I was surprised (but also happy) to see that there was not many products. Cool, I thought. I'm quite sure I can reproduce her work at home, if I like the final result. 

After prepping my skin (remember this is at the end of the day), the makeup artist then applied some concealer and then Les Beiges foundations on my face with a soft brush. This was followed by a stick blush and she finished off with some powder. When I look up in the mirror, it's as if I've had a good night of sleep and I looked totally refreshed. 

Nice, I thought, but let me see how I feel by the end of the event. I mean, I don’t like it when I can feel that I am wearing makeup - you know, that "putting on a mask" effect that makes you feel like all your facial expressions are not natural. For me beauty products and fashion are to be used to enhance your personality and not to hide it.

Anyway, by the end of the event, I still felt good about how I looked and more importantly, the texture of the foundations felt really natural. Yup. No mask here.

Now, I am convinced that I can recreate the look when I need it desperately. Not only is this helpful on days  when I have to head out from the office and directly to an event, but also during interviews, because, again, no glam squad for me. I also don’t want to lug around so much makeup in my bag or have them cluttering my bathroom, for that matter. Less is more means that  I will be using it right. 

MONTHS LATER...

I am happy to report that I have been using it religiously, and use the blush everyday - even on a bare face (I'd apply it right after my SPF cream).

The texture of Les Beiges Healthy glow foundation makes it easy to apply with your fingers and finish with a blender brush if you really must. However, one pump is sufficient to add that little bit more than a tinted cream can. Also, when you're experiencing breakout and redness, you can add a few more pumps and, trust me, they will disappear without caking.

Having SPF in the foundation also means I can skip one step in my routine and for some reason this one does not give the white-ish effect on photos that certain SPF foundations do. The packaging of all the 3 products in the collection is great, I enjoy the pump of the foundation and the fact that blush comes in a super practical tube.

And last but not least the foundation stayed rather put under the Singapore weather.

MY RECOMMENDATIONS

If you have been looking for a year-long foundation with an easy routine, head to your Chanel counter now. If you have a foundation that you already swear by, then try the blush and you won't be disappointed. But whatever you choose head to a counter to get the how-to cards which shows how you can achieve different looks with the same products. Yes, I know it's Gisele, but no harm done by trying the healthy glow look a la Gisele, right?

RECAP

• easy going approach to makeup: three products to achieve a clean, flawless, natural glowing look.

• The ease of the application: you only need your hands. No more "let's understand the intricacy of the different brushes or contouring" which nobody has time for.

• The how-to cards to help you achieve a certain look

• The sleek, chic and practical Rosy Beige packaging

• The name of the collection - yes, I know it has nothing to do with product reviews but Beige for me is a lifestyle that fits in any wardrobe and decor. It's classic, timeless and it blends with anything.

Now, I have another obsession ready - the perfume that, since the event, has stuck in my head. I might visit a counter this weekend, so stay tuned and please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.

We want to hear about what you think about this entry, or if you had a similar experience or even just to say hi.