Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Cream

 

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Where I got it

In early May, I received a message from Julia, my Chanel beauty SA letting me know that there are new makeup releases for May such as some Les Beiges products – travel-size Healthy Glow Illuminating Oil, the Water Fresh Blush, the Complexion Touch, and the Healthy Glow Cream. There are also two new lipstick shades with the Les Beiges launch.

Julia did tell me that the full-size Les Beiges Healthy Glow Illuminating Oil (250ml) was a limited edition, and she is unsure if the travel size will be limited as well so I decided to grab the smaller bottle (love the smaller bottle design as well) as well as the new Healthy Glow Cream. I skipped the Complexion Touch (for now) because I didn’t feel the need for one. As for the Water Fresh Blush, I already bought one a few months ago (this was launched in US and UK a couple of months ago) and even though I enjoyed my Warm Pink shade, I didn’t think I need another shade because I have recently bought the Chanel face palette already.

*UPDATE* I was supposed to post this review earlier, but the delivery of this product was delayed due to the recent weather warnings in Auckland. My parcel was delayed for nearly a week when I got in touch with Julia. She said she will follow that up with the courier company and see where things are at. After around 20 days, I finally have the item.

What I got

I picked up the Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Cream in Rosy Beige ($87 for 15g) as well as the travel size Les Beiges Healthy Glow Illuminating Oil ($74 for 50ml). I will leave the link to my review of the full-size Illuminating Oil as they are the same product. The 250ml bottle was $147 and the 50ml bottle is $74. Unfortunately, it is a bit of a rip-off for the smaller bottle, but this is a great oil to miss out on.

Les Beiges Healthy Glow Cream in Rosy Beige (15g) is a cream-gel makeup product that evens out and illuminates the complexion with a subtly rosy veil. Its lightweight formula is easy to blend and leaves skin looking smooth, even, and luminous. It picks up easily and applies smoothly with the help of the RETRACTABLE KABUKI BRUSH N°108.

Ingredients: DIMETHICONE • CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE • CELLULOSE • CERA ALBA (BEESWAX) • SILICA DIMETHYL SILYLATE • HELIANTHUS ANNUUS CERA SEED (HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED WAX) • POLYMETHYLSILSESQUIOXANE • STEARALKONIUM HECTORITE • JASMINUM GRANDIFLORUM (JASMINE) FLOWER EXTRACT • PROPYLENE CARBONATE • ETHYLHEXYL PALMITATE • PARFUM (FRAGRANCE) • TOCOPHERYL ACETATE [*/- (MAY CONTAIN) CI 77007 (ULTRAMARINES) • CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 (IRON OXIDES) • CI 77891 (TITANIUM DIOXIDE) • MICA]

Les Beiges Healthy Glow Illuminating Oil (50ml).  Its new, subtly shimmery formula leaves behind a veil of light and a satin finish on skin, and gives hair beautifully delicate copper highlights. It features an evanescent dry oil texture, delivers a feeling of softness, and moisturises skin.

Ingredients: AQUA (WATER) • CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE • HEXYL LAURATE • GLYCERIN • BUTYLENE GLYCOL • DIGLYCERIN • JASMINUM GRANDIFLORUM (JASMINE) STEM EXTRACT • CASTOR OIL/IPDI COPOLYMER • AMODIMETHICONE • PENTYLENE GLYCOL • CHLORPHENESIN • CAPRYLYL GLYCOL – CARBOMER – ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE – POLYGLYCERIN-3 – SODIUM LAUROYL GLUTAMATE • TRISODIUM ETHYLENEDIAMINE DISUCCINATE • SODIUM HYALURONATE • PROPANEDIOL • TAMARINDUS INDICA SEED GUM • SODIUM HYDROXIDE • LYSINE • MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE • ALCALIGENES POLYSACCHARIDES • GLUCOSE • CITRIC ACID [*/- (MAY CONTAIN) CI 77007 (ULTRAMARINES) • CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 (IRON OXIDES) – CI 77891 (TITANIUM DIOXIDE) • MICA]

How I find it

Let’s start with the Healthy Glow Cream because it is a brand new product from Chanel and I am surprised that it is launched as a travel-size instead of a full-size product. There was no talk about this product before this is launched that I could find so it was pretty much a surprise for everyone. By the time I post this review, this product is available pretty much worldwide. When I first try the product at my local Chanel counter in Botany (after ordering from Julia), I thought this product was a little strange. I thought it would be a “glow” product, similar to a cream highlighter from the name. But from the pictures and in real-life the product looks like a priming balm. When I rub my fingertip over the product, I couldn’t describe it as a cream-gel, as I could not feel any “gel” texture in this product. It feels much like the bronzing cream but in a pale pink colour with a very faint hint of golden shimmer.

Fast-forward to receiving the actual product, it is packaged in the les beiges beige-coloured box with black details. The travel-sized jar has a black lid so it looks like the mini version of the bronzing cream. It also has a plastic cover inside that you need to keep to avoid the product drying out. You are recommended to use this with brush N°108 which is a retractable kabuki brush. I don’t have that brush, but I’m just going to use a round-top, synthetic fiber kabuki brush. Swirl it around the product and just apply. This product is designed as a makeup base to smooth out pores and refine the skin. It also has a rosy tone to brighten up the skin (tone-up effect).

Swatching with fingertips on the back of my hand, I almost could not see anything. I was able to see a hint of pale pink colour in specific angles, and a faint shimmer under some sunlight. I was expecting some major-smoothing effects like a silicone, pore-perfecting balm but that was also not the case. The balm is smooth and glides onto my skin and turns invisible. I build it up a little bit and I still could not see any visible effects on the skin except for a bit more shimmer. Added a little bit more and my skin started to look more smooth. However, with a couple of layers, my skin looks really natural without looking cakey or dry.

Applying with the brush gives you a sheer and even application, but I have also tried using my fingers, which gives a more precise application in a heavier coverage. I find that a couple of layers is required to blur any minor imperfections and redness on my skin. I couldn’t say this has evened out my skin tone, but there is a light overall brightening effect on the skin.

What I am impressed with this product is how easy my foundation goes on the “primer” I tried using the new Complexion Touch over this and it is effortless, smooth, and without any pilling. I use a stippling brush to apply the Complexion Touch though, which is really gentle and non-rubbing or buffing. I still have not used the brush that it comes with because that is more for detailed application (i.e. concealing).

Here I am wearing ONLY the Glow Cream all over my face. No other makeup. As you can see most of my imperfections are still showing – dark circles, enlarged pores, blackheads, acne scarring, etc. The Glow cream gives my skin a bit of that pinky undertone over the skin. A little bit of smoothing of the skin (to the touch), but I need some coverage to take care of these issues.

After using the Complexion Touch, my skintone is more even, the darkness around my nose area and enlarged pores are covered and dark circles are also lightened. I always find it hard to cover my dark circles without looking cakey and really dry, so I steer away from full coverage in this area. I don’t mind some of my dark circles showing through.

The photo below of me wearing the Glow Cream all over, then a bit of Chanel Longwear Concealer in B20 just for my dark circles. Then the Complexion Touch B20 all over my face. Water Fresh Blush in Warm Pink on my cheeks. Oversize Healthy Glow Sun-kissed in Medium as a bronzer and the Les Beiges Eyeshadow palette in Tender. I have skipped highlighter here because the complexion touch has given me just enough glow around my face.

I am so glad that I picked up a bottle of the travel-size Les Beiges Illuminating Oil (50ml) because I absolutely adore the product and the original launch was 250ml. The original size was much better value for money, but that isn’t available anymore. I love the fragrance of this dry oil and it gives my skin a very nice golden shimmer. Not too bronze, not too golden, but a nice healthy glow. The dry oil has a very fluid slip and dries down swiftly. It does rub off, but you don’t get obnoxious glitter everywhere you touch.

Overall

I’m not too sure what I think about the Glow Cream because it wasn’t what I was expecting. I was expecting a more pore-perfecting or mattifying primer balm, but I couldn’t see any “glow” from the product on my skin tone. I wonder if Chanel will expand a bit more on this type of product? Maybe create slightly different tones to target different skin concerns? Green, blue, lavender? Anyway, if you are looking for a good illuminating primer, Chanel already has a couple of products that are really good – La Base Illuminatrice for a more subtle glow and moisture, Les Beiges Highlighting fluid for more glow and versatility. If you need that tone-up effect, the Le Blanc La Base primers come in different shades and it also has some SPF! I’ve made a quick comparison reel on IG to showcase some Chanel glow-enhancing products. All in all, this could’ve been a pass.

As for the Illuminating Oil in travel size, if you haven’t picked up the large bottle, don’t miss your chance and pick this one up! The smaller bottle is easy to take with you to travel, to the beach, or in the car for a top-up during the day. The dry oil is silky smooth and the shimmer is gorgeous, but I feel that the shimmer particles appear to be larger compared to the large bottle. I’m not certain.