Chanel Vita Lumiere Aqua Foundation

Being a student, I've never really splashed out on high end beauty products, preferring to discover the pick of the high street pack. I'm a firm believer that you can get some real gems in the likes of Superdrug and Boots which do the same job, if not better, than the revered luxury brands. Wanting to put this to the test, I popped into my nearest House of Fraser and walked over the the Chanel counter.



Stands of the perfumes, nail varnishes and foundations which Chanel's beauty range is famous for surrounded me, and I felt like a kid in a sweet shop. I've heard good things about their foundations, so decided to have a chat with the sales assistant to find out which one was the perfect match for me.


I explained that I wanted a healthy, natural glow from my foundation, coupled with a medium coverage. I already have a couple of matte bases in my collection, and wanted to try something a bit different and dewy for summer. By the power of deduction, we settled with the VitaLumiere Aqua foundation. The test patch on my skin proved its strong coverage, but I didn't get much of an impression of what sort of complexion it provided me with.


Leaving the store with a small sample of it, I was excited to try it out properly at home. The colour match was perfect; I got 10 Beige and it really is a seamless match for my skin tone. I don't know if anyone else gets this, but when a product is expensive, I never want to try it in fear of wasting it, preferring to keep it for 'special occasions'!


When I did eventually try it out, I expected it to be fantastic. For £33 a bottle, you wouldn't expect any less would you? The formula contains SPF15, and Chanel claim that with use of the VitaLumiere Aqua, "the complexion appears amazingly even, fresh and energised. The skin glows with seemingly nude beauty." It is deemed to be a "soft and evanescent ultra-fine fluid texture" and "an unprecedented sensory experience"



In plain English, it's got a good coverage, it's lightweight and provides your skin with a natural glow. I'll be honest, I'm not quite sure what the "unprecedented sensory experience" part means. Let's unravel these claims...



Firstly, the texture of the foundation is really light and creamy. It truly blends into your skin with ease, and although it's quite thin and light, provides excellent coverage and evens out your skin tone a real treat. It's perfect for those who crave a lightweight formula but still want the coverage of a thicker base. 


Chanel VitaLumiere Aqua on, with flash.

Whilst these are definitely plus points, I was left torn over whether this worth the price tag. It felt slightly sticky to touch, and my face felt more shiny than having a natural, radiant glow. Instead of highlighting and working it's magic in places that naturally catch the light, it creates a bold shine all over the face. Setting it with a powder makes it feel a bit clingy and heavy, which totally defeats the whole point of it being a lightweight formula. That said, this could just be me being so used to matte foundations!

The staying power is OK, although I did expect more for something I would potentially pay £33 to own. It managed pretty well for around 8 hours, but after that started to spread around my chin and nose, which are the major trouble areas on my skin. 

Chanel VitaLumiere Aqua on, without flash.

Overall, it did give me a glow, felt very lightweight on, gave a good coverage and lasted a pretty good amount of time. Maybe it's a case of getting used to a more dewy texture, or expecting too much because of the brand and price. The way it evens out complexion is the biggest selling point- it's definitely one of the best foundations I've found for this. I do feel pressure to sing VitaLumiere Aqua's praises because it's Chanel and costs £33 a bottle, but I didn't fall as heavily in love as I thought I would. This is probably on a par with Bourjois' Healthy Mix foundation, which costs a third of the price. 



Were you left a bit flat with a Chanel foundation? Are high end brands really worth it the money?
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2 comments

  1. I tried the Perfection Lumiere Velvet and felt the same way, I thought it would be the best foundation ever but although I liked the finish at first it didn't last well on me at all and to be honest I don't think it's any better than my L'Oreal foundation...

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    1. It's so annoying! I've grown to really like this finish under a matte primer but really can't tell the difference between this and Bourjois Healthy Mix. Maybe cheaper is better...

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