When Chanel launched their Perfection Lumiere Velvet foundation it very quickly became one of my all-time favourite face bases. Until then, I had been using By Terry’s Cover Expert or Densiliss very regularly, but Lumiere Velvet came in a gorgeously compact, travel-friendly bottle, was quick to apply and blend and gave me a non-chalky, demi-matte finish that provided a truly excellent base for powder bronzers and blushers. (You can read my original review of Velvet – complete with before-and-after photographs – here.)
Now Chanel have thrown a little cosmetic spanner in the works by introducing their Les Beiges Healthy Glow foundation, and I’m finding it very difficult to choose which one to wear. At first, I could see no real difference between the two, in terms of finish and coverage, but after spending days – days, I tell you – comparing them and doing close-up photographs and applying them using different tools and over various moisturisers, I have drawn some conclusions. So, if you have been sitting on the fence as to whether or not to take the plunge with Les Beiges, here are my findings. If you already have – and use – Velvet, you might just decide to stay exactly (in makeup terms) where you are. If you are new to Chanel foundations, want a glowing finish, good coverage and something posh-looking to display on your dressing table then you will probably find yourself hot-footing it to the nearest Les Beiges ...