I have been a fan of the Les Beiges range since its launch back in 2013 (seriously: plug in “CHANEL Les Beiges” in my search bar to see what I mean) and that love affair continues with the recently released Summer Light 2021 Collection. Something about the entirely effortless vibe of the pieces — coupled with how beautifully everything performs — and I’m 100% here for it. ALL of it.
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How perfectly does this image capture the essence of “Summer Light”?
A quick scroll through my blog gives ample evidence that I’m a die-hard CHANEL girl, but I confess that Les Beiges is what I wait for the most from this brand. From the glossy beige packaging & double C’s, to all the totally wearable neutral-themed hues, I can honestly say I own quite a bit (as in: almost all) of whatever has been launched in this range — THAT’s how much I love it. Note that there are a few re-promotes with this collection (the face powders & liquid highlighters) and that the Water Fresh Tint (previously reviewed here) is shown as well — a product that I not only reach for the most, but one that is bang-on perfect for providing that coveted “bonne mine” complexion.
Both eyeshadow palettes in the collection lean slightly warm, but can still be easily worn by those with cooler complexions. The texture of all shades is buttery smooth & displays excellent pigmentation — a welcome surprise as some previous palettes tended to be less saturated. All are super easy to blend out and some of the lighter shades can even work double-duty as highlighters in a pinch, increasing the versatility of both palettes. Staying power when worn over primer is excellent, with all colours staying true without creasing or fading.
Each palette retails for (CAN) $78.00
Tender Healthy Glow Natural Eyeshadow Palette* | Shades swatched: top, second row left to right, bottom row left to right:
- dusky pink, matte
- burgundy with pearly sheen
- rose gold with complex shimmer
- pale pink with sparkle
- tea rose, satin
Intense Healthy Glow Natural Eyeshadow Palette | Shades swatched: top, second row left to right, bottom row left to right:
- pale gold with sparkle
- bronze with complex shimmer
- khaki brown with shimmer
- green/gold/brass shimmer
- soft brass shimmer
I assumed that Tender would be very similar to Warm (reviewed here) and that Intense might be close to Deep (reviewed here), but the comparison swatches above shows how all are unique from each other.
395 Soleil Tan Deep Bronze* (CAN $60.00) | The original Soleil Tan de CHANEL was the first cream bronzer I ever tried, not to mention being a well-known staple in many makeup artists’ kits, as it provides a totally believable bronzed colour to skin. Last year this cult-fave product was reformulated and reinvented into Soleil Tan Bronze Universel (Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream — reviewed here) and I personally love the new formula as I find it much easier to blend out, but I also wished it came in a deeper tone. Guess CHANEL was listening because this year’s version is exactly what I was hoping for. At first glance I wondered if it might turn out to be too dark, but the texture is wonderfully creamy and so easy to blend out into a deeper — but still believable — bronze flush, plus the finely-milled shimmer seen in the pan serves to keep the colour from looking flat and one-dimensional when applied to the skin . Staying power is actually quite good as well, although you can always add a light dusting of face powder or bronzing powder for stronger longevity.
A comparison shot of all three versions of this cream bronzer
As can be seen in the above swatches, Deep Bronze is significantly darker and is a product that unlike its predecessors, can now work more successfully on medium skin tones. You can also clearly see the textural difference between last year’s version (Soleil Tan Bronze Universel) which displays a soft sheen, versus the original Soleil Tan de CHANEL which comes to more of a matte finish.
To round out this collection, I included swatches of both the Liquid Highlighters and the Illuminating Powders — both previously reviewed in detail here from last year’s Summer of Glow Collection.
Rouge Coco Flash* (CAN $52.00/each) | There are 4 shades released with this collection (Sunbeam & Heat, not shown) and while many of us are only now starting to get back to wearing lip products, I couldn’t think of a better way to ease into that than with this formula. With a texture that provides excellent hydration for balm-like properties plus a pop of colour, these are much more pigmented than the previous & now discontinued Rouge Coco Shine, while also providing a nice hit of shine. As far as staying power goes, I’m pleasantly surprised by how well they last, although their emollient nature means that reapplication will obviously be needed, especially after eating/drinking.
Find more swatches on several other shades of the range here
- 158 Dawn, limited edition* – beige/pink neutral
- 164 Flame* – soft plum/berry
Le Vernis (CAN $38.00/each) | I’ve been collection CHANEL nail polishes for over 30 years now and while I’ve seen formula changes over the years, I have to say that lately the brand has really stepped up their game. The brushes are all extremely well crafted and serve to hug the nail bed with ease, while the flow of the formula is such that it’s easy to manipulate and makes for an effortless application. As to staying power, I personally have never had an issue with chipping or flaking — then again, the same is true on my nails from basically every brand I’ve tried. I love how cohesive the four shades of this collection are, and how beautifully they fit into the theme … not to mention how easy they are to wear and how all should suit a broad range of skin tones.
All swatches below are with 2 coats of polish, no base or top coat
- 893 Glimmer*, limited edition – nude with a soft peach undertone and filled with incredibly fine shimmer (visible when direct light hits it), this is definitely the neutral shade you’ll want to wear all summer.
- 895 Sunlight – a pale rose gold hue, its metallic nature means you’ll need a steady hand in application to avoid any potential visible lines (which will also self-level to a great degree), but it’s worth the extra care as this shade is absolutely lovely.
- 897 Golden Sand, limited edition – soft copper, this is similar in texture & finish to Sunlight and needs the same attention in application. I opted to show it in indirect lighting to better display its finish, but it becomes absolutely brilliant when seen in direct light.
- 899 Solar – lush brown/bronze with complex shimmer, this is absolutely GORGEOUS and has the easiest application/formula of the bunch. Lighter in tone when seen in direct light, it’s no less stunning and makes for a truly unique summer shade, in my opinion.
Overall, the entire collection is a huge HIT for me — and not only because I have a soft spot for Les Beiges, but because I love the colour story and the performance of every single piece. Naturally several products are limited edition, so I wouldn’t hesitate if I were you. For me, this is THE definitive summer collection … well done, CHANEL. Oh, and a huge shout out to CHANEL’s Canadian website: I placed an order for a couple of pieces and they literally arrived the next day. Colour me impressed.
Available at CHANEL counters nationwide and online
Products marked * kindly provided by CHANEL for my unbiased consideration
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