CHANEL | Lumière d’Été Illuminating Powder

The CHANEL Collection Méditerranée for Summer 2015, draws inspiration from the French Riviera, that luxe seaside resort area of France that was so beloved of Coco Chanel. Drawing upon the intense colour palette of azure skies, vivid beach umbrellas, and glowing tanned bodies, one of the undisputed stars of the collection is the Lumière d’Été Illuminating Powder Limited Edition: a heart-stopping beautiful bronzer in the form of the brand’s signature camellia blossom and a product you won’t want to put a brush to … it’s THAT stunning.

Vintage poster from the 20’s of the French Riviera

CHANEL | Lumière d’Été Illuminating Powder, ingredients list

CHANEL | Lumière d’Été Illuminating Powder, velour sleeve and included brush

Lumière d’Été Illuminating Powder, Limited Edition (CAN $76.00) is a soft beige/tan bronzer bearing an ultra finely-milled shimmer to achieve that gorgeous sun kissed glow, in a perfect blend of both cool and warm tones that render it wearable by basically all skin tones along the spectrum (with the exception of the darkest complexions, for which this will be much too light to appear). Encased in a protective velour sleeve with an outside pocket to hold the included brush (well made quality-wise and great for on-the-go touchups, but I still prefer to use my own brushes – in particular CHANEL’s N°2 Powder/Contour brush that works beautifully with this product), the powder comes in the shape of the brand’s signature camellia blossom, with each petal clearly visible and bearing a cross-hatch pattern on the surface, delicately scented and virtually undetectable once applied.

As with all bronzers, bear in mind that it will develop; in other words, after initial application, step back and wait a few minutes before going in with more product, since the colour will deepen as it merges with the warmth and natural oils of your skin (this tip will save you from accidentally overdoing it).

The surface of the powder is slightly hard (similar to that of CHANEL’s baked products) but does not affect what the brush picks up whatsoever; in fact, there is hardly any kickback at all (at least, none that I could see) when you swirl your brush across the surface, making for less waste overall. The shade is a bit of a paradox and depending on the angle/light, can appear either cool (beige) or warm (tan), but once applied that’s when the magic happens; what emerges along the skin is like stuff dreams are made of (ok, that’s probably going a little far, but seriously … it’s like CHANEL has found a source of unicorn dust to infuse this product with. Yeah, that was a stretch too ∗shrugs∗). As stated earlier, the product begins to fuse with the warmth and natural oils of the skin, and takes on a sun kissed lustre, giving a ‘fresh from a beach walk’ appearance and overall super healthy glow (an effect due to that ultra fine shimmer, I suspect), becoming even better with the wearing. As to longevity and when applied over foundation or primer, I easily get 9-10 hours of wear, before noticing any fading.

CHANEL Lumière d’Été swatch, direct sunlight – applied heavy & blended out

CHANEL Lumière d’Été swatch, alternate light – applied heavy & blended out

If you’re a bronzer or CHANEL enthusiast, you NEED this. With the multitude of bronzers recently released for the Summer season from every imaginable brand there is, the Lumière d’Été Illuminating Powder still manages to stand out by virtue of its impeccable finish and tone. Combining a distinctly elegant visual aesthetic (seriously though … that camellia flower pattern is to die for) with unbelievable quality, is something that CHANEL has become known for, and I am totally planning on getting a backup – something you might want to think about as well, especially since it is a limited edition product. Just saying.

Available as of May 4 at all CHANEL counters across the country, find more information on the brand by visiting chanel.com