Chanel just released their new foundation, Vitalumiere Aqua. I must say that, even though I generally like Chanel foundations which are of excellent quality, I am not a fan of the original Vitalumiere which is too moisturizing for my normal/combination skin. But I had heard the new Vitalumiere Aqua was different. In some way, though, I was expecting it to be dewy (fooled by the name Aqua, maybe?), like it’s original version. Well, Vitalumiere Aqua was nothing like I expected, but I love it nevertheless and it was a pleasant surprise.

Pros

  • You know how a lot of foundations claim to be like a second skin? I never felt they really were, but this time I am impressed because I do feel like this is it. The product feels very light on the skin yet gives medium coverage and evens out the skintone so well! It has a semi-matte finish, a bit luminous but not unnatural nor greasy. It is like my skin but better.
  • It smells very nice, like an expensive sun protection cream, I would say. Also the smell is light and disappears quickly so it shouldn’t bother most users.
  • It lasts extremely well on me and I don’t even powder it – easily 8-10 hours without getting shiny. Maybe it’s because this is a water based (hence, oil-free) foundation. I wasn’t expecting it to be so long lasting and am really impressed!
  • Packaging: a very compact, light plastic bottle that’s so much better than the heavy glass packaging Chanel usually uses! And getting the exact amount that you need is very easy thanks to the dropper top.

Cons

  • Although the shade selection includes warm/yellow (B or Beige) and cool/pink (BR or Beige Rosé) shades, most retailers/countries won’t stock the whole range and being able to find a match can be tricky. Very important note regarding the shade: it does change a bit during the first 15-20 minutes on the skin. When getting matched, make sure you put the product on your jaw line and check it in daylight after 20 min or you might have a bad surprise.
  • It’s not cheap – $45 in the US/ €39 in Europe. But I do think it’s worth it, really.

Little trick: you need to shake the bottle REALLY WELL before pouring the product out, or you’ll get some kind of greasy water. This is normal, but shaking is thus mandatory. I am enjoying this foundation so much at the moment that I even thing I might prefer it to Nars Sheer Glow, which has been my ultimate favorite for quite a while. Considering the only Cons I found are shade and price related, I’d say that if you can afford this and there’s a match for you, I definitely recommend this foundation.