You may have noticed that Chanel gets a lot of airtime around these quarters, though I feel my reverence for their make-up is well-deserved and my lavish praise is therefore the result of true excitement this end. Prepare for more: their latest drop is bloody gorgeous and I make no apology for the gushing that’s about to happen on my top picks from the new wave of Chanel //
Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Multi-Colour Duo No 2 / I’ll start on the highest of high notes with this instant youth in a pan blush/highlighter duo. Buy it and put it straight in your handbag where it’ll serve you best – whizz the (good quality) brush over the blush and stroke over the apples of cheeks to infuse with life, then take the same brush and dust the finely-milled highlighter over the high points of your face.
Chanel Le Vernis in Cavaliere / Clever clogs Chanel: this deep brown has teeny tiny bits of gold shimmer in the formula to push a little summer into this polish. Ideal if ‘happy summer shades’ don’t do it for you. This is the new formula, too so expect this kind of result. N.B. This is a limited edition polish so chop chop if you like it.
Chanel Quadra Eyeshadow in Empreinte Du Desert / Snap this up if you’re eyeshadow shy or think you’re rubbish at applying the stuff – these shadows are smooth and easy to blend, the colours universally-flattering and the finish just a touch iridescent (much easier to blend, folks). Try using just two of the shades and whisking them together on your lid – I especially like the green mixed with the deepest bronze. Pair with mascara and a lick of colour on your lips for easy polish.
Chanel Levres Scintillantes Aqua Glossimer in 606 / Like your lips on the juicy side and enjoy a flirt with red? You’re going to love this number – it starts as a non-sticky sheer cherry wash and builds to a brighter, glossier finish. It’ll never hit that dense red note though, so if you want it bold, slick a bit of your usual red underneath then build the gloss on top.
Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof in Sable / Alone, this does nothing for my eyes. Whizzed on top of a bit of black liner, though, and it’s genius – eye-opening and illuminating, with a decent whack of warmth to compliment/make the most of a tan. Use an oil-based eye make-up remover to whip it off – I find it won’t budge otherwise.
Le Volume De Chanel Waterproof Mascara in Mirage / I had one reservation about the new Le Volume formula that launched last year – when applied to lower lashes it sometimes bled a little onto my skin over the course of the day. No such woes with this waterproof version. The deep brown shade is a winner for summer days if you’re down the paler end of the spectrum and want to keep things looking natural.
Chanel Rouge Coco Stylo Complete Care Lipshine in l to r Recit, Histoire and Script / Lovely, lovely lipsticks these are. No, they won’t hang around all day or stain your lips – but that’s kind of the beauty of them. They’re old school: beautiful, richly-pigmented, glossy sticks of colour in a good variety of shades that you’ll want to whip out of your handbag every hour or so for a little top up. Clever packaging too – you can twist the end to lengthen the lipstick and twist it down again. Other make-up brands: cotton on, please.