Today I would like to write about another piece I picked up from Chanel's Holiday Collection, Joues Contraste #180 in Caresse. Chanel has one of my favorite blush formulas, I like both their cream blushes and powder blushes but I prefer powder blush in general. I am fond of Chanel's baked or non-baked formula alike. They apply and blend beautifully and last very long on my cheeks. Therefore I was intrigued by Caresse and decided to try it out.
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| Chanel Joues Contraste #180 Caresse |
Chanel Joues Contraste #180 Caresse is a light apricot. I have the US-version (non-baked) and I don't know if it will be released as baked formula elsewhere since Jersey was released with no-baked formula everywhere.
Caresse is a very soft and light blush, one of the lightest that I have from Chanel and in fact I can get it show on my NC20 skin if I use a dense brush like Tom Ford Cheek Brush. I like blushes which are not that pigmented so I don't complain about it but if you like pigmented blushes or if you are medium and darker, Caresse may not be a good choice for you.
Caresse is a very soft and light blush, one of the lightest that I have from Chanel and in fact I can get it show on my NC20 skin if I use a dense brush like Tom Ford Cheek Brush. I like blushes which are not that pigmented so I don't complain about it but if you like pigmented blushes or if you are medium and darker, Caresse may not be a good choice for you.
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| Chanel Joues Contraste #180 Caresse |
A close look reveals some glitters on the brush surface but once it is applied on the cheeks, it doesn't look shimmery nor glittery but very natural. Just to give you an impression of the shimmer degree, it is much less shimmery than holiday shades of last year (Accent) and the year before (Stardust).
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| Close-up: Chanel Joues Contraste #180 Caresse |
Caresse is rather like than love for me. I like wearing it but I feel like it is misplaced in a holiday collection and it would go much better with a pastel spring collection. If you look at the photo and comparison swatches below, I think you can see the delicate pastel undertones I am talking about. If you have deeper complexion, it might look chalky on the skin as well. I feel it is borderline for me. Below I combined Caresse with Chanel Rouge Allure #90 Pimpante. You see, I am ready to skip the cold winter months and jump into Spring already *wink wink*
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| FOTD: Chanel Joues Contraste #180 Caresse |
Some of you may be wondering how Caresse compares to recently released Chanel Joues Contrasted #80 in Jersey (reviewed here). Caresse turns out to be lighter and more pastel. I am loving Jersey, I believe it has the right darkness for my skin tone. I have also included Accent to show you the difference of shimmer. The closest blush I have to Caresse must be Giorgio Armani's Cheek Fabric in #305 Dolci, which is a little darker. I really like Dolci and prefer it over Caresse for my skin tone.
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| Chanel Joues Contraste #180 Caresse vs. #84 Accent, #80 Jersey, Giorgio Armani #305 Dolci |
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| Chanel Joues Contraste #180 Caresse vs. #84 Accent, #80 Jersey, Giorgio Armani #305 Dolci |
Final thoughts: Chanel Joues Contraste #180 Caresse is best for fair ladies and those who like pastel tones on the cheeks. Starting from medium skin tones this blush may not show or look chalky so be sure to try it out before investing. Regardless it is pretty, I don't think Caresse is a must.
Availability: Chanel Holiday Collection is available in US since a few weeks. It started popping here and there as well so stalk your local counter if you are eyeing that gorgeous highlighter, just saying *wink*.
Do you prefer pigmented or sheer blushes?
