I have never been a big fan of using foundation everyday. I would wear moisturizer, sunscreen and BB cream at most if I wanted some type of coverage. Foundation was only something I used when I was onstage, making appearances, or at a special event. Foundation had always felt heavy on my skin and in Vietnamese culture, my Mom always taught me to let my skin breathe when I was young. However, Chanel foundation has completely changed my outlook on foundation.

VITALUMIERE AQUA FOUNDATION

I first started using Chanel foundation this summer when they launched the new Vitalumiere Aqua foundation. Not only did it feel light on my skin, it didn’t look like I had caked makeup onto my face. Once the floral-scented foundation was evenly applied to my skin with my fingers, it looked like a layer of perfect skin, not makeup-like at all. After setting it with powder, it lasted a good 5 or so hours without transferring or moving. Vitalumiere claims to be the “Ultra-Light skin perfecting makeup” and I must say it holds up to the hype. I even wore it onstage for a pageant and it held up well under all of the bright lights and didn’t look too shiny on the small stage. Vitalumiere Aqua provides a very natural glow on the face and makes you feel glamorous while still being natural. I still have some foundation left in my bottle and I’m still on my first bottle, which I bought in June! I have used it almost every day since then, so a little bit goes a LONG way!

Pros:

Makes skin look perfect
Buildable coverage
Easy to blend
Hard to break packaging, which is great for travel
Luminous finish

Cons:

No pump – have to squeeze
Doesn’t last all day
Can be shiny on oily skin

MAT LUMIERE FOUNDATION

After trying Vitalumiere, I wanted to give Mat Lumiere a try since it’s more “photo-appropriate.” The first thing I noticed about Mat Lumiere is the scent. While it is still a floral scent, I find it a lot stronger than Vitalumiere, but still bearable. Mat Lumiere also feels thicker in consistency, however, I still apply it with my fingers. The finish I get with Mat Lumiere is exactly what you’d expect: mat, but not too cakey. It doesn’t look as natural as Vitalumiere, but it doesn’t look like you have foundation on per se. As with Vitalumiere, it comes with an SPF of 15, which is great if you forget to put sunscreen on. I wore Mat Lumiere for a photoshoot and it lasted a fantastic 7 hours! I was extremely impressed. There isn’t one foundation I prefer over the other and I was repurchase both. I do prefer Vitalumiere for everyday use and Mat Lumiere for photos.

Pros: