The perfect foundation: Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

I can't believe I haven't done a post about this foundation earlier! Last night a friend told me she was looking through My Beautopia for recommendations. Aside from this being a huge compliment, I realised that there were a few of my all time favourite beauty products that I was yet to mention. I think I was 'saving' them... Sorry! So here goes:

I stumbled across Chanel's Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation about two and a half years ago whilst watching a Fleur de Force video. I needed a new foundation at the time and was keen to try it. I am so glad I did - because it is simply the best foundation I have found so far! I recommend this to all of my friends (if I can entice them into a cosmetics conversation). I always recommend it to other bloggers and I even bought some for my mum.

As the name suggests, Chanel's Vitalumiere Aqua is a water based foundation. It has a pleasant rose fragrance and a little goes a long way. The product comes in a black box and the foundation bottle is a rectangular plastic bottle (which is the same nude opaque colour regardless of the actual shade that is inside - so don't let that confuse you!). The trick is to make sure you shake the bottle before you squeeze out any product - as it separates in the bottle and you need to make sure it is properly mixed.

The full range has 9 different shades. The palest shade is B10 and the darkest is B70. The shades come in 3 categories - Beige: shades 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 70. Beige Rosé (Rosy Beige): shades 22 and 52, and Beige Ambré (Amber Beige): shade 64.

Choosing foundation shades can be a bit of a nightmare - store lighting never gives the true picture. So if you haven't already tried it, take a look at findation.com - I love this site! You enter your foundation shade in the brands you use and it brings up the matching shades in other brands! At the very least it gives you an idea of which shade to swatch first in store.

I bought shade B20 which is one of the paler shades, but I can just about get away with it year round. Ideally I could do with B10 in winter, B20 in spring, B30 for the summer and B40 briefly if I get a tan. A girl can dream.

Last summer I did actually buy shade B40 in duty free as I returned from my summer holiday. To be honest it was an accident. It was the palest shade they had and I couldn't remember which one I used so I bought it in a hurry. Right now, in the depths of winter it looks very orange of course, but with a tan it works for me.

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation- Top: shade B40. Bottom: shade B20.

I love this foundation because it applies really easily, blends well and feels really light on the skin. I can't stand a foundation that feels heavy, oily or sticky on your skin so that you daren't touch your face all day. Chanel describe Vitalumiere Aqua as giving the effect of 'second skin' and I would definitely agree!

It is not at all oily, but neither does it cling to any dry patches which even the best of my drugstore foundations do (see my photographic evidence HERE). You can really build up coverage too, which I find is great to cover the attractive red blotchyness I get across my cheeks sometimes. Plus it has SPF 15 in it too.

I used to just apply the foundation with my fingers but now I always use my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush (see my review HERE) which gives more of a flawless finish. The final effect is just perfect. Judging by the rave reviews from younger bloggers, myself - a proud #30sblogger (and if you are too then join our Twitter chat on Sundays at 9pm!) and my mum in her 70s, I think this is a universally good recommendation!

The only negative I can think of is that it is not cheap, but hey its Chanel what do you expect! You could always find a cheaper foundation for everyday use and just keep this for best (or you might just want to look fabulous every day...).

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua is £32 for 30ml. Although Debenhams currently have 10% off of beauty so you can pick it up for £28 HERE.