Making the CHANEL Soleil Tan de Chanel work for me! (inspired by essiebutton)

Good afternoon folks!

I hope you're enjoying this deceivingly chilly day! So you may remember recently I made a plea regarding a new purchase of mine, the CHANEL Soleil Tan de Chanel. I'd forked out the 29 odd quid for it to find that I really couldn't get it to work for me. No matter what brush I used, it just didn't look good. It didn't look natural. That was until I watched essiebutton's YouTube video, entitled 'How to Use Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel on Fair Skin!'

Sorry for the screenshot, Essie! Anyway Essie described a look in which she applied the Soleil Tan de Chanel as a make-up base instead of post-foundation bronzer. I mean when you think about it, it makes sense! After all, it has labelled 'bronzing make-up base'! So I followed Essie's tutorial and give it a shot, replacing some of the products she mentioned for similar ones I owned myself - except for the Soleil Tan de Chanel, of course!

(click to enlarge)

Essie, like me, is quite pale. You wouldn't know it just by looking at me but my Mum is actually Italian, you'd think I'd have inherited some of those Meditteraean looks (including a killer tan), right? Sadly it's presumed I've taken the Sicilian side of the family's look - they have dark features (hair, eyebrows) but paler skin... Whoopie! So I do struggle to get foundations to suit my pale skin tone. Like Essie, I prefer the natural, lit from within look. I don't like to look like I'm wearing foundation. So, I followed the tutorial, and started by applying a shimmering day cream as primer, which was the only item I could find that slightly matched Essie's description! I was actually really impressed with this product, I think applying primer with a foundation brush makes ALL the difference! I then swirled my bronzing brush around the Soleil Tan de Chanel, before adding it to the hollows of my cheeks, temple, nose and chin before buffing it in. I then added foundation, concealer and powder on top, before adding a different bronzer over the foundation. I think this routine works much better for me because I am really pale, and like Essie says, adding the Soleil Tan de Chanel after my foundation can make me look a bit orange.

FOTD:

FACE: Aldi Lacura Shimmering Day Cream (applied using MAC 190 foundation brush), CHANEL Soleil Tan de Chanel (applied using an old bronzing brush), Estee Lauder Doublewear Foundation (applied using Cosmopolitan Blend Perfection Sponge), MAC Studio Finish Concealer, Estee Lauder Doublewear Concealer, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural (applied using Avon Powder Brush), NARS Laguna Bronzer (applied using an old bronzing brush). MAC Fix+ to set.

EYES: Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow (RSVP) and TOPSHOP e/s mousse (Glint - both applied with No7 Lip Brush), No7 Starry Lights single e/s (applied using No7 Eyeshadow Brush), Avon Color Trend Kajal Stick (brown) on lower waterline, Shu Uemura eyelash curlers, CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume mascara (Black), MAC Dirty Blonde eyebrow pencil.

LIPS: Carmex Original lip balm.

I'm really glad I came across Essie's tutorial, otherwise I fear my Soleil Tan de Chanel may have been left neglected in my make-up drawer for long to come. However I do really need to invest in a proper bronzing brush, because mine is simply awful!

How do you make the Soleil Tan de Chanel work for you? What brush do you use to apply it?

Let me know!

Love,

Sophia

xo

CHANEL Soleil Tan de Chanel (Bronze Universel) and Perfection Lumiere - my thoughts!

Hey loves!

I hope you're all having a great Saturday :-)

So as some of you may know I recently visited Westfield Shepherds Bush with the bf, and along with a cheeky little MAC haul, I also picked up something very naughty in Chanel...

Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzing Makeup Base (previously Chanel Bronze Universel)

I know. I couldn't believe it either. I had meticulously planned a specific route to Boots (for Boots points), then Debenhams (for Beauty Card rewards), then finally John Lewis, where I had hoped one of these 3 stores would have the Bronze Universel - sorry, the Soleil Tan de Chanel - in stock! I couldn't believe it when I found it in the FIRST shop... Boots points FTW!

It's the epitome of high-end, glamorous, luxe make-up. I have NEVER bought a CHANEL product before, but having heard such rave reviews about this product from some of my FAVOURITE bloggers (namely Bubblegarm and Dulce Candy), I knew it HAD to be mine!

Here's how CHANEL describe the product...

"The velvety finish of this light cream-gel bronzer leaves your skin with a beautiful sun-bathed look. Wear it on its own, or for a hint of outdoors radiance, over or under your favorite CHANEL foundation"

Upon first impression, I have to admit the size of the product was smaller than I was expecting! Not in width but in height, it just seemed so shallow, and for £29I was certainly expecting more product!

I also was surprised by the texture of the product. I was expecting it to be alot more creamier, kind of like a soft, mousse feel, that you could pick up with your fingers and distribute where you like. It was actually pretty solid in texture!

In the swatch you can see the product is a lovely light tan colour that would definitely suit most skin types. It's like a cream version of Benefit Hoola bronzer!

My problem?

The application! I just CANNOT get this product to work for me. I know the brush probably doesn't help (I'm currently using an old, dishevelled, un-branded bronzing brush to apply all of my bronzers) but none of the other brushes I own seem to do the job. The bronzing brush is too 'stiff' and the product goes on patchy. The soft, round-top kabuki brush sheds in the pot and my stippling brush from ELF just doesn't pick up enough product.

What am I doing wrong??? I REALLY want to love this product, not just because I spent so much on it, but because everyone else seems to love it! How do YOU apply your Soleil Tan de Chanel?

I would love to know!

PS. Whilst I was at the CHANEL counter I tried to blag some free products... Standard! Their Illusion d'Ombre eyeshadows had been on my Christmas list for a while, but the MUA said they didn't do samples of that. So she applied some of it on my eye but it seemed WAY glittery, and having just passed Christmas I didn't think I'd get enough wear out of it! So I left it. BUT they had just released a new foundation, so I picked up a sample of that (upon recommendation, of course!)

Perfection Lumiere Long Wear Flawless Fluid Makeup SPF 10 - 10 Beige

The MUA applied a darker shade on my skin originally but it was too dark, so we opted for the shade 10 - Beige instead. In the store it looked amazing, but when I got home the colour was STILL too dark! I must be ghostly white because when I checked online, the shade I was given is the lighest shade they make :( I'm GUTTED because I loved the foundation, I know loads of people have reviewed it (my fave being Holly's) but it honestly does make your skin look PERFECT! It literally looks like your skin... but better. It eliminates all redness/imperfections/blemishes while still making it look like your natural skin! So I would definitely recommend it!

OK so here's my FOTD, using the Soleil Tan de Chanel, and the Perfection Lumiere foundation!

FACE: MAC Fix+ to prime, Estee Lauder Flawless Wear Concealer (Light) under eyes, MAC Studio Finish Concealer (NW15) to conceal blemishes [applied using a No7 Concealer Brush], CHANEL Perfection Lumiere Long-Wear Flawless Fluid Makeup SPF 10 (Beige 10) [applied using fingers and buffed in using an ELF Studio Stippling Brush], MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural (Light) [applied using an Avon All Over Face Brush], CHANEL Soleil Tan de Chanel [applied using an old Avon bronzing brush], MAC Fix+ to finish.

EYES: Urban Decay Primer Potion (Original), Urban Decay Baked e/s (Buck) all over lid [applied using a No7 Eyeshadow Brush], Urban Decay Baked e/s (Smog) in outer corners [applied using a No7 Eyeshadow Blending Brush], Soap & Glory SUPERCAT Eye Liner along top lid, Avon Color Trend Kajal Stick (Black) along lower waterline and finished off with 2 coats of Cover Girl's LashBlast Volume Mascara in Black.

EYEBROWS: Ruby & Millie Brow Enhance (shadow and wax), both applied using a W7 Angled Eye Brush.

LIPS: LUSH Bubblegum Lip Scrub to prime, Avon Luxe Lace Ultra Colour Rich Lipstick (Satin) in Pout.

OK so in brief. I LOVE the thought of the Soleil Tan de Chanel, but I need to know which brush to use! & the Perfection Lumiere is uh-amazinggg but I won't be able to use it because I'm too pale! Bah!

Both products are available at larger Boots stores, Debenhams and John Lewis.

Have you got the Soleil Tan de Chanel? How do you apply it?

Please let me know because I really want to make it work for me!

Love,

Sophia

xo