I feel as though Chanel are always going to be on the bit of a losing streak with me, when it comes to bringing out new foundations. And that’s not because they’re offering bad foundations (Chanel do excellent face bases); it’s because I’ve already found perfection (quite literally) in the form of their Perfection Lumiere Velvet, a beautifully fresh foundation with a semi-matte finish and a light, easy-to-blend texture.
I’ve harped on about Velvet so much that it’s almost embarrassing, but it’s the building blocks that I keep going back to time and time again. It’s conveniently packaged (tiny, square, plastic black bottle that’s compact and virtually unbreakable), it’s quick to apply (blends seamlessly) and it sits more than oily patches whilst managing to be equally kind to drier, flakier patches. The finish is smooth, velvety and skin looks perfected without getting a “mask-like” appearance.
But this isn’t overview of the Perfection Lumiere Velvet: Chanel have added a brand new foundation to their range, Le Teint Ultra Tenue, which promises long wear, good coverage along with a luminous matte finish. You can probably guess that long wear + good coverage + matte finish = heavy. And it is – too heavy for me, certainly, with my passion for light, fresh foundations.
So I’m not at all the target market, here, but I’ve put my very own preferences aside and because of the Teint Ultra Tenue a good, thorough testing, with some before and after photos so that you can see the effect for yourselves.
Teint Ultra Tenue may come as a fluid in a glass bottle and as a powder in a compact. The powder and that i didn’t quite see eye to eye (I’d use it to set makeup, perhaps, but not as a foundation) and so it was the bottled Ultrawear Flawless Foundation that used residence on the shelf next to my bathroom mirror.
Although this really is labelled a “fluid”, it has quite a dense texture – it’s certainly not runny like the Perfection Lumiere Velvet – and that i find it far claggier to apply and blend. However it absolutely does have a matte finish and the wear is indeed long. I attempted cleansing a patch of it from the back of my hand also it took three attempts with a cleansing oil to start breaking it down, accompanied by a cream cleanse to thoroughly remove all traces. Very, very impressive. But that’s why the merchandise has a heavier feel – it’s giving full coverage for the whole day with no shifting and I’m not sure you could expect that from a very lightweight foundation. (Although I have to admit that Perfection Lumiere Velvet includes a pretty good go!)
Shall we check out coverage and finish? Here’s my face before the foundation:
The usual darkish circles, items of redness and so on. All obliterated by the mighty coverage of the Teint Ultra Tenue:
– which does manage to give quite a nice dose of luminosity simultaneously as being completely matte. Now a closer look at the skin:
Very full coverage (I used one light application, I could have easily built up more under the eyes) and a matte finish. The foundation doesn’t sit brilliantly well on top lip and at the sides of the nose, but that’s right down to the heavy texture and the fact that it sets very quickly on application, which makes it quite difficult to blend properly. A moist makeup sponge is better than a brush, but in either case it’s not the most foolproof of face bases! It feels very slightly waxy and immovable, though it doesn’t perhaps look that way – the more I stare in the pictures above the more a very perfected and luminous finish.
Browse more foundation reviews…
I’d say that this definitely isn’t the best foundation for you if you have dry skin, or lots of fine lines, and that i do wonder how it would fare over blemishes, particularly if they were surrounded by that annoying flaky skin you can get from acne treatments. Yes, the policy is good, yes the foundation stays in position brilliantly, but for me the Perfection Lumiere Velvet does these things almost as well, without the heaviness. It’s a better choice if you don’t need – or want – the heaviest of coverages and don’t require sort of longevity that would allow you to shoot a Vogue cover straight after running a marathon through a rainforest.
What I'd say is that if you are very oily and find that most makeup slips or disappears by midday then Teint Ultra Tenue would last wonderful. The staying power is serious; if you’re the sort of person who reaches for the Double Wear on a regular basis then this foundation might just float your boat. Equally if you value that sort of Old Hollywood “blank canvas” base that wipes out any inkling of the skin that lies beneath. Not my cup of tea, as I said before, but it definitely has its place in the makeup world, and this kind of coverage is vastly popular.
You can see my review of Perfection Lumiere Velvet here – Chanel Teint Ultra Tenue foundation is lb37 here*, it's available in 16 shades. I wear shade 20 in both.
See also: Dior Forever REVIEW For full coverage but a lighter feel and easier application, and Lancome’s Idole Cushion REVIEW For full coverage and a juicier finish.
