Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Fresh & Hydrating Cream Compact

I've been in possession of this foundation since the middle of March but I've been down with such a severe cold that I really had no motivation to do my makeup. Then my skin decided that it was going to break out horribly at the same time so I was also concentrating more on skincare. I'm at least functional now and my skin has calmed down so it was time to finally test out my new Chanel's Vitalumiere Aqua compact!

With the compact you also receive a velor pouch to put  your compact in, but I don't find that to be as useful and sometimes it ends up just being cumbersome. Moreover, the pouch attracts lint like nobody's business and that definitely doesn't look appealing at all. The compact itself comes with a basic white sponge that sits on top of the lid inside that keeps the foundation from drying out. There's also your standard mirror attached to the lid. The packaging also looks rather simple but very sleek and the white Chanel logo is very apparent against the black case, so I can imagine that this compact would be quite the statement accessory as you pull it out of your purse.

My shade is 22 Beige Rose, which is a bit strange since the all shades seem to coincide with the liquid foundation except for Beige Rose. For the liquid foundation I am BR 20, but the only available shade for me was 22 BR for the compact. This wouldn't be such a big deal but I was ordering online and the compact was so expensive I couldn't help but be a bit apprehensive when I made the purchase. Thankfully, I worried for nothing and the shade was just fine for me.

The little pamphlet that came inside the box says that this foundation is specifically formulated for normal to dry skin and creates a dewy complexion. I have combination skin and I personally found that this works fine for me and lasts the whole day. However, I will admit that we haven't really been having warm spring weather lately even though it's now April so I can't say how this foundation would perform in hotter climates. If you have some dry patch areas, be aware that this foundation will actually cling to them and I was only able to solve that with a bit of moisturizer. So I don't what that means for the hydrating part of this foundation's name. I certainly had none of that problem with the liquid foundation.  As for application, I like using my fingers since I feel like the warmth makes the foundation more emollient and easier to blend.

There's a bit more coverage with this foundation compared to the liquid but it still has that barely there look and feel. None of that effect is lost with this formulation. Once you have it on, it really does look like your skin but better. I've also been told that my complexion looks brighter and clearer while wearing it. I did find that the finish for this foundation is more satiny unlike the liquid version, which is more dewy.

Overall, I do really like this foundation and the packaging makes it very travel friendly. I love that I can take this with me for touch ups and the foundation is also creamy enough to double as concealer if needed. The price however is a kind of a kick in the gut at $58 and once you include sales tax you could very well be shelling out over $60 for this foundation. So, if you're looking for a luxury foundation, I would definitely recommend this compact.