There are two face and cheek products in the Chanel Summer 2016 Collection. The Les Beiges Powder Duos are available in two limited-edition shades Duo No. 01 and Duo No. 02 ($65 each for 11 g/0.39 oz, made in France). These are similar in texture and feel to the regular Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powders which have a very natural look, soft velvety texture and semi-sheer but buildable coverage. Ever since originally reviewing them a few years ago, I’ve used Shade No. 20 to set for a very soft sheer setting powder. The new duos for summer have a very soft shimmer to them – if any of the blushes, bronzers or highlighters of late have seemed way to shimmery for your taste, these two are among the most subtle. They are perfect for those who don’t want a pure matte but don’t want a lot of shimmer either.
No. 01 is a duo with a shimmering orange and deep bronze. No. 02 is more like a blush with a pale champagne pink shimmer and medium reddish blush color.
Swatched with a medium to heavy hand below:
No. 01 is a duo with a shimmering orange shade that has a very soft glowy finish and a dark bronze. Mixed together creates a warm and deep bronzed look. You can apply with a fluffy brush for sheer coverage but I found it to be on the pigmented side for a Les Beiges powder. The first time I tried it I put too much on the brush and ended up with dark streaks on each side of my face. Definitely use a lighter hand when applying. That being said the color can be easily blended out. This is one of the darkest bronzer powders I own. If you are light or fair skinned you will most likely find this too warm and too dark.
Comparisons below to:
- Becca Luminous Blush in Blushed Copper (review here)
- Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in Luminous Bronze Light (reviewed here)
- Chanel Les Beiges Powder No 04 (swatched here)
- Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow Med-Dark (look + review here)
- Tom Ford Bronzing Powder Bronze Age (review here)
No. 02 is more blush material for me with a soft pinky shimmer highlighter on the top and a warm reddish coral shade on the bottom. It’s a really pretty color for summer I think goes well with the pink Aqua Glossimer in Adenium (reviewed here).
Comparisons below to:
- Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light (review here)
- Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat (review here)
- Becca Luminous Blush in Snapdragon (review here)
- NARS Dual Intensity Blush in Panic
Chanel Les Beiges Duo No. 01 look features Rouge Coco in Vera and Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit in That Glow on the eyes. Chanel Les Beiges Duo No. 02 look features Chanel Aqua Glossimer in Adenium and Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit in Sundipped on the eyes. Foundation worn is NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in Groenland + St. Moritz mixed together.
Overall thoughts are that these are very good powders quality and color-wise. I bought them last month so I’ve had some time to play with them. The Les Beiges Duo No. 01 is definitely more along the lines of a bronzer while No. 02 is more of a highlighter/blush on me. Based on pulling a few other powders to compare, a few final thoughts:
- The powder texture is very finely milled and very pigmented for a Les Beiges powder formula.
- By comparison to other formulas, the Les Beiges Duos are not as pigmented as the Becca Luminous Blushes, but you can still build the color for more intensity.
- I applied by swirling a large fluffy brush to combine colors, the darker shades in each compact are more pigmented than the lighter top color so the result is that the deeper bottom shade dominates. The top shade helps diffuse and soften the bottom color if that makes sense.
- No. 01 is easy to overdo – at least it was for me, I consider myself to have medium toned skin. If you’re lighter than me, it will probably look orangey on your skin as it is on the warm side. If you’re medium to tan to deep, you will probably rejoice that Chanel has finally released a darker colored powder!
- No. 02 has a very similar effect on me to Hourglass Diffused Heat.
I don’t have any regrets buying these but am not sure that I can call them must-haves. If you’re looking to update your bronzer or blush collection with new colors that have that lovely satiny soft glow I think you will really like these. Even though it’s probably best for conservative makeup wearers like myself to go easy on the shimmer and frost I can’t help but be really into the super shimmers for the face that are popular these days.
Both duos are limited-edition. They retail for $65 each, available at Chanel.com and all other Chanel retailers.
Have you tried these yet? What did you think?
Very pretty, but you're right that they don't seem too special or unique. I love them both on you though, especially No. 2!
Number 2 looks gorgeous!
Thanks for featuring these. I had to have both and don't find No. 1 too dark even though I'm pretty fair skinned. It needs to be worked nicely into the skin. I think you mean Les Beiges in 40 instead of 04.
Tanja
When I was purchasing my Aqua Glossimers, I gave these a test run. Since I was headed straight home, I let the SA try one on each side of my face. 01 was too dark on me and my peach undertones emphasized the orange in the duo. The SA applied it, shook his head and said, "I don't know, Eileen. What do you think of The Great Pumpkin look?" and we both burst out laughing 😀 02 was infinitely better, but as you pointed out, it is really just another blusher/highlighter duo–albeit a very pretty one–and I didn't need another one for summer. When I said no thanks to both, he said, "No problem. I'm gonna get you with the fall collection." So now I'm wondering what is in store for us 🙂
Two different beauties: 01, sultry goddess. 02, fresh and feminine.
Love the color of the Chanel blush <3 It has just enough coral and pink in it! Thanks for the swatches!!
-Lauren
http://www.elleisforlovely.com
Oh it's nice to know that Hourglass is a potential dupe for 02.
You know Chanel used to be an automatic go to for me but I'm bored of it. I bought the new polish but the rest just does nothing for me when there is so much new, exciting innovation in beauty. Tom Ford have innovation is spades coming in Fall, I adore Kevyn Aucoin & Burberry for the quiet understated performance. Natasha Denona has just landed in UK (Sabrina your British viewers need some steer here from you on what to buy). Chanel really need to overhaul their cosmetic brand…..its tired, boring and staid. Having seen some commercially sensitive sales figures from a major store the customers are no longer voting with their purses. The sales are in freefall as customers try and adopt brands that are more edgy, innovative and don't rely on their brand name to generate sales.
Great post… I loved both the looks. thanks for sharing.