I am fairly disappointed in this product, even though I think it's my own fault mostly. I was looking for a fine powder, which would help set my makeup and give me this flawless yet somehow dewy luminous look. However this just sit on top of my skin making it looks kind of dull. This is called a powder foundation, so maybe it was me who bought the wrong product.

i love this powder i use it along with the chanel matt foundation and my skin looks so clear and natural. this won't make you look powery or cakey it works great at controling oil and the thing i love most is you can buy refills so you don't need to bin the pretty packaging :)

I have oily skin that is prone to acne. I was first introduce to this product by Makeupalley a year ago.
For the first few times that I used this product, it worked magic on me and many people complimented that I looked better and natural with this powder.
6 months down the road, this product doesn't absorb or control any oil anymore. I'm not sure if it's a change in my skin or had my skin got so adapted to this product that it is producing more oil.
I will be switching to something else that can provide better oil control feature.

I got a sample of this in beige cendre30 cos the SA ran out of 10 and 20. Obviously, it was too dark and yellow.. anyway, i wanted to test out if my skin will react badly to it, fortunately it didn't. But i felt that coverage is too sheer and it kind of look cakey upon application. Lucky i didnt bought the full-size pact.

This product is designed for oily skin. Unfortunately does not stand up to it's promise. On application - velvetly and matt withint 2 hours, starts to slide of skin. Very disappointing. Mac studio fix lasts longer on oily skin

Since I live in the States where this particular product is not available (I regularly curse Chanel and its tendency to make my favorite shades and products Asian exclusives...grrrrr), samples of this item were hard to locate. Well, after a few months of trying I finally got my grubby little paws on some of this in 30 Beige Cendre (I am MAC NC35/Warm Natural 4.5 in Bobbi Brown Natural Finish at my palest, for reference). 30 Beige Cendre is definitely a shade that will work best on individuals with strong yellow undertones and warm skin. That said, this has been a banner year for me in terms of HG foundations, as this one has turned out to be a complete and utter winner in my book - though truth be told, I suspect that the 30 is a bit too light for me, so I will try the 40. The powder is very finely milled and keeps shine at bay for hours (I should add though that while my combo skin definitely tends to get shiny, it is not extremely oily, either), and application is incredibly easy. In fact, in terms of ease of application it puts every other foundation I have tried to shame. The deluxe samples of this come with a tiny little sponge, and somehow this manages to look stellar even when I use that! If you are capable of blotting your skin with pressed powder, then you can apply Mat Lumiere Extreme successfully - no fancy brushes required. Coverage is easily buildable, especially when you wet the sponge a little bit, but if you have pretty clear skin dry application is certainly sufficient. This product has no scent - at least none detected by my bionic nose - and every single time I wear it, I receive compliments on my skin without fail. (I should note here that I have been applying it over Murad's new Hybrids primer, in either the matte or the dewy finish - it works wonderfully with this product). It leaves my skin matte, but without the flat, artificial matte finish that characterizes so many powder foundations in my experience. I also appreciate the fact that you can purchase refills for this product as opposed to purchasing an entire new compact every time. My sole issue is that this particular shade will only work for me at my palest...for the rest of the year I will need to purchase a darker shade. Time to go sample hunting again - but at least now I know that it will be well worth the effort. This is a wonderful product, and worth every penny. Now if I could only convince Chanel to sell it in the States...

This is my HG Powder Foundation. I've tried Mac Studio Fix, Shu Uemura, Laura Mercier, Loreal, Clinique etc etc but after I tried this I just stopped looking. For a powder foundation this really minimizes my large pores and blurs imperfections. I don't use it with concealer because until now I'm still looking for my hg concealer. It really doesn't make my skin too oily and too chalky err matte, just a dewy healthy look! We have to be realistic here girls! There's no powder that would stop your skin from producing oils! So I use oil control film for my nose, chin and forehead and there you go! perfect. It Doesn't break me out either!!! Light on the face like you're not wearing anything! I use it everyday! For Powder Foundation you have to prep your skin first! Moisturize!!! The night before and before applying make up. Make sure it's Oil free for those with oily skin. I have combination skin where I have really oily areas but it's flaking at the same time! Use setting powder or it won't last that long (that's why I only gave it 4 lippies)

im afraid this has caused me much disappointment and will not be on my "buy again" list. i contemplated long before buying this, reading reviews after reviews. and the only good thing i have to say is that its powder is really fine and its good, probably the best in the market at oil control. however, the finishing is way too matte (really extreme!) for my liking and makes my skin looks sallow and dull. initially i thought i look like a ghost when im already using beige cendre with very yellow undertone. maybe i should get the mat lumiere refill next time but right now, im just disappointed =(

I don't know what possessed me to jump on ebay and buy this non-returnable product from Hong Kong. I think it was driving me crazy that I could not buy this in the U.S. and I might have been missing out on some extraordinary mattifying powder makeup. I would normally never buy anything, not even a $.99 drugstore lip pencil knowing that I couldn't return it. Well for all of you American girls, who have been dying to get your hands on it but can't read Japanese on the websites that sell it, this is the skinny.....I can imagine that it does give young skin a poreless, porcelain look. However, I don't have young skin and found that this powder didn't mattify me enough to give me that smooth poreless, porcelain look. My T zone was shinier than usual within an hour and I don't have particularly oily skin. It did accentuate lines before I decided to layer it over "Almost Makeup" sheer foundation. It didn't rise and separate or dissipate as easily as most foundations by afternoon. But it did start to break down with the oils by the end of the day. I tried reapplication for sun protection on the sunny ride home, but it caked. Most importantly, number 01 clair is fair enough for my complexion, but is very yellow, even too yellow for me, who usually uses neutral to yellow bases. This is going into the makeup drawer. Unfortunately, all of my Asian friends don't wear makeup. If I could give it away I would. I hate to see $48.00 go to waste. Lesson learned! Don't buy anything I can't return no matter how tempting.

I felt compelled to write a review on this product (and this will NOT be a rave I'm afraid) as I've been trying and trying this past week to make this work for me... but I'm just not getting the results described by the other reviewers. I really went out on a limb for this powder as it is very expensive, but thought it might be worth it if the product could really cover my pores and keep the oil under control. Just know that my skin is SO oily that not even Colorstay can keep me matte for more than a few hours. (The best combo I've tried so far is Shiseido's waterproof liquid foundation with Kryolan anti-shine powder to set).
Tried this with various combinations of moisturizer, blemish balm cream, primer, liquid foundation and finishing powders -- and while the powder itself is super-fine and silky (you know it's of high quality when you touch it) and goes on smooth, it just doesn't give me the finish I was expecting. Not bad, but not mind-blowing either. And doesn't last on me.
Did I get a bad batch or what? *sigh* I think I'll just use this to touch-up during the day.
I did notice that the other reviewers are fairly young, so maybe this works better for younger skin.

After reading all the good reviews bout this powder, i decided to give it a shot. its A-mazing!!! i really wanted a compact foundation that could give good coverage since i hv uneven skin tone especially near my upper lips n jaw area. i knw liquid foundation gives good coverage but applying it consumes time so i wanted a compact foundation for a quicker application. trust me this powder really works wonders! it really gives me an even skin tone after application. at the beginning i was a bit afraid that this powder might look cakey on me but the texture is just super fine. it will not cake up. the color really stays and does not oxidize or make your skin look greyish like some powder does. it's my new HG powder!! i would have given it 5 lippies if not for the price :-)

This powder is a must have for girls with oily skin! After trying many powders and foundations from MAC to Covergirl to MakeUp Forver to Mineral Wear & others i had given up on finding a powder that would not make me look like an oil slick, but Chanel Mat Lumiere Extreme proved me wrong. I have VERY oily skin like straight after i step out the house whether the weather is cold or hot my face turns into an oil slick, but this foundation kept my oil at bay all day. Living in Sydney, Australia we have very hot summers like today it was 39 degrees Celsius and i wore this foundation out today and just got home and even though it was so hot and i felt like my face was sweating, when i looked in the mirror my face was relatively matte. I definitely recommend girls with oily skin to try this product. continued >>

The best at controlling oiliness and shine, and color stays true all day - does not oxydize! My HG daytime foundation (evening is Shu Uemura - I actually like Shu better but Shu is not as good at controlling shine).

My colour is RMK LF 101, around NC20 and both Chanel 10 Beige Clair (yellow base lightest shade) and 20 Rose Beige (pink based lightest shade) suits me. I went ahead to get a refill for Shade 10 but it's out of stock and i decide to try shade 20.

The SA recommend me both shade 10 & 20 the first time round, but i rejected shade 20 because i'm concerned if it will be too red for me. My skin tone is usually neutral - not yellow and not red - which is a chore when i buy liquid foundation and i usually stick to yellow based ones as red one tend to make me look like a cooked crab. the pink undertone for shade 20 is not that scary compared to most other brands (Ettusais, Za, MAC NW20). the effect is like a brighter and more radiant version of 10. luckily for me, the shade remains - it will not oxidise and turn darker and redder after few hours.

Power is really fine. I can use them for touch up on my nose and it will never have the "open pore" look - unlike many other 2 way cake i have tried. i only use sunblock below it and It last very well for me for my usual 18 hours days except for my nose - which none of any brands loose powder can control it.
My HG for years had been RMK LF + Chacott Loose powder and this compact is able to give a better effect than them.
Price is SGD$83, and the refill is SGD$63. a refill last me 3 months with daily usage + occasional day touchup. it's on the pricely side but considering the cost to buy a good LF & LP, it is actually more economical.

**** add on 2011-07-05*****
I had just bought Chanel Vitalumiere Eclat compact powder to try last week. In comparison, Chanel Mat Lumiere extreme gives a matte and slightly heavier coverage in comparison to Chanel Vitalumiere Eclat which gives a dewy glowy look. For reference, my shade for Vitalumiere Eclat is B10. continued >>

THIS IS SO GOOD! I dont own it, i tried at a dep. store in hongkong. When i came back to the hotel i saw my face on the mirror. IT IS SO FLAWLESS. Not that matte, very dewy and yet not shiny. No red acne marks. FLAWLESS as in! This is the best foundation i had used ever! My daily foundation routine is all Shu Uemura. From primer,concealr foundation, brushes and powder! And i cant believe a single powder foundation would give me results the same as my shu uemura routine without that much amount of product! AMAZING!

Finally the BEST powder foundation i've ever tried!!!! it has everything i need! Coverage Superb! very lasting.. Doesnt oxidise! Covers my open pores v,well! no breakouts!with jus one application my face looks completely flawless! i used my concealer first (for compactt foundation always apply concealer first,for fluid foundation apply concealer after ur LF) under eyes n pimples..the finishing is matte. err.. sum may find it too matte. but in order not to look V. matte, i balance it with a hint of shimmer for my blusher n bronzer... :) i absoloutely cnt live w/o this one! Shade #10 beige clair matches my NC20 VERY WELL! i was told by the SA to get #20 beige rose! but my intincts told me to get #10. im GLAD i did! cos rose beige has a pinkbase! might not be natural for my yellow undertone... i received lotsa compliments from frens/family n even strangers and said hw flawless my skin look! haha! i DO NOT hv such gd complexion. A GOOD makeup Does wonders! i fake it, this is awesome. i will defnitely buy a refill.. this powder foundation cost me sgd82 but its so worth it! love love love this! this is diffnt frm mat lumiere spf 10-gives u glowy finish. medium coverage. Mat Lumiere Extreme spf 20 not only the spf is more but it gives MORE coverage than the mat lumiere spf 10. gives u MATTE finish. if you're looking for a gd coverage,lasting compact THIS IS FOR YOU! suitable for combi,oily skin! i jz need to blot w a tissue. amazing thats all i cn say....

I've never used Mat Lumiere, but after getting a minimakeover at the Chanel counter with Mat Lumiere Extreme, I think i'm going to stick with this one :) Right after application, i went to an hour and a half tennis lesson and walked around and came home sweating from the hot humid air, and it was STILL there! No smudging, anything..it was absolutely perfect, and still stayed on until the next day. I love it!

This is my HG foundation. I have the Sebum Control Pore Minimizing version in 10 Beige Clair (according to the SA there is a sebum control version and a normal version?). I've always stuck with Chanel foundations (cream and powder) and powders because I find that they work very well for me -- dewy finish, good coverage, plus no breakouts. I was a firm believer in Teint Innocence but wanted something lighter and less troublesome i.e. powder form so I tried the Mat Lumiere sample first. Verdict? Great. Goes on and stays on well, and the best part for me is that it really does control oil. My skin is really pretty oily but find that I don't have to blot at all unless I stay out the whole day (>10hrs). I also love that it has SPF.
For major zits you're going to need concealer, but since hardcore coverage isn't my main priority, this was perfect for me. Note that if you have drier, flaky skin, it will show up more, but I use Avene spray for that when I'm in winter conditions. Price is a bit steep but I really don't mind paying for quality. Considering that my alternative was Shu Uemura, I find that the price difference wasn't that great anyway so I stuck with what was tried and tested. continued >>

There's some confusion with Chanel's powder foundations between 3 specific products: The Teint Control Extreme; the original Mat Lumiere; and now the Mat Lumiere Extreme. I've spoken with the head at my local Chanel boutique and she has confirmed that (in Asia and presumably Europe), the Mat Lumiere Extreme is replacing the Teint Controle Extreme but it's different than the original Mat Lumiere. The individual counters will finish selling their stock of the Teint Controle Extreme and make the switch over to Mat Lumiere Extreme.

I tossed out all my other foundations after I bought this compact. It has even replaced my much trusted Colorstay! Okay, in truth, it's not as tenacious as Colorstay which on me can last an entire day without a single blot. I do blot once or twice with Mat Lumiere Extreme on a long, 10 hr day. I'm currently living in a very hot and humid country and some days I just dread putting on a liquid foundation like colorstay. This is where the convenience of this powder comes in. It goes on super smooth, super light, with fabulous coverage, and lasts through the whole day with no oily breakthroughs or slipping off. It's best suited for oily gals like myself, as dry spots on the face does have a tendency to be emphasized by the powder. Sometimes I finish off this powder with Evian spray if the effects are too matte. The great thing about this powder is that it transforms oil into a dewy sheen so my face doesn't look like a grease pan by the end of the day. The cincher? No breakouts either!

Color ranges in this line are adequate, 20 Beige Rose has more of a rosy tint (slightly more pink), others are quite neutral or yellow-based. Powder comes nestled in a large sleek black Chanel compact with a full-sized mirror and a large quality sponge. The powder slot itself can be taken out and replaced and Chanel readily sells replacements with just the powder itself.

I've been very very pleased with this powder, I know that Chanel counters have samples of this powder (complete in a cardboard compact with a sponge! :) so ask for a sample if you're unsure. Would I repurchase? Well, I already have and use it daily! continued >>

UPDATE 2: made it a week with no breakouts, so bought a full size. Turns out that 20 Beige Rose also works for me, maybe even is a little brighter than 10 Beige Clair. Chanel lady told me that a very, very light swipe of the sponge is fine for coverage and you don't have to use too much pressure unless you want heavier coverage. She also claimed that if you wear this stuff long enough your pores will actually get smaller. I will take that with a grain of salt for now, but at least I look good. ;) Sometimes when I sweat on my face a lot, depending on what's under the powder, it will seem like my foundation is gone, but my blush is still right where I left it! I have no clue, folks. As far as I'm concerned this foundation was made by wizards.
UPDATE: So far I've taken naps in this, wore it over ML liquid, by itself, in rain, wind, sun, heavy AC, sweat, etc etc, and no matter what my face is still matte and my blush is still perfect. 0 new zits, no drying. Hello, summer foundation!
Mat Lumiere Extreme is a new, "leveled up" foundation for summer. The package says it is "sebum control pore minimizing powder foundation" with SPF 20/PA+++ sun protection. I have never used Double Perfection or the Teint Contrale Extreme, only the ML liquid, so I can't compare, but here's my experience so far:
Background: My skin is normally combo, but in Osaka summers it gets extremely greasy & sweaty thanks to the insanely high humidity. Quite pale, cool undertones (Faience in ML liquid, Rose Ivory in LM Silk Creme), most sunscreen-containing products kill my skin, and Revlon ColorStay and EL DoubleWear kill me as well. I'm using LM primer and grapeseed oil as a moisturizer underneath this.
Anyway, I am really liking this so far. The Chanel lady picked out Beige Clair 10, the lightest color, for me. I had been eyeing the pinkish light shade, but Beige Clair matches me just fine, and takes out some of the ruddiness in my cheeks from the heat. Doesn't seem to oxidize so far, I keep checking my jawline/neck and re-swatching and it blends in perfect. Coverage is maybe light-medium in my estimation? You'll need concealer, most likely, although it did even me out and cover small spots/blemishes.
First night I got it I put it on and promptly jumped in the shower, lol! didn't touch my face, but there was a lot of steam action. It still looked perfect when I got out. During the day, in my experience, it does settle a bit, if you have huge scary pores you are probably gonna want a good primer. Mine are pretty small so it wasn't so bad. By mid-afternoon my blush was still flawless, but I wasn't looking as "fresh," so I blotted and re-applied anew. Here's the interesting thing for me - my Gatsby blotting papers picked up plenty of oil, but my face hadn't even looked a tiny bit shiny! Barely even "dewy," it was like my skin was producing oil as usual and the Chanel was somehow keeping it covered or something. My cheeks feel dry, but in a "good" way - smooth, not-sticky or flaky. T-zone also feels smooth and dry. Somehow despite this, under my eyes, where I usually layer up like crazy because of my dark circles, my fine lines didn't look exaggerated like EL DW made them! Also, none of that yucky buildup around the nose when I wear glasses like practically every other powder foundation.
So far I am very pleased with this. Here is the ingredients list:
talc, titanium dioxide, silica, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, boron nitride, caprylyl methicone, dimethiconol fluoroalcohol dilinoleic acid, zinc stearate, potassium sorbate, methylparaben, propylparaben, polyperfluoromethyllisopropyl ether, bis-hydroxyethoxypropyl dimethicone/ipdi copolymer ethylcarbamate, propylene glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate, magnesium aluminum silicate, lilium candidum bulb extract, pentaerythrityl tetra-di-t-butyl hydroxyhydrocinnamate, prunus persica (peach) fruit extract, hydroxyethylcellulose, nigella sativa seed oil, bht, cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) seed oil, phospholipids continued >>