Chanel • Vitalumiere Aqua • Liquid

Where To Buy?

Cristy1970 on 7/23/2012 5:42:00 PM more reviews by Cristy1970

Age: 36-43   Skin: Very Oily, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Hmmmm. I like this foundation. I do. But is it worth spending the money on again? I truly believe that foundations purchased at the department store are way better than drugstore brands. And the higher end, the better, usually. That's based on my many years of experience trying different foundations. But that's just me. Would I repurchase this product again? No. And the reason is, is there is something way better out there, I just know it. This foundation is nice, it provides medium coverage at best, it stays on pretty well, and it contains spf. The texture is thin and a tad watery, but it spreads evenly and looks rather natural on my skin. I don't care for the smell, though. And I have found upon looking at pictures of myself taken when I'm wearing this foundation that I look pasty and have that whitish cast, probably due to the spf. It comes in a plastic squeeze bottle, which is okay, but I do prefer a pump for foundations. Not bad, but not superior, either. I suggest if you're looking for a good high end foundation, shop around before buying this one.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Jsconnelly on 7/23/2012 2:24:00 PM more reviews by Jsconnelly

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I adore this foundation ! I purchased it in January this year and still have a lot of it left ! A little goes along way with this product and it is very blendable. I used it a lot through out spring time when it was getting a little too warm to wear a full coverage foundation. As I have oily skin I was worried about this foundation making me break out as I had read reviews online prior to purchasing it and found a lot of girls had discovered this foundation had caused breakouts. This was not the case with me and I found it didn't break me out. I love how small and compact the packaging is, it's great for travelling and I love that the packaging is plastic and not glas.

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scb8551 on 7/21/2012 10:30:00 AM more reviews by scb8551

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Olive   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I normally use Lancome Teint Miracle (which I LOVE & would recommend to anyone), but I decided to play around with some foundations. Chanel's Vita Lumiere Aqua foundation is great. It leaves a natural finish; however, it took me a while to figure out how to accomplish this "natural finish." I originally applied the foundation with a brush, but I have learned over time that it's best when applied with your hands. The only downsides to this foundation are that it's expensive and the packaging is also somewhat annoying. Anyway- overall, I'd repurchase!

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mi2092 on 7/14/2012 5:27:00 AM more reviews by mi2092

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I really really love the finish when using this. It's light in coverage but gives me the healthy skin look. It's not sticky. My skin feel fresh when using this. However it does not last. Doesn't matter if you set it with powder or not. Last 4 hours max on my combination skin. I will repurchase just because I enjoy the glowy finish.

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keiragill on 7/13/2012 9:14:00 AM more reviews by keiragill

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Initially I wrote a really good review about this but.. after using it often, I have come to a decision that I will not repurchase this again. I know it shows up great on the face, its semi dewy and luminous. Just beautiful on the skin.

After using it for some time, I started getting a bit more pimples than usual. I blamed it on everything else rather than this foundation (e.g. the weather, my facial wash,etc). It got a bit bad and thought it could be the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua afterall. I took a weeks break from the foundation and my skin pretty much cleared up.

I went back to this foundation and after a day of use, I got 3 spots on my cheeks now! I tried so hard to love this foundation but it leaves me spots :( In search of a new foundation now :'(

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Sparkled on 7/11/2012 11:53:00 AM more reviews by Sparkled

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Green    

I see a reoccurring theme here: This foundation gives you blemishes in places you don't normally break out, and cystic acne in people who normally don't have that issue! After sifting through the reviews, this issue seems to occur in girls with various skin types, but mainly combination and dry. I know that VA is supposed to be for girls with oily skin, and that may or may not be the reason why so many of us are experiencing breakouts when we shouldn't!


For the record, I have very dry skin. I went to the Chanel counter requesting a luminous, dewy, hydrating foundation. I was a bit skeptical when the very kind SA recommended I try Vitalumiere Aqua. I'd read on the Makeup Board before that VA is usually not the best choice for dry-skinned girls. But the SA matched some of VA in BR10 to a spot on my jawline, and I liked how it felt. She generously gave me a few sample packets of the foundation and told me I could try it out at home after I explained how sensitive my skin is.


On a Sunday morning before church, I tried out half of one packet. I would call BR10 a 98% match to my NW15 skin (I wear Ivory in Diorskin Forever). It's ever so slightly pinker than my already cool, pink-toned skin, but I actually liked that! I'm so pale that this shade gave me a little bit of natural-looking color and freshness. "This would be great for the dead of winter when my skin is very dull and even paler," I thought, while applying VA with my fingertips all over my freshly cleansed and moisturized race. I instantly ADORED the finish and feel. The foundation felt thin and delicate, and then it set to a lovely finish. It left me looking luminous and refreshed, and I was absolutely pleased with what I saw in the mirror. I also received several compliments about how pretty I looked that day. I knew that VA must be a keeper.


Unfortunately, by late afternoon I had a small, painful red zit protruding from my chin. I rarely ever break out, so I was worried at first. However, I had been quite hormonal, and I was so enamored with VA, that I didn't immediately rule out that it was the foundation breaking me out. I washed it off and tried to treat the zit as best as I could. I did notice after removing the foundation that my skin felt a tiny bit dry and the formula had gathered into little flecks around my jawline - not good.


The next day I tried VA again, using a fresh sample. I felt some unusual pain in a weird spot on my nose; I could tell there was some sort of a blemish beneath the skin where my right nostril connected to the rest of my face, if that makes any sense at all! By the day's end, the spot felt VERY painful, and I knew it was cystic acne, something I'd never experienced before. I also noticed a few more painful spots like this on other areas of my skin, and another red dot or two. Horrible! Luckily, I treated my skin quickly and kept it make-up free for a few days to counteract the damage VA had done. It took me about a week to get my face back to normal though.


Overall, I am pretty heartbroken about this foundation, for multiple reasons: The finish is stunning, and I can't seem to find anything similar in a foundation that agrees with dry skin! Also, I am a huge Chanel addict. I swear by their eye makeup, lipstick, and perfumes; I had so hoped to add one of their foundations to my makeup arsenal as well. Now I'm a little wary of trying any of their face makeup again, at least not for a long time. I believe if you have oily skin, you should still get samples of this, as VA tends to give people breakouts whether they are normally prone to them or not. As for me, I'm waiting for YSL's new Touche Eclat foundation to be released before even considering a different Chanel foundation. If I do, it may be the original Vitalumiere, provided I can find an adequate color match. But I'll never try VA again, not after this terrible experience.

7 out of 10 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

LawLaw88 on 6/25/2012 9:40:00 PM more reviews by LawLaw88

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This is a good summer foundation it's light and won't clog pores. I only use it during the day or if I'm going to an outdoor party at night because the coverage is very light. I have hyperpigmentation and by 5/6 hours of wear that comes through. I find a wet sponge or my fingers to be the best way to apply this. Hands down the best night time foundation for me is Chanel Perfection lumiere.

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BoisdeRose on 6/24/2012 6:11:00 PM more reviews by BoisdeRose

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I have high expectation with this product and I end up so disappointed. I was looking a replacement for my Dior Nude and I decided to give it a try after so may hype about its "natural looking coverage". First, I must shake it like a crazy or it doesn't come out in right consistency. Second, it doesn't give any coverage and after 1-2 hours, my face look cakey and awful. I've tried to blot it with Chanel Poudre Libre and it didn't help at all. I will not expect such a problem with a high end brand like chanel. Definitely will back to Dior Nude for natural look foundation.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Katie486 on 6/20/2012 8:33:00 AM more reviews by Katie486

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I really wanted to like this foundation it seemed to tick all the boxes for me as someone with dry skin- water based, hydrating etc but the I found it didn't give the coverage I was looking for. It was very light on my skin, barely covered redness in my cheeks and I felt like I needed to use ALOT of product. Staying powder was dismal about 2 hours and it started to separate on my face and look powdery on my pores. I have dry skin and this moved all over my face like was super oily or something! Very odd! I used powder to set and a mac fix + and still had this issue. The other issue I found with this foundation is the colour it seemed to match when the SA tried it on me but when I got home and tried it I could see it was obviously too yellow on my skin. This seems to be a pretty common problem with Chanel foundations!! I paid $77 AUD for this and I am so dissapointed that I've wasted money on a foundation that acts like a watery tinted moisturiser thats gone past it's expiry! If this hasn't worked for you I can recommend Lancome Teint Miracle ....much better foundation in the light weight genre.

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KCrawford714 on 6/20/2012 4:30:00 AM more reviews by KCrawford714

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Update: Wonderful foundation, but I just returned it because it wasn't helping with my breakout. I felt it was just adding more blemishes. And I just can't have that lol.




This is a wonderful, light weight summer foundation. It is like a second skin. It doesn't leave your skin all sticky! It's like a thicker version of a tinted moisturizer.
I was matched to 40 Beige for the summer. It does not oxidize of my face which is wonderful! It has just the right amount of coverage for summer and doesn't leave the face feeling trapped and cakey.
It wipes out any lighter freckles, and tones down the darker ones so they are tolerable. :) This and some nice bronzer is KEY in summer, it has this glowy vibe, and it is a wonderful foundation for this time of the year. But remember with this foundation you have to SHAKEEE IT LIKE A SALT SHAKER. No but seriously. Otherwise, it isn't going to be the right consistency.
Lovely, lovely, lovely... Highly recommend! :)

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*TOP REVIEWER* Seattlemama on 6/17/2012 4:31:00 PM more reviews by Seattlemama

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I had been using Estee Lauder Invisible for about a month when I tried this. I had heard it wasn't good for drier skin so I avoided it. Invisible was OK, but oxidized like crazy so it looked awful by the end of the day, and I couldn't find a perfect color match because they didn't have anything pale enough for me (I'm NC15 - very pale with yellow undertones). I gave this a try because Nordstrom is so great about accepting returns that I figured I had nothing to lose and I would get a full refund if it didn't work for me. I got it in the lightest shade. I am surprised at how much I LOVE this foundation. It absolutely does work with my dry skin, I just have to moisturize well before applying it. Everything about it is SO much better than EL Invisible. To start with, the lightest shade available in the US is a perfect match for me. The finish is satin and truly makes my skin look flawless, which it definitely isn't. (I have rosacea and flaky skin.) It doesn't oxidize at all. And the price is very reasonable, slightly more than Invisible (usd $45). The two drawbacks are that it doesn't last very long (fades by lunchtime so I have to touchup) and it doesn't cover up any major blemishes/flaws (I use a separate concealer). But all things considered, this is the best foundation I've ever used and I adore it.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

medmond on 6/16/2012 9:54:00 PM more reviews by medmond

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Love this foundation. I'm totally converted to this particular product. It feels super light but actually does a pretty impressive coverage job. I hate looking like I'm wearing make-up, and this is perfect for that.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Charlotte94 on 6/15/2012 1:46:00 PM more reviews by Charlotte94

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I personally love this foundation! I'm really pale and the B10 is a perfect colour for my skin! I'm only 17 so I obviously don't want a heavy matte finish and this foundation doesn't give you that but it works well at covering old scars from spots! For young skin, like my own, I'd definitely recommend this foundation over brands like MAC which I think are just a bit much for teenage skin!

I find that to get the best results, you need to apply it well! I don't use a primer but I put on a light moisturiser just before i apply my foundation. I use my fingertips to apply it because I think they work better for this specific foundation that brushes. But be careful not to try to rub it in because you'll end up rubbing it off! I just lightly spread it over all the skin!

The only issue with it is the price. It's £31 which is a lot but I don't think you'll be disappointed! Hope this was helpful!

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skyjadeshe on 6/13/2012 4:46:00 AM more reviews by skyjadeshe

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Coarse   Eyes: Black    

I tried to be open minded and give it several chances but enough is enough. To begin with, here in Australia this costs approximately $70-$80. For that I had pretty high expectations for this product. It's supposed to give a light yet even coverage that doesn't feel weighty or intense on the face will still smoothing over any imperfections. It sounded okay.

HOWEVER.
My very first impression of this when I initially put it on was that unless you shake the absolute hell out of it before each use, you get what looks and feels like olive oil on your hand. I kid you not. Some kind of weird, thick, oily residue. This is what is inside the bottle. No wonder they avoided glass. As I applied this on my face, I noticed that the coverage was anything but even. It seemed to sink into the pores around my mouth and yet dried into a powdery, cakey layer up around my cheeks. I struggled to blend it around my neckline and noticed later in the day that for all my blending, it had still oxidised into an orange, streaky, dried out mess. I was mortified. I put it back in my makeup bag and forgot about it. But Chanel's Vitalumiere Aqua wasn't done with me yet. Oh no sir. About four days later, I noticed several blind pimples rising up on my forehead, between my eyes, all around my mouth and jaw and in the crease of my nose. I've never had hormonal acne, or any acne to speak off my entire life. No other part of my routine had changed.

I freaked out, bought new pillowcases, threw away my foundation brush, bought new powder puffs and scrubbed my face with exfoliant. Once the zits had run their course, my skin was back to normal and I assumed it was a freakish turn of events that wouldn't happen again. I had forgotten about the new foundation I'd tried. About three or four weeks later, I stumbled upon the bottle in my makeup case and decided to give it another shot. For being nearly a hundred dollars, I should at least try to make it work, right?

SPOILER ALERT - the acne came back within a week!!!!!!!! I don't even have acne-prone or sensitive skin! What the HELL Chanel?! I don't know whether it's the weird olive oil crap in the bottle, the actual horrible greasy-and-yet-powdery consistency of the foundation itself or something in the formulation but I know for a fact that this foundation caused my skin to break out like nothing else I have ever used. I went straight back to trusty old Estee Lauder's Double Wear and cannot believe that one of the largest beauty brands in the world ripped me off so badly. I really believed the hype on this and wanted so badly to love it like everyone else seems to, but it was just a complete nightmare for me. I don't think I'm likely to even try Chanel blush after my experience.

9 out of 10 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

makeupstuffs on 6/12/2012 1:17:00 PM more reviews by makeupstuffs

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

Gorgeous foundation, my new HG! I bought this foundation because I wanted to try a light weight foundation as I hate the feeling of heavy skin products on my face. This is perfect I feel as though i'm not wearing anything yet the coverage is just right when used with concealer. I have acne and it still gives enough coverage with concealer and the best part is it fills in my pores! This is the first lighter coverage foundation I have tried which actually does that. I can achieve both light and medium coverage with this foundation. I am a B10 and i'm fair but not porcelain B10 i'm afraid would probably be too dark for porcelain skinned ladies. This foundation does however make dry skin areas look a hell of a lot drier. The scent is light I hate scented products but i'm not bothered by the scent in this it just smells fresh when applying and i don't notice it after. Definitely have to wear with moisturiser underneath. Does require touch-ups throughout the day but the chanel pressed powder is perfect for that. You have to shake it but I do that to most foundations anyway.
Stay away if you have very dry skin, love wearing thick high coverage foundations like mac's studiofix fluid or have very pale skin

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

woot12 on 6/12/2012 6:35:00 AM more reviews by woot12

Age: 30-35   Skin: Very Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I was going on trying makeup and I have to say this by far, had the best finish, texture and consistency I have ever come across. It gives a dewy finish with a light coverage. One has to shake the bottle before use and then apply with a foundation brush. The only put off the product is the smell. I really hope Chanel gives a non-scented foundation because for me it wasn't nice.

The price of this product was EXTREMELY expensive. It cost 77 AUD, I looked everywhere else like the US where they only pay 40 USD. I don't know why there is such a price gap between the two. I also think I would run out of this foundation quickly. I don't where foundation often and I don't know how much exactly is left but it feels like it's half full. I really don't know if you are getting 77 dollars worth in that tiny bottle.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

mari4ever on 6/11/2012 4:27:00 AM more reviews by mari4ever

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Coarse   Eyes: Green    

This is the best foundation I ever tried. It looks sooo natural and feels so good and fresh on your skin, and the best is that it covers perfekt. I use Sigma f82 or my fingers and it blends in perfeckt everytime.
I have pretty great skin to begin with. I get one or too pimples in the montch or else I have dehydrated and a litte dry chins.

The only thing thats stopping me from buying it is the staying power. I t dosent stay on my face my whole workday, or even half work day. My skin is weird so i havent find that foundation thats stays for all day, just Dior Nude foundation. But the colour selection is really not good there. ( There is no color for me too use when I have a tan in the summer time)I use the lightes shade 010. If anyone have a great suggestion too a similar chanel aqua lumiere foundation, please send me an email:)

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

BieberBunny on 6/9/2012 12:10:00 PM more reviews by BieberBunny

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Dry, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I discovered this product after getting a make over done by Chanel at the mall. While I was walking through the mall I recieved many compliments on my skin, which was great! I went back to Chanel a few weeks later and purchasd it and my skin has looked amazing!! I use the Original Beauty Blender sponge to apply this and my skin looks flawless. It is very light weight and just the perfect amount of coverage for my skin. I was told by the lady who did my make up that it was more like a tinted moisterizer which i some what agree on. This product is very expensive and since I'm a teenager I have to use this sparingly so I don't use it all up. Over all I love this product and would definately repurchase it.

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AwsElle on 6/8/2012 9:52:00 PM more reviews by AwsElle

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy   Eyes: Other    

I know this foundation is marketed as being a light coverage foundation that you can apply "without thinking about it" but I actually find it to have a very good coverage - on my skin it is definitely more of a medium/buildable coverage and I find that I have to be quite careful with how much product I am putting on as it can look quite cakey if you use too much. The finish is not as dewy as I had expected, especially when compared to Chanel's Vitalumiere but it does have a nice satin finish and can be worn without being powdered (I can't quite pull this off with Vitalumiere). This is the foundation that I use on night's out or for special occasions where I need my makeup to look good for an extended period of time without having to worry about blotting or re-applying, in fact, I find that this foundation actually looks better after a couple of hours on my skin. However, I do find that it does tend to cling to any dry parts on my face so I always moisturize thoroughly first. Also, I have tried many different application techniques and I find that using my fingers works the best. I am torn about whether or not I would re-purchase as it was quite expensive ($50 Canadian) and it is not a foundation that I would wear day to day and I am not a fan of the smell but it is very nice for days where I need a more flawless finish.

For reference: I have normal-combination skin. In the winters my skin is fairly normal and I don't really have any issues with oiliness but my cheeks to get quite dry and in the summers I do struggle with some oiliness through my t-zone. And I am NC20-25 and I have the shade B20.

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2012makeuplover on 6/8/2012 5:37:00 AM more reviews by 2012makeuplover

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Great foundation with water base! It gives me skin a flawless look ,dewy finish but not oily! Received lots of compliment when wearing. People always asked me :" ur skin looks perfect, do u wear any foundation on or not?"

Update on June 18th,2012.
Lil background: aboved review were done from my memory image of aqua. I have used it before n then I switched to chanel mat lumirie(not that impressive), and then Lancôme photogeneic( break me out), since I always wanna try different things out.
Just about 2 weeks ago, I really started to try a lot of foundations (sample from dept store) to find the perfect foundation for myself, as both matte lumierie and Lancôme photogenic disappointed me a lot.

During last two weeks, I have tried la mer tinted moistrizer, Armani skin fabric, Laura mercier silk foundation, Chanel vitalumiere, and nanoce bb cream.. I came back to chanel aqua lumierie . I don't think any other foundation will do the great Job to my skin so far....

Pros: lightweight, skin can really breath!
Coverage is good for decent skin condition
Satin finish, looks very natural , shows ur own skin radiance
Oil free, great for summer!

Girls who does not have much to cover, this is your best selection! Go get a sample n try it out! Trust me you gonna love it!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No