CHANTECAILLE Talc Free Loose Powder

Love this powder hate the cheap tin can container. It sets my future skin foundation, without leaving me dried out. I have had zero reaction to this powder. My almost 56 year old skin loves this powder. I had La Mer and Sisley powder that made me look like a ghost and I developed really dried out itchy skin from them. La Prairie powder made me literally get red dry blotches that looked like a sunburn. I have been on this one now for over a week and so far so good. Also love the shade named subtle. Just wish the container was better. Made a mess in my makeup bag.

I'm 44 and this is the only makeup /skincare product I have ever had a really bad allergic reaction to - with my skin just peeling away all over my face in a very noticeable way which other people commented on :( This happened twice (3 weeks apart) and left my face raw and dry for days. The reason is that the powder has a very well known problem ingredient called 'bismuth oxychloride'. Here's what beautypedia says about the irritation it can cause: "Some people react to bismuth oxychloride due to its unique crystalline structure. What happens is that the crystals can "poke" at skin and get stuck in the pores, where the sharper "spokes" can cause irritation". I can tell you this is truly unpleasant!!!

So I definitely recommend you 'try before you buy' this product - even if (like me) you don't normally react to make up.

This is such a beautiful, luxurious, finely milled powder. As a bonus, it is free of talc. It gives a matte yet glowing finish, but it has absolutely no sparkly stuff in it at all. (I loathe sparkly stuff in makeup.) It comes with a first-rate powder puff.

I've been using Laura Mercier loose powder for ages and ages, but this stuff is even nicer. It is expensive, but it's worth it. A container will last a very long time. The color I got is called "subtle," and it goes perfectly with the Future Skin vanilla foundation I wear. There is a lighter shade, called "light," but it is extremely light and only for the super pale. I am fair skinned, and maybe in winter I'll be able to use "light," but for now, "subtle" is perfect.

Now, my only complaint about this is the packaging. The container looks beautiful, but I find it hard to get the powder onto the puff without making a huge mess. Fortunately, I have always put my loose powders into an old Chanel loose powder container that was the best one I've ever had. I've kept it all these years and always transferred my Laura Mercier powder into that Chanel countainer, and now I'm doing the same with Chantecaille. It has a compartment for the powder with a fine-mesh screen, and then there is a screw cap on top of the powder compartment, and the puff sits on top of that screw cap, and then the lid of the powder goes over that. If Chantecaille would make a container like that, then I'd truly be in heaven.

I really love this finely milled loose powder that doesn't give a matte flat finish, goes nicely over any foundation and I don't find this powder at all drying. My favourite application for this powder is the RT contour brush as I like to use a small brush and do little areas at a time - I have found this makes the powder last longer before needing to touch up.

The metal packaging is luxe and I like that there is a plastic filter inner instead of a netting one as they get really messy. Even though the holes look big I find this doesn't disperse too much product. (as long as its stored right way up).

I'm NC15 and have this in shade "Light" - I would not consider this a translucent powder as it does have some colour to it though very subtle.

I want to marry this stuff. I used LM for many years but it is harder and harder to get in Switzerland even though it is sold her, and paradoxically easier for me to get Chantecaille even though it isn't sold here. For whatever reason the LM loose isn't sent to our counters here but when I am Paris I can pick this stuff up.

The coverage and wear of the Chantecaille is similar to the LM but with the Chantecaille I use far less product. The Chantecaille is finely milled, but not so much that it is blotchy. It doesn't oxidize or cake or settle into my fine lines, of which there are many.

There isn't anything not to love about the Chantecaille, which is only fair given its price tag, but it is a fair price to pay for something that works with minimal fuss.

I had a mini of this years ago that lasted me years. I used it up and then moved on. Since then I tried many other powders from drugstore to Dept store trying to find a loose setting powder I liked. Who knew it would be so freaking hard?


My criteria(which I didn't know was so discerning): No caking, not too drying, no glitter bomb, no flash in photography, no breakouts, no orangeyness, should be finely milled, lightly scented or no scent.


L'Oreal: caked, flashed, weird scent
Lancome: Absolue: glittery, Mineral: orangey, oxidized
MAC: caked
Clinique: Caked, oxidized
Jane Iredale: Drying, flash
Bare Escentuals: Flash



This powder, though ungodly expensive finally fits all of my categories. The container is huge so it will probably last me 10 years since I only use powder to set certain parts of my face and my mini powder previously lasted 3 years. Really sometimes you just have to give in and bite the bullet. I could have bought the Chantecaille outright instead of buying all of the products above and being disappointed. I am stupid.



Oh the Chantecaille website now has a color guide to let you know what color to buy which I appreciate since the nearest counter to me is 3 hours away so I must online shop. I wear vanilla in Future skin and in the powder I bought Subtle. It is supposed to have a peach undertone which I was a little apprehensive about thinking ORANGE but it is perfect. In MAC I'm NC 25, Bobbi Brown sand.

Fabulous: ultra-fine, non-drying, lasting formula, which delivers a complexion-enhancing, soft-focus result. Pigment (use light) is verging on the translucent with just a hint of fairness, so appropriate for a spectrum of colour complexions.
Generously sized to boot!

This powder is great for my combination skin. The "Light" doesn't irritate, clump, or change color. It perfectly compliments my skin tone. I am fair-skinned, usually not the lightest color but the next-to-lightest. I agree with w/plrg's review to leave part of the adhesive over the holes to minimize spillage, and to tap powder into the lid. It is pricey, but worth it.

I have this in the color Subtle, which works for my NC25/Future Skin Vanilla skintone even though when I bought it I was more NC20/Alabaster.

The powder is great for:
- Those who like extremely light and finely-milled powders with a slight light-reflective sheen to it when applied (not shiny, not matte).
- Those who have dry/normal skin and are looking for light finishing powder.
- Those who like makeup with attractive packaging. The powder case is housed in an elegant silver case and looks great on the vanity.

Personally, I don't use the powder a lot for several reasons:
- I have combination-oily skin, and this doesn't help control oil.
- I also don't like the fact that it has parabens in it, BHT, and a whole slew of other preservatives (even though it is talc-free).

I noticed that a lot of people are not happy with the packaging. I talked to the SA and found a solution for powder spillage:
- When you buy the powder, do NOT remove the whole seal. Instead, peel back to expose 4-5 holes, cut out that section, and leave the rest of the seal alone.
- When you want to use some of the powder, tap some of it onto the lid. The powder will come out of the 4-5 holes instead of the whole thing, and will make the application process a lot less messy. I have traveled a lot with the powder using this method and have never had trouble with spillage.

Really nice loose powder that provides a nice matte affect without covering you up too much. Chantecaille products are great and don't make my skin react or break out, which is awesome. Perfect color match. Thumbs up.

[Edited on 8/5/12: I no longer use this because it irritated my skin and broke me out. I plugged it into Cosdna and Mica is the second ingredient. Mica really bugs my skin, so I'm surprised I didn't have a worse reaction. It's probably because I never used this powder regularly. I gave this to my mom whose skin doesn't react at every little thing! (Why didn't I get her skin?)

I'd still recommend this if Mica is ok for your skin.