Review - Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Even Finish and Liz Earle Signature Foundation

Confession - I am addicted to my Double Wear! I've been using this Estee Lauder foundation day in day out for about two years and I absolutely love it! The full, super long-wearing coverage is perfect for seeing me through a busy day in the kitchens at work and I'd highly recommend it for any oily-skinned ladies out there! Now though I'm on the hunt for something a little lighter and fresher for those downtime days. So over the past week I've been road testing three new foundations - Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Even Finish Foundation and Liz Earle Signature Foundation.

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua was first under the microscope. This 'new-generation' water-based foundation with SPF 15 comes in nine shades and promises an 'ultra-fine fluid texture' with 'second-skin perfecting results'. I'd heard amazing things about this product and although I was worried it would be a little sheer for my oily, blemish-prone skin I was excited to try it for myself and so dropped into the beauty hall at Fenwick Newcastle (my spiritual-home) to pick up a sample!  I'm so glad I did! Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua is exactly what I was hoping for - light and fresh but very buildable! I used Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector as a primer and applied the foundation using a Real Techniques Stippling Brush to achieve a medium coverage (I did this with all foundations tried). It glides on to the skin, has a lovely fresh scent and once set with a light dusting of powder, stays put all day with only a couple of touch-ups with pressed-powder! And I got so many lovely compliments about my glowing skin! One little niggle, this foundation is very liquid and if like me you want to build your coverage in places then a 30ml bottle might not last very long and at £32 for 30ml, Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua isn't cheap! This is such a beautiful foundation though, I think it might be worth it!

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua SPF 15 30ml - £32

Over the years I've tried lots of Bobbi Brown products and have never been disappointed...except with their foundations. Despite the extensive range, I've never managed to find one to suit my bothersome skin but this new formulation promises long-lasting wear with a natural looking finish so I thought I'd give it a whirl! Like Chanel Vitailumiere Aqua, this foundation has a lovely fresh scent, silky-smooth texture and lovely buildable coverage. As with all Bobbi Brown products, the colour range is fantastic and the yellow-toned base of my sample looked really natural. While not as glowy as Vitalumiere Aqua, this foundation gives a lovely, your- skin-but-better finish and once set with powder, lasts exceptionally on the skin! In fact its staying-power is so good I might have found a rival to my beloved Double Wear!

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Even Finish Foundation SPF15 30ml - £30

I'm a massive fan of Liz Earle products! I couldn't live without my Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser and I love the Daily Eye Repair so was very excited when a sample of the Signature Foundation landed on my doorstep! This brand new foundation promises buildable-coverage with a radiant, natural finish. Perfect. Alas, I was a little disappointed! Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad foundation! It has a lovely velvety texture, applies smoothly, has medium buildable coverage and lasts well on the skin - I wore it to the Decoro Spa and it survived the humid conditions beautifully! But...I just didn't love it! I was hoping for the promised coverage and radiance but I found this foundation quite flat. If like me you're in search of a glow-giving foundation then this probably isn't it but if you're looking for a lasting, matte finish this could be for you!

Liz Earle Signature Foundation 25ml - £21

If you hadn't already guessed, I've lost my heart to Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, but depending on your foundation-needs, these are all lovely products and trying them has opened my mind to a world of foundation possibilities so if your stuck in a skin-base rut then why not pick up some samples and give something new a try!

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