| Review | Chanel N°1 DE CHANEL Red Camellia Revitalizing Lip and Cheek Balm

| Review | Chanel N°1 DE CHANEL Red Camellia Revitalizing Lip and Cheek Balm

A multi-purpose skincare-makeup hybrid? Well, sign me up! I am always happy to use more products in my routine that are infused with skincare! I believe every little bit helps. Plus, I want products that are kind to my skin and contain nourishing ingredients. Luckily, that is what the N°1 DE CHANEL Red Camellia collection is all about! These makeup products are infused with the nourishing power of the red camellia flower and are designed to treat your skin over time. Sounds pretty amazing, right? Let's see how they perform and if they really are amazing. 

The Chanel N°1 DE CHANEL Red Camellia Revitalizing Lip and Cheek Balm retails for $45.00 USD and is available at Ulta and other retailers. This product is housed in a simple and chic clear plastic tub with a matte black twist-off cap. The opening is large enough to stick your fingers into the pot but I also have small fingers. If you have larger fingers you may have difficulty getting your fingers into the pot. You can fit a decent-sized buffing brush or small stippling into the pot. The packaging looks very luxurious and it is something I'd like to show off when I'm touching up. 

SHADES 

These lip and cheek balms currently come in six shades, which span a nice range from a soft light rose to a deep berry. I'm sure if the brand deems this item to be popular, more shades will be released. For now, I believe there should be a shade that suits every skin tone. The shades I chose are: 

Healthy Pink - This shade is a fresh slightly-warm petal pink. This shade has a perfect touch of peachy warmth that flatters most skin tones but doesn't make your teeth look yellow when applied to the lips. This is a beautiful complexion-brightening shade that will suit fair to olive skin tones. 

Chanel N°1 DE CHANEL Red Camellia Revitalizing Lip and Cheek Balm in Healthy Pink

Vital Beige - This shade is a healthy rosy medium-beige shade. I wouldn't consider this shade much of a "beige" but it's more of a rosy brown. It applies much rosier on the lips and cheeks but it has a neutral undertone that makes it versatile for a variety of skin tones. This shade will suit fair to tan skin tones. 

Chanel N°1 DE CHANEL Red Camellia Revitalizing Lip and Cheek Balm in Vital Beige

Swatches from left to right: Healthy Pink (swatched heavily), Healthy Pink (blended), Vital Beige (swatched heavily), Vital beige (blended)

FORMULA 

These multi-purpose balms have a buildable sheer texture. They start off quite sheer and glossy with a slick and lightly balmy texture. This product has a very smooth, slick, and thin texture. The thin texture means that it looks very skin-like. Also, it doesn't feel sticky at all. It just has a slick balm texture, which I greatly appreciate because a sticky texture can be annoying when you're wearing this blush daily or even for a prolonged period of time.

On the cheeks

On the cheeks, this product looks fresh, dewy, and natural. It gives the skin a flush-from-within look like your skin is naturally blushing! It has a watercolor-like finish due to the sheer and thin texture of the product. There is just enough pigment to give the skin a flush but the skin still clearly shows through. It has a very dewy finish and a fresh finish. It makes the skin look really healthy. The finish is so dewy, that you can forgo a highlighter because it leaves such a strong dewy glow on the skin. This formula is very finger-friendly for application, which is important for a multi-purpose product like this. You can easily tap this product onto the cheeks and it applies effortlessly and easily. You can also use a brush but it is really unnecessary because the formula is so easy to apply with just fingers. 

This product does not set down on the skin and remains a thin and light veil of texture on the surface of the skin. This product will transfer easily off the skin if you touch the cheek area. If left undisturbed, you will find this formula wears for three to six hours, depending on the shade you chose, how much applied, the weather that day, and your activity level. This definitely won't make it through a hot and sweaty day but in mild temperatures and if you don't touch your face much, you can wear this formula for up to eight hours without touching up! This, of course, depends on your skin type and other factors. I had a long day with hanging out with my family and I was surprised to still my blush well in tact by the end of the day! With a formula like this, you should expect to touch-up throughout the day but if you have dry skin, like mine, you may find it holds a lot better than expected. 

On the lips 

When applied to the lips, this formula gives the lips a nice light tint and a decent amount of shine. I would say it is not as shiny as a  lip gloss, even when layered on heavily. The pigment can be built to be quite strong but you will still see the texture of the lips underneath. This product looks really natural and fresh on the lips. It makes the lips feel hydrated and smooth while giving them some color and shine. I will say that this formula is comfortable but not hydrating. If you have dry lips, it won't make it worse but it won't nourish your lips either. It won't smooth over texture like a lip balm would it will just add a bit of texture and tint like a sheer lipstick would. I recommend priming your lips prior to using this product. It will look and feel a lot better. In general, I'm very happy with how this performs on the lips. I find most "multipurpose" products don't perform well for all purposes as they claim to. This one definitely lives up to being a versatile product for lips and cheeks. 

This formula is similar to a lip balm so, it will only last about two to four hours depending on how much you eat, drink, and move your lips. I don't expect long wear out of this formula and I expect to reapply often. That is the trade-off when you choose comfort over longevity. 

THE LOOK 

You can see how fresh and glowing these look on the skin. The sheer finish allows the skin to peek through, which makes this blush look incredibly natural instead of makeup sitting on the skin. The balm also looks quite fresh on the lips but isn't too glossy. 

Vital Beige on cheeks

Healthy Pink on cheeks and lips

Healthy pink on cheeks

FINAL THOUGHTS 

This formula surpassed my expectations! The balm truly works for both lips and cheeks. While not my favorite formula on the lips, it is still quite a good tinted balm. What is exceptional about this formula is the buildable pigment and dewy finish that doesn't feel tacky or sticky on the skin. It is rare to find a product that is designed for both lips and cheeks and feels comfortable on both lips and cheeks. Despite its comfortable formula, it still wears incredibly well! I wouldn't say this product is unique; however, the formulation is unique because it is so exceptional and works very well on both lips and cheeks. I find myself really enjoying this formula and reaching for it often, which is a good sign of a great product. This initial experience with this formula has me wanting to pick up some more shades. I really do hope they continue to expand this collection because I'm a huge fan! These are definitely worth checking out the next time you happen to see them in store! 

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