The 5 Best Chanel Foundations for a Lightweight, Flawless Finish, Decoded by a Beauty Expert
Don’t know where to start? Use this as a guide.
As I approach my 30s, I find myself reevaluating literally everything I once thought I loved about makeup. My dry, matte lipsticks? Replaced with glosses, stains, or a more lightweight, blurring formulas. The full-volume lashes that I used to be obsessed with? Swapped for more minimal and wispy sets or even individual clusters at the ends of my eyes. Instead of opting for matte, full-coverage foundations and other complexion products on the regular, I’ve swapped them out to embrace my imperfections and opt more for a skin-like glow. That’s where the best Chanel foundations come in.
Though the Water Fresh Tint is going viral (and rightfully so, it’s incredible), I want to spotlight Chanel’s entire foundation lineup because, to be frank, this brand has mastered the art of the complexion product for the everyday person. Whether you want the barely-there coverage of the Water Fresh Tint to boost your skin’s radiance, the oil-wicking properties of the brand’s matte formula, Ultra Le Teint, or desire something in between, I can guarantee you that there is something for you in Chanel’s lineup.
I’ve been able to test quite a few of the brand’s complexion products over the last few months, and ahead, I’m sharing my favorites, the skin type each formula is best suited for, and what, if anything, I’d like to see from the brand’s foundation offerings moving forward. Whether you’re getting ahead of the holiday shopping rush (yes, it’s that time of year), or you simply want to treat yourself to some new makeup, keep reading for a beauty expert’s take on all things Chanel foundations.
What Does a Chanel Foundation Feel Like?
The fun thing about this question is that Chanel actually has some truly unique formulas that I haven’t encountered elsewhere, particularly when it comes to the Water Fresh Tints and the Water Complexion Touch lines. With those two in particular, the former boasts a formula that is 70 percent water, and the pigment comes from microbeads encapsulated in the formula. The latter is composed of 60 percent water and, since it’s fuller coverage, has more concentrated micro-bubble pigments that make it easier to wear as either a concealer or a standalone foundation.
With the rest of the line, you can expect that skin-first approach to makeup to hold true. The formulas are hydrating and glide like butter, but they allow your natural skin to shine as well. You really can’t go wrong with any of the formulas, as they all capture that Chanel editorial aesthetic—perfected, healthy-looking skin that looks like you, but better.
What Are The Key Ingredients In Chanel Foundations?
No two ingredient lists are exactly alike given the variety of formulas available from the brand. However, even the foundation with the most matte finish has some type of luminosity to the formula, and it’s because of the plethora of moisturizing ingredients in each of them.
You'll see similar ingredients across each SKU, like glycerin or butylene glycol, which are known for their moisturizing properties. Then there are some formula-specific inclusions like the Vanilla Planifolia in the Sublimage foundation, which helps with radiance and moisture retention.
Regardless of which formula you land on, do note that the majority of them have some sort of fragrance, so if you have particularly sensitive skin, I’d shop for the foundation in person and sample it before committing to a purchase.
What Is the Best Chanel Foundation?
The “best” foundation will depend entirely on what you’re looking for in order to meet your personal needs. The five that I know and love from the brand are below, alongside information on the skin types that each formula best complements.
The 5 Best Chanel Foundations
- The Best Chanel Foundation Overall: Ultra Le Teint Ultrawear All-Day Comfort Flawless Finish Foundation
- The Best Chanel Serum Foundation: Sublimage L'Essence de Teint Ultimate Radiance-Generating Serum Foundation
- The Best Chanel Foundation For Combination Skin: Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation Hydration and Longwear
- The Best Chanel Foundation For Oily Skin: Les Beiges Water-Fresh Complexion Touch
- The Best Chanel Foundation Tint: Les Beiges Water-Fresh Tint
The Best Chanel Foundation Overall
Whenever I want to take pictures or just want to keep my oily skin in check, this is the foundation that I reach for. Formulation-wise, it’s the thickest option out of my lineup of favorites, but don’t let that scare you. In return, you’ll get full, transfer-resistant coverage and the best part? The formula is noncomedogenic. So if you’re an acne warrior like I am, you don’t have to choose between covering your blemishes and maintaining your skin’s integrity. It’a win-win if you ask me.
The Best Chanel Serum Foundation
Is this foundation 180 dollars? Yes. Is it one of the best foundations I’ve ever used? Also yes. The Sublimage L'Essence de Teint is the epitome of radiance in a bottle. It is a serum-based formula that touts Vanilla Planifolia as a key ingredient, which is what gives it that skin-loving quality that the brand is known for. To obtain the ingredient, Chanel takes the water from the pods of the plant in Madagascar to give the foundation a boost of antioxidant protection while also helping your skin remain radiant and moisturized throughout the wear of the product. Ideally, I’d say this one is best for combination to drier skin types, but even as someone with oily skin, with the right primers, it can give you that elevated flawless finish that the brand is known for.
The Best Chanel Foundation For Combination Skin
Similar to the Sublimage product is the Les Beiges Healthy Glow foundation. With the formula being composed of 40 percent water, it feels more like a hydrating skincare product than a true foundation. Whereas the Sublimage foundation feels like a true serum and can take a bit more elbow grease to blend in on the skin, this one absorbs almost like water, but it still has that radiance that translates to my eye as natural skin. Best for combination skin types, use this alone on your oily days or mixed in with a more hydrating cream on your dry days.
The Best Chanel Foundation For Oily Skin
If full coverage isn’t quite your jam, but you want to use your foundation to spot conceal or just even out your complexion as needed, the Water Fresh Complexion Touch is your best bet. It’s a lightweight gel formula comprised of 60 percent water and has ingredients like tamarind seed and jasmine extract, which moisturize the skin and provide antioxidative benefits, respectively. It’s fantastic for anyone with combination to oily skin, especially if the oiliness is due to dehydration.
The Best Chanel Foundation Tint
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that you know, and might even be a part of the reason why, Chanel’s Water Fresh Tint is so popular. With over 75 percent water, this is the complexion product that offers the least amount of coverage from the line, but the radiance that it also provides is nothing short of stunning. Like the Complexion Touch, it’s best to break the pigment beads on this formula first and then apply it to the skin, but I’ve applied it directly onto my face, using my hands, with no issues. This product is the epitome of a facial in a bottle, but be warned: while it can be built up, I’ve found that it can start to look a little splotchy if I only layer the formula in smaller areas. So if you want to get a bit more coverage, do two full layers all over your face to keep the foundation looking even. That being said, this is a true tint, and it offers little to no coverage at all. If you want something to cover up any blemishes, pair it with your favorite concealer or opt for one of the higher coverage options previously mentioned.
Are Chanel Foundations Worth It?
As you can tell from my rather extensive collection, I fully believe that Chanel foundations are worth the splurge. Yes, they are pricey, but every single one that I’ve tried lives up to the hype. Even more specifically, they all seem aligned to create that signature Chanel glam. Regardless of what formula you choose, expect luminous, healthy-looking skin that is as appropriate for a long day at work as it is for a night out with friends.
What I would like to see from the brand is more nuanced undertones and a slightly more extended shade range. While many of the foundations are sheer enough to work for multiple skin tones, I’ve found that even one shade up from my normal color (which is BD 121, for the curious), not only looks darker, but can also look a little gray on my skin. If you can’t find your shade in the traditional lineup, it’s hard to even buy two foundation shades and mix them, because the undertones can veer so far in different directions.
With that being said, these formulas work beautifully with other products in my complexion routine, so I can get really specific about the level of coverage I want and where, which is what I love most about them. These complexion offerings feel like they capture the epitome of Chanel as a brand—it’s exceptional in its elegance and ease of use, while delivering truly stunning results. Shop a few more of my favorite products from the brand below.
More Chanel Beauty Products That I Love
I've talked about this product before but it bears repeating: this lipstick does not budge once you apply it. Long-wear lipstick lovers, tap in.
I've also waxed poetic about this lip gloss. TL;DR it gives all the shine, without the tack.
Not enough people talk about this powder but the blurring effect that it provides? Next level.
Why Trust Marie Claire
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
