Chanel 'Frivole' Blush (Review + Swatches)

Hey Everyone, 

I hope you are all having a wonderful week. My week has been busy, yet incredibly fun. Yesterday, Amber of Canadian Fashionista, and I drove into Toronto for some ikea shopping (I am re-doing my makeup room/office), dinner, and a John Freida event showcasing their new 'Luxurious Volume' collection (post coming soon). Today was a bit more of a relaxing day, as Caryl Baker Visage was nice enough to treat the two of us to a microdermabrasion treatment and an oxygen facial (can't wait to share my experience with you). 

While I have admired their products from afar, I have never purchased anything from Chanel, with the exception of their Tan de Soleil Bronzer a couple of years ago. When I saw their new Spring 2013 collection, however, I couldn't help but take a closer look. 

With so many new products, including a new eyeshadow palette, a powder and several new eyeliners, lipsticks and nail polishes, it was hard to decide what to get. After a lot of 'humming and ha-ing', I finally decided on their newest Joues Contraste blush, 'Frivole', a stunning coral-orange (think sherbet) with very finely milled silver shimmer. 

I've had a couple of weeks to play around with my new blush, and have to say I am in 'makeup love'. 'Frivole' is incredibly smooth (like 'buttah'), extremely well pigmented, and blends beautifully into the skin for a sheer wash of colour (you can obviously build it up if you want something a little brighter). This is definitely one of the softest blushes I have ever tried (its so silky), and yet, unlike a lot of softer powders, does not have a lot of fallout. This blush does have fairly distinct scent (a mix of flowers and citrus) which, to be honest, I am not 100% sure I like (this is my first Chanel blush so I have no idea if every blush smells this way). 

Like all of Chanel's Joues Contraste blushes, 'Frivole' comes in a sleek, elegant compact engraved with a white Chanel logo (so pretty). Inside, the compact has a large mirror (you can see 3/4 of your face) and a small, very soft, blush brush (personally, I prefer to use a larger brush to apply my blush, so I tend not to use the small one). 

This blush retails for $48 CND/$43 USD (I was lucky enough to grab mine in the US) which is, in my opinion (and I am sure a lot of your opinions), an extremely steep price for a blush. 

In the end, I really do love Frivole's unique colour, great pigmentation and smooth finish, and am extremely happy with my decision to pick it up. With that said, $48 CND/$43 USD is too pricey for my wallet, so it will be a while before I add a second Chanel blush to my makeup collection. 

If you have been wanting to try something from Chanel, and are looking for a great'Spring' blush, you will definitely want to check out 'Frivole'. If however, you can't fathom paying over $40 for a blush, I am sure you can find something similar at a lower price point (I am going to be checking my collection for dupes this week, and will be sure to let you know if I find any). 

Have you tried Chanel's 'Frivole' blush? Is there anything from their new Spring 2013 collection you have your eye on? Have you tried any of the other Chanel Joues Contraste blushes? Be sure to let me know in the comment section below. 

xx
Alicia