Chanel Codes Couleur

Where I got it from

I had been seeing the colorful new Chanel releases for over a month before I got a call from my Chanel SA, Julia. She alerted me in early July that the new Code Couleur (French for color code)), would be launched in early-mid July. She couldn’t be 100% sure of the launch date, but the Auckland boutique only offers a few colors (5) and has very limited stock. She sent me a picture of the available colors (unfortunately not the ballerina and chrysanthemum colors, which I think are exclusive online and not available in New Zealand) and I was allowed to pick up to 3 items for other customers to purchase. There are a few limited edition items in the collection – a makeup brush set with 3 brushes (Blush Brush N°110, Retractable Dual Head Eyeshadow Brush N°200 and 2-in-1 Foundation Brush Liquid and Foundation Brush N°101), compact mirrors (regular and magnified sides) and a glass nail file. They all come in 9 different colors.

These items are priced very high (Chanel, of course) and I’ve seen videos of longtime Chanel collectors and some of these products are very similar to the freebies given to VIP customers a few years ago. The nail file was definitely given away as a freebie at ($49), while the compact mirror has been offered in classic Chanel black as a permanent item, and that one is ($45, NZ$70). Finally, the brush set comes with 3 standard sized brushes, so they are not new or limited edition items, but the zippered leather pouch that comes with it is limited edition. This is a similar freebie that has been offered to VIP customers before (but I think the size is smaller and it’s black). The brush set retails at $160 USD and NZD 290.

What I Got

I chose the Les Pinceaux de Chanel Collection 3 Essential Brushes from 143 Diva and the Miroir Double Facettes Double Mirror from 131 Cavalier Seul. Both are limited edition sets. The brush bag is limited edition, but the brushes inside are permanent, so you can buy them indefinitely. The mirror is also a permanent product, but only comes in black. The colors are limited edition. I happen to have the corresponding nail polish color and I love the Cavalier Seul shade, so I was happy to pick up the mirror.

Les Pinceaux de Chanel 3 Essential Brushes Collection. A set of 3 must-have brushes in a leather case that you can take with you wherever you go. Including a foundation brush, a blush brush and an eye brush, BLUSH BRUSH N°110 is designed for blush application. Its rounded shape is perfect for highlighting cheekbones and contouring the face with a natural sweep. The Retractable Dual Head Eyeshadow Brush N°200 is perfect for applying and blending cream and powder eyeshadows. It allows you to apply with confidence and get professional results without fail. The soft, silky bristles make applying eyeshadow a sensual experience by dabbing and blending perfectly. The 2-in-1 Foundation Brush Liquid & Powder N°101 is a must-have for professional foundation application. Its hybrid shape has been specially designed to work with both liquid and compact foundations.

Miroir Double Mirror. A double-sided mirror with a regular mirror on one side and a magnifying mirror on the other. An on-the-go, slim accessory designed for precise touch-ups at any time of the day.

How I found it

The brush set is packaged in the iconic black and gold Chanel box and the leather pouch looks very high quality. The bright deep pink color contrasts with the black zipper, the Chanel text on the side and the CC logo on the top.

The body of the pouch is made of cowhide with a recycled PET lining, the pouch is made in China and the brushes are made in Japan and France. The brushes are tightly packed inside the pouch and the pouch is not very big so you can pack more brushes inside. If you plan to buy this pouch to use, it can be a cute little pencil case, or suitable for some travel perfume bottles and lipsticks or lip glosses.

Both the blush and foundation brushes come with a small black ferrule to protect the bristles. The brushes are lightweight and the ferrule feels almost like plastic or aluminum because it is so light. The entire handle is lacquered in black and is very smooth and the synthetic bristles are very soft.

The blush brush is slightly flat on one side, fluffy at the top and rounded on both sides. This brush is sold separately for $50.

The foundation brush actually reminds me of the little brush that comes with the Les Beiges Water Fresh Tint. It has brown bristles and a flat top. The bristles are thick and have a gentle but firm touch. This can be used under foundation and although I rarely use foundation, I wanted to see how it would work with it. I think this would work well to grind the powder into the skin and would work as well as a mineral foundation. The brush is sold separately for $50.

The dual-ended eyeshadow brush is retractable with a metal cap, which I really like. One side is an eyeshadow brush, one side is slightly flat but still fluffy enough to press the eyeshadow down. The other side is a fluffy blending brush for blending colors around the eyes. The brush is sold separately for $42.

Dual mirror with one normal side and one magnified side. The color is the same around the lacquer case and the other side of the mirror has no stickers or embossing.The CC logo and the quality of the lacquer look great, but the hinge and closing mechanism is a bit disappointing as it doesn’t even have a clasp mechanism or a magnetic mechanism. It just closes through a small notch in the hinge. I would say that without the CC logo, this could have been priced at $5.

Overall

I’m glad I purchased this set of brushes because I know I’ll love these brushes, they’re an actual product you can buy and they’re not marked up to crazy prices. The total value of the brushes is $142, which means the pouches sell for $18. I think the $18 pouch with the CC logo is a better deal than the $45 mirror. Regardless, I still love my compact mirror, it’s a beautiful color and matches my nails! If Julia had told me we were getting ballerina or chrysanthemum colors, I would have put them in the mirror for sure. I know it’s cheating, but I want it and I don’t think I need 2 extra sets of brushes! A mirror is something I’d rather take out than a long bag.

I’m looking forward to the release of the Extra Large Brightening Powder soon. It comes in 3 shades – Pearl White, Warm Gold and Precious Coral with 3 different embosses – Lion, Double Star and the iconic CC. I already know I’m only going to go for the Pearl White in the CC logo as the other two shades are too warm for me and are very shimmery when used as a blush. I’ve also seen the Fall/Winter 2023 and Holiday 2023 products, but the compacts don’t really appeal to me. The colors are too dark for me, so I’ll probably skip a lot of the main products and just pick up a few random little items. We’ll see how it goes when it launches in New Zealand.