Finding enlightenment at a Chanel beauty counter

I’ve been obsessive about skincare lately — something I’ve neglected over the past year. Late nights have caused my pores to appear enlarged, nay, engorged, to horrendous widths. And manic product use, which comes with the job, has caused breakouts and bumpiness. So now, I’m the prodigal beauty writer, pleading to the gods for mercy and maybe some miracle.

A trip to the Chanel beauty counter at Rustan’s Makati confirms my suspicions. The skin on my face is dull from lack of exfoliation, and highly prone to redness due to sensitivity, maybe from having recently gone to the dermatologist for a long-overdue intensive peel. At face value, the redness doesn’t really show — but under the unforgiving lighting of the Chanel counter mirror, the skin on my face and forehead appears tight and reddish, almost looking sunburnt. My eyelids look droopy because the skin near the lash line has darkened (more on that horror later), and some fine veins around the nose are very visible.

The very high-tech Chanel mirror has about five different settings — natural light, which helps makeup artists when working on a client; office light, which is a bit blue and cold, making the skin appear even more ashen; direct sunlight, which really does mimic the harsh glare of the sun and aids makeup artists in giving the face a soft, translucent look that won’t look cakey for an outdoor event; candlelight, for creating date night makeup, I presume, which needs a bit more drama; and indoor nighttime light, which washes out features and makes skin look extremely dull, so makeup has to be on the more sculpted, precise, and pigmented side.

Before getting my makeup done, my skin is meticulously prepped with Chanel skincare, starting with Démaquillant Yeux Intense eye makeup remover and Eau Douceur cleansing water. The former is an oil-and-water solution that dissolves the minimal eye makeup I’m already wearing; the latter cleanses the entire face without the need for rinsing after. Apparently, my lids had darkened because I wash my face in its entirety — and one should never include the eyes when washing. It’s best to use a gentle makeup remover first and then wash around the area.

Next comes the toner, Chanel Hydra Beauty Lotion Moist, which enhances radiance and hydrates the skin. My face is not only very dry, but late nights have also made me, the person, extremly dehydrated. Dehydration is reflected on the skin via an overall lack of plumpness. It robs it of that youthful glow that everybody desires. So, the succeeding steps are specifically for rehydrating the skin, sealing in that moisture, and rendering the face with a glow, which, unfortunately, I didn’t have.

My eyes are treated to Le Lift Concentré Yeux, an eye serum in a pump bottle that delivers the recommended amount of product, so nothing is wasted. Remember that the skin can only absorb so much at a time — more products doesn’t always mean faster results. Le Lift, as its name suggests, lifts the area around the eyes, including my droopy brown lids. When used together with Le Lift Crème, skin around the eyes gets a lift and becomes instantly firmer.

Two of my favorite Chanel products follow: Hydra Beauty Micro Serum and Hydra Beauty Gel Crème. Hydra Beauty is pure luxury because of its texture — the range is cooling, and you feel the hydration immediately. It’s like drinking a tall glass of water, after a long day of running around. Skin feels replenished. UV Essentiel SPF 50+++ is applied last (I always apply sunscreen first, but considering all the products already used, skin will benefit more from them when they are closer to it. Always apply the more concentrated products first.) Hydra Beauty Essence Mist seals everything in.

For makeup, Chanel offers two ways: You can highlight your canvas (Chanel’s Les Beiges range does a great job at this) or create a color harmony (their fall collection’s Tisse D’Automne takes the guesswork out of finding complementary shades). Or you could do both, as was with my case.

To highlight the canvas (i.e. my face), Le Blanc de Chanel Illuminating Base is used. My face is luminous but also kind of slick from the skincare products, so this base, which mattifies as well as generally brightens the face, will make it look fresh and clean. This Chanel star product, which has been around for 35 years, is applied with a loose, light brush, because my face is really prone to redness. This kind of brush is also ideal for liquids, since it picks up less product. Correcteur Perfection in Beige Ivorie conceals my dark spots and undereye circles; it’s also used on the inner and outer corners of the eyes and around the nose and corners of lips, the so-called “shadow areas,” to brighten the face. Perfection Lumière Extrême in Beige serves as my foundation, and is applied with a touch-up brush in circular motions for medium coverage (if you want more coverage, use a sponge, or simply press the brush against desired areas). Blush is applied on the sides of my cheek bones. Les Beiges Powder in Mariniere adds just the right amount of warmth and depth to my face, making it slimmer overall.

The eyes are the highlight of my “day look.” My brows are filled in with Le Sourcil de Chanel. I’ve been dedicated enough when it comes to grooming, shaping, and growing out my brows to a nice, full shape, so it didn’t take a lot of product to fill them in. I learn that my eyes are already big for my face (I always thought they were small, but it turns out they’re just downturned and short, widthwise), so getting a smoky eye is not advisable. Instead, the length of my lids is highlighted with Tisse D’Automne eyeshadow quad’s lightest, rosy shade — which is what I always do at home, so yay, me! Illusion D’Ombre in Mirage gives the eye shape a little more definition on the sides and outer corners. My eyes are lined with Stylo Yeux in Ardoise, a dark smoky blue, and my eyelashes are flipped and decked out with Chanel Le Volume Mascara to make them look more awake, well-rested, and open.

My lips are treated with Hydra Beauty Lip Care, a colorless, nourishing balm that preps my lips before lipstick; and colored with Rouge Coco Shine in very sober and grown-up Melancolie, which is the farthest shade from sad as it looks like something JLo would wear in a music video. Very lush and almost nude, but better.

Some things I learned from the Chanel beauty counter:

1) Don’t line your entire lower lash line because this makes your eyes look smaller — no wonder it only works with big-eyed women like Emma Stone.

2) You don’t have to use the sponge that comes with the compact — there’s a wide range of brushes that achieves different effects.

3) When sculpting the face, don’t touch the middle of your face — that part should always be the brightest.

4) Dark blush, with the right placement, can work for daytime. It may even look fresh.

5) Don’t be afraid to use skincare under makeup, especially if they are hydrating products. Hydrated skin produces less oil!

As a bonus, my hair is misted with Chanel Allure Hair Mist, because apparently it matches my earthy, free-spirited aura — as it does my newly Chanel-painted face.

Now, to find some place to go….

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All Chanel products used in my makeover are available at Rustan’s.

Follow me at @chonxxxx on Instagram.