CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream Review (& New Shades)

La Rue de Bonne Mine...

[unpaid/sample] The packages arriving on my desk indicate that it’s peak bronzer time – the sun is high (sometimes – it’s Britain!) and the mood is bright so a warmer tone feels completely appropriate for now. I’ve been a fan of CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream since it first arrived on beauty shelves.

In 2020, the crème bronzer replaced Soleil Tan de CHANEL Bronzing Cream and became part of Les Beiges. It began with one universal shade which rose to three, and now we have five because there are two brand new (UK exclusive until September) shades - one super light, one super deep, so everyone can get their perfect bronze.

I’ve always said that CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream is the idea starter bronzer – the lightness of the gel-cream formula means that you can pick up just a tiny amount on your brush and apply in increments. If you’re nervous of bronzing (I am!), the best way to apply it is in the figure 3, so start at the hair line at the top of your face, sweep into the cheeks and finish on the jaw.

It’s best to use a foundation brush to do this or, even better, a Kabuki – for powder, you’d use the same method but with a big fluffy blush. Some bronzers are just way too shimmery for me but this product contains some powders for blurring, a Jasmine infused oil, pigments and crucially, just the right amount of pearlescence that gives radiance without a blast of sparkle. Unless you like a strong bronzer look, you need just a very small amount to give the nuance of ‘bonne mine’.

So, the line-up now is Soleil Tan Light Bronze (NEW), Soleil Tan Bronze, Soleil Tan Medium Bronze, Soleil Tan Deep Bronze and Soleil Tan Intense Deep Bronze (NEW). The shades I’m using to show you are (left) Soleil Tan Light Bronze and (right) Soleil Tan Bronze, because they’re the most natural for my tone and I use them with CHANEL Water-Fresh-Tint which you’d have to prise from my cold, dead hands because I like it so much. It’s one of my most repeated purchases. I start with Medium Light and move up a notch if needs be. Just add a bright red lipstick, a swish of Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream Soleil Tan and you are as French as you’ll ever be! They're £50 each HERE and trust me, a little goes a long way.