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Beautiful Beginnings with Chanel

Beautiful Beginnings with Chanel

What was the first Chanel product you ever tried?  Did it pave way for a real romance or did it put you off the brand entirely?  What was the first Chanel product you purchased?  Did you love it? Hate it? Still own it?

my answer:  The very first Chanel products I ever tried and purchased were their Glossimers.  It took me many, many wears before I got the appeal of Glossimers, but eventually I did.  Chanel and I have a hit and miss relationship; sometimes I’m really unimpressed and other times I’m really in love.

Share your first time experiences with Chanel in the comments! 🙂

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Charlotte Avatar

My first Chanelproduct was purchased quite recently, it was the Rouge Allure in Famous. I absolutly love it! I am a fanatic red lipstick-collecter, and that shade was one that i had not find earlier. And, Chanel will always be Chanel.

mou mou Avatar

My first experience with Chanel was with CHANCE! I was thirteen years old, I bought it, and I loved it!
It was my first perfume :). I loved their ADS! Since then I too have had a hit and miss relationship with Chanel. Some of their products are just gorgeous and some can be underwhelming sometimes.

michele Avatar

I remember my first purchase back in the late 80’s/early 90’s when I just started working and out of college. I splurged on a bar of their cleansing soap, it was pink and had its own case and it was divine. I don’t think they sell it anymore, but I loved it…I continue to purchase and love their lipsticks and glosses and mascara. Love your blog.

Sunny Avatar

My first Chanel purchase was Rouge Coco Mademoiselle. Despite the fact that I’ve tried better formula since (my lips are naturally not super moisturized), I really love the color! When I want nude-ish pink lips, I layer Dior Addict Extreme Incognito over it, and it’s perfect! I also got Peridot several days later. I really like the color, but the formula and brush have room for improvement in my humble opinion. I can’t wait to try more from Chanel!

Melisa Avatar

I tried Chanel last year, when I got my prom makeup done theire and I loved it. I bought the Chanel vitalumiere aqua and a glossimer, which im sad I finished a month ago. I want to buy more products from them,such as the infamous bronze universal.

Zulaikha Avatar

The 1st and only chanel product I have is a rouge coco
Lipstick. It’s a great lipstick, glides on so smoothly n smells divine. I have it in the shade Camelia.

Tuti Avatar

The first Chanel collection I ever payed attention too was the Spring 2011. One of the first products I tried was the limited edition Ombres Perlees de Chanel. I  fell in love! Chanel has become my brand. I know sometimes the product quality is a little inconsistent but the aesthetics and color combinations are absolutely me. However, I am not so much drawn in to Chanel vernis, I honestly think they are overrated and more times than none you can find a very acceptable dupe.

LJ Avatar

Chanel was, believe it or not, the first ever make up brand I used…as a 4 year old with my mother’s London Bus red lipstick. I still have the photo of when I put it on. I look like a fabulous clown ^-^

Toolfile Avatar

I got my first Chanel product just before the holidays 2011. I had 250$ worth of rewards to redeem. A day or two before I went to cash them in Christine had a post for the Dragon Rouge allure lacquer (I think that’s what it’s called) about how it was being discontinued and if u had a chance then get one! So I was almost done my shopping but I still had about 40$ of rewards left to spend and I remembered the post. It was the last one they had so I snatched it up. Wow, at first I was thrown off by the scent but then it grew on me. Either way I had never owned something like it. Since then I’ve collected a few vernis, illusion d’ombres, a blush and am completely in love with the perfection lumiere foundation. I know not all the products are great but the ones I have I love so far. I never thought I’d like scented cosmetics but the scent for their foundation sends me to a happy place. I love the feeling of taking out the blush from its little velvet pouch and how luxurious everything makes me feel. Thanks Christine for turning me on to a brand I would have otherwise ignored.

GUSnail Avatar

The first (and only) product I’ve had by Chanel is the foundation Teint Innocence.  I bought it years ago, a few months after my daughter was born, as a splurge.  I very much liked it, but since I wasn’t much into makeup back then, it was not followed up by anything else.  I’ve recently been curious to explore the brand and I’ve been looking into their current foundations (they no longer make Teint Innocence) as well as their bronzing products.

sanamarie Avatar

Hit and Miss relation for me too with Chanel- i started with their rouge coco lipstick but just didnt like it, then their eyeliner which caused my rims to sting.,perfection lumiere foundation-gave a whitish cast to my face and their compact also didnt work for me ;(–.i gave up for a while till i saw the illusion d ombre–i brought two and i love them and the last purchase was their summer 2012 blush-also like it..im hoping for better things.

CiaraAinsleyFears Avatar

I’ve actually never even tried Chanel! There’s just never been a product that I had in mind, y’know? Any recs for a blue eyed blonde with MUFE 117 skin?

brendalv Avatar

The first products I tried were the iconic Paradoxal and Particuliere polishes, i fell in love with them! Now I’ve been collecting Chanel polishes since a year and i find them great. h 

Caitlin Mary Avatar

My first purchase was Rouge Lacquer in Coromandel.  It is the perfect daytime red on my skin and it is a dream to wear <3

LuvJ Avatar

My first foundations from Chanel in the early 2000 were Double Perfection Fluide and Teint Fluide Universel.  My very first and most loved lipsticks were Hydrasoleil Beige de Chanel and the classic Vamp..  from then on I was hooked! 

xamyx Avatar

Chanel has never really struck a chord with me. I think back in my early years, I kind of saw it as a brand geared toward a more “mature” woman, so I never gave it a second look. By the time I got older, I had become interested in brands like Estee Lauder, Lancome, & Borghese. I wet through a phase where I wore alot of drugstore brands, and when I started to go HE again, it was MAC, UD, and now, NARS. I have tried a few Chanel products over the years, but nothing really stood out for me in terms of color or quality.

Kafka Avatar

Chanel was the first makeup brand I ever used. I grew up partially in France and my mother has been a lifelong Chanel addict (clothes to bags to makeup), so she’d often give teenage me her blushes, for the most part, or some of the eyeshadow quartets. (Those she always clung onto more. lol)  It’s always been hit or miss for me with the blushes and they don’t last well, perhaps because some are baked? It was hard to get onto the brush for a lot of them. It’s hard to explain but I had the same problem with all of Bourjois’ blushes and they’re essentially Chanel, too.  Chanel’s eyeshadows, in contrast, I adore and have a number of them from eons ago. They’re as great as ever and have really lasted which says something about their quality in that small area. All in all, though, I don’t have much brand loyalty to Chanel. In addition to the stuff mentioned above, they’re too expensive for what they’re offering. I can be a huge cheapskate about some things but wildly extravagant when I really love or want something. Chanel rarely triggers that latter side (though I did buy one of their blushes recently). For me, they’re not a fun brand for the cost but then, edgy, hip or fun is not what they want be. That’s perfect for their normal clientele, but it makes me dismiss them for the most part.    

Nicole Avatar

What was the first Chanel product you ever tried?  
I am not completely sure, but I think I tried one of the mascaras samples first. I wasn’t happy with the result, so I didn’t pick up a fullsize.
 
Did it pave way for a real romance or did it put you off the brand entirely?  
Because of the price, Chanel was not an option for me while I was going to university. Since I work, Chanel is a brand, I can affort, when I want to.
 
What was the first Chanel product you purchased? Did you love it? Hate it? Still own it?
So the first product was the Chanel Bronze Universal. I recieved a gift card for my bithday from my team and I bought the creme bronzer. I have never used a creme bronzer before. One of Lisa Eldridge tutorial enforced me to buy the bronzer. I don’t love it, but I like it and yes, I still own it.
 
Last weekend I bought my first Chanel Rouge Coco Shine and i really like it.
 
 

Angie Avatar

What was the first Chanel product you ever tried? it was one of the cream shadows, I think they came out last year not sure, I picked up the color Epatant
Did it pave way for a real romance or did it put you off the brand entirely? it definitely paved way for romance, I am so in love with Chanel, but it’s hard because well, it’s a pretty hefty price tag 🙁
What was the first Chanel product you purchased? The Cream eyeshadow in Epatant
Did you love it? Loved it!
Still own it? Yes 😀

Kate MacDonald Avatar

I have no idea why, but I’m a recent convert to Chanel. I seriously think I only started getting into them in early 2010. I picked up a few things from their Spring collection and then I was off and running. I’m pretty sure the first thing that I picked up was one of their Rouge Coco lipsticks and, yes, it was love. I now have more Chanel lippies than any other brand except Mac. 

jdan214 Avatar

What was the first Chanel product you ever tried? I believe one of their mascaras or lip glosses.
 
Did it pave way for a real romance or did it put you off the brand entirely? It didn’t blow me away, and with the price tag I didn’t bother trying full-size.
 
What was the first Chanel product you purchased? Nail Lacquer in “Black Pearl.”
 
Did you love it? *jaw drops* Absolutely love it. The formula is great, it lasts forever without any chipping, and the color itself blew me away.
 
Hate it? Nope!
 
Still own it? Yes! And now I also own the foundation, Perfection Lumiere, and am in love with that also! Can’t wait to expand (though it will take time with the above mentioned price tag!)

OutInAPout Avatar

My first experience with Chanel was when they re-launched their skincare line (this had to have been in the early 2000s). I had never tried the brand, needed some new skincare, and had a gift card burning a hole in my pocket, so I sat down with a Chanel rep and let her sell me…I left with an entire skin care system, probably the most money I’ve ever spent on beauty products in one sitting.
 
The first day I used them I started breaking out. But that’s normal for new skincare, right? So I didn’t worry, and kept using it. The second day I thought “wow, I’m REALLY breaking out”. By the third day my face was covered in red, bumpy, itchy hives- it was obvious I’d had a reaction. Being the nut that I am, though, I wanted to make sure- I patch tested an area on my tummy, and sure enough, bumpy city!
 
When I called the counter to explain what had happened, the associate actually suggested that I needed to clean my makeup brushes. She kept trying to find alternate reasons for my breakout until I finally told her I was a makeup artist and was very familiar with skincare. When I arrived at the store and she saw my skin, she took one look and said “oh, wow, you were right- you are allergic to it!” Dur. But she refunded my money and I went on my way.
 
I’ve been wary to try Chanel ever since, though I do adore my Dragon lip laquer (RIP) and Chance perfume!

Fiona Avatar

I think my first Chanel product was probably Red #5 lipstick. It was an amazing shimmery red, long discontinued and never brought back. This had to have been back in the late 80’s. Yes I still have it. It smells and tastes awful and is sort of this sticky consistency. But I cannot part with it.  I long for it to come back around.

KatieSkoglund Avatar

I still remember my first Chanel products I bought. I was a senior in high school and on my way to vacation in Florida. I was at the ATL airport & they happened to have a gorgeous Chanel counter. I fell in love! I wanted everything…but I ended up purchasing my very first Glossimer as well as their Inimitable mascara. I was so happy with my products; and still am happy with Chanel today, 4 years later. I also agree that a lot of products are either hit or miss…that’s unfortunate with such a pricey brand, so I always do a test swatch before purchasing anything. 

Rachel Saphirer Hoffman Avatar

a channel wallet. so light and yet can be used as a clutch. have wanted to try their foundation. i watch the ideas that karl uses in the fashion shoes. so far i like the under water pearl look. so different and yet great for summer hair

Jennifer Tusa Howes Avatar

My fave fragrance of all time is Chanel Chance eau Tendre. It smells sooo good! Everyone always tells me i smell good when i wear it …esp the menzzz 😉 lol!

Omelette Meechaisueb Nesbitt Avatar

I love perfumes and handbags, make up the only thing I like is the foundation product.. Especially the powder.

Sirin Sint Avatar

I don’t really care about their make up — IMO there’re other products that are comparable. Their handbags, on the contrary, is like my HG bags ever.

KRISTANNA Avatar

Chanel at Nordstrom was my first Chanel experience
 
What was the first Chanel product you ever tried?Their eyeshadow quads
 
 Did it pave way for a real romance or did it put you off the brand entirely? Total romance. I bought the skincare line and most of the color line at the time
 
What was the first Chanel product you purchased?  Eyeshadow trio in Nuages- a plum, yellow and aubergine, a dual ended lipliner in prunes (god bring that idea back!) and blush in Angel Rose.
 
Did you love it? Loved it..went back and bought one of their most famous quads ever the nutral quad “dunes”
 
Hate it?Never
 
Still own it?Yes. Old times sake.

Julia Avatar

Oh this was a very long time ago – mid 1980s!  I don’t recall what I tried or purchased first, but I remember a domed finishing powder in a very light lavender color, a bright red domed blush (“Fire” I think) and several quads, which as gorgeous as they were in the pans, they never really worked for me.  The Chanel counter girl sold me heavy cream foundation (for a girl in her late teens with oily skin!).  I also remember getting the most perfect lip color for me ever – Tawny – in a slim lipstick case.  Over the years I’ve not bought much Chanel except for the nail polishes.  As pretty as the collections look, I’ve never really reconnected with the brand.

Mary GC Avatar

i’ve got a duo eye-shadow, and i don’t like at all. i think chanel is a great brand for clothes and complements, but as make-up it doesn’t have a good quality-price relationship

cjx3pooh Avatar

I just purchased my first item a few months ago, Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua liquid foundation. It’s not bad… I would probably appreciate it more if I had less acne

UnNuchjaree Avatar

my first time with chanel is mat lumiere foundation , i like it but it’s not love at first….. i love chanel because their lipstick. rouge allure , rouge velvet.  it’s make my lip look great .So i keep buying….. from foundation to lipstick , base, eyeshadow,mascara, le virnis………..

Malia Avatar

My aunt used to wear no. 5 and I hated it so much I would nearly vomit when I smelled it.  But when I got older, Chanel and Dior were two of the only brands we had, so the first Chanel I tried was nail polish- and it’s still my favourite product from them! 

Jeanen Avatar

I barely started using Chanel cosmetics this year and the first product I tried was the foundation in Perfection Lumiere. It is an amazing product that looks flawless and radiant. My next purchase was the bronzer they carry in the compact and a glossimer. Both products are great and worth buying in the future. Lastly I’m in love with there skincare system and think you should give it a try.

SallyR Avatar

My first was a glossimer in Coral Reef, which was absolutely gorgeous. Then I got obsessed with the glossimer in Pin-up, which of course they discontinued. I also have another LE glossimer, in Charming, which is great for a bit of pink sparkle on a neutral lip. Recently I purchased the Eclosion quad which I LOVE and a Rouge Coco Shine in Canotier. I’ve used their Inimitable mascara before as well. I think they are a great brand, but some of their colors are pretty basic and for the price, its just easier to go with a cheaper brand.

stacey Avatar

Chanel duo eyeshadow in the early 80’s.  It was purple and pink .  Not UD funky pink and purple.  I had purple everything back then.  I was about 15 years old and must had to have Chanel.  I even named my teddy bear “Chanel Bear”  I still own this compact.  I dont really buy Chanel anymore.  I stopped when many of their products were made in the U.S. and not from France at that time.  Chanel is too expensive for my taste and I dont feel I get what I paid for.

micoronita Avatar

My very first Chanel purchase was that of a lip color named “Malibu.” This color was a long lasting rich yet beautiful orange metallic tone. This color was discontinued and I regret not purchasing a few more. This color was stunning. I also purchased a lip color palette with 4 different yet very bold & diverse colors. I still own it today and it’s awsesome. Nail Lacquers are the best. Each color is unique, classy, and color lasts a very long time. I can’t wait for the summer collection. Love Chanel!     

Marieke Avatar

I’ve bought the Rouge Allure lipstick in Genius, but I was definitely not impressed. It didn’t give me much color, didn’t stay long and made my lips feel a little dry. Very sad! I really want to try something else before writing the entire brand off. 

Corliss Avatar

Chanel#5 is still my favorite fragrance but a far as cosmetics go I just made my first purchase with the Chanel  Iillusion D’ombre eyeshadow in Murifique.  I love it and I plan to buy more.

aleeyakeno Avatar

My first Chanel purchase was actually in March. I bought the Belgravia Lipstick from the Knightsbridge collection. I always wanted that color since it came out and I finally gave in and bought it. I absolutely love that lipstick, it is like the perfect color for me. I definitely have fell in love with this brand. Chanel also has great packaging and offers two samples so it really made it worth the price. I plan to buy at least two more colors by the end of this month. Nobody that I know can’t understand why I would spend $32 for a lipstick but it was well worth it to me. 

Red Scarf Avatar

My first Chanel purchase was Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss #Exuberance. It has pretty bright pink color and stays long on my lips. I really like how rich the color is and has fallen in love with the brand ever since. I also like that Chanel’s lip colors always turn out soft on lips than on tube/stick.

lenaz Avatar

My relationship with Chanel is as long as I can remember myself. My mother used to wear COCO and it is my favorite perfume ( unfortunately my husband can’t stand it). My make up collection started back in the 90’s. I was on the subway one morning (I live in New York) and I remember one lady taking out her Chanel gloss in Glaze (I can now name the colors) and putting it on. I was fascinated by the way the tube looked and the way it looked on her lips. My first Glossimere was Giggle. I’ve built a pretty big collection of Chanel make up since (I am a devoted fan, that is the only brand I buy) but Giggle is always with me. I hope they will not discontinue it.

loveking Avatar

It all started at duty free where I got the ‘enigma’ quad, it didn’t neccessarily ‘pave’ the way but I did purchase the hydrating foundation because I was desperate for some moisture in my foundation. I don’t think I’m appealed to the cosmetic line very much because of the price point, collections and also the hit and miss relationship everybody has including Christine.

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