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Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder Review, Photos, Swatches

Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder
Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder

Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder ($80.00 for 0.21 oz.) is described as shades of “beige, pink, and bronze.” It’s a light, golden beige with warm undertones and a soft, luminous sheen. Becca Opal (P, $38.00) is more shimmery. IT Cosmetics Hello Light (P, $24.00) is more metallic. Giorgio Armani Belladonna (LE, $88.00) is lighter. Urban Decay Glint (LE) is pinker. MAC Belightful (LE) is more sparkly. Chanel Mouche de Beaute Illuminating Powder (LE, $80.00) is yellower. bareMinerals The Love Affair (LE, $26.00) is pinker, more shimmery. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Whether or not this highlighter is worth the splurge is a discussion between you and your wallet, but I can tell you that the quality is superb. Chanel has created an exceptional illuminating powder that adds a natural, luminous glow that lifts and brightens the face. The shimmer is fine and creates a delicate sheen, rather than a frosted finish, and so it doesn’t emphasize pores. Instead, it gives the skin a smoother, softer look as it reflects light. It can be worn alone over cheek bones or dusted lightly all-over the face, and of course, it can be layered over your favorite blush to add more sheen. The texture was soft, finely-milled, and smooth, while the highlighter wore well for eight and a half hours on me. It’s available now as a Nordstrom exclusive.

Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder
Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder

Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder
Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder

Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder
Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder

Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder
Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder

Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder
Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder

Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder
Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder

Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder
Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder

Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder
Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder

Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder
Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder

Makeup Look
On face:
  • Giorgio Armani Maestro Foundation
  • Urban Decay Naked Loose Finishing Powder
On lips:
  • MAC Feeling Fine Lipglass

119 Comments

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Michelle Avatar

OH CHRISTINE THAT LOOKS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BEAUTIFUL – your skin looks angelic!! (I still can’t believe you swatched it lol – but it was worth it – it makes you skin look AMAZING!!). This wasn’t even on my radar. So here is a question for you – this or Meteorites? I hope that doesn’t put you into a brain freeze, but I need to know. 🙂 I have to say, I poured over your pics with Meteorites and didn’t see that much of a difference – but this is mind blowing.

Christine Avatar

Meteorites are subtler in general, and I use them all-over more than I do as a classic highlighter (e.g. on cheek bones) – this can function as both very well, because you can make it more/less obvious depending on application and if you layer it. I prefer Wulong for all-over, but I really like this on cheek bones.

Christine Avatar

They’re very different on me, as the Ambient Lighting Powder are more powdery with a very subtle, if any, shimmer – they are finishing or setting powders on me, and this can be used to dust all-over to add luminosity, I find it isn’t really a true finishing or setting powder, more of a highlighter.

Mariella Avatar

Oh – the other thing is that the lace design makes this so pretty that I’d almost hate to use it, which is how I felt with Guerlain’s Cruel Gardenia and I feel a bit this way with Clinique’s Pop blush – it sounds silly, but I feel sad seeing the flower motif “eroding” (and it’s fading quickly since I have to work at the surface of Plum Pop to get good colour)

Vanessa G. Avatar

Do you think this will be too dark for fair skin tones? I currently alternate between, Giorgio Armani Belladonna, Kevyn Aucoin Candlelight and Laura Mercier Spellbound.

xamyx Avatar

Thanks! I was reading this post earlier on my laptop, and colors aren’t true to life. Now that I’m using my tablet, I can see the difference!

Amanda Val Avatar

This is just absolutely gorgeous! It’s so subtle, you just look like you’re glowing. There’s nothing artificial about it at all! And the design on the powder.. so pretty 🙂 Definitely going to play with this, even if I’m not going to buy it!

Carolyn Avatar

Hi Christine! Thanks for your review on this, I was really curious to read what your thoughts were on this highlighter. Unfortunately, I found it to fade a bit on me at the end of the day (I do have oily skin though) and emphasize my pores very slightly. I wish my experience was as good as yours with this highlighter!

Andrea Avatar

I got it, then cancelled the order…now I’m definitely getting it. Just waiting till the 18th for the anniversary sale. Will get this and the new YSL palette. Are you reviewing it, Christine?

Susannah keneda Avatar

I really wanted to NOT like this due to its price but dear makeup gods it’s amazeballs! The formula is to die for. The texture is to die for. It is NOT sparkly on the skin at all. I am 43 and my skin had a lovely glow with some coverage. I may regret only buying one. I wore it on top of make up when I tried it at nordies and it looked so bright and lovely on my skin hours later in 90 degree plus heat in texas. This powder is truly a great product. If u can splurge, do it. You will get mucho wear out of it. It won’t be one of those regret filled purchases that sit in a drawer. Promise!

JK Avatar

Oh no. I was hoping this wouldn’t get a stellar recommendation from you… because I was hoping to avoid this purchase! How does the performance compare to Becca Opal? They seem to swatch very similar…

JK Avatar

I used my Nordstrom Notes that I had been saving up and purchased it! I got it yesterday and it is so much prettier on the skin than I expected! I thought it would be too warm on my light skin, but it actually looks natural and gorgeous! Yay! Thanks for the review!

fuji Avatar

OMG that detailed lace pattern really make me appreciate Chanel’s craftsmanship/production mastery. Look at that subtle and fine lines on the flower petal!!!! Not surprised that the quality of the product is superb and finely-milled since the pattern can be so detailed. Otherwise it would have been blurred and shattered before it gets to the customer’s hand.

Veronica Avatar

It’s gorgeous, but the design on the product is what keeps me from buying it. It’s go pretty, y’know? I wouldn’t want to use it and ruin the design. Which would make it an $80 paperweight in my collection, and I can’t justify that. It is lovely, though, and very flattering on your warmer toned features, Christine!

Frankie Avatar

Hi Christine! I just went and purchased this today per your brilliant review! Which brush would you recommend if I wanted to use this as a highlighter? 🙂

Sylirael Avatar

I’m kind of relieved that this would probably work more bronzey on me than would be good (thus excusing me from wanting it so badly, LOL!), but it really is so pretty, both in the pan and on you!

I guess my heart still belongs to that last Chanel highlighter I loved but never got – jardin de Camelias!

*nostalgic sniff* 😉

Sue Avatar

I would love for you to review Fyrinnae’s finishing powder or highlighters and hear your thoughts if they compare to high end ones. Dentelle Precieuse looks stunning, but I can’t swing $80 when Fyrinnae is $33 for a finishing powder and all four highlighters.

SandraJT Avatar

Fyrinnae’s highlighters are amazing. Beautiful, subtle, high quality, gorgeous shades. No frost, no shimmer, no sparkles, no magnified pores or highlighted imperfections. Just a beautiful, buildable sheen. I’ve got a couple of them and loved them the second I swatched them. Well worth the small price they charge & a very good amount of product, especially since so little is needed to make the skin look radiant. I’ve got oily skin & these still make my skin look gorgeous teamed up with their gorgeous blush shades. They also wear really well.

Their matte & shimmer bronzers are also in my top 3 favorites for that category. They’re definitely multipurpose products as they work great for contouring as well as bronzing.

Can’t wait for my latest order to arrive!

Wednesday Avatar

Holy crap..this looks made for you and your complexion. Wow~!

I see the colour is similar to Becca Opal which looks a little like a hybrid of highlight and bronzer on my skintone..tends to run orange. I’ve gone down this path mistakenly before with TF FireLust and others.

I’m almost relieved because this one has been calling my name and now I’m feeling good about taking a pass. For you A MUST 😉 It’s gorgeous!!

Carolyn Avatar

I took a chance at buying this item and I’m sooooo glad I did! Great to see you gave it a good review, looks beautiful on you!

Anne Avatar

Aw, shoot. Well, I’ll ask around and make sure to share whatever info I got. 🙂
By the by, Christine, do you know if the square pans quads will be discontinued upon the arrival of the New Variations ones?

Adhit Avatar

This is absolutely pretty, Christine~
On the screen it looks similar to The Balm Mary Loumanizer to me (pardon my inexperienced eyes, lol), in texture I bet there’s a large difference but how do you compare the color/ the sheen resulted from this Chanel one with The Balm Mary Lou?
FYI, I bought my Mary Lou after reading your review 😉

nueyork Avatar

The imprint on the product looks like real lace – I can’t get over it. I doubt I’d ever be able to use this, it’s just too beautiful!

Rashmi Avatar

How i wish i could treat myself with this 🙂
still i will try and find out a way to splurge on this one IFFFF possible 🙂
this is unbelievably gorgeous on you Christine 🙂
I am so loving the bare , neat groomed eyes , they always catch my attention 🙂

i dont have any of these CHANEL fancy powders , may be this would be first just for the design sake , someone pls reduce the price tag 🙁 🙁
for temptalia readers at least

Helene Avatar

I was hoping this would turn out to be a really bad product, but no, of course not 🙂 I would need to try it before even thinking of buying as I have combination – oily skin and I’ve stayed away form all things luminous not to add more sheen to my face. But this, this looks magical!
You look just prefect in the photo, lovely!

Lily Avatar

Just like I did with Cruel Gardenia, Crazy Meterities Pressed, Givenchy’s limited release Bronzer, and the 2010 Dior Lace Dentelle, I bought 2. One to use, one to keep for the pretties 🙂

AbigailOD Avatar

Everything on this post is so Stunning – you, the powder, the design! Ooh lala! 🙂 Be still my heart!

Is this a go for NC37ish maybe? Which brush did you use?

shelby Avatar

Me: Oh this is so pretty, it’s probably expensive. I think I would still buy it if it was $50 something.
*scroll up, see $80*
Alright, nope.

Ra Avatar

Hi Christine,
Is this product US limited or any idea?
Also just wanted to ask, do you think this is one of those highlighters which create ‘sweaty’ effect?
I find some actually do like Dior Amber Diamond was an example.. thanks!

Christine Avatar

I believe it was released internationally prior to it being available in the U.S.! I’m not sure what you mean by the “sweaty” effect – I wouldn’t describe the finish as that at all, but I wouldn’t have described the finish from Dior’s that way either.

Nichole M Avatar

This is just breathtakingly beautiful, I think I love the design more than the swatch as I have most of the dupes you compared this to but I bought (ouch) 3 through your link. Hopefully some of the proceeds go back to support your site. You have thee best pix & detailed review as always, Christine.
Ill have one to use, one for backup & one for collection.
It’s a work of art. I love it. Can’t wait to dip in !!!

Cristina Avatar

Hello! Once again another amazing review! I see you didn’t post Dior Amber Diamond as a dupe but how does it compare? I know Amber was one of your favorite highlighters..is that still the case? 😉 Thanks!

Paula Avatar

I’m so tempted to buy this despite the price tag. Christine, do you think this would be visible (but not ashy) on a NC42/43 skin tone?

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