Review: Chanel Poudre Universelle Compacte

My previous handbag-compact was a MAC pressed powder, and it started looking a bit old and a bit more pan than product right around the time I happened to be near both a Chanel and a Guerlain counter.  Honest.  My deliberations between this Chanel pressed powder compact, and a Guerlain Meterorites pressed powder compact were ended by the fact that this Chanel powder was the only thing in stock.

Like many Chanel products, it comes in a black velvet pouch.  I did attempt to keep it in my handbag in said velvet pouch, but it kept falling out - it's more of a lovely presentation thing than a serious way to keep the compact clean and safe.

Encased in the usual shiny black packaging, the powder itself is a light, translucent affair which I dab on with the included sponge to mattify and control shine.  It gives a soft, natural finish, and lasts a reasonably long time - I don't really need to touch up until a good eight hours after my first application.  That said, it doesn't really last well during hot weather - but then, very little does on my skin.

Overall though... I can't help feeling a little ambivalent about this product.  Whilst it's a perfectly nice powder, I'm not sure it's really worth the £32 pricetag.  It performs on a level with my old MAC powder, which was just over half the price.  Added to the fact that the mirror only opens up only to a 90 degree angle to the powder, which is a little unwieldy when applying on the go, and I'm pretty certain that I wouldn't repurchase or recommend this powder.  There are better options on the market for a lower price, and unless you're a particular fan of the twin C logo, there's not much to distinguish it from the competition.

Find it at Boots, where it costs £32 for 15g.  The shade above is Clair, which is a light translucent shade.