Trying to unlock the secrets of the Chanel Blue Serum : What does it do?

Early in the year, I told you about Chanel’s new skincare offering – the Chanel Blue Serum. A product name that’s short and sweet. But it doesn’t tell you very much does it? Well, good thing I told you ALL about it, what it’s supposed to do, what it contains etc etc in my earlier post. I recommend you read that post before reading on because I’m not repeating it.

Go on, I’ll wait.

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Back? Alright then. I’ve had it in my skincare routine for the better part of 2 months now and I thought I had finally made my mind up about this intriguing product. The story behind it is a nice one – the way their experts were inspired by the longevity ingredients from all over the world.

But ultimately, interesting story or not, the proof is in the product, isn’t it? You want to know if it does what it says it’s supposed to do.

The first problem I ran into is this – what is this serum supposed to do?

If you read the earlier post where I talked you through it, I established that Chanel had taken a universal approach to skincare in this serum. They do not target it to any one specific concern, instead, helps you be a better version of you by boosting skin health. It’s all a little woo-woo, which is why I encourage you to read the previous post. It took me over 1500 words to explain it to you. I can’t repeat it here :P

But the measure of success and results was increased skin moisture, reduction in lines and firmer skin and a more even skintone. In general beauty world parlance, this fits into an anti-aging skincare routine. You will want to use this as the first serum after cleanser and toner, and you can add on a separate serum or facial oil, before topping off with moisturiser.

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The Blue Serum comes in a cylindrical bottle that is sturdy and sleek. It also comes housed in an interesting tube instead of a box. When you open the tube, the serum nestles within. It’s all very sleek.

When pumped out, the serum is an opaque white, with no hint of blue to my eyes. It holds its shape when pumped out, as you can see, so it isn’t very liquid. The first thing you’d note is the scent. As with all Chanel skincare products (except La Solution 10 de Chanel) there is fragrance included. It was identified as the scent of white flowers, and does smell distinctly floral.

I personally do not like the scent, although most beauty editors I met love it. I find it too floral and powdery and strong. To be fair, it is a lot milder than other Chanel products I had tried back in the day, but it’s certainly there. Scent is a personal thing, so you’d have to make your own decision after smelling it for yourself.

I find that upon contact with the skin, the serum seems to almost “melt” and it spreads and absorbs very easily into the skin. I must note here the presence of dimethicone in the list of ingredients, which is a silicone. Usually, products that contain dimethicone have that slick, slightly waxy texture when applied on skin (some people are sensitive to silicone in products – I’m not and I’m not fussed either way except for texture) but this one doesn’t feel the same way to me. I find the texture lighter, with an almost watery touch, that it does absorb into the skin, and does not coat the skin with a layer, so I do not experience pilling when I layer on other serums or even moisturiser.

I also do seem to experience a slight moisture boost to the skin. It makes my skin feel comfortable, although when I was using it on its own for about 2 weeks, it was insufficient for me. I had to go back to adding on an additional serum on top, whether for added hydration or anti-aging serums, or just something more. To be fair, I’m in my 40’s and this is a serum that’s targeted at all ages, and all skin types and something has to give. So, in my case, I use it rather like a boosting serum, or a pre-serum.

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The thing is, I don’t have a serious problem with lines. Yes, using the Blue Serum was nice. It didn’t break me out, but if I’m to be perfectly honest, I can’t tell what it’s doing for my skin. It added a bit of hydration boost, but then so does a hydrating serum. It is supposed to contain antioxidants and to help firm it up. I can’t tell if it has because I don’t have a serious problem in that department. As for a more even skintone, that too is hard for me to say, as I’d just come off my Vitamin C serum which had certainly helped my skin. Perhaps 2 months is too soon? I honestly can’t say either.

What I can say is this. If you don’t use a serum in your skincare routine at all (regulars at MWS are going – gosh! I don’t know when was the last time I went without serum! LOL! :D ) and have never used a serum at all, then the Chanel Blue Serum will sit well with you. It is created as a universal serum, to deliver a multitude of results, and you will appreciate it for that reason for it will deliver a better version of you over time.

But if you already have an established skincare routine, replete with serums for day and night, to address your multiple concerns, you will likely be like me and find yourself scratching your head, wondering what this is supposed to do for you. While you can then add this in, as a pre-serum, I’m not sure if that’s entirely necessary, especially since I asked the experts at Chanel, who were quick to say that the Blue Serum isn’t formulated to act as a booster serum or as a pre-serum even if it may fill that function. So, I’m on the fence about this. I don’t think it’s bad, but I’m not sure what it’ll do for me in an already established skincare routine :P

IN A NUTSHELL

The Chanel Blue Serum is a new serum that is supposed to be a universal serum that contains ingredients sourced from regions of the globe known for the longevity of the people living there, to help your skin perform better and therefore look better. It isn’t pigeon-holed into any category, being in a holistic category all on its own. Read more about it here. The serum is scented, with a floral scent that will either sit well with you or it will not. The texture is quite light, and absorbs easily into the skin, giving skin an almost immediate boost of hydration. While you can use it on its own, after cleanser and toner and before moisturiser, you can also supplement it with other serums or facial oil, depending on how your skin feels. I think this works best for someone who doesn’t want to wrestle with many different serums, and wants just one serum in their skincare routine, that will help their skin in the areas of hydration and firming. Personally I need something more, and this didn’t give me dramatic results, so this isn’t one I’d come back to.

PROS: Sleek packaging, Absorbs easily into the skin, A handy one size fits all serum for those who are new to using serums in their skincare or for those who’d rather only use one serum at any one time, Gives skin an almost immediate boost of hydration

CONS: Pricey, Floral scent can be distracting if you aren’t into floral scents, Not hydrating enough on its own for my drier skin, Takes too much explaining to understand what this serum is and what it’s supposed to do

WHO WILL LIKE IT: Anyone who wants just one serum in their skincare routine or who has never used a serum before

PRICE: RM400 | US$110 | £81 for 30ml

WHERE TO BUY: Chanel counters and beauty boutiques, Chanel.com, Neiman Marcus, Harrods

If you’re interested in the ingredient list, here’s the Blue Serum ingredients.

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Yes, for those with sensitive skin, there is alcohol in there. The Chanel experts were honest to say that they did not specifically formulate this for sensitive skin, although it tested well on them. But if there’s anything in there that your skin can’t handle, it’s best to stay away.

Thank you again, Chanel, for taking me all the way to Taiwan to meet your Blue Serum experts. I did try very hard to like the Blue Serum, but it just doesn’t fit into my routine. I hope this doesn’t spoil our relationship LOL! :D

Did you snag yourself a sample of the Blue Serum?

I know they were giving out samples at counters over the past 2 months. It’s their biggest launch of the year. I’m just kind of curious how the story is being told by the sales assistants and if people get what it’s all about. It took me a while, and I got it straight from the mouths of the experts! But then, maybe I’m slow haha! :D If you’ve tested it I’d love to hear what you think!

Paris B