Chanel Rose Bronze Joues Contraste Blush Review PLUS my eBay possible FAKE Joues Contraste!

Chanel Rose Bronze Blush

Chanel Rose Bronze Joues Contraste Blush ($43) is a medium-toned neutral pink with a mixture of golden and cool pink glimmer. Rose Bronze is a shade that has been on my wishlist for years. I believe it's one of Chanel's most popular shades in the Joues Contraste range as it's very easily a flattering shade on all skin tones.

"Unique powder blusher offers buildable coverage, from natural to dramatic, and imparts a flattering radiance to cheeks. Remarkably silky texture ensures easy application of seamless colour. Applied high on the cheekbone, or near the eyes, it instantly 'lifts' and softens the face for a more youthful look."

I'm not positive how many shades there are in the permanent range, but there are currently ten (10) listed on the Chanel website: Rose Ecrin, Espiegle, In Love, Fandango, Rose Bronze, Rose Petale, Mocha, Orchid Rose, Imprevu and Tempting Beige.

For those that don't like shimmer, you may want to steer clear of Rose Bronze, but it gives a rich, healthy sheen more than tacky glitter. I think even oily skin types can get away with wearing this blush without it looking too shiny.

Instantly the color warms up to my cheeks to a rosy pink that brightens up my complexion. When the light hits my cheeks, the cool pink sparkles glisten. It's simply beautiful.

The texture is super smooth and finely milled, and it blends like a dream. I don't find the brush included very useful, but they never really are anyway.

It has the scent of roses, which some may not may not care for, but I love the scent and feel like I'm using such a luxurious product when I catch a whiff of the powder.

The only downside is that the color fades significantly after four hours, and I have to re-apply mid-day. A total bummer, but I don't mind because I'm so in love with the color.

READ MORE FOR MY LESS THAN PLEASANT EBAY EXPERIENCE...

A couple of weeks ago out of boredom, I browsed eBay and found Rose Bronze for $28.95 with free shipping. The seller seemed reputable as they are a top-rated seller with close to 100% positive based on almost 70,000 individual buyer feedback. Even though $29 is expensive, it's still better than $43 + 10% sales tax. So, I ordered it. I anticipated receiving it for days and when I finally received the package, I was horrified to hear something lose in the envelope. I knew right away that I was going to open a broken blush. Well, it was definitely broken - but not shattered. The blush pan had fallen out and exposed was a poor glue job from the pan to the palette. It looked like a little squirt from a glue gun. With further inspection, I realized this blush looks nothing like it should. I literally wanted to cry (life is so tough, right? lol)

Left: Rose Bronze Joues Contraste Blush purchased at a Chanel counter

Right: Rose Bronze Joues Contraste Blush purchased on eBay.

SIMILARITIES:
The compact looks and feels exactly the same
The brush looks the same (with the exception of the logo)
The blush in whole looks accurate until you do side by side comparisons.

Far left: Brush included in my recent purchase

Middle: Brush included with my eBay purchase

Right: Brush included with one of my older Joues Contraste Blushes. 

Left: Rose Bronze Joues Contraste Blush purchased on eBay

Right: Rose Bronze Joues Contraste Blush purchased at a Chanel Counter.

Left Finger: Rose Bronze Joues Contraste Blush purchased at a Chanel counter.

Right Finger: Rose Bronze Joues Contraste Blush purchased on eBay.

DIFFERENCES:
The color - The color I received is much different from the shade I wanted and ultimately purchased at the counter. I'm not sure if you can see very well from the photo, but the color is a bright, rosy-berry shade with minimal sheen and shimmer.

The consistency - The consistency was very soft and powdery, and created a ton of dust when swatched, reminiscent of very low-end cosmetics.

The size - Again, I'm not sure if you can see very well from the photo, but the blush pan is noticeable larger. It's the same in diameter, but the shape of the dome is much more "full" and comes up higher. You can see that there is a blush print on the mirror from the actual blush pan touching the mirror - which is an obvious defect. The blush should not touch the mirror once the compact is closed. Unfortunately I misplaced my scale, so I couldn't weigh it to see if it was indeed .21 oz.

The scent - There is absolutely no scent. Chanel Joues Contraste Blushes have a very distinct rose scent.

The brush - Although it appears the same, the logo is much larger. Also, the C's don't connect in the middle as they should. (see in above photo) It's obvious that it's a counterfeit brush.

The label - Something just doesn't look right about the label. It's a different font (which isn't a big deal b/c they change things often) I can't really explain it, but the way the words were printed on the label, it doesn't look completely clear - as if they had printed it low on ink. Also, the dot is white - when it's typically colored. (shown in photo)

I did message the seller with my concerns, and luckily (they don't accept returns) they refunded my money. They apologized that it broke, but they did not address my concerns with it being a fake. I'm no Chanel expert, so I can't say 100% that this blush is fake, but there is so much wrong with this blush, that I can't imagine it being real. It seems like they used a real compact and filled it with their own blush pan and label. I honestly don't blame the seller because they sell thousands of cosmetics and who really knows where they get them from, so I'm sure a few fakes could has easily gotten in their possession. If this was my first Joues Contraste purchase, I would have never known. I know know not to purchase cosmetics on eBay unless I know for sure what I'm getting. It wasn't worth the overall hassle. After all of that, I decided to treat myself to the real deal at my local Chanel counter. I couldn't be more happier! :)