Beauty Care: Chanel Soleil Tan Deep Bronze Bronzing Cream Review & Swatches

Soleil Tan Deep Bronze

Chanel Soleil Tan Deep Bronze Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream ($50.00 for 1.06 oz.) is a medium-dark brown with subtle, warm red undertones and a natural finish. When applied and blended out, it had a smoothing effect that delivered a skin-like finish that wasn’t flat-matte but wasn’t dewy or particularly luminous once it dried down.

The texture was smooth, lightly emollient, and had a gel-like glide on my skin, which made it easy to work with over bare skin as well as on top of foundation as it did not lift up base products. It had more opaque coverage when initially swatched, but it was prone to sheering out in practice, so it was hard to achieve more than medium coverage in practice. It wore well for eight hours before fading a bit.

While I’ve seen Chanel improve in other aspects of their range (and in some places, like their blush range, they have, historically, released quite vivid and deeper shades), the lack of shades in this formula is frustrating. They reformulated and re-released the original shade (the line only had one option) a few months ago, and it should not have been a secondary release to see a deeper shade like this, but this doesn’t go deep enough–it is very suitable on my skin tone, which is light to light-medium. For such a cult-favorite product, it really should have more shade variety, like their powder bronzer, which came out more recently and at least had five shades.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes

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Laura Mercier Bronze (04) (P, $40.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
Becca Malibu Soleil (LE, $38.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
Tarte Crown (PiP, ) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
Tarte Sweet Tea (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Kosas Medium (P, $34.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Kaja Toasty (P, $24.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Physicians Formula Endless Summer (P, $14.99) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
Salt New York Medium (P, $16.00) is warmer (85% similar).
Charlotte Tilbury Dark (7) (P, $44.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (85% similar).
Becca Borealis (5.5) (-, $30.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

$50.00/1.06 oz. - $47.17 Per Ounce

The formula is supposed to have a "smoothing effect" with "natural-looking radiance" and a "velvet-matte finish" that delivers a "sun-kissed glow." When simply swatched, it had more semi-opaque to opaque coverage, but in practice, it was more semi-sheer to medium as the texture was more prone to sheering out and, in a way, disappearing. This made it more forgiving and hard to over-do, but it did result in the very limited shade range being less versatile.

The texture was smooth, gel-like--emollient, thin, and spreadable without being clingy or patchy--and blendable with fingertips or a brush. It worked well over bare skin or patted on top of foundation as it did not create patchiness or lift up base products. The formula lasted eight hours on me before fading visibly.

Browse all of our Chanel Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream swatches.

Ingredients

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.