For instant coverage and radiance, Chanel's Water-Fresh Complexion Touch is always my go-to

When it comes to my base makeup, a dewy glow is of the utmost importance. This is due to my skin being on the drier side and because I love having a healthy-looking gleam that fools everyone into thinking I'm fresh and well-rested, even when I'm absolutely not. Chanel's Les Beiges Water-Fresh Complexion Touch delivers on all fronts and is such a breeze to apply.

The best foundations, for me, are ones that offer both coverage and radiance. I'm not a lover of matte finishes - though I understand why others are - as they can really exacerbate dryness and texture on my skin. Instead, I gravitate towards lightweight foundations and tints that feel hydrating but still blur blemishes.

I'm currently struggling with hormonal breakouts and lingering redness from spots past, and so need formulas that do both, whilst also playing well under my best liquid blushes, cream highlighters, and so on. You might think I'm asking for a lot, but I've found all of this and more, housed in the bubbles of a certain Chanel makeup best-seller.

Why Chanel Water-Fresh tint is my go-to for a blurred and glowing complexion

Not to be confused with Chanel's popular Les Beige Water-Fresh Tint (though I grant you, the names and overall appearance of the products are very similar), this high-coverage option leaves me with the sort of complexion only 8-hour sleep - or a great base product - can give, in just a few brush strokes.

For fresh and infinitely more radiant-looking skin in a matter of seconds, allow me to introduce you to my current go-to and winter skin saviour: the Les Beiges Water-Fresh Complexion Touch

Boasting a lightweight blend of hydrating tamarind seed extract and jasmine extract, which helps to shield your skin from environmental aggressors, this face makeup delivers three times more coverage than the best-selling Les Beiges Water-Fresh Tint. It features similar 'micro droplets' of pigment, as well as a high percentage of water ("roughly 60%," per Chanel's website), and glides across the skin easily, almost like a serum, to even out tone and blur blemishes as it goes.

It feels so nourishing and comfortable, which is a godsend for dry skin-sufferers, like myself, especially in the colder months. Its sheer, liquid-y consistency also means it doesn't cling or gather around texture like some thicker foundations do, ensuring a smooth and flawless finish, with very little effort or blending involved.

I blend it all over, with or without a primer (depending on if I'm in a rush), but often, I find that it doesn't need any of my favourite glow-givers. In a matter of moments, every trace of the pigment has melted in, leaving a natural but flawless finish to my skin. Really, these before-and-after pictures say it all - though I am going to continue raving about the formula.

It's become my go-to for quick and reliable, luminous coverage when I'm not in the mood or don't have the time to blend a thicker or more heavy-duty formula.

Speaking of which, because it's not technically a foundation, the coverage may not be as high as some of your favourite ultra-blurring bases, but I find it comparable to mine, which include Pat McGrath's Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection and Dior's Backstage Face & Body foundations.

I've also been so impressed by how beautifully it sits under my liquid and cream products. In my experience, tinted moisturisers and skin tints have a tendency to separate or pill, but in Complexion Touch's case, it doesn't budge. It just melts in, perfectly prepping my cheeks for a pop of blush, and continues to subtly shine through, making said blush look all the more natural - and as if I'm glowing from within.

Above, you can see my skin before makeup, after having applied Complexion Touch, and finally, with my full routine applied over top - including my Westman Atelier Face Trace Stick, Violette_Fr Bisou blush and Hourglass Vanish concealer (applied to my under-eyes and any pesky spots still slightly peaking through).

I think it's helpful to see its versatility and just how beautiful it looks with a full face. You can wear it for a day in, when you want to feel a bit more put together, or for an evening out, with your favourite shimmer eyeshadows, and still look just as fresh and glamorous.

Of course, it is a tad pricey, retailing at £55 for 20ml, but I've been using it for months now and have hardly made a dent. You only need one to two pumps, as a little goes a long way, especially if you're working it into your foundation brush first. It also lasts well throughout the day, though if you have oilier skin, you may need to keep powder on hand to ward off excess dewy shine. I find Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush powder works well.

How do you use Les Beiges Water-Fresh tint?

As with any base product, skin prep is key. As mentioned, my skin is quite dry, so I always begin with a very hydrating face moisturiser, like Tatcha's Dewy Cream or Byoma's Barrier+ Repair Treatment (I'm wearing this under the Complexion Touch in the picture above).

As for application, you can blend it in with your fingers, a beauty sponge. It does come with its own mini precision brush, but as I use it like a foundation, I prefer to apply it with one of the best foundation brushes - the Hourglass Ambient Soft Glow Foundation Brush, to be exact.

After adding one to two pumps to the back of my hand, I work into the formula before swiping it across my entire face - stippling and buffing it in as I go as well, to avoid any noticeable brush strokes.

I then add a few dots of concealer when I need a tiny bit more coverage (under-eyes or spot concealing), let it sit for a moment, and then work it in with the same brush.

You can also use a separate concealer brush, but I find using the same one really melts and blends everything together for a very natural and seamless finish. I think continue with my routine as I would after having applied a normal foundation.