Is there any name more chic than Chanel? There has been a lot of buzz about Chanel's Precision Skin Care line ever since it's inception. I decided to see what it could do for rosacea. They have a fairly elaborate skin care analysis system, but I was disappointed that it did not address rosacea specifically. Instead, I chose most of the sensitive skin options. The great thing about the saleswoman at my Chanel counter is that she is willing to spend plenty of time assessing my needs and is very generous with samples. I love being able to test a product's effectiveness before purchasing it. I have now tried and purchased quite a few Chanel products.

Gel Tendre Non Foaming Makeup Remover ($30 for 5 ounces)
This is a non-foaming gel formula makeup remover and cleanser. It has a lightweight texture and subtle, pleasing fragrance. It is sensitive skin tested, oil-free and alcohol-free. I find that it does a good job of cleansing, leaving my face soft and clean. It falls just a little short of removing my toughest waterproof formula mascara, but all in all does a good job of removing makeup without irritating my eyes. It does not irritate my skin at all and seems to leave it with a smooth texture. I really like this cleanser, even if it is a bit pricey.

Lotion Tendre Soothing Toner ($30 for 5 ounces)
This is a toner that is meant to eliminate residue without irritating. It goes on cool and fresh, but caused a very slight prickly sensation on my most sensitive areas. As such, I am careful now to avoid applying it to my cheeks. It is non-drying and contains aloe vera to help soothe skin. It has a light, pleasing fragrance. It is supposed to be a good choice for sensitive skin, but since it did irritate my most sensitive rosacea-affected skin, I chose not to purchase this product.

Skin Conscience Total Health Moisture Lotion SPF 15 ($45 for 1.7 ounces)
This is a lightweight oil-free lotion with UVA and UVB protection. It goes on smoothly and has a light fragrance. It does not irritate my skin, but doesn't absorb quite as well as I would like. The lotion is oil free, but leaves my face looking a bit shiny, so I didn't really care for this product either. Olay's Age Defying lotion has the same SPF, better absorption and is available for a fraction of the cost.

Source Extreme Dual Benefit Complex ($65 for 1.7 ounces)
Now this I like. It is a combination anti-wrinkle treatment and moisturizer. It is fragrance free and has proven to be completely non-irritating on my skin. The thing I love about this product is the way my skin feels after application - incredibly soft and smooth. It contains Vitamins A, C and D to improve skin texture as well as aloe and chamomile to soothe. It's pricey, but I may just get this again.

Solution Destressante Calming Emulsion ($30 for 3.4 ounces)
While this product is not targeted at reducing redness from within (i.e., rosacea) it helps reduce redness from environmental sources. Since environmental factors such as temperature extremes and so forth can be rosacea triggers, I thought this was worth a try. This cream is oil free, fragrance free and alcohol free. It is a light, creamy solution that goes on smoothly and creates a slight cooling sensation. With regular use, I notice a little less redness in my complexion. It doesn't completely eliminate redness (if only someone could come up with a product that does!), but it seems to soothe and calm enough to reduce a little of the environmental redness in my skin. I used it once after applying a particularly irritating toner and it quieted my skin down quickly and effectively. That impressed me enough to convince me to buy a bottle. I use it daily and use it especially to help combat flare-ups. It's no rosacea miracle, but it helps, and as such, I like it.

Eye Correction Anti-Wrinkle Firming Eye Cream ($50 for 0.5 ounce)
This is a richly textured, non-greasy eye cream. It absorbs readily and seems to do a nice job of improving the texture of the skin around my eyes. It has not irritated my rosacea-sensitized eyes at all. It is fragrance-free. As eye creams go, this is a good one and I would be tempted to get it again since it does not irritate.

Gommage Eclat Express Maximum Radiance Delicate Exfoliator ($30 for 2.6 ounces)
This is a creamy exfoliator with jojoba beads for mechanical exfoliation. Chanel recommends using it once per week. It is fairly gentle - there are blessed few exfoliators that don't hurt my face. This one is generally non-irritating if I am very careful about how hard I rub. I found that if I got too aggressive, this would sting and leave my more sensitive areas feeling slightly raw. Overall, it does a good job and leaves my skin soft and smooth. Since St. Ives Ultra Gentle Apricot Scrub seems to be just as effective (it uses jojoba beads too and is actually less irritating) and costs only $2 or $3, I doubt that I will spend the money on this one, but I certainly enjoyed my sample!

Quick Cover Concealer ($32.50 for 0.25 ounce)
This is a good concealer. The saleswoman seemed to be more enamored of that fact that Sharon Stone apparently uses it than anything else, but I must say that I like this one. I chose Medium Beige. It covers redness well and blends to an amazingly natural finish. It has a very light texture and blends easily. It doesn't quite replace my Prescriptives Camouflage cream simply because I have large areas that need covered, but it comes close. It comes packaged in a tube with a sponge wand applicator which is probably a bit more precise an application technique than Camouflage Cream affords. For those looking for a good concealer with a natural finish and precise application, by all means check this one out!

Teint Naturel Liquid Makeup SPF 8 ($50 for 1 ounce)
This is a nice foundation which, like the concealer, has a beautifully natural finish. It is a very thick cream formula that can be difficult to get out of the bottle. It does a good job of evening my skin tone, providing light to medium coverage. I apply it with my fingertips and have to layer it a bit to get the fuller coverage I need. Still, the finished look is matte, smooth and very, very natural. Unfortunately, I always have a tendency to have a mild rosacea flare-up after a full day of wearing this foundation. I presume it has something to do with the oil. Therefore, I will not be purchasing this one again.

Poudre Universelle Compacte Natural Finish Pressed Powder ($40)
This powder has a very smooth, satiny texture and does a great job of providing light coverage and eliminating shine. It comes packaged in a sleek and attractive black Chanel compact with a large, useful mirror. Since my compact travels with me and this is a good product in ultra-chic packaging, this is my pressed powder of choice for touch-ups on the go.

Joues Contraste Powder Blush Sphere ($37.50)
This blush comes in the same sleek compact as the pressed powder with an equally useful mirror. The brush included is laughably small and essentially useless. The pigment of this blush is very, very intense. A little bit goes a long way. In fact, I have trouble getting a light enough application no matter how much powder I blow off my brush before applying. It lasts well and blends well, but I would recommend getting only the lighter, most subtle colors because this blush really packs a punch.

InfraRouge Lipstick ($21.50)
This is Chanel's new long-lasting lipstick. It goes on smoothly and has a fairly matte finish. It is quite attractive, but is ever so slightly drying. It has impressive staying power and only needs to be re-applied after major events such as meals. I like that in a lipstick. I own this in a couple of different shades and am quite pleased with it. I pair it with the Le Crayon Levres Precision Lip Liner ($26), which comes in a nice variety of complimentary shades. It has a brush on one end and my salesperson was kind enough to give me a sharpener for it.

I'd say that, for the most part, Chanel lives up to its glam image with its skin care and makeup lines. The best part is that Chanel salespeople everywhere seem to be very generous with skin care samples. I think that for rosacea sufferers especially, the availability of samples is incredibly important. Since these products are not cheap, it's nice to know it works before you lay out the cash for these beauties!

Chanel products are available at fine department stores and online at Gloss.com.