Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Frivole from the Spring 2013 Precieux de Printemps de Chanel Collection

When you first see Chanel's Joues Contraste Powder Blush (Fards à Joues Poudre, $43) in Frivole (#76) from the Spring 2013 Precieux de Printemps de Chanel Collection, you may breathe a sigh of relief, thinking you don't need an orange orb and can save a few dollars. I'll admit that I recoiled from the orange stuff. I took a sponge applicator and swatched it on my arm, and my reaction was something akin to yuk. I had visions of John Boehner's orange skin.

Loyd Cassler, my fabulous and talented friend, told me not to overlook Frivole. He took a fluffy blush brush - exactly what we should use to apply it - and showed me on his arm how pretty it is when applied appropriately. He described it as a healthy flush. As usual, he was right. Frivole applied is a breath of spring air. Lesson learned - it happens all the time - what makeup looks like in the compact, tube, whatever should not be your guide to evaluating color.

My challenge was to swatch it in a way that would show you how pretty it is when applied as it should be. I took a sponge-tipped applicator, which was all I had at hand as the sun started to drop below the tree line, and applied Frivole as lightly as possible with a sponge and blended. Take a look at my swatch photos. I see a pretty peach.

Much prettier than it looks in the compact, with a pink hue, Frivole is a great warm shade for spring. Sheer and lovely, it will always remind me not to judge a blush by its resemblance to a politician.

While Frivole is definitely peach on my skin, on Loyd's skin, it showed more pink (although that might have been store lighting). Would I reject a peach blush? Never! Peach should be an essential shade in everyone's makeup wardrobe. Orange, on the other hand, needs a special skin tone that's radically different from my cool-toned pale face.

Frivole now has a unique place of honor among all my pink and rose Chanel blushes. I will save it for spring. When the tulips bloom, Frivolee will enter my daily rotation. It will be the perfect shade to warm up my pasty end-of-winter look.

When you check out the Spring 2013 Precieux de Printemps de Chanel Collection, try Frivole on your skin. Don't make the same mistake I almost made.

The early spring collection from Chanel has just started to arrive at Chanel counters. I purchased my initial items at Saks Chevy Chase. If you absolutely cannot wait for this collection to arrive at your local Chanel counter, give Georgia, Loyd, or Maria a call at (240) 497-5363.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty