Guerlain Meteorites Perles de Blush in Angelic Radiance

Guerlain has collaborated with Dippin' Dots to bring you the Perles de Blush in Angelic Radiance! That was my initial impression when I received the box o' pearls in the mail, since I had ordered sight unseen.

Day 18: Guerlain Coque d'Or Shimmery Powder

I can't say I wear shimmery loose powder on a day-to-day basis (or ever really), but it sure does look great sitting on my vanity!

Day 14: Guerlain Blush G Sakura Cherry Blossom

I managed to recently track down this Asia exclusive Guerlain blush, but I will certainly be using the heck out of this baby! The color is actually much sheer than it looks in the pan, so I do need a few swipes in order for it to show up on my cheeks. If you're a fan of Guerlain, you need this!

Guerlain Aquarella Meteorites (Summer 2014)

Guerlain Meteorites... people either love them or hate them. I personally can't get enough of them. Never mind the fact that most Meteorites probably give the same effect and finish, I still need each and every single one that Guerlain has ever released starting with the Perles du Paradis for Spring 2013. Of course, I also blame my beauty addicts of friends for my Meteorites obsession.

What exactly are these Meteorites? To put it immaturely, they are balls of illumination and color correction. [insert your choice of balls joke here] A more mature way of describing them would be  finishing -- not setting! -- powder that contains illuminating and color correcting properties. Depending on your skintone, some work better as highlighters than others, however. I find that the newly reformulated, permanent Meteorites offer better options for darker skintones, whereas the limited edition Meteorites, including the Aquarella, work best as a finishing powder for those with light to light-medium skintones. (Of course, those who are darker can get away with a slight dusting all over.)

Onto Aquarella, which is Asia exclusive and limited edition at the moment, but word on the street is that it might make its way stateside eventually. My dear friend from Singapore was kind enough to track one down for me the first day it launched, and I couldn't be more thankful! What sets this particular Meteorites apart from the permanent line of Meteorites is the pink tin. To be honest, I think that was the selling factor for many people (yours truly included.) The lid also reflects the overall pink theme of Aquarella.

There are six different colored pearls housed inside this tin -- each with its own color correcting and light-reflecting properties. Three of the shades that are pretty universal to the world of Meteorites are white gold, ivory, and the pink. Unique to the Aquarella, however, are the gold, pastel mint green, and silver. Like the permanent Meteorites, these pearls are extremely delicate, proven by the excess powder leftover collecting in the bottom of the tin.

(Swatched and blended out: under natural lighting)

I had read about how sparkly and glittery this could get, which initially worried me a bit, as I wasn't sure how much shine my oily skin can handle. Upon first swatch with the included puff, it was indeed noticeably more sparkly and more glowy than the newly reformulated permanent Meteorites. However, rest assured, that it does not transfer in such a manner when applied on the face (and especially when applied with the right brushes!) People should not be able to notice the micro-fine glitter particles on your face, and if they can, they are standing way too close for comfort.

(L-R: Koyudo Fu-Pa 14, Trish McEvoy #37 Bronzer Brush, Shu Uemura 18R, Tarte Buffy Bamboo)

As previously mentioned, having the right tools for the Aquarella really makes a world of difference. On days when my complexion is looking more dull, I reach for the Koyudo Fu-Pa 14 (goat hair), Trish McEvoy #37 bronzer brush (grey squirrel hair), or the Shu Uemura 18r (goat hair.) I find that their natural haired bristles pick up more products while evenly distributing it. On days when I want a more subtle brightening effect, I opt for the Tarte synthetic hair buffy bamboo face powder brush. The bristles for all four brushes fit in the Meteorites tin perfectly and allow for quick swirls over the pearls themselves. It's a matter of preference, really.

Do I think that Aquarella is worth tracking down? Yes, absolutely, and not because it is a limited edition collector's piece! I have practically neglected my other Meteorites upon receiving this, because I like the more noticeable glow and the soft-focus effect it gives -- even on my oily skin, even in the hot weather. The effect is one that I can only try to describe, so I cannot recommend trying the Meteorites for yourself enough where these are currently being sold if you are having seconds thoughts on Aquarella. It is one product from all of the Summer collections that you surely do not want to miss!

If you're not yet convinced, check out Lorraine's (aka Crazycoquelicot) review on the Aquarella here!

Guerlain Summer 2014 Sun Celebration, Terra Tropica, and Terracotta Le Parfum

 

Summer collections can be a hit-or-miss, but I am always drawn to Guerlain's summer offerings, especially the limited edition bronzers. It seems as though Guerlain releases two mini Summer collections each year, all within a two-month span, so just when I thought I was done with the collection, another new and shiny packaging bronzer grabs my attention. This year was no exception. I safely passed on the Rouge G's, polishes, glosses, brush and eyeshadow duo that also launched with the first collection, since I didn't find them too unique (although some may beg to differ on the Rouge G in 864 Rose Grenat.)

Sun Celebration Terracotta Bronzing Powder ($76)

There were mixed reviews on this bronzer, so I initially held off on purchasing it, but now that I have it, I just cannot stop using it. This is definitely the more versatile of the two bronzing powders, since it is technically two blushers and two bronzers housed in a wooden magnetic compact. It is easy to concentrate on each of the four quadrants with a small blush brush though. This powder can be easily worn as a peachy bronze blusher with all four shades combined. The gold overspray -- while beautiful and provides some shimmer -- only lasts for a couple uses. There is also a strong tiare flower scent that is very apparent upon detaching the compact and when applied, so do make note of that if you are one sensitive to fragrances.

(Clockwise starting with the orange quadrant):
#1) Satin Soft Orange: This is my favorite quadrant, but then again I may be biased, as I have a weakness for orange blushers in general. This particular shade blends and wears beautifully throughout the day. It imparts a subtle yet healthy glow in of itself.
#2) Slightly Shimmery Golden Tan: This is the most subtle of the four colors and the one I had most trouble swatching. This is a neutral-toned bronzer that will suit fair-light skin tones. I can also see it working as a fairly nice contour shade, despite the hint of shimmer.
#3) Satin Medium Rosy Pink: I really need to use a light hand with this particular shade, since it translates much darker on my skin than it looks in the pan, thus giving me that sunburnt cheeks effect.
#4) Satin Terracotta Tan: This is more suited for medium to darker skin tones, and it has the reddish undertone that Guerlain bronzers are very well known for. This is noticeably warmer and smoother in application than the shimmery golden tan bronzer.
#5) Slightly Shimmery Peachy Bronze: As you can tell, mixing all four shades gives this pigmented, universally flattering blusher that is neither too matte nor too shimmery.

Terra Tropica Bronzing Powder ($72)

I had to dig for gold in order to achieve the swatches you see below for this bronzing powder, so I nearly wrote it off as a complete and utter failure from the collection. However, I later learned it was one of those products that performs much better with brushes, and with the right brush at that. With a synthetic brush, all I saw was shimmer on my cheeks. With a denser, natural hair brush (like the Hakuhodo G503), though, the mix of the bronzer and blusher shades just gives a fairly shimmery, understated light peachy-coral color that is beyond gorgeous. That said, this is tailored more towards the fair to light-medium skin tones. Any darker than NC/NW35, and this bronzer may serve more as highlighting purposes.

#1) Shimmery light golden tan with slight orange undertone: This is the noticeably larger, crescent-shaped portion of the compact. It is quite shimmery, so I do not recommend this for contouring.
#2) Shimmery light peachy-coral: There is golden shimmer running through this blusher, so additional highlighting is unnecessary. However, it is quite light, so it does require some packing on to achieve the color in the pan.
#3) Shimmery light terracotta: Quite frankly, I am drawn to blusher shades like this, especially come summertime. While shimmery, this never accentuates my pores and even when it slightly fades (by the 10th hour), it does so evenly.

Terracotta Le Parfum ($73)

According to Guerlain, the "fragrance's intricate harmony opens on captivatingly fresh notes of bergamot, before developing into a heart of tiare flower and ylang ylang. One of Guerlain's emblematic ingredients, ylang ylang infuses scents with its warmth. Its sweet, sensual signature finally reveals a delicious vanilla-tinged dry down."

Right.

In short, I would describe this as 'beach in a bottle.' Then again, there's a good reason why I don't  attempt to describe scents, let alone review them.

The last time I ordered a perfume "sight unseen" (so to speak) was never. I blame Guerlain releasing extremely limited quantities of this scent, prompting a national Terracotta Le Parfum crisis, for my hastier-than-normal checkout process. To be honest, I don't usually gravitate towards these coconut, borderline suntan lotion smelling fragrances, but the apparent orange blossom and jasmine notes made it a more sophisticated and more pleasant tropical scent. Longevity-wise, the perfume -- despite being an EDT -- easily lasts eight hours on me without needing to reapply. In fact, I find it wears better as the day progresses. The fragrance itself is similar to the scent found in both of the bronzing powders, so if you fancy that particular scent, you will enjoy wearing this perfume as well. Personally, this is reserved for the summer months when I am anywhere but at the beach, but it is still a wonderful addition to my perfume collection nevertheless.

All three pieces are still available online on Saks, Neiman Marcus, and Bloomingdale's (and possibly at local Guerlain counters at said department stores), but I recommend picking the products up sooner than later if any of them sparks your interest! If I were to recommend one item to get, it would have to be the Sun Celebration Bronzing Powder. Not only is it a collector's piece, but it is one that I can imagine many folks actually reaching for and using all year round.

Guerlain Meteorites Bubble Blush in 01 Twinkle Pink

When Guerlain released two Meteorites Bubble Blushes for Spring 2014, I debated whether or not I should even bother purchasing one. For starter, the packaging is extremely cheap-looking and by that, I mean plastic packaging -- a total departure from the luxe packaging Guerlain is so well-known for. Secondly, the amount of product one gets by no means reflects the $42 price point for 0.14 oz of product. Ounce for ounce, it really puts Benefit's Rockateur to shame. However, I waited a bit too long and before I knew it, 01 Twinkle Pink sold out both on Nordstrom.com and Sephora.com, my two go-to retailers. (02 Fizzy Cherry is still available at the moment.) Thankfully, a dear friend of mine completely surprised me with it, and I couldn't be happier to add it to my cream blush collection!

If you are a fan of how the Guerlain Meteorites smell, you will fancy the Bubble Blush. If, however, the scent of violets turns you off, this blush is not for you. As mentioned before, I wasn't too fond of the packaging. On the plus side, it is extremely travel-friendly, since it is extremely light (although it might still take up a bit of space in one's bag.)

Formula-wise, this is a cream-to-powder blush. It still does not entirely dry down to a satin finish like the Chanel cream blushes. Instead, it gives a slightly dewy, glowy finish that reminds me a lot of the YSL cream blushes. I do appreciate how it does not stay tacky once the product sets, ie my biggest gripe when it comes to cream products. As far as longevity goes, this lasted a good six hours on my cheeks, which is considerably good for a cream product. Most of them tend to melt off my oily skin by the four hour mark.

I've applied it many ways, and I've found that the best way is over foundation (prior to any powder despite the cream-to-powder claim.) It just applies more easily and more evenly that way. I've also tried applying it with a brush, as well as directly onto my cheeks and then blend with a brush, and I actually prefer the latter. It is more precise and I can tell how much product goes on my cheeks. Do keep in mind that even though you think you may have over-applied, once you set with powder, you lose some of the color. In a pinch, finger application works just as well since the product itself blends so effortlessly.

When blended out, 01 Twinkle Pink is the quintessential Barbie pink blush in cream form. It works beautifully on fair to medium skintones, although I wouldn't recommend it on darker skintones as it'll barely show up. I can see, however, 02 Fizzy Cherry looking lovely on darker skintones. As mentioned, 01 Twinkle Pink is sold out on many places online, but I would suggest checking out your local department stores with a Guerlain counter, as they may still have a few in stock.