Guerlain Meteorites Beige Chic

Hello bloggers! Hoping everyone is having a lovely Sunday. I'm a bit bored right now so I thought I would post a review on one of my meteorites from my collection. This is from last years editions of meteorites and it's Guerlain Meteorites Beige Chic. This year they have a similar edition called Teint Beige 02 although the new version has varying pearl tones in it, this is more of a pure beige. Also the new meteorites are less grams in weight while this is a bit weightier at 33 grams. I mentioned the signature meteorites scent before but never stated what it is so I'll start with that first. Anything that's marked meteorites from Guerlain whether it's the pearls, compact, loose powder or what not all have the same scent to it. It's the scent from Guerlains Meteorites Perfume that was discontinued years ago. The scent was a wonderful one at that in the violet family but unfortunately the formula was too diluted that it didn't even last half on hour on. Pity... The floral essence consists of iris, heliotrope, and violet. I love when you wiggle the top portion of the carton and get that fresh whiff of meteorites, it's heavenly! I'm also certain I mentioned the concept behind the box's design which was fashioned after a jewelry box on Marie Antoinette's dresser. As for what beige chic looks like on your skin, it's basically a setting powder of loose pearls that give a luminous glow to your face. I need to stress it's not a blusher! Reading reviews on how people find that they get no color on the face and how it irritates them irritates me. They never advertised this product as a blush so you wont have any color show up on your face. The purpose of these pearls are to set your make up while correcting imperfections and skin tone especially under lighting. A lot of people complain that it's chalky but I'm sure that because they are swiping tons of the product on their face trying to get color to come up. You only need to swirl your brush once over the pearls and that's it, your done! There also is no glitter in the formula but under lighting you see the tiniest hints of radiance. The pearls with more pink, blue and violets in them are for more light or pink toned skin. The beige, gold or darker neutrals are more suitable for medium to darker skin tones. For example, if you have medium or darker skin a shade choice like Mythic will make your skin look chalky. So perhaps people who complain about too much chalkiness are just choosing the wrong shade. The heaviness some people might feel may also be due to an oilier skin complexion. If there is too much oil or moisture on your face then it stands to reason the powder will absorb the oil and turn heavy on your skin. Perhaps an oil-free super matte foundation might help adjust this problem or remembering to exfoliate your skin will an oil free product can kill the excess build up on your skin before applying other products on. I know people who don't wash their face before putting on their foundation,umm that's a no-no! There's a great guide on Sephora that explains how the color correctors work for each skin tone. Meteorites are rather pricey but you should have at least one in your collection and it's worth the investment because the powder will last you a long time. Even when the pearls set and start to get less, all the loose powder that falls off and drops to the bottom of the box is still usable. Most compact powders are less than seven grams and cost well over $35 but with these pearls you get well over three times the amount than from a compact and it's far more luxurious. My skin tone is very light but I also have yellow undertones which make all the shades work fine for me. The lighter mauve, purple & blue pearls help kill the yellow that cause a sallowness to my skin helping to brighten up my tone and the beige, apricot and golden pearls give a warmth & luminosity to my skin.As you can see in the photo the box is not filled to the top because they add a puff inside which takes up plenty of space but serves a purpose in helping to keep the pearls from moving about and crushing. If they removed that fat puff which is utterly useless they could add twice the amount of pearls while covering the top with a delicate little foam insert instead. But they probably wont because cosmetic company's are thrifty while torturing us with high prices. I have to say Guerlain has got to be one of the most priciest cosmetic houses out there but they make some fantastic products. There are a few more meteorites in my collection and I'll be reviewing them  from time to time just so I can show you the various shades they were offered in. You should note that while they don't look that different from each other, the subtle variations and combination's of pearl colors are there none the less. Stay beautiful! XOXO

Availability: Sephora & Neiman Marcus $56

Guerlain Tsarina Eyeshadow Palette

With all this talk about red and orange hailed as the next hot colors for Spring 2011 I thought I would review from last seasons collection my Guerlain Tsarina Eyeshadow Palette.  Initially I fell in love with this compact because I collect Russian Matryoshka Dolls and such. Another being for the color combination's which are always the hardest to find in palettes. The photo does not do this compact any justice. You need to see it in person as to how vibrantly & richly pigmented the colors are. Press product description is as follows: Faded orange, brick red, old rose and aubergine combine to create an intense, rich and enchanting palette inspired by the dresses worn by Russian princesses. Accented with a champagne motif, the shades are contained in an exquisitely designed black-and-gold compact and create eyes that are velvet-smooth with a crimson glow, highlighting their pure clarity. This is also one of my most coveted eye quads and the prettiest Guerlain has ever made in this color family. It's outrageously gorgeous! Guerlain is generally pricey but with this item it's worth every penny. The powder in the pan is raised up like a little cube so the product pay off is very generous. You get four different pigments at 1.5 grams for each pan. That's like 6 grams of powder which goes a long way. Some luxurious brands are really skimpy with product weight and some charge the same price as this quad for maybe one or two shades. In my opinion it's an investment worth making plus the color combination such as these are not typical in palettes and are highly collectible. Also the compact is very sturdy and thick, not flimsy yet it has a certain weightlessness to it. Surprisingly enough the two little smudger brushes included are better than the average compact applicators.If you want to maintain the delicate silver foil design stamped on the shadows you can use a fine brush and work around it but that wont work for long as eventually the design will fade away. As you can see in the photos I've been very careful for now as not to erase the foil design, it's so pretty I don't want to mess with it. The lightest orange is the highlighter but there's a sheerness to all of the pigments that you can use them in various combination's. This product comes with a little leaflet with helpful hints on how to create three different looks but with these quad you can create more than that which makes it another reason to splurge on a larger upfront investment. The pigments are not glittery but have a decent subtle sheen to them making them perfect for day and night wear. And least I forget the adorable little velvet pouch included with this item  stamped with a charming Russian silver motif stamped on the front, very lovely. Some of these little lovelies are still floating around online if your interested. If these colors are not to your liking then I hope my review helps you to decide if you would like to invest in future Guerlain palettes. This is definitely one I'll be using the most this Spring 2011 season. Anyone have this or would like to comment on any Guerlain palette? Neiman Marcus has another Russian inspired eye & lip palette that is available for purchase now from the Volga Princess Collection. I'm adding a link for you below. It's yet another Guerlain product I have my eyes on... Stay beautiful! XOXO

Availability:Neiman Marcus Guerlain Volga Princess Eye & Lip Palette $69

Guerlain Les Ors Holiday 2010 Collection

Lust worthy! Guerlain Les Ors Holiday Collection now out in stores. The shimmer powder  in this set is said to be the best they've made so far. This holiday collection consists of Meteorites Pearls revamped with mauve and white illuminators in a silver tin with a bumble bee motif, Eclat Ombre Quad Eye Shadow Palette, Meteorites Compact in a fun design, Imperial Or Spray Powder, and Kiss Kiss Lip Color all encased in gold packaging. Which should I get?  I'm thinking of passing on the MAC Tartan Tales so I can splurge on one of these items instead.  Anyone have anything in this years collection yet? Stay beautiful!   XOXO

Availability:Neiman Marcus

Guerlain Meteorites Poudre De Perles Compact

Since investing in a few of the Guerlain Meteorites Pearl Collection, I'm going to go ahead and review them for anyone interested in buying some. The price point is high but you have to own at least one from the entire collection, it's so worth it.I already reviewed the mini meteorites so next up is my review for my Guerlain Meteorites Poudre De Perles Compact. This illuminating pearl powder compact is in shade Nacre Des Mers which was from last years Guerlain Summer Splash Collection. My French is so off to the left but I believe nacre des mers means shell of the sea. The compact is a full 10 gram size which is pretty generous. The pan doesn't go deep but the pearls are raised somewhat so there's plenty of lasting powder. It's not a traditional compact that flips open but more like a case which you twist the top like you would a container. The case is very sturdy and has the signature faux pearl inlaid design on the top which was actually inspired by a box Marie Antoinette had on her vanity table. When you open the case it has the usual distinct Guerlain Meteorites fragrance of a soft powder floral type scent. The pearls vary in size with larger pearls at the outer rim growing gradually smaller as it spirals into the center pearl. The pearl shades alter from gold beige, pearly pale apricot,  light ivory pearl finishing off with a blue pearl in the center. Guerlains ad campaign stated this was inspired by the Akoya of Tahiti. The tonal palette illuminates the complexion in light while the blue heart pearl hides small imperfections. Of course there are ground pearls in the formula which feels very lightweight on the skin. It makes all the difference using the right professional brush when applying this and you control the intensity. A couple of swipes or pats add a sheer touch of luminosity while more product adds a deeper glow. This isn't glittery but a bit of pearly sheen shows up on your skin. Your face radiates nicely under bright lights. Some people who have used meteorites say it's too shiny on their skin. This could be due to a heavy handed application or oilier skin type but it's nothing I noticed on my skin. I only gently swirl my brush a couple of times and that's it. there are different shades which might be more appropriate for different types of skin tones, you can ask the store consultant or even use one of the store testers to see which one might work best for you. I did notice that the first few applications the powder had a shinier hand on application because the pearls have this extra silvery finish on top but after you use it a couple of times that finish wears off and the high shine is less noticeable on your skin. My skin is yellow based and pale that all the different shades I have, none of them really look that different form each other when applied on my skin and all the shades seem to work fine with me. This shade sold out but Sephora is selling the new collection and I believe that the Beige Lumineux 03 comes closest to this Nacre Des Mers except for the center pearl being lavender. This is the reason why I'm on the fence to get the beige but the lavender pearl is pretty. This would also make a lovely gift for a best friend and a definite must have for yourself. Does anyone have this or any other meteorites shade? What do you guys think about it? Stay beautiful!  XOXO

Availability:Sephora $65 ( beige lumineux is almost similar to the nacre des mers )

Guerlain Meteorites Miniature Collection

Up for review today is my Guerlain Meteorites Miniature Collection or coffret which ever you prefer to call this. This is a lust for set and it's a great way to try out the meteorites in every color option without having to commit to a full sized purchase canister of meteorites which depending on the season, can run up to $80 for holiday limited editions. If your familiar with Guerlain Meteorites then you don't need me to tell you how wonderful they are. For those of you who don't know about these, basically they are highlighter pearls that offer a great amount of pigment payoff. These pearls also help to cast a soft glow on your skin while hiding imperfections and evening out your skin tone. This product makes your skin tantalizing radiant with a super soft glow. There is absolutely no glitter or tacky glimmer only a sheen, it's very silky soft and highly blendable every where on your face or your decolletage area. The shades in the photo above in order left to right are Beige Chic-Pink Fresh & Mystic. Each set has white and tonal pearls included to cast a variant glow of the main color shade. The beige chic is slightly more golden,the pink fresh is a nice sheer rosy glow and the mystic has a lovely silvery platinum highlight to it. The brush in the set is fabulous! So soft and gentle on your skin. To use these you just take the brush and swirl them gently around all the pearl beads and give a little tap to the brush then blend anywhere on your face or skin. The shades I'm in love with the most are the beige chic and the mystic. I have to mention that the boxes are not filled to the top because if you look in the photo you can see on the inside cover it comes with a tiny little puff which is absolutely useless! You need to use a good soft professional powder brush. The full size version are not better in weight. The pearls are not a lot so you might seem miffed when you get this home and feel as if someone emptied out the pearls. It's not the case they are all made this way. Even my Victoria's Secret Pearls of India boxes were almost empty. I ordered a few more from them only to find out all the boxes are like this. If you ask me the manufacturers are pretty cheap considering the cost of these little gems! Although they do have a high pigment payoff and they will last you a very long time less is more. You don't have to dig or rub your face puff into the pearls as you would the traditional powders so the friction is less likely to be wasted. This set sold out as it was limited edition but you can find them a few online so the price point will vary. I will list a source with other size Meteorites available in the link below. I was also told that the new 2010 beige chic pearls in full size sold now are in an even smaller box with less weight to them. How can they get any smaller? What are they going to start selling soon only 5 little pearls!  Because there are literally like under 20 pearls in the small size box now. If anyone uses these or the compact please feel free to comment on them and let me know if you think they are worth the high cost. I'm also going to be away for a few days due to a birthday getaway but I'll be back to post more of my product reviews. The ones that I purchased in the same box seem to be sold out at Sephora but they have the pearl compact which I'm including a chart from the site to give you more info on pearl color. Stay Beautiful! XOXO

Availability: Neiman Marcus $53 Meteorites Finishing Powder

Neiman Marcus $56 New Meteorite Pearls