Filed In: Guerlain

Guerlain · La Petite Robe Noire, Eau de Parfum Intense

In early July, I was incredibly thrilled to attend the media launch of Guerlain’s La Petite Robe Noire Eau de Parfum Intense, the latest chapter from this fragrance range, an event that was made even sweeter by getting the opportunity to meet & chat with the scent’s creator, Thierry Wasser (side note: this man is not only über-charming, but so incredibly hilarious — we literally spent the better part of an hour laughing together). Launching officially today at select counters nationwide, La Petite Robe Noire Intense (LPRNI) has been graced with a warm candy-coated vibe that still manages to exude a lush sultriness; picture that sexy little black dress you pull out when you want to make a statement, and you’ll get the idea.

Full recap of the La Petite Robe Noire event here

With Thierry Wasser, the creator of the fragrance

La Petite Robe Noire Eau de Parfum Intense (CAN $117.00/50 ml) | Available in 3 sizes, the bottle with its iconic “upside-down heart” stopper now comes in a delicious blue colour and bears a flirty black dress — most likely inspired by the white version made famous by Marilyn Monroe in the scene from The Seven Year Itch (1955), where she stands over a subway grate and the wind rushing underneath blows it up teasingly around her.

Apparently created with the North American market in mind, LPRNI is a sweeter rendition of past iterations but still displays subtle touches of the brand’s ‘Guerlinade’ playing teasingly in the background, a composition of notes that permeate all Guerlain fragrances in one form or another and are the backbone of this scent continuity.

Top Notes:

Rose, Vanilla, Candy Floss

Heart Notes:

Bergamot, Blueberry

Base Notes:

Sandalwood, Patchouli, Musk

The initial burst prominently features the Candy Floss accord, a sweetness that’s tempered by the addition of Bulgarian Rose to keep it from ever becoming cloying. With the wearing, I find the Bergamot note tamps down the caramel-like sweetness even more, giving LPRNI a nice bite while still maintaining that candy-like edge. The genius of the base notes serve to not only round everything out so beautifully, but imparts a sensual whisper behind — the kind that makes people lean into you, usually without even realizing that they’re doing so.

Fragrance is something so incredibly personal that it’s actually quite hard to objectively review since what works for one person (me) may not always fit another (you). That being said, I happen to fall into the category of those who can be literally knocked out of the count with the wrong scent, which is why I’m so happy to say that La Petite Robe Noire Intense not only meshes with my body’s chemistry so completely, but is in fact the bottle I reach for most often for evening wear. There’s something at once familiar, comforting, yummy, and killer-sexy in the composition that I happen to love, and you don’t necessarily have to favour warm vanilla-gourmand fragrances like this to find something about it to adore. In other words, next time you’re at a Guerlain counter I highly recommend you take a whiff … and perhaps have your very own Marilyn moment while you’re at it (it could happen).

Available at The Bay & online

Press sample/As always, all opinions are my own

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Guerlain · Shalimar Collection by Natalia Vodianova, Holiday 2016

October 18, 2016

Several weeks ago I was honoured to be amongst a select few invited to a special media preview of the Guerlain Shalimar Collection for Holiday 2016 which was held at Restaurant Europea in the heart of downtown Montréal. Discreetly tucked away on de la Montagne Street, the unassuming exterior belies the gastronomic delights we were about to discover, along with the exquisite beauty collection itself. Presented by key members of the Guerlain team along with International Makeup Artist for the brand, Maxime Poulin (whose talent is simply phenomenal), we were given a thorough breakdown of not only the entire collection, but of several other new releases, including Orchidée Imperial Black, the most über-luxurious skincare cream I’ve ever come across, and the newest additions to the Les Exclusifs de Guerlain fragrance range.

The Guerlain holiday release is always one of the season’s most highly anticipated (last year’s version sold out as soon as it hit counters), and the Shalimar Collection which was created by Shalimar face & muse Natalia Vodianova in collaboration with the house’s Creative Director, Olivier Echaudemaison, is no exception — drawing inspiration from Imperial India and one of history’s great love stories, that of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Tahal. Their passion and love for one another has since reached legendary status and when she passed away, her grief-stricken husband dedicated one last homage to her: the creation of one of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal, a tomb fit for a queen.

I’m going to warn you right now: this post is quite picture-heavy so get comfortable and read on. I’ve begun with the event itself, immediately followed by my review with swatches of the entire collection. I’ve also included the Shalimar full-length video produced by Bruno Aveillan — an absolute must-see for any die-hard romantic. Personally, I can watch this on repeat all day long as it is just so beautifully crafted and visually arresting. Then there’s the divine jewelry worn by Natalia that I’m absolutely lusting after …

*Note that the entire collection is limited edition

Natalia Vodianova for Shalimar

The Legend of Shalimar, directed by Bruno Aveillan

The venue: Restaurant Europea, downtown Montréal, Québec

Brought to the event from the Guerlain vault: the Shalimar Talisman Bizantin by Maison Gripoix, bearing 1.5 litres of Shalimar Extract and valued at $11,500 — of which there are only 25 pieces in the world

It’s all in the details: delicate beading surrounds the neck with the iconic chauve-souris (bat) label in front

Table settings and ambiance — all perfectly meshed

Guerlain Shalimar Collection by Natalia Vodianova, Holiday 2016

Lobster Capuccino with truffle purée

Lower-River shrimps & pea gazpacho, creamy celery remoulade, citronnade, roasted sunflower seeds & wild pansy petals (*photo taken before the gazpacho was added)

Strips of cured meat paired with white wine

Caramelized scallops, citrus & yuzu juice, creamy risotto with green sprouts & crispy-fondant sautéed mushrooms

Lemon Pie Cristalline with fresh berries

Vanilla meringue buttons and raspberry cotton candy

Guerlain · Shalimar Collection by Natalia Vodianova, Holiday 2016

The uniqueness of this collections starts with the intense cobalt blue outer packaging, a hue that’s also carried throughout the rest of the pieces. Inspired by the colours of India’s precious metals and stones, blue & gold decorates the detailing of the Météorites container, a design which is reminiscent of elegantly delicate lapis lazuli jewelry boxes. Taking things to the next level, a faux-sapphire cabochon adorns the luxurious Rouge G lipstick, turning this ubiquitous beauty item into a covet-worthy work of art that just begs to be taken out in public. Rounding the collection out is the body & hair spray; delicate, ethereal and the only festive touch you’ll need for the holidays.

Precious Light Pink Pearly Illuminator (CAN $62.00) | A subtle highlighter in a pen format that you click to release the product onto the brush. The shade is a pale pink with pearly reflects and can be used to bring radiance to key points of the face: inner or outer corners of the eye, upper cheekbones, bridge of the nose, brow bone and/or cupid’s bow of the lips. The shade is actually universally wearable due to the complexity of the pearly particles, and should even suit the darkest complexions without appearing ashy.

Guerlain · Precious Light Pink Pearly Illuminator

Guerlain · Precious Light Pink Pearly Illuminator swatches

Écrin Shalimar Precious Eyeshadows, Gold & Sapphire (CAN $51.00) | The two shades of this palette are not only incredibly complex formula-wise, but work in perfect harmony together. The gold has a nice balance of both cool and warm tones, therefore making it workable on a broad range of skin tones, while the sapphire is truly jewel-like with hints of indigo, purple and even a fine blue shimmer thrown in to keep it unique. The texture is incredibly smooth — almost creamy to the touch — and blends beautifully. The colour of both shades, while not initially overly strong, is also easily built up; you can apply either as a sheer wash of colour, or layered for more impact and depth of tone. One thing to note with Guerlain eyeshadows: if you opt to use the shades damp, then you probably won’t be able to go back to using either dry again, as wetting them changes the texture.

Guerlain Shalimar Collection · Écrin Shalimar Precious Eyeshadows, Gold & Sapphire

Guerlain Shalimar Collection · Écrin Shalimar Precious Eyeshadows, Gold & Sapphire swatches

Guerlain Shalimar Collection · Écrin Shalimar Precious Eyeshadows, Gold & Sapphire

L’Or Eyeliner, Felt Eyeliner Sparkling Gold (CAN $42.0) | A scintillating gold eyeliner with a felt tip for ease of use and precision application. The texture is initially cooling to the touch upon skin (but which dissipates fairly quickly) and you can build up the intensity for more impact. Apart from using this in place of a traditional eyeliner (i.e.: to line either the upper or lower lash line), you can also apply some to your finger then lightly pat that on the mobile lid for some extra sparkle, or my favourite, along the tips of the outer lashes for a unique glittering touch. There’s about 30 seconds of play time before it sets, because once it does, it’s there until removed. True fact: I swatched a bit on my hand and even after showering, it was still there — how’s that for crazy staying power?

Guerlain Shalimar Collection · L’Or Eyeliner, Felt Eyeliner Sparkling Gold

Guerlain Shalimar Collection · L’Or Eyeliner, Felt Eyeliner Sparkling Gold swatches

Guerlain Shalimar Collection · Terracotta Terra India Shimmering Bronzing Powder

Terracotta Terra India Shimmering Bronzing Powder (CAN $64.00) | There are several facets that make this Terracotta powder stand apart from the brand’s other versions: first up is the indigo outer packaging, followed by the intricate pattern embossed on the powder’s surface. Not meant to be a bronzer in the traditional sense, the hue appears more rose-gold when applied thus turning it into an almost hybrid highlighter/bronzer type of product. That being said, there’s a unique versatility to this shade in the fact that all skin tones can get something out of it: the über-fair can use this as bronzer without fear of overdoing things, it works as a gorgeous highlighter (neither blingy nor ashy) for women of colour, and makes for a gorgeous touch of radiance for just about everyone. The texture is [unsurprisingly] highly refined and blends/buffs into the skin flawlessly, while the product can be worn either as a sheer wash or layered for more depth — all depending on your preferences and the look you’re going for.

Guerlain Shalimar Collection · Terracotta Terra India Shimmering Bronzing Powder

Guerlain Shalimar Collection · Terracotta Terra India Shimmering Bronzing Powder swatches

821 Rouge Saphir Rouge G Exceptional Complete Lip Care (CAN $61.00) | The epitome of luxury lip colour, if a fairy-tale Indian princess carried a lipstick, then I’m betting this would have been it. The finesse starts with the casing, which here is a gleaming pewter that bears a solid heft to it and adorned with a faux-sapphire cabochon. Popped open, it reveals a mirror — perfect for touch ups and basically made to be pulled out in public to do so (I mean, how could you not?). The shade is a lush scarlet and so incredibly pigmented that you basically get full coverage/opacity from the first swipe. As to the texture, I almost have no words: buttery, velvety, and hands down superior to anything else I’ve ever applied to my lips. Even the staying power is impressive, lasting through eating & drinking with minimal fading, and leaving a beautiful deep-rose stain behind.

Guerlain Shalimar Collection · 821 Rouge Saphir Rouge G Exceptional Complete Lip Colour

Guerlain Shalimar Collection · 821 Rouge Saphir Rouge G Exceptional Complete Lip Colour swatch

Météorites Perles de Légende (CAN $79.00) | I may have an slight obsession with Météorites, begun when I first discovered these little pearls of perfection years ago and saw first-hand the effect they can have on one’s skin. This collection’s iteration is no less amazing; housed in a stunning metal container that bears a design perhaps Peter Carl Fabergé might have imagined, the 3 shades it holds were personally selected by Natalia as they reminded her of ‘the colour of mosaics in Indian palaces’, although there’s more to them than that. The pink hue provides brightness and enhances the complexion with a touch of freshness, the blue shade works to even out the skin, while the golden hues act as subtle illumination and call forth light to the face. Bearing the brand’s signature violet fragrance, it does dissipate fairly quickly after application and instead of the usual powder puff (which honestly, I never use) the pearls are protected by a foam cover. Slightly more shimmery than any of the Météorites in the permanent range by virtue of the golden pearls, the effect is still delicate enough that you won’t come off as appearing overly glittery. In fact, trying to describe what this powder does is beyond difficult; you basically have to try it to fully understand, but it’s like an invisible veil that somehow magically makes your skin look a zillion times better. The type that will have people asking what you did, because your complexion looks so good.

Guerlain Shalimar Collection · Météorites Perles de Légende

Guerlain Shalimar Collection · Météorites Perles de Légende swatches

Souffle D’Or Perfumed Iridescent Body & Hair Powder (CAN $105.00) | The final crowning touch, Souffle D’Or is literally bottled fairy dust. I kid you not.

Imbued with a subtle version of the Shalimar fragrance, this gossamer-light mist is meant to add delicate golden touches to either hair or skin and retains some of the scent long after it’s applied, only to be picked up ever-so-softly with movement. The indigo bottle bears the traditional Shalimar shape and has that Old Hollywood-glam style bulb for applying it with, lending a sensuous boudoir touch to the entire experience. The shimmery bits come in a variety of sizes and while some may fade, others stay behind along with a whisper of scent, just to keep things interesting.

Guerlain Shalimar Collection · Souffle D’Or Perfumed Iridescent Body & Hair Powder

Guerlain Shalimar Collection · Souffle D’Or Perfumed Iridescent Body & Hair Powder (in action)

Guerlain Shalimar Collection · Souffle D’Or Perfumed Iridescent Body & Hair Powder swatch

If you’ve made it all the way to this point, then I applaud you for sticking it out but sometimes you just can’t condense something so spectacular in just a few words or pictures. Guerlain is a luxury brand that refuses to comprise on details, and that fact is brilliantly apparent with the Shalimar Collection, a first for Natalia Vodianova who’s been the muse for the Shalimar fragrance range running on 8 years now. This collection has been beautifully curated and nothing has been overlooked, but it does lean on the steep-side price-wise; the lipstick alone is a hefty investment, but I can honestly say that I have never worn anything like it before (and trust me, I’ve worn a lot). Last year’s Météorites had a waitlist a mile long and something tells me that this year’s version will fare the same, especially when you consider that the shade range is so suitable to a much broader complexion range. With the Christmas season and holidays upon us, any one of the pieces here would make an absolutely incredible gift for the beauty-lover on your list … that’s assuming you don’t scoop everything up for yourself first.

Available November 1

Press samples/As always, all opinions are my own

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Becca · Rose Quartz Shimmering Skin Perfector

September 15, 2016

The latest from Becca, a brand that has become known for using ‘light to amplify the features you love’ comes their latest, Rose Quartz Shimmering Skin Perfector, a limited edition pale pink highlighter that launched without any buzz or fanfare, yet instantly sold out on day 1 on Sephora’s website (but has since been restocked & will become available in store next month). I usually don’t fall for hype and buy sight unseen, but my beauty radar was telling me to go for it, and I’ve learned to listen to that instinct. So happy I did, as this shade is like nothing I already own.

One of Pantone’s two colours of the year for 2016, rose quartz is a mineral and has been called the ‘Stone of Love’, having been also used as a love talisman as early as 600 B.C. Also synonymous with beauty, this stone is purported to have a nurturing and calming effect on those around it. Regardless of whether you believe or not, I love the positive message just the same.

Becca · Rose Quartz Shimmering Skin Perfector

Rose Quartz Shimmering Skin Perfector, limited edition (CAN $46.00) | Housed in a flying-saucer shaped compact (right?), it differentiates from Becca’s usual casing by its metallic rose-gold colour that’s just so pretty. The surface of the pattern is in raised geometric shapes that I’m sure will eventually wear down with continued use — not that I’ll ever get to that point (I think), and which shouldn’t affect how the product applies in any way.

The formula is apparently enriched with ‘ultrafine luminescent pearls that absorb, reflect & refract light’, and can adjust to your skin’s natural undertone. The texture is fine-milled and can be applied as a lighter dusting for just a touch of radiance (a fan brush works best for this), or layered for a more editorial-like brilliance. Longevity (over foundation), seems to be excellent and remains visible until removed.

This pale pink hue is quite unique in that it bears neutral undertones, thus making it workable on all skin tones across the spectrum. As someone with a light-medium complexion that has a golden undertone, I tend to avoid pink anything — but I was totally surprised by how Rose Quartz seems to adapt to my skin, and just seems to look better & better with the wearing.

Becca · Rose Quartz Shimmering Skin Perfector

Becca · Rose Quartz Shimmering Skin Perfector swatches

Apart from the cult-fave Champagne Pop shade shown above, I actually own another Becca coppery highlighter with the same pattern as Rose Quartz, but it seems to have gone MIA and I couldn’t find it to compare. As the swatches show, these two are nothing alike although surprisingly, the pink hue of Rose Quartz appears more wearable than the more golden colour colour of Champagne Pop. I totally did not expect that, and it further backs up the ‘neutral undertone’ part of the claim.

Becca · Rose Quartz & Champagne Pop Shimmering Skin Perfector swatches

Pulling out a few more pink-toned highlighters to compare (although something tells me that I probably have more lurking about, but I was just too lazy to hunt them all down), it’s clear that none are a match for Rose Quartz, leaning either too pink or too shimmery.

Note that all have been swatched with a heavy hand in the photo below, in order to show their differences and/or similarities. Press samples are marked by *

Shu Uemura Pink Blush Satin Radiant Stick* – cream formula & definitely the most pink of the group, although it can be sheered out.
Pat McGrath Skinfetish 003 Iridescent Pink – the strongest iridescence, cool toned
Urban Decay Aura Afterglow Highlighter* – a true pale pink, cool toned
Guerlain Cruel Gardenia – a few degrees more pink, slightly more shimmery but along the same finish
MAC Trophy Pearlmatte Face Powder* – the least pigmented of the group making it wearable as an overall face powder as a result
Laura Mercier Illuminator – the most metallic finish of them all, peach based & warmer toned

Becca · Rose Quartz Shimmering Skin Perfector & comparison swatches

Even though I trust my gut when it comes to beauty products, I still had hesitations about Rose Quartz … until it arrived and I swatched it. After that, it was all “hello beautiful & welcome to the family”. Somehow Becca managed the impossible: getting a colour usually reserved for the fair-complexioned, and making it universally wearable. Bottom line: totally worth picking up, especially if you happen to have a bit of a fetish re: highlighters (guilty).

Available at Sephora

Purchased Item/All opinions my own

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Guerlain | Lingerie de Peau Foundation, The Foundation Brush & Multi-Perfecting Concealer

August 21, 2016

For Fall 2016 Guerlain is going nude as well as back to the drawing board, set to relaunch their Lingerie de Peau Foundation by not only re-tooling the original cult-fave formula but improving on it, adding several more shades to the range as well and thus reaching a wider audience. Next on the list and designed as a perfect compliment with the foundation is a new kitten-soft Foundation Brush, its dense & velvety bristles helping to provide a melt-into-the-skin finish. Lastly, the Multi-Perfecting Concealer is the perfect finishing touch, made with a revolutionary new hybrid formula that will both correct dark circles and detract from imperfections. Flawless skin, I’m so ready for you.

Guerlain | Lingerie de Peau Foundation, The Foundation Brush & Multi-Perfecting Concealer

02N Light Lingerie de Peau Foundation (CAN $69.00) | Drawing inspiration from fine textiles, this new formula brings together natural silk and linen fibres to literally weave an imperceptible veil upon the skin’s surface, leaving behind a totally weightless yet flawless look. Also included is a Natural Perfection Skin-Fusion Texture, basically stretch fibres that will adhere to your face’s contours, ensuring a comfortable and natural hold that won’t move or crack, while the corrective pigments and powders within this Bio-fusion micro-mesh aim to give your complexion a unified appearance. As if all of the above weren’t enough, there’s also a Silk-Fusion Complex thrown into the mix, further adding to that bare-skin feel and increasing the foundation’s longevity.

Housed in a glass bottle with simple clean-cut lines (I wasn’t a fan of the original coffin-shaped bottle, truth to tell), there are 14 new shades to choose from, categorized by level of intensity and undertone: cool, neutral, warm and optimized for a broad range of complexions from fair to deep. The texture is of a medium density — neither too watery nor thick — and a little seems to go a long way, spreading easily along the skin. Delicately scented, the fragrance is actually quite pleasant and not overpowering, seeming to dissipate fairly quickly after application. Once fully blended in, the finish is phenomenal: exceptionally flawless and so lightweight, making it extremely comfortable to wear all day long. Staying power is excellent as well easily going 9+ hours without noticeably fading, merging well with my skin’s natural oils as it warms up (BONUS: I experience no settling in areas such as around the nose or between brows. Yay!). The finish is not exactly dewy nor is it matte, but close to ‘naturally radiant’ (best way I can think of describing it), and without primer underneath, I do get some shine around the 5-hour mark, but not enough to be a deal-breaker. Geared more for normal-to-combination skin types (like me), I feel that the velvety texture of this foundation should also be workable on those with drier complexions as well.

When the original Lingerie de Peau launched, the hype was pretty intense as this was one of the first ‘second-skin‘ types of foundations to be released, and so I splurged on a bottle (shade 03 Beige Natural). With an undeniably ground-breaking new finish, I remember also wishing there had been a wider colour selection. For the re-launched version, I was sent shade 02N Light (full size) and 03C Natural Cool (large sample size) to test out, neither of which is a perfect match on my still-tanned skin now when applied individually, although when combined both shades look absolutely flawless on me. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing the rest of the range, in particular 03N which I suspect will be my go-to colour.

Guerlain | Lingerie de Peau Foundation

Guerlain | Lingerie de Peau Foundation swatches

The Foundation Brush (CAN $53.00) | Made with ultra-soft synthetic fibres, this is a dense compact-headed brush created to help foundation apply effortlessly and seamlessly into the skin. The bristles are rounded from all angles which means you won’t get streaks or any harsh demarcation lines, being supple enough (and totally not floppy), to adjust to all facial contours from every angle. Housed in a protective & washable sleeve to help prevent bacteria and/or bristle damage, it’s also conveniently sized for travel.

I’ll admit that I haven’t been impressed with Guerlain brushes in the past, having found their texture usually too rough for my liking. If this Foundation Brush is the beginning of new developments with the brand, then I’d say they’re on to a good thing. Even though I usually prefer applying foundation with my fingers to start with, using this brush made the job effortless (and definitely less messy), and once everything had been thoroughly blended along, I used what was left on the brush to lightly buff everything in. The result was a smooth and even finish, as flawless as I can get my skin to appear without coming off as fake.

Guerlain | The Foundation Brush

Guerlain | Multi-Perfecting Concealer

Multi-Perfecting Concealer (CAN $42.00/each)| Available in 6 shades, these concealers come in a portable tube with a unique new made-to-measure delivery system; thanks to a ‘cannula‘ (a small tube inserted at the tip), the product exits from the tube smoothly, thereby reducing product excess. The formula is also a first for the brand, combining a hybrid technology that will both help to conceal dark circles AND create an immediate soft-focus ‘blurring effect’, providing long-lasting coverage along with skincare benefits.

02 Light Cool – rosy undertones, good for fair – light complexions
03 Medium Warm – golden undertone, good for light-medium complexions

For the record, I rarely wear concealer; I have never had dark circles to contend with and now that I’ve gotten older, I find that concealer usually has the opposite effect on me by actually emphasizing all my ‘life/laugh’ lines, as opposed to hiding them. I do like the thought of adding a product there that will brighten the undereye area, and I may have just found a good match with this concealer formula. The texture is very interesting as well: creamy and just this side of thick, but with a surprisingly easy spread and once applied, seems to almost skim the surface of the skin thus filling in aforementioned lines and leaving behind a smooth finish (hallelujah) . Unscented, it also displays excellent hold without any visible caking or creasing for a solid 8+ hours, and going the extra mile by merging beautifully with foundation throughout the wearing.

Guerlain | Multi-Perfecting Concealer swatches

What Guerlain has done with bronzers, the brand now aims to do in the world of foundation and concealers: be at the top of their game. I’m not a fan of heavy coverage but I do still want a seamless & flawless finish to my foundation coupled with an imperceptible feel along my the skin (tall order, I know ∗shrugs∗), Lingerie de Peau delivers on all counts. The Foundation Brush is beautiful: it provides a wonderful application plus it’s peachy/pink …enough said. Concealers and I rarely get along, but the Multi-Perfecting version actually agrees with me (I do like smart makeup), with the 03 Medium Warm shade suiting me perfectly. I have a hunch that Guerlain has just tapped into something pretty awesome, not to mention flawless.

Pre-launch August 26 (Sephora), available October at Guerlain counters nationwide

Kindly provided by the Guerlain team for review consideration/As always, all opinions are my own

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Guerlain | Fall 2016 Collection

August 8, 2016

As someone who revels in all things Summer, I can’t help but get excited when new collections start rolling in, even if that means it’s the first signs of upcoming cooler weather — although I’m nowhere near ready to let go of the heat anytime soon. Several weeks ago at the launch of Guerlain’s latest La Petite Robe Noire fragrance (posted previously here), much of this new collection adorned the models’ faces and from the early preview, I knew there would be much to love.

Guerlain | Fall 2016 Collection

Guerlain | KissKiss Shaping Cream Lip Colour, Fall 2016

Housed in tiny sculptural works of art, the Guerlain KissKiss lipstick formula is an incredible sensorial experience. Ultra creamy and smoothly applying, they are enriched with hyaluronic acid spheres and Commiphora Oil (extracted from myrrh) to provide long-lasting hydration, leaving lips feeling nourished long after all traces of colour have faded. These are also scented with that classic vanilla-violet fragrance that’s given a fresh vibe with berry notes, and while apparent upon initial application seems to dissipate rather quickly after that.

Guerlain | KissKiss Shaping Cream Lip Colour swatches, Fall 2016

500 Fall In Nude, limited edition (CAN $43.00) | A pearly rose nude shade that offers good coverage for a hue this light, although don’t expect it to be fully opaque. Right in my neutral-loving wheelhouse, this is the perfect swipe-and-go type of colour that I prefer reaching for, with the added bonus of its balm-like feel. Staying power is about average at 2.5 hours, without factoring in eating and/or eating.

Guerlain | 500 Fall In Nude KissKiss Shaping Cream Lip Colour, Fall 2016

520 Fall In Red, limited edition (CAN $43.00) | A red-tinted deep rose (not exactly red by my standards, but gorgeous just the same) with a good mix of both cool and warm undertones to make it workable on a broad range of skin tones. As someone who rarely reaches for anything pink, I love how this shade is just this side of deep, tonally speaking – enough so to make it wearable + chic (plus it’s pretty luscious-looking, no?).

Guerlain | 520 Fall In Red KissKiss Shaping Cream Lip Colour, Fall 2016

For Fall 2016, Guerlain has released 6 new stay in line eyeshadow palettes, with each comprised of 5 unique shades to help you create both natural and/or more dramatic looks. Housed in the brand’s signature black lacquered compact case with a snap closure, the surface of the shades is embossed with the iconic Guerlain pattern and name (on the darkest shade at the far right). Included in each palette are a sponge-tipped applicator that has a workably good-sized head and a smaller dual-ended brush, both of which are in fact quite usable and well made, although I still prefer using my own brushes for the job. Palettes not shown:

01 Rose Barbare (shades of eggplant)
04 L’Heure de Nuit (shades of black)
05 Après l’Ondée (shades of blue)
06 Bois des Indes (shades of taupe)

02 Tonka Impériale (CAN $69.00) | One of the easiest palettes to work with along with being universally wearable, all shades display a creamy and well-pigmented application with very little powdery fallout, blend effortlessly and can also be used damp, lasting beautifully (over primer) without signs of creasing or fading. Broken down (from left to right):

oyster with pearly pink reflects
soft taupe
milk chocolate brown
warm brown with mauve reflects
dark brown

Guerlain | 02 Tonka Impérial Palette 5 Couleurs, Fall 2016

03 Coque d’Or (CAN $69.00) | The more metallic of the two palettes shown, the shades here are all warmer leaning yet can still be made to work on those with cooler undertones in their complexion (it’s all in the layering). Displaying the same creamy feel in application as well as superior blending capacity, the shades broken down are as follows (left to right):

ivory
pale gold
soft tan
bronze
pine green

Guerlain | 03 Coque d’Or Palette 5 Couleurs, Fall 2016

01 Ultra Black Felt Eyeliner (CAN $48.00) | With their long-standing reputation in the field of kohl eyeliners, Guerlain has now branched out in the realm of the pen-style format with the release of Ultra Black Felt Eyeliner. Bearing a defined pointed tip to help create sharp precision, or worked along its side for a broader sweep of colour, this is definitely one of the blackest liners in the genre that I’ve come across and made even more unique by its glossy finish. Lasting power is excellent, going easily past the 8 hour mark without cracking or fading, with its quick dry time making the job super easy (although you should note to work on one eye at a time for the very same reason). Personally, this format is my preferred liner to work with when looking to create drama or that perfect winged cat-eye (let’s face it: if you can use a pen to write, you can use this to line. Easy-peasy).

Guerlain | 01 Ultra Black Felt Eyeliner, Fall 2016

Ok, so yeah….Winter is coming, blah, blah, blah. What’s sweetening the deal for me is how absolutely lovely this collection is; nothing ground breaking in terms of colour, but then again, Guerlain is a brand that has become synonymous with understated yet fully polished & refined elegance — with a healthy dose of premier quality thrown into the mix, forming a perfect counterbalance to some of the more outrageous collections that will surely head our way. Everything shown here is not only wearable but will transcend the seasons as well, making each basically an investment in your beauty wardrobe. The only problem? I do believe that I now want the rest of the palettes.

Available early September at Guerlain counters