When I was shown the early promotional photos of Guerlain’s Pucci collaboration, it was instant love with the entire collection, but the item that stood out head and shoulders above the rest, in my opinion, was none other than the ‘Terra Azzurra Bronzing Powder and Blush’. Was it the multi-hued compact that brought to mind summer sunsets, the elegant wood outer casing, or the Pucci-print protective pouch? Something tells me that it was all that … and more that I did not expect, but was so happy to find out! It doesn’t hurt that the stunning Italian Riviera played muse for this collection!

The ruggedly beautiful coastline of the Italian Riviera with its vivid colouring – the inspiration behind Guerlain’s Terra Azzurra (source)

Terra Azzurra – magnetic closures & mirrored lid

the beautiful fiery sunset-hued box

open box displaying the ‘Winter Capri’ motif and matching pouch

the protective pouch done in the Pucci ‘Winter Capri’ motif

Terra Azzurra compact & pouch

Riva yachts – their clean lines and luxurious wood detailing that inspired the Terra Azzurra compact case (source)

the elegant ebony-coloured wood of the Terra Azzurra compact

Guerlain’s limited edition ‘Terra Azzurra’ Bronzing Powder and Blush‘ is a stunningly sophisticated visual display of function and art, masquerading as an item of beauty, no less! Having already mastered the art of exquisitely milled face powders and long known in the industry as the pioneers of the best cosmetic bronzers, this latest addition incorporates 3 products in one: bronzer, blush and highlighter.

Inspired by the gleaming wood of Riva yachts, the exterior of the compact is made of an ebony-coloured wood-composite material and the 2 halves are held together via three magnetic prongs – very easy to open and close. There is a round protective film on the inside, which I kept, as I found it useful in mainting the integrity of the powder’s surface.

This ‘Terra Azzurra’ powder has a distinct gardenia scent which appears to last quite a bit, but not unpleasantly so; however, if you do have a sensitivity to scented products, I would suggest you swatch this at the counter first before investing in its purchase.

The largest section, the bronzer, bears both the Guerlain signature and the designer’s name (Emilio Pucci) embossed on its surface and is of a wide enough size that you could easily pick up just this part to apply. The powder is so finely milled that it literally disappears onto the skin, yet leaves behind the most subtle and gorgeous glow. Several people feared that the colour leaned a touch too orange, but unless your complexion is alabaster-white, this bronzer in reality seems to impart the most realistic “tan” shade I’ve come across to date. I also found that it doesn’t oxidize on the skin like so many other face powders often do, and the colour only seemed to become even more “natural-looking” as it wore, eventually beginning to fade around the 8 hour mark.

The two blush stripes, one a medium rose hue and the other a coral/peach, could potentially be picked up individually but I don’t see that happening easily, as you would need a rather narrow brush to accomplish the task, making application too difficult. That being said, the two colours can easily be picked up together and when mixed, give an incredibly beautiful flush of colour to the skin. The last section, the highlighter, should not be worn alone as it is quite subtle and almost imperceptible that way; combined with the blush shades, it lends an added luminosity and when all 4 colours are swirled together, the resulting hue is simply unbelievable!

The following were all swatched quite heavily on bare, unprimed skin in order to better show the true colour of each shade. Bear in mind that on the face, the resulting look is much more refined.

in sunlight

indoors, natural light

with flash

Please ignore my rather “angry” look; the above photo was taken in full sunlight – hence the scowl!

Final thoughts: The day this collection launched at my nearest Guerlain counter, I was there, and while I wanted to get every single item, I went with a clear mission: the ‘Terra Azzurra’ compact. I may be late in getting on board with using bronzers (my fascination with them began sometime last year), but I now collect them with an almost religious passion, and I have to say, that this product ranks at the top with the best of them. There is just enough “glow” to the applied powder that it gives a certain radiance to the skin and I love the convenience of having both the blush and the bronzer in one compact, as I can play with the intensity of either product for a custom “tanned” look. Even though the ‘Terra Azzurra’ is the priciest item of this collection – and limited edition (it retails for CAD $76.00 although I managed to get it $10.00 off with a beauty discount at The Bay – even sweeter!), it is well worth every penny as it’s not only gorgeous to look at, but of an exceptional quality and versatility. Plus, it’s a lot cheaper than booking a flight to the Italian Riviera!