Guerlain Météorites ‘Perles du Paradis’ Spring 2013

It’s no secret that I have a “thing” for high-end cosmetics (I’m guessing quality & pretty packaging may have something to do with it), but Guerlain is one brand that I only began exploring last year (see earlier reviews here, here, here, and here). For years, I’ve heard raves about their Terracotta bronzing powders and Météorites illuminators, but always resisted the call – until I saw the Spring 2013 release, and just like that, I fell hard. Then there’s the pink powder puff … everything about this beauty needs to be proudly displayed on a vanity table, calling to mind the days when women lavishly indulged their subtly powerful feminity!

Guerlain – Météorites Perles du Paradis

Guerlain – Météorites Perles du Paradis (ingredients list)

Guerlain – Météorites Perles du Paradis

Météorites Perles du Paradis Illuminating Sparkling Powder (CAD $67.00) – beads of illuminating powder for the face, in 6 varying tones – pearl white, baby pink, lavender, pink, dark rose, and silver – all in Guerlain’s signature violet scent. The pearls come housed in a black cardboard container with a pale pink ribbed outer cover, printed with the brand’s floral emblem on top, and includes a black beribboned pink powder puff as well. The beads are apparently oversized, although I personally don’t have others from Guerlain for a complete comparison (but I can attest to the claim, having seen them at the counter). In one of my photos (below), note that I’m showing only 5 of the 6 coloured beads; mainly because I mistakenly thought the pale pink ones were the darker ones, with the outer coating rubbed off – so wrong!

Breakdown:

pearl white – 13
baby pink – 9
lavender – 8
pink – 10
dark rose – 5
silver – 4
Total: 49 beads

I have a confession to make: up until now, I could not understand the hype & fuss over these little balls (sorry – “little balls” cracks me up!). Even swatching this product at the counter, I still hesitated – because I couldn’t see anything happening. For anyone else who has resisted getting on the Météorites bandwagon, here’s an important lesson: department store lighting does NOT sell this product; you need to see yourself first in natural light, to truly understand the effect.

As the container has a nice wide opening, it’s very easy to swirl your brush through the beads; sometimes I even gently toss them (before opening) to get a uniquely different distribution of colours. The powder is exceptionally fine-milled – almost invisible to detect, while the silver balls are the only ones to give off a slightly more discernible shimmer. From the “ball breakdown” (keep your laughter to a minimum, please) the white & lighter pinks dominate, while the lavender acts as a colour-corrector, the dark rose gives depth, and the sparser silver flecks impart an extra little kick.

Once applied to the face, however, is when the magic truly begins; the first thing you notice is a gently diffused overall look, then it’s almost as though imperfections are somewhat softened, and you’re left with this beautiful luminosity. Not an obvious glow, this is more a product that imparts a certain vitality to your skin – I would never have believed it, had I not experienced it first hand. Eight hours later, I could still see traces of this effect, and I even felt like my skin’s natural oils were well absorbed as well – kept the shine at bay longer than I expected from a face powder.

Guerlain – Météorites Perles du Paradis

Guerlain – Météorites Perles du Paradis (closeup detail)

Guerlain – Météorites Perles du Paradis

Guerlain – Météorites Perles du Paradis swatch (natural light)

Guerlain – Météorites Perles du Paradis swatch (blended, natural light)

Guerlain – Météorites Perles du Paradis swatch (blended, with flash)

Final thoughts: For those who tend to shy away from anything labelled “illuminating” for fear of the dreaded disco-ball effect, then this is the product for you. If you want a face that looks lit from within (looks better than that sounds, actually), then you NEED this. I was worried that the predominantly pink hues of this grouping would totally clash with my skin tone (light medium with yellowish undertones), but instead it served to balance everything out – colour me impressed!

The star of Guerlain’s Spring 2013 Collection, the Météorites Perles du Paradis Face Powder is also limited edition – just a friendly reminder. I’d love to hear who else has fallen in love with this beauty!