Guerlain Liu Shimmer Powder Face & Body ($88.00 for 0.61 oz.) is a loose iridescent powder that is dispersed by squeezing a black bulb. It’s really the elegant packaging that attracts the most attention, I’d say. It’s very fun to squeeze and spray the powder. I’d describe the particle size as sparkle; larger than shimmer, smaller than micro-glitter–looks very fine on, but it’s too much for just a subtle glow or highlight to the face. For a fun holiday look, one could surely use it on the face, but it’s not an everyday-kind of sparkle. I like it best in hair, decolletage, and legs. It’s a lot like Chanel Reverie but with a sheerer base and more sparkle. MAC Silver Dusk is more silvered, but it is also similar.
Trying to photograph this product was like trying to track down a mythical creature and proving it exists. I tried and tried but could not capture it actually used. But I swear to you that it twinkles and dances and sparkles in person. I have it sprayed on my right forearm as I’m writing this review, and it’s all quite lovely. The scent of Liu is very, very subtle. I’ve never smelled the original fragrance, and on me, the powder smells like warm vanilla, light florals, and something a little woody. If you wanted this as a scent, I’d look to the actual fragrance, because this is just barely scented.
It’s not a product I would go-to and wear if I knew I was going to be photographed lots and lots, particularly with flash photography, because sometimes the particles get all lit up and look like little bits of dirt. For the average holiday party and occasion, it would be a luxurious accessory. I’d opt for one of Guerlain’s Meteorites or luminizing powders over this for a more practical product at this price point, but Liu will add a fine veil of sparkling gold anywhere you spray it. Sparkle lovers who long for luxe packaging may see this as a match made in heaven. It’s one of those products you either love completely and wait for every holiday season, or one of those, “So what?” products you know you’ll never use.
My favorite way to wear silver during the holidays is on the lash line, actually. It can add a lot of brightness to a look! I like the line the lower lash line with a rich black eyeliner, then pat on silver eyeshadow on top. I also love silvers with blues–very wintry!
Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire Eau de Parfum ($64.00 for 1.0 fl. oz.) has notes of black cherry, almond, berries, rose, licorice, black tea, tonka bean, vanilla, and patchouli.
When it opens, it’s a barely-sweetened black cherry with a fizzy pop of crispness (reminds me of sparkling water) that gives away to a sweeter mix of cherries and almond. The almond starts to disappear, and then I get licorice peeking through with an occasional whiff of black tea. It is almost syrupy-sweet and is cherries, cherries, and more cherries. Even when the other notes come into play, they are always in the background, as the sweet scent of black cherry permeates from beginning to end. The vanilla note started to come through after a few hours, as did the rose (just barely).
On me, it was mostly a sweetened fruit and floral mix. I found it to be a fairly sweet scent but not syrupy-sweet or cloying, but on some, it might be that way. I think the fizzy quality helps lighten the scent in the beginning, and then the hints of licorice and black tea keep it from becoming too sweet as the perfume wears on. It lasted eight hours on me, and it wore fairly close to the skin. I could not compare it myself (as I don’t have it) but many have said this is a lighter version of Lolita Lempicka, so that may be of some help if you are familiar with that scent.
I am actually in love with the artwork surrounding the campaign, more so than with the fragrance itself (I tend to lean towards woody, resinous kind of fragrances, so it’s just not my personal preference). I could just see some of the imagery framed and hung near a vanity.
Guerlain Pink Punk Blush Duo ($50.00 for 0.21 oz.) contains a vibrant coral-pink with a mostly matte finish and subdued plum with a mostly matte finish.
If you have a cooler complexion with natural pink undertones, I suspect the brighter pink shade will look pinker, not quite as coral-like, on you. It looked pinker in the pan but on my skin, it was less so. Burberry Blossom is more orange. MAC Fleet Fast is similar but more subdued, plus it has gold shimmer. Tom Ford Flush is very comparable in color. Tarte Blissful is also very similar–perhaps a bit pinker (even on my skin tone). This shade was very, very pigmented. It has a dry but finely-milled texture that is best when used with a brush. I used the included brush to apply, and while I can’t say I prefer it to my full-sized brushes (I am partial to both the shapes and the longer handles!), it is soft and works well to apply and blend out the color. When I trialed for wear, it lasted eight hours without fading.
The plum shade seemed sheer when I swatched it, but with a blush brush (the one included), it was more pigmented than it seemed initially. It is not nearly as intense as the brighter coral shade, though. MAC The Perfect Cheek is more subdued, pinker, less warm-toned. Tarte Exposed is more neutral. Burberry Cameo is less pink, more plum. Chanel Rose Temptation is a touch darker and more plum. It had the same finely-milled, dry texture that wore well (eight hours).
Finally, when the two shades are mixed, it becomes a rosy plum with a matte finish. It ended up looking very similar to NARS Amour. NARS Deep Throat is pinker, lighter, and has a golden sheen. I wore the two shades layered together, and they lasted a full eight hours without any signs of fading. If you’re a fan of Guerlain’s matte eyeshadows, you’ll like the texture and feel of the blushes, as they’re very similar. If you prefer a softer, denser, more buttery texture, you may find these too dry/firm for your liking.
If you're a fan of Guerlain's matte eyeshadows, you'll like the texture and feel of the blushes, as they're very similar. If you prefer a softer, denser, more buttery texture, you may find these too dry/firm for your liking.
Product
9/10
Pigmentation
9/10
Texture
9/10
Longevity
10/10
Application
4.5/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
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Guerlain Calligraphy Eye & Lip Palette ($79.00 for 0.35 oz.) consists of three eyeshadows, one eyeshadow/eyeliner (can be used wet or dry), two lipsticks, and two dual-ended brushes. The palette contains 0.19 oz. worth of eyeshadow and 0.16 oz. worth of lipstick. It’s almost the equivalent of four full-sized eyeshadows (average is 0.05 oz.) and about one and a half lipsticks (average is 0.10 oz.).
Below, the second shade is a light-medium copper orange with a frosted finish. It had excellent pigmentation with a soft, finely-milled texture that went on smoothly. Urban Decay Penny Lane is lighter, less orange. MAC Lantern Light has more red tones. MAC Chessa is more orange.
The third shade is a subdued taupe–a very gray-tinted brown–with a dark champagne shimmer-sheen. It had good color payoff, and the texture was soft, smooth, and easy to apply to the lid. NARS Vent Glace is lighter. theBalm Selfish is darker, grayer. Wet ‘n’ Wild Comfort Zone is lighter.
The fourth shade is a dark black with a hint of brown. This shade can actually be used wet or dry. It has a matte finish, and it actually delivered quite a bit of color payoff–it was finely-milled and soft, but it was dry in a sense. It didn’t have a really soft, buttery feel, so there was no powderiness yet nice pigmentation. Estee Lauder Violet Underground has a similar colored black. Le Metier de Beaute Fin is darker, richer.
The first lipstick is a blue-based, medium red with a fair amount of brightness and a satiny finish–a little sheen and pearl but not frosted. It was rich in color, and it wore for seven hours, plus left a stain behind. Dior Marilyn is a smidgen darker. NARS Dragon Girl is more matte. NYX Chic Red is a touch darker.
The second lipstick is an orange-red–very tomato red–with a satiny sheen. It is also fully opaque on lips and wore for six and a half hours. There was a light stain left behind. Chanel Coromandel is more orange. Guerlani Genna is a little more orange-hued. Chanel Excessive is a smidgen brighter.
Overall, it’s a very fine palette; well-made with a sleek, glossy black packaging and includes high-quality eyeshadows and lipsticks that wear well. I think the shades are more dupeable than not, but they’re all really good. I didn’t have issues with any of them! When I wore the eyeshadows together, they lasted for eight hours without a primer and had no signs of creasing or fading. The lipsticks both wore for over six hours (not a total surprise–they are reds!) and weren’t drying.
Overall, it's a very fine palette; well-made with a sleek, glossy black packaging and includes high-quality eyeshadows and lipsticks that wear well. I think the shades are more dupeable than not, but they're all really good.
Product
10/10
Pigmentation
10/10
Texture
10/10
Longevity
10/10
Application
5/5
Login or Register to be able to add this to your Vanity or Wishlist! Plus rate and review!
Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
