Guerlain Ombre Perlees — Matte Eyeshadow

I did this look over the weekend with Guerlain’s Ombre Perlees Palette. Even though the shades look like they have a hint of shimmer, they’re near-matte, particularly when used over a matte base. This is such a fall look, though, ha!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot (neutral beige base), Guerlain Ombre Perlees Eyeshadow Palette (pale white-pink, darkened coral-brown, dark taupe brown), Shiseido Brown (BR 602) Smoothing Eyeliner Pencil (brown), MAC Plushlash Mascara (black)
• Face: Guerlain Parure Gold (Beige Naturel #03)
• Cheeks:  Benefit Sugarbomb (peachy pink), Guerlain Beige Tint Meteorites (highlighter)
• Lips: Chanel Imperial Rouge Allure Laque (darkened red), MAC Desire Lipglass (dark red-purple)
• Brushes: 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: N/A

For eyes, start by applying Soft Ochre paint pot as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply the light white-pink eyeshadow on the inner third of the eyelid. Next, apply the coral eyeshadow on the middle third of the eyelid and lightly blend with the inner corner. Darken the outer third of the lid with the taupe brown eyeshadow with the 239, gently brushing it into the lower crease. Lightly blend the taupe brown eyeshadow, with the 239, on the outer corner and lid. Lightly tap and brush the coral eyeshadow directly above the crease to soften. To finish the eyeshadow look, sweep a mix of the light white-pink and coral as a highlighter on the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying Brown eyeliner on the lower lash line. Finish by sweeping lashes with Plushlash mascara.

For cheeks, apply Sugarbomb blush to the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116. Highlight cheekbones with Beige Tint Meteorites with the 165.

For lips, apply Imperial Rouge Allure Laque first, and then layer Desire lipglass for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

Spring to Summer with Dior Crush Glow

I promised I would do a look using Dior’s Crush Glow Eyeshadow Palette, and I used it on Friday for a quick and easy look. It’s funny — I loved this look in person, but I felt like a lot of the subtlies of the shades didn’t pick-up so much on camera. It’s a great warm-toned palette for soft and subtle looks, though. I can definitely see it working as a travel palette for many.

P.S. – Normally, I’d opt for a more neutral highlighter, particularly since I am warmer toned, an icy pink is not-so-neutral on me, but per my usual routine, I like to try and stay within a palette as much as possible. So just between you and me, you may want to go for a warmer highlighter (or one with less frost in its finish to tone it down, too).

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Urban Decay Eden Primer Potion (matte base), Dior Crush Glow Eyeshadow Palette (iced pink, peachy-gold, coral, plummy-mauve), Urban Decay Bourbon 24/7 Liner (brown), Dior Extase Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140)
• Cheeks: Benefit Sugarbomb (peachy-pink), Guerlain Beige Tint Meteorites (soft shimmering beige highlighter)
• Lips: Dolce & Gabbana Emotion Shine Lipstick (pinked mauve), MAC Just Add Colour Lipglass (fuchsia)
• Brushes: 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: N/A

For eyes, start by applying Eden Primer Potion as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply the icy pink eyeshadow on the inner third of the eyelid. Next, apply the gold eyeshadow on the middle third of the eyelid and lightly blend with the inner corner. Darken the outer third of the lid with the coral eyeshadow with the 239, gently brushing it into the lower crease. Lightly blend the plummy-mauve eyeshadow, with the 239, on the outer corner and lid. Lightly tap and brush the gold eyeshadow directly above the crease to soften. To finish the eyeshadow look, sweep the icy pink eyeshadowas a highlighter on the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying Bourbon eyeliner on the lower lash line and the gold eyeshadow lightly patted below the lower lash line with the 219 brush. Finish by sweeping lashes with Extase mascara.

For cheeks, apply Sugarbomb blush to the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116. Highlight cheekbones with Beige Tint meteorites with the 165.

For lips, apply Emotion lipstick first, and then layer Prep for Colour lipglass for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

Guerlain Beige Tint Meteorites ($56.00 for 1.2 oz.) is one of three new shades released with Guerlain Meteorite Perles Collection, due out in May.  The two other shades that will be available are Rose Tint and Gold Tint.  The new Meteorites are designed to enhance/correct certain issues with skin.

From the press release, “[A] rosy complexion tends to show redness, while a beige complexion turns grey with the onset of fatigue and a golden complexion becomes yellow and dull. As the uncontested expert in color and powder, Guerlain has created three different Météorites Perles color harmonies to address the ways that different skin tones reflect color and light, in line with the principles of the color wheel and interaction of secondary colors.

Which one is for you?

• Harmony 01 / Teint Rose (Rose Tint) corrects by using mauve to reflect light and brightening the complexion along with green to reduce redness; pink to give skin a more even look; and white for illumination, gold for “radiance.”  I think this is suitable for those with cooler undertones, rosacea, or uneven or reddened skin.
• Harmony 02 / Teint Beige (Beige Tint) corrects with mauve and pink to keep skin from looking dull; beige and apricot beige to add warmth; and white and white gold to reflect light.  I think this is suitable for most skin tones, though warmer skin tones may find this more beneficial than those with particularly cool undertones; also good for those with more neutral or beige undertones.
• Harmony 03 / Teint Dore (Gold Tint) corrects with mauve and blue to eliminate yellowness amongst a golden tone; beige and chocolate beige enhance golden tones; and white gold reflects light while pearly apricot brightens.  I think this is suitable for those with yellow, golden, or olive undertones to bring out the natural warmth in the complexion.

Keep in mind that Meteorites are not an opaque powder in the least bit!  Just like traditional Meteorites, the ones from Meteorites Perles have the same feel and texture.  I’ve only tried Beige Tint in person thus far, which is a good thing, considering it’s the one that matches me best.  I think I could also work with the Gold Tint as well, but it may be more of a definite highlighter than all over powder.  We shall have to wait and see on that aspect!

Beige Tint contains several different colored spheres ranging from champagne-peach, peach-apricot, shimmering white, pinky-apricot, darkened apricot, and lilac.   On skin, it has a champagne-lilac illuminating base with sparkles of gold and champagne.  It’s a soft, fine-milled shimmer/illuminating powder that looks subtle against skin, even when used all-over.  If you do choose to use it as an all-over face powder, using a fluffier or stippling brush ensures you don’t overdo it.  Otherwise, it can be used as a light highlighter wherever you want to reflect light (usually cheekbones, Cupid’s bow, etc.).

The Meteorites Perles Meteorites are packaged in a “metal” container.  I think it’s more of a harder, metal-like plastic than pure metal (it just doesn’t have the weight of metal), but it’s certainly an upgrade from some of the cardboard-esque packaging they’ve used in the past.  Though I don’t mind myself, since it’s still pretty, more eco-friendly than plastic, and I don’t carry my makeup around very often, except when I travel (then I bring the whole bathroom… and the bathroom sink!).  It’s sleek, classy, and elegant–I love it.

The very idea of running out of one of the Meteorites is not something I can fathom, because it takes so little to get what you want out of it as a highlighter/illuminator.  I think one will last you quite awhile (aka years), but it does carry a steeper price tag than other high-end highlighters–though in line with Guerlain’s pricing point overall.

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!

• Product: 28/30
• Value: 8/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 5/5

Recommendation:  I think this is suitable for most skin tones, though warmer skin tones may find this more beneficial than those with particularly cool undertones; also good for those with more neutral or beige undertones.  For those with cooler or pinker undertones, consider Rose Tint; and for those with more golden and yellow undertones, consider Gold Tint.

Availability:  May 2010

See more photos & swatches!

Guerlain Beige Tint Meteorites