Guerlain Rose Barbare Rouge G Lipstick

Guerlain Rose Barbare Rouge G Lipstick ($48.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a soft, strawberry pink with subtle shimmer and a glossed finish. The color coverage is semi-opaque, delivering some color but not enough to cover my lip freckle. Chanel Charme is lighter and frostier. MAC Cheers All Around is more opaque but similar. Rimmel Dizzy is brighter and more opaque.

This has a really creamy consistency that’s translucent and lightweight; it feels like a cross between the Rouge G and Rouge G de Brilliant formulas, rather than a Rouge G. I find Rouge Gs to have a creamier feel that’s more opaque and has less slip. This shade looks a bit wet on, which is a nice effect. It’s a moisturizing formula, but unlike a lot of other Rouge Gs, it only wears for three hours before fading away. I think the sheerness of the shade has made it less long-wearing compared to other shades.

The Glossover

	Rose Barbare B
	It's not the most inspiring shade from Guerlain, and the shorter wear time and less-than-opaque color coverage makes it out of sync with other Rouge G shades.
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 8/10 Texture 10/10 Longevity 7/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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Guerlain Rose Barbare Rouge G Lipstick

Guerlain Rose Barbare Rouge G Lipstick

Guerlain Rose Barbare Rouge G Lipstick

Guerlain Rose Barbare Rouge G Lipstick

Guerlain Spring 2012: Les Roses Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Les Roses Eyeshadow Palette ($59.00 for 0.25 oz.) is new (and permanent!) for spring. Guerlain describes the palette as having “an iridescent pink with pearl particles, matte pink, metallic violet, and raspberry shade with a velvety finish.” At first glance, it’s a very pretty spring palette that’s pretty much pink, pink, and more pink–totally reminiscent of Valentine’s Day. When I first saw it, I was really surprised to see such bold shades, and the pinks are not shy, barely-there shades; they’re really quite pink, and sometimes, pink can be a difficult shade to wear. On the flip side, you could double these as blushers quite easily.

The first shade in the palette is a purple-berry with a soft, frosted finish. It has excellent color payoff and a really smooth, soft texture that glides on easily and blends well. It’s much redder compared to MAC Deceit, darker and purpler compared to Make Up For Ever #17, purpler and less burgundy compared to Make Up For Ever #311, bit redder compared to MAC Hyperviolet, and touch purpler compared to Le Metier de Beaute Fig.

Next, in the middle and on the top, there is a soft pink; this is the closest you’ll get to pastel in this palette, but with the high frost finish, it reads bolder than a pastel would. It’s an airy pink with lots of shimmer and frost. It has good pigmentation, and the texture is pretty smooth and finely-milled overall. Inglot #319 is a matte version of this shade, while Inglot #431 has a slightly more metallif finish and yellow undertones. Make Up For Ever #303 is very close in finish but has yellower undertones.

Below the light pink, there is a bright medium-dark pink with a nearly matte finish (I detected a very faint shimmer but once applied, it looks matte). The color payoff is good, but the texture is a bit drier (being that it is matte, it’s not unexpected), so while it’s soft, there’s a hint of powderiness. It’s a couple of steps lighter compared to MAC Tease with Ease and more significantly lighter (or at least, more muted) compared to Inglot #362. Make Up For Ever #85 is a bit closer in color but not as blue-based and with the heavy frost finish, it looks a bit different.

The final shade, on the right, is a medium-dark fuchsia pink with a satiny sheen. It’s not vastly different from the other bright pink in this palette–it has a hint of fuchsia in it, so it’s less rosy pink, and it has a subtle sheen. The color payoff is good, and the texture is very soft and smooth, so it applies well and blends out nicely. It’s also similar to Make Up For Ever #85 but a bit darker and more fuchsia. Inglot #362 is still more vibrant and MAC Tease with Ease is still darker.

The Glossover

	Guerlain Les Roses Eyeshadow Palette Review, Photos, Swatches A-
	The colors look good together in the pan, though I think for easiest wear, you may find yourself reaching for other products to combine with this palette. If you've never worn pink eyeshadow before, you may find you have to experiment a couple of times to get this palette to work on its own. The deeper burgundy color will help a lot to define the eye, and the bluer undertones of some of the other pinks will keep eyes from looking bloodshot. And you could always wear these as a blush!
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 9.5/10 Texture 9.5/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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Guerlain Les Roses Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Les Roses Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Les Roses Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Les Roses Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Les Roses Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Les Roses Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Les Roses Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Les Roses Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Les Roses Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Les Roses Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Les Roses Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Les Roses Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Spring 2012: Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette ($85.00 for 0.25 oz.) is a new and limited edition palette for spring. It contains six eyeshadows, with the long, skinny shade on the right designed to be used as an eyeshadow or eyeliner. The palette is hefty with a metal compact and filigree lid. There’s an interior mirror that flips open that’s connected to the lower portion of the palette. Inside, there is also a small, dual-ended brush that is serviceable but not better than the average full-size brush. The shades are described as soft pink, tea rose, pearl mauve, soft violet, luminous pink, and intense plum. I’m not entirely sure which description goes with which, to be honest! I know that the luminous pink shade is the center shade and the intense plum is the eyeshadow/liner shade on the far right of the palette.

The upper left eyeshadow is a pale white pink with a satiny shimmer. It has surprisingly good color payoff for as pale and light as it is, and it doesn’t look chalky against my skin tone. It’s similar to Tarina Tarantino Delightful (more shimmer), MAC Fresh Ice (more shimmer, purpler), and Bare Escentuals Muse (a touch darker, pinker).

The bottom right (or side right) eyeshadow is pale pink-tinted mauve with a pearly sheen. It’s soft and light with nice pigmentation and a smooth, silky soft feel. It didn’t seem like something different, but I couldn’t find a dupe for it; there’s the mauve in it that separates it from shades like Bare Escentuals Giddy, which is similar in lightness and finish but is much pinker.

In the center, there is a vibrant medium, subtly blue-based pink with a white, frosted finish. The color payoff is nice, and it has a really dense, buttery texture. Make Up For Ever #85 is less blue-based. It is fairly similar to Urban Decay Hot Pants. MAC Feather Pink also compares well in regards to hue, but it is bluer and matte.

To the right of the center pink eyeshadow, there is a medium-dark purple with a pearly sheen. It could be more pigmented; there is some softness there that makes it appear less like it does in the pan when applied to the skin. Make Up For Ever #142 is a darker, deeper version. Bare Escentuals Encore is darker and less red.

The bottom shade is a rosy brown with a satin finish; it almost appears matte. The color payoff is so-so, and on deeper skin tones, I’m not sure it would show up well. Inglot #344 is browner, while Inglot #359 is pinker.

On the right side, there is an eggplant purple with a pearled finish. It’s supposed to be an eyeshadow/eyeliner shade, so I did swatches of it dry and wet. This shade was finicky to work with; the texture was drier and stiffer compared to the other shades in the palette, so the resulting color payoff was sheerer and a bit uneven. When it is used wet, it is a lot easier to use. MAC Hyperviolet is deeper and less purple. Bare Escentuals Nightcap is darker, more matte, and browner. Le Metier de Beaute Fig is deeper and browner. MAC Fig 1 is a little darker and matte. Inglot #445 is a touch lighter and more frosted.

Overall, the palette is decent but not great–the color payoff could be improved. This was really my major issue with this palette, because three shades had pigmentation issues to some degree, with the eggplant shade having the most (as well as texture issues). Even though pink eyeshadow can sometimes be difficult to wear, Guerlain’s incorporated a lot of mauve, rose, and plum to dial back the pink; the only genuinely pink shade in the palette is the center shade. Both the pink mauve and rosy brown work well as neutrals. The wear of these eyeshadows is better over a prime and so-so without; they wear about eight hours before I start noticing some slight fading. I find Guerlain’s eyeshadows a tiny bit powdery overall.

The Glossover

	Boulevard du Montparnasse B-
	If you like palettes that deliver softer color, you may still enjoy this one, as the colors tend to be a little more muted compared to how they look in the pan. If you like true-to-pan results with denser, more buttery textures, you may want to skip this. At $85, I expect all shades to perform excellently, so it would be a skip for me.
	Product 8/10 Pigmentation 8/10 Texture 8.5/10 Longevity 8.5/10 Application 4/5
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Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse Eyeshadow Palette

Guerlain Spring 2012: Cruel Gardenia Meteorites

Debuting in January, Guerlain Cruel Gardenia Meteorites ($67.00 for 0.31 oz.) is a limited edition highlighter than can be used to highlight specific areas or as an all-over glow. It delivers a light pink with neutral-warm undertones with a shimmer-sheen. It reminded me of a lighter, pinker version of MAC Crystal Pink. Chanel Beiges Ombres Tissees is lighter, more beige/white. MAC Light Sunshine is more similar in color but is a bit lighter and has more of a sheen than shimmer.

It looked rather frosty when I swatched it on my arm, but it worked well when I applied it with a brush on my cheek bones to test out the wear. There’s no emphasis of pores, and there’s enough glow and sheen to perk up the face without looking like a disco ball. This is more shimmery than other pressed meteorites in my experience but not by much. I was really happy with the wear, which is really what I liked most about the product, which was ten hours undisturbed. No breaking up, migration, or looking like it was worse for the wear .It didn’t have the typical Guerlain violet scent; there’s a lingering scent, but it’s very, very subtle–I practically had my nose buried in the gardenia! When I finally caught the scent, it smelled a little soapy. It’s supposed to be Cruel Gardenia, though.

The powder is finely milled but dense and firm, which is why it doesn’t turn frosty on the face–the brush picks up the right amount of product. Sometimes a product can be too soft, like when you put your brush to the powder, it loosens a ton of product (more than you need), which can be wasteful. Nevertheless, it’s more of a sheen and shimmer than Parure de Nuit from fall.

BritishBeautyBlogger has an excellent write-up about how/why products can be similar (and looking at these two particular products). Industry insiders know that products are often planned at least one to two years in advance; often, the conceptual phase is 18-24 months out, while prototype production can begin a year or further out from launch–products have to move through various stages like creation, testing, reformulation, production, etc. Color agencies like Pantone often determine the trends we’ll see in upcoming months, so some similarities are entirely coincidental or par for the course.

Design similarity aside, though, the two don’t really compare in the way that matters–color. Cruel Gardenia is distinctly pink, and it will do more to flatter cooler complexions (but it is equally flattering on warmer complexions, because it’s a neutral pink), compared to the more bronzy Rose Rendezvous by Laura Mercier. I wanted to review Laura Mercier’s, but unfortunately, by the time I received my order from Nordstrom (boo, ground shipping!) and tested it (seriously, I photographed and started testing immediately after it arrived), it was sold out.

The Glossover

	Cruel Gardenia A
	If you've been looking for a way to add a little glow and shimmer to the face and never have to worry about overdoing it, the texture of this product makes both of those things easy to achieve. Those who loved the feel and texture of Laura Mercier's Rose Rendezvous will likely love this one, too, and it's nice that they don't resemble each other in hue.
	Product 9.5/10 Pigmentation 9.5/10 Texture 9.5/10 Longevity 10/10 Application 4.5/5
	Where to Buy
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Guerlain Cruel Gardenia Meteorites

Guerlain Cruel Gardenia Meteorites

Guerlain Cruel Gardenia Meteorites

Guerlain Cruel Gardenia Meteorites

Guerlain Cruel Gardenia Meteorites

Guerlain Cruel Gardenia Meteorites

Guerlain Cruel Gardenia Meteorites

Guerlain Cruel Gardenia Meteorites

Guerlain Cruel Gardenia Meteorites

Guerlain Cruel Gardenia Meteorites vs. Laura Mercier Rose Rendezvous Face Illuminator

Guerlain Cruel Gardenia Meteorites on cheekbones (Guerlain Les Aquas on eyes)

Guerlain Spring 2012: Rose Innocent Rouge G Lipstick

Debuting in January, Guerlain Rose Innocent Rouge G Lipstick ($48.00 for 0.12 oz.) is pale pink with subtle yellow undertones. This shade is limited edition from Guerlain’s spring collection, and it is one of four Rouge Gs–I’ll have reviews on the other three as soon as I can buy them. It’s almost a neutral pink, but the color itself is very light–it’s just a pink-tinted version of my natural lip color. Very my-lips-but-better kind of shade, so it may be rather superfluous on someone with more pigmented lips or else serve as a way to lighten them a shade or two. OCC Femme is an opaque version of this shade. MAC Dress It Up is a cooler-toned pink. MAC Royal Azalea is similar in lightness but is a touch cooler toned. MAC Behave Yourself is a bit darker and bluer.

This is the kind of shade that someone will love and wear everyday or one where someone just doesn’t see the point. The color coverage is semi-opaque (you can just barley see my lip freckle), but there’s a general translucency throughout the product that lets my natural lip color peek through. Rose Innocent feels more like a Rouge G Brilliant than your typical Rouge G, because it has more slip and natural glossiness, but it’s not quite as glossy (and definitely not as sheer) as a Brilliant. The color doesn’t apply as evenly, and I expect it’s due to the slip in the texture. It only wore for three hours on me, which is decent for this type of light color, though I tend to get better wear out of the Rouge G formula than that. It is very hydrating and comfortable to wear, though.

The Glossover

	Rose Innocent B
	Not the best Rouge G shade I've come across; the Rouge G formula is a favorite, but this shade doesn't wear as long and the color doesn't deposit as evenly as the majority of the range.
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 8.5/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 7.5/10 Application 4/5
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Guerlain Rose Innocent Rouge G Lipstick

Guerlain Rose Innocent Rouge G Lipstick

Guerlain Rose Innocent Rouge G Lipstick

Guerlain Rose Innocent Rouge G Lipstick

Guerlain Spring 2012: The Pinks and the Blacks Collection

Guerlain tells the story of spring by pairing bursts of pink along side the intensity of black. Sophisticated and elegant, this color collection defines femininity while also revealing one’s inner seductress.

Meteorites Cruel Gardenia ($67.00) (Limited Edi8tion)

Packaged within the legendary rosette of the Météorites Perles, a stunning pink flower is found. Named after one of the Exclusive Fragrances from the House of Guerlain, Météorites Cruel Gardenia will light up the skin with a subtly iridescent veil. Create a radiant complexion by applying all over the face or in a specific area such as the cheekbones to structure the face.

Rouge G ($48.00) (Limited Edition)

As an ode to the color pink, four new glamorous shades have been created this spring in its honor. With a dash of ruby powder, hyaluronic acid to smooth and plump, a hint of filling Gugul resin, plumping Tiger Grass, and wild mango butter for perfect hydration, your lips will be left radiant and as soft as a flower petal.

• 72 Rose Innocent
• 73 Rose Ensoleillé
• 74 Rose Piquant
• 75 Rose Barbare

Ecrin 6 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette ($85.00)

• 66 Boulevard du Montparnasse Within one case lays 6 eyeshadow colors. The central luminous pink shade is surrounded by pearl mauve, tea rose, soft violet and soft pink, while a liner traces the eyes in an intense plum. Whether you create a tone-on-tone, couture or smoky eye look, the result is captivating. Moonstone, the key ingredient, adorns the eyes with its silvery reflection and lamellar structure to keep the eyeshadow in place longer for a fresher look. (Permanent)

Ecrin 4 Couleurs Long-Lasting Eyeshadows ($59.00)

• 12 Les Aquas For a sophisticated and stunning gaze, this palette mixes an iridescent blue, a matte navy, a velvety turquoise and a glacier metallic blue (Permanent)
• 11 Les Roses Consisting of an iridescent pink with pearl particles, a matte pink, a metallic violet, and a raspberry shade with a velvety finish, this palette allows you to create a fresh yet seductive look (Permanent)

Kiss Kiss Gloss ($32.00) (Permanent)

• 869 Rose in Bloom Pure pink.
• 870 Cherry Pink Gourmand pastel.
• 871 Frosted Rose Off-white with delicate, subtle pink mother-of-pearl particles.
• 872 Flush Pink Intense fuchsia.

availability: Guerlain’s Spring Color collection is available beginning January 2012 at select locations of Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Sephora, Bloomingdales and Bergdorf Goodman.

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