Archived Post

Clarins Barocco Gold Shimmering Powder Review, Photos, Swatches

Clarins Barocco Gold Shimmering Powder
Clarins Barocco Gold Shimmering Powder

Clarins Barocco Gold Shimmering Powder

Clarins Barocco Gold Shimmering Powder ($35.00 for 1.2 oz.) looks so beautiful on the inside, it’s hard to believe that the insides did not make such a splash. Inside, there are gold “nuggets,” which are incredibly soft and delicate. Every time I opened this, there was a cloud of sparkly dust that hovered and spilled over the edges and on my desk.

I had presumed these would be more like Guerlain’s Meteorites, which are shimmering spheres that impart a soft, subtle shimmer-sheen glow–these produce a bronzy, glittery bonanza. It does impart an orange-toned bronze brown with chunky bronze and gold glitter. Even when buffed, the chunky glitter is hard to disguise. This looked absolutely disastrous on face, and I did not find it worked well for decolletage either. The only place that seemed to work so-so was on legs, but it still had to be really blended and buffed so it looked natural and used considerably more product per use than I’d like.

Given that it is supposed to be face and decolletage, going as far as using it on legs was more to see if it worked anywhere than something I’d use this as a go-to for. I can do shimmer, sheen, and even glitter; I’m not at all scared of glitter, and while I don’t need to wear it every day, I have no problem wearing even heavier glitter on face or cheeks or lips. But this powder goes beyond what I see even glitter fanatics wanting in a face/decolletage glitter.  I would also not recommend using the provided pouf unless you want to be a bronze sculpture — one pat packs far too much product!

The concept is nice but there needs to be serious improvement on execution in order to make it work.  I would have loved to see this impart a much subtler, softer micro-glitter or shimmer.

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

  • Product: 10/30
  • Value: 9/10
  • Ease of Use: 4/5
  • Packaging: 4/5

FINAL THOUGHTS: This is a product that was beautiful in concept and dressed to impress in the beautiful filigreed canister, but the product itself just doesn’t work well in real life. It’s a mess to open but doesn’t work anywhere but legs–everywhere else is just too much. From Clarins, I would have expected something subtler and sophisticated.

WHERE TO BUY: Bloomingdale’s

Clarins Barocco Gold Shimmering Powder
Clarins Barocco Gold Shimmering Powder

Clarins Barocco Gold Shimmering Powder
Clarins Barocco Gold Shimmering Powder

Clarins Barocco Gold Shimmering Powder
Clarins Barocco Gold Shimmering Powder

Clarins Barocco Gold Shimmering Powder
Clarins Barocco Gold Shimmering Powder

Clarins Barocco Gold Shimmering Powder
Clarins Barocco Gold Shimmering Powder

Clarins Barocco Gold Shimmering Powder
Clarins Barocco Gold Shimmering Powder

80 Comments

Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!

Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).

We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!

Comments on this post are closed.
Lauren Avatar

Those look like cat poo! I seriously had a heart attack when the window opened. Why is Christine posting canned cat poop? (I was just on a pet blog) lmao

Ann Marie Avatar

GROSS! What a mess! $35 for THAT? HA! Not in this lifetime. You are a lifesaver. Not that I would buy such silliness anyway, but I take your reviews to heart. PS: no one needs glittery, bronzey nonsense on their decolletage.

Anitacska Avatar

Yeah, I generally like loose powder balls and they don’t have to be the same as Meteorites to work (I have Prescriptives and Paul & Joe blush/highlighter balls and they’re both lovely), but this is just not great. Shame, because it could’ve been so much better.

elise Avatar

That’s too bad; I generally like Clarins’ makeup quality and expect better from them as well, but at least you’re honest, Christine 🙂
Do you ever let the companies know your feedback about their products if they get an “F”, because you probably should let them know this–maybe you got a bad batch?

chibaraki Avatar

Maybe this says more about me than the product, but it actually looks like glittery dog food to me! That would turn me off even without the bad review… I guess meteorite-format bronzer isn’t for me!

Belinda Avatar

Maybe it’s best used by someone with a darker skin tone? That packaging is pretty lousy, though. Imagine having to get all the glitter out of the fuzzy part.

Crystal Avatar

This doesn’t look like something I’d expect from Clarins at all, it looks so dirty with the glitter spilling out of the neck of the container. This seems like something I’d expect from Urban Decay, à la Midnight Cowboy Rides Again. MCRA Meteorites – that’s something I’d love to see.

Nina Avatar

It looks like this crazy nut brittle my friend made for the holidays. At least that tasted good! Clarins, where’s your quality control?

Actually, Christine, you were kind to give them an F. I say F- for no redeeming quality and making a mess on your desk!

alex Avatar

The swatched color looks a little like MAC’s Naked MSF to me…
Maybe you could use it as an eyeshadow over a paint pot or with mixing medium? That’s how i use Naked…

Jessi Avatar

It reminds me of what a five year old would make if they were trying to make cosmetics. And with the same ingredients a five year old would have on hand too- craft glitter and orange dirt.

Julia Avatar

Before I even read Christine’s review I knew this product wasn’t for me. Just like many of you girls, my first reaction was to think that it looked some unidentified animal dropping. Scary!! Not going near my face.

Resa Avatar

Wow. It looks like sh**! Looks like a good idea but obviously very poorly executed! Maybe for those going for a Jersey Shore-type Orange look.

Vijaya Avatar

Yuck. The outside looks nice, but the inside… Let’s just say if you’ve ever had a pet in the rodent family, you’ll know that it looks like someone rolled their little daily “gifts” in gold. Literally.

Pat Avatar

I just got it for $1 plus shipping $4 on ebay. I intend to use it a bit like an eye shadow or pigment over a paintpot. I wonder if it works and if it’s worth the $5…

Emily Avatar

so sad 🙁 it would be great if this was a more affordable version for meteorites. They are sooo gorgeous, but $70?? i cant.

ps– i could see me using this as like an eyecolor, or something, although, still not worth the $30.

Selina Avatar

Was wondering if you tried applying it with a big fluffy brush and if so did that work? I just ordered some off eBay and now read your review so am a little dismayed. My thought was summer evening out, with tan and a little sparkle on the shoulders. **sigh**

We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!