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Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact Review, Photos, Swatches

Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact
Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact

Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact ($62.00 for 0.35 oz.) is described as a “beige and champagne colors” that “unify while peach dots add a perfecting touch.” It’s a translucent powder with very fine shimmer that translates into more of a soft sheen on the skin rather than detectable shimmer or sparkle. As much as I love Meteorites, it can be difficult to distinguish differences between them at times, and this is one of those times. Visually, I really just don’t notice a difference between the effect of this compared to Clair (02 on my skin tone. I think some skin tones might find one works better than the other, but on my medium complexion, they both give a subtle luminous effect that simultaneously blurs imperfections while giving the skin a brightened, livelier appearance. I love the effect of both on the skin, but I don’t think you need both unless you’re very fair or much deeper and perhaps your skin tone will allow any nuances to become visible. View comparison swatches / view dupes.

I like wearing it alone over bare skin, but I typically use it as a finishing powder dusted all-over the face after I’ve applied setting powder (and it is a finishing powder, to be clear!). I get an extra half hour of wear out of my foundation if I just use this and skip the setting powder, but I have normal-to-dry skin. The powder is violet-scented, though I don’t notice any scent when it is applied.

For those who were wondering if the pan could be removed: it is supposed to be glued in, and in fact, the one I ordered arrived with the pan itself rattling around, because it wasn’t actually glued in any more (but you can see where the glue was). I hope I was just one of the few unlucky ones to have this happen to them, and it isn’t prevalent (the other one I ordered was fine).

Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact
Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact

Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact
Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact

Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact
Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact

Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact
Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact

Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact
Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact

Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact
Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact

Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact
Your left: No Meteorites; your right: Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact

Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact
Guerlain Medium (03) Meteorites Compact (all-over)

Makeup Look
On face:
  • Guerlain Parure Gold Foundation
  • Guerlain Medium Meteorites
On eyes:
  • (your left) Hourglass Obscura Palette
  • (your right) Gucci Tuscan Storm Quad
  • Urban Decay Scorch Eyeliner
On lips:
  • Anastasia American Doll Liquid Lipstick

60 Comments

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Katherine T. Avatar

It’s pretty subtle, maybe the effect is more dramatic on lighter skintones. My wallet is happy this has fragrance. I’ll stick to my Hourglass Ambient Powder

Jen Avatar

I have been anxiously waiting for this review. The day you reviewed 02 I purchased this one on the salesperson’s recommendation (to use with Parure de Lumiere). However I’m paler than you (roughly a NW20) and I worried that I would have been better off with 02 since it wasn’t too light for you and that maybe 03 was the wrong shade for me. I was waiting to open it until your review. Do you think I’d be okay with either one?

Lisa Avatar

I don’t know where I would be be without your wonderful guerlain reviews! You always have me trotting right out to the store! Thanks! 🙂

Cee Avatar

Thank you Christine! I was waiting for this review!! I’ve been considering buying this compact and it looks more and more worthy of being “the” compact that I can carry around. Do you think this powder could work on darker skin tones? I am NC 42-45 and am worried that it might look like grey cast on me – although I love my Hourglass Dim Light. Do you think I should assume that darker shade colors are for darker complexions?

Allison Avatar

Yout skin looks radiant, just gorgeous! I’ve heard such great things about Guerlain Meteorites from you and others. What would you say the difference is in the effect of the Meteorites vs. Hourglass Ambient Lighting? I don’t use my Ambient Lighting as often as I probably should so before I consider spending $62+ for Meteorites, I want to better understand the differences.

Allison Avatar

Thank you, Christine, for your quick reply and info on the difference between the two products. I think I find it difficult to see what the Ambient Lighting does for my skin so that’s why I don’t always reach for it. I’ll have to try it again and look to see the effect. The Meteorites gave your skin a lovely overall glow that was visible in the photo.

Kimmy Avatar

I’ve been enjoying 02. I had the same feeling when I saw these – that there wouldn’t be much different between the light and medium. I am interested to know, however, if the deepest one can be used by fairer skin tones to warm up the skin. P.S. Mine came fine, no rattling of the pan. 🙂

Frankie Avatar

Hi Christine! I own Guerlains limited edition Wulong powder that you raved about. Is the effect different enough to justify owning both? Of should I skip this one? Thanks!

Dez13 Avatar

Okay, something messed up happened when I tried posting my comment (it looks like it posted the first sentence of my comment twice but not the rest of my comment!) I just wanted to say thanks for the great reviews Christine! I started using Guerlain (Lingerie de Peu, Les Voilettes and now this Meteorites compact) based on your reviews, and they’ve really helped my anemic skin. Anemia can truly make one look like a corpse (my lips are still pure white) but these new products have helped me look much healthier. Thank you!!!

Nicole Avatar

I wound up getting the medium too since there is no Guerlain counter around and I had to know! I am slightly lighter in skin tone than you Christine, as you recall, about NC 35ish, I think is about where you and WWendy placed me .I feel like if you are looking for it, the clair brightens my skin but also make it more paleish with a slight white hue. Again ,only noticeable if you are looking for it. I feel like the medium doesn’t do that..just kinda softens things.again..very slight. I came to this conclusion because when I wear the clair , I feel like I need a bronzer to the high points to warm up my face. I don’t feel that way with the medium. So, since I have both, I will probably just continue to wear the clair through the winter and medium when I get more color. I guess If I had to choose one,it really does’t matter when your skin is in the medium as ours is. But, I would say, fair skin, clair..Tan ,medium, Women of color,the dak(diore?).In between, just pick. it is the slightest..like microscopic difference,lol.

Elise Avatar

Hi! =] It’s been awhile since I’ve commented but I was wondering if you recommend this for oily/combo skins? I’m debating between getting this or the Hourglass Ambient Powders palette or the Meteorites Voyage …Thanks for reviewing, you are my go to blogger =]

Jade Avatar

I’ve been eagerly awaiting your review of this! I bought the Crazy Meteorites but after using it for a while I’ve gone off it, and I’m thinking it might be an undertone thing – I think it’s too cool for my light, neutral to warm, complexion. So I’ve been keen to see this! I think I’d pick this one out of the available Meteorites, but I’m also interested in the Ambient Lighting Powders. I have oily skin and if the Ambient Powders are more powdery I think they may work better.

BethIndigo Avatar

I think you may have answered this before but do you have a preference between the compact and the pearls? Do they wear any differently?

Sarah Avatar

Thank you for the review. I recently got this. I don’t think it’s really a must-have in a make-up routine, more of another fancy step especially for the price. I can also detect a lot of tiny sparkles on my face.
I’ll keep using it, but i won’t repurchase.

Kim Avatar

I bit the bullet and spent the $62 – this powder is lovely. I have dull, oily skin and I use a large brush and use this as a quick finishing powder all over my face, just before I do my eyebrows and mascara. It’s beautiful! It makes me look like I have more even toned, luminous skin. WOW.

I am pretty fair-skinned and bought the 03 Medium. I thought after swatching the 02 Light it would be better used as a highlighter only, and I wanted something for my whole face. I love this!

Susette Avatar

Hi Christine, I want your advice which finishing powders do you prefer or you think have a nice finish, maybe something not overly shimmery, is the first time I’m going to buy a finishing powder and I would love some guidance, thank you!

Susette Avatar

I purchased the Guerlain Meteorites compact in 03, to my surprise my pores do look smaller or finer when I use this powder (I think I was refusing to believe it could do that). I wanted to buy the pearls but I have read some not-so good reviews about the new formulation so to be on the safe side I purchased the compact. Thank you for your advice.

Glendon Avatar

Can this compact be used to hold the voyage refill???? I have this one and am almost finished it but didn’t want to buy a whole new compact if I can just refill it with voyage

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