Guerlain Blush G Série Noire for Spring 2011

I saved this dazzling blush from Guerlain's Spring 2011 Sur mes Levres Collection for my last feature on my purchases. I was awestruck when I saw the first photos of Blush G Série Noire and remained gushingly thrilled (almost speechless) when I got my hands on it. Guerlain's Blush G Série Noire ($67) is a superstar. If you haven't seen it, bought it, or reserved it, you need to hop to it! The color is stunning; it will be a unique addition to your makeup wardrobe for spring and summer; and I think it's going to sell out.

Blush G Série Noir continues the tradition of the last few years of desirable palettes by offering stripes of coordinating colors that, when mixed with the swipe of a brush, become a single color that has more depth than it might if it were composed of a single shade alone. Besides the beautiful appearance in the compact, with the scrolling calligraphy "G" stamped across the shades, there really is a benefit to the mixture - to my eye. The nicest feature about the Blush G Série Noire stripes is their size. They are large enough to be "singled out" and used in twos, if not alone. That means you get at least three blushers for the price of one (maybe four!).

I have to admit that I was reluctant to mar the perfect beauty of the palette by using it! This is one of those pieces I may need to put in my makeup museum, which means purchasing a second. I can't imagine not wearing this vibrant blush this spring.

Even the pouch it comes in is special. I usually toss off and throw away the black velveteen pouches that protect high-end makeup. This pouch caught my eye. It's a black "suedette" pouch lined in fuchsia satin, which gives it an extra touch. Inside, the shiny, smooth, and lacquered black case nestles the most ravishing colored stripes of energized orange, intense fuchsia, delicate pink, and pearly pink: four shades that will make your cheeks flush with a natural, healthy glow. You can even apply it with its useful black and fuchsia blush applicator, adorned with the Guerlain signature and hiding in the lower level of the palette.

I took 30 photos trying to get a decent swatch picture. The overcast sky was uncooperative. I applied the blush with a sponge-tipped applicator (like eye shadow) to get concentrated color on my arm, and the best result I can show you is at right. You can see how pink the overall effect is when you swipe a brush across all four shades. I played with swiping the top two only and the bottom two only and found then that I had three blushers in one. I haven't swiped only the middle two shades yet. It was hard to contain my excitement. Have to save that treat for another day!

I don't often tell you you "need" new items, but if you can wear pink blush, you must check out this one. It will give your face a fresh, radiant boost for spring.

You can see Blush G Série Noire at Guerlain counters at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks, Bloomingdale's, and other department stores. I noticed it's listed as "unavailable" at Nordstrom online, one of my indicators that it's going to be in "sold out" mode before too long.

Photo at top courtesy of Nordstrom