Lancôme's collection for Spring 2011, Ultra Lavande by Aaron De Mey, is a lavender delight. If lavender is your color, you will love it. Even if it's not, there are some gorgeous pieces to wow you.The new blush
is a twist of two signature items of 70's style: the bow tie and the butterfly, designed by Alexis Mabille. In fashion, wearing a bow tie is the ultimate chic attitude - a way to express your inner free-spirit and total lack of concern for convention. The butterfly is a multicultural symbol of a free soul, femininity, and beauty of nature. Combined, with shades of lavender, pink, and blue, Butterflies Fever Healthy Glow Mineral Blusher in Glowy Ballerine ($40) is a collectible palette.Lancôme says you should mix the the three shades for a healthy flush or use them separately. I think it would be difficult to use any shade but the pink in the bow tie separately. You will need a very small brush - and patience. The company suggests you use pink ballerina shade for a natural, rosy flush; the beige ballerina shade to sculpt your face; or the lavender shade to unify your complexion on targeted, red areas.
This "blush" is incredibly light. I think it's better called a highlighting powder than a blush. The blue-pink shades are beautiful, but they won't add much punch to your cheeks if used as a blusher, unless your skin is porcelain pale.
I struggled to get a swatch photo. The one at right is the best I could do. I applied the blush heavily with a sponge-tipped applicator. My photo was taken outdoors in the sun. The shade at the top is a mixture of all the shades in the compact. I picked up the colors by swiping diagonally from the upper-left corner of the palette to the lower right. The shade below was swatched from the pink bow tie. It's fairly easy to use that shade alone, but you'll have to use a small blush brush.
The blended shade is bluer than the bow tie shade. That's because of the blue flower and lavender butterflies. I might be able to wear the bow tie shade as a blush, but I have very pale skin. I'd like to see how Glowy Ballerine looks on someone with medium-toned skin. When I apply the blended shades with a brush brush, Glowy Ballerine flushes my cheeks with a pale pink glow. It's very pretty - and spring-like.
See what you think when you visit your Lancôme counter. I like it! I purchased mine online from Lancôme. Neiman Marcus has received the full display, so I suspect the other stores will have it soon - if they don't already.
Photos at top courtesy of Lancôme
i guess this is one of those products people may buy just because of the way it looks. i am pretty pale but even for me this color payoff is not enough.
ReplyDeleteHi Anna,
ReplyDeleteIt's not a must-have blush. It's a glorious highlighter, though.
The design of this blush is quintessentially spring and I love how the trademark Lancôme rose is peaking out from behind the bow. I gave it a miss, though, as it is decidedly too cool for me. I did pick up the lipstick in Daisy Rose and the long wear eye shadows in Disco Gold and Ultra Lavande. Don't let the name Disco Gold put you off. It is glittery but it is surprisingly easy to wear because it can be blended to suit the occasion. It looks beautiful used alone or to add a bit of sparkle to other shadows. A dab over the pupil really brings light to the eyes. As for the Ultra Lavande . . . What can I say? It's certainly purple! After I swatched it, I promptly handed over my Nordstrom card. On the way home, I kept asking myself what on earth had I been thinking--until I got it home and played with it a bit. It looks gorgeous with the Armani spring eye palette because it has the same play of blue in it's purple depths. So, I guess I'm not crazy after all. On me, though, it will definitely be an evening look. The only question now is, should I go back for Disco Silver? :-)
ReplyDeleteI actually think this is very pretty. Ok so maybe you have to PILE it on.. but because I am so pale I think the purple pink coloring will look good. Sometimes when I look at make up on a movie star you might see this effect.. your not supposed to see it /notice it per say it's just a subtle coloring.. this could work for me.
ReplyDeleteYes, Eileen, go back for the silver. I have both the gold and the silver.
ReplyDeleteDid you notice that these shadows are EXACTLY the same as Armani's Eyes to Kill Eye Shadow? Right down to the black plastic interior lift-off cap! I think L'Oreal has saved themselves some money, to the detriment of the Armani brand. Even the ingredients are the same. I was stunned.
I do like the palette, but I suspect I'll layer the color over a blush with a little more color. I had to pass on the lavender shadows. Just not me. There is a gloss, though, that looks horrid in the tube, but is gorgeous. I will feature it this weekend.
That's great, Anonymous. Your skin must be gorgeous!
ReplyDelete