Guerlain Terracotta Moisturizing Gloss for Summer 2011

Don't be fooled when you look at Guerlain's new Terracotta Moisturizing Glosses ($30.50)! They are transparent beauties on the lips - not the deep, saturated shades they appear to be in the tubes.

Neon fuchsia, sunny coral, and flamboyant red, these concentrates of color envelop the lips in delicious sheerness with insolent shine and give an instant radiance boost to the face. The secret? A luminous, hydrating, and translucent formula, free of sparkles, makes this a great outdoor choice. This non-sticky gloss can be applied at any time of day - and any time of year - for a beautiful effect.

There are three glosses in the collection: Mambo (08), rather orange; Salsa (07), fuscsia; and Tango (09), also orange-toned. Only Salsa (shown above right) was the right shade for me. I saved some money!

With the decorative cap, these glosses are snazzy in the tube and sheer lovelies on the lips. My swatch photo below shows Salsa, my selection. Even though it seemed outre in the tube, it's everyday wearable - just perfect.

My swatch photo was taken in mid-day sunlight, and I think it shows the shade well. It's a medium-toned gloss, not too light, not overly dark - a pretty shade that will remind you of pink flamingos. Have you ever found a plastic pink flamingo planted in your garden? Friends do that as a prank, but I find them delightful. Many years ago, when the American Hemerocallis Society had its annual meeting in our area and my garden was featured as an open garden, one of my dear friends from Florida planted a flamingo in my front yard. A few years later, I lost my friend to cancer, but inherited her cat, Wee Storm (and one of the most extraordinary turquoise necklaces I have ever seen). I cherished Stormy until the day she left me to join Ray at 22 years of age. Ray and Wee Storm were both "great people."

Anyhow, because of its coloring, this gloss reminds me of them - and I will think of them when I wear it. It's got that Florida garden color - bright and happy pink. I love it!

You can find the Terra Inca Collection, with which this gloss is displayed, at Nordstrom and Saks. I'll tell you about the extraordinary bronzer next.

Photo at top courtesy of Nordstrom