Givenchy's Le Prisme Visage Bucolique ($56) from the Instant Bucolique 2012 Spring-Summer Collection is a face powder with a mix of four harmonious shades. This four shades in this powder combine to form a unique pearlescent blend "for maximum radiance and pastel illumination." "Atomized particles" create a fabulously soft and homogeneous formula that are said to provide a flawless matte finish. I'm wondering how this powder, which I purchased, can add radiance with a matte formula. When I apply it, I don't see any shimmer. I don't see much of anything - except for an even skin tone (nothing wrong with that!). I see a finishing powder in a non-traditional shade.Givenchy says the colors are packaged from the top to the bottom of the pan with a unique compaction process that allows a blurred effect and several color inlays. Honestly, I have no idea what that means, and I have no contacts at Givenchy who might explain it to me. No matter what the technology, this powder is beautiful in the compact, like an abstract expressionist's canvass splattered with pastel, harmonious paints.
I didn't know what to expect when I ordered Le Prisme Visage Bucolique from Sephora. I did expect a light, pastel face powder. What surprised me was the overall white tone to the powder.
I'm not sure why I bother trying to show you powders on my skin that are barely visible, but I hope it helps to show you these swatch photos. I swatched Le Prisme Visage Bucolique heavily at the top of my arm with a sponge-tipped applicator and used a dense blush brush for the larger swatch below. As I swatched, I blended across all four quadrants of the compact. My photos were taken in full sun.
I felt it necessary to point to (or emphasize) the swatches with drawing tools. If you see any shine in the white powder, it's due to sunlight, not the powder. Le Prisme Visage Bucolique take all those pretty pastel colors and translates to white. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. The perception of white is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color-sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings.I located Givenchy's instructions for Le Prisme Visage Bucolique and felt they might shed some light on the company's intentions.
It’s always exciting when winter comes to an end, but isn’t your skin looking more pale than pretty? We thought so. Givenchy has got you covered this spring with Le Prisme Visage Bucolique, a super-cool compact powder designed to amp up the glow without ever looking overdone.
Bucolic Blossoms No. 1 contains four tiny pyramids of softly specked micronized powder that illuminates all skin types with a sheer glowing veil. It’s like a peaches and cream complexion in a compact!
- Buff over foundation in place of powder for a translucent finish.
- Glide over freshly moisturized skin alone for a candle-lit glow.
- Concentrate an additional layer of powder on cheekbones, forehead, and chin to highlight.
I think Le Prisme Visage Bucolique is a nice finishing powder for fair skin. As the skin darkens, I would expect it to look ashy. I'd like to know if you've tried Givenchy's Le Prisme Visage Bucolique, available only at Sephora. What do you think?
Photo at top courtesy of Sephora; other photos by Best Things in Beauty
Oh, I want it so much! I asked girl at the counter to call me when it'll arrive. We always got seasonal collections late in Ukraine. But I already have lipstick (reviewed in the blog) - bright orange with hints of red and blush (haven't tried it yet. plan to post on the weekend).
ReplyDeleteThis looks to me very similar to Guerlain Meteorites in pressed form but without the glitter. I may need to check it out if I can find a Givenchy stockist locally - I'm not at all sure we have one. I was amused by one blogger who referred to it as Visage Bubonique.
ReplyDeleteHi CG, you're right, it's a sort of finishing powder which gently enhances your skin: the whitening effect is a fashionable trend and all the brands issue a product to that effect (not far from the normal Meteorites too, GreatSheElephant is right)Once you have one, no need to start a collection, at least, I think so :-)
ReplyDeleteCharleston Girl,
ReplyDeleteThis is off topic but you have expressed frustration with Sephora in the past and I thought I should share my latest exchange with them. I ordered Nars new eye shadow in Lhasa. Strangely, the price for this one color was listed as $23 instead of the normal $24 like every other color. But, the size was no different - size listed as .07 ounces on the webpage. So you can imagine my surprise when I received my order with a tiny .04 ounces Lhasa. It was almost HALF the size of a normal Nars single eye shadow. I emailed Sephora's customer Service on Thursday and never heard back. So I took the eye shadow to my local Sephora at Georgetown, where they also only had .04 ounce Lhasas. I decided to just exchange the eye shadow for store credit.I also left a review on Sephora's Nars eye shadow page explaining what had happened. It was removed after a day. Annoyed that I never heard back from Customer Service, I sent another email this week. I got a cryptic response this time saying that they had "checked our distribution center and the rest of our inventory of the NARS Single Eyeshadow - Lhasa is the 0.07oz. We would like the opportunity to correct this situation. Please give us a call." No further explanation. When I called, the customer service rep could not explain why this had happened and could not take my store credit over the phone to give me the regular sized eye shadow they are now swearing that they have in stock. The whole thing was time consuming, frustrating, and in the end, completely unsatisfactory. Where did these little .04 oz eye shadows come from in the first place? No one can tell me. I am really considering using other beauty websites in the future. Their Customer Service is just not what it was in years past. Sorry for the long comment!
Oh by the way, CG, Iforgot to mention it: just don't test Givenchy's new mascara "Demesure" (what a name!!!) it's appalling, those who have complain about horrible clumps...Givenchy was never very successful with their mascaras!
ReplyDeleteHi Time4Beauty! I know your skin is light, so you may love this one.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check out your lip color swatch photos!
Hi there, GreatSheElephant!
ReplyDeleteI would not make that comparison. The Guerlain powders are much better, in my humble opinion.
Visage Bubonique? Really? How embarrassing! I've had my share of typos, but that one's hilarious. :)
Hi Clarisse,
ReplyDeleteI agree, you only need so many of these. I'd rather collect blushes. :)
OMG, Gabby! That's a debacle. I'm glad you told us. I certainly agree with your conclusion. Not the store it used to be.
ReplyDeleteI've always found them to be super-responsive in taking returns (to their credit), but the problem lies in the fact that no one there knows anything beyond the script.
Many thanks for the warning, Clarisse!
ReplyDeleteI was intrigued by this when I came across it earlier today. I have been on a crusade of sorts now that Bobbi Brown's Sparkling Nudes Brightening Powder has sold out (already)- I was therefore so happy that this was your post today, CG and thank you for it. I'm on the fence, though. It seems folly to spend that amount of $ when I'm uncertain. I'll wait (and be sorry). Thank you for all you do, Beth in Pgh xo ;-)
ReplyDeleteI love the look of this product but it is really expensive for the results! One of those items I really want but can't justify!
ReplyDeleteHi, loved your blog and how much detail you go into. Wondered what moisturiser you use? Also, do you think packaging plays a big part in what you choose to buy?
ReplyDeleteWe're all so influenced nowadays by image/glossy pictures etc. How much impact does conventional advertising
have? Keep up the good work!