Jacques Guerlain composed Liu to embody the power of devotion. In the story, Liu is a young slave who chooses to commit suicide rather than reveal the name of her master, the man with whom she is in love. Guerlain Creative Director Olivier Echaudemaison has captured Liu’s passion with a limited-edition makeup collection, paying tribute to the Asian heroine’s enchanting femininity and sense of detail. Golden hues, deep red lips, and tapered eyes capture the opulence of the Orient, allowing every woman to become a heroine this holiday season.
The Liu Eye & Lip Calligraphy Palette ($79.00) is shown at the top of this feature. This collector’s palette draws inspiration from the art of calligraphy and Asian beauty rituals. With two dramatic shades for the lips, combined with three iridescent eye shadows, the ingeniously designed palette provides our makeup essentials in one place. A matte black powder liner is also included and can be used wet or dry to create an unforgettable gaze. The extra-flat, black Chinese lacquer-style case features a large panoramic mirror and two brushes that deliver high-precision application - just like calligraphy instruments. The first has a double-foam tip for the eyes, one rounded for eyeshadow and the other pointed for liner. The second is a lip brush with silky bristles.
The eye shades, shown directly above and below, were swatched from top to bottom in the palette. The top three shades, shimmering ivory, shimmering copper, and the most gorgeous shimmering greige I've seen lately, are shown at the top of my arm. The charcoal liner (or smoky matte eye shade) is shown at the bottom.
I purchased my Guerlain Holiday pieces at Neiman Marcus Tysons Galleria. They have not yet arrived at Mazza. I'm sure they will be at all Guerlain counters next week.
Photos by Best Things in Beauty
yay! Exactly what I wanted to see swatches of! I give in, I will have to buy this. Hard decision wasn't it? :)
ReplyDeleteOMG!!! Based on promo pictures, I didn't think I'd need this, but after seeing your swatches I know without a doubt that I'll be adding this collectors palette to my purchase along with Turandot, Perles du Dragon Météorites, and the Liu golden spray powder. Originally, I thought the lip colors would be too intense, but they have a luminosity that seems to lighten them. They are colors I could (and will!) actually wear. As for the eye shadows, well, that's what inspired my OMG. Except for the black liner shade, there is nothing standard about them. They have that typical complexity and depth of color that is quintessentially Guerlain. Stunning, Charlestongirl. Absolutely stunning.
ReplyDeleteLike Eileen, when I saw the promo pics, I didn`t think this would be a palette that would be wearable for me, eventhough it is indeed beautiful. Your swatches have proven me wrong. I`m stunned by how versitile I can see this being! I am speechless. You have that effect on loquatious me!
ReplyDeletelovethescents
Hi Evelyn!
ReplyDeleteIt was easy!
Hey there, Eileen,
ReplyDeleteI also thought I might skip this one. Then I saw it. Holy moly!
Ditto, Lovethescents! It is amazing.
ReplyDeleteSaw the swatches, went nutz, had my husband order it from saks.com. Cg, are you going to get the 4-color quad, Turandot, too? What do you think of it? Are the Armani holiday palettes available yet?
ReplyDeleteNemo, yes I purchased the quad. I had reservations when I swatched it in the store. There is one shade I don't love - looked muddy in the store. I'll give you more as soon as I can get photos.
ReplyDeleteWhat surprised me is that I LOVED the red lipstick. It's a cherry red and is smashing! Had to have it. I had planned to buy the gold one.
The Liu spray sparkly powder is to die for.
Owwwwwwww!
ReplyDeleteHi Nemo,
ReplyDeleteThe international launch date for the holiday collection is November 1. I don't know the specific US date but it will probably be sometime around then.
Thanks, Eileen! I want the Armani holiday palette with the grey shadows Cg featured a while back. Meanwhile, I love your doggy. Is he yours?
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know if LMDB is doing a Holiday eye kit?
ReplyDeleteI purchased the whole Liu collection a week ago and can't stop playing with all the items (even though I don't know where I could use the spray powder - the one from the last year I only sprayed once and it went into my "museum".) I also bought CHANEL's and Dior's Holiday collections but Guerlain's is the best in my opinion. CHANEL's holiday lipstick is so dark and matte - every day for 8 days I'm opening it and I'm still scared to try it! Guerlain's Lou-Ling dark lipstick from Liu collection is so beautiful that I got a backup for it. Thanks to Rouge Shine Automatic formula, it doesn't look too intense on my lips, just very pretty. Out of all the Holiday lipsticks I've purchased so far (four from Dior Gran Bal, one from CHANEL's Eclats du Soir, and two from Guerlain's Liu) I'm only wearing Lou-Ling this week. Guerlain's Holiday eyeshadows from both palettes are also my favorites though I expected to love CHANEL's Harmonie du Soir better. Dior's Grand Bal eyeshadows (all three palettes) went strait to the "museum", they all seem to be evening-wear only. All in all Guerlain's Liu collection is my favorite. But it's just the beginning of October - we still have some time left for surprises from Armani, Burberry, LMdB ;-)
ReplyDeleteSorry for such a long comment - my excitement over all the Holiday beauties is overwhelming!
Hey Nina, that's great! We purchased many of the same things. The Guerlain red lipstick surprised me too. I can wear it!
ReplyDeleteI had to have this! So I did! I did some swatches at the store (Nordstrom at Twelve Oaks in Northville, MI has it on their counters) and I plan to post some in-store swatch photo teasers shortly.
ReplyDeleteThe red lipstick is amazing! I swatched it and HAD to have it!! The Wulong meteorites compact I soooo want to get, but don't think it's in the budget this month.
Oh, and CG I have to agree with you about one of the eyeshadow quad colors looking a little muddy. That's actually why I didn't get it.
ReplyDeleteHi Nemo,
ReplyDeleteYes, the husky is my little cuddle bug. Her name is Bobby. She's bright, outgoing, affectionate and playful and--she's named after my mother! My mother is deceased, but I think she'd be flattered and amused by her adorable namesake.
Hi makeupandentropy,
ReplyDeleteThat red lipstick is gorgeous. If the sun would only shine here, I could show it.