Guerlain Météorites Perles Les Ors Light-Diffusing Primer from the Terra Ora Collection for Summer 2013

Guerlain's new primer, the sheer, luxurious, limited-edition Météorites Perles Les Ors Primer ($71), uses a combination of three different gold pearls to reveal a brighter complexion. White pearls illuminate the skin, while pink and yellow pearls add a golden glow and a subtle shimmer. The lightweight gel texture makes this primer perfect for setting makeup in warmer weather, but you can use it on its own to enhance the skins’ natural radiance and make your skin look dewy.

I wasn't going to purchase it. I have the Météorites Perles primer that combines pink-toned pearls, and it's lovely. Did I need another? I guess the answer is yes. After reading Eileen's description of its effect on her face, I caved. My readers are superb enablers.

This is an elegant primer. Unlike some, it wasn't designed to correct your skin tone or make you sparkle. I like to think of Guerlain as "adult makeup," and this primer fits neatly into that category. It will enliven your skin; add a barely-there golden tint to your skin (I mean barely there or extremely sheer); and extend the wear time of your foundation.

The direct sunshine took all the gold out of the cap. It looks almost silver in the photo above, but it's gold, matching the theme of the collection.

It's very hard to take swatch photos of a product so sheer, but I tried anyhow. My photos were taken in full, mid-day sun. I applied an unblended drop to the top of my arm, using the pump-top applicator. I like the pump top because it allows me to dispense only what I need and no more. I also applied a second pump below and spread it lightly with my fingers to show you the color and glow. I did not blend it in entirely; otherwise I think there would have been little left to see.

The golden shade should be apparent. When I saw it in the store, my first thought was that it would make a fabulous accompaniment to the Tom Ford summer collection. Naturally, it complements Guerlain's collection as well. You can see that it adds a slightly peach golden glow to my skin. However, when blended fully and covered with foundation, the shade is hard to detect. I prefer to wear it with Giorgio Armani's Maestro Fusion Makeup, which provides coverage, but is sheer compared to many other foundations.

Somehow, the clear serum and pearls in the bottle combine to provide this summer-toned glow. I have no idea how they mix. Guerlain's magic?

When you apply this classy primer, it will leave your face feeling damp for a minute or two, so I'd recommend you wait before you apply your foundation, BB cream, blush, or whatever. If you don't need or wear other products, blend the primer well and leave your face alone for a minute to allow it to dry. Once it dries on me, I see only a slightly dewy, golden look to my skin. The appearance is very subtle.

Météorites Perles Les Ors Light-Diffusing Primer is not a liquid highlighter. You could wear it under one, though, to give the highlighter a better last. It has Guerlain's beautiful, signature violet scent, which I love. I've noticed that the fragrance dissipates very quickly, so those who dislike fragranced makeup might like it.

I'll quote Eileen in finishing here. "I like Guerlain's primers, so I did not hesitate to buy Météorites Perles Light Diffusing Primer Les Ors. It is gorgeous and can actually be worn alone. It gives a beautiful unifying glow to the skin and helps defeat areas of redness. Marcus [everyone's favorite Guerlain makeup artist] ollowed it with LdP in 02, but I don't need any foundation right now."

Does your skin need a boost? Give it a try. Guerlain’s Terra Ora Collection is available at select locations of Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, Sephora, and Bergdorf Goodman - and of course at the Guerlain Boutiques. I purchased my Météorites Perles Les Ors Light-Diffusing Primer at Bloomingdale's.

Photo at top courtesy of Guerlain; other photos by Best Things in Beauty