Guerlain Terracotta Sun Celebration Bronzing Powder & Blush, 30th Anniversary Edition, for Summer 2014

I couldn't wait to get my hands on Guerlain's Terracotta Sun Celebration Bronzing Powder & Blush ($76), the special 30^th Anniversary Edition. Now that I have, I'm even more hyped about it than I was when I first saw the press photos. It's magnifique! The compact is absolutely gorgeous, from the magnetic cover to the powder itself, and the look on the skin is as good as it gets (considering my own skin).

Sun Celebration Bronzing Powder & Blush is a limited edition, and I predict it will sell out quickly (I've been wrong in the past about such things, but not often). If you have an interest, purchase or pre-order it immediately. I had pre-ordered mine from the Guerlain Boutique in Las Vegas, so it was shipped to me the moment it arrived at the store.

Twist off the glorious magnetic wooden cover with its own sun design, and you'll see this large, elegant quad of summer colors embossed with a vibrant golden sun. Its appearance is stunning - sure to draw compliments if you pull it out for a touch-up to show it off in public.

I took swatch photos in full, very late-afternoon sunshine. I swatched a "stripe" at the top of my arm with a sponge-tipped applicator, and I used a blush brush to apply a larger swatch below. Both are heavy applications. I blended all four colors and made sure to pick up some metallic "sunshine" too. I did not swatch each individual color - all matte: summer peach, sunset pink, and a brown/tan. Because the compact is large, you can easily use the colors individually. I'll try that later. I wanted to show you this makeup museum piece right away.

You will see some sparkles in my swatches, but I think they result from the central sun. I've read that there is an overspray, but I'm not sure about that. If there is, those sparse sparkles will disappear with use. I know many of you prefer matte or satin bronzers, and I think this one fits the bill.

The powder itself is finely milled and compacted well, so it applies lightly. You have to work at it to over-do an application. It does not leave a powdery mess after you swipe it, no matter what applicator you use.

You can see that the blended color is a beautiful, light, golden tan. It looks natural on my face when applied to the high points. I leaves no mud behind, just a stunning sun-kissed effect. Had I wanted to make the color pinker, I could have used more pink. The same is true for all the colors, giving us ultimte flexibility.

It's too bad I had goosebumps when I snapped these photos. You can see on my arm how cold I was. We had a sudden turn from 86 degrees on Sunday to a sleet storm Tuesday evening. The weather may be telling me that Sun Celebration's time hasn't come, but I'm not buying that. I'll be wearing it the moment I want to look healthy and happy. Tomorrow?

I knew that anything Guerlain would name its 30^th Anniversary Terracotta piece - drawing special attention to its golden franchise - would be good. I had no idea it would be magnificent.

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