Coming Attraction: MARCHESA Parfum d'Extase

The e-mail from Sephora tells it all. The design house, MARCHESA, is launching a fragrance - the first for Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig. Here's what I know from Sephora and WWD.  The fragrance is being launched as a V.I.B. exclusive, with pre-launch access August 14. It will be available at Sephora online on August 17 and in Sephora stores September 6. I ordered it. How's that for faith?

You know that Chapman and Craig dress celebrities, particularly for red carpet events. “Evening wear evokes an emotion, and this scent does the same thing,” Chapman told WWD. Much like MARCHESA gowns, the bottle features plenty of detail and sparkle. Craig and Chapman worked with Malin Ericson of Vanessa Stevens + Company to create the elegantly designed bottle. It  evokes the look and feel of an exotic crystal, a gemstone believed to offer positive energy and abundant healing qualities. Each bottle features individually set crystals that exude the confident and alluring feminine signature of MARCHESA. “We looked at our handbags and the signature crystals they have, and we really wanted to incorporate that element,” said Chapman.

MARCHESA's Parfum d’Extase ($25-85) "opens with light florals, giving way to a combination of fresh and woody notes that create complexity and beauty. Iris is the secret to the fragrance's richness, capturing the delicate essence of its flower petals and the dark sensuality of its precious roots. Freesia, young violet leaves, night-blooming jasmine, ambrox, and musks complete the sublime composition of this intoxicating elixir."

Notes:
Iris Flower, Star Anise, Black Current, Young Violet Leaves, Lotus Flower, Night Blooming Jasmine, Bulgarian Rose Water, Orange Blossom, Iris Root, Ambrox, Muscenone.

Style:
Feminine. Empowered. Intoxicating.

Enticing?

Update 8/18: Mine arrived. To my nose, it smells like cheap department store perfume. Maybe even drugstore. Definitely sample before buying.

Photo courtesy of Sephora

Le Métier de Beauté MARCHESA Sheer Illumination Brightener

Le Métier de Beauté MARCHESA Sheer Illumination Brightener ($48) is a Touche Éclat-like pen from the debut MARCHESA Collection, a collaboration between Le Métier de Beauté and the designers Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig. Given the choice of the Sheer Illumination Highlighter (golden in tone) or the Sheer Illumination Brightener (pink-based), I chose the Brightener.

The Brightener is intended to make you look refreshed and revived in an instant. Sheer Illumination Brightener’s liquid-to-powder formula lightly conceals while brightening. It reduces redness and diminishes dark circles to revive and refresh your look. The Sheer Illumination Highlighter works instantly to highlight and contour in a sheer, neutral golden shade that should be flattering on every skin tone. It's ideal for mixing with under-eye concealer, enhancing cheekbones, or reviving a tired complexion. Both products are ideal for use any time of day or evening, on bare skin, with powder, and under or over foundation to give you instant luminosity wherever you want it.

The MARCHESA Collection caused quite a splash, in magazines (InStyle, October 2010 issue) and on beauty blogs. I wrote about the other pieces I purchased in September. The Brightener is the last of the items I ordered.

In my arm photo at right, you can barely see the blended shade above the unblended swatch. The photo was taken in full sun. I applied the Brightener with the brush that's part of the pen for the unblended swatch, and I used the pen, but blended the product with my finger in the swatch above. The arrow points to the center of the blended shade. When blended, it matches my skin tone so perfectly that it's hard to see in the photo.

Unlike some of the other pieces in the MARCHESA, Sheer Illumination Brightener is the size you would expect (.08 fl oz) - not tiny. I like its sheer qualities and the pick-me-up it provides. I'm glad I bought it!

I purchased mine from Bergdorf Goodman. The MARCHESA Collection is also available at Neiman Marcus.

Update 10/11: I purchased the golden Highlighter today at Neiman Marcus at Tysons Galleria. I stopped there on my way to a doctor's appointment. Two of my favorite Neiman's gals, the lovely Lisa and my super-SA Kathy helped me. Even got to visit with Dana for a few minutes. Dana manages the beauty department. I wish she would "will me" her job when she retires (of course, that will be long after I do!). Wouldn't it be fun to manage beauty?

Photo at top courtesy of Neiman Marcus

Le Métier de Beauté MARCHESA My Palette by Keren Craig - Swatched

Joanna Austin, president of Le Métier de Beauté, said that working with world-famous MARCHESA designers Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig was a collaboration that would, hopefully, lead to a long-lasting creative partnership. Wanting to be at the doorway to that glamorous world, I pre-ordered items from the collection from Bergdorf Goodman. Then I waited for gift card week!

After consultation with my friends in New York, I ordered the eponymous Keren Craig palette, shown at left. Georgina Chapman's shades didn't appear to suit me.

MARCHESA My Palette by Keren Craig ($65) arrived last Friday. This collection of warm hues was designed to create a beautiful bronzed look not to be ignored - one with everything you need to make a sun-kissed look your own.

What's in the palette?

• Bronzer
• Concealer
• Lip Gloss in Le Caramel
• Creme Blush in La Rougeur
  
• Eye Shadow in Le Fauve

I swatched the shades for you. At right, top to bottom, are the eye shadow, concealer, creme blush, and lip gloss. The concealer is definitely a yellow tone - the one that looks scary on my arm. It works on my face better than I expected when I first saw it. The rest of the shades are very pretty.

I applied the bronzer at left twice with a dense brush. At top is a light application; there's a darker one below. Applied with a fluffy brush for a less concentrated application, the bronzer is a nice shade for me. It has no trace of orange.

Le Métier de Beauté calls this a "petite palette." It certainly is. It's wafer-thin and about 3 1/4 inches wide. Like the Double Entendre Lip Gloss from the MARCHESA Collection, it's tiny - too tiny. I'm not sure why the MARCHESA items are all so small. I assume they were intended to be slipped into an evening bag, consistent with MARCHESA's eveningwear. The price is dear, given their size.

If you want to own one of the the latest darlings of the beauty world, you can purchase the MARCHESA Collection now at Bergdorf Goodman and very soon at Neiman Marcus. I'd recommend that you take a look at the seasonal Le Métier de Beauté makeup and find similar shades that suit you. You will get much more makeup for your money.

Update 9/27, late afternoon: I should have mentioned that the palette isn't slimmer than the regular Le Métier de Beauté palettes at the Neiman Marcus counter. In that sense, the palette is a "better buy" than Double Entendre - in my opinion.

Photo at top courtesy of Neiman Marcus