Monday, February 20, 2012

Clé de Peau Beauté Luminizing Face Enhancer for Spring 2012

Available in two color mosaics, Clé de Peau Beauté Luminizing Face Enhancer ($95) for Spring 2012 left me with a dilemma. Gold or pastel? Both shades of this exquisite highlighting powder work for me. Both sing the renewal of spring.

This new luminizing skin enhancer uses an innovative light-diffusing technology to define the contours of the face and illuminate the complexion. The colors were inspired by shells with never-ending spirals that radiate a pearly light. After testing both shades in the store - something I'd recommend - I selected Pastel, sadly leaving Gold behind. What's a gal to do when she has enough illuminators to light up the sky and she's trying to economize? I'm still nagged by a desire to have Gold.

Clé de Peau Beauté launched its first brightening essence in Japan nearly 30 years ago. Now, empowered by its exclusive "Neuro Skin" theory, the visionary research of Clé de Peau Beauté Laboratories boasts an exquisite spectrum of brightening beauty products, not only skin care, but also cosmetics.

Look at the sparkles in the compact, which itself is elegant! They reflect light beautifully - in the pan and on the skin. Clé de Peau Beauté Luminizing Face Enhancer does not add much color to the skin. Rather, it brightens, leaving behind a slightly shimmering glow that's gorgeous.

As you might imagine with an illuminator that adds radiance, not color, it was extremely hard to photograph. I toyed with the idea of skipping the swatch photos, but I tried so hard to make Luminizing Face Enhancer show up on my pale arm, I wanted to share my photos. If anything they reinforce the primary characteristic of this finishing powder: stunning radiance.

I applied Pastel very heavily at the top of my arm with a sponge-tipped applicator. The band of white-toned powder is more visible than the brush-blended swatch below. The Gold shade has the same effect on my arm, although it's slightly warming. Pastel is the powder shade for cool-toned skins (or to add a cool glow). Gold is best for warm-toned skins (or to warm cool skin). Those who can wear both cool and warm tones will have a difficult decision because they are both gorgeous.

Fortunately, my face doesn't share the prominent veins of my skinny arms. Nurses have always loved me; it has never been hard to draw samples. Hopefully, you can see that the powder lights up my skin.

Two views, two different backgrounds, and I couldn't do better than these photos. My failure to photograph "color" illustrates the nature of Clé de Peau Beauté Luminizing Face Enhancer, so perhaps these shots are instructive. This luminizer is a finishing powder, meant to be applied all over the face, but certainly useful for drawing attention to your best features or lifting your cheekbones.

Intrigued? I purchased my Clé de Peau Beauté Luminizing Face Enhancer at Nordstrom. It's available now at all Clé de Peau Beauté counters.

Photos at top courtesy of Clé de Peau Beauté; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

13 comments:

nikki said...

Gorgeous!!!I must go and check these out. How do you think this compares to the Bobbi brown brightener you reviewed yesterday?

Charlestongirl said...

Hi Nikki,

Definite difference. This one shimmers, Bobbi's doesn't.

Tati D. said...

These look gorgeous, but the price tag - owch!

Clarisse said...

Hi Charlestongirl!
What a beauty!!!You were right to choose pastel, it looks so delicate!

Charlestongirl said...

Hi Tati,

Yes, most Clé de Peau makeup is on the high side. Worth saving up for, though.

Charlestongirl said...

It's great on me, Clarisse, but so was the gold! What to do...what to do?

Christina said...

Cle de Peau is certainly worth the price. Have you ever tried them Tati D.?
I prefer liquid or cream version and use Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal. This might be nice to have & use on hot humid days in the summer.
Can you tell me if the packaging is different from the eye shadow set holder?

Charlestongirl said...

Tee hee, Christina. Yes, different. It comes in a compact. :)

Snjohnson10 said...

Beautiful! I have been waiting anxiously for CDP spring! Did you check out the new lip colors? :) Thank you (or maybe not since before your post the enhancers did not interest me!!) for the pictures and review.
Stacy

Charlestongirl said...

Hi Stacy!

I bought three of the new slim lipsticks. Posting tomorrow morning. Love 'em!

Adriana said...

I was wondering about these. Thanks for sharing them. I think I have to have the pastel one.

Julia said...

Thanks for your review! I'm wondering- how do these compare to the Vintage Palette III that you reviewed? They seem similar...

Unknown said...

Thanks for your review. I need your help. How does it compare to the Korres Magic Lightning Trio?