Monday, October 7, 2013

Crazy Champs Élysées Météorites Pearls from the Guerlain Holiday 2013 Crazy Paris Collection

Guerlain’s Météorites Pearls ($58) intelligently capture light to create a more luminous and even skin tone in one sweep of the brush. For the Crazy Paris collection, Météorites Pearls offer a new combination of beige, purple, white, gold, and two pinks. All six shades work to create the collection’s iconic luminous finish, while the prominent pink and gold tones provide an energetic glow. The holiday Météorites comes encased in a sleek black metal tin decorated with the collection's Champs Élysées theme and emblem.

Météorites have become a must-have for me. I love the glow they cast on my skin when used as a finishing powder. I'm also smitten with those little colored balls. They remind me of my early days when colors attracted me. Some things never change.

The tin of colored balls of wonder comes with a sponge inside, and I used the sponge to show you on my arm how the blended colors look on my pale skin. I took my swatch photos in full, mid-day sunshine.

Bloggers with pale skin who try to photograph and show finishing powders are either eternal optimists or crazy. I always feel a bit looney when I try to show you finishing powders. I hope you can see the warm pink glow left by a moderate application of the Crazy Champs Élysées Météorites Pearls. I think the color and glow are even more stunning when applied to my face.

The blended shade of this collection's Météorites is gorgeous, I think. An all-year shade, this limited-edition celebrates the reopening of 68 Champs Élysées, the legendary Guerlain flagship boutique that is reopening this winter.

These wonderful pearls of color leave your skin softly shimmering. The powder leaves an illuminated finish. The sunshine added a little extra shimmer to my skin, but the photos are relatively accurate. If you have any doubts, you must try this beautiful new addition to Guerlain's Météorites collection - if you want skin that looks perfect. These Météorites should never be limited to holiday wear.

Quoting from reader Eileen last year, "They can easily be used as an all-over finishing powder by those of us with fair/light complexions and are gorgeous brushed on the décolletté. Medium complexions can use these to highlight areas of the face and body with pearlescence. They'd be gorgeous swept in the classic "C" and blended into a soft pink or rose blush on the cheek." Definitely!

I purchased mine from the Guerlain Boutique in Las Vegas. If you would like to order now, call Jonathan at (702) 732-7008. You will love him. Otherwise, look for Guerlain's Holiday 2013 Crazy Paris Collection at your favorite Guerlain counter.

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

15 comments:

Jo said...

They look gorgeous and the funky black tin is worth the price of admission! A definite collectors item.

Eileen said...

Ooooooo . . . So pretty! I collect these, so this baby will definitely be joining my others.

By the way, according to my Guerlain gal, except for these limited edition versions, the standard Météorites compact and pearls are being discontinued. The newly reformulate Les Voilettes is replacing the Météorites compact. I don't know if anything is going to replace the pearls or if they're just going away. :-( Oh well, times change and so must makeup.

LY said...

May I know how does this compare with the Perles de Paradis release in spring?

Catherine @ bcrueltyfree said...

Gorgeous! The tin isn't my favorite, but the product seems to get nothing but raves

Lisa C said...

I've been eyeing this ever since I first heard about it awhile back. I love the packaging and that shade is absolutely gorgeous. Looks so beautiful on your skin. This baby will be coming home with me and it will also be my first meteorites!

roxymisha said...

I think this will be a definite purchase for me for the holiday season and love Eileen's tips. And, I love colours as well plus this tin is gorgeous.

Niki

Eileen said...

Hi LY,

I just picked up my Crazy perles yesterday and pulled out my Paradis to compare. MAC pegs me as NC15 and there is a noticeable difference between the two Météorites on my skin. Paradis looks much cooler in overall tone and has more shimmer. Crazy is warmer in keeping with Guerlain's hot pink theme and has a satin matte finish. You'll still get Météorites coveted light diffusing glow, but in a more subdued manner. After all, with the shimmery eye shades and bold lip colors, you wouldn't want a lot of shimmer all over your face.

Personal opinion: Whereas Paradis was probably a bit too cool for use on medium dark to dark skintones, Crazy has enough warmth to look look lively rather than ashy on them. For those of us with lighter skin tones, they both work well. Lucky us! :-)

Moonchime said...

Eileeen's tips are fantastic. Before reading this review, I had removed Guerlain's Pearls from my "wish" list.

Well, this review has changed everything. I will be calling my local Guerlain boutique today. I love so many of their fragrances already. What can I say, Guerlain products cross into that wonderful area we beauty lovers identify as "Sublime." This translates that they are worth every penny.

Charlestongirl said...

I am happy to be able to tell you that the standard Météorites Pearls are not being discontinued.

The Météorites Pearls have been wildly successful in their 25+ years in Guerlain's beauty arsenal, and there are absolutely no plans to discontinue the product. Rather, they are relaunching the product. The new Pearls will have several (wonderful) changes, including a softer texture for an increased radiance with every brushstroke.

Therefore, the current Pearls will be discontinued in 2014, but the product itself is here to stay!


Eileen said...

I'm so glad to hear that although the current pearls are being discontinued, that a reformulate version will be relaunched. Here's to another 25 years of glowing complexions! :-)

Sara said...

These look gorgeous! I was wondering, does anyone have a suggestion on the best brush to apply these with? I have the standard meteorites and I think I haven't figured out the best way to apply them. I haven't ever used the sponge that came with them. Thanks! -Sara

Eileen said...

Hi Sara,

That sponge disc that comes in the Météorites pearls is there to hold the pearls in place so that they don't get damaged in transit or when traveling. It's not meant for application :-)

Guerlain makes a brush for applying the pearls, but I personally find it rather scratchy. There are much better brushes to be found. Look for one that has a fairly large head and that is made of soft natural hairs which have been positioned into shape; not cut, or synthetic bristles with tapered ends. The head should be flexible enough to conform to the contours of your face without being flip-floppy. My go-to brush for the past two years, has been the Tom Ford bronzer brush. Although designated as a bronzer brush, it does an excellent job of pressing or sweeping finishing powders onto the skin. It's an expensive brush, but it applies a gossimer veil of Météorites (both pearls and compact versions) that is sheer perfection. Hakuhodo also makes several similar brushes that are all excellent.

A considerably more cost friendly option is the Taklon powder brush by Sephora (old "platinum" series) It's smaller than the TF, but it is still large enough to easily cover large areas. It's soft synthetic bristles work very well with Météorites. I'm sure there are a gazillion other excellent brushes out there and perhaps some of the other readers can direct you to them.

No matter which brush you choose, just swirl the brush lightly over the pearls and sweep the brush across your forehead and down your face. Use a downward motion so that you don't lift any of that fine facial hair we've all got on our cheeks. Some people like to press the powder onto the skin with the head of the brush in a rolling motion rather than sweeping it on. Either way, use a good brush and a light hand.

Warning! Whatever you do, though, don't buff Météorites! That means no densely packed, kabuki type brushes. They pick up way too much product and the buffing motion amps up the shine factor significantly. We all know that disco balls went out with the 70's! LOL Buffing will also disturb your foundation, blusher, etc. and the swirling motion lifts the peach-fuzz on your face which makes the complexion look rough :-P

I hope this rather long response helps a little bit, Sara.

Charlestongirl said...

Sara, I ditto Eileen. The sponge holds the pearls in, which is a long-time pet peeve of mine. If they filled the container, they wouldn't need the sponge.

I used it to press the powder onto my arm to get enough color for my swatch photo. In "real life," I use a big, fluffy blush brush.

Guerlain did introduce the Pucci pearls with a kabuki brush, but it's not my preferred method of application.

LY said...

Wow, thank u for ur reply! And sorry that I have just seen this. I was wondering if I still need to get this since I have the paradis? Is it a must have? *worries*

Unknown said...

hi, im NC 30/35 so i waswondering will it work for me?