40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Brand Reviews

Day 15, Guerlain

Storybookheroine: My favorite product from Guerlain?, Meteorites powder for the face. Meteorites colors from the regular line are Mythic, an all over face powder for light to light-medium skin; Pink Fresh, a shimmering light pink blush; and Beige Chic, a face powder for medium to darker skin or a light bronzer for light skin (makes a nice shadow too). The boxes are inspired by Marie Antoinette's jewelry box and the powder is violet scented but does not irritate my sensitive skin. The regular line colors are sold loose but Mythic is also available as in a refillable compact. Every year for the holidays Guerlain releases limited edition meteorites (loose and in compact form) and sometimes late spring as well.

Mythic is my go to daily finishing powder. The green balls reduce redness, pink gives a healthy complexion, mauve attracts light, white brightens and the gold and mother of pearl add radiance and highlights. I find Mythic sheer and natural looking but it adds all the right things and corrects my flaws. There is a hint of shimmer to the powder but I would never call it a shimmer powder and if I dust this over my skin I usually feel good enough to skip foundation. Applied over my favorite foundation and powder Mythic gives me a flawless complexion, almost airbrushed. It takes care of my flaws, discoloration, hyperpigmentation spots and redness while still appearing natural and sheer. A really multi-tasker. They are worth the extra step in your makeup routine.


I wish I knew about them years ago.


Limited Editions (loose/compact)
2002 Blushy Blush/Red Fusion
2003 Reflects de Nacres/Eclat de Rose
2004 Glittering Pearls/Midnight Diamond
2005 Winter Radiance (same for both types)
2006 White Pearls (spring loose only), Perles de Velours/Reflects de Velours
2007 Pucci (coming this spring)


(top Mythic, right Glittering Pearls, bottom Winter Radiance)





Cavewoman: It took three trips to the Guerlain counter at the Saks flagship store in New York before I finally chose my first Guerlain. I wanted to choose just the right one, but it was so hard to do, and when I began to study Guerlain fragrances, I learned why. I love the connecting thread of what is referred to as The Guerlinade, the similarity of notes that make the older Guerlains seem like sister scents. I remember that my three finalists were Apres L'Ondee, Mitsouko, and Parure. Needless to say, by looking at the photos, I've acquired a few more Guerlains over the years, (including the two runners-up) and I've come to appreciate Shalimar also, which I never even wanted to try on myself because a former neighbor of mine used to marinate herself in it. Sometimes I crave Shalimar, and often I reach for a dab of it before I go to bed.

On that day when I finally made my first Guerlain purchase, I ended up choosing Parure. A little less fruity than Mitsouko, but sharing many notes with that scent, Parure opens with a fresh, soapy quality that I just love. Top notes replace the peach of Mitsouko with plum. A bouquet of white flowers balanced with lilac and sweet narcissus create a devastatingly feminine heart. This is a womanly fragrance, self-assured and poised, but never aggressive or intrusive. A base anchored in oakmoss, my favorite, fills out with spices, amber, patchouli, and a leather note. Even the name is elegant. The word "parure" is a word one seldom hears these days, and it means "a matched set of jewelry," perhaps a necklace, earrings, and a brooch or a bracelet. Imagine opening a cherished velvet box containing a set of vintage Weiss rhinestone jewels -- clip earrings, sparkling brooch, lovely bracelet, saved for special occasions and carefully stored away for the next one. That's the time to be wearing Parure. But don't save the scent for special occasions, because wearing it will perhaps create one for you!

The empty bottle in my photo, the bottle that looks like The Guggenheim, is a true find. I bought this bottle, made by Baccarat, about 30 years ago from a catalog called Horchow. The description told that this bottle had been created for a famous perfume house which ended up not taking all the bottles from Baccarat. It was only recently that I found out that this was the bottle for Vega. It feels like cool silk in the hand. I wish it were filled with Vega.

What are your favorites from Guerlain?
Photos: Storybookheroine and Cavewoman

Disclosure: The products were purchased by the reviewers.