Saturday, April 14, 2012

Guerlain Terracotta Sun In the City Illuminating Powder

Spring is here and summer is just around the corner!  So now is the time to prepare for your sun-kissed looks and challenging the sunshine with your own radiance.  Guerlain's Terracotta Illuminating Powder in Sun in the City, is perfect for this.





This very large  compact contains a lovely gold shimmering powder that is perfect for highlighting the face and giving it a radiant effect.  The mirrored compact contains a nice golden shimmery powder with a lovely  textured and swirled pattern (0.52 oz of product; retail price: $70).


Guerlain says,


"A radiant, metallic powder and sun catcher for face and body, enriched with gold mother-of-pearl to capture and reflect light for a golden, luminous finish. Textured to mimic the sun's rays, Terracotta Sun in the City is available in one universal shade to highlight—and warm up—all skin tones."


Here is a close-up of the surface and texture of the powder:




Here is a swatch:




The product itself is lovely but it's effect, in my opinion, can be easily replicated with a similar toned gold eyeshadow.  The powder itself is very fragrant so keep this in mind if you prefer fragrance-free cosmetics.  I do like the fact that the compact is large and you can easily highlight your shoulders, etc. more quickly with this and a large buffing brush than with a shadow.  It does have a hefty price tag but I am happy with my purchase and here's why:


In years past, i have purchased several of M.A.C.'s highlighting blushes like Marine Life and My Paradise which both featured a lovely gold overspray.  Sadly, the overspray doesn't last for the lifespan of the blush.  With Sun In The City, I can use these blushes and get a similar application as if the overspray was intact.  I do use a light hand as this powder has more of a metallic finish.


Overall rating: Booyah! for the aforementioned reasons and since I know I will give it tons of use.  Many however, may not find the size of the compact, the fragrance or the price tag appealing.


What do you think of it?  A must for summer?

Bare Minerals Ready Eyeshadow 4.0 - The Truth

I had been using Bare Minerals loose shadows for quite a while and while I loved their texture, I found the little pots kind of messy so when I heard that they were offering their shadows in traditional palettes, I couldn't wait to try them.  Being the neutral classic shadow lover that I am, I reached for The Truth.






The mirrored compact contains four lovely shades and a sponge applicator:  Serendipitous, Magnetism, Fate and Apropos, for a total of 5g of product (Retail price: $30 USD).





Bare Minerals says,
"bareMinerals READYTM Eyeshadow provides exceptionally vivid, long-wearing color in an ultra smooth, silky texture for effortless application and seamless blendability with four shades that create multiple looks. Powered by our proprietary SeaNutritive MineralTM Complex along with powerful antioxidants, cold-pressed borage oil, caffeine and cucumber-ingredients known to deliver anti-aging benefits including reduced look of puffiness and antioxidant protection for a softer, smoother, revitalized eye area. It looks like a powder but feels like a cream and delivers a beautifully smooth application of vivid, long-wearing color."
Bare Minerals describes the shades as follows (parenthetical descriptions are mine):
  • Serendipitous  - delicate peach (to me more like an ivory shade)
  • Magnetism - brushed taupe (similar to a less shimmery Satin Taupe for you M.A.C. fans)
  • Fate - light mocha glaze (a mid-toned brown with a bit of shimmer to it)
  • Apropos - twinkling espresso (a deep chocolate brown with a touch of glitter)

Here are some swatches:
From Top to Bottom: Serendipitous, Magnetism, Fate, Apropos

Overall rating:  Booyah!  I love the texture and staying power of these (I did apply over a primer) and found that there was considerably less fallout than their loose shadow predecessors.
I plan on trying one of the 8.0 palettes and a blush next.  Any recommendations?
Would love to hear from you.