Sunday, October 30, 2011

Face: Guerlain for (Eye)Glasses



This is rapidly becoming a series, isn't it? First Le Metier de Beaute, then Chanel, and now Guerlain. Yesterday I ducked into the Saks Mazza to close out the Care for Kids charity event and to see just how much damage I could do with a 20% off everything card.

The gorgeous Ecrin 4 Couleurs in Les Bois de Roses had been on my want list for a while, so I approached the Guerlain counter. The bubbly sales associate declared she liked my eyeglasses (Giorgio Armani). Somehow it went from a simple transaction to trying on one of the decadent Rouge Gs to finally receiving a full-on facial and makeover. It was an hour well spent.

The sales associate took me through the full Guerlain skincare routine, which left my face feeling incredibly soft and hydrated. My concerns that the heavily perfumed products would irritate my sensitive skin turned out to be unfounded. For my sluggish and dehydrated skin, I was prescribed Secret de Purete Polishing Exfoliator and Super Aqua-Serum. Then on went Lingerie de Peau Foundation SPF 20 in Beige Clair 02; it applied smoothly and felt very comfortable. Blush 4 Eclats in Rose Plein Vent 5 was used sparingly. Meteorites in Teint Beige 2 gave my face a subtle glow. My skin looked and felt smooth and healthy.



What made this makeover special, though, was that the sales associate decided to build a look around my glasses. Usually makeup artists forget about my glasses as soon as I take them off and sometimes the outcome is a disjunction between the makeup and my glasses. She recommended Ecrin 4 Couleurs in Les Perles. I was a bit nonplussed, recalling the dramatic swatch on Cafe Makeup, but gave her free rein. Since I didn't have a mirror next to me throughout the process, I can't state with certainty the order and location of colors used. Guerlain likes to make colors that blend together so well, one has a hard time telling their individual origins. (The Non-Blonde has individual swatches.)




The result was lovely. The pearly and shimmery colors are both elegant and vibrant. Since three of the shades contain purple, my green eyes really popped, even behind the frames of my glasses. Below are photos I took in cooler lighting, which brings out the purple and shimmer more. No contest: I bought Les Perles in addition to Les Bois de Roses.





To finish off my eyes, the sales associate lined them with Kohl Me Eye Pencil in Black 1 and curled the hell out of my top lashes with Le 2 de Guerlain Mascara in Noir 10. She kept complaining my eyelashes were too long, and I told her I thought it was a good problem to have.

For my lips, we had chosen Rouge G in Gala 21, a beautiful shimmering ruby. Temptalia's description of it is spot on, though it pulls more pink on me than it does on her. (Compared to Chanel Rouge Allure Famous, Gala has more fuchsia in it.) The sales associate then lined my lips and filled in the center using Precision Lip Liner in Rouge Dahlia 24. It has a soft tip and doesn't need sharpening; the liner felt so easy and juicy that I immediately bought it. The final touch was a layer of KissKiss Gloss in Fraise a Croquer 821 in the center.



I also bought Rouge G in Gala. At 20% off, I couldn't resist. The color is surprisingly easy to wear and will cheer me up in the depths of winter. The fabulous mirrored case also is worth owning for the sake of owning, though it's so heavy I'm not sure if I can carry it around in my bag as an everyday essential.

Nails: Deborah Lippmann in Hit Me With Your Best Shot.

This concludes the third installment of my makeover series. I think next time I'll change it up and ask for a nude lip.



By the way, yes, I am wearing the same sweater in the Guerlain shots as I was in the Chanel ones. Why not? An angora-blend by Joseph via Net-a-Porter, it's a no-brainer weekend sweater for when you want to be comfortable and still look put together. Yesterday it was snowing in DC and miserably cold. I bundled up in this sweater, a camel-colored wool coat, heavy motorcycle jeans, and gray rabbit fur earmuffs; Belstaff boots allowed me to keep my footing on the sidewalks. I met a friend for brunch, then spent the afternoon shopping around Chevy Chase, balancing bags under an umbrella. I had a marvelous time.


fin

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