A Beauty to Behold ~ Guerlain Cruel Gardenia Meteorites

When I first saw pictures of Guerlain's Cruel Gardenia floating about last year October, the artistry and design of the powder really captured my attention (and heart). I had missed out on getting Laura Mercier's Rose Rendezvous and based on a number of reviews I've read, it is supposed to be a little similar to Cruel Gardenia. I enlisted the service of my high-end makeup Secret Agent to get me one as soon as or even before it hits the counters.

It is such a delight to view Cruel Gardenia in person. The raised 3D floral design emerging from the pan is absolutely beautiful. I'm not terribly familiar with plant species so I can't say for sure if the flower is a gardenia but honestly, who cares when it's so pretty.

Reaching Beyond the Realm of Spring with Blush Horizon de Chanel

Spring releases are my biggest weakness. With all the enchanting, water-colour inspired shades arising in the form of makeup, I find it difficult to resist their prettiness. One of the most anticipated pieces this season is the Blush Horizon de Chanel, and it is the star product of the Harmonie de Printemps 2012 collection.

"The luminous hues of sunset are now captured in one elegant highlighting face powder. Subtle gradations of rose, coral and peach can be applied on their own or blended together, to highlight and sculpt the face or achieve an overall warmth and radiance." ~ Chanel's description

* photo taken with flash to illuminate the golden shimmer *

The Blush Horizon consists of assorted strips in luminous pinks, peaches to berries and plums. The top half of the blush has a sheer and shimmery white strip, which is meant to highlight and impart a soft glow. The lower part is peachier with a mix of berries and is the more pigmented half of the blush. Ultrafine golden shimmer is strewn across the blush and I believe it goes all the way down through the pan. It comes with an angled brush in its own velvet cover but I didn't find the brush usable as it is rather small.

Dior Vernis Spring 2012 Collection in Forget Me Not and Waterlily

This Spring, Dior has created a really pretty range of makeup inspired by lovely Spring gardens in bloom. Aptly named the Garden Party Spring 2012 Collection, we see many shades that are reminiscent of Monet's paintings.

"Dior creates a stir with these limited edition scented nail polishes. Two fresh shades, soft green and flowery lilac that upon drying, release an intoxicating rose fragrance." ~ description by Dior

Dior introduces a couple of scented nail polishes, of which I am very excited about. Waterlily and Forget Me Not from the collection look so beautiful and are definitely unique additions to my current stash.

Waterlily is a mint-green creme with fine golden micro-shimmer and has a milky quality to it. Initially I thought pastel green won't suit me because I generally don't wear this colour well. Waterlily is a little surprising and the light gold sheen adds an interesting dimension to an otherwise common pale green. The formula is quite good and applies without issues. The first coat may be a little streaky but it does even out with the second coat. You'd need at least two coats to achieve opacity.

Forget Me Not is a lilac-purple creme that is slightly dusty with scattered fine shimmers throughout. Application is relatively easy and smooth with the tapered brush. It is well pigmented and is opaque with two coats. The finish is glossy and in certain lights, you'll catch a twinkling of the secret shimmers. Between the two polishes, I must admit I prefer Forget Me Not because I love dusky shades and this has a hint of smokiness which makes quite special.

What about that rose-fragranced nails, you say? The polish smells like most other nail polish from the bottle but it does dry-down and leaves a faint rosy scent. Thankfully, I didn't find it intrusive because the scent does last for a while.

The Dior Vernis in Forget Me Not and Waterlily are a limited edition colours and are currently available at most Dior counters nationwide. They may sell out fast, so if you're interested, do pop by Dior and check out these two lovely Spring nail varnishes for yourself. Each retails at RM72 (think they raised the prices recently).


Previously Reviewed:
• Glamourous Party Nails with Dior Vernis in Apparat

Note:

For more information on the entire Garden Party Spring 2012 Collection, please view Temptalia's write up on this beautiful collection.