Guerlain Spring 2012 Collection - Meteorites Cruel Gardenia Highlighter Swatches and Review

The star item of Guerlain's upcoming Spring 2012 Collection has to be the new Meteorites Cruel Gardenia Illuminating Iridescent Powder. It is so beautiful to look at and it is absolutely gorgeous on as well. Unfortunately mine arrived slightly dented, but I'm actually grateful for this, because I often don't use pretty powders like this because I don't want to ruin the design, however this is already messed up, so I dived right in. And I'm really happy I did, because I discovered a gorgeous highlighter. I still might buy a second one just for the design though.

The powder comes in the usual black outside packaging, and the compact has the same flower pattern as all the Meteorites. The compact is actually the same as the Poudre de Perles Illuminating Perfecting Pressed Powder's (which you can see at the bottom of this post). It's basically a plastic cylinder shape with screw off top. It is a bit bulky and you don't get a mirror in it either, so it's definitely not the most luxurious or best Guerlain designs, but what counts is what's inside.

And what is inside is a gorgeous flower shaped pearly pink highlighter. The powder is domed and it's beautifully crafted, a real masterpiece. It looks quite frosty, but it is certainly not shimmery and once applied it gives a lovely sheen. It gives enough colour to be used as a subtle blush on lighter skintones, otherwise it makes a lovely pink highlighter. In the pictures below I'm wearing it on top of Mac Azalea Blossom Blush Ombre, but today I've applied it as a blush and it shows up pretty well (I'm a light medium in Mac MSF Natural, I'm guessing that's an NC/W 20-ish). There is no overspray on the powder, so what you see is what you get. It actually feels a bit like a cream highlighter, although it's definitely a powder, but not powdery at all, if you know what I mean. Unlike regular Meteorites it has no scent as far as I'm aware.

I know a few people have noticed that the design looks suspiciously similar to the new Laura Mercier Rose Rendezvous face illuminator, but I have swatched them both and they are actually very different. The Laura Mercier one is darker and more bronze, whereas the Guerlain one is lighter and definitely pink, not bronze. You can see comparison pictures at the bottom of the post.

You get 9 g of powder and I suspect the price will be in the region of £33-35, but I don't know yet as I bought mine from eBay. EDIT: It will retail for £41 - ouch! I believe the collection will be available in January, but again, not sure exactly when.

See lots of pictures and swatches after the jump!

L-R: Rouge G #72 Rose Innocent, Cruel Gardenia heavy swatch, blended out
Taken without flash in natural daylight (almost sunny)

L-R: Rouge G #72 Rose Innocent, Cruel Gardenia heavy swatch, blended out
Taken with flash

Guerlain Cruel Gardenia vs Laura Mercier Rose Rendezvous (with flash)

Guerlain Cruel Gardenia vs Laura Mercier Rose Rendezvous (without flash)

Guerlain Cruel Gardenia vs Laura Mercier Rose Rendezvous (without flash in natural daylight)

Guerlain Cruel Gardenia vs Laura Mercier Rose Rendezvous (with flash)

Wearing Cruel Gardenia on top of Mac Azalea Blossom Blush Ombre
Rouge G #72 Rose Innocent on the lips

Wearing Cruel Gardenia on top of Mac Azalea Blossom Blush Ombre
Rouge G #72 Rose Innocent on the lips