Review : Guerlain Ecrin 4 Color eyeshadow in Les Ombre de Nuit

This is the most glamorous and perfect palette to don the eyes while bidding adieu to 2012 (the most grotesque year ever). Its plush, beautiful and very very intensely pigmented. Not a new launch but trust me its alluring (not old too).

Guerlain released these amazing Ecrin 4 Color eyeshadows in such vibrant hues and complimenting colors that no one could do them better. The luxury brand has made another mark in the beauty industry by making a product that is so versatile and smoldering and worth each and every hard earned penny spent on it. Who knew that a blue, silver, aqua green and black could make a lovely combination and go on every possible skin tone ever......Guerlain knew that.

So lets see the Guerlain Ecrin 4 Colors eyeshadow quad in Les Ombre De Nuit.....

Literally translated as 'Hues of Night', this is a fabulous quad that was launched last holiday in their Belle De Nuit collection. Although its a limited edition and piece de resistance, I had the privilege of buying it this holiday and I am not a trend follower. I follow the uniqueness of a product and what catches my eye goes into my kit. On eyes these colors translate like a dream and look bedazzling and glowing.

PACKAGING

The product comes in a black casing and a velvet sleeve that encloses this lovely quad. The golden case is metallic and a bit heavy, but heavy spells luxury so I can imagine the hefty price behind it. There are 4 colors arranged in rectangles and each is about 1.8 gm which is a lot of product for the price you pay (when compared with MAC, I have learnt that they compromise on quality and quantity both). They include a plastic protector and  one small eyeshadow and eye liner duo applicator which is completely vestigeal for makeup artists like me.

FORMULA AND COLORS

They have 3 shimmery and sparkly shadows along with deep blackened brown to contrast and define eyes. The shimmers are mesmerizing and iridescent with a butter soft consistency and slip. They almost feel creamy  on touch and are very light reflecting. The matte eyeshadow is soft and not powdery and has a great slip for the color that it is. Each of the shades are very pigmented and little does go a long way. The shimmers are finely milled and create a halo of light around the eye lids without looking cheap and tacky as compared to their cheaper priced counterparts in other brands. They have a touch of luxury and sophistication and oodles of beautiful drama in every shade. The lighter shimmers have hints of mother of pearl pigments to create that outstanding quality and iridescence.

The colors photograph very well even on flash and are true to what you see in the pan, thence no swatches. You can see how the colors translate on eyes and appreciate 2 look variants that I have created.

The colors included in the quad are :

1. Silvery pewter with a hint of grey. This is a cool tone but very sparkly and iridescent and opens up eyes. Can add highlighting effects without looking overwhelming.
2. Duck egg blue or an aquatic shimmery light green teal with an iridescent shine.
3. Shimmery Midnight blue with a black base and a hint of purple. This is quite a common shade but the payoff of this one is amazing. It adds a mysteriousness to the gaze when applied and layered. You can get various comparisons in L'Oreal, MAC, Estee Lauder and Lancome.
4. The matte shade is a pitch black with a brown base making it less intense and very wearable. The texture is soft and there is less dragging with this shade as it blends beautifully.

Lets see the 2 look variants I have created with these 4 colors.

LOOK #1 AQUA DIVA

These shimmery eye look has a balanced dose of all the shimmers and does not look OTT. Being the fastest look to do, this can be achieved in a couple of minutes and the fine shimmers demand minimal blending. Quite a crude look to talk about but the results are divine. I would suggest pairing this look with a hint of a bright coral pink blush and nude spring shaded shiny lipgloss.

FACE
Prime the face with Clarins Instant Light Complexion Perfector 01. Dab on Clinique All About Eyes concealer and Guerlain Parure Pearly white foundation to achieve a flawless complexion. Set with Clinique Blended Face Powder for a transparent radiant and semi matte finish. Dust on MAC Pro Longwear blush in Whole Lotta Love on the cheeks with a fan brush and then highlight with Guerlain Meteorites powder in Cruel Gardenia for the perfect pink pearl halo. 
LIPS
Over Guerlain Rouge G Le Brillant lipstick  in Bridget, apply Guerlain Terracotta lipgloss in Salsa for a wet balm like shiny finish, that is to stay and is quite long lasting.
EYES
Curl lashes and tame the brows. Prime the eyes with Too Faced Shadow Insurance Primer. Line upper and lower lash line with Lancome Le Crayon Khol in Noir. Create an almond shape and blend outwards and upwards towards the direction of the area where the brows end. Apply the shimmery teal all over the lid upto the crease and diffuse into the brow bone. Use a hint of silvery pewter as highlighter. Apply the matte black shade on the outer corners, blending it into lash line and crease. Smoke it out on the lower lids and apply the midnight blue shimmer for a lovely holiday sparkle and definition. Finish the look by applying Guerlain Le 2 De Guerlain mascara in Noir Lacque.

LOOK #2 MIDNIGHT BIRD

This is a smokey and shimmery midnight look and I have done this a million times before, not with this quad though. Its dramatic, very smoldering and mysterious and the green teal adds incredible dimension and highlight to the look. Pair it with a soft nude berry colored gloss and highlight and contour with pearlised shimmers or go vampy with a deep berry toned plum lip and softest whisper of plum on cheeks. This eye is very versatile to sport anything that you like, even a red lipstick. 

FACE
Prime the face with Clarins Instant Light Complexion Perfector 01. Dab on Clinique All About Eyes concealer and Guerlain Parure Pearly white foundation to achieve a flawless complexion. Set with Clinique Blended Face Powder for a transparent radiant and semi matte finish. Dust on Clinique Fresh Bloom All Over Face Color in Plum Poppy on the cheeks with a fan brush and then highlight with Guerlain Meteorites powder in Cruel Gardenia for the perfect pink pearl halo. Or else contour with Benefit Hoola Bronzer and higlight with Estee Lauder Powder Gelee Illuminating Powder in Modern Mercury.
LIPS
Over Guerlain Rouge G Lipstick in GWEN as a stain, apply Guerlain Kiss Kiss Lipgloss in Rose Sunset for a shiny finish, that is to stay and is quite long lasting. Or else apply Chanel Rouge Noir lipstick for a vampy finish.
EYES
Curl lashes and tame the brows. Prime the eyes with Too Faced Shadow Insurance Primer. Line upper and lower lash line with Lancome Le Crayon Khol in Noir. Create an almond shape and blend outwards and upwards towards the direction of the area where the brows end. Darken the eye pencil base with matte black eyeshadow applying in the outer third of the eye lid and blending quite high in the socket to get the desired shape. Highlight the brow bone with silver pewter shade and on the inner corners as well. Apply the midnight blue on upper and lower lids and dab on shimmery teal on the middle of the upper and lower lid to create a mirror like effect. Blend all into perfection. Curl lashes and apply dollops of Clinique High Impact Extreme Mascara in Extreme Black.

I hope you enjoyed these 2 holiday looks and loved the Guerlain eyeshadow quad. Do let me know in the comments and do participate in the GIVEAWAY as there are fabulous prizes. Do abide by the rules and enable me to choose a clear winner.

Till then,

Ciao


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