Make up’s special collections and limited editions are usually all my inner magpie would ever need, flittering from one shiny colour to another deep hue. Disco ball or kohl smeared rock chick, there are more than enough options out there, but truth be told, I just cannot make them look good on me, it always ends up looking like I gave myself a black eye. Because of this, I tend to obsess over taupes, bronzes, greys and chocolates, and it is no wonder that it was love at first sight between the Guerlain Bloom of Rose Autumn 2015 Collection and myself! The soft- and freshness of roses might evoke a more spring-like kind of feeling, but gently cocooning and covering myself and my skin is all things soft and caring sounds perfect to me at the moment. The summer has been quite brutal on my skin this year, and all the things (skincare and make up) that worked for me before, now turn me into a scarecrow. Tme to try some new things, dive in head first into the new collections, and find a new look!

Delicate like the bloom it’s based upon, the Guerlain Écrin 4 Couleurs Les Cendrées 19 is a beautiful excercise in restraint. A somewhat muted set of neutral shades, from a light champagne to a dark chocolate brown, this is not a set for everyone who wants their make up to be really visible or pop like a neon sign. If on the other hand you’re like me and adore the “you’re eyes look stunning but I can’t tell what you used”-look, this palette ought to be yours. Clockwise, the satin medium vintage pink, light, shimmering champagne, dark chocolate brown and  dark barley taupe provide ample choice and combinations fo us neutral-loving-ladies, and you can amp it up a bit by focusing on the darker shades. My little sister got married recently, and she wanted a romantic, soft look that placed the focus on her eyes, so I used this palette to really put the emphasis on her baby blues (she’s got these, big, gorgeous blue eyes….*jealous*) by layering the soft champagne colour over a creamy base, then added the dark taupe on the eyelid and blended in 2 soft layers of the dark chocolate, so that the eyes would have a striking depth. A touch of dark grey eyeliner and a few coatings of black mascara, and she took my breath away! The eyeshadows aren’t overly pigmented, so a single wash will only give you a hint of colour, and if you want it to last all day long, you might need to either touch it up or apply two or three layers (below pictures have only 1 layer).

A soft eye sometimes begs for a bolder lip, and the Guerlain KissKiss Shaping Cream Lip Colour in Orange Fizz certainly delivers! Bold and bright but not too in-your-face that scares my kids away, this creamy orangy-red goodness inmediately zings some life into my look, and perks up the dreary days to come.

Guerlain KissKiss Shaping Cream Lip Colour in Orange Fizz – € 38.50
Guerlain Écrin 4 Couleurs Les Cendrées 19 – € 58.90