Unlike me at karaoke, Guerlain’s new Night at the Opera holiday collection hits all the right notes, tra-la-la-la-laaaaaaaa!
Please pardon my need to insert a vibrato on that last laaaaaaaa! It’s leftover trauma from living with a slightly overbearing opera singer in college. She regularly criticized my breathing technique when I sang around the house (Really, dude? It was just a little Alanis Morissette while I did my chem lab homework.) and held notes out for a beat too long when she covered pop songs.
I still can’t listen to I Still Believe by Brenda K. Starr without thinking of her take on the chorus…
At any rate, one does not have to enjoy opera, or to have lived with an overbearing opera singer, to derive great joy from the classic holiday reds and golds in this 10-piece limited edition collection for eyes, cheeks, lips and nails.
But an appreciation for opera may translate into a greater appreciation for the release’s finer details, like the bows on the packaging, which are supposed to represent the bows worn by men at big galas, or the bows worn by the ballerinas in their hair.
Me likes. I’m a sucker for strong themes and collections that tell a story. 🙂
I also like that when I’ve worn pieces from this collection over the past couple weeks, I’ve gotten pretty good feedback — both from El Hub, also known as “the man who never notices anything,” and from you guys, too.
I was wearing pieces from A Night at the Opera on my eyes, lips and cheeks in the Mia Bun Ease post last week and received a number of positive inquiries about the makeup I was wearing.
The fresh, glowing peachy golden cheeks, shimmery beige and copper eyes, and glossy golden lips — those are pure Guerlain, man. What I affectionately refer to as (in air quotes) “that magical Guerlain holiday glow.” It’s makeup that catches your eye but doesn’t SCREAM IN YOUR FACE.
In that way I think Guerlain totally got this collection right. Yes, it’s a holiday release, and it’s made to feel glamorous and indulgent, but the pieces are also versatile enough to wear during the workweek leading up to the big gala.
Typical for Guerlain, the products are hella expensive. Thankfully, they also exude quality. The eyeshadows, powders and blushes blend effortlessly, and everything — from the lipsticks to the glosses to the nail polishes and that to-die-for jar of golden pinkish peach highlighter (SWOON!) — looks high-end.
If you’re going to take a closer look at the collection on counter, don’t miss the Petrouchka Palette for Eyes and Cheeks, the Meteorites Pereles d’Etoiles Illuminating Pearls, Gloss d’Enfer Maxi Shine Lipgloss in L’Oiseau de Feau, or the nail polishes, especially if you like subtly radiant golds, beiges and coppers.
Le sigh! I could happily wear these pieces every day for a year. With these colors and finishes, warmer skin tones will make out like bandits.
As for lips, ruby red Rouge G de Guerlain Lipstick in Rouge Parade and deep black cherry red Gloss d’Enfer Maxi Shine Lipglosses demand attention. Both being neutral reds, they’re equally at home on warm and cool skin tones.
While we’re on the topic of lips, you’ll probably want to already have a red lip pencil. Strangely enough, the collection doesn’t come with one, and since both Rouge Parade Lipstick and the Maxi Shine Lipgloss are super creamy, if you obsessively rub your lips throughout the day (like I do), you could end up with product outside your natural lip line.
For extra fun at fancy dinners and other holiday parties, there’s golden Coque d’Or Perfumed Shimmer Powder, which is scented. Squeeze the bulb for a finely spun halo of golden powder scented with bergamot, rose, jasmine and patchouli. You can wear it on your face, hair and body.
In the collection, eyes also get the Guerlain special treatment, thanks to the Ecrin 2 Coleurs Eyeshadow duos in 10 Cygne Noir (a deep plum and a glittery, silvery black) and 11 Cygne Blanc (a silvery ballerina pink with a frosted white), which I’m glad to see here because they’re good options for lords and ladies with cooler skin tones, while I think the radiant golds, beiges and coppers in the release favor warmer color temps.
Both duos have a dainty shimmer that looks like it just stepped off a Paris runway.
The entire limited edition Guerlain Night at the Opera collection includes…
- Coque d’Or Perfumed Shimmer Powder, $95
- Petrouchka Palette for Eyes and Cheeks, $90
- Meteorites Perles d’Etoiles Illuminating Pearls, $60
- Rouge G de Guerlain in 820 Rouge Parade, $54
- Gloss d’Enfer Maxi Shine Lipgloss in 901 L’Oiseau de Feau and 920 Rouge Parade, $30 each
- Ecrin 2 Coleurs Eyeshadow in 10 Cygne Noir and 11 Cygne Blanc, $44 each
- Le Vernis Nail Lacquer in 400 Coque d’Or and 901 L’Oiseau de Feu, $25 each
The collection is available online now and at Guerlain boutiques and Guerlain counters inside Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Dillards, Sephora and Nordstrom stores.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
This collection is sheer perfection! Guerlain did a great job! And your look I’d flawless! I think the Illuminating Pearls or that palette would make a perfect gift for my upcoming 30th birthday. Lol (A girl can dream….)
My goodness, $90 for that little pretty arse eyeshadow palette? *clutch pearls*. So pretty but too rich for my blood. :[
I am slack jawed as I scroll through this post. You look positively radiant here, Karen! I need that tub of balls! LOL.
Hi Arianne,
Yeah you do. The color would suit your skin tone purr-fectly.
Love this on you! The colors look so good on your skin tone… you also make me want to get the meteorites now too!
Karen,
I love Guerlain but only own their perfumes. I have been tempted to buy their make up for a while but the price tag always makes me think twice.
Be honest. Which is your ultimate fav from this collection? I like that shade of red on you.
Give Tabs a big squeeze and a head butt for me.
Hugs From the Great up North.
Hi May,
Let me know if you’re still considering the lipstick (versus the Chanel red). From this collection, my fave is the highlighter. Second fave is the eye/cheek palette.
Tabs sends you purrs and kitty hugs!
Clutch my pearls, indeed! Doubtful if I’ll ever own anything from this brand but that eyeshadow palette is to die for. Love how the palette leans warm toned. Beautiful look on you 🙂
Augh! The little red bow on the palette and the little red powder puff are almost offensively adorable. 😉
I love the Black Swan/White swan eyeshadow duos and the gloriously bloody gloss, but the star has to go to that Rouge G lipstick *swoon*
OK, well, now I love you extra because you picked up on the translation.
FIREBIRD 4-EVER!
*high fives* 😀
Speaking of white swans and firebirds, I saw the most incredible Firebird ballet costume the other day – and now I can’t remember where! >_<
well thats it I NEED to head to my guerlain counter to check out this collection, i LOVE the 901 lipgloss and cheek on you! Karen are you wearing the illuminating pearls all over the face in these pictures? Your skin looks amazing here! I’m also really liking your brows in these pictures, are you wearing the tom ford pencil here?
Hi B,
I’m wearing the Perles in specific spots, each applied with a different brush. I used…
1) A pointy face brush to apply it on my upper cheekbones;
2) A tapered eyeshadow brush to apply it down the bridge of my nose, in the inner corners of my eyes, on the cupid’s bow, just above and below the brown bone and in the center of the forehead; and
3) A fluffy face brush to do a lightest dusting of it all over my face.
Wow. Love red and gold, and I think the details on the packaging is fantastic. The blush palette and red lipstick are my favorite things here. The shimmer powder is also interesting. I haven’t worn shimmer powder since I was maybe 14, but I think the one I used back then probably had a different effect …
Everything looks pretty and nice! LOL @ vibrato. haha!
And she always held it out a beat too long. It drove me kind of batty, LOL!
I kind of want the limited edition Meteorites just for the red powder puff. It just looks, I don’t know… glorious.
The packaging is beautiful! I’m not too tempted by the gold and red theme running through the products though.
What a gorgeous collection! That eyes & cheek palette, oh my god…
Look at you looking all glamorous! I love the palette (those blushes!, the eye shadows look nice, too), and the red lipstick!
I’m compulsively chanting “Do Not Need… Will Never Wear” while I rock back and forth in my chair. That palette is gorgeous and so is the Rouge Parade gloss. Just, wow. 🙂
All you need is a little foam coming out the side of your mouth, and you’d be me on a daily basis, haha!
Um, not to be a makeup pusher, but the eye/cheek palette is kind of phenomenal. And so is the highlighter!
HAHA! I know you can’t help it – it’s not like you’re pushing things you don’t love yourself. 🙂 And everything about this collection is beautiful!
Oh, those meteorites… Some day, when I am fully grown up, I will own them.
You have to wait for the right one to speak to your soul, LOL! This one definitely sings songs of joy to mine!
What an incredibly gorgeous collection, all of it! (Sigh) If I ever win the lottery…
Hi Betsey,
This one is one of my fave holiday collections so far this year, le sigh! What items are your favorites?
I can’t find the Meterorites pearls anywhere! I will check SAKS on last time
Hi Marisa,
It’s available online at Nordstrom right now! I do a lot of my beauty shopping there because I like the return policy. HTH and let me know if you end up getting it; it’s a beautiful highlighter.
Hi Karen,
If I had to narrow it down to favorites, I would say the Petrouchka Palette for Eyes and Cheeks, the Meteorites Perls d’Etoile, and the amazing Rouge G lipstick – both for its packaging and the vibrant red. And Karen, you look absolutely fabulous in that red, in fact in this whole makeup collection. In your stunning dress you look like you are ready to have a limo pick up you and El Hubs and whisk you both off to a night at the opera!
Awww how cute is the packaging of these products?! I love me some bow! 🙂 You look stunning as always, of course! <3
Love, Stefi
FABULOUS reviews! But I keep hearing mixed things about the Coque d’Or body spray. I’ve been told there isn’t any scent but you said there is. I would LOVE it if it’s actually scented because Coque d’Or is the only classic Guerlain perfume I’ve never been able to find a sample of. I MUST SMELL IT! Is it definitely scented?
Absolutely stunning on you. I’d buy that palette tomorrow but I’ve seen the Guerlain palettes in real life and they give new meaning to the word “miniature.” Those shades are not for cool skin. (Yes, I have an excuse!)
It is too bad that your roommate was a rank amateur.
LOL, Debra! You crack me up. Sometimes, I’d purposefully go out of tune to make her crabby. Good times, good times.
What’s the plan for Halloween?
What foundation are you wearing in these photos? You look AMAZING! So beautiful, glowing and full of holiday glam! Love it.
Now, off to do some Guerlain shopping… 😉