3 years ago when Guerlain reformulated their Meteorites Illuminating Perles and changed their packaging into a tin I was all over them slobbering like a puppy. This was back in 2010 but I say 3 years because we’ve just entered 2014 haven’t we? Or should it have been 4 years? Either way, I was terribly excited.
At the end of last year when I got wind of another reformulation and new packaging, I had to go back and check just when the last one was because it just seemed like yesterday it was repackaged! But reformulated it has been and for the Meteorites Blossom Spring 2014, Guerlain has unveiled their new Meteorites Light Revealing Pearls of Powder. Slight tweak in name, formula and packaging but for all intents and purposes, the same product.
Guerlain kept the tin packaging which is of course great news. I had the older cardboard box and that was quite a let down (If you remember the cardboard box, give yourself a pat on the back!)
So, what’s new then, other than a new design of the tin? Do they work better? Do they still give your skin that illuminated finish that has grabbed me since cardboard box days and kept me on as a fan? Is this a must have? I have some comparisons for you with the old 🙂
Must have? I’m afraid you’re asking the wrong person here LOL! 😀 If my ravings over the years have anything to go by, yes the Meteorites in any incarnation are a must have. They are the last thing to go on my skin and just ties my whole look together flawlessly. But I’ll also be the first to tell you that no, it’s not a must have because not everyone will appreciate this. It’s one of those things that you either get, or you don’t, so listen (or read) my ravings but decide for yourself after you’ve had a try.
What’s different in these new Guerlain Meteorites Pearls then? Well, a couple of things.
New Packaging
To start, the design of the tin has been changed. Guerlain’s Spring 2014 collection which is very small by comparison to past collections, is themed Meteorites Blossom and the design of the tin incorporates this theme with design of a flower on the top of the tin. Still the iconic Guerlain Gardenia, but tweaked. The sides of the tin remind me of fish scales LOL! I dare you to tell me otherwise 😉
New Formula
Product wise, Guerlain says that the powders have been reformulated so even as they continue to colour correct skin (You’d be surprised at how well they do it without you noticing) and illuminate (blurred lines ftw!) the product is now softer and easier to pick up and more visible on skin.
My first impression when I received 02 Clair is that it appeared more shimmery and powdery than 01 Teint Rose that I use almost daily (I interchange with Teint Beige quite often as Teint Beige is less illuminating). I was afraid of a face full of sparkles. But using it, I was quite happy to note that this wasn’t the case. It went on the same on my skin – diffusing, evening out complexion and not making me a discoball.
Was it easier to pick up with a brush? I did a side by side test with the old and new version.
Guerlain Meteorites Perles Left: Teint Rose Right: Clair ~ Test: Brush was tapped on the powder 3 times, no swirling
I used the softest powder brush I own, which is the Lunasol Face Brush (so soft!) to see how well a soft brush would pick up product. I must make a note here to say that I actually don’t experience problems applying Meteorites powders. Picking up product has never been an issue for me so maybe I just don’t get why it’s an issue that needed reformulation 😛
But anyway, I found that it is very slightly true. It was easier for my brush to pick up product from the new Meteorites as compared to the previous version. It is even more powdery. My test involved just tapping on the perles 3 times with the brush. You may notice that the brush with Clair has a tiny little more product on it than the one with Teint Rose, especially at the tips. Imperceptible otherwise. See what I mean when I say I don’t have a problem? 😛
What this means is that I no longer swirl my brush in the new Meteorites. I find it then picks up too much product and can make my skin look too pale (I’m using Clair) so I recommend just tapping on the product. That thin layer of powder on your brush is more than sufficient for you. With previous versions I could tailor it more easily because the brush picks up less product and deposits it more evenly on skin. With this new “easy to pick up” formula that is significantly more powdery, you risk putting on too much. The pearls are also much softer, as evidenced by the layer of powder at the bottom of the tub. This was never an issue before but it’s very obvious now so travelling with this means breaking up the balls further. Not cool for me but for those who used to complain about how they never could see anything nor pick up product, this was for you. Boo for the rest of us who actually liked it as is.
So this improvement is both a pro and a con depending on how you use your Meteorites perles and what you expect it to do for your skin .
Colour comparison – 02 Clair and 01 Teint Rose
Meteorites Light Revealing Pearls compared with Illuminating Pearls Left: 02 Clair Right: 01 Teint Rose
Are the colours different? The Meteorites Blossom starts with 02 Clair (Pure Light) which is tailored for light skintones. The green powder corrects redness, white powder reflects light, lilac and pink powder adds radiance and champagne gold adds glow.
Notice that there is essentially no difference then between Clair and Teint Rose. None whatsoever. My Teint Rose is of course a little battered as compared to the more pristine Clair, but essentially nope. You don’t need Clair if you already have Teint Rose. But if you are new to Meteorites then Clair would give you the same effect as Teint Rose and the even older Mythic. Same things, just different generations.
Less product
The biggest difference however comes in the product weight which I have to say came as the biggest surprise to me.
The new Light Revealing Pearls of Powder contains 25g of product while the older Illuminating Powder Perles had 30g. 5g when it comes to powder is quite a lot of product and that made me quite nonplussed because the price is higher too (not just locally but worldwide). I get it about raising prices (this is inevitable) but to cut the product by 5g? No, I’m not happy about that at all.
This is actually visible the minute you open the tin. I noticed the markedly lesser product because I use Meteorites almost everyday and there are usually about 3 layers of powder balls but in the new tin there are only 2 layers at best. You can see it for yourself in the picture above.
So as much of a Guerlain and Meteorites fan as I am, unless you absolutely dislike the Illuminating Powder Perles or have a significant problem picking up product, I’d recommend that you hunt down and buy the existing ones named Teint Rose, Teint Beige or Teint Dore for a slightly smaller pricetag and significantly more product. Sorry Guerlain, it’s got to be said by someone!
There are 3 shades available, and this time they are clearly targeted at different skintones.
- 02 Clair (Pure Light) – Light skintones, adds radiance and tones down redness in skintone. Similar to Teint Rose and Mythic
- 03 Medium (Tone on Tone Light) – Medium skintones, complexion perfecting and glow. I believe this is similar to Teint Beige which I also use to add some warmth to my skin and I find it less glowy but I’m not sure about this new version.
- 04 Dore (Warm Light) – Golden skintone adding warmth, deeper complexion and rose powder adds radiance. I’m not sure if this is similar to Teint Dore because my memory tells me Teint Dore is more brown and gold but if you have significantly warm and tanned skin then this is the one you should look at.
- Meteorites Brush – I personally dislike the Meteorites brush because it feels scratchy and rough. I use either my Trish McEvoy brush or my Lunasol Face Brush to apply my Meteorites. But the new one is supposed to be softer so maybe it isn’t as bad (I haven’t seen it though).
In a nutshell
Guerlain reformulated and repackaged their iconic Meteorites Perles for Spring 2014 Meteorites Blossom collection and have renamed them Light Reflecting Pearls of Powder which describe these powders quite perfectly. Briefly, the packaging has changed as has the formula which makes it more powdery and easier to pick up product with a brush. Be careful then as you can pick up too much product. Shade wise, I find them similar to the existing Meteorites except for Dore which may be slightly different. The biggest difference is in the product. It’s now 25g which is a 5g reduction and in a powder, that is a lot. I love these but if you can get the Illuminating Powder, get those for the same result and more product.
Pros: Easier to pick up powder and apply on skin, More visible results more quickly, Not sparkly or shimmery on skin, Gives a lovely glow to the skin, Evens out and diffuses skintone and slight imperfections, Works as well as the existing Meteorites powders so previous reviews apply (read previous reviews on Guerlain’s permanent Meteorites here and here and here)
Cons: 5g less product, Pricey, New formula means you can pick up too much product, Softer product results in more pearls breaking up and a more powdery formula
Who will like this: Anyone already familiar with how Meteorites finishing powder works, Anyone who wants a transparent powder that subtly colour corrects skintone while adding illumination and glow
If I seem a little less effusive about this new version of the Meteorites, chalk it up to the reduced product and the more powdery finish. I just can’t quite get over that, no matter how much I love these. I still highly recommend these powders for giving you that beautiful diffused glow to the skin (Just be sure to pick the right shade for your skintone and use a light hand) and if the content doesn’t bug you, this is a wonderful product that everyone should own or at least experience to see what the fuss is all about.
Are you a fan of the Guerlain Meteorites pearls or balls as I like to call them?
I’ve been hooked since the days of Mythic and I collect and use the different limited edition pearls that are released from time to time so yeah, I guess you could say I am a fan 🙂 But I’m also practical so if this isn’t within budget, it’s ok not to own it. It’s not THAT life-changing. If it is, and you still don’t own one, I suggest checking out the existing ones before they are replaced by the new versions because 5g of product is nothing to sneeze at!
Paris B
Guerlain Meteorites Light Revealing Pearls of Powder comes in 3 shades – 02 Clair, 03 Medium, 04 Dore Price: RM195 / RRP US$60 Availability: Guerlain counters from January 15th
Just in time as I wanted to get Teint Rose, they have the new formula now! So i will paying more for less. Boohoo! And am I the only one who prefer the previous’ exterior packaging of the tin more than the new tin? Hehehe
Ah yes, the reduction in quantity really bugged me as you can tell 😛 I’m quite impartial to how the tin looks but I think for the LE versions the existing packaging looks better than the new one so I hope they maintain that. Time to think about getting that Teint Rose!
To be honest, 5g is not a lot in the bigger scheme of things but it’s significant in % because it’s close to 17%. And on top of this, a hike in price. Not impressed at all. I know everyone’s got to look out for their bottom line but hiking the price twice? Ish.
Good thing I still have a few of the older releases to keep me happy. If and when I finish them, I can get more but for now, I’m happy admiring from afar.
Yes, compared to 30g i think it quite substantial once you do the math. I still think these are great illuminating and finishing powders and I don’t think I’d be able to stay away from the LE ones that are bound to be released but yeah, I’m glad I have the existing versions already.
I see quite a few brands reformulating their products and usually either with less product or higher price. It’s quite sad really… we’re definitely paying more for everything nowadays. If only our pay rises at the same rate. Hahahaha!
I suppose we can’t help inflation although this whole wave of reformulation is quite hard on our wallets! That said, I’m sure if our pay rises, so will we try to get a deal still, and higher prices for less products isn’t a deal!
Hi PB! Happy New Year!
I perked up when I saw this Meteorites post 🙂
Looks like companies are cost cutting and finding creative ways to cut down ie. the weight of the the product. I finally got my meteorites fix a few months ago, but have yet to use it very much. This serves as a reminder for me to use it more!
Hope you’re well!
Hey Monstro! Happy New Year! I think there’s definitely a movement to cut costs. Everyone’s feeling it and the bottom line still matters! Yay for getting the Meteorites! I hope you’re enjoying using it – they hardly ever wear out you know, so gunakan tanpa was was 😉
I really do not understand why do companies do this – reduce product and increase price. Sigh. Good think I already got myself Teint Beidge last year. Love my meteorites and this beauty is going to last me a long time 🙂
Inflation and bottom line I guess. In the current worldwide economic climate, quite inevitable yet I wish they didn’t take out 5g which is such a sizeable amount! I wouldn’t have minded a price hike with the same quantity. Happy you got Teint Beige too and you’re right, it’ll last you a long long time indeed!
Do you think Teint Rose would suit me? Kept reading here that Teint Rose is suppose to give a glow and Teint Beige is suppose to give warmth. I got Teint Beige because I have medium skin tone. I did test both at the counter before eventually settling for Teint Beige but the difference is not noticeable. Since they are going to replace all 3 with the new ones, thought of getting Teint Rose before it completely disappears. These meteorites are really addictive as once you purchase your first, you are always tempted to add more. Hahaha.
You’re absolutely right. The difference between Teint Beige and Teint Rose isn’t noticeable. I find that Teint Rose can make my skin look brighter which is why some people of deeper skintones may find that it makes their skin look too light. That said, it only really looks that way when a lot is applied. If you use a soft brush then the effect is very subtle. I believe your skintone maybe able to handle Teint Rose but don’t be too heavy handed or you may risk looking a bit pale. Hope this helps 🙂
what, RM195 already? man that sucks. Crap, and I was thinking of picking up Teint Beige earlier to add back some warmth to my skin as sometimes some BB creams/ foundations are just a touch too pink. Let’s see if the counters still have the old stock, as essentially it isn’t 15th yet! 😛
and the tin, it looks like dragon scales! Not that I’ve seen a dragon… but erm… imagination! i much prefer the older tin packaging though.
Yup! Up in price 🙁 hopefully you manage to get Teint Beige still. I like it because its more matte and the tiny touch of warmth is just nice. Now you mention it, yeah it does look like dragon scales lol! Fish makes it sound so tame 😀
Ahh, how disappointing! I read about this somewhere as well (I forgot whose blog), but isn’t a crumblier, easy-to-pick up new formula more likely to make you use up ballz much faster? Le sigh!
Yep! The balls do break up more so logically, we do end up using it more too. Sigh….
Maybe its time to get it before the 15th…at least more value for money…
Haha well if you’re already considering getting it then I do think the existing one is better but that said, people do complain its hard to pick up product so there’s that to consider too!
I’ve been waiting for someone to tell us the truth! THANK YOU! I have my pucci ballz and love them a lot! But I don’t see the need to run out and buy every new tin of ballz that comes out. I figure the pucci ones will last me forever!
Always about the truth, Tracy! 🙂 You know I tend to agree with you even though I’m irrational and do buy every new tub of balls that appear lol! I’m less crazy about the permanent ones since they are permanent after all, but dangle an LE balls and I’m off like a shot. Sigh… No self control 😉
I caved and bought the Guerlain Crazy Meteorites Radiance Powder (from their Christmas collection) after reading your review. Love it! I use it pretty much almost everyday whenever I have make up on and have barely made a dent (hope I’m using it right haha).
Have always wanted to try the Meteorite pearls, but now the thought of getting less value for my money is bringing the kiasu out and I’m not sure if I’ll consider it in the future :/
Ooh you got the Radiance powder! Now that one is pure magic I tell ya! The pearls are a little different in effect I feel. I’ll stick my head out and tell you that you don’t need the pearls, but in time, you may need to refill your powder 😉
Not a fan of Meteorites, never found them interesting, but I really hate “new formulas” since it mostly always mean higher price and reduced product. :/
Sometimes the new formulas don’t even work that well! 😛
Sorry for the silly question: How do you use it? Foundation, loose powder, blush, all the works, then sweep this across the cheeks/forehead/nose? Or do you skip the loose powder if you use this?
Not silly Rin 🙂 Some of the earlier reviews I have on these pearls which are a little more comprehensive may help but essentially I do it this way – foundation, concealer, meteorites dusted all over. I don’t use loose powder unless I want a lot of coverage and hold, but if I do us Eloise powder then yes, Meteorites over loose powder.
Hey Paris, thanks for the comparison! You are the queen of Meteorites, so I have total faith in your analysis! I have ONE tub of Meteorites from holiday 2012, and it’s such a big tub that even with regular usage, there is a lot of it left. I wouldn’t be grabbing the new version anytime soon. I think Guerlain was being very brave in tinkering with this cult favorite. Glad to hear they didn’t mess too much with a good thing, but 5 grams less? Not cool, man. Not cool.
Haha not a queen, my dear. Maybe a princess? Hehe ooh you got the Belle Lumiere one in the teal tub? Those are seriously among the best I’ve come across yet. The candlelit glow is simply magical!
Nope Belle Lumiere came out before I really got into luxury makeup (2011). I have the dragon balls LOL
Ahhh! Dragon balls! LOL Thanks for the reminder 😀
hi there,i did read ur review bout bb cream but i’m quite confusing what i’m gonna chooce coz rite now i’m 18 y/o and my T zone area are really oily.so can i ask for your personal opinion of what bb cream should i use? tq=)
Hi I’m not sure what you mean as I don’t use a lot of BB cream. My personal favorites are Diorsnow and Guerlain. If you have very oily skin, I suggest using a primer to control the oil and to use a loose powder over to help set the BB cream.
I have a Meteorites in a blue tin from a collection a year or two ago and now endeavour to use it daily for a week after reading your review. X
Do that! They are lovely powders and deserve some love 🙂
Thanks for the review! I was lusting hard after the new packaging, but when I swatched them, they just seemed too shimmery for my taste. It’s probably a good thing since I have too many finishing powders as it is!
I got to try out the new Meteorites brush while I was at the counter, and I’d say skip it. It’s scratchy and the hairs feel very coarse, plus there were a few telltale loose pink hairs on the counter around the display.
You’re welcome, Nicci 🙂 I did think the new formula was shimmery too based on a swatch but on skin, it was fine. Thanks for the input on the brush. Its disheartening that they didn’t see fit to improve on it, when it was already so horribly scratchy before!
Reducing the amount of product while raising the price is not cool. I’d better go and buy one before this new version hits the shops here.
Hopefully it’ll work for you Gio! Yes I definitely think the existing version is more worth it, both for quantity as well as quality!
You have the magical touch that arouse my curiosity for these pearls 🙂 Time after time, edition after edition…I have tried the pearls once at Isetan KLCC but I must say that I didn’t see any effect. But I recall you writing that the effect is subtle and sometimes not noticeable immediately or even on photos. I hope I attain the Meteorites aura soon. I will pop by Guerlain again to try. I reckon Teint Rose will be ok for me? Which one would you recommend to try for a noob? Thank you Paris 🙂
Haha even if I’m complaining a lot in this post, Jennifer? 😉 I personally don’t think the effect is noticeable but its usually in something like when you catch your reflection that you may notice your skin looking better or even more diffused, that makes it magical to me. I think you can quite easily wear Teint Rose which gives a bit of a glow but also try Teint Beige which isn’t as shimmery and can add a touch of warmth to the skin. Sometimes I prefer the latter.
Haha, yes…even with this post 🙂 I think it is like a “mother beats us because she loves us” post 🙂 All beating done, the love is always pure and eternal.
I had a similar The Body Shop product… I would like to try this cute pearls … thanks for sharing such a lovely review
You’re welcome Shreya 🙂 I remember the Body Shop one too! I think I skipped it but it too looked very pretty.
Eh I don’t need this right? Tell me I don’t need this. TELL MEEEEEE! 😛
HAHHAA Ok, you don’t 😛 But seriously, you have the pressed one, I think it’s enough 😀