What they don’t tell you — and they should! — at the makeup counter the day you pick up that first burnished pan is that bronzer will ruin you for life.
They could post a sign or offer a quick verbal warning, at least. A quick aside before they let you swipe that deliciously sun-kissed powder on your skin, something akin to, “I must warn you now, and this is a federal regulation, from this day forward, you won’t feel quite right unless you’re wearing bronzer.”
Seriously, I can’t even remember the last time I left the house without bronzer.
And what about options?? Imagine only having one bronzer to choose from…
Banish the thought.
I want options, options, options! — like the new $72 (GASP!) limited edition Terra Ora face and body bronzer from Guerlain.
As you can probably tell, I’ve got a thang for bronzer, and if you do too, you probably already know about Guerlain’s reputation for producing pricey, well-regarded luxury bronzers.
There’s no getting around it: their stuff costs an arm and a leg. Good thing it’s usually great.
Every single Guerlain bronzer I’ve ever tried has melted into my skin like butter on warm popcorn and never, ever looks heavy, muddy or forced.
Terra Ora follows the lead set by its bronzed Guerlain predecessors. When I swirl its mix of matte tan beige and pearly white gold together and dust that on my face, neck and decollete, I think I definitely do look more like the girl next door than the housemates on the Jersey Shore.
Most of all, I love this bronzer’s “secret shimmer.”
You know how some Chanel polishes look like basic creams, but then when you get them in direct sunlight, they sparkle, seemingly out of nowhere? Terra Ora does that, too.
The effect looks almost like when I apply a highlighter with a very fine sheen on the tops of my cheekbones, and then layer a matte blush on top. The shimmer barely peeks through the matte powder.
I think it’s pretty, subtle and tasteful, especially when seen indoors. It’s a perfect fit for a posh Mediterranean vacation at a ritzy five-star resort.
And the moment I step into full sunlight outside? Ooh! That’s when Terra Ora really lights up, and the golden sheen becomes more pronounced. Yes, it’s glitzy and glam, but not at all like you’re holding up a neon sign that reads, “Hey, people, check me out! I’m extra fancy!”
Best for: Bronzer aficionados looking for a splurge to build upon their current bronzing powder collection. I think Terra Ora’s unusual matte/sheen finish works great dusted on cheeks or all over the body, but I probably wouldn’t use it for contouring, on account of the shimmer. Of the two bronzing powders from Guerlain’s new Terra Ora summer collection, this one’s my pick for all-over shimmer.
PRICE: $72 for a 0.56-ounce pan
AVAILABILITY: Coming May to Guerlain counters and also online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+
Hello sweets, and happy Tuesday!
Did you happen to catch The Voice last night? I still miss seeing Christina and her cray outfits, but Shakira’s absolutely adorable. Every time I see her hair, I have serious mane envy.
In other news, it’s another bright, sunny day out here. Looks like it’s gonna be a warm one.
How are things in your neck of the woods? Do you need me to send any sunshine your way? Let me know. I’ll think of a way. 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Ooo, this is so pretty! But for the price, I might save my money and get another pair of shoes instead. 🙂
The weather is finally warming up over here! We were doing some yard work yesterday and let Mingy roam on his own in the yard. He was such a good boy and didn’t run off. At one point he was laying belly up in the grass enjoying the sun. He was in heaven!
Hi Ruchita,
Did you ever find your spring sandals at DSW?
Aww, sweet little Mingy! I wish Tabs was that well behaved. I would love for him to just relax and enjoy the front yard while we gardened out there. I’m sure Mingy knows he’s a very lucky boy to have that freedom. 😉
I’m planning on going to DSW this week for the great sandal hunt! Hopefully it will be successful. 🙂
Actually, I was surprised too that Mingy stayed in the yard b/c that boy loves to explore.
Last year I bought an outdoor pet enclosure so Mingy can be outside without supervision. It’s like a pop-up tent, but it’s made of mesh/see-through fabric.
When the weather is warm, I’ll set him up in the backyard while I make dinner. Sometimes he’ll pace, but usually he’ll sit down and enjoy the weather and birds.
Ahhhh, so pretty of a shimmer on your cheeks Karen! Love it! I thought this was a lot darker for some reason, but it’s not! I can hardly wait to see this in person!
It’s sunny here too! The snow is FINALLY melting away!
Hi Tracy,
Me too; it’s pretty mellow. Would look great on lighter skin, don’t you think?
Hope you had a nice Tuesday, and yay for the snow finally melting away. 🙂
This one is SO SO pretty I wouldn’t have the heart to ruin the pattern! Well, not after snapping many many photos of it anyways! Sooo tempting! You do look really fancy with it on, Karen!
Thanks, Sunny!
*Sigh* that bronzer looks absolutely gorgeous and you know bronzera are my current obsession. Too pricey though. I think I am going to buy that Dior bronzer/blush duo….
I watched Voice last night. I cannot get over how beautiful Shakira is, her face looks so young and fresh and her hair yesterday was beyond gorgeous! And her accent is beautiful too!
Hi Agata,
OOOH, which Dior Duo? The coral or pink?
So, I’m kind of having major Shakira mane envy. I don’t ever think I could get away with being a blonde, but kinda wish I could pull it off. I hear you gals have more fun, LOL!
I think the coral one . Did you end up getting the pink one? I think I will wait till they are available in Sephora so I can compare in person.
Blondes do have more fun, lol. Her hair color is beautiful and the length and fullness. I guess I have to grow my hair longer, lol.
I’m going to go and “visit” it later on this week and think about it. It was at Nordstrom last week (during the disaster makeover), but I didn’t have any extra time to play with it. You really can’t go wrong with the coral, though. I could happily wear it every day.
I just knew it!! I have Asian friends with dark hair who do blonde, but it has huge upkeep. You have to literally be in the salon every two weeks. I would try it once just for fun if I could afford it and if I had the time. What I love about Shakira’s hair is the long, loose waves. Le sigh, now I miss having long hair too. 🙂
Are you and your hubs enjoying the new car?
$72 is very pricey but it looks large and Guerlain.. well, it’s Guerlain!
It’s huge! And yes, Guerlain…le sigh.
So gorgeous… I’d need two of these. One to use, and one to look at.
Oh, for sure! Keep one on the shelf just for decoration. 🙂
The Guerlain bronzer looks too pretty to use but for $72 I would use every last little bit. It looks beautiful on your skin.
It’s chilly here and it’s going to rain.
I watched The Voice last night and I don’t miss Christina at all, hoping Shakira will stay for good.
Hi Noemi G,
Oh, for sure. For price products like this one, you’d definitely want to get a TON of use out of it.
What do you think of Usher? I think he’s going to be an interesting character.
These is really gorgeous, but I already have a lot of bronzers. So I don’t know if it’s really worth the price.
Hi Danielle,
What are your favorite bronzers?
soooooo pretty! and that is so true – I can never not wear bronzer. same with mascara! 🙂
Hi Tiffany,
YES. I feel all out of sorts if I don’t have either of those things on!
What are you and Abbie up to today? Are your allergies still cray? I went outside briefly this morning for five minutes and my nose is still sniffly.
We did the park this morning and then came home for lunch and nap! We are just playing/chilling now. I feel mostly ok. Our pollen count is like 700 now, which is better than the 8000 it was! You can still see the pollen everywhere, I think Atlanta is second worse in the nation for pollen! I’m ready for summer!!
How fun! I saw your pic on Instagram earlier; she really does look like you — like your “Mini Me.”
Thanks 🙂 I get that a lot. I always say she’s a cuter version of me 🙂
This actually looks like it might be light enough for me! It is a bit spendy thougj 🙁
I have never found a bronzer that works for me (N10) so I just don’t wear them.
PS-Karen, I actually got a Chanel Gloss after your postuple of weeks ago!! The shade “daydream” was too pretty to pass up!
Hi Kellie,
One great thing about Guerlain’s bronzers (including this one) is that they really seem to suit a wide range of skin tones. I bet this would be beautiful on lighter skin.
Oh, and I’m so pleased that you treated yourself to a Glossimer. 🙂 I just love them to pieces. If I’m having a bad day, I whip mine out, and suddenly everything is better. Do you wear Daydream on its own or layer it with other products?
This is gorgeous beyond belief. I’m currently chanting “you do not need a $72 bronzer” over and over. 🙂
It’s actually beautiful here today, believe it or not. Low 50s, very sunny and not much wind. Did I mention that this is also the last week of hockey? That automatically makes it feel closer to summer!
GURL, just break down and buy some Chanel already!
Yay for the last week of hockey, although I’m sure the twins are kinda bummed that the season’s over. What do they have in store for summer sports?
You’re wearing me down – I’m sure I’ll have some Chanel soon. 🙂
Yes, they’re a little bummed but they have a week of hockey camp this summer to tide them over until the season starts again in October. 🙂 Right now they’re playing lacrosse twice per week and then they head into baseball at the end of May (and soccer at the end of August). I’m glad they stay busy all year!
Such a beauty, this is definitely a stunner in my book. I think most can agree that it must be heartbreaking to ruin the pattern, lol! The glow is just perfect!
Hi Teri,
The cool thing that the pattern stays surprisingly intact. The chain-link design and the G are both raised very high, so it’ll take a while to wear it down. You’ll have a lot of time to appreciate the beauty. 🙂
That is stunning!
I know, right?! I’m sure Tabs is currently plotting to steal it. 🙂
Hope you had a nice Tuesday…it’s been crazy hot down here! My office is a straight up sweat lodge in the afternoon.
Pretty good day today. It cooled off after being really hot yesterday. I checked in on a little boy who I’ve been working with in my Sunday School duties (did I mention I’m on the Sunday School team?). He’s a special needs kid who I’ve really connected with. He responds really well to me. Anyway, poor baby has had a sinus infection for a few weeks. Hopefully he’ll be better soon.
I made plans to meet a friend for lunch tomorrow at a local Indian restaurant. I’ve been wanting to try out their buffet.
Oh, and after mentioning the other day that I would love to have a bird bath sometime for the yard, I got a call from Brian saying that he was dropping stuff off at the dump today and found a still intact bird bath, so he took it home, cleaned it up and is currently testing it to make sure it doesn’t leak. What a guy!
Oh, that is beautiful and looks wonderful on you!
One of my greatest finds was from a couple months ago — Guerlain’s Terracotta Mineral Bronzer at Winners (same type of store as Marshalls and TJMaxx) for $16. It retails $71 here in Canada so I am still very pleased!
Hi Steph,
What a GREAT deal! Have you found any other good prices at the store?
Hi Karen,
I’ve found some Betsey Johnson tights on deep clearance for 30 cents and 70 cents each! There’s often some good deals on makeup and skincare too. It’s like a treasure hunt finding the great deals!
I so love this but the price is overly budget .
Hi Charisma,
Guerlain’s always pretty pricey, unfortunately. They do great bronzers, though!
Oh my, my how beautiful, especially the pattern on it! You look so glam wearing it. x
Hi Shang J.
Thanks, love!
Gorgeous but is it just me or does it look more like a light, shimmery highlighter than a bronzer?? Either way it’s beautiful. Gah–need. to. stop. reading! These summer collections are driving me crazy and I’m spending waaaay too much!! 😛
Hi Becca,
It’s the flash. It’s much less pronounced in natural light.
Gah. You had me at “secret shimmer,” Karen! ♥
Hi rae,
It’s SO good! 🙂
is terra nerolia more pigmented thAN this one?