Can I Sign You Up for a Glow that Doesn’t Turn into Greasy Shine with Guerlain Parure de Lumière?

I know that with so many new foundations on the market this year, you might already be thinking: what can be so different about this one? Well, stick with me especially if your skin doesn’t fancy silicone or alcohol denat, as Guerlain Parure de Lumière doesn’t have half of its ingredient list’s worth of them!

Guerlain foundations have been raved about a lot in the blogosphere, and the addition of Parure de Lumière is the answer to what consumers want nowadays: something natural-looking, fresh, and radiant. Parure de Lumière is supposed to make skin smooth, plumper, and reflect light. What’s more, it claims to keep skin hydrated.

The packaging of Parure de Lumière is in line with Lingerie de Peau. The glass bottle is sturdy, and the pump functions very well. The foundation has to be shaken before use, and it has a light perfume-y smell that I have come to associate with luxury cosmetics. The smell isn’t strong, and I can’t really smell it on my face so it doesn’t bother me (though I have put it on the back of my hand and the smell does linger for a while).

The texture of Parure de Lumière is interesting. It’s not runny, but it’s not thick or “creamy” either. When I spread it out with my fingers, I can feel how “airy” it is. It feels almost like a mousse! The coverage is light to medium depending on how you apply it. I have tried with my fingers and the Shiseido Perfect Foundation Brush. Both methods are easy enough, but I prefer to first dab it on my face before blending it in with the brush. That way I get a thinner and more even layer. I do go back with my fingers for areas that need some more coverage, and it is capable of hiding a multitude of sins that way! Acne scars, dark circles (provided they’re not very dark), and the redness around the sides of my nose… I personally don’t need a lot of extra concealing after that!

Here is how it looks on the back of my hand. I circled out some scars/pigmentation spots on the picture with the foundation pumped out, and in the picture where it’s spread out that you don’t see the imperfections anymore (you can right click and open the picture on another tab to see the back of my hand in its full glory…)!

Like most foundations, it takes a little while to set. I don’t know if I’m the only one with the problem, but if I bust my loose powder out too soon, it could settle into pores and make them seem larger (I have to stress this happens with the majority of the foundations)! Provided I do my foundation first (which is usually the case unless I know I’m going to use eyeshadows with fallout), I tend to proceed to doing my eyes before dusting the loose powder on. Since Parure de Lumière aims at achieving the radiant look, I only use a little bit of loose powder on my T-zone and beneath my lower lash line (to prevent what I have on the lower lash line from smudging).

Now here’s what impresses me: I had assumed a foundation that is supposed to be “hydrating” and bring a “glow” to make my T-zone oil up fast. I was wrong! I was pleasantly surprised to find out if I set my T-zone with some loose powder, it wouldn’t go on looking matte the whole day, but that dreadful shine is nowhere in sight either! Usually I need to blot my T-zone once a day, but with this one I’m fine the whole day! Does my skin stay hydrated? Yes it does! This is particularly evident after I remove my makeup, as my skin doesn’t scream for moisturization (I do moisturize properly anyways, but it feels less urgent)!

True to its promise, the finish of Parure de Lumière is very natural. It doesn’t give me that obvious “glow,” but it does bring light to my face. It doesn’t feel heavy or thick on. It’s very close to the “second skin” effect that many go after. It looks good, wears comfortably, and holds up well. I only need one pump to do my whole face each time, so it’s very economical! It does not oxidize on me, and 03 Beige Naturel is a pretty good match for me (I’m around NC30, but at the moment probably closer to 25). It has an SPF of 25 which I appreciate. However, depending on how thick of a layer you have on and what type of flash we’re talking about (the flash on a point-and-shoot is not the same with a professional one that does not point directly at your face/has a diffuser attached) bear in mind that it could reflect a bit in flash photography.

Here are some of the photos in which I wear Parure de Lumière:

Bottom line: Parure de Lumière works excellently for me, and I can see it doing the same for many others. Those with normal, dry, or even combination skin will appreciate it, but with some help of oil-absorbing loose powder, it could even work for those with oilier skin (I’m basing this judgement on how it performs on my oilier T-zone). It’s easy to get medium coverage, the texture is pleasant, and it looks nothing but natural. It might not be perfect for party nights (where flash photos could be taken with small point-and-shoot cameras), and the range of shades is quite limited (as per usual with Guerlain). However, if you can find a match within the range, I highly encourage you to at least get a sample. It’s a great go-to during the colder months!

Have you jumped on the bandwagon of any new foundations this year? Is hydration something you look for in a foundation? Have you tried any Guerlain foundations and if so, how do you like them?

Sunny, your beauty culture translator xx

Guerlain Parure de Lumière is available as of today in Belgium!

I typed out the ingredient list out for you since it is very hard to read what is written on the box even in real life (if there are any typos I apologize in advance):

Aqua (water), Isododecane, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Methyl Trimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Maris Aqua (sea water), Phenoxyethanol, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageean), Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate, Silica, Dimethicone, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Peg-10 Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Sodium Myristoyl Glutamate, Parfum (fragrance), Alumina, Silica Silylate, Propylene Carbonate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool. Citronellol, BHT, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Benzoate, Geraniol, Tropaeolum Majus Extract, Tocopherol, Limonene, Citral, Ethylhexyl-Glycerin, (+/- CI77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499 (Iron Oxides)).

Disclosure: The product mentioned in this review is provided by the PR for my consideration. All opinions are honest and my own. I am in no way compensated for this review. I have always been, and will always be committed ONLY to my readers.