There are few beauty products more iconic than GUERLAIN’s Meteorites pearls. They’re right up there with YSL’s Touche Eclat and a bright red CHANEL lippy. Created in 1987, these clever light reflecting pearls have become famous for their multi-purpose use but also for their incredibly unique fragrance. It’s a scent now so familiar to the many women who have made Meteorites a staple part of their beauty regime over the last 31 years – the smell of soft powder, violets and iris.

Now, if you are one of those women who adores Meteorites for their fragrance as well as their highlighting capabilities then you really are in for a treat because they have kindly bestowed us with Meteorites Le Parfum – the scent of Meteorites in a bottle. Now, this isn’t the first Meteorites fragrance GUERLAIN has done, over the years they have brought out a limited edition Eau de Parfum and a room spray. This composition however, is entirely new and captures the cool, pastel energy of GUERLAIN’s iconic multi-coloured pearls. 

Yellow and Green Pastel Shades

Meteorites Le Parfum starts with a lively crackle of sparkling fruit notes. Bergamot, a staple citrus note, brings zing, whilst the crisp, orchard note of apple brings sweetness and a dewy sense of freshness. It’s lively and bubbly with a spring-like fresh quality that is great for this time of year. What’s more, an unusual nutty facet, perhaps the soft, savoury character of pistachio, brings a creamy, cool quality to the mix that amplifies the clean, bracing feel of all that sparkle. It makes for an interesting start.

Pink and Purple Blush Shades

The heart of Meteorites Le Parfum is powder – a theme that GUERLAIN has proved it knows how to do exceedingly well in classics such as Shalimar and L’Heure Bleue, as well as more contemporary fragrances such as Insolence. In Meteorites Le Parfum the powder aspect is treated much more delicately than the aforementioned classics and it would be fair to say that the presentation here is subtle. I get the impression of a light dusting of grey iris powder, inflected with the scent and colour of sweet, earthy violets, and delicious pink rose. It creates blush effect of pinks and purples that is hard to resist.

White and Gold Iridescent Shades

As Meteorites Le Parfum hits the base it sheds off much of the meat on its bones, not that there was a huge amount to start with, mind. In the dry down it relies on the abstract quality of musk and woods to present a softness that is also airy and light. It feels as if all of the sparkle and powder is powered up from the breeziness of the base, and once these notes have dissipated, one is left with a soft skin scent that accents one’s natural smell – much in the same way that the Meteorites pearls accentuate one’s natural beauty!

Meteorites Le Parfum is a dreamy and delicate fragrance that tries to capture the softness of Meteorites pearls, with a hint of the sweet, violet fragrance. The truth is that the fragrance is not an exact copy of the real thing and it works because it brings a touch of abstraction to the mix, freshening it up with crisp orchard notes. I think it’s one of those things you can throw on without thinking about – the perfect fix of sweet powder for every day that is utterly casual but served with the typical elegance of GUERLAIN. It smells really good.

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