Clarins Palette Eclat Poudre Teint & Blush and Clarins Graphic Expression Face& Blush Powder

I feel like Clarins comes out with same ideas over and over again, they have pretty face palettes that seems to be and feel the same on the skin. The only thing that changes is the pattern on the actual powder. Having said this, I don't think this is a bad product. Quite on the contrary. I enjoy it. Please. see for yourself the palettes from spring collections of years 2012 and 2014. To me. they all look kinda same. Well, more or less so.

Now onto my Spring 2013 palette. The packaging is sleek and stylish, although I notices that it catches the fingerprints like crazy. There is a red velvety pocket sleeve along with this palette to store it in. There is a generous 10 gr of product in this Face and Blush Palette, which is a good amount. The palette houses a good-sized mirror. I have to warn those of you, guys, who a re overly sensitive to scented make-up products. This palette is lightly scented. The scent is ever so light, but however can be a no-go for some of you.

There are 3 distinctive shades in this palette: the warmer beige as a "base" and two blush shades-  a vivid pink and a peach. The powder is finely milled, the texture is amazing. I feel like it is possible to apply two or more layers without resulting cakey.

I guess the idea behind making such tiny stripes of color was that all colors were supposed to be picked up using a wide powder brush and just swirled and then applied to the face. Good idea, but not for the ligher skin tones might be not a great one. Might be too pinky, and there is no way you can pick up just the pink color to apply it to your cheeks since color stripes are very small. The powder has a great pigmentation and a nice beige color. I guess, it is universal, and flatters most skin tones except for the deep ones. I find this shade a bit too dark for me, I mean, nothing tragic but I will keep it for summer when I am a bit darker.

Overall, I enjoy this product and this will be my to-to palette in summer!

This is an addition to the post, I have now bought the Graphic Expression Palette, which is a Autumn 2013 Limited Edition item. Here again, the design of the palette itself is identical. The same signature red box and the red velvet pouch, and sleek golden packaging and same subtle scent of violets. The pattern of the powder is different,of course. I feel like although this item was launched in Autumn collection, it is more suitable for Summer collection. For me, this can go as a bronzing powder due to multi-colored stripes and rather intense summery light brownish color. The stripes on this powder vary from dusty muted pink to medium brown to pink-brown shade.

Here again it might seem like the palette is similar to the one I own and the two I posted pictures of. With it I more or less agree, to be honest. I feel like there is a little difference between colors of these palettes after all, but it is not very pronounced. Both my palettes will go well for summer, both can go occasionally for colder period of the year to refresh the complexion. The texture of these palettes permits to apply a necessary amount of product, and there is no risk to look overdone or "baked".

I should point out that it is not practical to use a particular shade from this palette separately, like for example to apply a particular color as an eyeshadow, or as proposed by Clarins "coral pink  applied as as a blush".. The sections are rather small. Just like in the previous palette, it is more logical and easy to swirl all colors together and apply them to the face or a bit more intensively to the cheeks. And yes, the golden shade next to the tiny pink is just a gold overspray.

Overall, this is a pleasant palette to have in a make-up stash. A sort of no-brainer for summer or for a weekend away.