Guerlain Cruel Gardenia

The outside of the packaging, classic Guerlain meteorite design. The packaging consists of a glossy black container with a lid that twists off, and locks when you close it. 

From this side view, you can tell that it is a raised 3-D flower design. 

It's a very intricate design, the packaging is stunning.

Here is a photo with the Guerlain meteorites brush. This is what is recommended to apply the product with.  Any blush brush works fine but for best results, this is a good investment. 

Here is a photo of the powder on my face close up. You can see how fine the shimmer is but it catches the light beautifully.

In these photos I kept my makeup simple and only applied the Cruel Gardenia to my cheeks, I'm not wearing any bronzer or blush. 

After seeing Guerlain's Spring collection, I knew I needed this powder. It is the most coveted item in not only Guerlain's Spring collection, but of any of the Spring collections. It surpassed expectations and captivated all makeup counters, becoming the buzz at every department store. I love Guerlain and their elegant, natural makeup. Their motto is to give a glow from within, without looking like intense shimmer. This product gives a soft, candlelit glow and catches the light in a subtle way. The texture is not what I expected, primarily because I was told by a Nordstrom Guerlain representative that it was a cream but set like a powder. I was surprised when I swirled my Guerlain meteorite brush in the product because I didn't think I collected anything on the brush. I dipped my finger in the product to feel the texture, and to my surprise it was quite hard to the touch and heavily coated my finger. I then took the brush and applied it to my cheeks and found a soft gorgeous payoff, unlike any highlighter or powder I've used. 

As for availability, it was extremely difficult and frustrating for me to find. I first attempted to get one from Nordstrom, only to find my Guerlain representative advising me that 'you are the only person I couldn't find this for'. I was told to 'just find it somewhere else' and 'I'll keep in touch'. I still haven't heard back. This left me disappointed and in a stressful predicament. I had to find the most coveted makeup item on the market. I first looked at all department stores websites. At the time, both Saks and Neiman Marcus were out of stock. The only place that had them was Dillard's. I ordered it, crossing my fingers they wouldn't reply with a notice letting me know it was out of stock. After a week of an 'on order' status, I called to see what the current situation with availability was. They finally and thankfully told me they had found one and were shipping it. In the interim, I called a few stores off of the Guerlain site, which included all counters. I got a hold of a Neiman Marcus Guerlain counter in Hawaii, and asked if they had any. They did, and so I kept that as a back up in case Dillard's didn't pull through. If you are having difficulty finding the Cruel Gardenia powder, don't hesitate to call various counters directly, and ask if they have any. As for stores having them online, as far as I know Neiman Marcus and Dillard's still had them up until yesterday. Your best bet is to call a counter and see if they have any by chance. 

I want to add that due to Nordstrom forcing me to look elsewhere, it opened my eyes to other department stores with wonderful offers. Neiman Marcus was offering 3 samples, one including a generous tube sized sample of a $500+ Guerlain anti-aging cream. Neiman Marcus also has beauty offers by companies, and Guerlain was offering a free Kiss Kiss lipgloss. On a positive note, I'm glad this opened my eyes so that in the future, I will be purchasing makeup from whomever has the best freebies. Also, Dillard's packaged the powder beautifully, they sent it in a nice box wrapped in tissue. 

My overall review of this product is that it is beautiful and unique. The product is expensive, and you are paying for the allure of Guerlain and their outstanding packaging and originality. As far as the actual product, it is a nice powder with a fine texture. It's not over the top and overly noticeable, keeping it similar to other Guerlain powders. At a costly $67, you are paying for the exquisite packaging and the Guerlain name. I think it's worth every penny, especially to an avid makeup collector. It is limited edition, so if you have any interest, I advise you to try and find one immediately. There are no dupes for this timeless powder as far as I know, and I think this would make an excellent addition to any makeup collection.