Featured in the Neiman Marcus holiday catalog, Le Métier de Beauté's MARCHESA Collection for Holiday 2010 ($250) arrived in stores this month (January 2011). Not only was it disapppointly late, it arrived in short supply. I had pre-ordered it. It's a good thing! Lisa Lingis, the Le Métier de Beauté rep at Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie received only her pre-orders plus a paltry three extra - and no real explanation for the delay or scarcity. I heard that they received three total at Tysons Galleria. That's what I'd call an "extreme limited edition."It may not matter. The MARCHESA Holiday Collection (also called the Snowflake Set) is a collector's item. Housed in a classy gunmetal grey box, the collection provides four mini-sized items, reminding me of a doll's house and little people. This is not a value set.
The Neiman Marcus catalog had left us guessing about the contents of the bejeweled Snowflake Eyeshadow Trio. The shades had not been revealed. The very small mirrored compact holds three shadows, along with a tiny eye shadow brush. While perfect for those who may want to tuck a pretty shadow compact into an evening bag for late-night touch-ups, it's not terribly practical.
The eye shadows are swatched above right. My photo was taken indoors in a sunny window, and the shadows were applied with a sponge-tipped applicator. The shades are a shimmering peach, satin plum, and deep charcoal.
There is a sample-sized Volumizing Mascasa in Noir. I don't touch up my mascara after I leave home, so I'm not sold on its utility. The same is true for the Night Sky eyeliner. It's a gorgeous liner, and those who have trouble keeping liner in place may appreciate its portability.
The lilliputian
Double Entendre Lipgloss features two fabulous shades: Lip Crème Lip Gloss in Vanilla Crème and Sheer Brilliance Lip Gloss in Uma Paro. After my shock at the size of the first MARCHESA double-ended gloss introductions, I grew to like their jeans pocket size. Want ultra-portability from a dynamite gloss? You will appreciate this one. Is it a good ounce-for-ounce value? No. Is it handy? Yes. Are the two shades gorgeous? Definitely!If you are a Le Métier de Beauté collector, you will want to try to get your hands on this tiny boxed set at Neiman Marcus (call ahead). If you want to experience the luxury of Le Métier de Beauté and don't need to have the latest gimmick, buy the full-sized products. You can purchase full-sized Le Métier de Beauté mascara, eyeliner, two glosses, and three eye shadows for about $228, and they will be with you for a long time.
Photo at top courtesy of Lisa Lingis