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Posted by Dain, Sunday, May 08, 2005 2:50 PM (Eastern)
Stephane Marais has something of an allure for me that a lot of the other niche "artist" lines do not. Not Linda Cantello, not Kevyn Aucoin, not Giorgio Armani (which I tend to think of as the Pat McGrath line). I don't know. I think part of it is that he also developed the Clé de Peau makeup line, and mimics many of the same products in his own line for much cheaper (not that Stephane Marais is cheap, rather that Clé de Peau is so expensive). In any case, I had to try the cream foundation. I really like cream foundations because they can often double as concealer, but still have the innovations of natural-looking, skin-mimicing texture that many foundations have nowadays, that concealers still lack. For the same reasons, many make-up artists use cream foundation as a staple.
I bought mine in Paris (the "mother ship", the Champs-Elysées Sephora), but it's also available at Barney's, Henri Bendel, www.meccacosmetica.com, www.blissworld.com, www.brownesbeauty.com, and Louis Boston.
As for the foundation itself, it's incomparable (except to its sister, Clé de Peau cream foundation). Kevyn Aucoin's too much coverage for me, Chantecaille lacks a color for me (but perhaps I haven't given it enough trial-by-application) and I don't much like the consistency, Sue Devitt doesn't have a color light enough for me, I don't like the formula of Bobbi Browns (lots of filler, a gel-like base with unrefined pigments, the Stephane Marais is much more dense), and of course, Clé de Peau is too expensive ($100). Stephane Marais' is cheaper than all of them (at $39), and is top-notch quality. Finely milled pigments and a natural-looking finish.
It's easy to use, once you get the hang of it. A little goes a long way, and the best method is finger painting. Because it does have a lot of coverage, it's better to dab on, rather than to rub it in (no lateral motions, if you can help it, just vertical). The coverage is quite adjustable, that way, and the heat of your fingers melts the product into your skin much more convincingly.
The colors are excellent, though the lightest in the olive range, O0, has gotten too light for the summer. I dislike the packaging, though. It's nice enough, a wide-mouthed glass jar, but it's not at all hygienic or travel-friendly.
Labels: beauty notes, face, stephane marais
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