Lise Watier Jardin de Givre Illuminating Powder

As some of you may already know, I took a “partial hiatus” starting last November, and ending May of this year. Over the break, I wasn’t accepting new product samples, and focused on slowly (very slowly) reviewing what I already had on hand. Here’s some of what you missed while I was away.

Up today: highlights from Lise Watier’s Jardin de Givre Winter 2013 collection! (I love that, on the Lise site, they say “succumb” instead of “see more” or “buy.” It’s — weird.)

Lise Watier Jardin de Givre limited edition packaging

This is just some of the Jardin de Givre collection, but let’s start with the two limited edition pieces. I don’t think they’re available any longer–sorry!–but, should you come across them, here’s your reasoning for snapping them up!

The Lise Watier Palette Jardin de Givre Eyeshadows and Eyeliner ($45 CAD) features seven sparking eyeshadows and one black cream eyeliner in a large palette, and the first two shadows are what I refer to as “Clarins glitters” — flakey and beautiful, suspended in a clear or sheer base. With one warm shade and one cool one, these two will be the perfect addition to any eye look — just pop a bit onto the centre of the lid with your finger as a finishing step.

Lise Watier Palette Jardin de Givre Eyeshadows and Eyeliner

Lise Watier Jardin de Givre eyeshadow and eyeliner swatches

I’m not a fan of eyeliners in palettes (with my lids, I’ve yet to find a single one that works for me), but the other five shadows are lovely. They’re smooth and pigmented, all in a shimmer finish with good pigment and opacity.

The pewter and chocolate brown in the top row (third and fourth eyeshadows in the swatches) caught my eye in particular — shade-wise, they’re wonderfully complex, and the chocolate brown preformed with the butteriness and pigmentation typical of high-end eyeshadows.

Lise Watier Jardin de Givre Illuminating Powder swatch (first swatch)

Next up is the Lise Watier Jardin de Givre Illuminating Powder ($36 CAD), a peachy highlighter with the same peacock-feather case as the eyeshadow palette. It’s easy to pick up and not as dark or bronze as the pan may suggest, delivering a dense frost or sheer shimmer to highlight the face or décolleté.

Lise Watier Bleu d’Hiver Light Cap Nail Lacquer

But, for products still available through the Lise Watier online shop, I urge you to turn first toward the Lise Watier Light Cap Nail Lacquer in Bleu d’Hiver ($13 CAD). This polish (which was listed as limited edition, but still looks to be in stock) is a beautiful, creme-finish blue with a bit of a twist.

I can’t quite put my finger on what to name a blue like this one, but it has just a hint of dark teal. As a colour fiend, I can’t get enough of it — it’s not an unprecedented colour in the nail industry, but I personally haven’t ever owned anything in this shade before. (Trust me: it’s far more nuanced than these photos would suggest.)

Lise Watier Violet Velours Smokey Kohl Velours

And, finally, to finish up — the permanent-range Lise Watier Smokey Kohl Velours in Violet Velours ($20 CAD). The Smokey Kohl Velours pencil features a smudger on the back end, and though its formula is quite velvety (feeling like your typical long-wear, water resistant eye pencil), it’s not quite opaque in one swipe. The shade is a nice, off-black plum, but I would still recommend Bleu d’Hiver instead.

Swatched L-R: Lise Watier Jardin de Givre Illuminating Powder, Smokey Kohl Velours in Violet Velours, Light Cap Nail Lacquer in Bleu d’Hiver