Clarins really upped their game this season in terms of packaging. This beautiful highlighting powder, from their Odyssey collection, is presented in a gold case with delicate, engraved details.
The powder inside features the same design. I'm amazed at the level of intricacy.
With flash:
The collection contains several other pieces with the same motif, including this deluxe makeup palette:
(image from salonskincare.co.uk)
And this eye shadow quad:
I did a little digging about the inspiration behind the collection. As the name and Grecian garb-clad model would suggest, ancient Greece played a part in the development of the design.
(images from facebook.com)
Apparently the motif is the "original Odyssey emblem of ancient Greece". I searched high and low but couldn't find any information on this symbol, or even anything that suggested it actually existed. I will say, however, that the lavish gold and elaborate pattern is certainly reminiscent of ancient Greek jewelry. Take a gander at this necklace and earrings, all from about 300 B.C.:
(images from metmuseum.org)
In that sense, Clarins captured the more extravagant, opulent side of ancient Greek culture. While I would have liked to see a more concrete explanation for the motif, it's not as vague as some previous Clarins collections. And the level of detail is on par with more high-end brands, so all in all I'm pleased with this.
Did you/will you be partaking in the Odyssey collection?