Established 2008

Lancôme’s Elephant powder: fit for a queen

August 14, 2008

Lancôme has released its fall collection:  “Inspired by the rich colors of India, from the raw earth
browns to the intensely vibrant reds, plums and oranges reminiscent of Indian
dyes, Maharani Jewels brings back artistry to Lancôme collections.”  The star of the lineup is the Sun of India bronzing powder, a golden shimmery powder embossed with a rearing elephant wearing a brilliant red cover on its back.

Lancome elephant

With the pose and red saddle, it reminds me a tiny bit of this ca. 1812 painting by Théodore Géricault:

Painting of a white horse with a red saddle rearing up

(image from commons.wikimedia.org; image is public domain within the U.S.)

Of course, 19th-century French Romanticism doesn’t have anything to do with a 21st-century bronzer, but I find it interesting that Lancôme chose to have the elephant standing on two legs rather than four, since the placement and stance of the elephant doesn’t affect the application of the product.  In any case, I’m thoroughly enjoying the sumptuousness and richness of the colors as well as the detailing surrounding the elephant. Hopefully Lancôme will delve more fully into elaborate palette designs.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

© 2008-2025 The Makeup Museum® | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | Design by Pixel