Need a cheat code to chic, French girl beauty? Armed with a ‘less is more’ approach, French girl beauty is all about radiant, healthy skin, effortless hair, and a certain je ne sais quoi. For the French who eschew heavy contouring and a full ‘beat face’, a pared-down look that focuses on lush mascara-slicked lashes, rosy cheeks and a classic rouge—if even at all, is where it’s at. Which is just as well for anyone looking to emulate this certain French charm in our hot and humid climes.
Hermès new Plein Air line of complexion enhancers liberates the skin like a breath of fresh air. The five category-strong complexion collection features a natural enhancing complexion balm, two finishing powders, a powder brush and handy blotting papers.
Indeed, true Hermès aficionados are aligned with life’s finer, money-can’t-buy luxuries. Fresh air. Freedom. All the sensations Hermès Plein Air evokes.
Since its inception in 1837, its clientele (whether hoofed or two-legged) have been out and about with every opportunity: from flâneur-ing around Paris to partaking in outdoor pursuits from equestrian to dips in the ocean in their printed Hermès maillots.
From dressing the horse, its first customer, to now adorning our skin, Hermès Plein Air is all about celebrating the natural beauty in the movement of life and light. In the light, our true beauty is liberated and enhanced.
Beyond being a make-up collection, the very essence of Hermès Plein Air is somewhat of a feminist statement, explains artistic director of Hermès, Pierre-Alexis Dumas.
“In the 1920s, Hermès encouraged women’s emancipation. The house’s director, Émile Hermès, wanted his four daughters to be in tune with their times, observing their way of life in order to provide them with the right equipment. He created clothes that enabled women to participate in outdoor sports, to travel, drive a car and even fly an aeroplane. Hermès Plein Air is entirely consistent with this approach, revealing the natural beauty of women through their freedom,” shares Dumas.
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Hermès Plein Air Natural Enhancing Complexion Balm
Meet your new secret weapon to nailing fresh, uncontrived French beauty (note: this brand of effortless beauty also is great for roll-out-of-bed-and-onto-Zoom WFH moments).
Available in 12 skin-matching tones, this complexion balm melts and forms an imperceptible second skin to instantly even out uneven tones and minor inconsistencies, while blurring small lines for up to eight hours. With a texture that sits between a gel moisturiser and lightweight sunscreen, customise your coverage with additional layers of product. Even so, it never feels heavy or well… ‘make-uppy’ as it leaves the complexion appearing translucent and comforted, even under a mask.
Hermès worked with a Japanese laboratory specialising in the sensory properties of materials in the creation of this blend, and it shows. The Plein Air complexion balm contains a hyaluronic acid complex to offer the skin prolonged hydration, evening primrose oil and Baikal skullcap to guard it against external pollution. White mulberry, a key ingredient that appears throughout the range including Rouge Hermès, revives and enhances the complexion.
Ever sensorial, its subtle yet fresh scent was created by the house’s perfumer, Christine Nagel, and features healing arnica with grounding sandalwood and green tea.
We also love that this balm features a mineral-only sunscreen with SPF 30 / PA+++ protection against everyday exposure to UV rays.
Hermès Plein Air Natural Enhancing Complexion Balm, $148, available at Hermès
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Hermès Plein Air Radiant Glow Powder
Looking to drape your complexion in a veil of light? Reserve this silky powder for specific locations such as the cheekbones, clavicles and high points of the face to enhance luminosity and really help those features pop really. Formulated with white mulberry extract alongside skincare ingredients to preserve and enhance the skin.
Hermès Plein Air Radiant Glow Powder in Mirage, $136, available at Hermès
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Hermès Plein Air Radiant Matte Powder
Mattify shine, but not at the expense of your radiance. Sweep this light, translucent powder over the skin to remove excess sebum or set your make-up. Like its Glow Powder counterpart, it too is formulated with mulberry extract and pops right out of its Pierre Hardy-designed case once you’ve hit pan, ready for another refill.
Hermès Plein Air Radiant Matte Powder in Nuage, $136, available at Hermès
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Hermès Plein Air Powder Brush
Being a house of craftsmen, Hermès’s Pierre Hardy-designed powder brush is a precious object in its own right. Designed to make the application of the radiant matte powder effortless, this brush is made of ultra-soft natural goat hair fibres and hand-assembled by a French brush-maker. Its rounded shape helps lift the right amount of powder, depositing it over the face with the lightest caress.
Hermès Plein Air Powder Brush, $203, available at Hermès
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Hermès Plein Air Blotting Papers
Want to elevate your blotting papers? Inspired by traditional Japanese beauty, Hermès offers blotting papers made from hemp fibres, wood pump and kozo fibres from the paper mulberry tree. Containing 100 blotting papers in a small orange box made of recycled cardboard and decorated with mini Hs that evoke windswept dandelions, these blotting papers are the answer to touch-ups and removing shine on-the-go.
Hermès Plein Air Blotting Papers, $60, available at Hermès
Hermès Plein Air will be available from 1st March 2022 at Hermès Liat Towers, Hermès Marina Bay Sands, Hermès Takashimaya,
Takashimaya Department Store, Tangs Department Store and Hermes.com
