Most makeup accessories I own are purely utilitarian, with looks to match. The exception, however, is my Caron powder puff. It is a feathery light orb of goose down, with a satin ribbon bow. The powder puff I selected is tinted bright fuchsia, although pastel pink, lemon yellow, peach, lavender and red were equally tempting. As I reach for it to put finishing touches on my makeup, I feel as if I am getting ready for a ball, rather than another day at the office. I do not know about you, but I certainly appreciate such fantasies to keep the weight of routine at bay.
Good looks aside, the powder puff is a fantastic beauty tool. It spreads the loose powder in an even, thin layer on the skin, preventing a thick application, but creating a perfect surface. Caron sells powder as well, and I have gone through a period of using it. These days I am partial to Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil which works well with both a large brush and the feathery puff. Caron sells the powder puffs in a transparent plastic container, but at home I keep it in a glass candy jar to better admire its looks.
The puffs are available in several sizes, with the smallest ($65) being the best choice for face powder application. This soft accessory is made out of goose down which Caron, with some poetic license, calls cygnet (baby swan.) There is some confusion as to how to care for the puff, but in my experience, it can be washed. I do not find that it requires frequent washing, but an occasional bath will do it no harm.
The best way to wash it is to fill a sink with warm water, add a small amount of either makeup brush cleanser or a facial soap like Johnson & Johnson Purpose. Holding the puff by the satin ribbon to avoid getting it wet, dip the down portion in the soapy liquid and swirl around very gently. Then fill the sink with clean water and rinse briefly, following the same procedure. Leave to dry on absorbent paper towels or blow dry on cool setting. Do not be concerned that your fluffy powder puff suddenly looks like a sad, lumpy fur ball. It will regain its shape once it dries out completely. My powder puff is about 5 years old, and it still looks perfect.
Caron powder puffs are available from Caron boutiques (the NYC location is 715 Lexington Avenue (58th Street); 212-308-0270.)
9 Comments
silverdust: Victoria — you are the perfect person I’ve forgotten to ask! I once had a gorgeous powder puff (for dusting powder) that was a fluffy white with a taupe bow. It had a zippered compartment to put in whatever scented powder your heart desired and an outer flap for your fingertips to slip in.
I’ve seen nothing like this in the past few years that I’ve been searching. Have you seen anything like this recently? December 29, 2011 at 1:24pm
Victoria/EauMG: I’m going to NYC next month and the only thing on my “wishlist” is a Caron puff. Thanks for the cleaning tips! Now I just need help deciding which color to get! December 29, 2011 at 12:50pm
Victoria: V, if you want a specific color, do call them in advance. And from my friend's experience, white is not a good choice. It begins to look dirty very fast, since most powders are tinted.
I thought that the Caron boutique would be a tiny corner in the Phyto universe, but it is lovely and well-arranged. The service is excellent too. My mom got a lilac powder puff this Christmas from me. 🙂 December 29, 2011 at 12:56pm
Victoria: Not recently, but Benefit once had something like this. I'm also looking for an accessory like this to use with my own homemade scented powder, so I will post here if I find the right product. December 29, 2011 at 3:57pm
sweetlife: *sighs happily dreaming of fragrant powder puffs*
And next, V., a satin wrap with marabou trim… December 29, 2011 at 9:34pm
Victoria: Yeah, with marabou trimmed pumps and a ready-to-swoon-at-a-moment's-notice disposition to match! 🙂 December 29, 2011 at 9:38pm
Kaye: Victoria,
I’ve been wanting some down powder puffs for the longest time. Do you know the prices of the larger Caron puffs? I think I want big ones to use with bath powders. Thanks for any info! ~ Kaye 🙂 March 26, 2012 at 6:12pm
Victoria: I think that the largest ones are around $90-100. And they are quite big! I've been tempted by them, so I'm saving up. 🙂 March 26, 2012 at 6:14pm
Kaye: Thanks for replying so quickly, Victoria! I am looking for puffs that are at least 4 inches to 5 inches in diameter. Do you know the prices on ones that are that size? I am still in the planning stages here, but once I have an idea on what I can afford, I’m going to call the shop and order as many as I can!
I know the colors I want already 🙂
Thanks! ~ Kaye March 27, 2012 at 5:26pm