Chanel Holiday 2009 Color - Collection Cage Dorée de Chanel

My first glance at Chanel's Holiday Collection, Cage Dorée de Chanel, which I had seen during what I call "drive-by" shopping, did not lure me to test. First glances are often misleading, so yesterday - with some weekend time on my hands - I did a bit of testing with Chris Coles at Nordstrom. I bought three fabulous pieces.

As a sidebar, I would have checked out the colors on Saturday, after the Beauty Trends Show at Nordstrom's Tysons Corner store, but I was afraid I would be trampled by the 500 attendees who were so anxious to buy beauty products you would have thought they were all headed to a desert isle with one last chance to get spruced up. To her credit, the lovely and lively stage mistress Julianne De'Chaump whipped the audience into a frenzy.

Les Tissages Lamés de Chanel ($60) is a beautiful highlighter in Chanel's signature tweed design - three delicately woven shades of shimmering golden color for cheeks, décolleté, or anyplace you want to give a golden glow. Gold, bronze, and copper tones cast a natural luminous glow on the skin. To its credit, Chanel skipped the glitter, so you can wear this highlighter during the day or for your evening festivities. I love highlighters, so this one jumped right into the little pile of purchases Chris was toting around. It provides a nice warm touch to my fair skin, and I think it will work for every skin tone.

The limited-edition Bird of Paradise LES 4 OMBRES Quadra Eye Shadow ($56) puts the focus on eyes with a tropical-bright quartet of aqua, yellow, green-gold, and copper shades, which can be toned down or played up, depending on your mood. In the case, these colors looked a little too bright for me. Once on the eyelids, though, they are gorgeous. The aqua is the brightest shade, and I will tone it down a bit by mixing it with one of the other colors. The model for the collection, wearing these shades, looks like she is ready for spring. Don't let that stop you from playing with them.

I thought the limited-edition "sleeper" of the collection might be the dual eye liner, La Ligne de Chanel ($45), shown above in Celadon Lamé. This dual eye liner is sold out on Chanel's Web site, so I'm glad I bought it. You have to try it to see the gorgeous, dark richness of the colors. The mistake-proof, powder eye liner duo can provide either the precision of a liquid eyeliner or the smudged look of a kohl pencil. The deep, dark black-green look, created by two different shades, is very flattering. These colors can be worn as liners or, with a light application, as shadows - much like Chanel's dramatic Collection Noirs Obscurs.

There are other items in this collection, including new Aqualumière Lipstick (28.50) and Lip Gloss ($27) shades. Aqualumière Lipstick is always with me. I live in it. I love the formula and beautiful transparent colors. The sheer colors in the holiday collection balance the exotic eye shades. The lipsticks on display are Galapagos, a lustrous coral; Tasmania, an exquisite pink; Grenada, a soft, subdued fuchsia; and the limited-edition Maldives, a warm, ultra-wearable peach. In the gloss department, the new shades of this water-light gloss are Colibri, a shimmering pearl; Hirondelle, a vibrant pink; and Canari, a bright, citrusy coral. The glosses wear comfortably while delivering a sheer wash of shiny color. I plan to go back when my bank account refreshes and try a few of these shades. All of them will take you safely into spring and summer, when pinks and corals promise to be among the hottest shades.

New limited-edition Les Vernis ($23) nail colors round out the collection in Trapèze, a radiant silver-beige; Mica Rose, a tender pink; and Orange Fizz, a vivid coral.

You can see the collection at Chanel's Web site, or at any department store with a Chanel Cosmetics counter, including Nordstrom, Saks, and Neiman Marcus. Spend a little time and "get to know" these new colors. You may like them as much as I do!

Photos courtesy of Chanel

Another Great Sisley Mask

This morning, I treated my body well - or badly, depending on your perspective. I started with the Washington Post, followed by a decadent breakfast of cherry-filled turnovers with mimosas. Then, I took a nap. It was heavenly, except for my appearance when I finally got out of bed for the second time. I looked wrinkly and puffy!

Sisley came to my rescue. Radiant Glow Express Mask ($108) is called the emergency mask. It's actually intended to clean you up and bring back your glow. That's not half of what it does! It also tones your skin, absorbs surface fluid, and makes you look rested and ready to go.

Here are the active botanical ingredients that provide gentle cleansing and radiating benefits.

• White and red clay: absorb excess sebum
• Rose hip: tones
• Chamomile oil: calms
• Rosemary oil: purifies
• Matricaria: softens, calms
• Licorice: softens

Within five minutes:

• my skin was fresh, clean, and smooth;
• my complexion was radiant and more even;
• my puffiness and wrinkling were gone; and
  
• my face appeared rested, its radiance is fully restored.

Radiant Glow Express Mask is a quick beauty boost. It works for all skins, but especially those that are dull, tired, sallow, or mistreated. While pricey, it works!

It appears that Amazon has one left at $81.78. You can always purchase this mask at Sisley counters at Neiman Marcus and Saks, where you will find wonderful Sisley advisors who can help you select the products that are just right for you. If you are near Tysons Corner, Virginia, stop by the Sisley counter at Neiman Marcus. They will take good care of you. If you are in DC or Maryland, a trip to Saks in Chevy Chase should be on your to-do list. Look for Gail Sezer at Sisley. I wrote about customer loyalty this morning - I have been buying beauty products from Gail since she worked at Garfinckel's in Spring Valley in the 1980s. Take a look at her skin, and you will want everything she uses!

Photo courtesy of Amazon

Are You Being Served? New Strategies at Department Stores

Are You Being Served? was a British sitcom broadcast from 1972 to 1985, and it's one of my all-time favorite comedies (a list I could count on one hand). It was set in the men's and women's departments of Grace Brothers, a large, fictional London department store. The show featured humor based on sexual innuendo, misunderstandings, mistaken identities, and slapstick. There was occasional singing and dancing, along with outrageous costumes that the characters wore for store promotions, and gaudy store displays featuring malfunctioning robotic mannequins. The show is still enjoyed for its prolific use of double entendres, and no one was better at them than John Inman.

I laugh out loud at the antics of the lovable main characters.

• The gay Mr. Humphries (shown above) was played by John Inman, a brilliant English actor, who died in 2007 (that was a sad day for me when I read of his death)
  
• Captain Peacock, the floorwalker with unparalleled self-esteem
• Mrs. Slocombe, the wig-wearing and naughty women's department manager; Mollie Sugden, who played Mrs. Slocombe, died this year
• Miss Shirley Brahms, a young, attractive working-class cockney-speaking assistant to Mrs. Slocombe
• Mr. Rumbold, the autocratic, obsequious manager of the floor
• Mr. Lucas, the young, flirtatious junior salesman
• Mr. Grace, the very old and feeble store owner who surrounded himself with well-endowed young women (also dead)
  

PBS runs the show every Saturday night at 7:00 pm in the DC area, and I'm usually watching. In addition to being great comedy, it reminds me of department stores in the glory days. How things have changed!

Today, department stores are struggling to find new models to help them stay alive and possibly grow their market share. Month after month, I read in WWD about the dismal declines in department stores' net income and profits. They have a lot of work to do to adjust to customers' aversion to high prices and poor service. Have you tried to buy something at Macy's in the last few years? Could you find a sales person at any register? Once you did, did you have to wait to buy something you had selected and tried on without assistance? Did you ever try to ask a question? Was it easy to find someone with a brain who could answer? Macy's has, purportedly, added 1,600 sales people in 69 cities across the country to supervise. Great, but those aren't the people who are going to be there to help me on the rare occasion I show up.

This month's WWDBeautyBiz has an interesting article called The Big Bang - department stores fighting back with new strategies to lure and keep customers. Ground zero is the beauty department. There's a reason the beauty department is front and center in department stores. Beauty makes money! Many top retail players are revamping and redesigning their beauty departments and experimenting with new formats, while they retrain their associates to develop relationships with their customers. In October, Bloomingdale's unveiled in New York what WWD called "arguably the most advanced high-tech selling floor in America." Bloomies' CEO knows, though, that high-tech is only half the story. Customer relationships are the other half of the equation.

At Saks, the beauty brands are teaming with the store to remodel their counters as the store invests in training and technology to help put associates in touch with their customers. I can count on great service at Saks in Chevy Chase, Maryland. I work with associates at Neiman Marcus who call or e-mail to alert me to upcoming bargains. I love Jane Makowka and Christopher Coles at Nordstrom, both of whom personify the best in relationship selling. As a side note, customer relationship management isn't a new concept. I led process architecture/improvement work for clients in the 1990s, and it was all about "knowing" your customers and building relationships with them. This was before department stores experienced the Great Recession, a jolt that forced them to join other industry sectors that had long known the value of "customer service."

I'm a loyal customer, and I buy from "my" sales associates over and over again (some, like Brent Holmes who sells shoes at Saks Chevy Chase, for as long as 40 years!). I drag them all over the store with me. If I find someone who cares about me, I care about them. I want them to get the commission on what I buy, not some "clerk" who happened to be near a register when I arrived after selecting my own purchases.

I wish the department stores well. I would hate to see them disappear. I like them. I hope their new strategies work. Their success will be better for all of us!

Meanwhile, I continue to fondly watch and laugh with the award-winning cast of Are You Being Served? They're a hoot!

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Bobbi Brown's EXTRA Set - An Online Exclusive

Bobbi Brown's EXTRA Skin Care is perfect for this time of year. As the air starts to dry out, so will your skin. You may need some extra help to stay moist and dewy. To help those who suffer with dry to ultra-dry skin, Bobbi Brown created this special set of four EXTRA products ($140), which is an online exclusive.

The EXTRA Set includes: EXTRA Moisturizing Balm (1.7oz/50ml), EXTRA Eye Balm (0.50 oz./15ml), a travel-sized EXTRA Balm Rinse (.24 oz./7 ml), and EXTRA Face Oil (0.17 fl.oz./5ml).

I have used all of these products, always turning to them during the winter. They are seriously moisturizing. To my younger readers: I wouldn't recommend these to women (or men) who don't need a serious moisture boost.

EXTRAs are balm-based products formulated with natural plant extracts, such as pure orange, rosemary, and olive oil. The EXTRA Moisturizing Balm, Bobbi's most luxurious face cream, provides ultimate hydration for extremely dry or dehydrated skin. EXTRA Moisturizing Balm is formulated with petrolatum and shea butter to intensively hydrate skin, aloe and cucumber to calm and soothe stressed skin, and vitamin A and carrot extract to firm skin and minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles. It has an "herby" scent from the essential oil blend of rosemary, geranium, ylang ylang, and moroccan chamomile.

The EXTRA Eye Balm is an ideal night treatment for the skin around the eyes. I use it every winter because it's a super-rich, concentrated, hydrating eye balm that helps counteract the effects of fatigue and dryness. EXTRA Eye Balm helps fight puffiness; reduces the look of fine, dry lines; and soothes and protects skin. It's ophthalmologist tested, so you can be sure it's safe.

The EXTRA Balm Rinse removes all traces of makeup and impurities quickly and completely. It leaves skin with a smooth, cushiony finish, feeling instantly refreshed. You can use it daily for dry skin or as a night treatment when your skin needs more hydration.

The EXTRA Face Oil comforts very dry skin. The lightweight formula absorbs easily and immediately moisturizes, softens, and conditions skin with an oil blend of sesame, sweet almond, olive, and jojoba. Vitamin E is included to protect the skin from environmental damage. With continued use, EXTRA Face Oil helps keep skin soft and supple. It's also fragranced with a blend of natural essential oils, including neroli, patchouli, lavender, and sandalwood.

If you want a value set to try Bobbi's EXTRA products, this is a nice introduction. You can see it at Bobbi Brown's Web site.

Photo courtesy of Bobbi Brown

Chanel's Exclusive Nail Trio

Look at this cute little set! It might get me into nail polish again. I am hard on my nails. As a result, they always seem to be slightly different lengths. Who would want to emphasize less-than-perfect nails with nail polish?

Then I looked at the Trio Exclusif de Vernis Gift Set ($65) and thought, "You really should dive back into nail polish." The set includes Allegoria, a lush pink nude; Trapèze, a silvery grey; and Tulipe Noir, a rich pearlized plum black - three pretty colors that have light, dark, and metallic covered. The chic little travel case is useless to me (I have too many nice little cases), but I'm sure there is someone at work who would love to have it.

I just came back from a beauty trends show, where I learned that the black shades are not only this season's must-have shades, they will be spring's as well. More on that later.

This gift set is offered at Chanel.com, where a purchase earns a deluxe sample of Sublimage Eye Essential Regenerating Eye Cream with an $85 purchase. Enter code 1109SUBLIMAGE at checkout through Sunday, the 15. Free shipping is available on any purchase through December 16. It's also available at Saks.

Photo courtesy of Chanel

The Friday Forum - November 13

I'm not sure Friday the 13th is the best day to start a new Best Things in Beauty feature, but here we go. The Friday Forum will be devoted to what you have to say about anything related to beauty. Are you using a fabulous product and want to sing its praises? Tell us about it! Did you find a beauty product disappointing? Tell us why! Do you have questions others might be able to answer? Ask! Want to talk about a celebrity miscue? Go for it! We will use the comments for what I hope will be a fun and helpful exchange of information.

That means you have to write comments! For the most part, BTiB readers haven't been terribly chatty, but maybe we can change that by opening up a posting to what you have to say. If this works, we will continue to share a weekly forum. If it doesn't? The Friday Forum will disappear.

You know you have something to say...this could be fun! Because this is totally open-ended, I won't even provide a topic or ask you a question to kick off the conversation. I do have some beauty bits to share, but I'll put them in the comments.

The microphone is yours!

Photo courtesy of Cat-pause.com

LIERAC Paris Coherence Giveaway Contest

LIERAC Paris makes some of my favorite anti-aging products, which I have reviewed here, including Creme Mesolift and Hydra-Chrono. I was introduced to LIERAC products at CVS Healthy Skincare Stores.

Cohérence Age-Defense Firming Serum ($64) is an intensive lifting serum that lifts, firms, and diminishes the appearance of wrinkles. Formulated with ASC III Collagen Accelerating Vectors (6%) to stimulate the natural synthesis of Collagen III, or "the Collagen of Youth," and alpha hydroxy acid, lactic acid, citric acid, wheat protein, and hyaluronic acid, the serum contains anti-aging ingredients known to work. LIERAC promises a difference in 21 days.

I always use serums under my moisturizer, mixing up my own cocktail of effective ingredients. Would you like to try Cohérence? Why not enter to win this one?

Best Things in Beauty has one Cohérence Age-Defense Firming Serum to give away. To enter the contest, e-mail bestthingsinbeautycontests@gmail.com and tell me why you are a perfect candidate to try this product. The most persuasive entry will win. It won't hurt to be over 40! I'll nab a small team of independent judges (in the beauty industry) to select the winner. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, November 18, at 5:00 pm Eastern Time. The contest is open to United States and Canadian residents (addresses).

I'll be posting this contest on Free!Grechen, which you know by now is my favorite contest site. Good Luck! Get your entry in early so you don't forget as the week passes.

Update: Two days have gone by, and there are only three entries for this contest! I'm amazed. Doesn't anyone else want this wonderful freebie?

Photo courtesy of LIERAC Paris

Best Drugstore Beauty: Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush

Like cream blusher as much as I do? You ought to give Maybelline's Dream Mousse Blush ($7.49) a try. The air-soft formula of this blusher provides luminous, long-lasting cheek color. It glides on smoothly and blends easily for seamless color and a natural, radiant finish. It's available in six colors, two pinks and one of each of the following: mauve, plum, coral, and brown.

Maybelline recommends that you apply it with your fingertips by patting a small amount of blush onto the apples of your cheeks. Use feathery strokes to blend gently from your cheekbones to your temples. To build color intensity, you can simply apply more.

I have several of the colors, but my favorite is #10, Pink Voyage. It is very natural on my fair skin. I keep one in my desk at work for late-day touch-ups.

Dream Mousse Blush is available wherever Maybelline products are sold: drugstores, supermarkets, Target, and many more stores. There are often BOGO offers at the drugstores (Rite Aid has one on Maybelline Cosmetics now), so you can get two for the price of one by timing your purchase well.

Photo courtesy of Maybelline

Adara Organic Coconut Virgin Oil

On each visit to Art with Flowers in the Tysons Galleria, I find something new and delightful. Recently, it was Adara's Organic Coconut Virgin Oil ($30). True to its name, Adara (which means beauty in Greek and virgin in Arabic), Coconut Virgin Oil is made with a 100% extract of virgin coconut milk, pressed into an oil for face, body, and hair. It's luxurious and decadently rich!

Organic Coconut Virgin Oil includes good stuff for your skin, such as lauric acid, vitamin E, and antioxidants, and has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. The pure coconut oil is so fresh it is processed from its original coconut shell within 24 hours of harvesting and packaged in Singapore.

The oil is an intensive skin booster – it helps prevent premature aging and wrinkling, is perfect for dry rough patches, and aids in the removal of dead skin cells to promote new growth of smooth and supple skin. You can massage it into your hair and then cover with a shower cap or warm towel for a superbly deep conditioning treatment, or apply it on dry ends to smooth unruly locks. I poured a bit in my bath and soaked in it - heavenly. In the last few days, though, I have simply massaged it into my dry skin.

There is one unscented oil, to which you can add your favorite essential oil to create your own signature fragranced oil. There are five scented oils available, all with specially blended fragrances from Japan: Oriental Jasmine, Soothing Lavender, Heavenly Peach, Innocent Rose, and Refreshing Green Tea. I fell for Heavenly Peach. The Adara oil reminds me of Bio Oil, but with your choice of fragrance, it's more of an aromatherapy treat.

Because the oil is pure, you don't want to let it get too cold. If you do, it solidifies and you'll have to put the bottle in some warm water to re-liquify it. I brought home a solid bottle that had been stored in a cold room, but the heat from my home's second floor, with the gorgeous warm weather we had had, liquified it over a two-day period.

The Adara Organic Virgin Coconut Oil is available in two sizes at Art with Flowers, Amazon, and b~glowing.com.

Photo courtesy of Adara

NARS Holiday Lip Gloss Sets

In what has become an annual tradition, I purchased a NARS lip gloss set from Sephora. The limited-edition I Want You Lip Gloss Set ($45) is exclusive to Sephora.

Intended as a stocking stuffer, it's the perfect gift for yourself! The latest set has five mini lip glosses in Striptease, Greek Holiday, Turkish Delight, Orgasm, and Dolce Vita. The minis are a nice size - not micro-minis as you will find in some gloss sets for the holidays.

All of the colors work for me. NARS glosses are pigmented and shiny. I love them!

NARS has its own limited-edition Lip Gloss Collection ($45), shown here. It has five shades: Striptease, Orgasm, Bloodwork, Harlow, and Triple X. These come encased in a black, flip-top box. Very cool!

NARS offers other lip sets, including a three-piece Duo Lip Gloss Set ($49). Each piece is dual-ended, so you get six shades: Boogie Nights/Giza, Rose Birman/Chihuahua, and Harlow/Sweet Dreams.

You'll find the I Want You set at Sephora. The other sets are available at the NARS Web site.

Photos courtesy of Sephora and NARS

Discounts Galore Today

What's a girl to do when she gets offers like this?

Today (and you can still call Neiman Marcus and ask for Carol Summer at Neiman Marcus at Mazza Gallerie at (202) 966-9700), you can 20% off all Laura Mercier! Check out the gift sets, which are great values. This is an incredible sale.

The Skinny's sale of Organic Apoteke products started today. Here is your invitation to join The Skinny. Organic Apoteke is a line of rejuvenating products that are said to make your skin feel new and fresh. The star of the Organic Apoteke line, Rasayana Rejuvenating Serum ("rasayana" is actually Sanskrit for "rejuvenating"), combines the benefits of six serums in one. In clinical trials of over 400 participants, wrinkles were reduced by 60%, sagging by 21%, and trans-epidermal water loss by 44% over an eight-week period. Check out the Organic Apoteke products at this video. I want Sicilian Orange & Mandarin Body Oil ($23.50). Hope I can get there before it sells out. I've been peeling out the credit card a lot today.

It's Lierac Day at CVS. If you have a CVS Healthy Skincare Store near you, stop by before they close. They have lots of great samples. Hydra-Chrono Balm and Creme Mesolift are two of my favorite moisturizers, and their price is right! Just ask Kathy Shoreman at (703) 243-8088 or your local CVS Beauty Manager what Lierac product is best for you.

Last, but not least, BeautyTicket is having a 20% off sale of all YSL. Use code YSL20 at checkout. Today only.

I've been saving money by spending money!

Photo courtesy of The Skinny

L'Artisan Parfumeur Havana Vanille

L'Artisan Parfumeur's latest introduction, Havana Vanille, officially launches this month. Called the fragrance of a magical place, Havana Vanille was created by perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour to evoke "travels around the world, the nostalgia of crossing the seven seas to discover far-off treasures, and the smell of a wooden boat mingling with the aroma of rum and spice." From its vibrant Salsa rhythms to its famous cigars and rum, the mystique of Havana, Cuba, was bottled by Duchaufour. Worked for me!

Just in case you haven't figured it out, I'm most comfortable with florals and fruits. Too many spices trigger my cut-and-run instincts. This one is different. I first wore it on my wrist, a place I could easily scrub to remove it if my nose said enough. I didn't have to scrub; I found my nose wandering to my wrist for frequent whiffs.

At the soul of the fragrance is the Mexican vanilla pod soaked in aged rum, the makings of a good exotic drink. There are notes of clove (which I don't smell), crystallized dried fruit, rum, mandarin orange, leather, tobacco, powder, honey, narcissus, tonka bean, balms, smoked woods, vetiver, and musks around a vanilla absolute that's dry, creamy, mellow, and addictive. You'll be the exotic drink wearing this one. Men will lean into it to inhale the seductive, yet charming blend of sweet and spicy scents. In fact, men may want to wear this fragrance.

Vanilla fragrance lovers will find Havana Vanille unique, complex, and sophisticated. You would think the world has enough vanilla-based fragrances, and then along comes one that's unique and powerful. If you love fragrances with vanilla, spices, tobacco, and woods, you will want to seek out this one. Even if you don't think you love those fragrances, like me, you may like this one. Bill at Art with Flowers, who provided me with the pre-release sample, isn't going to believe I like it!

As soon as supplies arrive this month, you will find Havana Vanille at Art with Flowers at the Tysons Galleria, Bluemercury, and Henri Bendel. You can order a sample from L'Artisan's Web site, and, I'm sure, you can order the fragrance when it's available. It will cost $115 or $155 for 50 ml or 100 ml, respectively.

Don't forget that you're invited to a party the afternoon of November 15 at Art with Flowers. DC locals will find fragrances, gifts, and flowers galore (this is where I buy the orchids for my office). Join the party, and you will save 5% on all purchases by mentioning Best Things in Beauty when you pull out that credit card. You'll have fun too. Art with Flowers has fabulous parties! And you can smell and pre-order Havana Vanille if it moves you, but hasn't arrived.

Happy Veterans Day, and to all of our veterans, our sincere thanks for your service!

Photo courtesy of L'Artisan Parfumeur

Beautorium 15% Discount Sale

Another great sale! For one week, Beautorium.com is offering a 15% discount on all full-priced items. Use code FALLSAVINGS at checkout.

If you are a natural and organic products fan, this is your sale! I'll be stocking up on my favorite John Masters Organics, ordering more Korres Materia Herba, and trying Revolution Organics for the first time. The Revolution products are new to Beautorium. I have to try the Beauty Balm ($34), but I may need help choosing between Blushed and Bronzed.

Beautorium has lots of special offers. It's a good time to check out the Marina Cosmetics lip products reviewed last week at Best Things in Beauty.

Happy Shopping!

Photo courtesy of Beautorium

Urban Decay Friends and Family 30% Discount

If you want to buy beauty products, there's never been a better time! Urban Decay is having Friends & Family from November 9th through 20th. Use code FNFW1 at checkout and click on "Redeem Coupon."

I highly recommend Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencils ($17 before discount). Created with 50% moisturizing ingredients suspended in a sophisticated waterproof formula, 24/7 eye pencils offer long-lasting color and a creamy feel when applied. With jojoba oil, vitamin E, and cottonseed oil, they really do glide right on. There are 19 color choices, so you can get an everyday color and an extra fun color for a very small investment. Or splurge and buy a set. Check out the Super Stash ($36 before discount). There are four shades exclusive to the set: Corrupt (brown sparkle), Binge (navy – finally!), Eldorado (a new gold), and Oil Slick (black sparkle). I need Super Stash for the navy liner, and I plan to order a few extra sets to have on hand for Christmas presents.

This is also the time to stock up on their Eyeshadow Primer Potion ($17 before discount), one of the best on the market. Available in the Original nude or the newer Sin (which I use as a shadow), there's a shade for most skin tones.

Three are legions of Urban Decay eye shadow fans. Their Book of Shadows Volume II is $48 before the discount and has 16 shadows - some best sellers and some new. It's fun and a good value.

Urban Decay offers a “Love It or Leave It” guarantee. If you don’t love their products for any reason, you can return your purchase within 45 days of the order date and get a refund of the full price. Take a chance on something new!

Photo courtesy of Urban Decay

06130 Lierre Rose and an Art with Flowers Event

The zip code for Grasse is 06130, the brand name of one of the most enchanting fragrances I wear. Grasse is a picturesque town in France that became the world capital of perfume during the 17th century and remains a world center of perfume creativity and production today.

My favorite fragrance from 06130, Lierre Rose ($125), is one of those fragrances you want to dive into. Master Perfumer Jacques Chabert set out to create a floral perfume of unparalleled quality using rare and costly natural absolutes, essential oils, and concretes (a result of fragrance extraction). I think he succeeded.

"Lierre," of course, is ivy, so the translation of Lierre Rose is Ivy Rose. While I don't think ivy is in the fragrance, there are green notes. The top notes are Indian tuberose concrete, rose, cypress, Guatemalan cardamom, Madagascar ylang ylang, violet absolute from Grasse, and neroli. Jasmine petals, tuberose, rose, ylang ylang, and violet are its heart. The bottom notes are Haitian vetiver oil, tuberose, rose, sandalwood, and Indian tuberose concrete. This symphony adds up to one of the most delectable fragrances I wear. When you first spray it, you smell roses. Then, almost immediately, it blooms into something much more complex - a true bouquet with a touch of powder on the side.

Lierre Rose is feminine and elegant. Its elegance reminds me of Joy in a sense. It's lighter, though; the green notes make it a more diverse garden. It's intoxicating, and it has serious staying power. A few sprays in the morning, and I can still smell it on myself 12 hours later. I love that!

Here's what LuckyScent has to say about Lierre Rose.

A luminous green rose unfolds in Lierre Rose, a composition that combines the honeyed allure of roses with crisp ivy leaves. The floral melange of tuberose, rose, and ylang ylang is lit up by the warmth of cardamon. The radiance of neroli lifts up the richness of roses, and woven trough the composition is a verdant accord. Lierre Rose is a bouquet masterpiece of fragrant flowers, and you'll become a faithful 06130 follower once you experience this creation by perfumer Jacques Chabert.

They got that right! I have become a 06130 devotee. If you like floral fragrances, you should look for this one. Can you tell I love it?

You can purchase Lierre Rose and other 06130 fragrances at LuckyScent or Beautyhabit. I also found Lierre Rose for $110 at the Perfume Shop online.

Party Alert!
If you are interested in 06130 fragrances, Best Things in Beauty can save you some money - while you are having fun. If you live anywhere near Northern Virginia, you might want to consider shopping at Art with Flowers in the Tysons Galleria. They carry 06130 and countless other unique, hard-to-find fragrances. This coming Sunday, November 15, from noon to 6:00 pm, Art with Flowers is having a Fall Festival. Local perfumers and jewelry designers will be featured. Join the party, and you will save 5% on all purchases by mentioning Best Things in Beauty when you pull out that credit card. You'll have fun too. Art with Flowers has fabulous parties!

Photo courtesy of LuckyScent

Trish McEvoy's New Lip Colors

Trish McEvoy has three new lip colors in her Gorgeous Lip Color Collection. My favorite by far is Gorgeous Blackberry ($25.00), shown here. It appears dark in the tube, but is a beautifully transparent mauve-berry lipstick that will work with most skin tones. The other two colors are Gorgeous Violet, a blue-pink, and Gorgeous Red, a wearable red - not too flashy. The violet and red shades are quite pigmented, and to my eye, the lighter shade, Gorgeous Violet, is more pigmented than Gorgeous Red.

Trish McEvoy describes these lipsticks as adjustable shades. I didn't experience that. They are what they are. Nicely conditioning lip shades - at least one color for every preference.

The blackberry shade is a nice addition to my Trish McEvoy Glaze Lip Colors ($22). Among my all-time favorite lipsticks is Sparkling Plum, a moisturizing, shimmering plum in the same color family as Gorgeous Blackberry. There may be a theme here!

I found the new lipsticks at Neiman Marcus. You can purchase them there, online at Trish McEvoy's Web site, and at Saks, Nordstrom, and other department stores.

Photo courtesy of Trish McEvoy

Sisley's Facial Mask with Linden Blossom

I love masks, and Sisley has one that's perfect for my sensitive skin. Facial Mask with Linden Blossom ($115) is an exceptionally gentle, creamy mask that will soothe, relax, and cleanse even the most sensitive skins. The mask, left on for 20 minutes, leaves my skin smooth, radiant, toned, and squeaky clean without the squeak! Even though you apply it to clean skin, it seems to lift out any stubborn "impurities" that occasionally make your face look dull.

The ingredients in the mask include a non-drying clay and a complex of essential botanical oils. Linden Blossom, the active ingredient, is an old-time holistic remedy for insomnia, heart disease, stress, headaches, and other ailments. For the skin, Linden Blossom is known for its soothing and draining effect on the skin. It has been used as a facial tonic or added to aqueous creams for hypersensitive skin. It relaxes and refreshes the skin, and I'm sure that's why Sisley made it the prime ingredient in this mask.

Once you rinse off the mask with lukewarm water, you should follow with Floral Toning Lotion if your skin is dry and/or sensitive or Grapefruit Toning Lotion if your skin is combo or oily. Then, if you have used the mask before bed, it's time for your skin care routine. When I follow with Supremya La Nuit, Sisley's newest anti-aging night cream, my skin thanks me. (See the September Best Things in Beauty posting on Supremya.) It's 4:44 am, I did the mask and applied Supremya last night, and my skin looks pretty darn good.

You can purchase Sisley products, including all of their fabulous masks, at Neiman Marcus, Saks, Nordstrom.com, and online. While this mask is pricey, it will last a year when used once or twice a week.

Photo courtesy of Neiman Marcus

Fragrance Overdose

Why do so many companies put fragrance where it doesn't belong? One could leave the house in the morning with fragranced deodorant, moisturizer, blusher, foundation, lipstick, lip gloss, finishing powder, hair products, you name it - a cacophony of smells that, added to the perfume you have actually selected, makes you toxic to yourself and others. (I do distinguish flavor in lip products from fragrance.)

Why do companies add fragrance to products that aren't actual fragrances (in my mind fragrances include perfume in all of its forms and fragranced body lotion, etc.)? In some cases, it's to mask unpleasant odors from the ingredients, and, the resulting fragrance can be subtle or strong. In other cases, the fragrance added is a "signature" scent. I remember when Givenchy started adding one of their latest perfumes to their Prisme products, which I had loved. No amount of "airing out" (leaving the Prisme lid up for a week, two weeks, longer) would make that perfume dissipate. Ruined Prisme for me!

These excuses don't work for perfume in deodorant, which is easily formulated without fragrance. Aren't we wearing deodorant to prevent odors? It's clear to me that most women prefer fragrance-free deodorant because the "unscented" ones - no matter what the brand - are often sold out at the drugstore, particularly at sale time, leaving you with a choice of "shower fresh," "rose petals," or "herbal essence." In order to get my preferred unscented brand, marketed for sensitive skin, I usually order in quantity from Drugstore.com.

Don't even get me going on scent strips in magazines, a slightly different topic. I often rip them out before I leave the store and then air out the magazines on my screened porch for a few days before I can read them. Fortunately, I learned that it's possible to order fragrance-free subscriptions. Before its recent demise, I had to call Gourmet and ask them to stop sending their monthly mouth-watering issues with cheap perfume scent strips. I couldn't smell the imaginary gravy over the real advertisements.

Hooray for the latest natural and organic products, clearly labeled fragrance-free! Hooray for the beauty companies that realize we don't need perfume in lipstick, blusher, or foundation! Each year, we have more choices, and with those choices, I'll choose to let my perfume take center stage - without competition.

I don't think my aversion to fragrance overdose is unique. Anyone care to join me in this rant?

Nordstrom's Exclusive Makeup Gifts for the Holidays

While cruising through the beauty department at Nordstrom Saturday, I saw two fabulous gift sets. The Ten-piece Makeup Brush Set, very reasonably priced at $29.50, jumped right into my hands. I haven't decided who the lucky recipient will be. Sometimes I buy gifts I would love to have and figure out who gets what later.

The 10 brushes, surrounded by a metallic reptile-embossed fabric cylinder case, are compact enough to pack, yet too luxe to hide. Each brush has a sleek silver handle and elegant black barrel. The following brushes are included in the set: lip brush, powder brush, angled cheek brush, lid-coloring brush, shadow smudge brush, blending brush, crease-defining brush, angled liner brush, concealer brush, and eyebrow brush - all useful.

The Nordstrom Holiday Blockbuster Palette ($29.50) is a eye shadow lover's dream. The set has 144 eye shadows and 12 warm-toned blush colors. I don't remember seeing a similar palette at Nordstrom last year. It's much like the Sephora and Ulta palettes that provide a wardrobe of color for a very reasonable price. I think I have to go back and get this one for a young lady I know.

If you are looking for beauty gifts, you can purchase these in Nordstrom stores or at Nordstrom.com.

Photos courtesy of Nordstrom

Armani Beauty ArmaniSilk Lipstick for Holiday 2009

At long last - a professional photo to show you the beautiful presentation of Giorgio Armani Beauty's new limited-edition ArmaniSilk Lipstick ($38) for the holiday season.

This special lipstick is dressed in a refined Art Deco black lacquered case decorated with Swarovski crystals, like the holiday eye and cheek palette. It is protected by a velvet-like slip case with "Giorgio Armani" on it. So classy!

Available in two shades in this fancy-dress case, the lipstick is a highly pigmented cream lipstick. If you are familiar with ArmaniSilk lipstick, then you know that it's an exceptional blend of Armani's Micro Silk Powders that creates a creamy feel on the lips as it leaves sensational color. ArmaniSilk is available in about 22 stock colors.

The limited-edition bright red shade shown here (#95) is the color of the holiday season. I purchased the other shade (#94). I am not comfortable in red lipstick, and Thursday, even Fran agreed that red is not my shade. Makeup artists love red lipstick, so you can be sure red is not my color. However, if you wear red lipstick, this should be on your must-have list because it's such a pure red. The #94 I purchased is better for my coloring. A beige-toned nude, #94 has a bit of shine and is the perfect complement to a dramatic eye for evening. It's also a great everyday lip color.

If you want a dazzling lipstick for your holiday evening bag or vanity, or a stunner to pull out of your purse for touch-ups, this is it! You can find it as Saks Fifth Avenue stores with Armani counters, Nordstrom.com, or wherever you purchase Armani Beauty.

Photo courtesy of Nordstrom