Look at the beautiful "mail" I received from Paris last week! Because I'm a member of the Kilian Club on Facebook, I received this beautiful sample of By Kilian's new Amber Oud fragrance. There are very few oud fragrances I really like. Amber Oud quickly joined the short list. You can receive occasional gifties too. Just go to By Kilian's Facebook page and click on the Kilian Club on the left. You'll be glad you did.There is so much going on in beauty land! The Barneys New York gift bag event led right into the Neiman Marcus Beauty Event. I was disappointed in my gift bag from Barneys. It did not have two of the items in it that made it attractive to me: a Sunday Riley lip gloss and a sample of the new NARS tinted moisturizer. Those switcheroos can turn a lovely experience into a disappointment. I made sure I ordered "enough" to get the gift bag. When my package arrived, I was surprised and disappointed to see the bag's contents. While the Barneys contents I received were better than most beauty gift bags, they weren't what I anticipated - or felt I "bought." This same thing has happened to customers at other stores. No one ever seems to correctly anticipate demand. Neiman Marcus has run out of bags entirely in the past. Hopefully, they planned better for this Beauty Event. Now you know why I warned you to shop early.
I have the gold Neiman Marcus tote, a gift from Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie, and love it. You'll have to decide for yourself whether the tote and the samples within it are worth a $100 purchase you might not have made. As I've already mentioned, the price for admission for the brand gifts with purchase is, with few exceptions, very high. One GWP that is worth a purchase, in my opinion, is Le Métier de Beauté's. Another I wanted (and secured) is Chantecaille's. Will you be shopping Beauty Event?
I've got many new treasures to show you - already here and on the way. I have many new-to-me Sunday Riley goodies, NARS colors that are overdue-for-BTiB-coverage, fabulous new brow coloring from Xtreme Lashes, Givenchy and Shiseido from Sephora, new Chantecaille - so many things and so little time to write lately. I hope you'll understand when I get backed up. I want you to know more about VENeffect Skin Care, and I absolutely must introduce you to two new Natura Bissé miracles for spring: Tolerance Enzyme Peel (a two-minute exfoliating treatment), developed specifically for sensitive skin, and Eye Recovery Balm. Stay tuned.
The Oscars will be awarded Sunday night. I'll be watching - at least until I have to hit the snooze button. I enjoy the red carpet far more than the ceremony itself, so I'll be fashion and beauty watching - and commenting on Twitter. If there are any standouts (good or horrific), I'm sure I'll be featuring them here.There are several funny beauty counter parodies on YouTube. My Facebook friends featured them this week. My favorite can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5kTGJbtA70. Just copy the link into your search box and click return for a few minutes of entertainment.
It's time for The Friday Forum, our open chat. What new products did you discover this week? Did you find any deals you couldn't resist? Are you using a fabulous product and want to sing its praises? Did you find a beauty product disappointing? Do you have a question others might be able to answer? Want to talk about skin care? What's new in your life? Just use the comments. Don't be shy. Just make sure to ask any question you might have over the weekend. By early the next week, most (not all) readers will have moved on.
I have two giveaway contests underway. Both end tomorrow, February 25, at midnight. You can enter to win Bobbi Brown's Sandstone Shimmer Brick Compact at this link, and Giorgio Armani Beauty's Regenessence [3.R] Youth Regenerator at this link. I know that some of you who have entered six, eight, fifteen times have never won. Random.org selects the winners, not me. Keep entering! Eventually, your day will come.
If you like contests, check out the Neiman Marcus Tweetstakes. All you have to do to enter to win an amazing set of products, worth over $2,000 is follow @NeimanMarcus at Twitter and Tweet about the company (during Beauty Event, until March 5) with the hashtag "#NMBeautyEvent." Easy, right? I entered.
Photo by Best Things in Beauty
I purchased LMDB "Corinthian" and the "Northern Lights " (unseen...yikes),and ended up with the yellow bag. I LOVE the gwp!
ReplyDeleteI will probably be back for more stuff once I go through my old stuff this weekend.
Hi Anonymous!
ReplyDeleteYou mean you pre-ordered Northern Lights? I'm sure you will love it.
Did you pick the yellow bag? It's right on trend! You'll be very fashionable.
I suspect I'll make multiple trips over to NM Mazza. Already have a few things bought and need to pick them up.
I recently received a GWP that I thought was quite nice. From Armani, I got a makeup bag which is large so that's good, and it came with a mini of Pierre de Lune (also good), mascara, and an eye cream. Not bad, eh?
ReplyDeleteI can't believe all the love that Amber Oud is getting. I'll definitely have to try it.
This week I went to Guerlain and they tried that Bois de Rose on me. NIGHTMARE. They also tried that pinky thing quad, part of the Spring 2012 collection. BIGGER nightmare. I only purchased the mascara. However, while at Holt's, I did buy the gorgeous Frederic Malle l'Eau d'Hiver body lotion. It's silky, heavenly and smells exactly like the edp. Have you tried that fragrance? Lovely, soft and slightly heliotropy-almondy....sigh.
Next week, going back to Armani. I'll need another waterproof pencil as it's become a HG item. I'm also going to try that pastel palette on my eyes, despite what the last MA said ;-)
Have a great weekend!!
Hi Everyone!
ReplyDeleteSpring has officially sprung in my neck of the woods (Pensacola). It's 76 right now and I have blooms and buds all over the place. Just praying we don't get a hard freeze.
I tried Nutra-Nail's Gel Perfect a couple of weeks ago and was very disappointed. The concept is good...the performance is awful. My nails were peeling after one day and for some reason, they began to split badly after about a week and now instead of my usual nice nails, I have nubbins.
I am in love with Jouer's Body Butter and Oil! Such a soft fragrance of Jasmine, Honeysuckle and Gardenia. And, their Customer Service is the best I've ever experienced.
Got the new Vogue magazine (or should I say book) this week. Was thrilled to see Susan Sarandon grace many of its' pages. She's one of my favorites. I think she brought so much realism to the magazine...a rose among the poor stick-skinny on purpose models.
The weather here has been absolutely gorgeous this week. The temps are in the high 70's and the sun is dazzling in a bright blue sky. That means spring has sprung here in SoCali, so I've been thoroughly enjoying my spring collections.
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not, Guerlain has already started showing promos of their Terracotta 2012 collection and some of the European blogs have even posted swatches. It's an interesting collection called Terra Azzurra and is a collaboration with Emilio Pucci. The inspiration is a print from his archives called Winter Capri. I think the two items that will sell our will be the Terra Azzurra hybrid bronzer/blusher and the Golden Glimmer powder. They're both knockouts! For those of us who like to glow during the summer, the collection has some beautiful and collectable items. Anyway, I think the release will be in May which I think is the ideal time for summer collections to come out. I wonder when we'll be seeing peeks of some of the other collections.
Well, I have a busy day in the garden ahead of me, so I'd best get to it. I have a bit of clean up to do before everything starts blooming. Have a wonderful and restful weekend, everyone.
Hi Charlestongirl!
ReplyDeleteAfter last week's absence from the FF, it's good to be back. How dare my job get in the way of my beauty blog commenting! Lol!
Well, if there was anyone who was going to make me try a bold red lip, it was Tom Ford. For a while, I have been intrigued by the look of orange-red lipstick. I had read some article claiming that this color was flattering on most people. I wanted something bright and punchy to light up my face. I toyed with several shades from several brands, including YSL's Rouge Pur Couture in #13, NARS' Heatwave and MAC's Lady Danger. In the end, Tom Ford's Wild Ginger won out, largely because I already knew I loved TF's lipstick formula. The color arrive yesterday, and it is goreous. Bright, but not neon, and it is the perfect orange-red lipstick. I love it and it really gave me that pop of color I wanted. I have blonde hair, green eyes and light skin, and I think it looks good.
Along with the TF lipstick, I got YSL's Cream Liner in Cherry Black (or Black Burgandy, according to Nordstrom's website). The formula of this gel/cream liner is wonderful, and the color is lovely. Although, I would describe this color as deep purple/black. Purple shades look good with my green eyes, and this liner is dark enough that I can use it with most looks. The purple hue provides that pop of color that makes it different than pure black. However, I plan to pick up the black shade soon, as I really like how this liner applies.
I am really, really loving my Koh Gen Do prodocuts that I picked up a few weeks ago. The Moisture Foundation looks so natural. It really provides that "natural" finish that so many products claim to give. It honestly looks like my skin, while provising enough coverage for my imperfections. Also, the Natural Light loose powder is wonderful. It does not have a white cast, and the shimmer is very subtle. After applying it, everything looks polished, but not flat or matte. I am really impressed with these products.
Has anyone tried the Noir G mascara by Guerlain? I am intrigued by it and am thinking about picking it up.
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
Kate
Hi Kate,
ReplyDeleteI've been wearing the Noir G Mascara and love it. It has an intense black pigment which works well for me because I have black lashes and brows. I usually use one coat which is plenty to play up my long lashes. The wand separates the lashes for a natural, feathery look and the mascara itself gives a bit of length, volume, and lift--nothing dramatic, mind you, but perfect for day wear. For evening, I apply a second coat and then I get that false eyelash look. The mascara lasts all day without flaking, smudging, or migrating, and the lashes never feel stiff or hard. And, at the end of the day, it removes easily without rubbing or scrubbing. Supposedly, Noir G has conditioning benefits, but my lashes were already in good condition so I haven't noticed any change.
Bonus points: The refill is very reasonably priced for a high end brand.
Thank you so much, Eileen! Based on your ringing endorsement, I will definitely try it. You have been spot on about everything else you mentioned that I tried.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
Kate
Hi Lovethescents!
ReplyDeleteEveryone was busy here while I was at work. :)
I love useful GWPs! I also love everything Malle.
I think Amber Oud is getting lots of love because it's mild and as light as an amber and oud fragrance can be. It's soft.
Pam, we had two days here in the DC area where the temps pushed 70! It's been amazing. They are saying one of the four mildest winters we've ever had.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of Nutra-Nail's Gel Perfect, but it sounds horrendous. Thanks for the warning!
Hi Eileen!
ReplyDeleteEnvious! Is it ever yukky in SoCal? :)
I anticipate buying Guerlain summer heavily. It's such an exciting line - even if they do put out an albino bunny shadow now and then.
Happy weekend!
Hi Kate,
ReplyDeleteI have a sample of Noir G, but I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't tried it yet.
Aren't those YSL liners wonderful! I have the cherry color and love it. Fortunately, it works with my skin and eyes too.
All of you have me lusting for more TF makeup, and I'm intrigued by the Koh Gen Do products too. Glad we don't have sources. I'd be even more broke than I am. :)
Aren't you brave, with orange-red lipstick! Wow!
Hi Charlston Girl,
ReplyDeleteThough I always read your blog I have never commented before. I did get the gift bag from Barney's in Chicago. It had the Sunday Riley lip gloss and a very small sample of the Nars tinted mosterizer. I don't like or use lip gloss and the Nars sample is so small I wouldn't miss it. II would be glad to pass both on to you, if you would like. Let me know
That's so sweet, Denise! Give the gloss to a friend (who will love you for it). I've reserved a tinted moisturizer at Nordies - hope to pick it up this weekend.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much! You ought to give that gloss a try over your fave lipstick. :)
I too did not expect the deep, deep disappointment in Barneys gift bag. I never received mine. The seemingly uncomfortable sa has never returned my calls or e-mails.
ReplyDeleteMy fab find this week was Tom Ford eye quad in sahara haze, thanks to you!
I tried the Killian perfumed and sadly it nearly made me ill....it came on so strong and remined me of tobacco(DON'T SMOKE)maybe if I get up the nerve I will try it again.
ReplyDeleteJudith,
ReplyDeleteWhen I called to order my products (on the last day of three), the Barneys folks told me they had to "hunt" for the bag for me. Poor planning, don't you think?
Glad you like Sahara Haze!
Yikes, Serena!
ReplyDeleteIt's not the fragrance for you. If you didn't like it on first whiff, it's not going to get better.
That's the wonderful thing about fragrance. There are types for everyone and every taste. Have you tried the Jo Malone London Blooms Collection? Or Valentina? Very different from Amber Oud.
I should've know by the deep color... I am a Gardenia fragrance lover so true it was way off my scent base. You never know till you try. I too am a terracotta lover and will be buying there new products in May.
ReplyDeleteHi Charlestongirl,
ReplyDeleteI discovered your blog last weekend, and I think I spent all Saturday reading it! I "subscribed" right away so that I get email notifications when you update.
I'm over here near the Blue Ridge Mountains. We've had a couple of warm days, but as I type this just after 6pm, it's cooled off, and the wind is blowing.
I'm a Chanel addict, and my last purchase was from the limited Knightsbridge collection. I bought the Hyde Park Rouge Allure lipstick, and I love it! Not really a coral and not really a pink--somewhere in between the two. Lovely.
From the same collection, I also purchased the Brompton Road Poudre Tissee. This blush is gorgeous. I feel so pretty when I wear it.
Bye for now.
Rosemary
Hi Rosemary! Hi Neighbor!
ReplyDeleteThat wind is predicted to hit here tonight - soon. They say 30-40 mph. The weather guy on Channel 4 just told us it would be a bad hair night. I thought that was cute, coming from a guy.
Glad you are a Chanel addict. You've joined an "exclusive" club here. :)
Thank you for the subscription!
Sirena, you MUST find a way to get JO LOVES, a fragrance currently available only in the UK. Jo Malone started her second company, and the Gardenia fragrance in the JO LOVES line is extraordinary. I love it!
ReplyDeleteGot any friends in England?
I agree about the Neiman Marcus Le Metier de Beaute gwp being worthy. I picked up the last Penelope kaleidoscope and Corinthian eye shadow at my local NM. The yellow bag was so vibrant and smooth out of the three colors.
ReplyDeleteI did go online later to purchase some Lancome items. Their spring vert tendresse palette, makeup remover, and eyeliner. In retrospect, I should have ordered their new pink nail polish instead of the eye makeup remover. I added the pink NM bag with this order.
I have been ever searching for the perfect foundation- this week my order for Lmdb foundation arrived. Sadly, #1 was a tad light and #3 much too dark (I was told that #2 would be too pink?) I finally came to the conclusion this week that perfection lumiere (b10) is as perfect as I can get....though I still want to try Clarins new matte foundation (recommended by Lisa eldridge) and Koh gen do moisture - but how on earth would I figure which shade to order in kgd?! Unless someone out there is also chanel b10/alabastre and happens to know their kgd shade???
ReplyDeleteRight now I am loving lmbd tenne blush, Burberry tangerine blush, I think I really like the gold Armani pencil (though copper didn't work for me, though it really sounded like it should - fair skin, blonde hair, green eyes). I wonder if I should try the Armani white pencil along the inner waterline...suppose it may be too harsh?
I am looking forward to a trip to the Cle de peau counter to check out some of the lovely items you've featured this week- and their blush duo as well.
Have a wonderful weekend!!!
I just purchased le metier de beaute nail polishes in bright pink and orange. The finish is flat and the formula disappointingly thin. Even my husband commented that it looked cheap. The GWP from NM was great, but I will be returning the polish for Chanel Vernis in tentacion.
ReplyDeleteI've lamented before that I was not able to find the right skincare for my changing concerns. I finally found the right one! At, of all places, L'Occitane! I tried a sample of their Brightening Moisture Mask and I was sold. My skin was brighter, dewier and my complexion evened out and calmed!
ReplyDeleteI happily went back to purchase the mask, as well as the Divine face cream, eye cream, toner and exfoliator!
I'm new to your blog, but was just wondering if you have a background in makeup or cosmetology? I am in need of serious professional beauty advice!! I do enjoy your descriptive musings though!!
ReplyDeleteWendy, isn't it fun to get multiple bags? I will be very popular today when I take two to my pals at work.
ReplyDeleteKatie, Loyd Cassler uses that white pencil on my waterline all the time. It looks natural when applied. Takes the red out. It makes my allergy eyes look close to normal! Try it.
ReplyDeleteOh and, Katie, I am loving Rouge Bummy Rouge foundation!
ReplyDeleteJoolz, L'Occitane is a great line. I try not to go in there because I like everything. A trip can be expensive. "I'll take one of everything, please."
ReplyDeleteI don't, Anonymous. I am a psychologist by education and a management consultant by career. The world of beauty is my passion.
ReplyDelete