I continue to enjoy the crepe myrtles. This one in my garden delights me with its abundant blooms.
This week I attended a Fall Trends Preview at Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie. PR challenged two teams to create a winning look, using the "it" list for fall. Each team took off, model in tow, to comb the store, pulling items to create a gorgeous look. While they worked, I spent my time in two places: the bar and the shoe department. When we reconvened, the teams presented their looks, and we voted for our favorite.
Our bartender, a sweetie who often works the trend parties at the store, kept the champagne flowing freely. Champagne makes every Neiman Marcus party more fun! The shoe shopping was an indulgence. I came home with the dark green velvet "smoking slippers" shown in the center of the photo below.
Both teams created stunning looks for their statuesque models. I thought it was a hard choice to make when it was time to vote.
The winning look, as selected by the attendees, was the look on the left. The super-thin, luxurious leather, zip-up "shirt" or jacket in blue was one of those "to-die-for" pieces. The brooch she wore at the collar of her white shirt set off the blue look perfectly. I left the store before I succumbed to the overwhelming temptation to buy the leather shirt. Just click on the photo to enlarge it and get a better look.
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.
This week, we have two giveaway contests, and I'm amazed that only 12 people have entered to win
AVEENO's gardening gift - so far. While everyone isn't a gardener, I'll bet everyone knows someone who is. Wouldn't this set make a nice gift? Naturally, there's much interest in Chantecaille's
Poudre de Perle in Akoya Pearl. If you'd like a chance to win either, make sure to enter by midnight tomorrow, Saturday, August 18. I'll announce the winners Sunday morning, after tallying the entries and checking with random.org.
Happy weekend!
Update 8/18: See that fabulous blue leather "shirt" on the model? I couldn't resist and purchased it today. It was haunting me. Now I need to find out where in the store I can buy that wonderful white shirt.
Photos by Best Things in Beauty
I have recently fallen win love with Omorovicza skin care. I generously received a number of samples from the Neiman Marcus in Las Vegas. All of the producst I have tried have been wonderful. It has not aggravated by sensitive, acne prone skin and my whole complexion looks brighter and clearer. I highly recommend the gold serum and the BB cream
ReplyDeleteGood morning Charlestongirl! I recently tried Trish McEvoy's Black Rose Oud-WOW! It actually reminded me a little of the original Fendi perfume. Very intense and unique. The sales advisor told me "either people love it or they hate it.". I happen to be one who loved it and just had to have it. Enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeleteCG (and anyone else "d'un certain âge"), do you have any suggestions for applying eyeshadow/eye makeup to drooping eyelids/eyebrows? I'm asking on behalf of my mother, who would like to "brighten" her eyes. Unsurprisingly, what works on me doesn't translate so well to her. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!
ReplyDeleteOne beauty treat looks promising.
ReplyDeleteHello CG!
Just started using Ellis Faas concealer after a disppointing and fast fading use of the Cle de Peau one. Hoping this one works out.
Trish McEvoy's beautiful fan brush is a bit mysterious to use in applying a very pigmented blush. I'm going to keep practicing.
Have my eye on a few new things to try: the new Giorgio Armani Maestro Fusion foundation which I believe will be available in a few weeks. Burberry eyeshadow in Mulberry which I plan on swatching at the counter in a few days.
Love your garden pics!! So summery.
Good morning Charlestongirl and a happy TGIF to you and everyone. I got back from vacation this week and have been catching up with some of my favorite reads. Your posts have been filled with such gorgeousness, Charlestongirl! But, I'm being good. I'm holding off on cosmetic purchases until Neiman's beauty event--or at least that's my goal :-) Actually, that's pretty easy to do as it's hard to get excited by makeup during the dog days of summer. August is always a hot month here in So Cal and, for the most part, I go into effortless mode.
ReplyDeleteI was so pleased to read that you had sampled Tatcha. It's been getting some great and well-deserved buzz in the beauty community. Anyone who is interested should definitely order off of their website. There is no shipping charge, they accept returns, you can select three samples, the presentaion is beautifully thought out and executed and the service is incrediably fast. Even though I selected the free shipping option, my products arrived within two days all three times that I ordered. As for the products themselves, my skin thinks they're awesome :-) For those of you who are concerned that Japanese skin care might not be suited to you or that returns might be a problem, although the products themselves are manufactured in Japan, Victoria Tsai is an American and her company is based in her hometown of San Francisco. You go Vicky!
I've noticed so many new foundations on the horizon--Guerlain, Armani, YSL--and they all seem to be luminous in effect. I'll be interested in seeing how they look when they arrive on counter. The search for the perfect foundation is a quest that seems to have us all chasing our tails! LOL
Have a great weekend, everyone. Keep cool.
Hello Charlestongirl and everyone!
ReplyDeleteIt has been a crazy week for me, so this post will be short. I tried the new liquid eyeliner from NARS, and absolutely love it. I like it a lot better than Lancome's Artliner, which I was using before. I find this easier to control, and the tip is a lot less floppy. Sometimes the Artliner was a little too flexible for me. And the color is saturated and does not budge. Two thumbs up!
I tried Lancome's Doll Eyes mascara and hated it. I have never had a mascara flake so badly. I usually love Lancome's mascaras, and this was a big disappointment. Luckuly, it was my sister's mascara, so I didn't actually purchase it.
I also purchased NARS' Larger Than Life lipgloss in Born This Way, a milky lilac color. I like the formula very much, and the color as well.
I also picked up a MAC eyeshadow in Soba, which is a soft brown, with a good bit of tan. It's a very nice neutral color, and I have been using it to lighten up a smoky eye a bit.
I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!
Eileen, welcome back! We missed you!
Kate
Hi Anahita!
ReplyDeleteI've heard good things about that line. Glad it works for you. :)
I have that, Annie! I'm not a big oud fan, but I love Trish's. Nice choice!
ReplyDeleteMay, suggest she try the Edward Bess Luminizing Eye Primer and be careful with shadows to keep them away from the areas of crepiness.
ReplyDeleteJane, it is scheduled to launch on September 1. It is, according to Tim Quinn, perfect for me. Instead of oil-free, it's water-free. I can't wait either!
ReplyDeleteEileen, I am LOVING TATCHA!
ReplyDeleteThe new YSL foundation is made for those who want a dewy look. I have it and like it. Must report on it.
The new Armani is the one I'm already coveting. :)
Hi Kate! Isn't that NARS liner the cat's meow?
ReplyDeleteI think Lancôme has reached mascara saturation and is just feeding the machine now.
We did miss Eileen. I wondered where she had gone. :)
Hi Charlestongirl! I have had a semi-relaxing week off from work (personal work never ends though!). I got to participate in Beauty Editors' Day at Saks yesterday and had a very good time. The beauty editor at Marie Claire was very sweet and looks about 18 years old. lol
ReplyDeleteMy company of choice was Guerlain and the associate who worked on me did an amazing job on my eyes, I was stunned. I was so delighted that I walked out with the mascara, the new fall quad - Les Fauves, the new blush #03 over rose and the new extrait #69 Orgueil. I didn't realize Orgueil meant pride, but as I do suffer from a touch of that deadly sin it was apropos. ;-) I believe I will go back for the Precious Light concealer and the Terracotta spray. I had never tried that before and it did give me a glow that matches what I would look like if I did spend some time in the sun. I tried the light shade which is ideal for me. I'd say of all the companies' bronzers that I've tried, Guerlain makes the best match for my skin.
I had to leave though, I was eying the Tom Ford counter across from me and Armani and Burberry further up and I knew I'd blow my budget if I sat there any longer. I saw a sample bottle of the Muguet 2012 and I was tempted to take a sniff but that would have lead to more budget problems! ha haha next time I will definitely have their perfumier work with me to find my fragrance. That's my adventure of the week for a good cause.
Have a great weekend!
Hi Evelyn,
ReplyDeleteI hate to tell you, but Muguet is to die for. Yes, it's pricey beyond belief, but ahh...
Guerlain bronzers are among the very best. Don't you think? There's one for everyone. Even pale faces like me can use them without looking orange or worse.
Hope you enjoy the weekend! I'll be loving my new Tom Ford fragrances.
Hi Charlestongirl; Hi Kate,
ReplyDeleteIt is good to be back. I missed all my sisters-in-beauty :-) Vacation was great--a few days in Paris, a week visiting family in Brittany, and two weeks in London taking in some of the Olympics with friends. And not a single beauty purchase--gasp! LOL As far as beauty goes, I traveled light. I took a mascara, foundation, and liner, along with Edward Bess palettes in Back to Basics and Berry Chic. Between those two, I had absolutely everything I needed for a variety of day and evening looks. After all, who has time to obsess about makeup when living out of a suitcase?
Hi May,
If your mom's eyes are becoming hooded in addition to having the usual crepeiness and wrinkles associated with getting older, she should stick to soft satin, satin-matte, and matte shadows. Charlestongirl's recommendation of a luminous eye base is excellent and Edward Bess makes a lovely one. In general, for hooded eyes your mom can place a bit of highlighter under the arch of her brow and blend it out in both directions. Then, she can sweep a neutral midtoned shadow onto the lid from lashline to just above where her natural crease would be (orbital bone); blending it out as she moves upward. This will give the illusion of having a bit of contour without anything harsh or artficial looking. Waterproof liner and mascara will probably be her new best friends, but she should avoid lining her waterline or lining all around her eyes as that will make them look smaller. If she likes lining under her eyes (I do), I'd suggest she try using her midtoned shadow under her bottom lashes but only on the outer third and blend it subtly up into the crease color. There are lots of great tutorials on-line and in books which cover mature eyes and which offer lots of practical suggestions. If she can have her makeup done be a really good artist from one of the lines that caters to us older gals ;-), she can explain what she wants and get some suggestions. Guerlain always comes to mind because their target demographic is the 40+ woman of substance.
Hi Eileen, and thanks so much for the lovely, detailed tips! My mother almost never wears make-up, so she relies on me to do her make-up for her, but since I don't have her skin (not yet, anyway, but at least this reminds me to slather on the sunscreen; my mother barely wore sunscreen in her younger years and now the repercussions are all catching up with her), I am clueless as to how to work around her particular skin concerns.
ReplyDeleteThat is interesting information regarding Guerlain's target demographic - I hadn't known! Serendipitously, our favorite Nordstrom SA works the Guerlain counter. I'll have to ask her to do my mother's eyes when next we see her. :)
Hi May,
ReplyDeleteDefinitely pick the brain of your Guerlain gal. She's undoubtedly accustomed to applying makeup on older women. Just let her know you're there to learn the best shadow placement for your mom--something classic, yet modern. You can also ask her if Marcus Monzon or Charles (Chuck) Hezekieh will be coming any time soon. They've both done excellent looks on me (I'm 68) and actually instructed me as to how they were applying things. I also watched a bit as Chuck did the makeup on a woman who fessed up to being in her eighties. She looked lovely!
There's no reason why older gals can't have fun and rock the trends--within reason :-) It's just a matter of understanding our features and being realistic about what will and won't work. I hope you and your mom have fun discovering her beauty!
Hi Everyone! With charleston's heat and humidity my Chanel Perfection lumiere has been perfect for summer and my combination skin. I've been trying Dior's BB creams, both are vastly different in color and wearability. I find that Hydralife is my favorite but the color is quite yellow based. While Diorsnow is a better suited color (it's more neutral and a bit lighter), it doesn't wear as well and transfers noticeably.
ReplyDeleteA great trick for maturing eyes is to place your crease brush slightly above your natural crease center to your iris. It's a great starting point for those who need some tips for their own application. Chanel's Dunes quad is perfect for a neutral satin/matte look and use eyeshadow as liner it creates a softer line ( liner can sometimes emphasize crepiness just wet a darker eyeshadow for liner). My mother too never wears makeup except for mascara and spf, take a look at Guerlain's Terracotta Skin Healthy Glow foundation is light and natural.
Love the blue leather "shirt" and the smoking
slippers!
Heather
Y'all know that "experts" recommend women with sagging eyes skip eye color and concentrate on another feature. Sometimes, that's good advice.
ReplyDeleteI agree that applying color to the outer half of the lid avoids that drat inner crepiness. I think colored liners can replace eye shadow. There are a lot of tricks, but everyone is different. Mom really should get a trusted pro's help. Unfortunately, many traveling artists have no real talent. Make sure she sees one who understands the challenges of age.
BTW, she sounds like a perfect candidate for an eye lift. It could change her life!