The Friday Forum - August 15 - Le Métier de Beauté Kaleidoscope Lip Kits

It's hard to believe it's already mid-August, until you remember that the days are growing shorter and the mornings cooler. Today, it's beautiful outside - a morning perfect for hanging out on the screened porch.

I am bracing myself for the inevitable I-wants that will come as the new fall and winter beauty collections hit the counters en masse. Fall turns into an expensive season. Like the rest of you, I am on the prowl for that Tom Ford eye palette, new Chanel, and more to come from Le Métier de Beauté.

During the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, I purchased a hand cream I'm loving: Antica Farmacista's Bergamot & Ocean Aria ($18). It was one of those little extras I often throw into my shopping cart, not a planned purchase. I love it! Built on the allure of the ocean, ozonic saltwater notes blend with jasmine and lavender, while crisp bergamot adds sparkle. Warm notes of oakmoss captivate the lush scent. This beauty needs to be better known, so give it a whiff next time you are at Nordstrom.

Antica's hand creams include luxurious botanicals to nourish and moisturize. Shea butter and vitamin E produce a silky formulation that is restorative and beautifully fragranced. I'm using it so quickly that I'm going to have to purchase another - or maybe one Bergamot & Ocean and another in a different scent. I know I love Ala Moana.

Do you spend much time on Facebook? There is a growing and disgusting trend there - one that Facebook seems disinclined to stop. Haters - aka trolls - are attacking all of the animal rescue and related sites trying to raise money, most often for vet bills and all of the expenses of caring for abused and abandoned animals. They are also going after people down on their luck who are using sites like GoFundMe to try to get help from readers who donate voluntarily. I guess the haters don't believe in charity.

Each week, I am reading anguished posts by good people - no, great people - who are sacrificing their lives to save animals, but are being attacked as frauds by the haters. It must be some kind of game for bullies. Facebook has an anti-bullying policy, but they will do nothing about the trolls. I have reported them. Hundreds of people have reported them, with no results. No wonder there are predictions that Facebook is old school and will be replaced by an as-yet-known competitor. I hope it will be a company with a conscience - one that will realize that words are being used as weapons.

Trolls exist everywhere. That's why most beauty bloggers moderate comments. You would not believe the comments that come in to BTiB for moderation. My friend Gaia gets them too. It's hard to believe that there are so many women who love makeup, a community I would hope, who think nothing of attacking me or my readers. I had to add a notice to the comments page stating that I will not publish comments attacking my readers. It's no surprise that these comments are always anonymous.

I did not write an obituary for Lauren Bacall. I wanted to, but her death came too close on the gut-wrenching news of Robin Williams' suicide. Instead, to remember her, take a close look at this photo and her makeup. What an extraordinary photo of an extraordinary woman! I would love to know what lip color she was wearing. The lipstick, the blush, the eye shadow - everything was perfect. Her makeup enhanced her features. It's a good lesson to remember. That should be why we wear makeup.

It's time for our weekend sharing, the Friday Forum. I love this part of our week. What new products did you discover this week? We have all seen the upcoming Tom Ford collection, so I think we can skip that 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.

Update: I wanted to show you a photo of Le Métier de Beauté's new Gemini Kiss Kaleidoscope Lip Kit ($125). It is exclusive to Neiman Marcus stores. It is much like the V.I.B. program Gemini Rising Kaleidoscope, with the dual pans, one including a reformulated Hydra-Crème Lipstick, and the other side with a Lip Crème Lip Gloss. The colors are intended to be layered.

I was not going to show you Gemini Rising because you couldn't buy it. I did take photos and swatch it this morning. I want to warn you not to leave this Kaleidoscope in your purse in a hot car. I had it outside for photos this morning, and the Lip Crème Lip Glosses turned to mush. This is definitely a keep-indoors product.

The photo directly above is Gemini Rising. It was hard to get all of the colors in my photo without taking the Kaleidoscope apart, and I wasn't up for it. A swatch photo is below, starting at the top level, applied as directed, with the matte shade applied first, topped by the gloss. My photos were taken in full, mid-day sun.

It looks like my Gemini Rising has more pink in it, and that Gemini Kiss has more coral and nude. You never know, though. Press photos can we way off. I'll report back after I see Gemini Kiss in person. If you would like to order one, give Michael Reinhardt at call at (202) 966-9700, extension 2258.

Update #2: You have to read this! 

Happy weekend!

Photos by Best Things in Beauty and courtesy of NBC

Antica Farmacista Hotel Bel-Air Candle

An e-mail must be very special for me to place it here. Today's e-mail from Antica Farmacista was so special, I immediately called my Neiman Marcus sales associate, Kathy, to see if they've received the Hotel Bel-Air Candle ($42).

"Listen" to this.

A breathtaking fragrance that captures the magnificence of the gardens of the Hotel Bel-Air. Bright notes of tart lemon and cassis are accented by delicate floral highlights of jasmine, orange blossom, and lily of the valley. Sparkling water notes blend with the hotel's signature bougainvillea, evoking the lush floral splendor of the Hotel Bel-Air.

Having been to the Hotel Bel-Air and marveled at the glamour of the luscious gardens that have entertained Hollywood royalty, I must have this candle (preferably more than one - what if it were to sell out before I run out?).

I'm a candle addict. The owners of Art with Flowers, which sells luxury home and personal fragrances at Tysons Galleria, joke with me that I may have as many candles as they do. Scented candles (when placed safely) give me a feeling of luxury and peace of mind that is hard to match. Hmm, the word "match" just slipped out. No pun intended.

Anyone who reads Best Things in Beauty regularly knows that I live in perfumes graced by notes of jasmine, orange blossom, lily of the valley, and other white flowers - my weakness. Combine them with a whiff of citrus, and I'm intoxicated by the fragrance. That's what I'm expecting from Hotel Bel-Air, and I hope Antica Farmacista will follow the candle with a perfume soon.

Kathy doesn't think her Neiman Marcus store will receive the Hotel Bel-Air Candle (they carry Antica Farmacista, but not the candles [I'd change that if I were the buyer]). Perhaps I can find it at Nordstrom. I know that if my search doesn't yield it locally - really quickly - I'll be ordering online from Antica Farmacista. I need one (or maybe three).

Incidentally, if you do order from Antica Farmacista online, through December 7, you'll receive a complimentary 25 mls of Sandalwood Amber - unfortunately not my scent.

Photos courtesy of Antica Farmicista

Antica Farmacista Champagne Le Parfum

I've been an Antica Farmacista fan for years. I've purchased the diffusers, candles, hand washes, fragrances - you name it. I love it all. Remember how excited I was when I found the gift sets at Costco recently? I hope you took advantage of that limited promotion.

One of my favorite home fragrances from Antica Farmacista is Champagne. Since I love the drinking the "real thing," I knew I'd like to surround myself with the scent at home. The diffuser was inspired by the unique spirit and style of truly exceptional Champagne (I'm there!). It has sparkly top notes of satsuma citrus that are balanced beautifully with subtle floral notes of lily of the valley. Sensuous apricot, nectarine, and passion fruit complement the sweetness of sugared black currant. Mellow accents of sweet vanilla ground the incredibly fresh, effervescent scent of the diffuser (and candles and hand wash, and...).

When I found out the scent had been released as a limited-edition personal fragrance, Le Parfum Champagne ($72) went on my wish list. The lovely ladies at Antica Farmacista made my wish come true. Who thought Cinderella and white doves were only fairy tale characters?

Sometimes, when I receive a lot of new fragrances at a time, I space out trying them, preferring to have many days of pleasure, rather than one huge pleasure fest. That was not the case when Champagne Perfume arrived. I tore into the box as quickly as I could, and I sprayed Champagne on myself immediately. Just as quickly, I was transported to a heavenly place. I'm sure you've experienced the "magnetic arm" phenomenon, when your nose parks on the spot where you sprayed.

Packaged in a gorgeous glass vessel, evoking the sophistication of Antica’s premiere fragrance, Champagne is vibrant, fresh, and zesty. It's effervescent and dazzling. To me, it opens with a burst of sparkling citrus, which it retains as it dries down to reveal a fruity floral base that never loses the electricity of the top notes. The mix of fruits and flowers is unique in this Champagne. I don't have another scent like it.

The most amazing thing about it, after the scent itself, is how long it lasts on my skin. I sprayed it early evening Wednesday and could still smell it clearly the next morning before I showered. Yesterday, I wore it again, and it lasted at least eight hours. The sillage is spectacular. Champagne is a rousing fragrance. Last night, I sprayed it on a friend who has the same reaction I did: love at first whiff.

You can purchase Champagne at Antica Farmacista's Web site and Beautyhabit online. I know Antica Farmacista's products are sold at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Henri Bendel, but I don't know if all the stores carry the perfumes.

Photos courtesy of Wikipedia and preschoollearningonline.com

Antica Farmacista at Costco!

I always scout the healthy and beauty section when I go to Costco. Sometimes, I find the most amazing things. Friday the "find" was this gift set of Antica Farmacista Home Ambiance Diffusers ($29.99). I bought one and need to go back to buy more of them. What a perfect holiday gift!

The sets were all alike. Each contains two 200 ml boxed bottles, filled with exquisite home fragrance and two sets of white birch reeds.

Noël captures the beauty of the holidays with a fresh rendition of a traditional holiday spice fragrance. Fresh mandarin, French verbena, and blood orange top notes brighten the classic holiday notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and spruce.

Casablanca, one of the most regal lilies, is a warm, floral, intoxicating scent of lush lily and exotic floral ylang ylang, with a subtle hint of clove.

These diffusers go from the powder room to the bedroom with elegance. They are also lovely layered throughout the home. Put Noël in the kitchen and Casablanca in the living room. Your home will smell like holiday splendor.

These are going to be hard to give away, but I will. I think the sets are lovely gifts. A 250 ml diffuser usually costs $62.00. Imagine, two for $29.99! I can't guarantee that your own Costco will have these amazing sets, but if you are headed that way, make sure to look.

Photo by Best Things in Beauty

Antica Farmacista Le Parfum in Tuberose, Hyacinth & Lily of the Valley

I needed a whiff of spring. Last week, when just getting out to the street involved physical labor, I was satisfying my inner child on a snow day by shopping online. I saw a tweet by Antica Farmacista, which many of you know as a home fragrance company, offering a free Orange Blossom tea light. That was all it took to send me over to their Web site to browse.

I bought two fragrances "for the body," and yesterday, I sprayed on Antica Farmacista Le Parfum in Tuberose, Hyacinth & Lily of the Valley ($62) with abandon. There must have been a little part of my psyche screaming, "Spring, I need spring now!" On first spray, I was mentally transported to the most heavenly garden filled with two springtime flowers, hyacinth and lily of the valley, and one sultry white flower, tuberose, a reminder that summer follows spring. It was just what I needed to relax (while I worried about my computer's hard drive)!

Want to take your own mental vacation? Head over the Antica Farmacista's Web site and check out the fragrances. There's bound to be one that speaks to you.

I have had the diffuser Ala Moana in my office, and it smells like a greenhouse! "Reminiscent of the lush humid nights experienced on the islands of the tropics, this signature scent, meaning 'path to the sea' is a beautiful heady floral. Night blooming jasmine, plumeria, tuberose, and gardenia create an intoxicating floral blend. Refreshing lush green notes add a crisp clean infusion to this luscious scent." I would wear that one too!

Photo courtesy of Antica Farmacista