Guerlain Face Collection 2016 - Lingerie de Peau Foundation

Guerlain made the idea of a naturally flawless-looking skin a reality by introducing Lingerie de Peau, lingerie for the skin that drapes it in comfort and sheer silkiness, while providing unprecedented coverage and a perfect natural finish. Guerlain has introduced Lingerie de Peau Natural Perfection Skin-Fusion Texture Foundation SPF20 ($63) with a newly revamped shade range, plus the Multi-Perfecting Concealer and Foundation Brush. I'll introduce the concealer and foundation brush to you in the next feature, hopefully later today. The following information was taken from the press release (hence the writing style).

Guerlain has taken a new step in reinventing a flawless natural complexion with Lingerie de Peau Foundation in 14 shades, from fair to deep - one for every woman. Invisible to the eye and touch, the sublime formula and sensory texture is the ultimate lingerie for the skin, smoothing and shaping to create a second skin that will leave you looking more beautiful than ever.

Unique Features

• Innovative cosmetic bio-composite renders an extraordinary second-skin texture with a spectacular natural finish and properties of incredible lightness, extensibility, and hold. 
• Uniquely comfortable, its formulation is so light it becomes transparent. The complexion is fresh, radiant, and natural.

Formulation

• Bio-fusion micro-mesh for a unique affinity with the skin, Guerlain Research relied on in-depth studies of the most advanced materials: bio-composites. These new substances derived from blending synthetic polymers and natural fibers provide an unprecedented combination of smoothing and shaping stretch fibers and natural linen and silk fibers for a complete affinity with the skin.
• Natural polymers are silk and linen fibers that have an inherent compatibility with the skin because they are composed of a protein that acts in perfect osmosis with the keratin present in the skin. It allows them to adhere naturally to the skin's surface and lend it the softness and radiance of silk and the comfort of linen. 
• The synthetic fibers are veritable stretch fibers that expand as needed to embrace the contours of the face and ensure lasting coverage. They help to create a flexible weave to support, smooth, and shape the skin.

Here is a shade chart to help existing users find their new shade. Just click on it to enlarge it if it's hard to read. As you can see, the shades are grouped in cool, neutral, and warm families. They are also grouped that way on the store display (shown at the top of this feature).

Lingerie de Peau Foundation is available (officially August 15, although my Neiman Marcus has it already) at Guerlain Boutiques, select Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale's, Dillard's, and online.

Photo at top by Best Things in Beauty; other photos courtesy of Guerlain

Bobbi Brown Retouching Face Pencil

No matter how good my foundation is, I cannot keep it on every part of my face all day long, especially on extended days. I do (for the most part) keep my hands off my face, but there's my Kleenex addiction, which is firing up with the early tree pollen as I write. I have seasonal allergies, and the Kleenex I use regularly wipes my makeup off my lower nose. My red nose comes with the allergy turf.

I always carry a touch-up product with me. I used to have wonderful little sample-sized Bobbi Brown cream foundation (with mirror and sponge) in my best shade, Warm Ivory. Alas, I have used them all up. I don't think I'll ever find those little treasures again. I asked a Bobbi representative if she had any left about two years ago. She thought she did, but I never heard back from her. In their absence, I've been using Bobbi Brown's Skin Foundation Stick, but it's heavier and larger than I prefer for my handbag.

Bobbi Brown was clearly reading my mind when she developed the new Retouching Face Pencil ($32). This miracle creamy-matte pencil fills in makeup spots I've wiped off, but also lightens shadows, covers dark spots, and neutralizes redness for a retouched-yet-natural-looking finish.

The Retouching Face Pencil features a full array of shades that are designed to make it easy to perfect all skin tones. Each shade glides on comfortably and blends seamlessly for the most skin-like finish. You can use it on bare skin as an all-in-one skin perfector, or layer it over foundation, as I do, for added coverage where you need it most for a natural-looking finish. There is also an Illuminate Pencil you can use to create a subtle strobing/highlighting effect. Just swipe on the high points of the face and blend in with your fingers. I'm a happy gal. This product is ultra-light in my makeup bag, and it's always there when I need it.

My only complaint? I wish Bobbi Brown had named and matched the shades to her foundation colors that are common across types of foundation. I had to figure out which one to order online. For me, it was a toss up between Porcelain (would it be too light?) and Extra Light (would that be too pink or too dark?). I selected Porcelain at Sephora's Web site, and my guess was perfect. I need foundations that are yellow-based in order to mask the redness of my nose. You can see the slight yellow tone in my swatch photo below.

I drew the swatch onto my arm with the pencil, and I did not blend it at all. Had I blended it, I doubt you would have been able to see the swatch on my arm. My photos were taken in full afternoon sun.

As an extra-added bonus, Bobbi Brown included a sharpener in the box. You would think that would be common sense for makeup companies, but I can't tell you how many pencils I have that did not come with sharpeners. At Armani counters, you can ask for them, but at most counters, they are not available for free. Since pencils come in all sizes, I think that's crazy.

The Retouching Face Pencil is available at Sephora, where you can see the wide range of shades. I think I'll try the Illuminate Pencil next. I highly recommend this little wonder for anyone who needs a foundation touch-up during the day.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty

Giorgio Armani Beauty Maestro Glow Nourishing Fusion Makeup with SPF30

Giorgio Armani has introduced a new foundation in its award-winning foundation stable. In full, it's called Maestro Glow Nourishing Fusion Makeup Bi-phase Elixir Octinoxate Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF30 ($64). It is formulated with nourishing oils to make your skin look perfect and feel nude and supple to the touch.

I was smitten from the moment I saw it online. I usually wear one of the Armani foundations. I've been wearing the Maestro Cream Foundation lately. However, I am borderline between a #2 and a #4 in Armani foundations, so I had to wait for it to arrive in stores and test it on my face near my jawline. In this foundation, I'm a #4, which I learned at Neiman Marcus where I purchased it. It appears that there are nine shades in all.

Armani's newest liquid foundation is leading us toward Mr. Armani's Invisible Glow Revolution. The advertising says that it has a sheer glow finish. Maestro Glow is the first "bi-phase makeup elixir." It contains skin-care oils infused with pure pigments and provides a nourishing comfort and lasting glow to the skin. Each drop is said to perfect the complexion. It is inspired by Maestro Fluid in its lightness and silkiness, and it gives an instant and lasting glow due to the blend of pigments and oils. These oils make the texture comfortable, easy to apply, and nourishing for women with drier skin like me.

I found the application to be easy. It has a nice slip on the skin, especially when worn over a treatment or moisturizer. I find the coverage to be medium - not totally sheer because it covers my center redness and sun spots nicely. If you need more coverage, you might want to try another foundation from Armani.

The model in the advertisement has flawless skin. I can see a slight glow where the light hits her skin, but her skin is so perfect, it's hard to know how much coverage this foundation will provide for everyone. Some of us like a little more to cover our imperfections, some less. This foundation is called light, airy, and transparent.

I applied it to one side of my face over moisturizer. I can definitely see a difference between the two sides. I also see a very slight glow. Not a shine, per se, but a subtle brilliance that's flattering. I think it's a beautiful foundation.

I took a swatch photo of #4 on my inner arm, which is a bit lighter than the center of my face. I took it in full sun, but I was unable to get a great background for the photo. I ended up using my car for a background. I shook the bottle well to mix the two phases, applied a drop of Maestro Glow to my palm, and then applied and blended it lightly with my fingers.

I think you'll agree that it's a pretty close match to my skin color. Can you even see it in this swatch? You may be able to see a slight glow in the center of my arm.

I will get a lot of use out of this new foundation. It provides the coverage and finish I like. If you would like to try it, I'd recommend that you do so at an Armani counter if you can. That way, you will be sure to get the right shade.

I purchased mine at Neiman Marcus at Tysons Galleria. It is available wherever Giorgio Armani Beauty products are sold, as well as at the Armani Beauty Web site. 

Photos at top courtesy of Giorgio Armani Beauty; swatch photo by Best Things in Beauty

Rouge Bunny Rouge SKIN SOUL DROPS Foundation Essence

Rouge Bunny Rouge's SKIN SOUL DROPS Foundation Essence ($63) is a creative face foundation that beauty mavens will adore. Highly saturated with pigment and enriched with uniquely processed silica and mica, this concentrated formula with beautiful adjustable coverage will blend to match  most skin tones perfectly (as long as you don't have very dark skin) and is designed to work well with all kinds of moisturizing, serum, dry oil, and primer products to achieve the perfect degree of seamless, picture-perfect coverage.

Rouge Bunny Rouge sent me all three shades, and I've had fun playing with them. I will show you "my shade" below.

The texture is fluid and sheer if you apply it lightly; however, it can be applied more heavily for more coverage. Here's how Rouge Bunny Rouge describes its texture.

• Lightweight, silky-soft, moisturizing liquid formula
• High percentage of pigment, perfect color purity (approximately 36%)
• Blendable with skin-care products to create a custom result - Each shade can flawlessly
• match with up to four skin tones
• Demi-matte finish with buildable coverage
• Minimizes the appearance of pores and imperfections
• Absorbs excess sebum and melts seamlessly onto the skin

It has unique ingredients.

• Anhydrous silicones: for extended wear and ultimate comfort
• Jojoba esters: superior emoliency, soft with no greasy film
• Silicone elastomer: a highly engineered sililcone gel for enhanced smoothness of texture, diffuses light
• Unique mica: highest skin adhesion, supreme softness
• Special silica: absorbs sebum, gives skin an even finish and look
• Lecithin-coated pigments: extended wear; excellent skin protection, highest skin-affinity and
• moisturizing effect
• Plant-derived (jojoba, mimosa, sunflower) waxes
• Natural moisturizing texturizing agent: provides for unique blendability and product versatility, combines functionality with sensorial liquid emollient advantages

The formula is free of cyclomethicone, fragrance and preservatives.

Rouge Bunny Rouge suggests these makeup artist tips and tricks. Apply SKIN SOUL DROPS with your favorite treatment product(s). Apply between a pea to coin-sized amount of treatment product and mix it with Foundation Essence (one to four drops, depending on your preferred coverage level) in your palm. Swirl the mixture using a foundation brush or your fingertips. Then apply to your complexion beginning along the center T-zone of the face, brushing down and outward. To spot treat areas around your nose, the orbital bone, or around the edges of the lips, use a concealer or touch-up brush. You can apply a finishing powder to add a velvet or shimmery finish - whichever you prefer.

Directly above, I've provided Rouge Bunny Rouge's snapshot of the three SKIN SOUL DROPS shades: Miriam, Lalla, and Yeshe. I swatched them on my arm in full sun, and I did not blend them. The results are shown below.

I would definitely wear Miriam, shown at the top. The other shades, as you can see on my arm, are much darker. Miriam, when blended in my palm and applied over my moisturizer, provides a lovely, even finish to my face. It is slightly yellow-toned on me, which is good. It hides my winter red, cold, wind-burned skin well. In the summer, I probably would blend it with my moisturizer for a sheer finish.

I like it! You might too. Right now, you can find SKIN SOUL DROPS at the Rouge Bunny Rouge Web site. Although it says "Coming Soon," I think that will be flipped to available very soon. Before too long, you will be able to find it at Beautyhabit.

P.S. It comes in a lovely black box, with a base that nestles the bottle and a tall top that's black with white lettering and shiney black designs. I will photograph it for you when it's not 17 degrees outside.

Photos courtesy of Rouge Bunny Rouge; swatch photo by Best Things in Beauty

Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint Beautifying Foundation SPF20 from the Summer 2014 Collection

In 1984, Guerlain revolutionized the way a beautiful bronzed look was achieved. The endless hours in the sun to attain that perfect glow, while also causing damage to the skin, could be traded in for a healthier, much quicker way to “tan.” Terracotta was born and with it, a natural-looking glow season after season that never betrays your secret. On the strength of 30 years of expertise and innovation, Guerlain is now introducing a new collection of beauty must-haves as part of the Terracotta collection. Step into the secret of a healthy glow with Joli Teint.

Guerlain has started to introduce its Summer 2014 colors, and I lept at the chance to try a few of them, which I featured with an introduction on March 3. I was drawn to Terracotta Joli Teint Beautifying Foundation SPF20 ($53) (it's name on the tube is actually longer) when Jonathan at the Guerlain Las Vegas Boutique told me it had arrived and described it. The snow was still on the ground here, but I needed a mental dose of summertime.

Comparable to sunshine in a tube, this magical, lightweight fluid gives skin an instant touch of summer, leaving behind a perfectly radiant glow. Used on its own or paired with Terracotta Powder for buildable color, there is no easier and healthier way to create the perfect customizable tan for every complexion. Terracotta Joli Teint has a feather-light texture that glides on, leaving an incredibly fine and silky veil over the skin. It contains nourishing natural ingredients that counter the visible effects of fatigue, reviving dull skin for a radiant, even complexion. It is available in five shades: Clair (Light), Natural, Moyen (Medium), Fonce (Dark), and Ebony.

The key ingredients feature pigments coated with a biomimetic filmogenic polymer - these very closely resemble the structure of the proteins in the skin. They work harmoniously with the epidermis; the luxurious texture blends effortlessly blends into the skin for a smooth, natural finish. Chlorella extract, a micro-algae rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids, activates microcirculation to nourish and tone the skin. Nasturtium extract comes from a flower; it is rich in sucrose and vitamin C and stimulates cell oxidation to boost the complexion’s radiance and vitality.

Taking photos on Clair in early-afternoon sun, wasn't easy. There is no good way to picture a foundation without blending it, and then you shouldn't really see it. I decided to show you a dot of Joli Teint and then blend the dot on my arm to show you how well it blended into my skin.

The beige dot of foundation leans yellow against my skin. Clair, the lightest color, is the only one I could possibly wear. After I got the close-up photo above, I blended Clair with my finger. The results are shown below.

Clair is darker then my light, inner-arm skin tone, but my face has more color, so I can blend the shade into my face for a slightly healthy - dare I say tan - appearance. If I want to add color to my face for summer, this Joli Teint color will be perfect. It adds color in a blendable, believable shade. I can add my Guerlain Terracotta Bronzing Powder on top, and I'll have a perfect look.

I'm pretty happy with the way Joli Teint looks on my skin. It also feels good - nice and hydrating. I will admit to putting it away until the season brightens. Right now, it is extremely cloudy. Later today, it will start to rain, with the rain turning quickly to snow. By tomorrow afternoon, we could have six more inches of snow on the ground. That does nothing for my mood - or my thoughts of summer looks.

If you would like to read a review that gives and excellent description with swatches of all the shades, check out MonsiieurAlex. He wrote a very thorough review, with plenty of pictures of himself modeling the product. Of course, he's in Southern California, where I'll bet it's not "fixin' to snow."

You can purchase the new Joli Teint at Guerlain's Boutique in Las Vegas. Call Jonathan at (702) 732-7008. You can also find it a Guerlain counters at select locations of Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, Sephora, and Bergdorf Goodman.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty

Giorgio Armani Beauty Maestro Fusion Makeup Compact with Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 29

If you loved Maestro when it launched - or have grown to worship it - you'll also love the new Maestro Fusion Makeup Compact Compact ($64). Maestro Fusion Makeup Compact offers the same rare finesse that has made Maestro an international success by combining comfort, radiance, and impeccable coverage. The new cream compact comes in eight shades designed to universally match all skin tones and suit all skin types.

This multipurpose product conceals like a foundation, offers precise touch-ups, and camouflages blemishes. It's the perfect harmony between the lightness of a fluid and the comfort of a compact.
Sophisticated and practical, it provides a new made-to-measure application step dedicated to achieving a pure, luminous finish with an unequalled second-skin sensation.

Whether for makeup or fashion, Giorgio Armani places fluidity at the heart of his creations. He dresses the complexion in light, just like his clothes drape the body in rare, ethereal fabrics. The rich yet ultra-fine texture of this new foundation can be compared to fine and diaphanous organza. Organza gracefully highlights the figure, while Maestro leaves a delicate, luminous veil on the face - soft to the touch for an effect that is imperceptible to the naked eye.

With the Maestro Fusion Makeup Compact, the master of elegance, Mr. Armani, has transcended the boundaries of excellence - again. The result is a fine and delicate texture with the technical expertise of a rich and comfortable formula. “Intelligent Melting Complex” technology, a blend of oils and waxes that become one with the skin, is the secret behind Maestro. The Armani team meticulously selected oils and waxes for the cosmetic and sensory properties of each.

The waxes are able to adapt to different temperatures. This "Intelligent Melting Complex" creates a unique composition that blends seamlessly with the skin, regardless of the application method. The oils were carefully selected for their "skin fusion alchemy and comfort." Five non-greasy dry oils that evaporate at different rates were custom-selected to deliver comfort, protection, and softness. There is a new addition to the blend: argan oil, known for its nourishing and antioxidant properties. The argan oil, along with vitamin E and SPF 29 protection are at the heart of the Maestro Fusion Compact's formula to ensure hydration and continuous skin care.

With 30% fewer powders than a conventional compact, Maestro Fusion Makeup Compact concentrates on the essentials: light-reflecting powders. Free from all superfluous ingredients, the cream compact avoids feeling greasy or creating a mask-like finish.

As soon as the product comes into contact with the skin, thanks to the Intelligent Melting Complex’s transformation properties, Maestro Compact instantly changes into a light cream texture, giving precise and comfortable application. You can apply this cream foundation with your fingertips (I'm not big on that idea).

If you apply it with brush, a fine and comfortable film is left on the skin to immediately correct your complexion, creating a flawless finish. The formula instantly becomes one with the skin. After using it, I found my complexion even, pure, shine-free, and radiant. For really precise, simple, and buildable application, the Giorgio Armani laboratories created an exclusive brush (half synthetic and half natural bristles) that is housed in the compact. Its shape, composition, and travel-friendly size all combine to offer an easy, delicate application. I actually like the brush - rare for me to like brushes provided in compacts.

My favorite applicator is a sponge. I have been applying it with its own brush, but then blending it to perfection with a sponge.

Normally, I am a #2 in Armani foundations. This summer, I found #2 in the original Maestro just a little too light because I unwittingly got a little sun on my face - not much, but enough to notice that #2 made me look pale. So, to have flexibility, I selected #4 in the Maestro Fusion Makeup Compact. I purchased mine at Saks Fifth Avenue in Chevy Chase.

The #4 is absolutely perfect for me now. I have used it for my first foundation application in the morning (with gorgeous results), and I have taken it with me for a mid-day touch-up. One thing I love about it is that it blends right into my skin when applied over the morning foundation - no matter what foundation I applied earlier (Armani of otherwise). The lightest application provides a look of mid-day perfection to my skin. I'm loving that!

I feel like I've found a gold mine. I have missed a discontinued Bobbi Brown cream foundation compact I used to use. Now, I'll miss it no longer. Armani has won my heart with this one.

You can find this new beauty at Armani's Web site. It should be at all Armani counters in October. If you need help, call the Armani Beauty Team at Saks at (240) 497-5206.

Photos at top courtesy of Giorgio Armani Beauty; other photo by Best Things in Beauty

YSL Youth Liberator Serum Foundation

There is always a woman with no flaws and a perfect complexion who models the latest foundation - and so it is with YSL's new Youth Liberator Serum Foundation ($69). I had an opportunity to have a professional application last weekend, and I looked just like the model above, I say as I grin from ear to ear. For one thing, I don't wear my clothing draped to my waist. My décolleté shows sun damage. Oh well, I've got the experience of age and its accompanying wisdom to compensate.

Youth Liberator Serum foundation is YSL's new, anti-aging foundation with medium-to-full coverage. It's the first foundation with "Glycanactif complex." It acts like a soft face lift, erasing visible signs of aging as it evens skin tone, hides imperfections, and perfects the look of the skin.  Really.

What's inside this hybrid skin-care/makeup foundation?

• Glycanactif complex is made from three glycans that are combined to make the skin look more radiant, feel plumped and hydrated, and appear smoother. 
• Color glow complex counteracts dullness and gives a healthy (and light) glow.
• Vitamin E and SPF 20 offer free radical and sun protection.
• Glycol gives a firming sensation with a tensor effect as it hydrates to keep skin soft and healthy.

YSL says that the skin yellows as it ages. This is one reason women notice that their long-time favorite foundation no longer matches their skin. Forever Youth Liberator counteracts this in two ways.

• The color glow complex provides an optimal combination of "bouncy powder filters" and pure pigments to reduce dullness, enhance your glow, and create a more even complexion.
• Glycanactif is a patented complex, exclusive to YSL, that adds radiance, lift, and plumpness (aka youthfulness).

The foundation is available initially in 10 shades - from really light to really dark. I am a Beige Rose 20, which matches my skin really well. It's a rare day when I am blown away by a foundation, but after my favorite YSL representative applied it to my skin, my skin looked really good, even toned, and healthy. Youth Liberator leaves a satin finish - definitely not at all shiny, but not matte either. I will admit that I came home after his application and took a nap, usually a foundation destroying activity if I sleep on my side. When I got up, my foundation looked untouched, so I knew immediately it has great wear time.

I came home, compliments of my YSL friends at Neiman Marcus Tysons Galleria, with a generous sample, which I've been wearing this week. I love it. All of my first impressions have been reinforced. I plan to buy Youth Liberator Serum Foundation during Beauty Event. That's a big deal because I don't even need foundation.

You can find it at YSL counters and the YSL Beauté Web site. I recommend you go to the counter for a perfect match.

Update: My thanks for one of my fave readers for telling me this feature had a typo. I wish more people would tell me. :)

 Photos courtesy of YSL Beauté

Bobbi Brown Luminous Moisturizing Treatment Foundation - New and Exciting

There's a new Bobbi Brown foundation: Bobbi Brown Luminous Moisturizing Treatment Foundation ($52). It's a foundation for dry skin that gives the skin a beaming-from-within glow and provides a flawless, airbrushed look. I love the idea, and now that I've worn my generous sample, I love the foundation. I see a purchase ahead.

Bobbi Brown distinguishes this beautiful new foundation by its light-reflecting formula. In contrast to traditional light-scattering substrates, Luminous Moisturizing Treatment Foundation does not contain conventional pearls. It was developed with the use of technology that, like crystals, reflects light, making the skin look clear and bright (I swear I wasn't trying to rhyme).

Naturally, since it's made for dry skin, it offers long-term hydration. Glycerin, sodium hyaluronate (nature's sponge), and muru muru seed butter make it a moisture magnet to protect and repair the skin's natural barrier against moisture loss. It's also said to tighten, firm, and reduce wrinkles. I haven't used this foundation long enough to tell you if it does. Bobbi Brown says unique milk thistle extract and hexapeptide technology join to stimulate the production of collagen, making fine lines and wrinkles look less apparent and the skin appear firmer, reducing the signs of aging. Peptides are known to do that, so I believe it - I just haven't seen it yet.

With the perfect proportion of treated pigments and dry skin softeners, Luminous Moisturizing Treatment Foundation will give you a natural look throughout the day - never cakey and dry. I read that the pigments were covered with a moisturizing treatment that makes the foundation adhere to the skin and, at the same time, makes sure that the skin stays hydrated and fresh, never dry.

I normally wear Warm Ivory in Bobbi Brown's foundations, and that's the shade I've been testing. It's perfect. I find it applies beautifully with a sponge or brush (not as well with fingers for some reason) and can be layered easily. I apply a light layer all over my face and then go back over the center of my face, where I've got some redness, with a little extra product.

This new foundation is available in 20 colors - from ultra-pale to very dark chocolate. I love the acknowledgement that we aren't all light, medium, or dark or perhaps a pitiful six permutations of that. Bobbi Brown has always been good about offering a large spectrum of shades. When Loyd Cassler used to do Armani master classes, he had to bring along Bobbi Brown foundation and concealer for the dark-skinned women in the class. Armani has since added dark shades.

Through September (I think), Luminous Moisturizing Treatment Foundation will be exclusive to Nordstrom. If you need help, please give my favorite Bobbi Brown representative, Diron Carr, a call at 703-671-1121, and ask for extension 1086. If you know your shade, you can purchase it online.

Photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Edward Bess Ultra Dewy Complexion Perfector in Light

I'm a bit late to this party, but I didn't want spring to pass before I featured Edward Bess's relatively new Ultra Dewy Complexion Perfector ($56). I purchased Light, one of four available shades. Described as a face cream that imparts a healthy radiance, Ultra Dewy Complexion Perfection is a multifunction product.

Not a foundation, not a tinted moisturizer, not even a BB cream, it’s an "EB cream" that makes everything better. Edward Bess masters the look of glowing skin in a natural finish. Its weightless feel glides right on with special light-diffusers that impart a dewy luminosity, but still look like your natural complexion - only better.

I didn't know what to expect from it. Sabrina at The Beauty Look Book gave it a thumbs up while wishing it was available in more shades. She found herself between a Light and Medium. I am a "perfect Light."

Here are two swatch photos of the Light shade, both taken in full sun. I dispensed a small amount of the product at the top or my arm. Then I dispensed the same amount below and blended it with my fingers. I did not blend it into my skin entirely because it would have disappeared in the photos.

The color is fairly neutral, but I think it leans ever-so-slightly yellow. That's fine with me because yellow neutralizes any redness in my skin. When apply it, it doesn't appear yellow. It look like my skin. I see no line of demarcation at my jaw line when I apply it to my face.

To my eyes, Ultra Dewy Complexion Perfector is a lightweight foundation. It is not advertised as containing a sunscreen, so I think that gives it a demerit. It does contain titanium dioxide, but apparently not in sufficient quantity to provide a legitimate SPF rating.

When I apply it, I see overall smoothing of my skin tone with sheer coverage. It does leave a "feel" of hydration on my skin, but only to the touch. It looks very natural, as advertised, but I don't see that it adds much radiance to my skin. That's a tall order for dry skin, and it's advertised for normal or normal-to-dry skin types. If I shine a light on my skin, I see a luminous quality. In normal indoor and outdoor lighting, I do not see a dewy finish.

If you look hard, you may see a chalkiness in my photos. That's how it feels when first applied. That feeling goes away quickly, but I find it curious. One might expect that from a foundation containing a physical sunscreen, but this one doesn't. Perhaps it's the titanium dioxide?

It was made in Taiwan, a subject of much conversation of late. I'm not sure I would have ordered it had I known.

If it's not a BB cream (no sunscreen), and it's not a foundation, I'm not sure what it is. I have better foundations, better luminizing products, and better moisturizers. It's too thick to be a primer (in my opinion), so I can't find a compelling case for using it - or purchasing again. That's too bad. Edward Bess products seldom disappoint me.

You can find Ultra Dewy Complexion Perfector, where I purchased mine, at Sephora and Bergdorf Goodman, along with a few Neiman Marcus stores and, of course, the Edward Bess Web site. I really want to try his new Complexion Correcting Black Sea Mousse Foundation, which looks more intriguing. You can find that at QVC, and it was made in the U.S.

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

New Fluid Sheers and Luminous Silk Foundations from Giorgio Armani Beauty

Not only has Giorgio Armani Beauty added new shades to its beloved Fluid Sheers, the company has given its iconic Luminous Silk Foundation ($60) a new look. Inspired by Rouge d'Armani, the new packaging features a sleek, black lacquered cap with a silver Giorgio Armani emblem.

The new Luminous Silk Foundation ($60) shades follow.

• 3.5
• 4.25
• 6.25
• 7.5
• 8.5
• 14

Since I'm a perfect 2 in Luminous Silk, the shade extensions won't help me find my perfect match, but I know they will be welcomed by many.

The new Fluid Sheers ($59) have me bouncing off my boot cast, wanting to get over the the Armani counter. I adore Fluid Sheers. They dress the skin in an illuminating veil of radiance. The unique, translucent formula is available in a range of versatile hues, including makeup base shades, correcting shades, and radiance boosting shades. Blend your favorite Fluid Sheer with foundation to add radiance, polish, and sculpting definition to your complexion or use it alone as a makeup base. Fluid Sheer was named Allure's Best of Beauty Award for Best Highlighter in 2012.

The new Fluid Sheer shades follow.

• 4
• 5
• 6
• 8
• 9
• 12

Wish I could tell you more about the new shades. They are shown in the backstage photo above. I know they have arrived in Boston, so maybe I'll find them at the Armani counter at Neiman Marcus when I go there tomorrow. They are officially scheduled to be at counters and Giorgio Armani Beauty's Web site in April.

Update: Alberto E Cervantes swatched these new Fluid Sheer shades. You can see his photo at https://twitter.com/GAfacedesigner/status/312285408069296130/photo/1

Photo courtesy of Giorgio Armani Beauty

Guerlain Terracotta Skin from the 2013 Terracotta Collection

Delivering the corrective coverage of a foundation with the sheerness of a powder, Guerlain's Terracotta Skin ($51) allows for a flawless complexion in one step. The silky, lightweight cream powder is composed of soft-focus elastic particles that reflect light in all directions making enlarged pores, fine lines, and other imperfections less noticeable. Apply one dab of this sheer, velvety foundation and smooth it over your entire face. The result is unified, corrected skin enhanced with a healthy glow.

Terracotta Skin is available in three shades.

• 01 Nude (new)
• 02 Blonde
• 03 Brunette

I had to try the new 01 Nude shade, so I was thrilled when I saw it at Neiman Marcus. 
When I tried it in the store, I was impressed. The color was perfect. Since I purchased it, I have worn (and examined) it indoors and out, and I'm stunned at how perfect the shade is for pale faces.

I consider Terracotta Skin a tinted moisturizer that offers light coverage. When you look at my swatch photos, you will see a teeny tiny cut on my arm that is visible through the blended product. It is sheer.

What thrills me about Terracotta Skin is that it's a "bronzing tinted moisturizer" that doesn't look like mud on my skin. I'll be wearing it on all of those spring, summer, and autumn days when I want some color, but don't want to look like John Boehner.

I took my swatch photos in full sun after applying a small amount of the product to my arm and blending it with my finger. You may wonder why I bothered with photos. I wanted you to see the subtle warmth and color it adds to my skin. No mud, no fake look - just a pretty tint.

Crazy to try this photography sleight of hand with such a sheer tint. I can see it. I hope you can too. Focus on how nice and gentle this tint appears on my pale skin. No one will look at me and think fake. It looks natural.

I love this little, wondrous tube! The gurus at Guerlain were on top of their game when they realized how many of us pale faces would love this product with a lighter shades. Like a contented cat, I'm purring.

Guerlain's 2013 Terracotta Collection will be available beginning in March at select locations of Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Sephora, Bloomingdale's, and Bergdorf Goodman. My local Neiman Marcus stores received the collection early - perhaps because of Beauty Event.

I talked to the Guerlain boutique in Las Vegas yestserday. They would be pleased to take your reservation for this piece or anything else from the collection. They hope to receive it this week. Give Beauty Advisor Rhonda Hethcoat (or anyone there if you can't reach her) a call at (702) 732-7008. They will put you on the reserve list.

Photo at top courtesy of Guerlain; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

Ko Gen Do Aqua Foundation SPF 15 PA++

When The Non-Blonde and I were shopping at Barneys New York over Memorial Day weekend, we spent a long time at the Koh Gen Do counter. That's when I purchased the Ko Gen Do Aqua Foundation SPF 15 PA++ ($62). With lots of help from the counter manager and artists there, I selected OC-1.

OC-1 is described as a natural light ochre. Ochre normally has some light yellow in it. That works nicely on my skin because it minimizes the redness that can often be seen in the mid-section of my face. The shades with pink or peachy undertones were too pink for my skin.

When I place OC-1 in my palm, I see neutral - not yellow. I think the brand representatives did a great job color-matching me. Many artists select foundation shades that are way too dark or too something, focusing on the center of my face, not the jawline. The gals at Barney's were spot-on, even in department store lighting, which is notoriously bad.

Here's how Aqua Foundation is described...

A high-definition, smooth-finish foundation with lasting coverage. Aqua Foundation hides discolorations and covers skin with a fine light-diffusing layer to minimize pores and imperfections for clear, satiny-smooth skin under any lighting. Seawater minerals and white birch sap extracts keep skin hydrated and radiant. The pH-balanced formula, ideal for all skin types, delivers a high density of minerals and nutrients for a healthy, nourished complexion.

I think that description is perfect. Key in on the term "high-definition." I'm sure you know that HD makeup is said to make your skin camera-ready - even in the harshest lights for television. Many so-called HD foundations (or other makeup products) don't live up to their claims. I often think HD is often modern buzz. This one lives up to its marketing. My skin looks fabulous after I apply it - even-toned and nearly flawless. I like the way it covers or blurs my sun spots.

The key to eliminating imperfection is through light diffusion. This unique RGB Strobe Illuminator formula with the advanced powder technology creates light that erases shadows from pores, lines, and uneven surfaces. Erasing these shadows gives the impression of a flawless smooth skin.

Ko Gen Do Aqua Foundation says the radiance provided by this foundation starts with "the purest mineral-rich deep-sea waters of Rausu, Japan, combined with superbly moisturizing white birch sap to keep your skin soft and clear. I'll buy that - even though I'm skeptical of those pure water claims from the coast of Japan. No one ever mentions radiation fallout. Nevertheless, the foundation is one of the best I've used (on par with Armani's Liquid Silk, but not as revolutionary as Armani's new Maestro). It leaves a beautifully natural finish, and it is hydrating. My skin continues to look fresh for about eight hours after application. With the UA and UVB sun protection provided, it meets all my criteria for a great foundation.

I highly recommend Ko Gen Do Aqua Foundation SPF 15 PA++. Try to get color-matched in a store, rather than online. Using the color swatches at Sephora, I could have selected four different shades, not knowing which would be perfect.

You can purchase this lovely foundation at Barneys, Sephora online (and in Meatpacking District of NYC), and at the Ko Gen Do Web site.

Photo courtesy of Sephora

Giorgio Armani Beauty Maestro Fusion Makeup

About a year ago, Tim Quinn, Giorgio Armani Beauty's dashing Celebrity Face Designer and National Director of Creative Artistry, told me that Mr. Armani was working on a new foundation that was "made for me." After Tim told me I was going to adore it, I starting waiting, and as it turned out, waiting and waiting. I was dying to get my hands on it - not only because I think Armani has created some of the best foundations on earth, but also because Tim knows my preferences and always knows what I will love.

At long last, Maestro Fusion Makeup ($62) has launched, and along with it came a concealer (more on that this weekend). I was privileged to test and wear Maestro Fusion Makeup for the last 10 days (courtesy of Giorgio Armani Beauty), and I have already developed unqualified love for this new wonder-foundation. It's really a new makeup category as light as water, but waterless, imparting no makeup feel, but a moist sensation.

Ten years ago, Giorgio Armani created the new face of makeup when he created Luminous Silk Foundation, a lightweight, silky fluid that imparts a natural glow. Since then, weightless textures you can blend and layer to enhance your radiance have become the signature Armani glowing look and feel.

The expectations of women have always been at the heart of Giorgio Armani Beauty research. The quest for simultaneous transparency and coverage in a foundation seemed, until now, practically unsolvable. However, here we are in 2012, after eight years of research, with a new, revolutionary face makeup, Maestro Fusion Makeup with SPF 15.

Maestro is dubbed the Revolutionary Complexion Perfector for good reason. Its unforgettable and unique texture was created using Armani's patented Fusion Technology. Its ultra-fine oil-pigment suspension perfects the complexion with a fluid so light, the only way to know you're wearing it is to look at the remarkable appearance of your face. There's no "makeup feel" at all. Guaranteed!

The high-slip fluid spreads evenly over the skin for a blendable, faultless complexion. It will make your skin look like a professional makeup artist had perfected it - perhaps air-brushed it. Maestro instantly ignites the skin's natural luminosity.

Linda Cantello, Armani's International Makeup Artist said, "It's not a foundation. It's a complextion perfector. A whole new generation of makeup that feels incredible, looks invisible, and makes the skin appear luminous every time. Anyone can wear it!"

Traditional foundations are usually emulsions with water in oil-containing fillers. Those fillers can produce a visible masking effect. Maestro was created with five state-of-the-art principles, delivering a result never seen before.

1. A water-fee and powder-free base
2. Totally non-comodogenic
3. Five time-released oils that evaporate gradually
4. Smart pigment technology
5. An easy, fast, fresh, and flawless application with an unforgettable sensory feel

The Fusion Technology delivers the thinnest color film that bonds perfectly and corrects skin imperfections without buildup.

Let's focus on the five oils. Oils are necessary for pigments to spread on the skin's surface. Giorgio Armani Beauty evaluated the different oils using the criteria of density, volatility, nutrition, and blending. Five volatile, semi-volatile, and non-volatile oils were selected one by one to create a precious, clear mixture that is totally miscible with a time-release characteristic.

• The oils evaporate at different rates, providing an optimal combination of application slip and non-greasy feel, but with a feeling of hydration and comfort all day.
• The volatile dry oil awakens the skin with an immediate feeling of freshness.
• A cushiony oil provides a featherlight, glide-on, textural sensation and a perfectly even distribution of the complexion-perfecting pigmented film.
• The non-volatile complex, including extracts of lotus oil, which has free-radical properties and hydrating agents, remains on the skin's surface.

Maestro is literally a new face makeup category. I'll contrast traditional foundation with Maestro next.

Traditional foundations often have an emulsion of 20% water and 80% oil, permitting a unified spreading of the fluid in order to avoid spots of color. However, they are highly pigmented, with 15% pigments contained in a powdery phase that can create a mask-like effect. The pigments produce a high surface tension, making the formulas hard to spread evenly. BB creams, all the rage, usually contain 20% oil and 80% water, allowing a rapid penetration of the formula and a fresh feeling. However, they have very low pigment percentages (about 4%) that barely correct skin tone. BB skin perfectors are almost like primers; they smooth the skin's surface.

Maestro is not like a traditional foundation and more like a skin perfector in the sense that:

• It contains water-free oils: 60% time-release translucent, non-greasy oils for a fresh feel, a non-greasy finish, and pure color;
• It offers an 11% pigment level for perfection of the skin's appearance and tone, with no powder or makeup effect;
• It has low surface tension for fast and easy application.

Additionally, it offers skin surface penetration due to soft particles selected to provide the thinnest correcting film and an extraordinary sensory feel.

Here's a look on at Maestro on an electronic microscope. You'll probably have to click on this image to enlarge it for optimal examination. It shows that fine lines and blemishes blur away with a bare-faced luminosity.

Here are the results of tests by 60 women aged 20-50 with all skin types. After testing it, I'm in the 100% perfect group.

• Blends into the skin on application: 100%
• Easy to wear, you forget you are wearing makeup: 100%
• Easy to apply, gives rapid and perfect makeup result every time: 98%
• A pleasure to use: 95%
• Natural makeup result without a makeup feel: 95%

The eliptical-shaped bottle and luxurious, black lacquered dropper deliver the Maestro Fusion Makeup drop by drop for customized application. The first time I used it, I assumed I might need a few drops. As a result, I wasted some (which I consider a tragedy). One drop would have covered my entire face. You should have seen me trying to recover what was left in my palm by pouring it back into the bottle. The liquid's ultra-fine texture immediately blends into the skin on application. It's easy to apply, build, and wear, yielding rapid and perfect results with each application. You can use your fingers, foundation brush, or sponge to apply it. Use a saturated sponge to avoid wasting it.

The "smart pigments" infuse the skin with natural color. They are so fine and pure that rays of light will not be absorbed on the skin. They provide a surface that reflects light, a perfect 360-degree radiance. It might seem paradoxical that only a few shades can cover the full range of skin tones - from the palest of pale to chocolate - but it's possible because of the transparency of the formula. There are 12 shades available in the U.S., one for everyone. I have no idea why the rest of the world got only nine.

I'm going to share with you a Q&As with Patricia Pineau, Communications Director of L'Oréal Research, and Linda Cantello, but I'll do it at the end of this feature. I am a #2 in Luminous Silk, Designer Lift, Designer Shaping Cream, and my old favorite Hydra Glow. I'm also a #2 in the new Maestro. I find it hard to believe that one fairly small drop of Maestro covers my entire face. It literally disappears into my skin, but leaves my skin tone even and luminous - not shiny luminous, simply "with life." It does not cover a few dark sun spots on my face. Nothing does except heavy, gloppy concealers. I've learned to live with my spots.

This is the most revolutionary "foundation" I've ever worn. Even women who prefer heavy foundations are likely to be stunned by the natural effects of the Maestro formula. It provide a perfect base for blush, bronzer, and other products in powder or cream form. Simply put, it's astounding.

Here are those Q&As, abridged slightly. The first is with Patricia Pineau.

What was the inspiration for the Giorgio Armani Laboratories' researchers when they created Maestro?
The expectations of women are contradictory when it comes to face makeup. They want a light, velvety, silky film, but also coverage that hides imperfections: transparency and coverage. Researchers developed a formula that is easy to apply, extremely thin with a perfectly unified distribution when applied, and that covers imperfections.

How were the researchers able to satisfy expectations that seem impossible?
With an exceptional formula that replaces water, usually contained in foundation formulas, by a specific harmony of oils. Five oils were selected out of thousands according to different degrees of volatility to compose the Maestro formula. With the volatility of these oils, we have lost the mass effect, so it feels like nothing has been applied on the skin.

How can this formula be so thin, but covering?
Maestro is relatively fluid. Just a few drops on the skin, delivered by the dropper, allow a very thin film that's truly pleasant to apply. The oils deliver a perfect finish and a homogeneous distribution of all the pigments.

What type of skin is Maestro for?
This new face makeup category is perfectly adapted to all skin types. The oils contained in the formula don't leave any greasy film on the skin. Therefore, this product is even adaptive for oily skins.

Linda Cantello brings her makeup artistry skills to the fore in her Q&A.

How is Maestro different from other foundations?
It's not a foundation! Lots of people have asked me what makes it so special and different. It's actually a completely revolutionary, new face makeup category: a complexion perfector, in the most amazing sense of the word.

You're a professional makeup artist, why will Maestro be a key product in your makeup case?
It is so easy to apply - just a few drops and you have a matte and luminous finish. Maestro matches every look and every need. From the most nude or classical makeup to the most sophisticated and daring looks. Every woman can now have a professional makeup artist finish all day long with just a few drops. No makeup can look good without a good canvass.

How does it feel?
It is very sensual; it just feels incredible and fresh, but at the same time, it's featherlight, just as pleasant as a moisturizer. [Note from me: I can't feel it at all. I do feel my skin care.] I think women will love to apply it. When I used it on the model in the backstage of the Maestro campaign, she said it was magical, and I thought she was right.

How does Maestro complete the Giorgio Armani face makeup range?
Giorgio Armani foundations, and more than ever with Maestro, are like his clothing. You notice the woman and her great skin. Giorgio Armani has envisioned his foundations like his fabrics, the best quality, cutting-edge technology, true color - they all come together to flatter and enhance, rather than disguise.

What is your advice to select the right shade?
The formula is so thin and the distribution of pigments so homogeneous, that it is actually very easy to match any skin tone. Only a few shades will fit all the skin tones in the world. The Giorgio Armani teams in the points of sale will help find the right shade for you.

There you have it: one of the most exciting beauty introductions of 2012. It will be available this month at Giorgio Armani Beauty's Web site and at counters in fine department stores. I'd recommend you check it out.

I can tell you first-hand that Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie has it for sale. Call the Armani counter at (202) 966-9700, extension 2241. There's a gift with purchase too.

Photos courtesy of Giorgio Armani Beauty

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Even Finish Foundation SPF 15

Available in 20 shades from Alabaster to Expresso, Bobbi Brown's new Long-Wear Even Finish Foundation SPF 25 ($47) has launched. The best thing about this foundation is that no one will know you’re wearing it. Unlike most long-wearing foundations, which can look cakey or mask-like, this unique formula looks completely
natural. It’s ultra-comfortable, hydrating, and offers medium-to-full coverage for up to 12 hours.

A long-wear foundation with a natural-looking finish had been at the top of Bobbi’s wish list for a long time. To bring this vision to life, she and her team tested over 10 different versions of the formula to strike the perfect balance of film former, pigment levels, and emollients, which moisturize and keep the skin looking fresh. After tweaking the ingredient levels for months, they hit on the perfect balance of finish and wear and came up with a formula that provides flawless, natural coverage from morning to night.

This foundation is tailor-made for anyone who has oily skin or who lives in a warm, humid climate. Pair it with any of Bobbi Brown's oil-free moisturizers, and you can count on your skin looking fresh and flawless, from morning to night.

Treated pigments in the formula are suspended in an emollient gel, creating a silky and lightweight texture that looks completely natural and stays color-true. The perfect ratio of emollients blended with a film former sets this long-wear formula apart, giving it a lightweight, unique texture, so that skin looks and feels like skin for a full 12 hours - without ever feeling dry or taut. A “soft-focus” effect evens the skin tone and provides an immediate reduction in the appearance of lines, wrinkles and pores.

Glycerin and shea butter keep skin feeling hydrated throughout the day. To protect skin against future damage, the formula contains broad-spectrum UVA/UVB SPF 15 and antioxidant vitamins C and E. The coverage is breathable, flexible, and truly compatible with our skin.

Proof that it's long-wearing, has a natural finish, and is hydrating, with superb test statistics...

• 95% reported that it looks fresh and flawless all day
• 90% found that it stays color-true from morning to night and found it doesn’t change color
• 92% thought that it looks natural
• 79% found that it minimizes the appearance of pores
• 84% described a lightweight feel upon application
• 80% reported that it left skin feeling moisturized throughout the day
• 90% found that it absorbed oil and helped control shine
• 86% described a comfortable feel on skin upon application
• 90% found that it feels fresh all day

Bobbi Brown's Long-Wear Even Finish Foundation SPF 15 is available at Bobbi Brown's Web site and should be available by September at all Bobbi Brown counters. I can't wait to try it! Check out Bobbi's application tips online.

There is an explosion of fabulous new foundations. I have two to show you, will try this one very soon, and am waiting eagerly to get my hands on Giorgio Armani's new Maestro, a water-free foundation that I think was made for me. What am I going to do? Alternate foundations by day?

Photos courtesy of Bobbi Brown

Chanel Vitalumière Aqua Fresh and Hydrating Cream Compact Makeup SPF 15

I am very picky about foundation - maybe you are too. I wasn't prepared to love Chanel's new Vitalumière Aqua Fresh and Hydrating Cream Compact Makeup SPF 15 ($58), but I do. I'll be wearing it every day, as I have for the last few days.

Following the success of Vitalumière Aqua Ultra-Light Skin Perfecting Makeup SPF 15, Vitalumière Aqua Fresh and Hydrating Cream Compact Makeup SPF 15 is the "next-generation compact foundation." The water-based formula blends effortlessly and offers the lightness and radiance of a fluid with the ease and convenience of a compact format. It's available in 10 shades. There's one that should perfectly match your skin's undertones, whether pink or beige. More on that below.

The coverage is light to medium. The finish is natural - satin, not matte - which I like. I feared it might look flat on my dry skin - the reason I wasn't prepared to love it - but it looks very natural and pretty.

The water-based formula and melt-into-the-skin texture impart a uniquely fresh and light feel upon application. Moisture-rich emollients immediately hydrate the skin, and the comfortable feeling lasts all day. Soft-focus pigments and silicone powder even the skin. It blurs my sun spots and evens my skin tone. The coverage is buildable. I like the fact that I can apply only one swipe to my entire face and then go back and apply a bit more in the center of my face where my skin can be red. I also like to take it along with me during the day and touch up after lunch. I can be ruthless with a napkin.

Chanel supplies a sponge with the compact and recommends that you apply Vitalumière Aqua Fresh and Hydrating Cream with a sponge.  When I was testing shades, Loyd Cassler at Saks Chevy Chase used a brush. The brush provided a very light application - too light, I thought. I prefer a sponge and use one each morning - not Chanel's round one, but my own wedge-shaped sponge, which I prefer. It's easier to work around my nose and under my eyes.

Don't buy this makeup without testing the colors first. I almost purchased Vitalumière Aqua Fresh and Hydrating Cream Compact Makeup online, where it looked like #10, Beige, would be the best shade for me. I usually wear the lightest shade of foundations. Beige is the shade I had asked Loyd to apply so that I could see whether I liked it. I didn't. It was way too yellow. Even though I like yellow-based foundations, #10 made me look "off" - almost sick. My first reaction was that I didn't like Vitalumière Aqua. Then I asked Loyd what other light shades I might try, and he reached for #22, Beige Rosé. Bingo! As soon as he applied it to just part of my face, I knew it was the shade for me. It does not look pink in the compact. It was designed for skin with pink undertones. There's a big difference.

Loyd used his fingers and applied a thick swipe of each shade to a face chart. Beige is on the left, and Beige Rosé is on the right. Because of the blinding white background on the sheet, I was not able to get a better photo. I can see the difference in shades; I hope you can too.

If you like foundations that feel light as a feather, but are hydrating, and coverage that is light, but can be built seamlessly to medium, take a look at Vitalumière Aqua Fresh and Hydrating Cream Compact Makeup. It's available at all Chanel counters and also Chanel's Web site. Just make sure you know your perfect shade.

Photo at top courtesy of Chanel; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

Rouge Bunny Rouge Milk Aquarelle Liquid Foundation

I'm always reluctant to order a foundation I've never tried in person. That's why I've placed order after order at Zuneta without ever giving Rouge Bunny Rouge's Milk Aquarelle Liquid Foundation ($84.50 at current exchange rate) a glance - until my last order. There was something about a sale that pushes me over the ledge. Now that I've tried it? I'm wearing it every day I wear foundation! I have a new favorite.

While the dreamy scene in the Enchanted Garden had tempted me, it hadn't sealed the deal.

On a rare, rare night, just as the Enchanted Garden prepares itself for sleep, ethereal o'wisp forms rise through the miasmic air, as if formed from a dissolved elixir of the forest's autumnal cloak... Voiles of the softest nutty tones mingle sweetly through the balmy milky clouds, suffusing the atmosphere with calm - as though a brush of light had softened every line into a lambent glow.

Here, at the root of just one chosen tree, the ceremonial Wood-Nymphs lay their whispered chants gently, blessing it so that all who rest there will be soothed. Their fatigue melted away by a hazy bacchanalian light, which cradles them with a feeling of deep serenity.

Milk Aquarelle Foundation is said to translate the gentle, natural phases of tone and transparency into delicately creamy swathes of color in a mélange of stirred light, to give your complexion brightness and lucidity. "Stroke yourself with innocence and comfort and watch as others sway towards you, helpless, like netted birds, caught by a sudden feeling of tenderness." Netted birds? In my Enchanted Garden, birds fly free, unconstrained by human inventions and intrusions.

Milk Aquarelle Liquid Foundation is described as having a light gel texture that blends and moves with the contours of the face like a second skin and minimizes imperfections to give the appearance of a flawless complexion while allowing your natural beauty to show through. I don't associate "gel" with such a divinely creamy liquid, but I'll go with that for now. The gel texture is, apparently, what gives Milk Aquarelle its cushiony, buildable qualities.

Milk Aquarelle is packed with skin-saving protectors and botanicals, including detoxyl, a powerful anti-pollution ingredient to keep the world at bay; bamboo, which conditions, softens, and repairs the skin; shea butter to nourish; panthenol, which imparts long-lasting moisture, stimulates cell regeneration, and normalizes the skin; and Egyptian lotus and white water lily flower extracts to protect, soften the skin, and fight free radical damage. Milk Aquarelle protects while it gives the skin a beautiful finish.

Oh the agony of choosing a shade online! I knew I would be one of the lightest shades, but which one? Coconut Milk Parfait is described at Zuneta as a milky pale pink-beige, ideal for the palest of skins. That would be me. Almond Milk Parfait is described as a pale yellow-toned beige, ideal for fair skin tones. That would be me too, from the perspective that I have a little red in my skin that mildly yellow-toned foundations mask. I guessed that I could wear either shade, but I ordered Almond Milk Parfait. I applied it the minute it arrived and was delighted to find the shade was perfect.

Applied to my arm for a swatch, Almond Milk Parfait looks too yellow. On my face, it's perfect, blending effortlessly to give me a polished perfection. One should never test foundation on the inside of the arm. Our wrists seldom have the sun exposure that permanently changes our faces (sun damage is permanent). For the swatch photo at left, I applied a swath of Almond Milk Parfait (using its wonderful pump dispenser) and barely blended it. In other words, it's caked on. The yellow you can see in my swatch is what disguises the red in the center of my face (nose and chin). On my jaw line, it blends into a perfect match.

I have applied and blended Milk Aquarelle with a foundation brush and a foundation sponge. Either works fine for me (Rouge Bunny Rouge recommends a brush, which you can see if you watch the short film here). Milk Aquarelle blends effortlessly and leaves behind a superbly natural finish. Most of us don't gleam naturally, nor are we matte. Healthy skin should have some life (not necessarily shine), and one of the nicest things about Milk Aquarelle is that it also has life. The finish is natural, not easily categorized. If you want your foundation to glow, use Rouge Bunny Rouge Seas of Illumination Highlighting Liquid and blend it with the foundation in your palm before applying.

Milk Aquarelle offers what I would call medium coverage, blurring imperfections, but never leaving a mask or the look of foundation. I am absolutely delighted with it. I've tried and used a lot of foundations over the years, and it's one of the best ever. That's high praise.

You can purchase Rouge Bunny Rouge products at Zuneta, where you'll receive excellent customer service. If you have a hard time selecting a shade, shoot them a question or a photo. I'll bet they can help. Milk Aquarelle is now on my "shout it from the rooftops" list.

Photo at top courtesy of Zuneta; swatch photo by Best Things in Beauty

Giorgio Armani Beauty - New Designer Lift Foundation

Over the weekend, I had an opportunity to attend a media breakfast at which Tim Quinn, Giorgio Armani Beauty's Celebrity Face Designer and National Director of Creative Artistry, described the new Designer Lift Foundation ($65), which is now available online and at counters. Tim happened to be holding two bottles of Designer Lift when I snapped this photo before the event.

I'm lucky. I had two weeks to wear the newest addition to Armani's world-famous stable of foundations before Tim's presentation. After my two-week test, I can report that I am thrilled with Designer Lift Foundation! It gives me the radiant Armani glow, with my skin appearing to be cloaked in light, but with a satin finish. You have to see it on the skin to understand that light, glow, sheer, and satin don't have to be contradictory.

I've chosen to call the coverage medium. Designer Lift offers a bit more coverage than Luminous Silk Foundation, Armani's award-winning foundation, but manages to do so in a way that's lightweight (I can't feel it on my skin) and virtually invisible as a foundation. I don't see foundation on my face when I'm wearing Designer Lift. I see a smooth and even skin tone in a shade (#2) that looks like me - but much better. It hides blurs and imperfections as it applies quickly and evenly. I was surprised at how it provided coverage, but still seemed to disappear into my complexion.

I know Kathy Shoreman has had the same reaction - and plenty of compliments on her skin in the last two weeks. Designer Lift makes her skin look flawless. Tim mentioned that celebrities love it because it gives their faces the perfect look for HDTV. If you want to see the new, steamy Armani campaign for Giorgio Armani Beauty, with Megan Fox channeling Elizabeth Taylor and old Hollywood glamour, click on this link.

How does Armani do it? With Armani's Micro-fil technology at the heart, the company developed "real cosmetic weaves - translucent, ethereal veils of color, layered to create the perfect aura." Mr. Armani knew exactly what he wanted and asked the formulation team to create a foundation that was much like the fine, sheer textiles he uses in his fashion designs. I think he succeeded.

The smoothing and sculpting effect was created with a duo of optical fillers, velvety powders - one satiny, the other matte - that play with reflections of light to blur imperfections, intensify radiance, and enhance natural facial contours. Designer Lift Foundation provides an instant lifting effect, achieved with a "liquid powder" that forms an ultra-fine toning network on the surface of the skin. It is said to restore up to 10 years of luminosity, firm lines up to 87%, and firm the skin by 73%, with 12 hours of lifting action.

Designer Lift has a rich, emollient formula that feels good and leaves the skin plumper and denser, reinforced by adenosine, which restructures the dermal matrix, and the antioxidant vitamin E. There's added value in the SPF 20 PA +++ for sun protection.

An unexpected blue pearlizer was included in the formula for Designer Lift. A precise, finely dosed Prussian blue makes white more luminous and enhances black, making both colors appear more pure. The black and white fillers (indispensable in any foundation formula) are less dull as a result. On the skin, it has an instant visual appeal, correcting irregularities and making the skin appear smoother, translucently luminous, fresh - as if light were emanating from within. All of the pearlizers in Designer Lift reflect as much light as they receive.

The new foundation was launched with 10 available shades, with more on the way. Designer Lift will blend seamlessly with any skin tone.

• For light tones, there's a blue-tinged pearlizer, which counteracts a yellow complexion.
• For medium shades, there's a touch of pink pearlizer for a real boost of freshness (simulating the skin's microcirculation).
  
• For dark hues, a gold pearlizer brightens the complexion and accentuates its radiance

Designer Lift was developed after a "rainbow study," an analysis of more than 2,000 women that allowed Giorgio Armani Beauty to target the needs of each skin tone. As a result, the three color families above were developed with multiple shades in each. Fair shades were developed with Asian skin in mind. Medium tones were developed for European to mixed-race skin. Dark tones were created for African skin. With such a targeted approach, all women can achieve the Armani glow.

Linda Cantello, International Makeup Artist for Giorgio Armani Cosmetics, says the feather-light texture will allow the face to glow without creating a mask-like effect or emphasizing the slightest wrinkle. She recommends dabbing it into the T-zone, particularly the nose and lip contour areas, then smoothing outwards across the face using the dedicated brush, the Designer Lift Brush.

Designer Lift is available at Giorgio Armani Beauty's Web site, Armani Fifth Avenue, and fine department stores, including Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, and Barneys.

If you want a foundation that will hide your flaws, make your skin look smooth and free of imperfections, and add a radiance that may not come naturally, you owe it to yourself to try Designer Lift Foundation.

Designer Lift and Megan Fox photos courtesy of Giorgio Armani Beauty; photo of Tim Quinn by Best Things in Beauty