Givenchy Rouge Interdit Magic Lipstick in Noir Révélateur

I might as well finish up this spring's Givenchy experiments today. At the same time I purchased the Ombre Couture Cream Eyeshadow, I rolled the dice and ordered Rouge Interdit Magic Lipstick ($32) in Noir Révélateur (#62) - called a sheer berry pink. Why not? I like berries, and I like pink. Plus the funky black color fascinated me.

This "magic lipstick" is said to enhance the natural color of the lips. I'd agree. It's a color-enhancer that brings a touch of "dark mystery for feminine and romantic lips." Its pigments react with the skin’s pH, so its color evolves differently on each woman. The stick looks black, but leaves a transparent bitten effect.

The blinding photo above proves it was taken in very bright mid-day sun. As you can see, the lipstick really looks black in the tube. The tube? It's a little weird, but that doesn't disturb me. I just can't imagine throwing it on a key ring.

Rouge Interdit Magic Lipstick in Noir Révélateur is most definitely transparent on the lips. It's extremely sheer. On my own lips, the color leans toward grape. It reminds me of Clinique's Almost Lipstick in Black Honey, one of my old favorites.

The color is a blue pink on my arm and on my lips. Despite its sheerness, it does show on my lips. It looks very natural - my lips but better.

It offers a very subtle shine in the light. It does not sparkle as one of my swatch photos above emphasizes. That was full sun. It has an almost imperceptible taste that dissipates in seconds. It feels nicely hydrating on my lips. All in all, good features!

Is it worth the difference in price if you compare it to Black Honey? No. It's nice, though, if you enjoy a little magic, want to astonish your friends, and are willing to buy a "luxury" lipstick. You can find both (Clinique and Givenchy) at Sephora. Sephora is the exclusive retailer for Givenchy in the United States.

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

Givenchy Ombre Couture Cream Eyeshadow

Normally, I don't feature products I don't like. I was chatting about that online this weekend with other bloggers. It's not fun to criticize poorly marketed or manufactured products when there are so many good ones. Nevertheless, because Givenchy's new Ombre Couture Cream Eyeshadow ($23) has received some favorable press, I'll tell you about my experience.

Called a new generation of creamy, waterproof, long-lasting eye shadow, these shadows are anything but creamy. They dry down to a powdery finish (Sephora should have said matte) and are said to last for up to 16 hours of long-wearing, waterproof color. The saturated shades can be layered or mixed to create your own unique signature color or ombre combination. Normally, I adore cream eye shadows, so an offering of new ones caught my attention immediately.

I used the little squares of color at Sephora to select my two shades: Beige Mousseline (#2) and Gris Organza (#7). Neither shade resembles the color online.

For reference, I have copied the color representations from Sephora below, starting with Beige Mousseline.

In the Sephora photo, Beige Mousseline appears to have some gold and peach in it. In my photo with the blue background above, taken in full, mid-day sun, it looks like mud. Sephora's photo of Gris Organza is shown directly below. To me, it looks grey, not the charcoal color you see in my photo. It's a closer representation than Beige Mousseline is, though.

Gris Organza came with its own surprise. I noticed the moment I took it out of the box that it had separated from the pot/jar all the way around. The moment I saw that the product had shrunk, I wondered if it would be fine (like Chanel's creams) or dried out. Unfortunately, it was very dry. See the close-up below. It is going back to Sephora. The product is defective. I might send the beige one back along with it - simply because it looks like mud on my eyelids - not what I expected. The color on Sephora's Web site is much prettier than the real thing.

I decided to show you a swatch photo. Sephora cannot resell the products anyway. I swatched with a sponge-tipped applicator even though Givenchy recommends you use your fingertips.

I found both shades fairly dry. However, the defective Gris Organza was so dry, it was hard to get enough color out of the pot to make an even swatch. I finally gave up. You can see that one side of my swatch is lighter than the other. You wouldn't believe how hard I worked to get pigment to part from the dry little plug of Gris Organza. Beige Mousseline wasn't that much creamier.

Any sparkles you see in my swatch photo are apparently left over from a product I swatched before these eye shadows.  They are definitely matte. The Non-Blonde, who selected a better shade than I did, says they are waterproof (I can attest to their stubborn refusal to wash off) and long-lasting.

There you have it. I am terribly unimpressed. I almost never return makeup. I think it's fairly unethical to blind-buy and then return an item because I don't like the color. Sephora isn't in the business of selling testers for my convenience. In this case, I think the color misrepresentations and the defective/dry product warrant a return. What do you think?

The Givenchy Ombre Couture Cream Eyeshadows are Sephora exclusives.

Photos courtesy of Sephora; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

Givenchy Ombre À Fleur De Peau Eyeshadow in Pearly Nude

Givenchy's new, limited-edition Ombre À Fleur De Peau Eyeshadow in Pearly Nude ($34) caught my eye at Sephora online for a two reasons: 1) A new cream eyeshadow will always entice me; 2) Pearly Nude (#2) was described as a glimmering light beige, which made the shade the most attractive of the two available. Pearly rose, although pretty, is not a great shade for my eyelids (it might be gorgeous on my cheeks).

Here is the marketing speak in italics. I've added my assessment after each blurb.

Ombre À Fleur De Peau Eyeshadow is a water-resistant cream eye shadow that blends into the eyelids like a second skin. True.

This eye shadow’s creamy texture turns into a smooth powder for a light and comfortable result. With a pearlescent finish, this shadow works equally well as a primer beneath other shadows. True, and true with reservations.

Wen it arrived at my house, I looked at the little square jar and became anxious. Was this color that looked rosy from outside the jar the right product and shade? It was, but you have to skin-test it to know it matches its glimmering light beige description - kind of sort of.

Pearly Nude showed me a lot of rose in the pot. On my skin, it shows me a little camel and some gold in addition to light beige. "Light beige" can cover a huge range of shades. This one should be called light warm beige.

The texture and finish of this cream shadow are divine. It is sheer, sparkling, and buildable in color. It lasts all day without creasing, most likely because it's a cream-to-powder formula. I'm not sure I'd use it as a shadow primer because I like my primers to be skin-toned or a color that reduces redness and gives me a nice blank canvass on my lids. Edward Bess offers a shade that's perfect for me (already featured here).

I took my swatch photos in full, afternoon sun. I applied Pearly Nude with a cream shadow brush (you can even see the brush strokes in my swatch photos because I built the color for the photos). I don't see that stripey effect on my eyelids.

On my eyelids, Pearly Nude looks like a very warm golden nude. Hopefully, you can see the camel and gold in the shade. It's pretty. It sparkles, but not too much. I have noticed that the color and sparkles transfer above the crease if I blink before it sets. I can't control blinking, so be prepared if you want to contain glimmer to your below-the-crease zone.

Speaking of sparkle, the sparkle factor with Ombre À Fleur De Peau Eyeshadow is significant. If you don't like sparklies, don't order it. I can't wear this shadow during the day, but I would wear it at night.

Pearly Nude is pretty. I'm glad I have it. I don't have a cream eye shadow shade exactly like it, so it adds a new option for this cream shadow lover - even if it is sparkly.

You can find and purchase it, as I did, at Sephora. It's only available online. Since it's a limited edition, it may disappear at any time.

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

Givenchy Le Prisme Blush Bucolique in Bucolic Poppy from the Instant Bucolique 2012 Spring-Summer Collection

Last week, I showed you Bucolic Rose from Givenchy's Instant Bucolique 2012 Spring-Summer Collection. I was holding out on you - mostly because of limited time. Today, I end the series featuring the Instant Bucolique Collection with Bucolic Poppy ($49), appropriately named for a poppy that blooms around Memorial Day.

When I ordered Bucolique Poppy at Sephora online, I assumed it would be red-toned, but I was clueless, given the little swatch of color online. I ordered on faith. My faith was rewarded.

Bucolic Poppy is a pigmented rose-colored blush. It's a gorgeous shade that is predominantly rose, but with just a hint of closet coral. With my fair skin, I have to apply Bucolic Poppy very lightly, but when I do, it's glorious.

It's interesting to me that the compact, shown above, with its expansive background of light pink, produces such an intense rose. For these swatch photos, taken in full sun, I applied Bucolic Poppy heavily with a sponge-tipped applicator at the top of my arm and with a dense blush brush below. As usual, I over-applied the blush to get good photos of the color, but I'd never wear Bucolic Poppy this intense. Someone with chocolate skin could - and would look heavenly.

I'm always smitten by rose blushes. This one is one of the prettiest of the new season. I love the color. Applied properly, it makes me look alive, it's flattering to my skin tone, and it reminds me of the saying that originated with Bobbi Brown or her super-rep Tia Hebron, "People are nicer to you when you wear blush." That has become one of my favorite lines. I've tested it and agree. Is it because we look happy with colorful cheeks?

Le Prisme Blush Bucoliques are produced through a new compaction process that allows a gradation in color harmony reinforced by a higher concentration of sparkling nuggets in the bottom of the pan. Honestly, I'm not sure I understand the sunken sparkling nuggets described at Sephora, but the blushes are so nice, I'm not sure I care.

The top level of the compact features the blush, and the pull-out bottom level houses a brush. Givenchy Le Prisme compacts aren't bargain priced, given their size. If you can get past that, I think you'll love them.

Sephora is the exclusive retailer for Givenchy these days. That's where I bought Le Prisme Blush Bucoliques. If Bucolic Rose looked too light/pastel for you, Bucolic Poppy is your shade. Try it!

Givenchy's Instant Bucolique 2012 Spring-Summer Collection is one of the most exciting Givenchy collections I've purchased in years. I'm revved. Check out the collection at Sephora, the exclusive retailer in the United States.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty, except for the poppy, courtesy of guardian.co.uk

Givenchy Le Prisme Visage Bucolique from the Instant Bucolique 2012 Spring-Summer Collection

Givenchy's Le Prisme Visage Bucolique ($56) from the Instant Bucolique 2012 Spring-Summer Collection is a face powder with a mix of four harmonious shades. This four shades in this powder combine to form a unique pearlescent blend "for maximum radiance and pastel illumination." "Atomized particles" create a fabulously soft and homogeneous formula that are said to provide a flawless matte finish. I'm wondering how this powder, which I purchased, can add radiance with a matte formula. When I apply it, I don't see any shimmer. I don't see much of anything - except for an even skin tone (nothing wrong with that!). I see a finishing powder in a non-traditional shade.

Givenchy says the colors are packaged from the top to the bottom of the pan with a unique compaction process that allows a blurred effect and several color inlays. Honestly, I have no idea what that means, and I have no contacts at Givenchy who might explain it to me. No matter what the technology, this powder is beautiful in the compact, like an abstract expressionist's canvass splattered with pastel, harmonious paints.

I didn't know what to expect when I ordered Le Prisme Visage Bucolique from Sephora. I did expect a light, pastel face powder. What surprised me was the overall white tone to the powder.

I'm not sure why I bother trying to show you powders on my skin that are barely visible, but I hope it helps to show you these swatch photos. I swatched Le Prisme Visage Bucolique heavily at the top of my arm with a sponge-tipped applicator and used a dense blush brush for the larger swatch below. As I swatched, I blended across all four quadrants of the compact. My photos were taken in full sun.

I felt it necessary to point to (or emphasize) the swatches with drawing tools. If you see any shine in the white powder, it's due to sunlight, not the powder. Le Prisme Visage Bucolique take all those pretty pastel colors and translates to white. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. The perception of white is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color-sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings.

I located Givenchy's instructions for Le Prisme Visage Bucolique and felt they might shed some light on the company's intentions.

It’s always exciting when winter comes to an end, but isn’t your skin looking more pale than pretty? We thought so. Givenchy has got you covered this spring with Le Prisme Visage Bucolique, a super-cool compact powder designed to amp up the glow without ever looking overdone.

Bucolic Blossoms No. 1 contains four tiny pyramids of softly specked micronized powder that illuminates all skin types with a sheer glowing veil. It’s like a peaches and cream complexion in a compact!

• Buff over foundation in place of powder for a translucent finish.
• Glide over freshly moisturized skin alone for a candle-lit glow.
• Concentrate an additional layer of powder on cheekbones, forehead, and chin to highlight.

I don't see peaches and cream. I see white - very much like Clé de Peau Beauté Luminizing Face Enhancer in Pastel, but without the shimmer. I'm not sure I needed another white-toned powder, but I'm starting to notice a trend. It has to do with skin lightening, brightening, and, yes, whitening.

I think Le Prisme Visage Bucolique is a nice finishing powder for fair skin. As the skin darkens, I would expect it to look ashy. I'd like to know if you've tried Givenchy's Le Prisme Visage Bucolique, available only at Sephora. What do you think?

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

Givenchy Le Prisme Blush Bucolique in Bucolic Rose from the Instant Bucolique 2012 Spring-Summer Collection

The time is right to revive the senses with springtime shades inspired by fields of lush blooms. The shades are subtle, and the look is fresh, ethereal, and beautiful. It's time to spring into summer!

Every year, we shake off the winter chill and eagerly look for the first sign that the sun is on its way. Like magic, the pinks, mauves, peaches, and lavenders begin to dot the landscape. The colors bloom with the sun’s first rays, then disappear as quickly as a whim. The red-orange poppy dances in the breeze, sunny, golden rapeseed captures the sun’s glow, and wild hyacinth cools the soul with bursts of blush traces.

The fragility of spring is at the heart of the inspiration behind Givenchy's Instant Bucolique Collection for Spring-Summer 2012. Speckled pastel powders for eyes, face, and cheeks leave the skin refreshed and pretty, while eyes get a touch of tender green, pink, soft brown, and mauve - trend colors for the season. The lips get a dose of full-bloom color with poppy red.

Intrigued by Instant Bucolique's inspiration floral inspiration, I ordered several pieces. Today, I start showing them to you with Bucolic Rose.

Givenchy's new, limited-edition Le Prisme Blush Bucolique in Bucolic Rose ($49) is so visually appealing, I ordered it the moment I saw it online at Sephora. I've got quite a collection of Le Prisme powders, going back about 25 years. I used to purchase them at Saks Fifth Avenue, and I "hit pan" on several. They used to be my stand-bys.

In the past, the blushes had color blocks in the quadrants. With these new Le Prisme products, Givenchy is mixing colors in the quadrants, giving the compacts a unique look. No matter how the colors are arranged in the pan, these blushes that add a naturally fresh and pretty flush to the cheeks.

The new Le Prisme Blush Bucoliques were inspired by the playful color of poppies. There are two shades: Bucolic Rose, featured here, and Bucolic Poppy, which I'll feature soon. These blushes are produced through a new compaction process that allows a gradation in color harmony reinforced by a higher concentration of sparkling nuggets in the bottom of the pan. Honestly, I'm not sure I understand the sparkling nuggets described at Sephora, but the blushes are so nice, I'm not sure I care.

I swatched Bucolic Rose with a sponge-tipped applicator at the top of my arm, taking care to pick up all of the colors in the compact. For the lower swatch, I used a dense blush brush and swiped the colors in a circular fashion, in the pan and on my arm. My photos were taken in full sun.

Bucolic Rose is pastel pink when all the shades in the compact are blended. I was a little surprised, but totally delighted by the shimmer light pink blush. I had expected a more neutral shade from the appearance in the compact. The pink is bright. Anyone who can wear this light pink color will find Bucolic Rose a perfect spring and summer shade. The other shade new shade, Bucolic Poppy is a darker rose that those with darker skin may prefer.

The top level of the compact features the blush, and the pull-out bottom level houses a brush. Givenchy Le Prisme compacts aren't bargain priced, given their size. If you can get past that, I think you'll love them.

Sephora is the exclusive retailer for Givenchy these days. That's where I bought my Bucolic Rose Le Prisme Blush Bucolique.

Givenchy Poudre Croisière Healthy Glow Powder in Extrême Croisière Plus Comparison to Ambre Croisière

Givenchy's new Poudre Croisière Healthy Glow Powder ($50) is a talc-free bronzer that's a baked gel (according to Sephora). Forget all the razzle dazzle about the bronzer being a gel. I think that description has confused some readers. Healthy Glow Powder looks and acts like a powder.

I purchased Ambre Croisière (#3), the only shade that was originally available at Sephora, the exclusive retailer, a couple of weeks ago. Then I saw Extrême Croisière (#4) online at Sephora, and I wanted it too. I had a feeling that Extrême Croisière, described as bronzed light brown and shown at the top of this feature, might be a better shade for me - even though it looked darker, and my skin is fair.

I think Extrême Croisière is slightly better for me, but the differences are minimal - not nearly as dramatic on the skin as the shades look in the compacts, shown immediately above. Ambre Croisière is shown on the left, and Extrême Croisière is shown on the right.

If you missed the swatches of Ambre Croisière, you can find them at this link. I was able to get swatch photos of Extrême Croisière in today's brilliant sunshine and took a few comparison swatch photos too.

I applied Extrême Croisière extremely heavily at the top of my arm, using a sponge-tipped applicator. Then I applied it heavily with a brush, but supplemented the swatch below with a light pass with the same sponge-tipped applicator to even the edges. That swatch photo is shown immediately below.

Givenchy's Poudre Croisière Healthy Glow Powder applies so lightly with a brush (beautiful for buildable color), that it was hard to get a decent brush application photo of Extrême Croisière - and even harder to get comparison photos using a brush. I snapped many, but finally gave up and swatched the two shades on my arm using a sponge-tipped applicator.

I can see the differences in tone on my skin much more clearly than I can see in any of my photos. Here's the best photo. I'm bummed that it was so hard to capture the differences in a picture. Ambre Croisière is shown at the top of my arm, and Extrême Croisière is shown below. Both were applied fairly heavily. You can see that Ambre Croisière is slightly more golden than Extrême Croisière, which is slightly darker in intensity and more "pure brown" in its hue. Are the differences dramatic? No.

I like Extrême Croisière ever-so-slightly more than I like Ambre Croisière. I felt a little obsessed (you think?) making another $50 online purchase, but I'm glad I did. I was able to see the differences, so I put that obsession to bed. I will be using both shades, varying their use by the time of year and the colors of my outfits.

You will find this lovely new Givenchy Poudre Croisière Healthy Glow Powder at Sephora online. Today I did get photos of other new Givenchy products, and I'll start posting them tomorrow. Yes, I bought both new blushes. That's what I do when I can't decide.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty

Givenchy Poudre Croisière Healthy Glow Powder

Givenchy's new Poudre Croisière Healthy Glow Powder ($50) is a talc-free bronzer made of a baked gel. I purchased Ambre Croisière (#3), the only shade that was originally available at Sephora, the exclusive retailer.

In a way, it's good that Extrême Croisière (#4) wasn't displayed when I ordered Ambre Croisière. The online photo is extremely enticing, and I would have had to make an agonizing decision - gold or brown? Online, Extrême Croisière appears to be a cooler shade of brown. I tried to resist when I saw it this week. I succumbed. By Monday, I should have #4 too. I will do a comparison photo to help you select a shade.

Totally weightless and invisible on the skin, this creamy formula provides ultimate softness and a light-as-air natural finish. With a consistency that's easy to blend, this bronzer can be applied alone with the Givenchy Kabuki brush or over Mister Radiant. Use it year-round to smooth pores, even the skin's texture, and provide a healthy glow.

Here's Ambre Croisière. Isn't the pattern attractive? I like the looks of it. It is described as golden tan, and I think that's accurate. Extrême Croisière - the one I ordered last night - is described as bronzed light brown. Because the powder is sheer and buildable, I suspect I'll find it equally delightful.

I took this swatch photo in full sun. I applied Ambre Croisière crazy heavily at the top of my arm, using a sponge-tipped applicator. I used a dense blush brush to apply it below, still heavily, but not unreasonably heavy. I wanted to be able to show you the hue.

I think Ambre Croisière is a pretty golden shade. While it looks muddy in the top swatch on my arm, the blended color on my face is golden and pretty. It offers glowing, gleaming, but somehow natural color (no sparkle). I have worn it as a warming and contouring powder, and I've worn it as a golden brown blush (brown tones look really good when you're wearing purple).

I hope I like Extrême Croisière as much as I like Ambre Croisière. I felt a little obsessed making another $50 online purchase. You know how much I hate spending money (just kidding).

You will find this lovely new Givenchy Poudre Croisière Healthy Glow Powder at Sephora online. I ordered a few more new Givenchy products; I'll show them to you when they arrive.

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

Givenchy Le Prisme Yeux Mono from Nuit Celeste Collection for Holiday 2011

During the Sephora Friends & Family Sale, I purchased Givenchy's Le Prisme Yeux Mono in Or Céleste ($29) from the Nuit Celeste Collection for Holiday 2011. The signature piece, L'Ombre Noire, a black eye shadow, was "not me." While the L'Or Céleste Starry Loose Powder looked very interesting, I opted for something safer: the limited-edition gold Le Prisme for eyes in Or Céleste.

I'm sure you already know that each Le Prisme is an innovative monochromatic powder eyeshadow that provides four finishes in one compact - in this case four golds. I was pretty sure gold would make me happy.

Givenchy's Le Prisme Mono creates made-to-measure results that range from natural to couture or simple to sophisticated. The formula contains atomized pigments that provide vibrant, stay-true color. Blend the four domes together for a single refined shade or use each one separately for a personalized result.

I photographed all four shades of Or Céleste in individual swatches, hoping to capture the differences among the four finishes. I was only partially successful. Part of the problem was mine, but I think I can attribute part of the problem to one of the shades.

I swatched in clockwise order, starting with the shade at the top left in the compact. You can see on my arm that three of the four golds sparkle. The third one down on my arm (bottom right in the compact) doesn't adhere well. I worked fairly hard to get even swatches with a sponge-tipped applicator, and still the third shade (the softest in the compact) left a bit more sparkle than color on my arm. The matte shade in the compact, shown at the bottom of my arm, bores me, but it may be just the thing if you are missing a matte gold in your eye shadow wardrobe.

The top two golds are slightly different in tone, with one offering a touch of antique gold to the pure gold. Are they different enough to warrant a purchase as individual shades? Not to my eye.

Swirl all four shades together, and you'll achieve a pretty, sparkling gold for your eyelids. The "deficiencies" of two of the shades are outweighed by the overall effect, and Or Céleste earns its keep. Should you purchase it? Only if you are looking for one new gold powder eye shadow - not four. If you already have one - or more - I'm not sure you'll find Or Céleste to be groundbreaking. I'm glad I got a discount.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty

Fragrance Fragments: Dahlia Noir, Prada Candy, and Bottega Veneta

Since I was showered with fragrance samples for Neiman Marcus Beauty Week, I thought it might be fun to give you a quick description of three that are among the samples in the Beauty Week tote.

Givenchy Dahlia Noir Eau de Parfum

A fantasy flower - the first fragrance developed under the creative direction of Riccardo Tisci, Dahlia Noir embodies the mysterious, singular radiance of a woman's graceful power. Dahlia Noir is both feminine and sensual thanks to its floral and powdery facets, but also powerful and captivating with its woody base notes. A couture fragrance all in pure lines, a return to supreme luxury. The quintessence of the Givenchy style.

By most accounts, I should like Givenchy's Dahlia Noir ($90 to $110). I'm not smitten. It's a powdery, dusty, chypre floral. With top notes of mandarin, pink pepper, and mimosa, heart notes of rose, iris, and patchouli, and base notes of sandalwood, vanilla, and tonka bean, it had potential. I had strolled by a free-standing exhibit at the store a few weeks ago, smelled a lovely floral, and asked for a sample. At that point, I should have realized that if I could smell the display that vividly, it might be a strong scent.

To my nose, it opens heavy and stays heavy for hours. I can smell the rose. I can smell the vanilla on dry-down. The patchouli isn't obnoxious, and the pepper makes it lively. What I don't "get" from Dahlia Noir is the opening of citrus/fruit notes. The mandarin and mimosa are missing in action for me.

It's too heavy for my tastes during its first two hours. It smells like an old-fashioned, heavy floral. In its third hour, it becomes rather pleasant, but I can't get past the first few acts of the production. All in all, it's nice enough, but I don't feel any need to buy it.

Prada Candy Eau de Parfum

Prada Candy ($80 to $108) is a different story! I wasn't expecting to like Prada Candy, but I do.

Prada Candy, the new feminine fragrance of Prada, enriches the Prada brand's fragrance universe with another vision: colorful, pop, and explosive. Prada Candy incarnates the new Prada woman: she's daring, sensual, full of life, and implosive. The perfume is named after this seductive and joyful girl who is running wild.

The top notes explode with caramel. Prada Candy is a gourmand delight. As it drys down, the heart, a powdery cocktail of musks delights with its softness. It smells like skin, only better. The base notes consist of vanilla and a "benzoin" overdose (if it's really a 12% concentration as reported, it's definitely a heavy dose).

Created by Daniela Andrier, Prada Candy is perfectly named. It opens with a flush of caramel candy. I envision a caramel chocolate (Fran's salted caramels to be specific), and I want to nibble on my arm. It's a luscious, edible fragrance. Who could resist? As it dries down, it becomes a soft, powdery, sensual fragrance - one that's extremely comfortable. Think hot chocolate. There's nothing particularly unique about it, but it's eminently likeable. That may read like a contradiction, but I can't detect anything about Prada Candy that's precedent-setting, as Prada's fashion often is. Despite that, I would purchase Prada Candy, if I had some extra money lying around.

Bottega Veneta Eau de Parfum

I've already raved about Bottega Veneta Eau de Parfum ($65 to $475). I adore it.

A complex and abstract mix of raw materials woven harmoniously. It is in the way of the weaving technique "intrecciato" associated with the brand Bottega Veneta, that master perfumers Michel Almairac and Amandine Marie have composed a singular, characterful fragrance.

From the very start, the olfactive identity of the brand appears through the original cross combination of plum and pink pepper, which brings brightness and depth. A strong and charismatic note of Sambac jasmine (variety of jasmine less animal and more floral), reflects in the heart the elegance of the "BV" woman. Harmonious contrast between modernity and tradition, this fragrance continues to radiate through its specific leather accord, symbol, and signature of Bottega Veneta fashion design.

I could live in Bottega Veneta's new fragrance. The scent is very feminine. Whether it's the association with fine leathers or by design, I smell a floral leather in the fragrance. It opens with a spicy note - the pepper, I'm sure - that departs the stage within seconds, leaving behind a soft floral. The floral notes dominate and remain with the fragrance until it fades into the skin. A leathery softness develops in the mid-notes and lasts for hours. I smell harmonious and pleasant memories. The scent is sensuous, soft, comfortable, and romantic. Never too assertive, just as Bottega Veneta's leather bags are conservatively elegant, Bottega Veneta Eau de Parfum is a scent I could wear to sleep, one that relaxes me and make me dream of life's simple pleasures.

It's nice that the Beauty Week tote offers three entirely different samples. I'll bet one of them will strike your fancy. Have you tried them? Did you get your tote with samples? What did you think?

Ph0tos courtesy of Neiman Marcus

Givenchy Les Ombres de Lune Shadow & Light Eyes in #2 Lune Mordorée for Fall/Winter 2011

Givenchy's Les Ombres de Lune Shadow & Light Eyes in #2 Lune Mordoréen ($58) is an eyeshadow and highlighter in one. Or an eyeshadow and liner in one. Or two eye shadows. Or three eye shadows. It offers all kinds of flexibility with its two shades.

For Givenchy's 2011 Fall/Winter Collection, Nicolas Degennes created a collection in homage to the moon. Like a celestial muse floodlighting the darkness with its bewitching brightness, the moon embodies the essence of a soft and mysterious beauty, a magnetic aura, in the same vein as Givenchy Couture. Inspired by this sensual night star, the Collection "Je veux la Lune" invites us to dream the impossible.

With his love of the impossible, Degennes wanted to create a multipurpose, must-have product. The result was the Les Ombres de Lune, which Givenchy calls an all-in-one highlighter for cheeks, eyes, and complexion that also works as an intense eye shadow. The two shadows in #2 are reminiscent of a blue moon in a golden sky. There is another palette, #1 Lune Mystérieuse, that evokes a black moon in a white sky.

Here is the true color of the palette. Givenchy's photo at the top of this feature is a little misleading. This was a blind purchase for me. I figured I would either love it or hate it. It's very hard for me to wear blue shadow, so I gambled. Am I glad I did! This palette is gorgeous.

I swatched the shades with a sponge-tipped applicator and took my photos in the sun. At the top of my arm, you will see the gorgeous, shimmering gold. I love to wear gold shadows on the lid. The blue shade is a grey-blue on my skin. It's a beautiful liner and, applied with a light hand, it offers a beautiful wash of grey with just a hint of blue. It has a satin finish.

I couldn't resist the urge to merge. I decided to blend the two shadows equally on my applicator and found that they blend to an exquisite, complex grey that has a subtle shimmer. The grey leans taupe, making it fabulous to my eyes.

You can see all three shades - gold, navy, and the blend, on my two arm photos. I couldn't be happier with Lune Mordorée!

The bottom drawer of the compact slides out to reveal two sponge-tipped applicators and a slanted brush. Givenchy must have known that it would occur to us to use the blue shade as a liner. The compact also has a mirror, making it ideal for application on the go.

Sephora is the exclusive retailer for Givenchy in the United States. Since the two eye palettes are limited editions, order soon if you want one. I haven't tried #1, but it looks interesting - just not as exciting as this one.

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

Givenchy Le Prisme Blush Glow in #41 Lune Rosée for Fall 2011

Here's some color for gals who need help with that blushing beauty look! Givenchy's linited-edition Le Prisme Blush Glow ($44) for Fall 2011 was created by Nicolas Degennes to provide a one-shot "glow" to complete the Fall Collection's lunar look.

The shades in #41 Lune Rosée look tropical to me with tangerine, bright pink, rosy mauve pink, and soft poppy pink in the palette. The four domes in four different colors allow you to create a custom look or just blend with wild abandon. The compact, like many Givenchy compacts, has two levels - one for color and another for a fairly decent blush brush. The innovative "clasp and slide system" allows you to simultaneously access the powder, brush, and mirror. The shades coordinate well with the rest of the face collection for fall. I'll show you one of the eye shadow palettes later today.

The powder in the Prisme Blush is atomized to create particles that all have the same shape and size and that are smaller than those found in any traditional blush. This creates an extremely homogenous, light texture, resulting in an incredibly silky finish. The colors stay vibrant throughout the day.

You could select the colors you want to mingle with this palette, but I usually go for it, blending all four shades. It's easier. This blush yields one of the prettiest pinks I've seen lately. It's a complex shade - not pure pink, but not overly warm or cool. I think it's drop-dead gorgeous.

I know I won't do justice to it with my photos, but I want you to see it applied heavily two ways: with a sponge-tipped applicator and with a dense brush. In both swatches, I blended all four shades on the applicator to apply to my arm. My photos were taken in full morning sunshine. The first time I applied the blush to my face, I had one of those "yippee" moments. Can you see how pretty it is? It does shimmer, but the sunshine added just a touch of extra shimmer to my arm.

I adore this blush! I realize I'm gushing. It's just so pretty. Naturally, you will apply it to your face, as I did, with a lighter hand. Wait until you see it. You will glow.

If you choose, you can apply a single shade (a little tougher than blending) or pick up only two of the shades, swiping either horizontally or vertically with your brush. Don't use the blush brush that comes in the compact unless you intend to blend all four shades; it's too wide.

The powder does have a fragrance, as all Givenchy makeup does. This one is light, fortunately, and it dissipates relatively quickly (not right away). I would prefer an unscented blush, but to wear this shade, I'll put up with Givenchy's mistaken notion that we want our makeup to smell perfumed.

Sephora is the exclusive retailer for Givenchy in the United States. Since this is a limited edition, order now to ensure you get one. It has my seal of approval. It's love!

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

Givenchy Gelée D'Interdit Smoothing Gloss Balm Crystal Shine

Another day, another lip gloss - one can never have too many! Not many weeks ago, I ordered Givenchy's Gelée D'Interdit Smoothing Gloss Balm Crystal Shine ($26.50) from Sephora. I selected #7, Blooming Pink, but it was a tough decision, with some nice shades available. The verdict? Good online decision!

Gelée D'Interdit Smoothing Gloss Balm Crystal Shine is a "smoothing gloss balm." They had me at that definition. Just as Givenchy says, the balm-gloss offers a glossy, sheer finish. Does it offer a long-term smoothing and plumping effect? I don't know. I rotate glosses and balms so often, I won't reap any long-term benefits. I'm not concerned about that. Actually, I'm not sure why Givenchy used the term "balm" in the name of this product; it's a lip gloss. Regardless of its title, it's nice!

This wax-free product (wax is typical of balm) features a new cocktail of active ingredients. Dehydrated hyaluronic acid micro-spheres slip into the lips' fine lines and hold the water naturally present within the skin's surface. Like small sponges, they soak in the water and increase volume by up to 50% for an immediately smoother and plumper effect. Their corrective and restructured actions erase fine lines and any other lip surface imperfections. A vegetal extract (apiace extract) has strong long-term revitalizing and smoothing properties. It is known to stimulate the cell renewal process of the epidermis, preventing the accumulation of dead cells on the lips, which can create irregular lines. Did I have dead cells after I burned my lips! Naturally, they peeled. Cameline oil, high in vitamin E, also provides comfort and hydration.

Under normal circumstances, I would have ordered two shades. I didn't because: 1) sometimes Givenchy products are too fragranced for my tastes, and 2) some of the colors looked strange online. If you go to this link, you will see high-fashion shades such as Celestial Black (sheer black with rainbow micro glitter) and Electric Purple (sheer purple with opalescent micro glitter) - not inspiring to a baby boomer who just wants to look good, not avant garde. Blooming Rose, described as a neutral rose with silver sparkles, looked like something I would love. I do.

Here are some swatch photos of Blooming Pink, taken in full morning sun - in one case taken with my flowers. The honeysuckle fragrance is intoxicating, so I like to hang out near it. It's not the best lip gloss photo, but that honeysuckle "tree" is awfully pretty right now. On my lips, Gelée D'Interdit is a shiny, medium-toned pink.

Gelée D'Interdit is fragranced, but not obnoxiously so. Unlike some gorgeous Givenchy color, which I can't wear because of the fragrance, I can deal with the fragrance in this gloss.

There are 12 shades - something for everyone, whether she is the daring type or more like me. I recommend you take a look at these Givenchy lip glosses. They are very nice! Sephora is the exclusive Givenchy retailer in the U.S.

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora