Sunday This and That

Earlier today, I wrote that it was raining. That's what the local forecasters predicted. Imagine my surprise, then, when it started sleeting in the early afternoon. The sleet quickly turned to snow - great big snowflakes. Now the snow is mixing back with rain. I have a light covering of snow on my walk and grass. I must remember to watch for black ice in the morning when I go outside to feed the birds and squirrels. As I listen to the evening news, the weather forecasters are eating crow.

Speaking of squirrels (not crows), I have one little dimwit who chewed through metal and wood to ruin my squirrel feeder a few weeks ago. I bought a new one last week. I just went out and found the dimwit had almost finished Act II, ruining a $30 feeder. I hope he learns how to lift the door with his head soon. I can't afford to buy a new one every week. I may have to get my handyman to screw through the metal edges to squirrel-proof the squirrel feeder.

Have you noticed that Estée Lauder has been almost moribund? No new collections have been introduced for months. The latest is a collection of Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipsticks. I played with them at the store, but they bored me. See the look above. I was hoping for a new Illuminating Powder Gelée for spring. I asked my favorite Estée Lauder representative when I might see one - or anything of interest from Estée Lauder. What she told me was stunning. The company promoting Aerin Lauder's somewhat ho-hum line at the expense of the mother ship. If you want to see new palettes, you're going to have to pay more attention to Aerin's meager offerings. The rep said we "might" see an Estée Lauder collection for summer. I am amazed.

I would love to think that what she told me is not true, but the evidence is at the counter. Am I the only one who thinks the Lauder conglomerate has made a seriously bad decision? Estée Lauder has died and come back before. It wasn't too many years ago when Tom Pecheux resurrected the matronly brand and made it hot again. Where is he? Now I read about Pecheux's connection with M·A·C (January and February) and his work as a runway makeup artist.

While Estée Lauder snoozes, Dior is Dior Addict empire with the new Dior Addict Fluid Stick. "Billed as a cross between a gloss and a lipstick, Fluid Stick’s formula combines wax-free pigments with water and glycerol for a true, intense, long-lasting color," Senior Vice President, Lisa Hawkins told WWD. “Traditionally, lip glosses are made of color pigments mixed with oil. Our formula mixes the pigments with water and other ingredients.” She continued, “This formula delivers the color payoff and lasting power of a lipstick, but with the shine and weightless sensation of a gloss. Lips are continuously moisturized with a blend of water and glycerol."

That sounds exciting. I am a huge Dior Addict fan and have been for years. What horrified me about the announcement was that statement that the Dior Addict" franchise" attracts a customer between 18 and 30 - the sweet spot. Given the Best Things in Beauty readership, which ranges from 18 to 70, I think Dior is selling its "franchise" short.

The Palace released an adorable family photo showing Prince George, the eight-month-old son of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, making his love for Lupo perfectly clear. I think it could not be more adorable. What do you want to bet the shot came naturally? There is no way to make a kid and a dog pose like that. What a family treasure!

As I close Sunday This and That, I want to remember the people in the community of Oso, Washington. The mudslide that buried so many came too fast for them to seek shelter. Now, as I watch the community - professionals and volunteers - dig to find every last person (and pet and family heirloom) lost in the tragedy, I weep for them and the survivors, many of whom feel guilty that they survived and their loved ones didn't. It has been a sad reminder to hug your loved ones.

Update: It is so embarrassing to spell "Sunday" incorrectly! Why didn't one of you tell the typo queen?

Photos courtesy of Estée Lauder, Dior, and the British monarchy/NPR, and the Huffington Post

Sunday This and That

Since I started Best Things in Beauty, I have not suffered a winter like this one. There are very few days when the sun shines, allowing me to take photos. Look at the forecast for this week. See Tuesday? When they say partly cloudy, they really mean you may see the sun briefly if you get lucky. I've seen another photo from the same source that shows a mostly cloudy day. I will be at work and won't have the luxury of running outdoors at the exact time the sun graces us with an appearance - if it does. After that? Next chance will be Saturday. Now I understand why people get depressed in the winter.

I have new makeup and no photos. I hate the thought that they will go unshared because summer collections will be making their way to the counters by the time I can get outside to take photos. The only thing I can tell you is that I love my new Chantecaille goodies; the Clarins neutral eye shadows for winter are very nice; and the new Tom Ford Lipsticks are worth a look-see. I do have photos of a gorgeous new Rouge Bunny Rouge eye palette, but I have not been given the go-ahead to show them to you yet. I'll write this week and beg.

This week, I'll try a new approach and devote the week to beauty treasures that don't really need swatch photos to describe. I think I'll have time to write on most of the days.

What have I been doing?

• Caring for Mom's string of bad luck. (FIOS went missing again this week.)
• Bought a new Audi.
• Shoveling snow (small amounts at a time, thankfully)
• Chipping through ice.
• Keeping my outdoor animals well fed so they can withstand the horrible cold.
• Buying snow boots.
• Suffering over human treatment of animals - and people's treatment of other people.

I am boycotting the Olympics. I will not watch on television. The moment I found out the Russians had hired "exterminators" to rid the Sochi area of stray dogs by poisoning them, I wrote off the Olympics. While rights groups have gone into the country to round up and protect the dogs, the damage that was done to Russia's reputation will remain in my mind forever.

Today, I learned that a healthy young giraffe was shot to death by the Copenhagen Zoo, despite a worldwide protest and offers from other zoos to take him. Why? To prevent inbreeding. The easiest way to prevent inbreeding would have been to allow another zoo to take Marius. Now he will be lion food. What must that poor animal have thought as his keepers turned on him? I cannot post the photo; it's too graphic. I find this act so reprehensible, I must now add Denmark to my "bad countries" list - the one that contains countries that hunt whales; condone killing sharks for their tails, throwing the sharks back in the ocean to die; and the ones that jail human rights activists. It's an ugly world out there. Sometimes its hard to find beauty when you cry through the news. Even Colonel Meow died.

I have been spending a lot of time - too much, probably - on Facebook, and I can recommend some sites for finding feel-good stories. Here's only a sampling of the sites that make me happy.

• The couple writing Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary deserves sainthood. If you like dogs, browse the site and you will be hooked.
• Sir Stuffington is a cat who lives with rescued cats and dogs with two women who are also saints. Their photos and stories are heartwarming.
• I love Bengal Cat World. I see Charlie's distant relatives there.
• Recycled Doggies shows us that there are people with big hearts.

Even though it may seem so, I haven't given up on Best Things in Beauty. I may have to shift the emphasis for a bit. Maybe I'll try to improve my skills in writing about fragrance while I wait for spring, hoping those groundhogs were all incorrect.

I can continue to laugh about the Dr. Perricone paid content (infomercials) that air on DC's NBC station on Saturday evenings. If the brand is so great, why do they need to stoop to the level of Dr. Oz and kitchen gizmos. Have you seen one of these half-hour celebrations on Perricone's "brilliance"? 

I miss you!

Photo courtesy of NBC Washington

Sunday This and That

I thought I would be starting to show you swatches from spring collections today. I don't know when the weather forecasters lost their minds. We don't have sun; we have thick grey clouds. Actually, it looks like it's going to snow any second. I'm fairly frustrated because I have new Armani, Chantecaille, Clarins, Bobbi Brown, Tom Ford, and other treasures to show you.

Speaking of makeup, I passed by the Dior counter. I am sure I would have loved the spring lip colors - I always do - but how many more lipsticks do I need? I had just purchased six from other lines.

Yesterday, I was treated to an extra-long RéVive facial at Neiman Marcus Tysons Galleria. Kathy Shoreman, a trained aesthetician, did my facial in an upstairs, cozy, and quiet room. I went in with dry skin that looked lifeless. I left with hydrated, plump skin that looked alive - and I felt relaxed and pampered. It was wonderful. I use many RéVive products, but still purchased one I haven't used before: Intensité Moisture Serum Extreme. I need it with the winter we are having, plus there was a promotion available and I got a $50 discount. I will write a full review soon. RéVive has a new serum, made especially for night, and I brought home samples. I can't wait to try it tonight. This super-cold, dry air is killing my dry skin.

This week, Michael Reinhardt had a scheduled Le Métier de Beauté special event, and I had to miss it. I was in a two-day conference call for work that required that I adopt West Coast time. He had two sessions, and I wasn't able to make either one. Then it snowed - a lot. Federal government offices, schools, and many businesses were closed. Not me! I was home talking on the phone with Sacramento, where the weather was lovely. Anyhow, now Michael has to reschedule his event. Even though I am sorry for his bad fortune, I'm happy for me. Now I may get to attend the rescheduled event.

I didn't comment on the Golden Globes fashion and looks because I was still in my blog timeout, but I have to say that I was generally unimpressed. People raved over Amy Adams split-down-to-there oddball color-blocked gown. I thought it was hideous - even thought it was supposed to be reminiscent of her look on American Hustle. Another hideous look? Lena Dunham. Lena, bright yellow is not your color, and those tattoos are ugly. You seem to be a girl with your head on straight, so why let stylists lead you down a dismal path?

Two pregnant women looked glorious. Olivia Wilde (shown directly above) and Kerry Washington look even more glamorous than some of the best of the best. Their gowns were drop-dead gorgeous. Wilde wore her pregnancy like a badge of honor, while Washington made one concealing concession with a cut-away jacket that was absolutely perfect.

I was also smitten with Taylor Shilling's green gown and Robin Wright - until Wright had a wardrobe malfunction and exposed too much side boob. I could count five or six other women who looked every bit the screen star. Unfortunately, most of the women in attendance, including the adorable Jennifer Lawrence, modeled gowns that were off the mark. Did D&G have a bad day when they dressed Julia Roberts? Even Cate Blanchett in Armani Privé disappointed me (too busy). Maybe they were saving their best gowns for the Academy Awards. What did you think? Any favorites? Any big disappointments?

This will be a crazy week. I'll be waiting for sunshine, and even though I'll be at work, once it appears at a favorable time, I'll be out in front of a 12-story office building taking swatch photos in very cold weather. I predict goose bumps.

Update: It did snow - for all of two minutes.

Photos courtesy of appearancedayspa, the Washington Post, and the New York Times

Sunday This and That - Upcoming Sephora Sale

Sephora's big November sale starts this week. I'm very excited about it because I've got my eyes on a few things. If you are a V.I.B., you should have received your discount code by now.

One thing that looks intriguing, but begs for a discount is Marc Jacob's I Lovemarc Collection ($350), a limited-edition holiday set featuring 13 Lovemarc Lip Gels encased in a luxe lacquer box. When you open the stylishly sleek Lovemarc Collection, a limited-edition set, appearing for this season only, you'll experience true luxury, they say. Enclosed in the lacquered jewelry box, you’ll find 12 shiny-black Lovemarc Lip Colors aligned like piano keys, plus the newest addition and center of attention, Marc’s realized vision of the perfect red: Showstopper. From the mysterious Moody Margot, to provocative Little Pretty, you will have an opportunity to discover the variety of true glamor and fall in love with a new shade each day.

You'll also have an opportunity to pick up that Bobbi Brown holiday palette you've been eying. Bobbi Brown's Sequin Shimmer Brick for Eyes ($48.50) will allow you to customize your shadow color with one quick swipe across all 10 shades, or use the bars individually to highlight as you go. Shimmer Brick imparts a soft wash of pearlescent color and is ideally packaged in a slender, mirrored compact. It's perfect for playing up your eyes for all the season's parties.

 Edward's Best ($75) is another pricey item you might want to buy with a discount. The blockbuster lip palette features eight lip colors in Edward's signature creamy formula, including six of his classics plus two limited-edition shades. The master of lip color has unveiled his bestselling lipsticks in a palette that pays homage to his famed Ultra Slick Lipstick. "Kiss and tell the difference with this super-creamy, hydrating formula that drenches your lips in a satin veil of rich, vibrant color. Achieve precise application every time with a full-size lip brush and a huge mirror (signed by Edward) for touch-ups on the go."

Looking for a nice fragrance deal? NEST's Eau de Parfum Coffret ($38) is a deal at its regular price. With a discount, you may feel generous and buy one for a beautiful holiday gift.  Feel radiant with Amazon Lily, romantic with Dahlia & Vines, sultry with Midnight Fleur, elegant with Passiflora, and irresistible with White Sandalwood. Each dab-on fragrance is housed in an attractive mini-glass bottle adorned with original botanical artwork. Packaged in a luxurious gift box, the Eau de Parfum Collection is an ideal way for you to experience each fine fragrance before graduating to a larger bottle. Meticulously formulated by the world’s most accomplished master perfumers, NEST Fine Fragrances is an extraordinary collection of signature scents.

I've started to cruise the site, doing a bit of advance work. There are so many nice things this season. I'm sure you are all doing the same. What's on your list for the sale? Are you ready to spend?

Photos courtesy of Sephora

Sunday This and That

Here is one more photo of Tim Quinn, working his Armani magic yesterday. I doubt you can see his gorgeous dark blue jacket's finish. It was like a silk/cotton sateen: gorgeous! I wish Mr. Armani made some of the things Tim wears for women.

For some reason, Giorgio Armani's Fall 2013 Scarabeo collection of Eyes to Kill Intense shades had just arrived at Neiman Marcus Tysons Galleria. Go figure! You may remember I selected Gold Hercule in August. I found out there was one shade designed, but held out of the collection to be Tim's special shade. They told me it is only available at his events now. See the comments.

All four are shown in the indoor photo directly above, with Tim's shade, #34, at the right. It's the blue I asked him to apply to my eyelids yesterday.  From left to right, they are #31, #32, #33, and #34. You might think at first glance, as I did, that #31 and #34 look similar. They aren't. Tim's special shade is almost cobalt on my skin. I thought teal when I applied #31. I'm sorry I couldn't swatch them. It was pouring outside. Once the sun returns, I will get a swatch photo of #34 for you.

I finally purchased Armani's new Crema Nera Extrema ($380). It launched when I had no work. Even yesterday, I gulped when I purchased it. Having been a huge fan of the first Crema Nera, I had to have it. Armani Beauty calls Crema Nera Extrema the supreme reviving cream. I'll tell you more about it when I feature it. It leaves my skin radiant, and I already adore it.

The Dior Golden Winter Holiday 2013 display is gorgeous. Although the lipsticks are beautiful, they are all too dark for my tastes. I selected one eye palette, one eye shadow, and the golden highlighter. As soon as I can get photos, I will start to show them to you.

The testers (only, no for-sale product yet) of Le Métier de Beauté's new lipsticks have arrived. They look and feel great. Some of your old favorites have been reformulated, and there are new colors for you to discover and enjoy. The new Hydra-Creme lipstick line was in development for three years. They are said to be fabulously long-wearing and ultra-moisturizing, and they come in a new chrome tube that some have likened to Clinique's.

Dr. Brown's RéVive Artbox 11 ($575) has arrived, and it's stunning, as always. This year, the Artbox is decorated with the exceptional painting Fifth Street C11.67 by renowned artist Caio Fonseca. Hand-selected by Dr. Brown, a true art connoisseur and avid collector, Artbox 11 is a celebration of his passion for the intersection of art and beauty. Inside the box, you'll find Moisturizing Renewal Cream Suprême, Sensitif Renewal Cream, Fermitif Neck Renewal Cream, and Defensif Renewal Serum. I wasn't able to get a great photo because of the store lighting - plus the shadows cast indoors. It's a striking box that should be used as a keepsake or jewelry box. I'll have more to say later about RéVive and my new skin care for my aging hands.

Here is the new Bobbi Brown Hollywood Glam display for the holidays. Most of what's displayed is not part of the holiday collection. The products haven't arrived yet - only the display. There will be a really cool, new, limited-edition Nude Glow Shimmer Brick ($45), a shimmering quartet of pearlescent colors to highlight the skin for lit-from-within luminescence (think of it as candlelight in a compact). Each shade also doubles up as an eye shadow.

Below, a few holiday goodies that have arrived are pictured. I purchased a new blush made for this year's breast cancer awareness campaign. I'll show you soon. It's a beautiful pink.

I'll end today's tour with the new Clé de Peau Holiday 2013 Collection. As you might imagine, a few pieces came home with me. It's a special collection. Make sure to see it before that limited-edition cream blush sells out.

I'll save my fragrance tour for another day. I await the sun and hope it comes back tomorrow afternoon.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty or courtesy of Giorgio Armani Beauty, Le Métier de Beauté, and Bobbi Brown

Sunday This and That - Featuring Le Métier de Beauté, Chanel, and More

I was so excited that Le Métier de Beauté's Carnaby Street had arrived - until I wasn't. Only the tester arrived at Neiman Marcus, so I couldn't purchase it. I did get a photo of "the real thing." Now, you can see that the colors are gorgeous, and the bottom shade is blue, not teal. I am hoping that the for-sale product arrives this week (a regional rep told me it "probably" would).

I started off Saturday with a nice, intimate blogger event hosted by Kara Manos of Politics of Pretty.  Kara, dressed in a trendy outfit that only the beautiful and young can wear, calls herself obsessed with beauty products. She showed us her favorite new products - all sold at Neiman Marcus, the co-sponsor, of course. Among her favorites? Giorgio Armani's new Rouge Ecstasy, Diorshow mascara, Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour SPF 15, and Guerlain's Météorites. As we watched, we ate finger food and drank mimosas. Nice way to start the day!

After the show, I went downstairs to pick up my Beauty Event purchases, then I got in my car and went to Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie - and hung out for three hours! During that time, I got a look at new Chanel Rouge Allure lipsticks. You know how photos of photos taken indoors can be dark and dingy. I figure they are better than nothing.

Chanel's luminous Collection Moiré has been arriving in pieces. Gabrielle Chanel is said to have loved silk moiré fabric for its changing glints in different lighting. This new collection mirrors the fabric's luminous finish. This time, the for-sale Rouge Allure lipsticks had arrived without the testers. The Le Vernis shades in the collection had also arrived, but the Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss, lip definers, and Aqua Crayons had not. We looked at the for-sale colors but it was hard to judge them since we couldn't test them. My first impression is that the colors are saturated.

I'm more excited about Chanel's Nuit Infini de Chanel Collection for Holiday 2013. I'm sure you have seen photos of it on European blogs. Designed to capture the endless mystery of an exciting night, Ombres Matelassé ($80) will be the star of the show. With beiges and bronze, the shadows should be gorgeous. This palette will be available in October.

At long last, Chantecaille's new Cheek Crèmes have arrived. They are now sold without a compact, the refillable Pebble Compact, so the overall initial price, color insert and compact, has increased. That didn't stop me from buying both shades. I'm not sure where I'll find the compacts, since they already sold out at Neiman Marcus. I really don't want to wait for them to restock, so I will check the company's Web site. I have photos of the new shades and will show you tomorrow.

For those of you who were frustrated by your inability to find Sisley's gorgeous new color collection, it arrived at Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie on Friday. I have swatch photos and will show you early this week.

Recommended Sources
Le Métier de Beauté: Michael Reinhardt or Chae Edwards at Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie at (202) 966-9700, extension 2258 or 2236.
Chanel: Nicki Hashemi can be reached at the same extensions, (202) 966-9700, extension 2258 or 2236.
Sisley: Vicki Hamilton at (202) 966-9700, extension 2258.
Chantecaille: Jeannine Barnes at (202) 966-9700, extension 2289.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty

Sunday This and That

Pied A' Terre Antiques and others (this was posted on Pied A' Terre's page) post the most beautiful photos on Facebook. From castles to gardens, antiques to flowers, the photos leave me feeling serene - and comfortable that some people still appreciate the finer things in life.

I mentioned Friday how terribly boring Sephora's new VIB Rouge status is. You wouldn't believe the 1.5" lipstick they sent me to welcome me to the program. It's red, naturally, so someone who wins a contest here will find it in her box. I'll never wear it. I'm unimpressed with my new access to Sephora's Beauty Studio. I've never been, and I have pretty good reason to believe I don't need their services. Since I seldom visit the crowded and dirty store at Tysons, I doubt I'll ever use myAll-Access Pass. Unless this program gets better in a hurry, I'd advise you not to stretch for the privilege

This weekend's sales are extraordinary. I already mentioned Beautyhabit's 20% discount through tomorrow. Use the code BYESUMMER. There are other fabulous sales. Beauysak is also offering 20% off with the code LABOR20 through September 3. New London Pharmacy is offering a 20% discount through tomorrow. Use the code LABORDAY20.

Sephora and b~glowing have new markdowns in their sales. Beautorium is offering a tiered discount. Spend $60 and save 10% with code SAVE10. Spend $100 and save 15% with code SAVE15. Spend $200 and save 20% with code SAVE20. I'm thinking about stocking up on John Masters hair products. SkincareRX has a rather odd rebate program, but you can save 22% with code LDAY22. There are many other weekend sales, so make sure to check your favorite shopping sites. Most of the sales are publicized on the home page. TATCHA has a great deal on their sampler sets.

Starting today and running through the month, Le Labo and Luckyscent are offering the City Exclusives to everyone. That means, for example, that you don't have to travel to San Francisco to buy Limette 37. I plan to take advantage of this rare offer. I've got my list lined up. You have time to order samples to see what you might like and then place an order before this September opportunity ends.

The Neiman Marcus Beauty Event starts September 11 and runs through September 22. This month, if you spend $125 in the beauty department, you will receive a leopard-print tote bag with nine samples. The bag comes in brown, red/orange, and purple. I picked up a brochure in the store, and it has a coupon for a sample of Sisley-Paris' new SUPREMŸA Yeux at Night. I have finished my first sample and love it! Make sure to ask for one, even if you don't have the coupon. They will run out quickly. There is also a coupon for a sample of Estée Lauder's new and improved Advanced Night Repair II. Ditto - ask for it.

I have much more to tell you about my introduction last week to new beauty products. I'll show you Sisley's fabulous new City Muse color collection, Bobbi Brown's Smokey Eye Mascara, and more. I'm excited about fall. I also selected two of Estée Lauder's new metallic eye shadow palettes, and I can't wait to pick them up to show you. I also have some beautiful new fragrances to introduce.

I need to go back and amend some of my features about Perricone products to ensure that everyone knows that although many of them are effective, they develop a skanky odor after a few months of use. I used to use Cold Plasma (eye and face) products. I loved them. I had to stop when their odors turned to fish tanks after three months. Actually, I had to return one because it had that fish odor the moment I opened it, which means it sat in the store under warm lights for months before I purchased it. I was really disappointed when my Nutritive Cleanser, which I keep in my shower, turned last week. It is now unusable. The formerly pleasing smell is now disgusting. It never gets terribly hot in my bathroom because I do not close the door when I shower. Why bother when you live alone?

I want you to keep this in mind when you read glowing reviews of Perricone skin care. They are coming from writers who haven't had the time to evaluate the long-term use of the products. So far, my beloved Acyl-Glutathione products haven't turned, but I use the small containers very quickly.

I have never had my other favorite skin care products turn rancid within a reasonable length of time/use, so this problem seems to me to be a Perricone problem. Even entirely natural products keep better than the good doctor's.

I know I had more to tell you, but my body is telling me it's nap time. I'll be back later with Happy Labor Day wishes!

Photos courtesy of  Pied A' Terre Antiques and Le Labo

Sunday This and That

I think Sephora has lost it. "Incredible, enviable, once-in-a-lifetime" 5,000- and 10,000-point rewards. Starting tomorrow, August 12, you can call to redeem your points at noon ET. For what? Getting your brows done? A facial spa party at Bliss? A haircut by Chris McMillan? For some of the rewards, there is only one available. Even if I cared, it would be impossible to call to get in on these deals because I will be in a meeting at noon. I've always laughed at the inadequacy of some of the 500- and 1,000-point "deals," but now I can roar at this folly. I guess Sephora doesn't realize that people who can afford to build up these kinds of point balances usually have busy lives.

I saw YSL's new Rebel Nudes Collection of Glossy Lip Stains yesterday. There were two or three of the new shades I liked, I remembered vividly how drying these were on my lips. My SA reinforced my memory, so I passed and kept moving at Neiman Marcus.

Have you smelled Balenciaga's relatively new fragrance L'Eau Rose? It had just arrived at Neiman Marcus. It's a beautiful fragrance, dominated by blackberry notes, leading to the heart of violet, rose and (supposedly) patchouli. The base contains cedar, cypress and musk. Fortunately, I didn't smell the patch on my skin, so I liked it. I wore it for hours, so I think the patchouli would have emerged to my nose if it had been present in any concentration. I brought home a sample.

I also brought home a sample of Jo Malone's new Peony & Blush Suede, which has just arrived in stores. Created by perfumer Christine Nagel, the cologne was promised to be "the essence of charm with peonies in voluptuous bloom, exquisitely fragile, and flirtatious with the juicy bite of red apple and the opulence of jasmine, rose, and gillyflower. The flowers will mingle with the sensuality of soft, blush suede for a luxurious and seductive dry-down." Unfortunately, it also has patchouli in it, and I can smell it. I was so looking forward to this new "Jo," but I suspect my sample is the last I'll have of it. I really don't like the acrid smell patchouli leaves on my skin. It smells like stale perfume to me.

There is a lot of new skin care being introduced - now and in the near future. I just got a sample of Sisley's new Supremÿa Eyes at Night, which employs Supremÿa at Night’s anti-aging technology for the area around your eyes. Promising anti-aging, anti-darkness, anti-puffiness, and lifting effects, it could be the next best thing. I'll tell you more about it after I've used up my little sample. I suspect I'll love it since I love Supremÿa at Night. I'll be featuring more skin care than usual over the next month.

Le Métier de Beauté fans will be pleased between September and the holidays because there are a lot of new products on the way. I am not at liberty to give you any details. In fact, I have very few to share. Just be prepared to buy.

I have so much more to tell you, but I must leave something for features this week. Tomorrow morning, I'll be featuring my two new Guerlain duos. I was able to get photos today.

Photos courtesy Sisley, Jo Malone, Balenciaga, YSL, and Sephora

Sunday This and That and Sephora News

I love it when the crepe myrtles start to bloom. They have a long summer season, showing off their beauty as other flowering plants start to wilt from the extreme heat. Hot it has been!

This morning, we had a little excitement - well, Charlie did. He got up around 4:00 am and started being really obnoxious, making enough noise to make my last hours of sleep fitful. At one point, he was digging various things out from under the bureau (was it a message I needed to clean better?). It was only after he started played in the bathtub that I got really curious and went into the bathroom to see what he was doing. He was playing with a new friend, Mr. Mouse. Mr. Mouse was terrified, but looked uninjured. I grabbed a cup and, after a few fruitless attempts, with Charlie getting in the way, I scooped him up, covered the cup with a rigid catalog, and took him outside, where I liberated him. Mr. Mouse seemed OK as he scurried away into the mint under the shrubs. It was a riot watching Charlie sit on the toilet for 30 minutes afterward keeping an eye out for his new toy, Mr. Mouse.

I'll give you a quick update on my malware woes. My guru disappeared from the scene for a few days, and I was panicked. Fortunately, he came back yesterday. Perhaps he was off for a few well-deserved vacation days. Anyhow, reader Katherine had recommended I try ComboFix, freeware that promises to rid your computer of known malware, spyware, and other bad actors and remove them. I ran ComboFix yesterday evening, and (knock on wood) I haven't had a redirect since. Kuttus, my guru, also sent me some additional code to use with an OTL run, and I did that late last night. Today, I have not had a link redirected - yet. Could it be that we've had a successful exorcism?

I went over to Nordstrom yesterday to check out the Anniversary Sale. I was seriously interested in the Attilio Giusti Leombruni shoes. There are only two brands these days that I can wear from Day 1 with comfy feet: AGLs and Aerosoles. When I got to the upscale shoe department, I learned that every AGL on sale had sold out during pre-sale - another reason to hate Nordstrom's pre-sale policy. Nordstrom encourages customers to open credit cards and potentially go into debt - rather than live on cash at hand - and rewards them with early sale access. It doesn't matter if you spend more than those cardholders in a year. You are out of luck when it comes to the annual to-do. Yeah, they offer a debit card too, but since my debit card number was stolen there, I'm not confident they can protect my security, especially since they thought that card number theft was an inside job.

After my shoe department disappointment, I went down to Beauty and was incredibly unimpressed by the Anniversary Sale exclusives. There was a relatively nice Bobbi Brown Telluride Glow Collection. I might have purchased it in flusher days. I got to see the new Dior color. I think I already got the best pieces. I was not at all excited over the Dior Fusion Mono Eyeshadows. The colors were boring for this makeup addict, and they were too metallic for my tastes. I flirted with the new powder shadows, but they were so similar to shadows I already own, I lost interest quickly. I think I already own the best of the Mystic Metallics Collection.

I did a quick drive-by of Clarins and found the summer collection still featured. Then I headed for Clé de Peau, where I found the new Extra Rich Lipsticks! They were everything I expected and more. With 30 shades in three finishes, satin, silk, and velvet from which to choose, I played with colors for 30 minutes. It took that long to narrow my selections down to two. These are pricey lipsticks. I couldn't buy more than two. I'll show you my two choices tomorrow. I'm absolutely sure I'll go back for more before too long.

The biggest beauty news of the week was Sephora's announcement that it is revamping its Beauty Insider Program. I found out at WWD, from which I lifted this news. "More memberships, more rewards, and more points" was the message when Sephora executives revealed the company's relaunched Beauty Insider program, including a new premium membership level.

Sephora’s Beauty Insider Program is made up of two tiers. At the base is Beauty Insider, which provides the customer with birthday gifts, seasonal promotions, product rewards, gifts, and member-only classes. The second tier is VIB (Very Important Beauty) Insider, for which consumers qualify once they have spent $350 in a calendar year. This tier includes all beauty insider benefits, first dibs on new products, seasonal VIB-only gifts, advance access to sales, and private VIB-only shopping events (I like this because Sephora doesn't practice credit card "extortion.") The new tier, called VIB Rouge, launched on July 23 and offers frequent shoppers even more incentives. This premium level is reserved for customers who spend $1,000 or more in a calendar year and provides members with all Beauty Insider benefits, all VIB benefits, free shipping on all orders, unlimited access to The Beauty Studio, exclusive Rouge events, and surprise gifts. 

To kick off the program’s relaunch, Sephora will feature a few new incentives between August 12 and 18. When Beauty Insiders purchase new items, they will receive double points. VIBs will receive triple points, and VIB Rouge members will receive quadruple points. Also, the points earned are eligible to transfer to friends and family to score 5,000- or 10,000-point rewards. A select few will qualify for prizes like a trip for two to Paris with Make Up For Ever or the Marc Jacobs beauty collection tucked away in a fall 2013 Marc Jacobs handbag. I think I'll be making my trip to Sephora to check out the Marc Jacobs collection soon.

What do you think about that? Will the enhanced program make you even more likely to buy from Sephora? The stores might be messy, but Sephora online shopping is the bomb (as the kids say admiringly).

Remember I featured TATCHA’s GOLD Camellia Lip Balm recently? For a limited time, you can enjoy this treasure with every purchase of $300 or more (a $36 value) at TATCHA's Web site.  Enter the code GOLDCRUSH at checkout, and the balm will be yours for free. The offer is valid through August 7.

Update 7:30 pm: After a redirect-free day, I just got redirected. I'm crestfallen.

Photos courtesy of Southern Living and WWD

Sunday This and That

I had the best Sunday nap today. Things didn't get done, but my nap was wonderful. It's still brutally hot outside. The promised "cold front" didn't arrive yesterday, so now it's scheduled for later today. Bring it on!

I thought I'd use today's "this and that" to bring you some beauty news you might have missed - news from off the beaten path. One of my favorite fragrance brands in Le Labo. Le Labo has unveiled two new scents in its City Exclusives range. The City Exclusives are kind of a pain because you can only purchase them in the boutiques in the city where they belong - except every year or two when the eight City Exclusives are sold in all Le Labo stores and at Luckyscent.

The two new fragrances are Limette 37 for San Francisco. It features notes of jasmine, petit grain, clove, vetiver, and musks. The second is Cuir 28 for Dubai, with notes of vanilla absolute, leather, vetiver, and musks. This year, from September 1 for six weeks the City Exclusives (including Tubereuse 40 for New York (my absolute favorite of all Le Labos), Musc 25 for Los Angeles, Baie Rose 26 for Chicago, Vanille 44 for Paris, Poivre 23 for London, and Gaiac 10 for Tokyo) will be available at selected stores and online priced at $116 for 15 ml, $290 for 50 ml, $440 for 100 ml, and $1400 for 500 ml. A Travel Tube Kit ($175), Travel Tube Refill ($240) and Perfume Oil ($240) will also be available. I've got my eyes on Cuir 28. Even though Limette seems like a natural for me, I don't care for clove in fragrance - or much of anything else.

WWD reported that Lipstick Queen will be expanding its reign with a new collection featuring its most advanced formula since its 2006 launch. In September, Poppy King, will introduce Velvet Rope, a five-piece lipstick line. The lipstick, priced at $50, will be the highest-priced lipstick in the brand to date.Do you see prices creeping up?

For King, the range is meant to harken back to 1940's Hollywood, when “glamour was in every detail” and heavily pigmented pouts were the norm. “Hollywood glamour was at its peak in the Forties,” said King. “It was a time when women were an equal presence on screen and were there to be seen as well as heard. Each one of the female film stars in the Forties could match any man in terms of power and wit and look damn good doing it.”

Despite her vintage inspiration, King was equally focused on delivering a “futuristic” new formula that felt lightweight. The final formula, 20 years in the making, promises densely pigmented opaque color, paired with the light feel of a lip balm. The collection's shades will be Private Party, Brat Pack, Entourage, Black Tie, and Star System, with colors ranging from nude to deep red.

“I have been trying to make this [quality] lipstick since I started my first lipstick brand when I was 18,” King shared. “I finally found a chemist who cracked the code on ‘high-drama look, no-drama wear.’ This was the lipstick of my childhood dreams.” Central to the formula is silicone elastomer, which King said allows the lipstick to feel silky and weightless while preserving an intense velvety color. “Because of [the silicone and elastomer base], you are able to achieve full coverage in a single stroke that usually requires at least three strokes,” King explained.

The lipstick’s additional ingredients include three types of waxes - candelilla, carnauba, and beeswax - to give the lipstick its structure, along with vitamin E and apricot oil to maintain nourished and soft lips. Peppermint oil was also included for a dose of freshness and a minty scent. In my humble opinion, the peppermint oil could work against its success.

The Velvet Rope collection will be sold at all SPACE.NK and Barneys New York nationwide, and will also be available online at lipstickqueen.com.

Clarins has created a new make-up collection for fall that will be available in August. Given the quick sell out of the summer collection, I'd recommend we all look for it the moment it arrives. Called Graphic Expressions, the fall colors include two eye products: the 3-Dot Liner enriched with growth-stimulating ingredients to condition lashes and eight shades of Crayon Khôl with a gentle formula that offers vibrant colors, including Intense Black, Smoky Plum, and Taupe.

Graphic Expressions also features a limited-edition Face & Blush Powder, made up of three shades (light beige, darker beige, and coral pink) with a veil of gold to illuminate cheekbones; the Eye Quartet Mineral Palette in fall forest shades, with khaki green, satin taupe, intense bronze, and pale gold; and Joli Rouge Lipstick, containing mango butter to nourish and protect lips in shades of Pink Camellia, Spicy Cinnamon and Royal Plum. Clarins will also launch a new Be Long Mascara. The mascara contains a complex with two active ingredients: the peptide Matrikine that enhances lash growth and Panthenol to strengthen lashes. Carnauba wax and filmogenic polymers work with the keratin found in lashes in order to maintain their health and to offer intense color. The mascara's tilted, small, elastomer brush has been designed to coat each lash from root to tip.

Everyone is into BB Creams, so Melvita will unveil its Rose Nectar BB Cream SPF15, in one shade, Nude Rose, in September. The light, organic cream is designed to camouflage imperfections and leave a natural complexion and flawless finish. The formula uses Melvita's Rose Nectar triple-action solution with rose floral water, fresh rose extract and wild rose petals to provide, retain, and distribute moisture in the skin. Organic mountain roses with natural mineral filters and pigments in a nude shade provide a soft-focus effect on the skin, while pro-biotic Yogurtene helps to prevent the development of bad bacteria by regulating the skin and stimulating the activity of good bacteria. The skin's pH level is balanced and natural defences are strengthened to offer a healthy, matte soft finish. Even though I am totally sated with BB Creams, I might try Melvita's Rose Nectar BB Cream. I love the brand, and I love roses. Why not?

I hope you are enjoying your Sunday. See you tomorrow.

Photos courtesy of pbworks.com, Le Labo, WWD, Chic Profile, and Melvita

Sunday This and That

My computer's infection this week with the dastardly System Care Antivirus, which itself is a virus, was only the beginning of a long quest that has not ended. I am on the hunt for every kind of malware, spyware, trojan, and every other kind of malicious software on my computer - and I've found more.

The original virus, which took over my computer, is gone, as verified by two programs, but I had to finish the removal job myself. I was annoyed beyond belief when I went to the "computer doctor" get my computer at 4:00 Friday and was told it would be Monday before he could finish. All he was doing was running a free Malware program - the very program that I had in the instructions for removing System Care Antivirus that I had downloaded and printed online. He had removed the virus, and he started a quick scan for others while I waited. One came up, and I asked him to delete it. I told him I was taking my computer as soon as he could shut it down.

He didn't want the computer to leave potentially "dirty." However, I told him I was just as capable of running the malicious software removal program as he was, and then my computer wouldn't have to sit there until Monday afternoon. I brought my computer home and ran scans by multiple programs until it reported "clean." I thought the drama was over.

On Saturday morning, I clicked on a Google search result for "Print USPS Postage," so that I could finally send out Erin B's prize. I was re-directed to a car site. At that moment, I knew I had another problem. I posted a question on the Firefox support site, and two gentlemen promptly provided assistance. One gave me links to about 10 free scanning programs and told me to run all of them because some pick up one bad actor, but not another, and so on. It made sense to me, so I have been downloading, installing, and running anti-malware programs all weekend. That has left me unable to blog.

One made me pretty angry. I wasted Friday night on Kaspersky, advertised as free. When it found and identified dirty files, it wanted me to buy a license before it would fix them. It was advertised as free, but was hardly free. I uninstalled it from my computer. By then, I was ready to kill a hacker.

Today, I think Microsoft Security Scanner found the redirect culprit: Win32/Medfos.B. It is malicious JavaScript that redirects search queries when you use search engines. It is installed as a malicious Mozilla Firefox extension. How did I get it? Who knows? It's gone now.

My Facebook friends have suggested some other cleaners, so I'll be running them tonight. I'm going to run these detectives until my system comes up clean to all of them. Meanwhile, I'm losing valuable blogging time. I'm sorry I've appeared missing in action, but it's important that I get this right.

I saw The Conjuring this past Tuesday night. You know what Klout is, right? It's a social media site that "rates" your influence. The higher your influence, the more perks you can earn. Perks are freebies. Clearly, my influence isn't all that good because the perks I have received have included cat food my cats wouldn't eat and sugar-free ice cream coupons, which would be nice if the brand were available in the stores I frequent. Anyhow, Monday, Klout offered me free tickets to an advance showing of The Conjuring, and I accepted for myself and my friend Paul.

The movie ran from 7:30 to 9:30 (way past my bedtime). Even though I do not like horror films, I have to tell you it was very well done. The film stars Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as Ed and Lorraine Warren, paranormal investigators who come to the assistance of the Perron family (Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor), who are experiencing increasingly disturbing events in the Rhode Island farmhouse they just bought. From the start of the movie, it is evident that the house is possessed, and the suspense builds from start to finish.

What is seriously amazing about this film is that it's based on a true story. The Warrens were real, and Mrs. Warren is still alive. You can read more at this link. The movie was called by Variety "one of the most viscerally effective thrillers in history." I must agree with the use of the word "visceral." During the whole movie, I realized that my stomach was in knots. I wish I had known to pop a Valium before I went.

The acting was first class, and the sound effects were extraordinary. As I said, this isn't my kind of movie (I'm a The Devil Wears Prada kind of gal), but if you like terrifying movies, you must see it. It opens on July 19. Caution though...if you think your house is haunted, do not go. I'm now wondering, though, if evil spirits infected my computer.

I must go select a winner for this past week's giveaway contest. Then, I am going to try to write a feature for this evening. There's a new fragrance I want to describe before Saks has its gift card event Thursday.

If you want to know the names of the anti-malware programs I have found most effective, just leave a comment. Thanks for bearing with me!

Update: I need to point out something. You have no exposure from this blog. My blog is hosted by Google, not my computer. Google is pretty bullet-proof.

Update #2: I am so exhausted, I'm going to bed at 7:00. I will approve comments at 4:30 am tomorrow, and I promise I will write tomorrow when I get home from work. There are no options I can summon. I just need to sleep. I'm tired of getting up in the middle of the night to instruct one program and launch another to scan my computer.

Photos courtesy of thenorth.com, amt.com, and The Conjuring

Sunday This and That

I find it hard to believe that Thursday is the 4^th of July - even though the weather is telling me it's August. For days, we have had and are expected to continue to have severe late-afternoon thunderstorms. Right now, it's clouding up for today's round. Driving home from work Thursday was bad, but Friday it was even worse. It was kind of scary as lightening crashed all around me as I made my way home in torrential rain and horribly heavy traffic. When I got home, as I noted in the comments on The Friday  Forum, I had no power.

I went to sleep, for lack of anything else to do in the dark, around 7:30 pm. Even my cellular reception was bad, so I couldn't surf the Internet on my iPad. I'm surprised I could sleep. It was very hot in my house, and I couldn't open the windows because the noise from my neighbor's generator was unbearable. I awakened at 11:15 freezing because the air conditioner had come back on with the power, and I had nodded off with no sheet to cover me. Fortunately, Charlie was huddled against me, so one side of my body was warm.

I was able to get over to Neiman Marcus yesterday, where I saw the YSL Beauté Fall 2013 Collection. There are some pretty colors, along with the now-essential-for-every-line BB Cream. I purchased two pieces and will show them to you in the coming day.

Lancôme had a big center-aisle display of the new Alber Elbaz Collection. While the new palettes looked lovely, I didn't stop. I will get to them later - if at all. The cutesy design of the mascaras does nothing for me.

I saw and tried the new Tom Ford Atelier d'Orient Collection, four new Private Blend fragrances - Shanghai Lily, Plum Japonais, Fleur de Chine, and Rive d'Ambre - inspired by Asia. My favorite by far is Fleur de Chine, and I'll be featuring it this week.

I also got a peek at photos for Chantecaille's Fall 2013 collection. This week, I'll show you my photos of photos if I must. I still hope to get the official photos before I resort to poor ones, such as the one above.

For a limited time (from what I was told), CREED is making its Royal Exclusives available in 30 ml travel sizes. Traditionally, the Royal Exclusives have been available only in 250 ml flacons, which are pricey. For example, my beloved Jardin d'Amalfi costs $640. Now, you can purchase a smaller edition for $225. That will allow many who found the flacons price-prohibitive to experience these wonderful fragrances. I highly recommend you drop by your favorite CREED counter to sample and try them.

No matter what your politics, if you are a woman, you had to be enraged by this morning's article in the New York Times about Republicans painting Hillary Clinton as old and over the hill. Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader who is no spring chicken himself, ridiculed the 2016 Democratic field as “a rerun of The Golden Girls," referring to Mrs. Clinton and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who is 70. Others were quoted as having similar feelings. Apparently, Rush Limbaugh asked his audience in April whether the American people “want to vote for somebody, a woman, and actually watch a woman get older before their eyes on a daily basis?”

I cannot even believe these men are saying such things out loud! Paula Dean was fried last week for admitting under oath that she had used a reprehensible word. Is this sexism and age discrimination not equally reprehensible?  Women everywhere should be outraged. This transcends politics. I don't understand how men - even old men - get a pass on such outrageous statements. We age. We get grey hair; so do they. We get wrinkles; so do they. Is it distinguished on them, but a liability for us?  I'd like to know what you think.

Update 7/1: I am not publishing comments that are overtly political (or religious), one way or the other. My comments were about age and sex discrimination, and I started with, "No matter what your politics." I'm sorry if some of you feel unheard, but I cannot allow the comments here to become a political forum. While I used examples of Republican men, it was based on a New York Times article published yesterday on the front page - fresh on my mind. I'm sure that there are Democrats and Independents equally guilty of such behavior and speech. It's a shame that it's 2013, and it's still acceptable, apparently, for men to make such statements about women.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty, courtesy of CREED and teclasap.com.br, or source unknown at top of feature