Preview: Giorgio Armani Beauty Designer Lift Foundation

Giorgio Armani Beauty will launch Designer Lift ($65), a new foundation, in October. This launch is extremely exciting to me. I wear Armani foundations on most days. I still have my old favorite, the now-discontinued Hydra Glow, and I often use the award-winning Luminous Silk. The newest addition to Armani's world-famous foundations looks absolutely perfect. I can't wait to get my hands on it.

The radiant Armani Glow, with the skin cloaked in light, enhances the natural highlights of the skin without distorting and emphasizes our features without exaggerating. Light is magnified by the finest materials, with Armani's Micro-fil technology at the heart, that create "real cosmetic weaves, translucent, ethereal veils of color, layered to create the perfect aura."

Designer Lift will transcend the glow we've come to expect from Armani foundations with full coverage in a feather-light texture. It will drape the skin in a new cosmetic textile: an extremely fine, extendable mesh, inspired by stretch fabrics - smooth and voluptuous. It promises to create a second-skin sensation and provide long-lasting comfort and wear.

The smoothing and sculpting effect has been created with a duo of optical fillers, which are velvety powders - one satiny, the other matte - that play with reflections of light to blur imperfections, intensify radiance, and enhance natural facial contours. It will provide an instant lifting effect, achieved with a "liquid powder" that forms an ultra-fine toning network on the surface of the skin.

Designer Lift has a rich, emollient formula that will leave the skin plumper and denser, reinforced by adenosine, which restructures the dermal matrix, and the antioxidant vitamin E. There's added value in the SPF 20 PA +++ for sun protection. Armani promises 12-hour rejuvenating effects.

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

There will be 10 available shades. Designer Lift will blend seamlessly with any skin tone.

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

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

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

Designer Lift will be available in October at Giorgio Armani Beauty's Web site, Armani Fifth Avenue, and fine department stores, including Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, and Barneys. I hope that really means soon.

Photo courtesy of Giorgio Armani Beauty

iS CLINICAL Cream Cleanser

iS CLINICAL Cream Cleanser ($48) has an extraordinary story. Have you ever thought about how women serving in the military take care of their skin and basic beauty needs when they are at war? I hadn't given it much thought. Then I found out about the story behind INNOVATIVE SKINCARE's iS CLINICAL Cream Cleanser.

Life for women in the military can be rough; simple luxuries easily slip away. Third Infantry Division soldier Linda Lee said, "..You shouldn't have to feel dirty, like you can't cleanse your face whenever you'd like." Soldiers don't always have access to water for bathing, so Lee wrote INNOVATIVE SKINCARE requesting a solution.

"It was the most unusual request we've had, yet also very exciting," said founder and COO Alec Call. INNOVATIVE SKINCARE had been supporting Stars and Stripes, a group that provides celebrity entertainment tours to boost morale among military members. CEO Bryan Johns added, "We very much believe in supporting our troops." Call and Johns were excited after hearing from Linda Lee. "It was a new way we could give back to our men and women serving in the military."

After significant research, they were able to launch iS CLINICAL Cream Cleanser, a rich botanical-based cream cleanser that removes makeup and doesn't need water to be rinsed away. INNOVATIVE SKINCARE presented Lee with the first tube off the production line, and Glow Medspa and Beauty Boutique pampered her with a facial and a makeover.

iS CLINICAL Cream Cleanser isn't just for troops serving abroad. It's for all of us who want a gentle cleanser that removes makeup effectively without stripping the skin of its natural moisture. Here are some of its features.

• Deep cleans skin and pores without drying
• Thorough, but gentle, eye makeup removal
• Can be wiped off or rinsed with water
• Completely non-irritating to the eyes and skin
• Leaves a silky-smooth finish
• Prepares skin for makeup application
• Compatible with all skin types

I have been using iS CLINICAL Cream Cleanser since early August when I felt privileged to receive a tube from INNOVATIVE SKINCARE. I love it! It's creamy and rich, and I only need a pea-sized dab in my palm to cleanse my face and neck. I do rinse it off, but not thoroughly. When I leave a film of this wonderful product on my face, I feel extra-hydrated. Plus, there's no reason to remove it completely. The ingredients are good for our skin. Safflower seed oil, glycerin, squalane, coconut oil, and algae extract ahnfeltia concinna (antixoidant and emollient) combine with other ingredients to pamper the skin.

Both young and old can use iS CLINICAL Cream Cleanser. It's equally loved by those who suffer from oily skin and those of us who are dry. I find that pretty amazing. Even the tube is well-designed, with a twist cap that turns to dispense the product. It sits on its cap securely, meaning I don't knock it over in my relatively small bathroom.

I've been using two other INNOVATIVE SKINCARE products, which I adore. I'll be featuring those soon. I like the company, and I like its products. To find out more about them, you can visit the Web site. Make sure to read about the science and the skin conditions that interest you.

INNOVATIVE SKINCARE is sold primarily at the practices of cosmetic surgeons and dermatologists, but the products are also available online. After I tried samples of the YOUTH Complex eye and face serums, provided by the company, I purchased more from SkinCareRx, a Best Things in Beauty advertiser. You can find a complete list of sources at this link.

Photo courtesy of INNOVATIVE SKINCARE

Preview: Guerlain Belle de Nuit Collection for Holiday 2011

I'm excited by Guerlain's Belle de Nuit Collection for the holidays, so I wanted to share all the information with you. Ignite your imagination and live a bygone era.

During the 1920s and 1930s, pioneers in aviation accomplished feats that were unimaginable at the time. These brave pilots became instant, worldwide celebrities. It was during this revolutionary period, in 1933, that Jacques Guerlain composed the legendary perfume Vol de Nuit, meaning “Night Flight,” as a tribute to the most famous women aviators of his time. Named for the second book written by his close friend Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Guerlain’s creation was a bold oriental fragrance that served as an ode to all fearless women. Comprised of woody, vanilla, and powdery iris notes, Vol de Nuit was for the woman who laughs in the face of fear, for whom nothing is impossible.

For Guerlain’s Holiday 2011 Color Collection, Belle de Nuit, Creative Director Oliver Échaudemaison took his inspiration from this legendary fragrance. Evoking the changing shades of the night sky, he created daring tones that are both dark and dramatic with mesmerizing iridescent accents. With lacquered and blue-green details, the products are incased within boxes that reveal the blue and black zebra motif found on the original Vol de Nuit box design. Belle de Nuit is a sophisticated and enchanting limited-edition collection that is as fleeting as nightfall.

The Météorites Perles de Nuit ($56), shown above, could not be more evocative of the theme. The cult favorite will be back, reinvented this holiday season. Although the formula remains untouched, Météorites Perles de Nuit will leave the face glowing and radiant with a new harmony of five perfectly smooth pearls to correct, illuminate, and even the skin. It is composed of pink pearls to capture light, white to illuminate the complexion, gold to reflect light, pastel orange to boost radiance, and silver to add shimmer without whitening the skin. Guerlain has made the newest Météorites a must-have in its stunning dark blue case.Makeup and fragrance merge in Vol de Nuit Perfumed Shimmer Powder for Face & Body ($87), the ultimate holiday accessory. The light and luminous powder wraps the skin with a veil of iridescent shimmer fragranced by the notes that comprise Vol de Nuit: a green and woody composition, softened by vanilla and iris. The universal pale pink shade is accentuated with blue-green and silvery hues to leave the face, hair, and body sparkling. The bottle reinterprets that of the original Vol de Nuit, which was revolutionary at the time by being the first to combine glass and metal.The green-blue lacquered glass is adorned with graphics reminiscent of a propeller, conjuring up the image of a plane traveling across the starry depths.

Parure de Nuit Pressed Powder & Blush ($76) is more than a mere powder compact; it is a lightly, violet scented skin enhancer that is a perfect partner for night birds. As light as a feather on the skin, the pale pink, white, deep pink, and blue green colors are topped with an iridescent and translucent sheen forming a universal harmony that gives the face an instant glow. Its black lacquer case conceals an extremely soft goat hair brush. Use it to even out and illuminate the complexion all over the face. To highlight and sculpt the face, sweep over the three feathers diagonally and apply the powder to the cheekbones for a sophisticated blush effect.

Guerlain developed a new Les Ombres de Nuit 4-Colour Palette ($59) made especially for night owls. In a limited-edition color palette, the two textures create smoky, seductive, and spellbinding eyes that will last from twilight to the deepest night hours. An iridescent texture of green, blue, and grey pearlescent particles releases luminous color with an extremely metallic finish and combines with an extra-matte black shadow that offers an incredibly comfortable finish for a precise, intense liner effect.The thirties icon Rouge Automatique ($35) will be back - more modern and attractive than ever. A homage to Art Deco, it has become this year’s indispensable accessory for women. The case opens and closes at the flick of a hand revealing two new shades for holiday, both offering long-lasting wear.

• #169 Flirt d’un Jour: A soft and luminous pink, evocative of passionate kisses
• #170 Nuit d’Amour: A surprising black red that reveals an intense plum color on the lips

Guerlain's Holiday Color Collection will be available in October at Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, and Sephora. The collection will also be available at AHAlife.com beginning at 9:00 am on September 22.

Photos courtesy of Guerlain

New: Ultraflesh Tinted Moisturizer

Utraflesh has extended its all-star line-up with a new Tinted Moisturizer ($34) that offers illuminating and priming properties. The creamy and silky tinted moisturizer helps give the skin an ultra-radiant complexion in any kind of light.

With a look that's natural to match any skin tone, the anti-aging formula contains brown algae extract, tocotrienol, and oligo-peptides to provide coverage of skin imperfections and help skin look glowingly beautiful all day and all night.

I ordered Ultraflesh's new Tinted Moisturizer in Diaphanous, the lightest of six shades. I absolutely love it when I find a tinted moisturizer that is offered without the assumption that one shade fits all skin tones. When it arrived, I immediately applied it and marveled at how seamlessly the lightweight formula blended into my skin. I had found a winner.

Ultraflesh's Tinted Moisturizer contains light diffusing particles that give me an all-over air-brushed look and a glow. When I'm wearing it, I don't feel a need for foundation. I feel dewy, and there's enough pigment in the moisturizer to cover the redness in my face. When I do apply foundation over it, I never see "product build-up."

This product is made with respect for our skin, our environment, and the animals with whom we share our planet. It doesn't contain castor oil, animal by-products, gluten, GMO, or toxins. There are no parabens, sulfates, synthethic fragrances, synthetic dyes, or phthlates. It is preserved with naturally derived ingredients.

Ultraflesh (the company) was inspired by the desire to elevate mundane beauty routines with a high-fashion collection of beauty products made with innovative designs and infused with even more innovative technology. I have fallen in love with every Ultraflesh product I've purchased from Sephora, the exclusive retailer.

I've labeled Ultraflesh a smashing success. The brand deserves more exposure! Check it out the next time you are surfing Sephora.

Update 9/22: I promised a swatch photo of Diaphanous if I could ever get one. The sun made a temporary appearance this morning, so I put a dab of the shade totally unblended at the top of my arm and a partially blended shade below. If I had blended it totally and properly, you wouldn't have seen anything in a photo. As I described in the comments, it leans yellow, not pink, so it covers the redness in my face.

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

The Armani Beauties at the Emmy Awards

Many of Hollywood’s leading ladies featured the latest looks from Giorgio Armani Beauty. Giorgio Armani Celebrity Makeup Artist Tim Quinn created exclusive faces for Best Actress Winner, Julianna Margulies, former Emmy Nominee and Top Chef star Padma Lakshmi, and presenter and star of the new Charlie’s Angels, Rachael Taylor. All of them were wearing Giorgio Armani's designs.

“After seeing the understated elegance of Julianna’s Armani Privé gown, I knew instantly that her makeup should be a simple, yet modern compliment,” said Quinn. Key products used to accomplish the effortless look were Luminous Silk Foundation #5 for a flawless complexion, the Fall 2011 Jacquard Palette, Eyes to Kill Excess Mascara in Black to emphasize the eyes, and Smooth Silk Lip Pencil #2, Rouge d’Armani #107, and Gloss d’Armani #200 on the lips.

While the gown was the subject of controversy, everyone loves Margulies. She told a reporter that her flight to Los Angeles had arrived very late, and her bold choice of the futuristic white gown may not have been her best. Lakshmi and Taylor drew praise for their gowns. Padma Lakshmi wore an Armani Privé gown, a one-shouldered, bronze satin, figure-hugging beauty. Rachael Taylor, also clad in Armani Privé, shimmered in her fun beaded and fringed gown.

“Padma has the most mesmerizing eyes, which I wanted to emphasize while still appearing natural,” said Quinn. To get the look, he chose Maestro Eye Shadows #13, #20 and #35 and Eyes to Kill Intense Shadow #6 and Eyes to Kill Excess Mascara was swepton the lashesfor extra volume. Luminous Silk Foundation #8 and #9 were blended together to achieve the perfect skin tone match, and Padma’s glossy nude lips were achieved with Rouge d’Armani #201 and Gloss d’Armani #100.

“For Rachael, I wanted to do a classic look that was refined, yet still youthful,” said Quinn. Luminous Silk #5.5 was blended with Fluid Sheer #10 to add that extra bronzy glow. Her eyes were blended with Eyes to Kill Intense Shadows #2, #5, and #8 and topped off with a sweep of Eyes to Kill Excess Mascara. The look was finished with Rouge d’Armani #103 and Gloss d’Armani #504 on her lips. Taylor's youthful bob and glam looks made her a definite hit!

There you have it - three looks for three celebrities, all created by one of our favorite Giorgio Armani Beauty ambassadors, Tim Quinn. You'll feel extra-privileged the next time you sit in Tim's chair at an Armani makeover event.

Images: Getty courtesy of the Huffington Post, Life, and zimbio

Julie Bowen at the Emmy Awards - Get Her Elegant Look with Votre Vu

Whether you liked Julie Bowen's Oscar de la Renta gown or not (I've seen mixed reviews of the plunging neckline - apparently because Julie's not "fleshy"), you're bound to be interested in her makeup! With her sleek side ponytail and naturally gorgeous look, Julie dazzled on television - on the red carpet and as Best Supporting Actress in the comedy Modern Family.

Here's the breakdown of Votre Vu skin care and makeup that makeup artist Heather Currie used to enhance Julie's natural beauty for the Emmy Awards show last night. I thought she looked radiant - and gorgeous - as always. The focus was on her beautiful skin and smoky eyes.

In Heather's own words...
I started prepping Julie Bowen’s skin for the Emmys by applying the Luxe Lips Moisturizing Lip Balm from Votre Vu’s Duette, a hand cream/lip balm duo. I usually like to begin with lip balm when getting a celebrity ready for the red carpet to allow the moisture to really set in while I start on the rest of the face. Then, I used Votre Vu Fleur Blanc Tonic for all skin types, swiping it over Julie’s skin to make sure that it was clean and ready for additional skin care. Next I used Votre Vu’s Attentive Sérum Delicat Pour Le Visage to nourish her skin and applied Votre Vu Tragic Magic Rescue Crème. The Tragic Magic gave a nice, subtle glow to Julie’s skin and is great for preventing any skin irritation or reactivity. To finish Julie’s skin care prep and keep her eye area looking fresh, I applied Votre Vu Tout le Monde Antioxidant Eye Gelee to the eye contour.

After starting the makeup application with foundation, I began the eye shadow, using Votre Vu’s Sweep Gentle Eye Makeup Remover to clean up any makeup that fell to the under-eye area with a cotton swab. When I finished Julie’s makeup, I applied a little of Votre Vu’s Luxee Yeux Eye Beauty Balm high on her cheekbones, just under the eyes, for a little bit of glow. I completed the look with a few spritzes of Votre Vu’s À Votre Santé Elixir Essentiel to set the makeup.

Before Julie left for the red carpet, I used Votre Vu’s Champagne Kisses Enhancing Lip Balm to enhance her lips prior to applying lip gloss.

Check out all the Votre Vu superb products at the online site. Julie looked naturally glowing.

PR photo and InStyle photo by Gregg DeGuire/PictureGroup

Le Métier de Beauté Oscar de la Renta Kaleidoscope Swatched

Last week, I received my limited-edition Le Métier de Beauté Oscar de la Renta Kaleidoscope. It was available only at Bergdorf Goodman and the Oscar de la Renta boutique in New York. Introduced for Fashion's Night Out, it was a huge hit. I was thrilled to receive it, but frustrated that the sun didn't shine that day, or the next, or the next so that I could get swatch photos that would be color-true.

Today, the sun came out for a very brief period, and it was bright enough outside for me to get a few adequate photos. I applied the Lip Crème with a cream liner brush and all other shades - the champagne Radiance Powder Rouge and the two True Color Eye Shadows - with a sponge-tipped applicator. Just click on these photos to enlarge them. Because the Radiance Powder Rouge and one of the eye shadows are light, they were hard to photograph.

The Lip Crème is cherry red - a blue red that's a perfect shade for me. Although I applied it to my arm fairly heavily, it can be applied more sheerly by anyone afraid of red. I think it's a chic red color, and I'll wear it. If you know me, you'll realize that's a departure!

The champagne gold Radiance Powder Rouge, shown below the lip color, is a gorgeous highlighter for eyes, cheekbones, or any area that deserves attention. It shimmers, but doesn't sparkle, offering a quiet elegance (like Oscar de la Renta's fashion designs).

The two True Color Eye Shadows, one smoky blue and the other a flesh peach shade, coordinate beautifully. I love the peach shade on my lids with the greyed blue used as an accent and liner. You have to see these gorgeous shades to fully appreciate how glamorous they are, and, as expected, de la Renta's Kaleidoscope sold out.

Those with darker skin will see more contrast from the highlighter and peach-toned eye shadow than you can see on my skin in these photos. I love the subtle shades exactly as they appear on my skin in these photos. The look I'll create with this Kaleidoscope is all about fall and winter fashion, with the emphasis on a red lip and the rest of the face playing a glamorous supporting role. Come to think of it, it's Lady Chic.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty