Happy Independence Day!

Happy Independence Day! I try to remember that our Fourth of July holiday isn't just about cookouts, fireworks, friends, and family. We commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, on July 4, 1776, from the Kingdom of Great Britain - today one of our greatest allies and best world friends.

"If the American Revolution had produced nothing but the Declaration of Independence, it would have been worthwhile." — Samuel Eliot Morison, American historian (1887-1976).

The United States of America - and the freedom we hold dear - has been threatened by wars and terrorism. Today we celebrate our freedom and recommit to protecting the freedom of others who would live our dream. Think about it. It's a remarkable day.

I hope you have a beautiful day!

NARS Sweet Disposition Mini Multiple Set Giveaway Contest

During our last holiday season, NARS released a fabulous collection of three mini Multiples for eyes, lips, and cheeks in shades that shimmer, highlight, and sculpt. The Sweet Disposition Holiday Mini Multiple Set ($40) has three fabulous shades: Orgasm, Luxor, and Malibu. I must have purchased four sets (extreme love), and I have one set to give away.

I love NARS Multiples, and the mini sizes are perfect for throwing in my handbag. Essential for your year-round glow, the cult-favorite and iconic Multiple is ideal for creating shimmering accents and dynamic highlights for all skin tones, and the creamy formula blends effortlessly. These multitasking masters are a must-have for on-the-go glamour and glow. These three shades give you everything - a highlighter, a pretty peachy pink shade that's a perfect blusher, and a bronze shade that you can use for many purposes. Just perfect!

Last year, I took a swatch photo to show you how pretty the shades are. From top to bottom, Malibu (pink-toned brown), Luxor (iridescent pink), and the world-famous Orgasm (peachy pink with shimmer). I applied each without blending (yes, I got a little messy there at the bottom), and my photo was taken in full sun. Aren't these nice?

How can you enter to win? Here's the "fine print."

There are a few simple steps. First, leave a comment on this feature. After you comment here, feel free to send me an e-mail at bestthingsinbeautycontests@gmail.com and identify your comment. You can never be too careful about sharing an e-mail address you care about on a blog, so feel free to follow this step (an alternative is to code your e-mail, e.g., myname at gmail dot com, in your comment). That's all you have to do to be entered.

You can earn extra entries. Follow this blog (through an e-mail subscription or though one of the many Google readers - see sidebar at right) or my Twitter account, @BTiBeauty. That will earn a second entry.

You can earn a third entry by tweeting this contest. Just make sure to include "@BTiBeauty" (without the quotes) in your tweet. I will tweet the contest this evening, and you can simply retweet it to earn that second entry. Only one tweet will be counted as an entry. I appreciate multiple tweets, but it's not necessary.

The deadline for entries will be Saturday, July 9, at midnight. The next day, I will use a random number generator (random.org) to select the winner. I will e-mail the winner on Sunday. The winner will have 48 hours to reply to my message and provide a shipping address. After 48 hours, the prize will be forfeited, and another winner will be selected. Make sure to check your e-mail - and look in your spam folder - when the contest ends.

This contest is open to anyone anywhere. Here are the terms. I will carefully pack and ship the prize (as I always do). I cannot insure the prize for overseas shipment - it's amazingly expensive to do so. If it's lost or stolen in transit, I won't be able to replace it with another. I'll do my best on this end; let's see if your mail services do right by you on the other end if we have an overseas winner.

Good luck!

Photo at top courtesy of Nordstrom

Murad Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture

Murad's Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture ($65) is a treatment moisturizer you should definitely consider if you can use products with retinyl palmitate in them. Retinyl palmitate is a fabulous anti-aging ingredient, but most of the time, it irritates my reactive skin. Murad sent me a jar of this lovely moisturizer, so I enlisted a friend to test it. Megan has combination skin, is younger than me (but still concerned about anti-aging - smart gal), and she's thorough. I knew it was in good hands. Before I tell you about her results, let's consider what Murad has to say about this moisturizer that won a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

Murad's Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture is an uber-rich, all-purpose moisturizer that combines a luxurious recipe of ingredients to quench dry, dehydrated skin and restore youthful resilience and tone. With a formula rooted in the Science of Cellular Water, Murad’s proprietary system for optimizing cell hydration and skin health, Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture instantly soothes and renews skin with long-lasting hydration and suppleness.

The most hydrating moisturizer Murad has ever offered, Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture offers skin both immediate and long-term benefits by locking in optimal moisture for eight hours. Avocado, sunflower, and olive fruit oils, along with oat kernel, yeast, and algae extract, hyaluronic acid, and a host of great ingredients, enhance the skin’s ability to retain maximum levels of hydration. Retinyl palmitate and shea butter improve texture and tone to restore the skin’s natural smoothness and softness. The company's Collagen Support Complex boosts skin’s resilience and plumps dehydrated skin.

This moisturizer is gentle enough for sensitive skin and effective enough to be used with all of Murad’s anti-aging products for increased hydration. The velvety formula provides moisture, smoothness, and comfort, leaving the skin perfectly polished and radiant.

Is the marketing description true? Yep! Murad's own customer reviews are incredibly favorable, as was Megan's. Here's what she had to say.

• Overall, this is a great product that I would recommend, and I love using it. Thank you!
  
• I have combination skin, and I found the product a little heavy for the day, but it was perfect for use at night. While it is heavier than the moisturizer I was using, is it not at all greasy.
• My skin felt very smooth in the morning - I noticed a big difference after just the first use.
• After two weeks of using the cream nightly, I noticed a more even complexion. After three weeks, the results were even better.
• The cream decreased the oiliness in my T-zone, which seems counterintuitive, but is a delightful result.

Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture got Megan's seal of approval. Her results demonstrated that Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture is perfect for gals who need to use an anti-aging and hydrating product, but worry that it will exacerbate their T-zone issues (unfortunately, we all "come of age" and need to step up our skin-care regimen). The price of this treatment moisturizer is attractive. Not as pricey as many of the department store "luxury lines," it's an effective and affordable investment in your skin.

I believe Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture would be perfect for those without T-zone issues - if they can tolerate retinyl palmitate. My sensitivity to the ingredient is unusually severe, and I don't tempt the fates.

Murad also sent a Complete Reform with Glyco Firming Complex serum. I have tested the serum and plan to feature it soon. It's another "best thing in beauty." For now, hop over to Murad's Web site for more information about Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture and the wide range of skin care from this well-regarded company. There are always special offers, so make sure to click on the New Offers tab while you are there.

Photo courtesy of Murad

Rouge Bunny Rouge Sweet Excesses Glassy Gloss

I had been contemplating a long weekend with no makeup deliveries - agony for a makeup addict. No UPS, no FedEx, no Postal Service after Saturday (when they typically deliver nothing of importance - sometimes I think there's a strategy to convince us we don't need Saturday delivery). Then, I got lucky on Friday. My Zuneta box arrived filled with Rouge Bunny Rouge treasures. I've been doling them out to myself one at a time. I think I can stretch them though the weekend's makeup drought.

There are six shades available in Rouge Bunny Rouge Sweet Excesses Glassy Gloss ($34.12).

• Jungle Fudge
• Fleur Parfait
• Frappe Forever
• Sweet Souffle
• Trifle Rich
• Crisp Sorbet

While imagining the sweet treats after which they are named, I selected Crisp Sorbet (#055) and Fleur Parfait (#056). Those are two of the desserts I would have ordered in a restaurant. It was a tough selection process. Each of the shades looked delicious.

If you've been reading my odyssey through Rouge Bunny Rouge, you'll know there's a story to go with each item. With this story, there are fewer butterflies and bunnies. The Enchanted Garden must have a dessert bar!

This line of glosses is an exceptionally tempting interpretation of the ambrosial table of sweets in the Enchanted Garden. Naughty, but oh-so-nice!

Think of lusciously ripe fruit dipped in the shiniest of honeys. Your lips will be optically plumped to a mouth-watering fullness and a lavish dream-star shine. Irresistible. Like a scrumptious dessert that cheers you to the bones just by inhaling it, these glassy glosses radiate spicy sweetness and utter intoxicating decadence.

All of these candy drops of color are heaped with exotic ingredients, and some abound with minute pearlized particles to sparkle your lips with glittering bejeweled effects. People will gaze at you with shiny-eyed infatuation, longing that you will possibly get ... a ... little ... bit ... closer.

Ultra-glossy finish with a soothing and protective blend of paper birch extract and woodland figwort speaks of the wild freshness, naturally. Antioxidant and anti-aging, our formula also contains cotton tree fruit extract to hydrate and revitalize.

What unusual ingredients! The boxes, as all Rouge Bunny Rouge boxes, are delightful. I hate to recycle them! So far, I've kept each, but know that at some point they will have to go. The glosses? Here was my first view taken through a camera's lens. I immediately saw that the two shades had a different look in the tube. I quickly learned that they did on my lips too.

Crisp Sorbet is described as a cushiony soft sheer coconut ice pink, with coral and gold opalescence. Fleur Parfait is described as a cushiony soft semi-opaque mauve pink with subtle silver highlights. That offers my clue for selecting my next shade. It will be "sheer." I prefer that look in this gloss.

My swatch photo was taken in full sun. Even with the sun's reflection, I think you will be able to detect the difference in formula. Crisp Sorbet sparkles with a sheer wash of fireworks. Fleur Parfait offers more color and a less flamboyant shine. Both colors are delicious, as their titles suggested.

The sheer Crisp Sorbet has an overall effect of peach, with a ripe fruity flavor that is fleeting. Fleur Parfait is light on my lips. I might not have selected it in person, but it's a delightful blue-pink gloss that will be fabulous over the brown-toned lipsticks I adore. The shades have some substance on my lips, meaning they last beyond the first hour of wear.

I am batting 100% with my Rouge Bunny Rouge orders. I have a few more treasures from this shipment. As I experience them over the next few days, I'll share them.

You can purchase Rouge Bunny Rouge at Zuneta, a fabulous online boutique for beauty addicts.

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

Weekend Rant - July 2

I hadn't planned to write this rant. Nordstrom set me off. The last time I was in the store, my friends in the beauty department started telling me about the Anniversary pre-sale and how I could come in on July 5 and buy new treasures. Yes, they know I write a beauty blog.

Today, I called my favorite counter manager to make an appointment to come in. Quickly in our conversation, he told me I had to have a Nordstrom credit card to be eligible to "pre-order." I don't. Years ago I learned a lesson with credit cards. Keep the number to a minimum. I try to use my AmEx card for everything. I get one bill; it's convenient; and I can keep track of my purchases online in one fell swoop (really good for a gal who tends to spend too much). Besides that, AmEx has amazingly good customer service and fraud protection. Nordstrom doesn't. Take my word for it; I could tell you a story that is on record with the police department.

Apparently, last year, Nordstrom's credit card holders who had been asleep at the switch complained. They came in on the first official day of the Anniversary Sale, and all the great offers were sold out (they sold out in pre-sale). They complained. So, Nordstrom, in its infinite wisdom, decided that they would reward them this year. Only cardholders would be eligible to purchase during pre-sale.

The rest of us who might spend more than their average cardholder in a year? Out of luck. So sorry. One ding-a-ling who worked there suggested to me that I should open a credit card, just for this event. No thanks! I've chosen a better way to manage my affairs.

I received a loud and clear message from Nordstrom. They don't care about my business. They have no way to distinguish between those who spend and those who happen to hold Nordstrom's credit cards. It's sad, but it's OK. Most of what they sell can be procured elsewhere. The good news is that I won't be stretching to pay my bills this month!

If I can't purchase on July 5 with their cardholders, I won't purchase at all. It's a matter of principle. To their credit, when I tweeted my dismay, Nordtrom replied quickly that I didn't have to use their card, just have one. Huh? I replied, and the response I got was, " We apologize. Please let us know if there is anything that we can do to help."

I would never ask a store to change its policies for me (that would be crass, and few deserve special treatment), so it appears there's nothing they can do to help. I hope that someone at Nordstrom carefully considered the potential consequences of the new policy. If not, they need a good (better?) customer relationship management consultant.

What do you think? Has Nordstrom lost its luster? The store used to be known for customer service. Am I just whining?

Photo courtesy of thinktravel.asia

Weekend Roundup - July 2

A long weekend for many, it's a perfect time to catch up on summer and fall beauty! Maybe while relaxing at the pool? I have a few new beauty magazines to read. I'm looking forward to sitting on the screened porch with Charlie, a drink in one hand and a magazine in another.

Daly Beauty suggested some gorgeous green fragrances - perfect summer scents.
Fab over Forty gave us a sneak peek into the tempting Guerlain Fall 2011 Collection with new Ecrin 4 Couleurs Eyeshadows, Rouge G lipsticks, and more. I know there are three shadow palettes that I must have.
The Non-Blonde shared a sneak peek at Laura Mercier's Canyon Collection for Fall 2011.
Café Makeup recommended Chanel's Eyeshadow Quadra Eyeshadow in Prélude for Fall 2011, a neutral eye shadow lover’s dream. I'm beyond pleased with mine!
Best Things in Beauty flipped over Chanel's Rigard Signé de Chanel Quadra Eye Shadow in Topkapi and Joues Contraste Or from the Byzance Collection. I hate to admit I ordered duplicates.
The Beauty Look Book delved into a Chanel exclusive: the charming Royallieu #58 Rouge Coco Shine - one that will coordinate perfectly with Prélude.
Product Girl spotlighted the gorgeous Jouer Sheer Bronzing Tint SPF 15 and Peony Lip Gloss, a perfect match made in sunshine heaven.
Karla Sugar swatched Bobbi Brown's acclaimed Tortoise Shell Collection for Fall 2011. I adore the pieces I purchased.
Looking to get out of a style rut? Head over to Gouldylox Reviews to see how Kelly did it.
See Kristin's summer favorites for hair, makeup, and fashion at BeautyXposé.
Finally, as I've watched Kate Middleton gracefully take center stage, my thoughts have been with Princess Diana. Read about Diana - then and now - at DivaDebbi.

We hope you enjoy your weekend and hope you find time to kick back and relax! Yesterday was Canada Day. Wills and Kate are touring Canada. Monday is Independence Day in the U.S. There's a royal wedding in Monaco. Oh, and Kate Moss got married too (she's fashion royalty). It's a festive weekend!

The Friday Forum - July 1

It's hard to believe it's Friday already and the start of a long holiday weekend! As we roll into our Independence Day celebrations, I wish our friends to the north a Happy Canada Day! This one's exciting for them, with the royal visit by Wills and Kate (we're on a first-name basis).

What did you think of the lace or print dress Kate Middleton wore at the arrival ceremony yesterday? I don't think it translated well on television. It looked formal - almost like cocktail party wear. The navy blue suit she wore to board their flight at Heathrow Airport was classy. The dress was pretty - just not her best choice among recent home runs.

The daylilies are blooming, and all is well with the world. Well, sort of. It appears my computer didn't get the word. Today, I will be carrying it over to the "PC doctor" one last time. It's a tower, and it's fairly heavy. The doc will transfer my files to a new desktop computer, and later I'll pick up a newer, faster peripheral brain. I'm sure I'll appreciate that - after I get over the nuisance of reloading all my software. I don't even know what will work and what won't, given the new Windows operating system. I should have bought an Apple Mac, I know.

What an exciting week it was in the land of beauty! For me, it was a Chanel and Le Métier de Beauté week, with some new fragrances thrown into the mix to try this weekend. I was able to return to skin care too. Next week promises to be just as busy. I'll be writing this weekend. If you decamp for a vacation today, please visit when you return. You'll find some fun, new features.

Last Sunday, I watched a beauty blogger Twitter conversation about blog comments, mostly about snarky comments. Since I've never posted a Frequently Asked Questions section, I thought the Friday Forum would be a good opportunity to introduce the subject of comments. I let almost all comments stand - I love comments and a good chat - but there are certain kinds of comments I will delete or not approve on moderation.

As a rule, I don't publish comments that include hyperlinks to commercial Web sites, particularly those posted anonymously. The comments that never see the light of day here are those that are posted to older links, have absolutely nothing to do with the feature, but do contain some kind of advertising message, either embedded in the comment or in a link to a commercial Web site. They are a clear attempt to drive my readers to e-commerce sites. Whether the link is a hyperlink from the URL in the name or is embedded in the comment, I do not publish. Most recently, two comments praised the blog, but included links to a site that had nothing to do with beauty. Some of these links can even be dangerous to my readers. If you do comment on an older feature, and it's related to the feature - even if it contains a link that provides good information - I will publish it. Those looking for free advertising won't succeed.

It's time for The Friday Forum. We use the forum to share information and chat. Did you find any deals you couldn't resist this week? Are you using a fabulous product and want to sing its praises? Did you find a beauty product disappointing? Do you have a question others might be able to answer? Want to talk about skin care? What's new in your life? Just use the comments. Don't be shy. Just make sure to ask any question you might have over the weekend. By early the next week, most (not all) readers have moved on.

If you live in the U.S., don't forget to enter the giveaway contest for one of fall's hot nail colors: Chanel's Péridot Nail Colour (#531). The deadline is Saturday, July 2, at midnight.

The next time I write, I'll have a new computer...see you then!

Photo by Best Things in Beauty and ctv.ca