NEST Fragrances White Sandalwood Eau de Parfum

NEST's new White Sandalwood Eau de Parfum ($25 or $65) surprised and delighted me. NEST sent me a rollerball to try, and I was thrilled to try it, given my love of all things NEST.

A sophisticated fragrance that combines white sandalwood from India and Australia with creamy almond, white musk, and exotic spices, this alluring fragrance balances sensual woody notes with decadent essences. It's just a tad sweet too, which shouldn't have surprised me, given the sweet nature of sandalwood.

Meticulously formulated by the world’s most accomplished master perfumers, NEST Fine Fragrances offers an extraordinary collection of signature scents. The first were introduced about a year ago.

White Sandalwood is housed in a a gorgeous glass bottle uniquely adorned with the original botanical artwork that inspired the fragrance. This artistic collaboration defines NEST Fragrances’ reverence for a modern, stylistic approach to perfumery. The NEST Fine Fragrances collection was inspired by the 18th century British artist, Mary Delany, who, at the age of 72, created a new art form, mixed-media collage. By cutting shapes of paper, painted to capture nature's colors, Mrs. Delany cut and designed them to mirror the exact likeness of various plants, including flowers. She became famous for having created over 1,000 cut-paper, botanically correct works of art.

Laura Slatkin, creator of the NEST Fine Fragrances Collection, explained, "While her work was highly regarded for her technique, what moved me was the actual beauty of her botanicals. There is an elusive, sensual quality to them that resonated with me. Her botanicals are beautiful works of art, and they inspired me to create my Fine Fragrances Collection. Slatkin selected the Russian artist Alexander “Sasha” Solodukho to interpret Delany’s work for the fragrances’ black glass flacons and outer packaging.

White Sandalwood blends some notes I like (with the exception of "exotic spices," which normally means I won't like a fragrance). The notes are white sandalwood, mimosa, acacia blossom, creamy almond, exotic spices, musk, and cedar. The style is described as sophisticated, exotic, and warm.

The first thing I smell when I apply White Sandalwood is almond. A few seconds later, the other notes cut in, leaving me with a slightly floral, very creamy almond that keeps my nose going back for more. As the fragrance dries down, I'm left with sandalwood and musk. To my nose, the exotic spices are missing (fortunately), and the cedar is barely there. I'd categorize White Sandalwood as a gourmand that will cross borders to please both floral and gourmand fans.

Sandalwood is widely used as a striking note in fragrances. The botanical illustration above is white sandalwood. Both the sandalwood and the oil produce a distinctive fragrance that has been highly valued for centuries. Sandalwood smells somewhat like other wood scents, except it has a bright and fresh edge with few natural analogues. Sandalwood has a rich, balsamic, sweet fragrance with delicate wood notes. The oil has a woody, exotic smell, subtle and lingering, and the color is pale yellow to pale gold. When used in small proportions in fragrance, it is an excellent fixative that enhances the "headspace" of other notes.

NEST's collection of fine fragrances debuted at Sephora in September. That means that this week you can use your V.I.B. discount to discover one or more. Each fragrance in the collection is available in a specially designed 0.27-ounce rollerball or a 1.7-ounce spray. There are two new scents: this one and Dahlia & Vines, which I purchased the minute it opened at Sephora. I'll be buying a bottle of White Sandalwood because the rollerball will not last me forever.

I'd highly recommend you check out White Sandalwood when you shop this week. It's an extremely pleasing fragrance, and it's definitely office-appropriate. I love the entire collection. This one vies with Midnight Fleur for my "favorite" designation.

Photos courtesy of NEST/Sephora; indianpublicmedia.org, and wikipedia

Favorites: Eye Treatments from Dr. Perricone, Kate Somerville, and Le Métier de Beauté

You have asked me to describe my skin care - what I use and why. I thought I'd start today with eye care. Before I tell you what I've been using lately - and I do mean lately - I need to explain a blogger's routine.

I often switch products. A company will send me a product to use, and I normally test skin care for a full month before I will write about it. As a result, it's rare that I use a single product for a year or more. Right now, I am using three products around my eyes - products I have used a year or more - but I continue to test new things. One new-to-me product that impresses me (so far) is Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Repair Eye Serum. I love the glow it gives my under-eye area. It may make its way onto my more permanent list.

I usually wear a serum and a hydrator. I start with Perricone MD Acyl-Glutathione Eye Lid Serum ($115). I have been using it for over a year, and I love it. Claimed to be a first in skin-care technology, Acyl-Glutathione Eye Lid Serum topically replenishes the skin’s glutathione levels around the eye to dramatically reduce the visible signs of aging in the upper eyelid area and deliver a youthful, more awakened appearance. Additional benefits include dramatic tightness and firmness of droopy eyelids, smoothing of fine lines and wrinkles, and minimized redness and dark circles anywhere around the eye. The light, fast-absorbing texture of Acyl-Glutathione Eye Lid Serum also enhances make-up application by acting as a primer to help makeup glide on more smoothly and improve its wear throughout the day.

A patent-pending molecule, acyl-glutathione replenishes the glutathione levels in the skin. Glutathione is the chief, master antioxidant that rapidly depletes with age, stress, the environment, and less-than-optimal health. Its replenishment is critical to help the skin defend itself against accelerated aging. Glutathione deficits show up on the skin as fatigue, dullness, severe loss of elasticity, deep wrinkles, extreme loss of hydration, and visible change in skin texture.

Had I participated in the Perricone's test group, I would have been among those who saw dramatic results. I use Acyl-Glutathione Eye Lid Serum day and night. My concern was crepiness in the inside lid above the crease, closest to my nose. It happens to everyone with age, but I hate it. This serum clearly and significantly reduced that crepiness.

Dr. Perricone recommends applying the serum directly to the eyelid, working up to the brow bone in gentle patting motions. Also apply it to crow's feet and lower contours of the eye area. It takes only a few moments to absorb and then you can follow it with an eye cream if you wish (I do). There is no fragrance, and it is so lightweight, I cannot feel it on my skin. Additionally, a very tiny amount is adequate for coverage around both eyes; a light-handed pump is all you need. In short, it works!

I have been topping the serum with one of two eye creams/hydrators. One is Le Métier de Beauté's Revive Eye Concentrate ($175), which I adore. Revive Eye Concentrate with Syntoc Actif + HydrationPlus Complexe (to use its extended name) is an innovative eye treatment featuring a hydrating protein-peptide complex that penetrates the dermis to reduce puffiness and improve lymphatic circulation and elasticity. It's designed to repair and plump the delicate skin around the eyes. Using Le Métier de Beauté's exclusive Syntoc Actif delivery system, which delivers the active ingredients directly to the dermis where they are needed, it offers these key ingredients.

• Hesperidin methyl chalcone decreases capillary permeability to reduce edema (water retention that causes puffiness and even worse, slackening skin).
• A state-of-the-art dipeptide improves lymphatic circulation and further reduces edema.
• Palmitoyl tetrapeptide, a regenerating peptide that has been shown to improve elasticity and strengthen the skin around the eyes. It can slow or inhibit glycation and inflammatory damage too.

In the past couple of years, I have found eye creams with peptides to be enormously effective, and I'm a proponent of anti-glycation products. The experience of using Revive Eye Concentrate is extremely pleasing. I really like the pump container, although I'll admit I had to learn to use a light hand. The first few times I pumped, I got too much product. I used the excess around my mouth because I didn't want to waste it. I've got the touch perfected now. The only thing I might request to improve the container is the addition of a window. I'd like to know how much I'm using and when I'm approaching the day I need to buy a new one. One day I'll pump and get a spurt, and it's only then that I know I need to buy more.

The light pink, creamy serum smells like rose hip oil. It's a very light, pleasant fragrance that I smell on application, but not long after. I use it over and under my eyes. The concentrate absorbs rapidly, leaving the feeling and look of moisture on my skin without any greasiness that can interfere with makeup or trap water overnight. I have found that it's perfect for use on its own; I don't need any additional cream around my eyes. I am also enamored with the fact that my concealer or other products do not pill over it.

Even better, it works - really well. Since I started using it, I've noticed two major changes. The crepiness on the inner side of my eyes over the crease has been reduced significantly, making my eyes look younger and better, and the fine lines under my eyes have been blurred. I can crinkle my face (or smile) and force them to reappear, but they have definitely diminished. I've also experienced no puffiness in the morning - even after one nine-hour night sleeping on my side.

Early in my use of this product, I found the effects to be somewhat miraculous, so I tested it. I used a hydrating cream without peptides on one day and nothing on the next, a hide-out weekend day. I certainly noticed a difference. My areas of concern were back. That little test told me two things: 1) I need to use Revive Eye Concentrate every day, twice a day, as directed, and 2) a month's duration may not have produced lasting effects at the cellular level. That stands to reason, given a skin cell's life cycle. I've been using this product for two years. I would recommend Le Métier de Beauté Revive Eye Concentrate to everyone.

Another eye cream I love is Kate Somerville's KateCeuticals Multi-active Repair Lifting & Lineless Cream ($195), shown at the top of this feature. Rich and powerful, KateCeuticals Multi-Active Repair Lifting & Lineless Cream delivers unmistakable anti-aging results. This potent formula uses a proprietary blend of collagen-building peptides (there's that word again) to effectively tighten and lift the look of sagging skin, dramatically reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles with instant relief of dryness and long-term moisturization. Designed to renew and rejuvenate, this powerful formula creates a lifted look and bright, youthful glow. The following description from Kate Somerville describes the cream's merits.

• A proprietary blend of peptides stimulates collagen production, helps prevent the breakdown of elastin, increases skin’s moisture levels, and dramatically reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkle.
• Commiphora Mukul resin extract (from an Indian tree well-known in Ayurvedic medicine) produces a volumizing effect to plump the skin from within.
• Blackberry leaf extract inhibits the breakdown of collagen.
• Natural sugar beet root extract promotes collagen production and long-lasting hydration.
• A unique brightening complex, featuring natural herbal extracts, improves luminosity and evens out skin texture and tone.
• A special blend of soybean lipid extracts repairs the skin’s lipid barrier for long-term hydration.

Why do I love it? For the same reasons I love . It works. Not only that, I like the container, which dispenses just enough and not too much cream for one application. Press on the top and out pops a "dose." My makeup never rolls off in sheets when applied over it. You wouldn't believe how many eye creams can't handle normal color products like concealer or foundation.

I must mention another product that have pleased me enormously when I tested it: HydroPeptide Eye Anti-Wrinkle Dark Circle Concentrate ($60). I am currently testing a new product that's already showing me great results: RéVive Intensité Volumizing Eye Serum ($350).

There you go. Part 1 of my daily skin care. Bored yet?

Photos courtesy of Kate Somerville, Perricone MD, and Le Métier de Beauté's Revive Eye Concentrate

Tom Ford Lip Colors for Holiday 2013

It appears Tom Ford decided that a nude lip was the best accompaniment for his softly smoky eye for Holiday 2013. He has re-introduced two colors: Lip Color Shine in Bare (#05, $48) and Ultra Shine Lip Gloss in Peach Absolut (#07, $45).

Bare Lip Color Shine is very sheer and shiny. It leans mauve on my lips, but it looks nude and natural because of its sheerness. It might be ghastly if it were opaque. My swatch photo below was taken in full sun.

Peach Absolu is an peach gloss that offers a warm contrast to a cool smoky eye. I took my photo below in full sun.

This lip gloss had much more pigment than Bare. It's a pretty shiny peach that will serve you year round.

I wanted to show you a photo of both shades together to emphasize the cool vs warm tones of the two. The photos above was also taken in full sun. I think it shows the contrast between the two shine-packed colors fairly well. Take your pick - warm or cool - there's a subdued shade for your holiday look.

If either interests you, call Dustin Lujan at the John Barrett Salon in New York City. I purchased them from him. You can reach Dustin at (212) 872-2714. They offer free shipping now too.

There is even more coming from Tom Ford for the holiday season. Stay tuned.

Update: I think Hillary Duff has the look down pat.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty

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

Tom Ford Beauty Ice Queen Eyeshadow Quad for Holiday 2013

The more I play with Tom Ford's Ice Queen Eyeshadow Quad palette ($78), the more I like it. Today, I was able to get decent swatch photos. Yesterday, the sun played peek-a-boo with me until I went for my annual physical (everything is fine except for a sinus infection). By the time I got home, it was too late to try to take makeup photos. I must disclose that a dear friend in the industry sent me this palette.

Tom Ford believes that his eye color quads are the centerpiece of his collections. I'm not sure I'd agree with that, but I do appreciate their carefully edited beauty. Designed with four opulent, complementary shades that achieve multiple looks, from a bold, smoky eye, to a sexy splash of color and everything in between, the quads have been enormously popular.

Formulated with advanced color processes, the four luxurious finishes - sheer sparkle, satin, shimmer, and matte - offer a spectrum of intensity and effects and deliver incredible shade fidelity and outstanding adhesion. Two custom applicators are included (and one is actually a little brush).

I can see why Ice Queen looks blue to people, but it's not - not even the dark shade in the lower right corner. This palette is all about a silver queen.

I took my photos this morning, long before our day started to cloud over. Charleston, my big baby, oversaw the operation as he enjoyed the sunshine. I swatched with a sponge-tipped applicator.

The very white shade in the top left corner of the palette is bright white. That's actually the name of the paint color that graces my walls. The sheer/sparkle shade in the top right is very sparkly and, while slightly pigmented, is more of a topper shade to add glam to your eyelids than a shade I'd wear alone. As a result, you see a rather uneven swatch on my arm.

The charcoal is just that, not blue.  Don't even think about it as blue. It's charcoal. Does it lean blue? Perhaps - a deep, dark, midnight blue - but the overall effect is charcoal. I do think it would complement a blue look beautifully.

The shade in the lower left corner of the palette is my favorite. It's a shade that does have a touch of blue in it, but in no way looks blue on the eyelids. It looks white.

These are definitely cool, winter shades. I think they are fun, but I won't be wearing them to work. They are a bit too dramatic for work wear. Wear them at night, and you will definitely glow. Perhaps you can be an ice queen - even if you're the life of the holiday party.

 If you want to order from this collection, call Dustin Lujan at the John Barrett Salon in New York City. You can reach Dustin there at (212) 872-2714. They offer free shipping now too! I think by now, everyone knows (and loves) Dustin.

Photo at top courtesy of Bergdorf Goodman; ice queen photos by goodwallpapers.com and superbwallpapers.com; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

Tom Ford Ice Queen Collection for Holiday 2013

I just snapped this photo under total cloud cover. I'm amazed it turned out as well as it did.

Tom Ford's Ice Queen Collection has arrived. The Ice Queen Eyeshadow Quad is a study in silver and grey - perfect for winter. The two lip colors shown above are Bare Lip Color Shine on the left and Peach Absolut Ultra Shine Lip Gloss on the right.

I truly doubt I will have the weather to swatch and photograph this afternoon. I'm constrained by a doctor's appointment too. It's time for my annual physical. I will show you swatches as soon as humanly possible.

In the meantime, if you want to order from this collection, call Dustin Lujan at the John Barrett Salon in New York City. You can reach Dustin there at (212) 872-2714. They offer free shipping now too!

Update: The sun "sort of" came out for about a minute. I got one swatch photo before my camera battery died (argh!). For what's it's worth, here is a photo from the quad. Lots more to come.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty

The Friday Forum - November 1

Right now, it's very dark, rain is falling, and the wind is blowing - all perfect conditions to blow the pretty leaves right off the trees. I'm sure the guy who cuts my lawn will be thrilled when he sees the carpet of yellow and red next week.

I've managed to go a whole week without going to a department store. That leaves me in the dark about any new things that may have arrived. However, I did get a text yesterday from Chantecaille that new colors have arrived. I'll have to pop over to Neiman Marcus tomorrow.

I did finally receive my Le Métier de Beauté Gravité Kaleidoscope Eye Kit, along with the items I ordered to merit the GWP. I had received an e-mail telling me that the company had been overwhelmed with orders. Gravité is much nicer than I expected. Le Métier de Beauté's publicity photo and their swatch photo made the purple color look hideous. It's not. It's actually almost charcoal.  They did themselves a disservice. However, the offer is still on, and the Beauty Vault has been expanded to color, so if you are interested, check it out. I won't be able to swatch it before tomorrow.

Anthropologie has some fabulous fragrances for sale right now. Yosh Han, a well-known and much-loved perfumer, created four scents for the company. I bought all of them! I love Yosh. Yesterday, I tried the first, Sea Ranch ($48), a mineral sea musk with earthy aromatics. It's light and lovely.  These fragrances would make fabulous holiday gifts.

Everyone knows the Sephora sale is coming up? Do you know what you will be ordering? Make sure to look at NEST's Luxury Hand Cream Gift Set ($38). Talk about a nice gift!

It's time for the Friday Forum. I love this part of our week. What new products did you discover this week? Did you find any deals you couldn't resist? 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 will have moved on.

I hope you have a great weekend!

Photo courtesy of National Geographic