Chanel Summer 2016 Collection Dans la Lumière de L'Été - Les Beiges Healthy Glow Multi-Colour

Two gorgeous color combinations, at least one for everyone! Chanel's Summer 2016 Collection Dans la Lumière de L'Été Les Beiges Healthy Glow Multi-Colour ($65) palettes create a desert-rose glow with either shade. These limited-edition duos are versatile, lightweight powders with two shades in each to offer a contouring or highlighting effect with a sheer, natural finish.

I'm lucky to have both palettes. I purchased one at Neiman Marcus. The other was a gift from Chanel. I can go pink and pretty or tan and summery, depending on my mood and wardrobe for the day.

Each compact comes with a plastic lift-out brush pan holding a nice brush as shown above. I took my photos in full, mid-day sunshine.

Duo N°02 is shown at left directly above. It's a warm pink blush with a light pink highlighter. Duo N°01, shown t right above, is peach and tan. The duos offer different levels of pigmentation, and you'd be wise to choose your applicator based on the duo you select.

To show you maximum pigmentation, I applied all four shades with a sponge-tipped applicator. I started with Duo N°02. You can see that the light shade is a highlighter - perfect for brighten your cheekbones or eyes. Buff it into your skin, and you will glow. The warm pink - some might say coral - is a beauty. When applied with a blush brush, it's a stunning, cheerful color.

The two brown-toned shades in Duo N°01 provide an instant, believable touch of sun-kissed color. I love the slight peach tint in the lighter color, and the darker brown shade is absolutely perfect for sculpting or contouring your cheekbones. You can also blend the shades (or use them individually) and sweep them over your temples, across your cheekbones and down the hairline to the outer jaw line for a bronze look. I've had fun playing with Duo N°01 in the short time I've had with it.

Want to get Chanel's summer look and application tips for using these treats? Check out Chanel's video at this link.

I purchased the one I bought from Rahman Malik at Neiman Marcus at Tysons Galleria. You can also find these new Healthy Glow Multi-Colours at Chanel's Web site or any Chanel counter.

Photos at top courtesy of Chanel; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

Chanel Summer 2016 Collection Dans la Lumière de L'Été - Les 4 Ombres Multi-effect Quadra Eyeshadow in Empreinte du Désert

Inspired by a shimmering desert oasis, Collection Dans la Lumière de L'Été reveals luminous new colors for face, eyes, nails, and lips. Brilliant coppers and sandy browns give soft intensity to the eyes, while pinks and oranges sparkle on the lips. The entire collection is gorgeous! I will be showing it to you this week.

Where to start? Let's focus on the exquisite, limited-edition Les 4 Ombres Multi-effect Quadra Eyeshadow in Empreinte du Désert (#9501, $65). This exclusive creation offers a palette of earth-toned shadows, each embossed with a desert-inspired design. Copper and green shades are styled alongside sepia and brown hues for soft dimension. There are so many combinations of colors we can use with this palette, it could take us through the entire summer and into fall.

The illusion of an oasis in the desert is portrayed in each eye shadow. The neutral shades, with a touch of inviting green, are gorgeous. I could not have selected more beautiful colors. The shades are all "creamy" powders too - so nice that there is absolutely no fallout.

My photos were taken in mid-day sunshine. I applied each shade with a sponge-tipped applicator. As some of you know, my camera does not capture green accurately. The green shade on the skin is exactly as it appears in the quad in real life. Unfortunately, on my arm directly below, it appears to be grey-green.

I couldn't leave you with that impression, so I did something I never do. I edited the photo so that the green color would look more true/accurate. Many bloggers do this regularly. I don't. I want you to see the colors as my camera sees them. I never trust my eyes, but with greens, I know my camera gets goofy. The edited photo is below. The green shade is much closer to true below than it is in the photo above. I had to do it justice!

The shades all shine like I'm sure an oasis would look in a desert. They have some sparkle, but it's not too glitzy. I will wear all four shades during the day, and I'm conservative about what I wear to work.

I purchased this Empreinte du Désert eye shadow quad from Rahman Malik at the Chanel counter at Neiman Marcus Tysons Galleria. You can reach him at (703) 761-1600. Ask for Chanel Cosmetics. He is a total sweetheart, and we need to keep our great product specialists in business. Online shopping is killing them. Now that Neiman Marcus offers free shipping and returns, you can shop by phone without an added cost for shipping.

Photos at top courtesy of Chanel; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

The Friday Forum - May 6

Today's Le Métier de Beauté event with Ivan Castro was great fun. Our Account Executive's daughter served as Ivan's model. She started out with no makeup and was beautiful. Then Ivan showed us how he applied her skin care and makeup, explaining his techniques step by step. She finished the session even more beautiful - which seemed impossible, given her natural beauty.

We were treated to a wonderful lunch at Maggiano's, the site of the master class. The lunch was wonderful and filling. I tried not to eat too much, but dessert put me over the top. I enjoyed watching Ivan as he worked his magic on this beautiful young woman (I'm not identifying her because I did not ask for permission to use her name). Ivan started with skin care, explaining Le Métier de Beauté's products, their benefits, and their distinctive ingredients. Then he used gorgeous colors that suited his model perfectly, showing me that he can do both "East Coast" and "West Coast." He also showed us the new brush collection. Great job, Ivan!

Ivan will be doing makeup applications tomorrow at Neiman Marcus at Mazza Gallerie. If you would like to make an appointment, call Michael or Andy first thing tomorrow at (202) 966-9700, ext. 2258. There are a few slots left. There are gifts with purchase too. It's a great time to go!

It's time for our Friday Forum and weekend conversation. The Friday Forum has always been an opportunity to share information. Are you using a fabulous product and want to sing its praises? Tell us about it! Did you find a beauty product disappointing? Tell us why! Do you have questions others might be able to answer? We can help! Want to talk about skin care? I'm game. Just use the comments. We have busy weekends and slow ones on the forum. I hope to see you in the comments.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty

Clinique Pop Glaze Sheer Lip Colour + Primer

I wanted to try Clinique's new Pop Glaze Sheer Lip Colour + Primer ($18). I am a pushover for sheer lip colors, and the built-in primer intrigued me. Clinique's description caught my eye, so I ordered one sight-unseen.

A pretty pop of bold yet see-through color + a smoothing primer in one coat. Luxurious yet weightless formula with built-in primer glides on effortlessly, wears for up to eight hours. Keeps lips comfortably moisturized instantly and over time.

I had to select a shade. After reviewing six, I chose Melon Drop Pop, shown above. The lipstick bullet on Clinique's Web site made the shade look orange, but their swatch made the shade appear to be pink. I tossed the dice and ordered it, and I'm very happy with Melon Drop Pop. On my lips, it's a warm pink, definitely not orange.

For a sheer lip color, it is extremely long-wearing. I assume the primer in the ingredients helps it stay on. It is not extremely moisturizing, nor is it dry. I'd call its hydration excellent for a long-lasting lipstick and average for all types of lipsticks.

There is something else about it I like. I can use the shiny metal cap of the tube as a mirror. I know it wasn't designed that way. It just works.

Here is a quickly taken swatch photo, snapped in full, mid-day sunshine (weeks ago - it has rained for nine straight days). I applied the swatch directly from the tube. Look a the pretty color! Without the pink pigmentation of my lips, it leans peach. You can see that on my arm. However, factor in the pigmentation of my lips, and it shines like a beautiful warm pink beacon.

Clinique offers a non-sheer version in a wide range of shades: Lip Colour + Primer. You can check it out at Sephora. The colors of these are described as saturated. Go with your preference. I'm a sheer gal.

I'm glad I purchased it. The price is great, and I will get a lot of wear from it. I purchased mine from Sephora online. You can also find it at Clinique and any Clinique counter. Neiman Marcus gave up their Clinique counters, which I think is a shame.

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

Urban Decay Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter

I shouldn't be swayed by InStyle. After all, they are compensated to feature beauty products. I thought this time I would give an Urban Decay product a whirl. The daughter of a Facebook friend wrote the piece, and she praised this product to new heights. It's too bad that the Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter ($26) isn't as nice as I had expected. Live and learn - over and over again.

I selected two of the three shades. Fireball, shown at left above, is described as a peach with a pink shift. OK. That had potential. Sin, shown at right above, is described as champagne. Aura, the one I didn't select, looked like a ghastly lavender-pink online.

Urban Decay describes Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter as a super-soft, long-wearing, blendable powder highlighter for "strobing." I am already tired of the new term "strobing" used in place of highlighting.

Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter is finely-milled to perfection for a lightweight (yet luxurious) result with an ultra-soft, creamy texture. It goes on sheer and blends in easily so that you can apply just a little or a lot. The wearable formula applies seamlessly, no matter how much you build it, and it has shades that are suitable for any skin tone. It creates a radiant, strobed effect that lasts all day - and never leaves just a powdery dusting of shimmer. Infused with light-diffusing pigments, it enhances and perfects the skin.

That could be true, depending on your skin and its moisture level. I took my swatch photo in full sun. I applied the highlighters heavily for maximum color with a sponge-tipped applicator. Unfortunately, my swatch photo does not show the true horror of Fireball - a shade that had so much pretty peach potential when I saw the photos.

On my skin in the photo above, Fireball looks peachy - except where the sun hits it directly. There its true nature - so "un-peach" - shows. Look at the blue pink in the center of the swatch. The color is way too blue to be pretty on most of us. The Sin color is fine, champagne as described. It's nice enough, but not special. How many champagne highlighters do we need?

The texture is these highlighters is nice. It is creamy for a powder. The price is certainly attractive at $26. However, I am disappointed. The one that I wanted the most, Fireball, is a blue pink on my face, and I don't find that an attractive highlighting color on me.

Here is another swatch photo. I don't like the blue tone. I should have picked up on its description: "peach with a pink shift." It certainly is a pink shift. Blue pink, and not at all attractive. On my skin, it looks like I had expected Aura to look. I even wondered if it was mislabeled, but the compact does show a peach shade.

I would not recommend that you try Urban Decay's Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter, unless you want to select Sin for its price and light champagne color. There are plenty of other highlighters on the market that are more worthy of your money - no matter what InStyle says.

You can purchase these highlighters at Sephora if you are curious.

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

Le Métier de Beauté Mazza Gallerie Extravaganza - Exciting Events Designed for You

Before I tell you about all the special events and gifts with purchase (GWP), I'll describe Le Métier de Beauté's new super-star serum, Instant Lifting and Firming Face Serum ($350).

Le Métier de Beauté's clients have been eagerly awaiting the Instant Lifting and Firming Serum since it made its debut in their token of appreciation during the spring 2016 Beauty Event. The product is now on the shelf.

This lightweight firming serum will instantly lift, tighten, and firm the skin. The long-term benefit of using the product will be a literal "architectural lift" to the skin. It is a groundbreaking product that shares its key ingredients and technologies with the company's remarkable and popular Neck and Décolleté Firming Creme.

The key technologies that power the Instant Lifting and Firming Serum are many. It's quite a lineup.

• Pullulan natural polysaccharide with film forming benefits
• Idealift, fights against skin sagging, helps improve elasticity and the architecture of the skin, and stimulates elastin synthesis improving the tissue structure
• Dynalift, a natural film former that provide tightness and smoothes the skin for a youthful appearance
• Biomimetic (mimics the skin’s structure) blend of amino acids necessary to help maintain the integrity of the network of elastin and collagen
• TPM, a highly effective proprietary delivery system of various actives, to increase the potency of all ingredients
• Grape seed oil and jojoba oil to nourish and moisturize - they are non-greasy and non-irritating
• Penthanol (the provitamin of B5 because and is used in beauty products primarily as a lubricant, emollient, and moisturizer because of its ability to penetrate the skin), vitamin C ester, Vitamin E, sodium hyaluronate - offering moisturizing, antioxidant, and nourishing benefits

Use the serum on a clean face, day and/or night. Do not rub it in. Apply the serum gently to a uniform light film and let dry for few seconds before applying your moisturizer. I have tried it, following those directions. I felt an instant firming effect, and I believe I saw that firming on my skin. I will know more after a month of testing - my usual duration for testing skin-care products.

What has Le Métier de Beauté, only at Mazza Gallerie, got in store for you? This week, Friday, May 6, they will treat you to lunch at the Capital Grill if you are among those who are able to score an appointment for a master class with Ivan Castro, Lead Artist for the company. If you can't make it that day, Ivan will be in the store doing makeovers on May 7. Both events are by appointment, so if you are interested, call Michael Reinhardt or Andy Schug immediately at (202) 966-9700, extension 2258.

If I got this right, and I'll correct it if I didn't, Michael has a special, color GWP for anyone who pre-orders the new serum (or otherwise spends $350) for Camp Gorgeous or purchases it during this week's event. If you don't want a color gift, I hear he may negotiate to give you a skin-care treat instead.

Michael has managed to convince his own facialist, Beatrice, a popular sole practitioner, to give her area-famous facials at the store on May 14 and 21, June 16, and July 23 - all by appointment only. I hear she is amazing; I want one!

It gets really interesting in a few weeks. Michael and Andy have arranged for a licensed Botox nurse to give Botox injections to customers who order a specified amount of Le Métier de Beauté products. I don't have all the details yet, but I will update this feature within a day if the plans have been firmed up. The price in products will not be inexpensive (they were talking in the neighborhood of $1500), but with those products you would use anyhow, you will get free Botox. Intrigued?

Again, these events will only occur at Mazza Gallerie. If you are interested, call Michael Reinhardt or Andy Schug at (202) 966-9700, extension 2258.

As an aside, new color products are on the way. We can expect to see the first of them next month.

Photo by Best Things in Beauty

Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Summer Glow Multi-Palette for Summer 2016

When I saw Estée Lauder's Bronze Goddess Summer Glow Multi-Palette ($50) online, it looked pretty. I see that it is now sold out on Estée Lauder's Web site. That doesn't mean the stores don't have it in stock. These Bronze Goddess items always sell quickly.

Here is how it is advertised...
Illuminate. Contour. Blush.
Radiant, sun-kissed color for face, cheeks, and eyes. Use each shade on its own to sculpt and define, or blend shades together for a natural-looking, all-over glow. Let the sun worship you.

Sounded good and looked good to me, but I'm not thrilled with it. There may be two reasons, and only time will tell if the powder is light on pigmentation or whether there was some kind of coating (not an overspray that's easy to break through) on the surface of the three shades that made it hard for me to pick up enough pigment, even with a sponge-tipped applicator. When I run my fingers over the shades, I can get decent color from the highlighter and blush. The contour (bronzer) is very light, but that's good for those with fair skin.

I took my photos in full, mid-day sunshine. I swatched from left to right as I moved down my arm. The shade at the top is the highlighter; the blush is in the middle, and the contour/bronzer is at the bottom in the photo below.

I worked to get even swatches. The highlighter shines like a beacon in full sun. The blush is a very light rose, a nice everyday shade. The bronzer is a tad muddy on my skin. I think I would want to blend the bronzer and blush together. I have not worn these shades yet, mostly because I had little time to experiment before I left for work last week. I fear that these shades will not have enough pigment when applied with a brush. I plan to try to rough up the diamond-like surfaces before I apply them with a brush. It may be the points of the design that are denying me good color payoff.

I'm surprised that 100% of nine reviewers on Estée Lauder's site recommended this product - actually gave it enthusiastic reviews. I can only give it a qualified recommendation. If I partially destroy the surface, I may end up enjoying the highlighter and blush. I doubt I'll wear the bronzer.

I'm sure that some Estée Lauder counters will still have the Glow Multi-Palette. Call first.

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