I was looking for my star magnolia photos because my tree is blooming now. I found this instead. It's definitely not a Magnolia Stellata blossom. Could it be an exotic Stokesia? No matter! It's a flower to brighten our day!I've been in beauty heaven this week. I don't even know where to begin. I've been enjoying all of my Neiman Marcus Beauty Event purchases (including Sisley's amazing Palette Orchidée), I've been testing some new-to-me (and amazing) Natura Bissé skin care, and I've purchased enough fragrance to ensure that my bottles will survive me.
So why do I want more? MiN New York is having a sale this weekend (20% off), and they carry some of the most desirable fragrances on earth. It goes without saying that I've placed a pre-order. You might want to check out the MiN Web site to see if there's something that tempts you. Don't order online, though. You have to shop in the boutique or call to get the discount.
I had wanted - desperately wanted - Guerlain's Muguet (one of the prettiest lily of the valley fragrances I've ever tried. It normally costs about $500, and I had denied myself the treat. That's a lot of money. Sometimes eBay can push me over the edge. Muguet was priced at $400, and there was a Buy-it-Now option. You can guess what I did. I went on autopilot, forgot the price, and ordered it. It should have been shipped by Brinks. Instead, I had to sign for it, which meant a trip to the Post Office - the only drawback to the purchase. Now, I'll be smelling like May flowers all year.Just as the solar flares have given folks in Canada and the northern states of the U.S. a Northern Lights display, I received the Northern Lights Eye and Lip Kaleidoscopes from Le Métier de Beauté. What perfect timing! I'm smitten by both kits and hope to get blended swatch photos for you this weekend. Sunshine is predicted to break out, so stay tuned.
It's time for The Friday Forum, our open chat. 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'm a little crazy. I already had a Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder giveaway contest going when I decided to start another. I love Chantecaille's new Sunrise Lip Chic so much, I bought one for a quick contest. Make sure to enter to win the contest for this season's glorious Chantecaille color at this link. The Bobbi Brown contest ends Saturday night at midnight, and the Chantecaille contest ends Sunday evening at 5:00 pm. You enter the contests, and I'll go buy a lottery ticket. I plan to win someday, and when I do, we can have even more contests!
Update: I got my Mega Millions plays for tonight. Wish me luck!
Photo at top courtesy of Gery Singer via Flickr; Muguet photo courtesy of Guerlain
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27 comments:
Hi Charlestongirl!
Happy Friday to everyone! Friday is my favorite day of the week. There is nothing better to me than knowing my work week is over and going home to relax. For some reason, I find it more relaxing than Saturday. I dislike Sundays, so by Saturday evening I am already dreading Sunday. The strange thing is, I love my job, so it has nothing to do with dreading going to work. Weird.
I caved and bought the Sun in the City highlighter and the Sunny Pink cream blush/highlighter by Guerlain. They arrive Monday and I can't wait. They both look gorgeous. I have not ordered any Guerlain products in a while. Next on my list is the Noir G mascara.
I am dangerously close to ordering either one of the By Terry lip glosses featured on this blog earlier in the week, or the Frosted Pink 871 KissKiss Gloss from Guerlain. Thanks to your input, I think it may be the KissKiss gloss because I was looking for something more pigmented. On the other hand, I may get a lipstick. If anyone knows a light pink frosted/pearlized lipstick (I already have LMdB's Thailand), I am all ears!
If anyone out there gets Shellac manicures, CND released some new Shellac colors. One of them is a Chanel Particuliere-esque (or, an OPI You Don't Know Jacques-esque) color called Rubble. I am wearing that with one of the other new Shellac colors, which is basically a coat that adds silver shimmer (not glitter). It adds the most beautiful shimmery iridescence to the color, without changing the tone or shade of the color. Worth checking out if you are into Shellac.
Have a lovely weekend, ladies!
Kate
I’ve been in love with Chanel since a wand of mascara cast a spell on me in 1994. Within a year, I had replaced all of my Clinique products with Chanel products and never looked back. I also only wear Chanel scents. We won't go into my sunglasses collection. This week, Charlestongirl, the spell was broken.
You know I live over in the mountains. The nearest Chanel counter is an hour away (we’ll call it Counter 1). I order online, but since I moved back to Virginia from Los Angeles last spring, I’ve been to a Chanel counter four times. Two of those times have been at a counter about two hours away (Counter 2). I visited Counter 2 this week.
I’d been in town (shall not be named) on business. It had been quite a busy day, and I had a long drive home, but I deliriously rushed over to Chanel. I desperately need foundation and, since my skin has changed in color and dryness since I've been back in VA, a change is needed. I couldn’t order online. Also, I’d had to toss my Chanel eye shadow base as it was shamefully old. I needed a new one. I wanted to switch facial cleansers and had my eye on Chanel’s rinse off foaming gel cleaner, but needed to try it. And I wanted to see the new Brightening line in person. Plus—and call me crazy—I wanted to drink in the beauty of all the products. Surely if I used a light hand, I could wear one of the Illusion D’Ombre eyeshadows. And maybe I’d pick up the April nail polish. Happy, happy, joy, joy!
It was around 6pm, and very few customers were in the store, no less at the counter. The SA simply wasn’t interested in helping me. I told her my foundation quandary, and she told me to use Ultra Correcting Lift underneath my foundation. Huh? How would that change the color? When I told her that I currently used Ultra Correction Line Repair Day Cream, she said nothing. Nothing! The subject was closed as far as she was concerned.
In an effort to engage with her, I chattered away about my love of the brand, different Chanel products, how I received updates from Chanel.com and read beauty blogs to keep up. She said—and I quote—“So you’re a makeup whore.”
I found this remark to be vulgar. Yes, I’m sure she said it in jest. That doesn’t make it any less in poor taste. I expect a little more class from a Chanel associate, and she was wearing a Chanel logo top and thus not a random makeup salesperson. Perhaps if she and I had a long-standing working relationship, the remark would not have been so jarring. Perhaps if she had been doing her job and helping me, I could have dismissed it. But she wasn’t.
My excitement slipped away. I asked about the Le Blanc products which were right in front of me, and rather than discussing them, the SA handed me a brochure. I asked to see the Illusion D’Ombre pots (they were behind the counter), and she pulled one out. One. I had to ask to try it on. I purchased the eye shadow, forgetting to pick up my eye base or the April polish. Do I need to say that the SA didn’t give me a sample of anything with my purchase?
I’d had a rather mixed experience at Counter 2 previously, but this is already book-length so I’ll spare you. Counter 1 was just okay. What is with Virginia Chanel counters? I always, without fail, had wonderful experiences at Los Angeles Chanel counters.
I suppose it would merit trying to establish a relationship with a Chanel SA at Counter 1 if I felt so inclined. Sadly, I must say that right now, Chanel and I are “on a break” from our relationship. :(
Rosemary
Happy Friday Charlestongirl. I just pre-ordered Andy Tauer Zeta and Miller Harris Fleurs de Sel from MiN! I've sampled Zeta several times now and love love! Who knew I could do floral! So happy to get 20% off. And they have testers that haven't been opened but are in a plain white box that are 50% off. I for one don't care about the box. Browsing the site again now.
Hi Charlestongirl! You made it at last!!!I know how much you craved for this Guerlain Lily of the Valley fragrance and I smiled when I read your post: I imagine you so happy with your coveted bottle! You need to win the lottery now:-) I didn't buy anything this week: I had bought quite a few items by Shiseido and some Armani lipsticks last week...so I decided to slow down a bit....A happy Friday to all and a great week-end too:-)
Lily of the Valley is my birth flower (May), but alas I will not be spending that kind of money simply to smell good.
Like Clarisse, I'm so glad you got your Muguet, and $100 off is always nice. I tried the 2008 version, but haven't retested since. I should go to Guerlain with some vtg Diorissimo parfum on one wrist and do a side-by-side comparison. I imagine Muguet might be a bit greener. Have you tried CdG's Lily? It's another gorgeous LotV scent.
This week I got Dior's Exquis vernis but haven't worn it yet. I'm not sure if I will. I sometimes do that with polishes, silly me. I have a BNIB bottle of Chanel's Peridot. Why oh why??
Didn't get anything in the MiN sale, but my friend will send me some of her Puredistance 1 that she picked up there. I can never get enough of that baby!
STILL waiting for some What we Do in Paris is Secret. I hope the postal workers aren't having their way with it!!
Hi Lovescents! If you love Muguet fragrances too, wait for the new one by Editions de parfums by Frédéric Malle: a LotV fragrance is about to be launched in March and I am looking forward to discovering it (love Muguet too)...usually FM perfumers's creations are wonderful and addictive:-)
Oh Clarisse, I heard about that new Freddie but even the FM reps don't know when it will be released. Oh the suspense!!! Keep us posted if you hear anything :-)
@Lovesecents: OK,I will:-)
Hi CG! I have been shopping for a new eyeshadow palette and read your reveiws on LmDB and Estee Lauder. I went with the EL due to price but I am very happy with the colors and especially how smooth they look on my oldish eyelids! I am tempted by the Bronze Goddess fragrance but want to hear about it from others. I was not as tempted by the Capri fragrance. Thanks for your interesting and thorough reviews!
OK, Sunita called be from Min as MH is on back order and we started talking about additional fragrances and candles that are 50% off. I think I ended up tripling my order!
Hi CG,
The new LMDB collection is now available at Neiman Marcus online. It's not shipping until the 23rd though. I placed my order and I'm looking forward to getting my goodies. Especially the lip kaleidoscope. Have a nice weekend everyone!
Wow...you gals had fun while I was at work!
Kate, I think you will love your new Guerlain beauties. Have fun with them!
Rosemary,
I am appalled. I'd love to know which counter treated you so badly. You can always e-mail me at bestthingsinbeauty@gmail.com.
If I can suggest a DC counter, Loyd Cassler at Saks Chevy Chase is a dear heart and so amazingly good/responsive.
I really do not like the term you referenced. One local blogger calls herself that. To me, it's crude. I cannot believe a product specialist used it! So unprofessional. I'm sure their regional rep would love to know - not who, but what.
I don't know why counter women are so stingy with samples - unless they took them all for themselves, friends, and family (believe me, it happens). However, a packet sample of Le Blanc won't tell you anything about how it works. Packet samples of that kind or product are useless. You need to use a lightening product for well over a month to see any difference at all.
Don't get me going on samples. Some counters here wouldn't offer one even if you just dropped $2K.
Hi MikkiD!
I ordered one of those testers. Most of them are gone now. However, 20% is amazing. Please let me know how you like Miller Harris Fleurs de Sel. It is one I've been curious about.
Clarisse,
I should have slowed down, but I couldn't let that eBay deal pass me by. That $100 savings took me from a no-go to a purchase. I wore it today, and it lasted all day. Fabulous longevity!
Hi Lovethescents,
I think I ordered What We Do in Paris - a sample, I think. My Luckyscent box just arrived! I haven't opened it yet. Wanted to do the blog replies first.
Isn't Puredistance 1 exciting? You are the one who hooked me on it. By the time I called MiN, they only had M left. Antonia was gone too.
Nemo, Clarisse is right. Malle's lily of the valley fragrance is launching late spring/early summer. You might like that one!
Anne, neither one of those fragrances is earth-shattering. They are nice. That's it. :)
Jo, hope you enjoy your LMdB beauties! I love the colors, particularly the Lip Kit.
Lovethescents,
My What We Do in Paris is a sample, and it's luscious. Wearing it now on my wrist. Very tempted to order. Just need money!
I'm still waiting for WWDiP, can't wait!!!
Re: Antonia, let me know if you need some :-)
oh wow 20% off is wonderful.. do you know when the sale ends? I must say I'm ashamed to call myself a new yorker as I've passed by that area so often but never went in the actual store
also, which brands at MiN would you suggest I check out? =)
AZ, the sale is this weekend only. Go Saturday! I can't recommend brands. We all have unique tastes. Stop by and play. The staff members are all wonderful and helpful!
Thanks, Lovethescents.
So far, I'd call WWDiP "perfumey." It's pretty, but not the most original fragrance I've tried.
I wanted to let you know that I love your blog, and your post on Sunrise convinced me. I went on over to Nordstrom's (I too live in the DC area) and nabbed one. It is AMAZING. The SA told me that it is balm, treatment, plumper, and color in one. The color is glorious, but the condition of my lips since I've been wearing it constantly for two days? Fantastic. I normally get very dry and chapped, especially in transition weather (hot,cold, hot,cold, ac? heat? grah!) but right now I have baby lips. Thanks so much for the rec.
Hi Anonymous!
We need to meet up sometime! I love meeting my blog readers, most of whom I don't know.
What store did you visit? Tysons Nordstrom doesn't have Chantecaille, to my sorrow.
Let me know if you find Sunrise Plumping, please. I find it plumping only because the color pops. I "kind of" hate real plumpers. They hurt. Chantecaille never hurts. I love the company, the people who own/work at the company, and the products. Chantecaille is, in my humble opinion, one of the best beauty companies we have. BTW, there is a nice offer online right now. I think I'll order some skin care to get the free lip brush.
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