Beautyhabit Friends & Family Sale

This says it all. Beautyhabit is having a Friends & Family sale that lasts through tomorrow, Wednesday, November 20. Use the code FF13 to save 20%. This is a real deal. I need time to shop. I'll see you later.

Photo courtesy of Beautyhabit

Today's "I Wants" Featuring Une Nuit a Bali

Just kill me now. When I was shopping last week during Beautyhabit's sale, I didn't have their catalog in hand. Thus, I didn't know about Une Nuit a Bali. Now, I've received my orders (yes pleural), and I'm seriously interested in Une Nuit a Bali - after the discount has vanished, of course.

La Parfum is $100. Could you resist this description?

The flower of flowers - It may have been a dream... but the memory is revived when your skin exudes a floral note of ylang-ylang and jasmine. An intense accord unfolds into a subtle woody and powdery elegance.

• Head notes: Bergamot, Grapefruit, Saffron
• Heart notes: Ylang-Ylang, Indian Jasmine, Wysteria, Tuberose
• Base: Benzoin Tears, Amber, Vanilla, Oud, Sandalwood

The only thing that gives me pause is the oud, which is often too skanky for my tastes. I must order a sample! There is a dry oil too. Trying to kick myself in the butt. Not as limber as I used to be.

Did you order anything during the sale?

Photo courtesy of Beautyhabit

The Friday Forum - August 31

What a week! I've been very busy at work plus "suffering" from an unusual summer sinus infection, which has left me very tired. I'm looking forward to this three-day weekend. I'm hoping to relax and do some Neiman Marcus Beauty Event shopping to ensure that my treasures will be ready for me the day the event begins, September 6.

Speaking of Neiman Marcus, you might want to check out some of the new fragrances that should be available for the event.

Remember I told you about Houbigant Paris' Oranges en Fleurs? I now have it, and it's gorgeous!  This beautifully sophisticated fragrance is centered around the warm head notes of orange blossom. A heart of Turkish rose and Egyptian jasmine is highlighted by a subtle combination of tuberose and orange leaf absolute. The accord is delicately balanced by the fresh floral note of ylang, slightly spiced with nutmeg. I can't even put into words how gorgeous it is. Even the packaging and bottle are beautiful. Try it!

I also purchased Eaudemoiselle de Givenchy. It is a "couture" fragrance dressed up in contrasts. Here are the notes.

• Top: mandarin orange, Italian winter lemon, and shiso
• Heart: Turkish rose, ylang ylang heart, and orange blossom
• Base: ambrette seeds, cedar, tonka beans, and crystal musk

It's a gorgeous fragrance, and you must smell it. I also purchased the mist, which leaves a tiny bit of iridescence on the skin.

One year ago, Elie Saab Eau de Parfum captured the hearts of fragrance lovers everywhere. Now, Elie Saab has introduced an Eau de Toilette, which reveals an extra touch of lightness and versatility. The notes of mandarin blossom, orange blossom, gardenia, vetiver, and honey rose are sure to charm you. I'm charmed. If you like light fragrances (that won't offend anyone), this will be a good choice.

There's also a new-to-me line of fragrances called Eight & Bob. I'm looking forward to catching a whiff. More to come after I do.

Interested in exploring a niche fragrance? How about Hindu Honeysuckle ($115) by Providence Perfume Company? This was a recent purchase for me, and I'm captivated by it. You can find it at Beautyhabit, where there is a sale this weekend. Use the code SUNNYDAYS for a 20% discount through September 3. There are exclusions, but Hindu Honeysuckle isn't among them.

From India with Love...Revered for its lush aroma, honeysuckle symbolizes generosity and kindness. Notes of sweet Indian Jasmine Sambac meld with green vetiver, musk ambrette, rose, and coriander. Crisp bergamot belies the sweetness of honeysuckle.

What more can I tell you? It's divine - everything I had expected and more. Even as I write, my nose is nuzzling my arm, where I left a little of this intoxicating scent.

I want to tell you about an event at the Neiman Marcus in Westchester, New York.  Le Métier de Beauté representative Sabrina Autera will be hosting a Beauty Master Class on Saturday, September 8, from 1:00-2:30 pm. The class will provide will skin care and makeup lessons, including individual makeovers. As at the classiest Neiman Marcus events, there will be Champagne and little finger foods circulating - enough to make you feel good while you learn how to look good. If I lived closer, I'd be there. If you live within driving distance, call Sabrina at (877) 634-6269 to save your spot.

Perhaps you heard it here first? Dustin Lujan will not be leaving Le Métier de Beauté. I'm beyond excited! He won't be based at Bergdorf Goodman, but you'll see him around the East Coast - yea!

That's enough for my news and treasures right now.  Let's talk your week of beauty. 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.

Don't forget to enter this week's giveaway contest. You could win the Bobbi Brown Pretty Powerful Pretty Palette for Eyes, Lips & Cheeks. The deadline is tomorrow, Saturday, September 1, at midnight.

Happy Labor Day weekend!

Photos courtesy of Neiman Marcus and Providence Perfume Company

Beautyhabit Introduces Rouge Bunny Rouge

In a rapidly shrinking world - or an expanding world of availability of our favorite brands - Beautyhabit has introduced Rouge Bunny Rouge in the United States. While I love Zuneta, I also love Beautyhabit, so my loyalties are strained [big grin]. Maybe divided?

Beautyhabit has launched Rouge Bunny Rouge with a special offer. With the purchase of two or more Rouge Bunny Rouge products, you will receive a complimentary full-sized Gleaming Lip Gloss in Love Tricks, a $24 value. Just use the code LOVERBR through April 25 (while supplies last).

You know what this means, don't you? More easy opportunities to buy. I want that GWP!

Photos courtesy of Beautyhabit

Beautyhabit Introduces McEvoy Ranch 80 Acres

Every now and then, I get an e-mail that makes my heart race. I got one like that this morning from Beautyhabit, announcing skin care from McEvoy Ranch. Just in case you aren't a "foodie," McEvoy Ranch makes some of the best olive oils on earth. They are certified organic - not simply great, but award-winning. I go out of my way to have one of their fabulous olive oils on hand at all times. You should see the huge jug in my kitchen!

Now, Beautyhabit has announced 80 Acres, a small line of skin- and body-care products enriched with McEvoy Ranch estate-produced pure, organic olive oil. 80 Acres takes its name from the plot of land where the ranch first planted Tuscan olive seedlings. The scents of verde and lavender in the products reflect the rolling hills and fragrant gardens on the property.

What can we buy? I want everything!

• Verde Hand & Body Lotion ($25)
• Verde Hand & Body Wash ($20)
• Verde Bath Salts ($24)
• Verde Olive Oil Body Balm ($22)
• Verde Olive Oil Soap ($9)
• Olive Oil Lip Balm ($9)
• Lavender Hand & Body Lotion ($25)
• Lavender Hand & Body Wash ($20)
• Lavender Bath Salts ($24)
• Lavender Olive Oil Body Balm ($22)
• Lavender Olive Oil Soap ($9)

Just "listen to" this description of the Verde Olive Oil Body Balm!

Created by McEvoy's gardeners for moisturizing and protecting skin from the elements, this estate-produced body balm is handcrafted with 97% organic ingredients. This sensuous blend of olive and jojoba oils, beeswax, and vitamin E is rich in natural antioxidants and is easily absorbed into the skin to deeply nourish and protect. Handcrafted from the purest botanical ingredients.

That makes me want it now! Of course, I need lavender too! I think I will order the Lavender Olive Oil Hand & Body Lotion - to start.

80 Acres Hand & Body Lotion is rich in antioxidants and deeply hydrating. Scented with the essential oils of lavender, ylang ylang, lemon, and lime, it evokes the colorful hillsides in full bloom.

I haven't been on McEvoy's Web site for a long time because I had found a local source for their olive oils. Today, I saw that they sell these skin-care products too. So, you can order at the McEvoy Web site and pick up some olive oil at the same time, or place an order with Beautyhabit. Beautyhabit has a special offer. With your purchase of $40 or more of 80 Acres products, you will receive a full-sized Olive Oil Lip Balm. Use code 80ACRES until October 4.

Simply writing this feature has made me hungry for a baguette with McEvoy olive oil. You know what I'll be doing tonight after I place my order!

Photos courtesy of Beautyhabit

Clementine Perfume

Clementine, by Melissa Flagg, is one of those "stealth perfumes" that has flown under the radar for way too long. Despite publicity in recent years, it has escaped mass market notice. That's either ashamed because it's divine, or it's great for me to have a "signature" fragrance. Each time I wear it, someone asks, "What are you wearing?" When I answer, there is no recognition of its name.

With notes of flowering orange blossoms and hints of honeysuckle and night-blooming jasmine, Clementine is a distinctive floral that evokes warm summer nights in heavenly locales. The fragrance originated from Flagg's childhood memory of driving to Palm Springs from Los Angeles as these wonderful floral scents permeated the air.

Available in a rollerball for $28 from Beautyhabit, Clementine is a steal. I see on Beautyhabit that there is a solid version of Clementine on pre-order ($16). That's one list I want to be on!

Through October 31, use the code FALLSHIP for free shipping with a $50 Beautyhabit order. Make sure to check out Beautyhabit's specials page too.

Photo courtesy of Beautyhabit

Kai - Another Cult Fragance Favorite

There's no question I'm a floral fragrance fanatic - a selective fanatic, though. My florals have to be "pure," meaning they cannot contain ubiquitous stink bombs like patchouli or amber.

Kai is a blend of gardenia and white flowers (jasmine, tuberose, and lily). It evokes Hawaii, where the creator spent her youthful vacations, or Florida, where I loved to sit near the gardenias in a friend's garden. Perhaps I inherited my love of gardenias from my mother; she carried a gardenia bouquet at her wedding to my father, a marriage that lasted until he died in his 80s a few years ago.

Kai is light, green, clean, and heavenly. What's great about Kai is that there are so many products to love. There is the Eau de Parfum Spray ($72) for those who simply want a spray fragrance. The Perfume Oil ($45), which comes in a rollerball, is perfect for throwing in your purse. One really cool product is the Body Glow Spray ($30). This is a lightly fragranced spray body oil that adds a bit of glow to your skin - nothing dramatic, just a nice clean sheen. The new Body Butter ($60 in a big jar) has a shea butter base that leaves you moisturized and irresistible.

There's more! Check out Kai at Beautyhabit.com, LuckyScent, or Google Kai if you like florals. Devotees include Charlize Theron, Cate Blanchett, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Gardner, Tyra Banks, and Mariah Carey - and then there's me.

Although this fragrance has been available for years, it's still not well-known. Perhaps because it's not a department store or magazine ad staple? DCers: you can buy it at Art with Flowers at the Tysons Galleria.

Photo courtesy of Kai.

Belou's P Natural and Organic Oils for Body and Hair

How does this sound for heavenly? Created in Saint-Barth with rose hip oil from Chile and Vitamins A, E, and F...no alcohol, no coloring, no artificial preservatives - just voluptuously natural and organic fragranced oils for the body and hair. Belou's P makes all-natural and organic fragrant oils, a mosquito repellent oil, and 100% vegetable soap.

Although it had been written up in Town & Country, W, and Bazaar, I stumbled upon the Colombier Fragrant Body Oil ($38) at Beautyhabit. Each fragrant oil is named for a different island beach. Colombier, enriched by lily, jasmine, and frangipani, sounded right up my alley. Used to moisturize, the body oil leaves a scent that is rich, floral, and tropical. I find it intoxicating. Not only that, the bottle is beautiful and recyclable.

Beautyhabit sells the body oil in two other scents. Chauvette radiates warm spices, santal wood, and lime. Lorient is a sensuous blend of tuberose, gardenia, narcissus, and iris. Pick your type and try one! Given the season, I'm thinking about trying the Mosquito Repellent Oil ($35). Advertised to keep mosquitoes away (they are everywhere and biting this year - I can't go to the mailbox without being attacked), the oil is also supposed to help with the itchy, unsightly red welts from bites.

Photo courtesy of Beautyhabit.

Do You Like to Try European Bar Soaps with Beautiful Wrapping?

I do. There is something exotic about the wrapping and the fragrance that wafts from the unopened bars. I put them in my bureau drawers to give me a pleasant little trip to Europe when I open the drawers. I also put them in baskets in guest bathrooms, where my guests can take their pick and use nice, fresh bars - just like in a luxury hotel. Naturally, I finish off the bars when they leave.

Beautyhabit is featuring Nesti Dante Bath & Body Soaps ($9), made in Florence, Italy. These are beautifully packaged vegetable- and flower-based, handcrafted soaps with enchanting perfumes from the hills of Tuscany. Among the scents, there's Deli Colli Fiorentini, a romantic Sweet Violet soap, and even Nesti Dante Horto Botanico Artichoke Soap. The offerings are unique - I want them all!

Beautyhabit has a great e-mail offer through August 14. With any purchase of $65 or more, you will receive a small Tocca fragranced candle (these are nice!). Just use code BHBELLA at checkout. Remember to sign up for Beautyhabit's e-mails. They are a Web-source wonder.

Photo courtesy of Beautyhabit.

BURN - Wonderful Lotions, Soaps, and Candles

BURN (yes, an awfully strange name for a line of heavenly scented products) makes some of the nicest hand and body lotions, hand and body soaps, and candles you will ever "smell" or use. A few of my favorites are on sale at Beautyhabit, meaning, I fear, that they are about to be replaced by newer products (sometimes change isn't all that good). Right now, though, you can purchase Kaffir Lime Basil body cream, hand lotion, and other BURN Liquid scented products for a deep discount. Not only that, a $100 or more BURN purchase at Beautyhabit now will earn you a complimentary full-sized Pink Pepper Candle, a $60 value.

I keep two of BURN's hand lotions on my desk at work, and I have frequent visitors who come for nothing more than a squirt of hand lotion. The two I have at work are Kaffir Lime Basil and Blood Orange Neroli, which I purchased at Art with Flowers in the Tysons Galleria in Virginia. The hand soap is a luxurious addition to any kitchen sink or any bathroom.

The BURN candles ($55-60) are fabulous - not only for their scent, but also for how long they last. Among my favorites are the two fragrances listed above, Lemon Honeysuckle Vine, Tunisian Orange Blossom, and Tiare Coconut Milk. Just read Beautyhabit's "transporting" description of the Lemon Honeysuckle Vine Candle..."Truly a classic fragrance that reminds us of the English countryside in the first rush of summer, with wild honeysuckle growing roadside, ivy trailing up the aged walls, and the first fruit from lemon trees kept through the winter in estate greenhouses." I'm there!

Hurry on over to Beautyhabit for those discounts on BURN Liquid products. You won't regret it. I'm headed over now to take advantage of the deep discounts. Use code BHBELLA at checkout for a free small Tocca candle (available until August 14) with a purchase of $65 or more.

Photo courtesy of Beautyhabit.

Cult Fragrance - i Profumi di Firenze

Why call it anything but a cult fragrance? You won't stumble on it in stores - you just have to know. How did I find it? Beautyhabit, of course. Once I discovered Beautyhabit, I spent what the Brits would call a bloody fortune.

Among other Beautyhabit purchases, I started ordering the i Profumi di Firenze fragrances, and each one that arrived was special and individual. Here is what Beautyhabit has to say about the line.

Inspired by original 16th century secret formulas commissioned by Caterina de Medici, "i Profumi di Firenze" perfumes are meticulously hand-blended in small batches with the finest selections of floral and botanical essences from Italy and around the world.

In the mid-1960's, when synthetic perfumes were all the rage, a renowned Florentine apothecary carefully re-created these Renaissance fragrances using only all natural ingredients and their own secret methods of essence extraction. These scents are timeless and harmonize beautifully on the skin - you will not be disappointed!

A nice summery scent I am wearing a lot now is i Profumi di Firenze Acqua di Firenze ($99). I can't find this scent on Beautyhabit now. Fortunately, Acqua di Firenze is available at several Web sites, including Lusciouscargo. A blend of white flowers, including heavenly honeysuckle, and green leaves, this light, fresh scent is divine. I picked up a few extras at Art with Flowers at Tysons Galleria.

This line has a fragrance for everyone, from floral lovers to citrus fans to spice gals. Tuberosa d'Autunno is based, like its name implies, on tuberose, a seductive white floral that has found a home at my house in many different brands and fragrances. Mughetto di Primavera is a single-note wild lily of the valley scent. This also doesn't seem to be available at Beautyhabit, but you can find it online. I don't know why some of these come and go - perhaps since they are handmade, they are available only for a limited time (just a guess).

Check out Beautyhabit or Lusciouscargo and then choose the one that appeals to you. You won't smell like "everywoman."

Use code BHVOYAGE at Beautyhabit for a purchase of $50 or more to receive a seven-piece sampler. The code is good until July 27 (or until supply is exhausted).

Photo courtesy of Lusciouscargo.

In Fiore Body Balms

Today, while I'm describing body products, I have to tell you about In Fiore Body Balms.

Founded in 1999 and headed by Julie Elliott, In Fiore is Italian for "in bloom." Indeed, the products are like bottled flowers that have been transformed into soothing, protective, healing, and nourishing treats for the skin.

One of my favorites of the In Fiore products is Dayala Body Balm. Dayala, or "Paradise on Earth," is a blend of Indian jasmine and lemongrass, with grapeseed oil (an antioxidant), jojoba oil, beeswax, and Vitamin E. Although it costs $80, one jar lasts well over a year, even with frequent use, because the balm is very thick. A little goes a long way.

I was turned on to In Fiore products by Beautyhabit, a mecca for fragrances. They carry the In Fiore Body Balms, Treatment Balms (the Pedicure is sitting right next to me), heavenly solid perfumes, and complexion treatments. There is an In Fiore fragrance and product for everyone. I highly recommend that you try one.

Until July 27 or until supplies are exhausted, with a $50 purchase, Beautyhabit is offering a nice seven-piece deluxe French beauty sampler with the code BHVOYAGE.

Photo courtesy of Beautyhabit.

A Few of My Favorite Online Beauty Stores

We all have favorite online sites we visit for fragrances, cosmetics, skin and hair care, and other beauty products. Sephora and the manufacturer sites, such as Bobbi Brown, Estee Lauder, and Clinique, may top everyone's list for the free samples and efficient service. Today, I would like to share with you some of my other favorites - sites worth visiting for the variety of product offerings, fair prices, and goodies with purchase.

I should own stock in Beautyhabit. A "Modern Lux Apothecary," Beautyhabit offers fragrances, bath and body, candles and other home fragrances, skin care, hair products, and more. They always have monthly specials and often gifts with purchase, and their service is tops. They introduced me to Clementine, a fragrance with notes of flowering orange blossoms, honeysuckle, and night-blooming jasmine. Clementine seems to be a celebrity favorite. Beautyhabit's brand list is long, literally offering something for everyone.

LuckyScent is another site for fragrance lovers. They specialize in hard-to-find fragrances. They have always been my go-to site for Kai, a lovely "boutique" fragrance of gardenia and other white flowers.

Hello Gorgeous! is a great site for hair care products, but they have other offerings as well. I usually get my Philip B fixes there. Try the botanical White Truffle Nourishing Hair Conditioning Cream for incredible results. They offer samples, too, but sometimes you have to search on samples to find them before finishing your purchase. Make sure to look. They don't offer free shipping ($4.95 fixed), but their discounts make up for the shipping costs. Deliveries are fast.

SkinWest offers a wide variety of skin care discounts, and I'm a frequent visitor. They have great promotional gifts, such as the current travel skin care set from SkinMedica. They are a great site for Kinerase discounts, and shipping is free.

Last but not least, Amazon has some incredible prices on beauty products. I have been purchasing my Prevage MD there at less than half the retail price! Some of their affiliates offer free shipping, so my Prevage MD comes without shipping or tax. A steal!

If any of these are new to you, check them out and have fun!

Photo of Clementine, a roll-on fragrance, courtesy of Beautyhabit.