My Favorite Skin Care of 2012

I must address my favorite skin care in 2012. Without good skin, your makeup won't look its best. It was a year of advances. I want to include whole lines of products as well as individual products - skin care that works, products that excite me. Not all of the products I am mentioning here were introduced this year, but when you find something you love, you need to stick with it.

Let's start with TATCHA, a beauty company that is inspired by ancient geisha skin-care traditions. If you haven't tried it, I think you're going to love it as much as I do.

TATCHA founder Victoria Tsai has been a lifelong seeker of beauty. Her passion for skin care began at an early age when Victoria’s mother shared traditional Asian herbal skin-care treatments, which they sold in her family’s beauty boutique. Victoria’s love of discovery has since led her to become a sought-after expert in the field, developing products and brand strategies for the world’s largest beauty companies.

Searching for a new approach to beauty, Victoria began traveling to Asia, where a chance encounter in Kyoto with a modern-day geisha changed her course. For over 300 years, Japan’s geishas have been held in awe for their enduring wisdom and breathtakingly beautiful, porcelain skin. Perfected through centuries of timeless rituals, their beauty secrets have been passed down from one generation to the next by word of mouth alone. As she began to immerse herself in Japan’s culture, Victoria discovered unearthed a 200-year-old beauty manuscript. On its ancient pages, she rediscovered the geisha’s coveted daily regimen. Moved and inspired, Victoria founded TATCHA as a way to share these timeless secrets with the modern world.

Traveling back to the City of 2000 Temples (Kyoto), TATCHA works closely with teams of scientists, scholars and geisha themselves to decipher the rituals and ingredients from the sacred beauty text. TATCHA’s formulas pay homage to the icon of Eastern beauty and the brand’s own storied heritage. Now the secrets of the geisha live on through a proprietary process involving the most precious green teas, Okinawa red algae, rice bran, and other time-tested ingredients.

I have fallen in love with the Radiant Deep Brightening Serum and the Dewy Skin Mist, and now I'm testing and loving Ageless Enriching Renewal Cream and Ageless Revitalizing Eye Cream. I can't get enough of TATCHA.

I've also become a Natura Bissé devotee. Most of the products I'm using come from the Diamond and NB•CEUTICAL collections, although I love everything I've tried. During a recent event at Neiman Marcus, I restocked on my Diamond Extreme and Eye Recovery Balm. Right now, I need to go purchase more Diamond Extreme Eye. Their Pure Air Bubble, featuring the Diamond White Facial, will be returning to Neiman Marcus soon. I sure hope I can reserve a coveted space. I desperately want to try the Diamond Life Infusion serum, but at $590, I can't afford it right now.

Another line that captured my attention before 2012, but held it through the year is RéVive.  Who is the genius behind RéVive? Skin care pioneer and noted plastic surgeon Dr. Gregory Bays Brown established a research laboratory to conduct a $2 million study on wound healing. In his research, he discovered a bioengineered molecule called Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) that dramatically accelerated burn and wound healing in test subjects. The defining moment came when Dr. Brown discovered that the EGF molecule was the same molecule that regenerated aging skin. He was convinced that the only way women could get what they really wanted (the healthy skin of their youth) was at the molecular level with EGF. Dr. Brown was immediately inspired to set up a clinical laboratory within the research unit to validate his findings and to pioneer a face cream with this "youth molecule," EGF. Dr. Brown was the first doctor to apply the bioengineered version of EGF into skin care. He wanted to give women an alternative to the knife, today's overused face lift. He launched RéVive to the public in 1997.

Dr. Brown's first cosmeceutical product, the one that started the RéVive revolution and roped in my friend Carol, was RéVive Moisturizing Renewal Cream (shown above). This powerful perfecting cream, which contains EGF, gives all faces the legendary RéVive Glow - quickly. It's a remarkable moisturizer. In addition to his powerful EGF, Dr. Brown has started to incorporate peptides into his products, as they also gain a reputation as effective skin renewal ingredients. The newest product I've purchased - there are a lot of them is Peau Magnifique Les Yeux Youth Recruit, and I can't wait to see the transformation of my eye area. If it's as dramatic as the effect I saw with Peau Magnifique Youth Recruit for the face, I'm going to be delighted. These products are pricey, but worth every penny. The Intensité Volumizing Serum is a game changer.

Two other lines have made claim to my heart: Sisley and La Prairie. I don't use a complete regimen of either line, but they made products I could not live without. Sisley's Express Eye Contour Mask should be in everyone's toolkit. The new Eau Efficace Gentle Make-Up Remover is revolutionary. This gentle, sensory, high-performance and non-rinse cleansing lotion removes face and eye make-up and tones the skin in one single sweep. The dispensing system is really cool.

Formulated with deeply cleansing plant-based saponins, Eau Efficace removes surface impurities and traces of pollution accumulated during the day, and helps preserve the skin's natural radiance. Applied with a cotton pad, it effectively removes face and eye make-up, even long lasting, leaving the skin clean and matte, and the complexion fresh and glowing. I love it.

I've got an upcoming feature coming for a new La Prairie product, Cellular Power Serum, so I'm going to hold off here. Just know that I am smitten. I like the slogan too.  "Never look your age again."

La Mer's The Moisturizing Soft Cream, a 2012 introduction, is fabulous. Luxuriously light, this formula delivers miraculous benefits - the same benefits as the original cream, but much easier to apply. It penetrates deeply to replenish moisture and strengthen skin. Renewed and energized, my skin looks youthfully radiant when I use it. I highly recommend it. If you are addicted to the original Crème de la Mer, give this one a try. It has some advances, including a new delivery system, that should please you.

Kate Somerville's new DermalQuench Liquid Lift Advanced Wrinkle Treatment is the product I nominated to New Beauty as the "Skin Care Advance of 2012." Kate took her DERMAL QUENCH Oxygen Treatment, delivered in spas or in special events at Kate Somerville counters and canned it. She gave us a treatment we could use at home. It was genius. I don't think you can find a better instant lift. Check out the fall issue to see what I had to say.

When I had my first DermalQuench Oxygen Treatment at Neiman Marcus, I experienced instant, unbelievable results. When my hour-long treatment was finished, I looked as if I had stepped out of a time capsule into a face that I had about five years ago. It was amazing. My face had a glow, and it had "lost" all the fine lines. Even my nasolabial folds (smile lines around the mouth) weren't as deep. My skin was plumped, youthful, and pretty. I'm thrilled to be able to come close to those results at home.

Two Le Métier de Beauté skin care products I can't live without are Rejuvenating Anti-Aging Night Crème with Syntoc Actif + Power4 Anti-Aging Complexe and Replenishing Daily Solution with Syntoc Actif + Moisture Rich Complexe. As pricey as some of my other must-haves, these products are amazing. They were introduced in 2011. Le Métier de Beauté has made the only products containing retinol that I can use. Plus they work as promised. The company's new CHEM60 Pro-Peel & Glow10ai Mask Set, which finally made its way to counters in 2012, is showing great promise.

I cannot close this feature without naming two new-ish products (2011) that have become staples in my skin care: Perricone MD Acyl-Glutathione for the face and Acyl-Glutathione Eye Lid Serum. I will not go without the eye lid serum - ever.  Well, unless Dr. Perricone introduces a new, improved version.

I am also testing a new 2012 line, VENeffect Skin Care, courtesy of generous samples (I simply cannot afford to purchase everything!). So far, it appears to be excellent. A little-known scientific phenomenon, virtually unexplored by the beauty industry, is now being shared with a breakthrough skin-care line developed by women, for women. Rebecca Booth, MD, a nationally recognized gynecologist and hormonal wellness expert, and Cecil Booth, her sister and a 20-year beauty industry veteran, share a mission to enlighten women about the relationship between beauty and hormones. They have spent the past seven years developing a line of skin-care products that reverse the physical signs of hormonal aging and restore a healthy, desirable female glow.

The sisters discovered their solution in the plant world. VENeffect gets its potency from 100% natural phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens are plant-based “mimics” of human estrogen that safely and effectively bind to the receptors in the skin, preserving and restoring collagen, dramatically increasing elasticity and reversing the signs of hormonal aging. Dr. Booth explained, "The small molecular size of phytoestrogens allows them to easily penetrate facial skin and bind with estrogen receptors in the dermis and epidermis." Unlike anti-aging products that are designed to exfoliate dead skin (for example, retinol), VENeffect restores the vital effect of collagen to dramatically improve the glow of healthy skin.

VENeffect products are formulated with additional ingredients that offer anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties to provide the best in modern skin care. Five new VENeffect products are available: two moisturizers, one for day with SPF xx and one for night, along with eye and lip treatments. The prices range from $85 to $185.

There you have it. Wondering how I can use all these products? With few exceptions, I alternate, trying to reap the benefits offered by each. It seems to work nicely.

Photo at top courtesy of the Huffington Post; other photos courtesy of the brands

My Favorite Fragrances from 2012

I feel the way I felt when I wrote my 2012 makeup feature. My tastes in fragrance are very specific. Put another way, there are certain fragrance notes that can ruin a perfectly good fragrance to my nose. The worst offender is patchouli. If I can smell it, I will hate the fragrance. Because it's a base note in many of today's fragrances, it's hard to avoid. I've been very successful. While a few fragrances I love contain the ingredient, I can't smell it. The patch concentration must be 0.000001.

What you will find here is a list of fragrances categorized as florals, fruits, and gourmands. Many are crossovers. These 2012 introductions delighted me as we rolled through 2012. So did many others, but I cannot write a book this afternoon. How did I choose? These are the fragrances I wore the most. They are also fragrances that you can easily find and purchase.

Presented in no particular order, here were many of my successful purchases. I'll admit there will be many I forget to list. Mine to enjoy; yours to discover.

CREED introduced several fragrances. They had a banner year. I had two uber-favorites: Jardin d'Amalfi and Fleurs de Gardenia.  In your first moment with Jardin d'Amalfi, your senses fill with the characteristic scent of citrus - symbolic of the Amalfi coast - woods, apple, and rose in an artistic blend of fresh green, fruity perfection. The top notes are tangerine, bergamot, pink berries, and neroli. The heart of Jardin d'Amalfi was composed with Virginia cedar (an evergreen fragrance that is light and fresh), French apple, and Bulgarian rose. The base dries down with Haitian vetiver, white musk, and (oddly) cinnamon. Fleurs de Gardenia has top notes of pink berries, fresh, ripe blackcurrant, and engaging galbanum. The middle notes are First Love gardenias, Double Blush roses, lavender peonies, lily of the valley, and pink jasmine. The base notes are soft musk, pink patchouli (no, I cannot smell it at all), and Virginia cedar.

Guerlain's Mon Précieux Nectar made my year scrumptious. Mon Précieux Nectar  opens with top notes of petit grain and "bitter" almond powder. The heart is composed with orange blossom and jasmine. The base notes are sandalwood, gaïac wood, vanilla, white musk, and barely detectible incense.

By Kilian Forbidden Games is one of Kilian Hennessy's three In the Garden of Good and Evil fragrances introduced this fall. Created by Calice Becker, the notes are apple, peach, plum, cinnamon, Bulgarian rose, geranium bourbon, jasmine, vanilla, honey, and opoponax. Honorable mention goes to Kilian's Good Girl Gone Bad from the same collection and the two Asian Tales fragrances: Bamboo Harmony and  Water Calligraphy.

Bottega Veneta Eau de Parfum was the first fragrance introduced by the prestige leather brand (a new one is coming in 2013). There are four key notes in Bottega Veneta's Eau de Parfum: Sambac jasmine, Brazilian pink peppercorn, bergamot, and Indian patchouli (yes, patchouli, and I like it). Additionally, the fragrance includes plum, benzoin, and oak moss.

Tom Ford introduced four new fragrances with his Private Blend Jardin Noir Collection. Three are gorgeous. Jonquille de Nuit is a gorgeous fragrance, characterized by its key notes of narcissus, violet absolute, mimosa, and orris. The key notes of Lys Fume are pink peppercorn (for pleasant and subtle spice), lily, ylang ylang (for zip), and vanilla absolute. Ravishing! Ombre de Hyacinth is a green floral with a reminder of spring's delicate, fragrant hyacinths. The key notes are hyacinth, violet leaf, jasmin absolute, and Persian galbanum resinoid.The fourth? I found Café Rose, the darling of perfume connoisseurs, a disgusting patchouli bomb.

I totally fell for the House of Houbigant's newest fragrance, Orangers en Fleurs. 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.

On the Jo Malone front, Blackberry & Bay delighted me - and many others. An initial burst of sweet, fresh, juicy berries is tempered by citrus and bay, yielding a lovely, balanced treat. Once Blackberry & Bay dries down, vetiver keeps it fresh, while cedarwood grounds it. In my opinion, one of the best Jo Malone fragrances in years.

The limited-edition L'Artisan Parfumeur Séville à l'Aube created by the prolific Bertrand Duchaufour, offers notes of avender, pink pepper, lemon tree leaves, orange blossom, jasmine, magnolia, beeswax, incense, Benzoin Siam, and Luiseiri lavender to remember an afternoon experienced by Denyse Beaulieu, author of The Perfume Lover. You can read the story at Fragrantica.

Monodie, a little-known Eau de Parfum by Ys Uzac, is a high-spirited play on mirabelle, a small yellow plum, whose taste is less tart than other plums, with a jammy undertone picked up by the drop of caramel in the base notes. A splash of summery colors adorn this sunny melody: pink grapefruit and red rose contrasting with the tart green of rhubarb and the deeper resinous tones of galbanum.

Un Bateau pour Capri was presented by Eau d'Italie to celebrate its 60^th anniversary. Inspired by the glamorous women who have stayed at the hotel (hink Grace Kelly or Liz Taylor on a cool summer morning, head tied in a printed silk scarf, large dark sunglasses, boarding a wooden Riva speedboat headed to Capri), Un Bateau pour Capri has notes of peony, freesia, peach, Sambac jasmine, rosa centifolia, heliotrope, solar wood, cedarwood, and musk.

Unter den Linden by Tanja Bochnig is a natural perfume from April Aromatics that left me in a trance. Lindenblossom CO₂ extract from Bulgaria and linden blossom absolute extract from France mixed with magnolia blossoms and a citrus note create this delicate fragrance with a beautiful, light, powdery, sweetly floral scent of honey. It smells like linden trees in full bloom.

i Profumi di Firenze Frangipane e Cocco offers flirty top notes of coconut and blood orange on an elegant, alluring base of frankincense take you away to an exotic reverie. The notes are frangipani, coconut, blood orange, and frankincense. I purchase almost every i Profumi di Firenze fragrance that is introduced, and this one left me yearning for an additional bottle.

I had to have ELECTRON, one of the A DOZEN ROSES fragrances. It opens with a dose of roses and violets, transporting me to a garden with the top notes. As the scent matures, I can smell the green tea, but I'll have to admit I don't know what cattleya orchids smell like - plus musk on dry-down.

Mito is one of them most fascinating fragrances I purchased. Vero Kern’s long-awaited composition was inspired by the magical gardens of the sixteenth century Villa d’Este on Lake Como in Italy. The myths the name conjures might be the gods and nymphs whose statues people the garden. The notes? Citrus blend, magnolia grandiflora, white magnolia champaca, jasmine, galbanum, hyacinth, cypress blend, and moss. Absolutely, totally gorgeous.

Oscar de la Renta introduced a new collection of Essential Luxuries, and I love several of them. Perfumer Calice Becker created all of them - and it shows. The line was inspired by de la Renta's "most loved people, places and things.” Right now, I can't name my favorite among favorites. They are definitely worth your attention, as are the new fragrances in Christian Dior's Privée La Collection.

I've been wearing New Look 1947 and Cologne Royale the most. These are beautiful fragrances.

I discovered a few extraordinary vintage, niche, and must-have pre-2012 fragrances this year, with help from my friends at Peace, Love, Perfume, a Facebook group of perfumer lovers (whether perfumers, writers, YouTube reviewers, or just fans like me). I've found lasting friendship there, as my wallet slowly emptied in 2012. I'm sure they will tell me about a new fragrance I must have - probably as early as this week. One of them, Xerjoff Nio (shown below), would have been included in this feature if I could have found its date of introduction.

That's it for today. It takes me many hours to write these "best of" features, and I must clean up and go to celebrate 2013 with my family and friends. Happy New Year!

Update: I told you I'd forget favorites. Oh, how I miss my mind! I must add Ramon Monegal's Impossible Iris and Neela Vermiere's Bombay Bling. Because I just purchased Jour d'Hermès, it's not fair to say it's one of the fragrances I've worn the most this year, but by any other measure, it should be on the list. I also forgot to list NEST's Midnight Fleur, shown below in all its gorgeousness. My bad.

Photos courtesy of the brands

The Best of 2012 - Makeup

I have agonized over writing this feature - even procrastinated. I know that as soon as I click on the "Publish" button, I will think of products I should have included. I will feel many emotions: guilt, annoyance with myself, inadequacy, you name it. It's hard to edit a banner year - one in which I've discovered some amazing beauty products - into a few favorites. Plus, I ask the question, "Who am I to judge?" I'm just one person among millions who loves makeup. I have peculiarities others may not share. Isn't it a bit arrogant to list the "Top 10" or "Top 20" like I'm some kind of expert? Trust me, I'm not.

I decided to separate out makeup, skin care, fragrances, and other (nails, hair, etc). I can't make comparisons between Guerlain Météorites and niche fragrances. They don't compute for me. Today, I'll start with makeup, and as the week progresses, I'll feature the other categories. I encourage you to add your favorites from the year in the comments - if you didn't already do it on the Friday Forum, or if you forgot something you should have listed.

In the category of foundation and concealer, prepping the canvas, my selections were not difficult. Giorgio Armani's Maestro Fusion Makeup and Maestro Eraser Concealer are without peers. This new wonder-foundation and concealer are really a new makeup category - as light as water, but waterless, imparting no makeup feel, but a moist sensation. If you try one thing on my list, the Maestro Fusion Makeup should be your selection. It won't give you heavy coverage, but it will give you the signature Armani glowing look and light-as-air feel. If you want a concealer with more coverage, try Chantecaille's. For an eye primer, nothing beats the Edward Bess Illuminating Eye Shadow Base.

In the illuminator category, Guerlain's Météorites Cruel Gardenia Illuminating Iridescent Powder was a standout among the hundred or so illuminators I purchased. Others must have agreed. It sold out in a flash.

For face powders, I could not select only one. I adore Chantecaille's Les Pétales de Rose and Guerlain's recently introduced Perles du Paradis Météorites. I am also smitten by Poudre Signée de Chanel. Chantecaille's HD Perfecting Powder should be in everyone's makeup bag.

I've got a similar problem in the blush category. I need different blushes for different seasons, outfits, and mood. My favorites include  Chantecaille's Elephant Fun Cheek Shade, Chanel's Fleur de Lotus Joues Contraste Blush, and Chantecaille's Cheek Crèmes. I also adore Bobbi Brown's hybrid Rose Gold Shimmer Brick. It's not strictly "just a blush." It's a highlighter, eye shadow, cheek shade, and overall brightener. For a blush collection in one kit, you can't beat Le Métier de Beauté's Kaleidoscope Blush Kit.

Lipstick is just too hard. I'll mention a few of my favorites, but for each I select, there's another one I love equally. Surprisingly, I've nearly worn out Chanel's En Vogue Rouge Coco Shine. It's not a traditionally "me" shade, but it's enormously flattering. I also love Chantecaille's Lip Chics in Nocturne, Sunrise, and Amour. I am totally smitten with my new Le Métier de Beauté Lip Envy by Tina West Kaleidoscope Lip Kit.

If I thought lipsticks would be too hard, lip glosses are even harder. I use lip gloss so many times each day, they tie with mascara for that don't-leave-the-house-without honor. I cannot possibly name all the lip glosses I fell for this year, but I will share some highlights. Guerlain's two KissKiss Lip Glosses for fall, Sable Snow and Grenade, are gorgeous. Chanel's Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in Troublant is a keeper. I love the subtle shade of Rouge Bunny Rouge's Sweet Excesses Glassy Gloss from the Mistral Collection. All four of YSL's Golden Glosses for summer are on my list: Golden Shell, Golden Pebble, Golden Pearl, and Golden Sand. Plus, where would I be without Le Métier de Beauté's Jan's Jewel or Cebu or All About Me? When the limited-edition Le Métier de Beauté Lip Crèmes are announced, jump, pre-order, and do it quickly.

How on earth will I showcase just a few eye shadows, particularly when my favorites are often one from this palette, one from another, and many singles? My favorite new palettes of the year are Giorgio Armani's Eyes to Kill Eyeshadow Palettes. There is at least one for every complexion. My favorite of them is #3, Pantelleria. Other favorites are Chantecaille's Coral Reefs Palette and Le Métier de Beauté's Eagles Envy Kaleidoscope Eye Kit. I just can't keep going on eye shadows, or I'll be writing all afternoon. You can add in every rose gold shade introduced (e.g., by Trish McEvoy and Bobbi Brown).

Most of you know that I use Maybelline's DEFINE-A-LASH Mascara. I tried several fabulous new mascaras, including Chanel's Le Volume de Chanel, which is extremely nice. I keep going back to Maybelline. It's not new, and I will be heartbroken if the company ever discontinues it.

Best of the new eyeliners? My favorites are Chantecaille's Gel Liner Pencil, Chanel's shimmering, pastel liners, one of which was Khaki Platine, and the Giorgio Armani Waterproof Eyeliner Pencils for spring.

There were so many other fabulous products this year. I'm already feeling guilty for neglecting to mention tens of them. Isn't it a joy that we had so many fabulous choices?

Top photos courtesy of atlargeinc; other photos by Best Things in Beauty or courtesy of the brands