Chanel Collection Révélation Lèvres Scintillantes Glossimer for Spring/Summer 2013 - New Shades Swatched

The collection we've been anticipating is here! I took at photo at Saks Fifth Avenue in Chevy Chase, Maryland, of four of the five new Collection Révélation Lèvres Scintillantes Glossimers ($29.50). Ocean Shimmer is the one I didn't swatch - primarily because it's clear. These are the shades that Chanel has introduced as new. The other shades in the collection are repromotes (see below).

Inspired by the elegance of Gabrielle Chanel, Collection Révélation makes lip gloss the essential accessory for summer. A fresh palette of best-sellling Lèvres Scintillantes Glossimers ($29.50) presents captivating options. New and beloved shades offer a sophisticated spectrum of color, from simply sheer Ocean Shimmer to intense yet versatile Crushed Cherry. An array of finishes - subtle sheen to sparkly metallic - complements every look with ease.

The colors in Collection Révélation are listed below.

• Ocean Shimmer (clear shine with shimmer)
• Argonite (repromoted clear shine with pink shimmer)
• Plaisir (repromoted milky rose)
• Seashell (repromoted delicate peach)
• Mica (repromoted pink with shimmer)
• Amour (repromoted extreme sparkle pink-coral)
• Rose Sauvage (shimmering rosewood)
• Daydream (intense metallic fushsia)
• Savage Grace (deep shimmering garnet)
• Crushed Cherry (deep burgundy)

 My photo above, shows, from left to right, #172, Rose Sauvage; #174, Daydream; #175, Savage Grace; and #176, Crushed Cherry. That's also the order in which I swatched them on my arm, shown with #172 at the top and moving down numerically. I took my swatch photos at high noon outside of Saks.

Had I had the money, I would have purchased all four of them. I gave myself a day to think about it, and I still can't decide. I plan to limit myself to two. The problem is that they are all gorgeous.

Rose Sauvage at the top of my arm is described as a light rosewood, but I see more of a medium pink. I don't see any brown in it. It is the sheerest of the four. I think it's very pretty, but not necessarily unique in my collection.

Daydream (second down) is gorgeous. I really don't know why Chanel described it as an intense metallic fushsia. Metallic/shimmering? Yes. Fuschsia? No, I would reserve that description for Savage Grace. That leaves me wondering if I confused the descriptions from the training sheets, so I went back and checked. No matter what shade Chanel calls it, I would call it a shimmering, warm pink - one of the prettiest shades I've seen lately. I'm sure this is one of the two I will purchase.

Savage Grace (odd name for a lip gloss, don't you think?) is a wow shade. Bright, shimmering fushsia, it could also be a rose-red on the lips, depending on lip coloring. It's a beauty.

Crushed Cherry, described as a deep burgundy, is more of a cherry red to my eye. It's so pigmented that wearing it is like wearing lipstick, not gloss. A bit less shimmering than the others, it's a perfect red gloss for those who are comfy with red lips.

Ocean Shimmer is a clear shimmer that adds iridescence to the lips without color. It's a great topper, but I don't think I need it. Which shades look like must-have's to you?

Chanel's Collection Révélation Lèvres Scintillantes Glossimer for Spring/Summer 2013 is available now. You can see the collection at Chanel's Web site, and I'm sure it will arrive at your favorite Chanel counter soon. If you would like help from the Saks Chevy Chase team, give them at call at (240) 497-5363 or (240) 497-5301. Georgia and Maria will be happy to help you. I hear Loyd has been feeling under the weather.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty

Coming Attraction: Estée Lauder Pure Color Cello Shots Collection

"This season, I’ve been working a lot with what I call “acqua color," said Tom Pecheux, Creative Makeup Director at Estée Lauder. "It’s a gentle, watery look with just a touch of bright, vibrant color." Pure Color Cello Shots is a playful collection that blushes the cheeks and washes the lips with a shot of collophane-sheer gel color.

Pecheux is inviting women to mix and match fresh hues with fun innovative formulas, the new Pure Color Cello Shots include new Pure Color Cheek Rush to flush cheeks with a sheer stain, a new limited-edition Pure Color Sheer Rush Lipshine, and limited-edition Pure Color Sheer Rush Glosses, which wash the lips in a pop of crystalline color to complete the look.

Through revolutionary, watery gel finishes, this playful array of bright, fluid tones surprises and delights the senses with long-lasting, lightweight, and comfortable wear.

I'm really intrigued by the new Pure Color Cheek Rushes ($28), which are designed to brighten and excite with a lightweight, innovative, transparent gel that provides the cheeks with a pop of sheer, juicy color for a fresh-faced look. The sensational water-based formula is cool to the touch and leaves the cheeks feeling hydrated through an infusion of natural extracts and moisturizing ingredients.

The shades are, left to right above, Techno Jam, X-Pose Rose, Hot Fuse (red), and Pink Patent. I can't wait to see them in person.

Tip: For a “just pinched” look, quickly blend a tiny drop of this silky liquid-gel in a circular motion on to the apples of cheeks. It's oil-free and non-acnegenic, as well as dermatologist and ophthalmologist-tested. These very cool Cheek Rushes are a permanent addition to the line.

Pure Color Cheek Rush is packaged in a new, shade-matched, high-gloss-finish pump bottle with a silk-screened golden collar and the Estée Lauder logo.

The lightweight, innovative transparent jelly in the new, limited-edition Pure Color Sheer Rush Lipshine ($26) glides onto the lips and envelopes them in sheer, wet, transparent shiny color [drool]. Incorporating a balmy texture, this new revolutionary formula provides a unique, gel appearance with fresh, translucent color for smooth glass-like reflections.

The shades are Hot Fuse, Pink Patent, X-Pose Rose, Techno Jam, Poppy Shot, and Plexi Pink.

Pure Color Sheer Rush Lipshine is packaged in a new, shade-matched, Slimline lipstick case stamped with a foil Estée Lauder logo and features a slant tip for easy application to lips.

Another option for a succulent, “just-bitten” look is the limited-edition Pure Color Sheer Rush Gloss ($24), which saturates the lips in a high-shine finish. Created in a unique gellified water-light system, this ultra-light lip gloss provides a sheer wash of wet color and glamorous shine. The innovative gloss base in Pure Color Sheer Rush Gloss has film-forming co-polymers submerged in emollient esters to provide a cushion-like feel on the lips and water-light high-shine polymers that amplify its luminous finish.

The shades are Hot Fuse, Pink Patent, X-Pose Rose, Techno Jam, Poppy Shock, and Plexi Pink. I hope the duplicate names across the collection won't confuse customers.

The Pure Color Cello Shots Collection will be available at Estée Lauder counters and EstéeLauder.com in April 2013.

Photos courtesy of Estée Lauder

The Friday Forum - March 1

When it's gloomy outside - as it is now - I find it uplifting to think about colors. Here's some new color information that may give us all a lift. The Color Association of the United States has announced its newest offering in over 30 years, developed specifically for the beauty industry: The Spring/Summer 2013 Beauty Forecast.

The forecast takes a more tactile approach to color inspiration than their traditional cards, offering a “bento box “of inspiration, including an inspirational mix of 3D objects and products. Each of the four trends featured for the season has a customized fragrance developed by the perfumers at Drom (which I think is way cool), as well as a nail polish and lip gloss that highlights the key colors and finish. These tailor-made products are complemented by an assortment of surprises that encourage creativity and a fresh approach to color application.

According to Executive Director and renowned color expert Leslie Harrington, “It’s time the industry had something more than pretty pictures and digital representations of color - what designers, developers, and marketers really need is to engage the senses - to experience the foreseen new palettes through their senses - to see, touch, and smell. It’s the only way to really design for the future.”

While color is always the backbone of the beauty industry, other elements help to bring these colors alive. Texture becomes an increasingly important aspect for application, leading to the inclusion of the playful objects accompanying the forecast.

The Spring/Summer 2013 Beauty Forecast, selected by The Color Association’s Beauty Committee, is driven by a range of colors available in naturally derived pigments and focuses on four different themes.

Oasis is a direct reflection of water. The ocean and all that surrounds it - the sky, greenery, plants, flowers, and birds - were key inspirations for this trend. Fragrance notes include freshwater, sea air, and crisp greenery.

Against the Grain reminds us of what spring is really about: rebirth and renewal. A range of warm autumnal colors brings a sense of warmth and luxury to the sunnier seasons, translating exceptionally well for hair.

Haze revitalizes the vampy movement with a softer, prettier edge. Moving forward into a lighter palette, but retaining an edgy quality, colors have a murky undertone, instilling an innate feeling of texture, incorporating the tints and tones of purple.

Jellies is the most interactive and fun story in the forecast: all about customization and playing with color, working well for every market, from youth to mature. Colors are sheer and meant to be layered individually or by mixing multiples.

When I read the press release, my first thought was that the Color Association has distilled the diverse trends we are seeing in spring and summer makeup palettes into a short description of spot-on themes. I'll be paying a lot more attention to their work in the future. What do you think? Can you fit this season into their themes?

There are a lot of things going on in the world of beauty blogging these days. I thought it might be a good time to explain the philosophy of Best Things in Beauty. Here are a few characteristics of my blog that you may or may not have noticed.

1.  I purchase 95% of what I feature. It is extraordinarily expensive (but wickedly fun). For that reason, I purchase what I think I will wear. That's why you will not see all colors or all brands represented equally here. Also, very often a reader will earnestly ask me to compare a product to one they have. Because I don't buy everything - I can't - or even see everything (e.g., Burberry is not sold in the DC area), I am disadvantaged in attempting to answer. I really appreciate it when my readers, like Eileen, jump in to help other readers because they do have the answers. I like to think of BTiB readers as a community.
2. I will always tell you where I got the product I'm featuring. I do not hide it in a short comment about "editorial consideration" at the bottom of my features. I try to let you know early in the feature - as long as it flows.
3. I try to focus on the best things in beauty, which is why most of my features are positive. When something is new, hot, and disappointing, I will tell you, but I don't go out of my way to criticize products that most of you won't consider anyhow.
4.  I do not publish sponsored posts. It may be a dirty little secret, but there are a lot of beauty bloggers who consider their blogs a business. They will do just about anything to make money (they are really "writers" who happen to like makeup or nail polish or whatever), and they publish what we call sponsored posts. That means someone else writes it, and the blogger gets paid to publish it. Good bloggers will disclose sponsored posts (it's also the law). What you should understand is that sponsored posts are simply advertising. As a postscript to this, some advertisers don't want their posts to be labeled "sponsored," for obvious reasons, so some come back after publication and bully the bloggers to change the characterization of the feature. It's a sordid world out there.
5. Along those same lines, there are bloggers who embed their reviews with affiliate and advertising links for which they are paid. I have never been paid for a link within a feature and will continue to provide links only for your convenience.
6. Many bloggers review only what they are sent gratis (free) - even bloggers I like. I think there's subtle pressure to give a good review to gratis products, even though all bloggers will deny that the free nature of the products influenced their opinions. When a company sends me a gratis product that I don't like (which happens rarely), I write them back (politely, I hope) and explain why I think it's best that I not review it. Often, these products are not those you will buy in department stores, so my readers aren't really missing much. I also must refuse many of the gratis products I am offered. I don't have time to feature all of them.
7. I do delete comments that are personally critical of me and my readers and irrelevant to the feature - or that cross the line of what I consider polite society. The Internet brings out a lot of rude, ugly snarky, anonymous people with chips on their shoulders, and I'd rather they go somewhere else. I love my readers and find our conversations fun chats. I'm not going to let a few malcontents ruin what we have created together.

Naturally, that's not a full description of my philosophy of blogging, but I hope it helps you understand the why's and what's of Best Things in Beauty.

It's time for the Friday Forum. I love this part of our week. Did you take advantage of the beauty event offers at Neiman Marcus or Saks? 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.

This week's giveaway contest is fun: Tarte's Baby It's Bold Outside, a set for the eyes. make sure to enter at this link before tomorrow, Saturday, March 2, at midnight.

Photo courtesy of the Color Association

New: Clé de Peau Beauté Enhanced Lip Luminizer

Clé de Peau Beauté Enhanced Lip Luminizer ($35) - three new, limited-edition sheer lip shades inspired by desserts. "A delicious-looking desert with a texture that captures the gaze. The irresistible smell and excellent taste bring deep satisfaction." Luscious, mouthwatering, and pink, the color of spring.

Pure radiance in a lip rouge. Lavishly bathes lips in luxurious luster. With each use, the fuller and more stunning your lips become. Brilliant dessert-inspired shades and a sumptuous texture put a spotlight on your most beguiling feature.

I purchased all three in the refills to save money.  Directly above, the photo (taken in full sun) shows #221 (Sweet Nougat), #222 (Sugar Candy), and #223 (Raspberry Rip). How could I select just one?

My swatch photos were also taken in full sun. Interestingly, #221 isn't much different on the skin - or the lips - from #222. I probably didn't need both of them. They are swatched on my arm in numeric order, with #221 at the top.

While there is a difference between #221 and #222, it is very hard to discriminate. That's surprising because they definitely look different in the tubes.

All of the other photos I took radiated intense shine. While these swatches show shine, it's moderate (and true). The superbly soft and silky formula melts onto lips and hydrates them intensely. This lip color feels good.

There is a retractable holder ($25) for the Enriched Lip Luminizer cartridges, and I would recommend you purchase at least one. Otherwise, it's extremely difficult to turn the mechanism at the bottom of the refill to raise the color bullet in the tube.

These colors are magnificent, in my opinion. They are perfect for me at any time of year, but they signal spring and warmer weather - or dessert time. Select the mental image that appeals to you.

I'd recommend you stop by a Clé de Peau Beauté counter and explore the magnificent new colors. Since it's Beauty Event at Neiman Marcus, why not go there? Or, check them out online at the Clé de Peau Beauté Web site.

Photos at top courtesy of Clé de Peau Beauté; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

Clé de Peau Beauté Eye Color Quad in #210 from the Mediterranean Beauty Collection

Last week, I was able to show you Clé de Peau Beauté's Mediterranean Beauty Collection. Eye Color Quad ($55 or $80) in #209. Today, we'll check out #210. Both add a touch of blue - although different hues - to a neutral palette. If you'd like, you can see a short film featuring La Beauté Mediterranéé at the Clé de Peau Web site. Radiance becomes you!

A new collection inspired by a sunlit Mediterranean sky and clear blue sea stretching to infinity. A white hot sun blanching the earth. Bathe in its aura. Glow with its captivating radiance and limitless beauty. Lips are lustrous. Eyes glisten like jewels, reflecting the lucidity of the sea. The look expresses the pure energy and stunning allure of the Mediterranean.

I purchased both new quads from the Mediterranean Beauty Collection at Neiman Marcus. As with all the new items, I opted for the refills, so you will see a plastic container below. The compact adds an extra $25, which adds up when you buy one of the quads. Since they take up less space when stacked in my bathroom, I'm perfectly happy with the refills.

Layers of light in whispers of color. More than eye shadow, it's the feeling of light and translucence. Soft shades combine with skin-care benefits to achieve delicate depth and refinement.

The skin-care benefits to which Clé de Peau Beauté refers are argan tree oil, which provides smooth application and hydrating wear, and Clé de Peau's proprietary advanced moisturizing Hydro-Wrap Complex. Somehow, the ingredients the company uses combine to produce luxurious makeup.

Quad #210 reinforces Clé de Peau's blue seas theme with one blue shade to add contrast to the neutrals. I took swatch photos in full, afternoon sun. I applied all four shades heavily with a sponge-tipped applicator.

I swatched from left to right in the palette, top to bottom on my arm. The gold shade at the top of my arm is a perfect gold, a nice pigment that applies evenly to the skin, providing a perfect sheen. It's a light gold, which adds a nice contrast to the darker browns and blue.

The copper-toned brown provides a bit of subtle sparkle that flatters the eyes. The true blue is vibrant. Blue and brown has always been one of my favorite clothing color combinations. Now I'll see if these two bring that combination to fore among my favorite eye looks.

The brown at the bottom of my arm is applied heavily. As a result, it looks muddy. It's a prettier shade when applied lightly - appropriately. It does look great as an eyeliner, as it was intended to be used, given its size in the palette: small. Wear brown mascara, not black, and you'll have a fresh, new, beachy look.

Of the two new Eye Color Quads, #209 is my favorite. It's lighter and better suited to my pale complexion. I think this one, #210, was designed for woman who like or can wear more color.

I'd recommend you stop by a Clé de Peau Beauté counter and explore the magnificent new colors. Or, check them out online at the Clé de Peau Beauté Web site. I have photos of the new Enhanced Lip Luminizers and promise I'll post them very soon.

Photo at top courtesy of Clé de Peau Beauté; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

Clé de Peau Beauté Illuminizing Face Enhancer from the Mediterranean Beauty Collection

Clé de Peau Beauté's new Mediterranean Beauty Collection is exquisite. I bought everything in the color line at Neiman Marcus. One look, and I was a goner.

The Illuminizing Face Enhancer ($95 or $55, see below) is alive in the interplay of sea and sunlight, your beauty is irresistible. The new shade, one of three (I have the other two), is #13, Sand Beige. Wear it with the new eye shadows and lip colors and the marketing blub below will have resonance.

As Illuminating Beads capture the ever-changing radiance of the Mediterranean, all eyes are upon you.

This finely milled, extremely flattering powder luminizer make my heart leap because it works so beautifully with my skin tone. It's subtle. On those with darker skin tones, it may light up more, becoming prettier with each jump in tone. I have absolutely no idea why the lovely Clé de Peau representative called it a bronzer. This fantastic powder isn't going to bronze anyone. It's exactly what Clé de Peau Beauté called it: an Illuminating Face Enhancer.

I purchased the refill. I would love to have purchased the compact, but the $30 difference was too high for me right now - basically the price of a lipstick. I almost always select Clé de Peau's refills. The plastic cases store nicely on a shelf in my bathroom, and I don't carry them with me. I don't need the accompanying brushes.

The rep told me the preferred way to pick up the powder is with up and down strokes, not circular ones. That doesn't make much sense to me, but I ran a sponge-tipped applicator up and down over the multiple shades to get a well-blended swatch. I took my photos in full, morning sun.

The sunshine helped me get swatch photos. I don't see this much color on my arm or face when I apply the Face Enhancer properly. I see a glorious, warm, golden sheen. Even though the compact shows sparkles, they seem to melt and merge into my skin, leaving a sheen without sparklies. It doesn't get better than that!

I love my new luminizer. I just got it and haven't had a lot of time to play with it. I'll be treating it well, placing it prominently in my bathroom and reaching for it often. This is, in my opinion, the best of the three - and I liked the others a lot.

I'll be showing you the new Eye Color Quads and Enhanced Lip Luminizers as soon as I can get photos. If you get a chance, definitely stop by a Clé de Peau Beauté counter and explore the magnificent new colors. Or, check them out online at the Clé de Peau Beauté Web site.

Photos at top courtesy of Clé de Peau Beauté; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

Coming Attraction: Guerlain 2013 Terracotta Collection

"Terracotta Bronzing Powder is a woman's best friend when the sun’s rays are scarce. The secret to a radiant complexion and a flawless natural-looking glow, this irresistible bronzer can be customized at will. It’s an irresistible ally to any woman wishing to be kissed by the sun.” - Olivier Echaudemaison, Creative Director

The ultimate cult bronzing powder, one Guerlain Terracotta product is sold somewhere in the world every 20 seconds. The sheer magic of this legendary makeup line is its ability to duplicate the illusion of sun on skin with an astoundingly natural-looking glow. Often imitated but never equaled, its secret formula strikes a subtle balance between color and transparency, creating a flawless natural look that lasts all day.

The Terracotta 4 Seasons Bronzing Powder ($75) allows women to create a tailor-made palette for each season. Each powder contains four shades, which can be mixed and blended to create natural color for all times of the year. To enhance the 4 Seasons experience, Guerlain has added four new harmonies of coordinated shades to better accommodate women’s varying complexions. With a total of six shades, Guerlain ensures that all women, fair or dark, can indulge in the pleasure of a Terracotta glow.

These six compacts are shown above. I need at least two of these shades (that's in addition to what I already have, Blondes).

• 00 Nude
• 02 Natural Blondes
• 03 Natural Brunettes
• 04 Medium Blondes (formerly shade 01 Blondes)
• 05 Medium Brunettes (formerly shade 02 Brunettes)
• 08 Ebony

Here's a beauty tip from Guerlain. Apply bronzer powder using Guerlain's no-fail "figure 3 method." Apply your Terracotta Bronzing Powder by tracing a figure “3” on each side of the face - from the forehead down towards the cheeks, then down along the jaw line to the chin and down the neck. For the finishing touch, take a little more Terracotta Bronzing Powder with your brush and sweep it over the raised areas of the face, the places that catch the sun most – the forehead, nose, cheekbones, and chin. The result is an instant glow, the perfect application in only seconds.

Delivering the corrective coverage of a foundation with the sheerness of a powder, Terracotta Skin ($51) allows for a flawless complexion in one step. The silky, lightweight cream powder is composed of soft-focus elastic particles that reflect light in all directions making enlarged pores, fine lines, and other imperfections less noticeable. Apply one dab of this sheer, velvety foundation and smooth it over your entire face. The result is unified, corrected skin enhanced with a healthy glow. Terracotta Skin is available in three shades.

• 01 Nude (new - one I must have)
• 02 Blonde
• 03 Brunette

Terracotta Sun Scrub ($65) is a luscious exfoliator - the perfect accessory to an even, long-lasting tan. Effective for all stages of tanning, the Terracotta Sun Scrub not only prepares the skin for tanning, but helps it retain its sun-kissed look longer. The secret to its success lies in the formula, comprised of three different particles. Upon contact with water, the three particles transform the oil-based gel into a body milk, which works to remove dead cells, massaging the skin and leaving it satin-smooth and radiant - the perfect conditions for tanning. Once the skin is sun-kissed, the Terracotta Sun Scrub works to enhance your tan by increasing its intensity and luminosity.

Terracotta Sunless Self-Tanning Gel ($52) is remarkable for its ultra-penetrating texture. That's why it's back. This two-in-one tinted gel provides a double action: it offers the illusion of an instant tan and moisturized, evened-out skin. Using a subtle concentration of DHA and organic argan oil, Terracotta Sunless Self-Tanning Gel simply needs to be smoothed over the body - the only evidence of a sun-kissed illusion is the bottle! Best of all, the Terracotta Sunless Self-Tanning Gel is visible after only one hour, but lasts up to four days.

Terracotta Jambes de Gazelle ($59) is also coming back! This mist is lightly scented with the fragrance of the tropical tiare flower. This tinted spray mist refreshes the legs and leaves them feeling cooled and relaxed. Drying instantly, Jambes de Gazelle provides beautiful legs without any risk of clothing stain or product transfer, yet washes off with soap and water. Want! Now!

The resounding success of Terracotta Sun Serum ($59) has inspired a new bottle. The design was inspired by Guerlain’s classic Coconut Oil Soap. The bottle will also be fitted with a metalized brown dropper to ensure the amounts dispersed are exactly as needed.

This remarkable serum is your loyal ally in acquiring, deepening, and prolonging a tan. Adding a few drops of this honey-colored serum to your normal skin-care product will instantly transform it into a tan booster, 15 times higher than that of other tan boosters. In the palm of your hand, blend two drops with your normal skin-care product (or four drops in your body-care product) and apply. That's all there is to it. Day by day, you will gradually acquire a lovely, long-lasting healthy glow.

This amazing line-up will be available beginning in March at select locations of Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Sephora, Bloomingdale's, and Bergdorf Goodman. I'll be waiting at the counter.

Photos courtesy of Guerlain