Clinique Vitamin C Lip Smoothie Kisses Set

A week ago, I saw (and bought) this darling little bag of Clinique Vitamin C Lip Smoothies at Bloomingdale's. Priced at $25, it was irresistible. The set is a great opportunity to try some new shades - or to try the Vitamin C Lip Smoothies for the first time.

Your "recommended daily dose of lusciousness" comes from the juicy, moisture-rich, antioxidant-laden lip colors. Each of these little darlings brushes on smooth color and shine. You lips will look and feel their healthy best in each of the four shades in the pink floral bag: Nude-tritious, Pink Me Up, Goodness Grapecious, and Mango-thon. Although smaller than the "regular" Lip Smoothies, those in the set are perfectly sized for your handbag.

The Vitamin C Lip Smoothies were introduced last summer. At the time, I wrote that they feel very creamy, and the colors are gorgeous. They have some staying power, but don't feel at all "clingy." The coverage is sheer to moderate - simply pretty. The Lip Smoothies comes in a tube with a brush at the end. You prime the brush with product by turning the base, allowing you to use only what you need.

If you are interested in trying them, this is a great time to buy. There are gifts with purchase at Clinique counters this month. Bloomingdale's still has theirs. Macy's also has one through April 11, and the Saks promotion runs from April 15 (tax day) until April 25. All are slightly different; you might want to collect several!

Photo courtesy of Clinique

Gillette's SatinCare In-Shower Moisturizer

Today is the last day to enter the Gillette Venus Giveaway Contest. The deadline is midnight. One of you is going to win four Gillette Venus products just in time to go bare this summer.

I have to admit that I'm stunned that there aren't more entries for this giveaway contest. Of course, I was fairly clueless when I scheduled it during spring break and Easter, when so many people are traveling. I do live in my own little bubble - just plugging away trying to make progress on my ever-expanding life management to-do list. Don't even mention organizing the makeup. I get anxious and suddenly need a nap.

Gillette's SatinCare In-Shower Moisturizer ($4.65) occupies an interesting new niche. It's available in two formulas: one for dry skin and one for sensitive skin. The dry skin formula features shea butter, and the sensitive skin formula features aloe vera. Both are designed to help lock in moisture with daily use. Simply smooth onto wet legs, rinse, and pat dry (don't towel rub!) to leave your skin feeling soft and incredibly smooth.

Gillette sent me one of these to try, and I found it a very nice addition to my shower routine. I think you will too! Make sure to use it toward the end of your shower. You can use it anywhere except your face. I have been using it on my super-dry legs. Even if you decide to add a moisturizer after you bathe, SatinCare will give you a nice head start. Use it every day, and in a few days, you will notice that your skin is more hydrated.

The winner of the Gillette Venus contest will win a SatinCare, along with the wonderful new Venus Embrace Disposable Razors, Venus Embrace Pink, and the reformulated SatinCare Shave Gel. So head over to the contest and enter before you log off tonight.

Photo courtesy of Gillette Venus

Gorgeous Makeup - Treasures in the Pan

I'm enticed by makeup that's gorgeous. Sometimes, it's too pretty to use! I think that cosmetics companies are on to us. They add designs and artwork - stamped or embossed, stripes, color blocks - anything to grab our attention.

There's a subliminal message, "If I'm this beautiful in the pan, imagine how pretty I will make you!"

I'm getting spoiled. I have so many little works of art in my makeup collection. Each time I pick up one of these pieces, I marvel at its beauty. There are designs that are ephemeral - they are only apparent on the surface of the product and blur or disappear with use - and those that are ingrained into the fiber of the product and will be with you as long as the makeup lasts.

Most of the prestige cosmetics companies have been producing makeup artworks for years. The Chantecaille tiger and dolphins above are not only stunning, they remind me of my passionate support for environmental causes. When you purchase Chantecaille makeup, you are supporting Chantecaille's deep concern for our endangered environment and the many animals at risk.

Stripes have been big for a couple of years. Of course, Washington Color School artist Gene Davis was the stripe master. I am privileged to have huge Gene Davis stripes hanging in my home. I'm also privileged to have almost every Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick ever made!

Even mass market companies have joined the bandwagon, with Physicians Formula offering bamboo and many other companies offering stripes, blocks, and patterns.

I even lust for makeup without trying it or even knowing the shade will be right for me - just because it's a work of art. A case in point is the new Lancome Tropiques Minérale Bamboo Bronzer Compact. Those trees and that gorgeous sun transported me to the beach. The bronzer shade looks like it will work for this fair-skinned blond, right?

Check out the Guerlain Terracotta Light Summer Bronzing Powder 01 in Blondes Hâlées below. The mosaic of copper and various nude shades join glints of pink in a five-shade mosaic that had me the second I opened the compact. No matter that they colors, when mixed, are exquisite on my face. What really grabbed me was the color wheel!

It's possible that I'm just an impressionable, superficial consumer who has fallen for form over function. I don't think so, though. All of the beautiful products I have bought look great on my face! Many have a complexity of color that's unparalleled.

What about you? Are you more likely to purchase a pretty, patterned product than a plain one?

Photos courtesy of Chantecaille, Bobbi Brown, Arthistoryabout.com, Physicians Forumla, and Guerlain

TRIA Beauty's Skin Clarifying System

For acne sufferers, there's a new device on the market. TRIA Beauty, known for its TRIA Laser Hair Removal System, now offers an acne-clearing device for use at home. Using the same blue light technology used by dermatologists, the TRIA Skin Clarifying System is designed to clear acne breakouts and blemishes, prevent future breakouts, and improve the overall health of your skin. TRIA says you'll notice a difference in your skin in just seven days!

Do you know about TRIA? TRIA Beauty makes light-based skin-care treatments for use at home. All of TRIA Beauty's products are clinically proven and FDA-cleared. They guarantee that you'll get better results from TRIA Beauty products than any other leading treatment you'll find in stores, online, or even from a doctor - or you may return your purchase for a full refund.

In 1993, TRIA Beauty's scientists revolutionized the hair removal industry with the invention of the LightSheer. Using this same technology, these scientists developed the TRIA Hair Removal System, the only FDA-cleared at-home system able to deliver permanent results. I first learned about TRIA at Nordstorm, where its virtues were extolled at a Beauty Trends Show. Many audience members agreed that the TRIA Hair Removal System had been life-changing.

Given that the products are pricey, that guarantee is important. What's clear is that the TRIA Clarifying Blue Light device can save you money. Long-term use of prescription products and repeated visits to the dermatologist can be expensive. Blue light treatments in doctor's offices cost hundreds of dollars, and some health insurance plans do not cover them, treating them as "cosmetic" rather than medical treatments.

The brand new TRIA Skin Clarifying System is a three-step system that features advanced blue light therapy to clear and treat your skin in just minutes a day. The TRIA system's soothing Clarifying Blue Light penetrates deeply into the skin, where breakouts start, to eliminate the bacteria that cause them - effectively stopping the cycle of acne before it starts. The Clarifying Blue Light works with the TRIA system's skin-care essentials to restore the skin’s natural balance, accelerate skin cell renewal, and improve the overall health of the skin. Want to see some before and after photos? Go to this TRIA link.

With 8-10 times more blue light than other at-home blue light devices, TRIA advertises that their system has been clinically proven to clear acne breakouts and blemishes better than any other leading acne treatment. TRIA's system delivers results without the harsh side effects of traditional acne treatments (such as Tretinoin, which can be hard on sensitive skin). TRIA says that dermatologists prefer blue light treatment because it clears skin faster and more gently than prescription and over-the-counter acne treatments. I wish it had been available when I was struggling to use Retin-A, Renova, and other topical prescription products that were so harsh on my skin that my dermatologist finally surrendered and said, "Stop!" The treatment was worse than the monthly hormonal blemish. That's another (long) story, which, fortunately, had an end.

TRIA's Be Clear Starter Kit is $395, and it's currently the best value. At the heart of the Skin Clarifying System, the Be Clear Starter Kit includes all you need to get started, including TRIA's Clarifying Blue Light, Clarifying Foam Cleanser, Rebuilding Complex, and Clarifying Blue Light Treatment Cartridge (300 minutes). The system is designed to be used for a few minutes twice a day. If you don't want the skin care products and are only interested in the blue light device, you'll still spend $395.

The TRIA Skin Clarifying System is available at the TRIA Beauty Web site and will be available at Nordstorm, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and Bloomingdale’s. New York residents and visitors will be able to visit a temporary storefront, located at 155 Fifth Avenue at Twenty-first Street, from April 7 through 13. The shop, dubbed The Blue Lounge, will allow customers to try the new device and receive free makeovers and hairstyles.

Word has it that their next introduction will target the signs of aging, including wrinkles. I can't wait! Can I have it now, please?

Photo courtesy of TRIA Beauty

Jo Malone to Introduce Cologne Intense

In a departure from the "traditional" Jo Malone fragrance families, the company will introduce Cologne Intense in July. Cologne Intense draws its inspiration from the Middle East and is expected to appeal to Jo's Malone's Middle Eastern customers, with scents that are familiar, but mixed in novel ways. I'll bet the new fragrances will be international hits!

Dominic De Vetta, Jo Malone’s Global General Manager, told WWD that the launch is part of a company-wide strategy to respond to regional consumer preferences. “We wanted to start playing with deeper, richer ingredients, and we wanted to offer more consumers that experience in a very Jo Malone and modern way,” he said, adding the collection was created to appeal to “fragrance connoisseurs” as well as the brand’s Middle Eastern clientele.

De Vetta explained to The Moodie Report how one of Jo’s last creations before retiring, the now-iconic Pomegranate Noir, partly inspired the new quartet. “This is a richer, deeper fragrance that was memorably described, in our view, by New York Times fragrance critic Chandler Burr as ‘like spraying a layer of twilight’ over your body. We thought that was an interesting image, because it also highlights another unique angle of Jo Malone fragrances, which is that they capture a certain quality of light.”

When it debuts in July, the collection will only be sold in about 35 stores globally, including doors in Paris, London, and New York. The collection, which was blended by Christine Nagel of Fragrance Resources, includes familiar Middle Eastern notes with a modern interpretation: two florals, one spicy, and one woody.

• Amber & Patchouli, which has notes of amber, patchouli leaf, and guaiac wood, emphasizes patchouli with a supple, suede-like finish, resulting in a seductive, spicy, woody fragrance
• Oud & Bergamot, described as a fresh interpretation of the dark, hypnotic scent of oud, derived from the heartwood of the aquilaria tree, with additional notes of bergamot and an orange granite accord based on natural extracts of lemon and orange
• Rose Water & Vanilla, billed as a twenty-first century translation of the traditional Arabian Rose Mokhalat, imbued with a modern Jo Malone edge - the rose and vanilla are complemented by neroli overlaid with the sweet, floral woodiness of petitgrain
• Iris & White Musk, a blend of violet, Casablanca lily, white musk, and iris notes, is said to be composed with beautifully controlled contrasts
  

Sounds like I'll be on the lookout for Iris & White Musk, although Rose Water & Vanilla may appeal to me too. I have to admit that on the surface, this collection does not appear to have been designed for my floral-loving (and some would say rather unsophisticated) nose.

The packaging will reflect the "darker," richer spectrum of Jo Malone's fragrances. Following the rules of fragrance mixing, you will want to spray Cologne Intense first, and then apply one of your lighter scents to "make it your own."

I'm such a Jo Malone fan. Even if Cologne Intense isn't tailor-made for me, I can't wait to smell the new fragrances!

Sources: WWD, Jo Malone, and The Moodie Report
Photo courtesy of WWD

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

Whether it's a holy day for you (there's Passover too!) or a holiday opportunity to celebrate friends and family, I hope you enjoy your day.

I saw my Easter Bunny yesterday evening. My garden is usually populated with darling bunnies. They do a great job munching on weeds - and the occasional herb. I hadn't seen one in months, but yesterday a big bunny was out and about. I guess someone told him it was Easter. I hope he lays low when the red foxes are around.

We will be eating my mother's favorite Easter meal: ham with all the usual sides. Think I'll break out a nice bottle of champagne to celebrate spring and the rebirth of nature's beauty.

Enjoy the day!

Photo of Vintage Postcard, made in Germany, A.S. B. 196, courtesy of Bygone Books

Lancome Bronze Riviera Summer 2010 Color Collection

Lancome's new Bronze Riviera Collection for Summer 2010 offers playful bronze and celebratory pink expressed in complementary shades designed to make you gorgeous this season.

Be lavished in shades of gold and bronze that jet you away to the beautiful places and faces of the Riviera. The most luxurious elements of nature all come together now to create this summer’s hottest color collection - with pops of pink to add a happy play of color to any look.

I went shopping at Lancome.com, and the first new item that leaped into my shopping cart was the limited-edition Color Design Sensational Effects Eye Shadow Bronze Riviera Palette in Pink Party Pretty ($45). These are easy-to-wear shades that will enhance your look whether you choose to tan (faux, I hope) or not. I was delighted when the palette arrived in the mail. It's prettier in person than it is in this Lancome photo. I like the texture and wear of Lancome shadows, and I know I'll reach for this palette often.

To compliment your shadows, Le Crayon Khôl ($28) makes a splash with a new waterproof formula. This creamy smooth dual-ended eye pencil perfectly lines, defines, and contours - and it will stay put no matter what summer throws at you. It's available in two duos, Sultry in Sunset and Sassy in Sunrise. I decided to wait to purchase one until I can see the shades in the store. I'm leaning toward the more conservative Sultry in Sunset.

That's not the half of it! I saw the Tropiques Minérale Bamboo Bronzer in Temptingly Bonze ($45) online and had the instant "I want's." It said Sold Out. Then I went to Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's looking for it. At that point, the collection had not arrived. I have since learned that there was a glitch with shipping. Never fear, it will be available. How could anyone resist a bronzer compact that looks so pretty, with its sunset/sunrise amid the trees design?

The Tropiques Minérale Bamboo Bronzer Compact opens to reveal a silky, sun-kissed, pressed mineral powder with a big, full-face mirror for the golden, glamorous glow of tropical sun in seconds. Intended to be dusted on cheek bones, forehead, nose, brow bones, chin, and décolletage, it will give you than fresh tan look without the sun exposure.

Can't wait for the compact? Try the handy Tropiques Minérale Magic Bronzing Brush ($33). It's available in a shade that works for all skin tones, and its self-contained reservoir of 100% mineral blusher automatically releases powder onto its brush at the press of a button for a natural-looking, shimmering, bronze glow from head to toe. Need convenient touch-ups on the go? This is your bronzer!

I ordered the Ageless Minérale Brightening Mineral Powder Blush with White Sapphire Complex ($29.50), which contains pure mineral pigments for soft, sheer color and a radiant blush. It's available in three colors. My choice was the lightest, Luminous Rose, and it's perfect for me. The blush is also available in Brilliant Berry and Sparkling Sand - the latter color designed to emphasize the bronze glow on your cheeks. Lancome says it provides six-hour wear; I'd say eight. It's fragrance free, oil-free, talc-free, and safe for sensitive skin. A perfect summer solution!

Lips and nails round out the collection for a complete, color-coordinated look. It's a beauty. Check it out at Lancome's Web site. I'm sure it will be at our favorite Lancome counters soon.

Photos courtesy of Lancome