Smashbox Friends & Family Sale

This e-mail says it all! Use code FF2010 at Smashbox for the 20% Friends & Family discount through May 28.

Photo courtesy of Smashbox

Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine Cologne Absolue

Unabashedly orange, Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine Cologne Absolue ($145) smells exactly and simply like a freshly peeled orange. This zesty and energizing fruity fragrance plays sweet blood orange juice against bitter orange peel, tempered with sensual notes of geranium.

Orange Sanguine Cologne Absolue, concentrated at 15%, has top notes of blood orange and bitter orange; heart notes of jasmine and South African geranium; and base notes of amber woods, tonka beans, and sandalwood. The base notes are so muted, though, I smell orange from the moment I spray to the last whiffs before the fragrance is gone.

Created by perfumer Ralf Schweiger (who also created Lipstick Rose for Frederic Malle), Orange Sanguine offers an exceptional take on the classic pure fruit genre. It's so fresh, those near you will be sure you just peeled an orange. I think it's going to have the same appeal to men that grapefruit fragrances have - they can't get enough of them. Maybe that's why this cologne is being marketed as unisex? Want your favorite guy nuzzling in for a sniff? Try this fragrance!

A romantic suggestion of summer is evoked by the Atelier Cologne marketing "blurb" on the Neiman Marcus Web site.

It was the kind of moment you would want to revisit. Everyone was here, gathered on the terrace for breakfast, and the scent of fresh oranges was diffusing in the yellow heat. A symphony of their laughter and waves hitting the cliffs played in the air.

The photo at the top was on a postcard I received during Beauty Week at Neiman Marcus. Since I sought out the fragrance and purchased it, the photo was clearly effective. I'm a pushover for orange fruit and orange flower fragrances.

When I got to the store, I found a collection of new Atelier Colognes: Orange Sanguine, Grand Nérole, Bois Blonde, Tréfle Pur, and Oolang Infini. I smelled each of them and was also drawn to Nérole and Bois Blonde - the latter being pushed for some reason by the sales associate. So I sprayed three white paper fragrance samplers and took them over to my friends at the Sisley counter. Each of them voted for Orange Sanguine, so Orange Sanguine it was! At $145, I limited myself to one, but don't be surprised if I surrender to at least one more before the summer ends.

Despite the marketing claims, Orange Sanguine will not last all day. I get three - maybe four - hours of scent. Then I need to refresh it. I'm OK with that, given how fresh and fabulous it smells!

You can purchase Orange Sanguine Cologne Absolue (and the other new Atelier Colognes) at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and LuckyScent, or from Atelier Cologne (by calling 800-715-1390).

Photos courtesy of Neiman Marcus and LuckyScent

Bobbi Brown Beach Club Collection for Summer 2010

About a week ago, I got my hands on the much-anticipated Bobbi Brown Beach Club Collection. Tipped off by a reader that it had arrived at Nordstrom, I wasted no time getting over there. Not only am I a Shimmer Brick addict, I adore Bobbi's cream eye shadows. The colors had looked so yummy in the advance photos, I know I would love them. And I do!

Beach Shimmer Brick ($38), a compact hand-made in Italy, features five bars of warm, pearlized, shimmering shades to create a beautiful seaside glow (think sunset). Run your Face Blender Brush across all five shades and lightly dust over your cheeks and forehead for extra oomph. Or wear just one or two shades on your eyes for subtle glamour. Shimmer Bricks are so versatile, I can't resist them. If you are thinking that these shades are too warm for a cool complexion, my face is living proof that they work beautifully for summer.

There are four new pastel shades of Bobbi's Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadow ($22).

• Moonstone, a pale shimmering green that Diron used on Hayley last week (see this link)
• Opal, described as opalescent pink
• Pink Oyster, a shimmering pale pink
• Surf, a pale, shimmering blue

There is also a new shade in Long-Wear Cream Shadow ($22): Shore, a soft matte beige perfect for a look that’s just one notch up from natural and a perfect base for the metallic shades.

Bobbi's Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadows are wearable metallics. The award-winning formula is infused with sparkle I can wear without looking like a glitter bomb exploded nearby. These shadows are very sheer. You can blend the shadows on your lids with your fingers or use Bobbi's wonderful Cream Shadow Brush for a wash of color. For a more dramatic look, add another layer, or wear one on top of your favorite matte cream shadow for soft shimmer. When Diron did Hayley's makeover at Nordstrom last week, he applied Moonstone over Sandy Gold.

These really are long-wearing shadows. They stay color-true, retain their sparkle, and don't migrate to the crease. I wear contacts and have very sensitive eyes. I have never experienced any flaking into my eyes with Bobbi's metallic cream shadows. Of course, wearing a primer helps.

I don't normally wear pinks and blues on my eyes, but these shades are so sheer, they work for me - even the pastel blue Surf. I tried a dab of it on the center lid near my lashes, and it made my eyes look bluer than they are - and very summery.
Even if you don't want to purchase the whole collection as I did, you should seriously consider the Shimmer Brick and at least one of the shadows for a sheer and pretty summer treat.

One more Bobbi Brown fact you should know - the Antigua Face Palette, which was exclusive to Bloomingdale's when introduced, is now available at Bobbi Brown's Web site. It's a great value.

You can find the Beach Club Collection at Bobbi's Web site and Bobbi Brown counters at your favorite department stores.

Photos courtesy of Bobbi Brown

LORAC Little Black Palette Giveaway Contest

Congratulations to Resham, the next-to-last entrant for the palette! My thanks to everyone who entered. Keep entering the contests. You never know what number Random.org will select.

Last weekend, I told you how much I like LORAC's Little Black Palette ($32). The set includes four neutral baked eye shadow shades that will work for everyone, along with a Behind The Scenes Eye Shadow Primer (which I reviewed last week).

Here's LORAC's description of this fabulous set.

Everyone needs a Little Black Palette! Create long-lasting, hot looks for days, evenings, and after-hours in the city with this must-have palette. Shine in rich golds and bronzes with four color-coordinated, mineral-infused, silky-smooth, shimmering Baked Eye Shadows and a mini Behind The Scenes Eye Shadow Primer, all packed in a must-have sleek black case. Buy a little perfection with LORAC's Little Black Palette - it's the must-have accessory for every season!

I have one fabulous Little Black Palette to give away. To enter to win, just leave a comment here once. It's that easy! After you comment, feel free to e-mail bestthingsinbeautycontests@gmail.com and identify your comment. You can never be too careful about sharing your e-mail address on a blog, so I would follow this second step if I were you (an alternative is to code your e-mail, e.g., myname at gmail dot com, in your comment).

The contest is open to U.S. and Canadian residents. The deadline for entries will be midnight, May 29. The next day, I will use a random number generator to select the winner.

I'll be posting this contest at Free!Grechen, my favorite giveaway site on the Web. You should check it out if you haven't already!

Good Luck!

Photo courtesy of LORAC

Giorgio Armani Beauty Event with Tim Quinn - and Lexi's Makeover

Saks Fifth Avenue in Chevy Chase, Maryland just had a very special two-day Giorgio Armani Beauty event featuring the always-charming and extremely talented Tim Quinn, Armani Beauty's Celebrity Face Designer. My friend Lexi and I went on Friday. I had fun talking to Tim and watching him make all the ladies glamorous. I was able to get this photo of Tim with Loyd Cassler (manager of the Saks Armani Beauty team and makeup artist extraordinaire) when I arrived - just as the team had returned from lunch and right before it got crazy in there! By the time I left, there were 10 women getting their makeup polished at any given time.

I decided it would be fun to show you a makeover - this time courtesy of Loyd and Tim. They teamed up to take Lexi from her usual pretty self to alluring. To the left is Lexi's before photo, greeted by Loyd when she arrived. She was wearing a tiny amount of makeup. Loyd went to work with concealer and foundation. He used High Precision Retouch #2 to brighten her eyelids. Then he mixed Fluid Sheer #3 with Luminous Silk Foundation #5 in his hand and applied the combination with a brush to even out Lexi's complexion. He filled in her brows using the Eyebrow Defining Pencil in#3.

Loyd provided a brow tip worth sharing. When you use a brow pencil, first take your fingers and pull up the brow. Use the pencil turned flat to apply color to the brow on the inside of the arch. Then use the point of the pencil to apply color from the arch toward the hairline, all the time pulling up on the brow. This provides a natural look, particularly since your brows are thicker closest to your nose and thin out on the other side of their arch.

Next, Loyd applied two bronzers to sculpt Lexi's face. First he used Sheer Bronzer in #1 to contour her face and make her cheekbones pop. Then he used what was left on the brush to go down the center of her face. He said you should remember not to go straight from the bronzer pan to the center of your face - the result will be too much color. He used the warmer tone in the Bronze Mediterranean Palette as an allover highlighter to warm her complexion. He even used it on under her chin and on parts of her neck to give her a radiant glow.

Loyd finished his half of Lexi's makeover with Sheer Blush #10, which is one of my all-time favorites. I was wearing it that day, and Loyd explained to Lexi that she could apply it as softly as I had or a bit more dramatically, which he did because she was about to be photographed.

Tim took over at that point to make Lexi's eyes striking and glamorous. He was so sweet; he remarked that Lexi was so pretty she didn't need makeup. As I watched Tim work, I was struck by how he was able to wear that white jacket all day without getting a single makeup smudge on it - amazing! I also coveted his navy blue Armani sneakers. They were so stylish, and they looked so comfy!

Tim used the new Bronze Mediterranean Palette at our request. He worked his magic with the beautiful green shades - blending, blending, blending - then lined Lexi's eyes with Smooth Silk Eye Pencil in #3 on the top lid and lower waterline. He applied Eyes to Kill Mascara, Armani's super-hit, which was just released in a waterproof formula. He finished her eyes with few more dabs of concealer - this time #3 - and the incomparable Crema Nera Reviving Eye Cream, which is intended to be applied over your makeup to highlight your eyes while it hydrates.

Lexi's eyes were a knockout when he finished, so he used softer colors on her lips, making Lexi pretty in pink with Armanisilk Lipstick in #16 and Lip Shimmer Lip Gloss in #62. He also used Smooth Silk Lip Pencil in #1 after he had applied lipstick and gloss.

He touched up her brows a bit, and voila - she was stunning! I asked Lexi to look down so I could show you her pretty green-shaded eyes. If you think you can't wear green on your eyelids, think again! This photo shows how sheer and wearable the green shades in the new palette really are (BTiB swatches).

The finished look? A little hard to see in this photo of Lexi and Tim. Trust me - she was dazzling!

I couldn't leave "merely fabulous" alone, though. I thought it would be fun to see Lexi with a stronger lip look and knew it would photograph really well. Loyd selected shades that coordinated with her coral clothing, using Sheer Lipstick and Lip Shimmer Lip Gloss. See what a difference it made below. Lexi thought her lips were a bit too dramatic for her tastes, but Loyd and I loved the look. Immediately below is Loyd posing with Lexi for her final photo (where the lighting was better), and you can see the full effect of Tim's and Loyd's artistry.

It's always fun to watch Tim Quinn, Loyd, and the rest of the team work. I wandered around watching transformations of women of every age (from teenagers to 60-70), skin type, eye color, and ethnicity - whether they wanted a natural look or one they could wear to a party that night. Armani Beauty's makeup and skin care products have something for everyone and every occasion. No matter what your skin tone or tastes in color may be, there are perfect shades and textures for you. The talented makeup artists at the event demonstrated that repeatedly. That's why I have a closet full of Armani Beauty products.

I have just one more photo to share with you, the talented Armani Beauty team at Saks - some of my favorite people! If you ever get a chance to visit with them, I know you'll have fun. Even though it's all about beauty, we always manage to share a laugh or a great story. I consider them my friends. As I write this, I hope they are relaxing after finishing a busy weekend, and I know there are a lot of happy women at home playing with their new makeup treasures.

A special thanks to Tim (love him and hope to see him again soon), Loyd (love him and will see him again next week), and the team - and, of course, to Lexi, who agreed to be our lovely makeover model!

Zoya Nail Polish Reverie Sampler Giveaway Contest Winner

Congratulations to Katy! Random.org selected her to be the lucky winner of this great nail polish set from Zoya. I have e-mailed her to let her know she won.

You are all so sweet, leaving comments and e-mails about this contest and others. I love hearing from you, not only because it tells me you are "out there reading," but also because of the nice notes you send. I read them and wished I had more sets to send out!

I have another can't-miss giveaway I'll post tonight. It's a set I reviewed during the last week - and love. Stay tuned.

Photo courtesy of Zoya

Weekend Roundup - May 22

Primers are an important addition to the makeup routines of many of us. See what Gaia from The Non-Blonde found out when she tested Clé de Peau Beaute Luminizing Enhancer Base.

Kari at Fabulous Over Forty shared with us her interview with Liz Earle, creator of Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare. See what expert advice she has for us.

Ready for some sun-loving fun? Kelly at Gouldylox Reviews shared with us some of her fun, fresh summer finds that will keep your skin in youthful shape.

Wouldn't we all love to own a Chanel bag or a Hermes skirt? Lauren from BeautyXposé showed us why these luxury pieces can cost us so much of our hard-earned money.

Custom makeup or already prepackaged? Cindy from Prime Beauty shows us both worlds with the Three Custom Colors range of beauty.

Carla from Product Girl continued her Stila product reviews. This week it was the new One Step Prime Color for lips, cheeks, and eyes. See what she thought of this new tube of color.

Can you imagine being in beauty heaven? KarlaSugar from The Next Best Thing to Going Shopping Yourself attended The Makeup Show last weekend, her own beauty heaven! See some of the people and products that left her in awe.

We've all been enthralled with Bobbi Brown's Pretty Powerful campaign. Well, here at Best Things in Beauty a young friend got her own Pretty Powerful makeover at the Nordstrom Bobbi Brown counter. See the glowing results.

Have a lovely weekend filled with beauty and laughter!