Smashbox Masquerade Creamy Cheek Color & Brush Giveaway Contest

Congratulations to Sarah!

I thought the Smashbox Masquerade Creamy Cheek Color & Brush ($29), introduced in the fall, was so cool, I bought one for a giveaway contest. Then, I put it away and forgot it for a few months! Such is the hectic life of a beauty blogger who works pretty hard at a "real job." I love Smashbox, a company that has been outdoing itself with each new season. I'm glad we have a Smashbox counter at Nordstrom!

Masquerade Creamy Cheek Color & Brush has a luscious, creamy cheek blush formula on one side and a built-in blending brush on the other. It's packaged in a sleek, dark blue case. This beauty allows you to apply a gorgeous rose glow to your cheeks - and blend it with the brush, which is perfectly designed for blending a creamy blush. The blush is ultra-luxurious and long-wearing, so you may not need it for a late-day touch-up, but its portability will allow you to take it along in case you do.

The Masquerade Creamy Cheek Color & Brush comes in a one-size-fits-all warm rose-pink shade that will suit just about any skin tone. It's called Intrigue on the box. Glide the creamy formula over the apples of your cheeks, then blend with the brush for a flawless pop of color. You can even use it on your lips! Although it was introduced in the fall, I think it's a perfect color for spring.

How can you enter to win? Just leave a comment here once. After you comment, feel free to send me an e-mail at bestthingsinbeautycontests@gmail.com and identify your comment. You can never be too careful about sharing your e-mail address on a blog, so feel free to follow this step (an alternative is to code your e-mail, e.g., myname at gmail dot com, in your comment).

You can "earn" a second entry by tweeting this contest. Just make sure to include "@BTiBeauty" (without the quotes) in your tweet. I will tweet the contest later today, and you can simply retweet it to earn that second entry. You can earn a third entry by following the blog - either here or on Twitter (any entrant who is already a follower will automatically earn the follower point, but you can save me time by telling me you're a follower in your comment). I can't track followers through a third-party service, so you need to be on Google's list for me to verify the entry.

The deadline for entries will be Saturday, February 12, at midnight. The next morning, I will use a random number generator (random.org) to select the winner. I will e-mail the winner at that time. The winner will have 48 hours to reply to my message and provide a shipping address. After 48 hours, the prize will be forfeited, and another winner will be selected. Make sure to check your e-mail - and look in your spam folder - when the contest ends.

This contest is open to U. S. and Canadian residents only. I still can't go to the Post Office, although I expect to get cleared to drive this week, I'm not banking on it until I hear the words from the surgeon. I can do Click-n-Ship!

Good luck!

Photo courtesy of Smashbox

Bobbi Brown Tibi Peony & Python Beauty Kit - Neiman Marcus Exclusive

Finally, something new from Bobbi Brown that isn't a palette! I don't know how you feel about palettes, but I'm on palette overload. I purchased so many Bobbi Brown palettes for holiday, I couldn't look at another one. I skipped the Pretty Powerful palettes that launched in January. I have been anxiously awaiting single items from Bobbi Brown - new ones, exciting ones. I can't wait to get my hands on her new lip color, which hasn't arrived yet at Neiman Marcus or Nordstrom.

When I learned that there was a new set available at Neiman Marcus, my first reaction wasn't overly enthusiastic. Then I saw the contents and decided I had to have the Tibi Peony & Python Beauty Kit ($95). I'm glad I purchased it! The kit is a preview into Bobbi Brown's Spring 2011 Tibi Peony & Python Collection, a zippered beauty case filled with pretty colors and tools to update your look for spring.

Inspired by lush peonies and the playful, feminine chic of cult label Tibi, Bobbi created Pink Peony Illuminating Bronzer for a fresh, healthy glow. The kit also includes Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Mauve and Brightening Lip Gloss in Pink Lilac, plus two mini brushes so you can apply everything like a pro. One of the mini brushes is one of my favorite Bobbi Brown brushes: the Face Blender Brush. I can't get enough of them. The other mini brush is a liner brush for you to use to apply the Black Mauve gel eyeliner.

The Peony Illuminating Bronzer is more of a blusher than a bronzer. It's rosy - and gorgeous. I'm not sure why Bobbi named it a bronzer, but it doesn't matter what it's called. It's a stunning shade.

Don't let the "Black Mauve" name of the gel eyeliner fool you. It's not black - just a darkened mauve that's a luscious liner. Pink Lilac is one of Bobbi's Brightening Lip Glosses. The sheer, reflective formula wakes up your face and helps create the illusion of fuller lips. The Pink Lilac shade works perfectly with the set.

Here's my swatch photo of all three shades. It was taken indoors in sunlight. I applied the "bronzer" with a sponge-tipped applicator at the top of my arm - much darker than you'll apply it "in real life." The gloss is in the center, and a light application of the Black Mauve gel eyeliner is shown below. These shades coordinate so nicely, I'll be tempted to wear them together - something I don't often feel bound to do.

I had a hard time photographing the Peony shade in the compact. In every photo I took, it appeared just a bit pinker than it looks to my eye. In the compact, it looks exactly like the photo at the top of this feature - the one I snagged off the Neiman Marcus Web site. On my arm, it looks like my swatch. It's rosy pink.

This set is a beauty. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves pink and wants something new. At this time, the only place you can purchase the Tibi Peony & Python Beauty Kit is Neiman Marcus. It's available in stores and online. I purchased mine from Kathy Shoreman and Christina Curbelo at the store at Tysons Galleria. Christina's new there, so if you drop by, make sure to say hello.

Photo at top courtesy of Neiman Marcus

NARS Calanque Eyeshadow Trio

I was prepared to love the NARS Calanque Eyeshadow Trio ($45), introduced with the Spring 2011 Collection. It's a trio of sun-washed, neutral shades that NARS told us could be mixed and matched to supply a limitless range of sophisticated eye looks. "Each is rich and blends effortlessly."

I ordered it the moment it was available, and I admired it when it arrived. It wasn't until I started playing with it that I realized it wasn't love.

NARS describes the three shades this way. On the left, there's a gold-infused platinum with silver flecks. In the center is a light, matte caramel. On the right, a rich, antique bronze completes the look. My photo at right is truer to the shades than the NARS photo above. Forget the little NARS color swatches.

The bronze and caramel shades in the trio are very pretty. Had this been a duo, I would be raving about it. I like the two shades. You can see them on my arm below - the top two shades.

Unfortunately, the "gold-infused platinum" is fairly useless. It has no color. It lays down a sheer sparkle and nothing else. I swatched with a sponge-tipped applicator, and I took my photo indoors in morning sun. The sponge-tipped applicator should have punched up the color. It didn't. So, I swiped my finger across the platinum shade, and what I learned was disappointing. There is no color, just an uneven, crumbly sparkle - seriously uneven. I couldn't even get a finger pad photo. Then I went and got a shadow brush. It was worse. No matter what I did, I couldn't get the platinum shadow to leave an even application of color on my skin (and it was even harder on my eyelid). That means that 40% of the trio is relatively useless, unless you want to struggle to apply a sparkly sheen evenly on your eyelid. I have better uses for my time.

So, as much as I love NARS, the Calanque Eyeshadow Trio gets a mediocre grade from me. I know it's hot, but I can't recommend that you purchase it. Definitely don't do it sight unseen. There are so many gorgeous neutral shadows available, why spend $45 on one that doesn't please?

Don't take my word for it. Wait for it to arrive at NARS counters and take a look. Please let me know what you think.

Photo at top courtesy of NARS

Hourglass Aura Sheer Cheek Stain

I hadn't dipped my toes into Hourglass, a brand I had seen repeatedly at Sephora. I was afraid it might be one of those teenybopper brands - without knowing anything about it. Then, I read favorable reviews of Hourglass makeup by Gaia at The Non-Blonde, so I started browsing at Sephora. I finally bought my first Hourglass piece, and I'm delighted with it!

Aura Sheer Cheek Stain ($45) is a water-based stain that gives cheeks a subtle lit-from-within glow. The lightweight, hydrating cheek stain creates a radiant, natural color that lasts all day. Its click mechanism dispenses the perfect amount of product for convenient on-the-go application. The first time I used it, I clicked and clicked and clicked - I started to wonder if Sephora had sent me a dud. Then the color appeared in the spongy applicator, leaving me a bit relieved I didn't have a product to return. I wanted to like it.

Aura Sheer Cheek Stain comes in three shades: Flush (berry pink), Petal (peachy pink), and Rouge (soft plum). They all looked pretty in the little swatches, but I was conservative and ordered only Flush, the one that looked the most perfect for my skin tone. When the product clicked its way into the applicator, I was suddenly fearful that the swatches were off-base. It looked strawberry with a hint of coral! While strawberry is a berry (remember, berry pink), I was expecting something a little different, but what I expected was almost exactly what I saw on my skin when I applied the cheek stain.

Here's a swatch photo. I applied a little circle on my arm, using not only the applicator, but my finger to even out the color just a tad. It's a messy swatch, but I think it shows the color well. I took my photo indoors in sunlight. While there is a tiny amount of coral/peach in the shade, it's a pretty pink that will be wearable by gals with different skin tones. I can wear it with my pale skin, and I think it's going to be perfect on medium-toned skin also. I think it's fabulous.

I'd like to see how Rouge works on my skin, but that will have to wait for a trip to Sephora. For now, I'm very happy with my purchase, and I have Gaia to thank for unknowingly prompting me to try Hourglass. If you would like to read about the brand and its founder, Carisa Janes, check out this Sephora link.

You can purchase Hourglass Aura Sheer Cheek Stain at Sephora and Apothica.

Update 2/6: Here's a second photo. The sparkly appearance in the photo above and this one is due to sunshine, not the cheek stain. The reflection in this photo is a little less extreme because the photo was taken indoors during sunrise. The cheek stain is very natural and not at all sparkly. Unfortunately, the color isn't true in this second photo. Flush is not this peachy.

Update 2/6: I have been clueless about Hourglass! I just discovered they have their own Web site, where you can purchase their cosmetics. Their little swatches of the cheek stain may be better than Sephora's.

Photo courtesy of Sephora

Weekend Roundup - February 5

With Super Bowl weekend upon us, will we leave the game to the men and make beauty our game? With our great group of beauty bloggers, you can have the latest in beauty and trends at your fingertips - even on your phone or iPad while you're watching the game (or the commercials). See what beauty game plan we had this week!

It may be winter outside, but spring is in the air! Kelly showed us the new Stila Spring 2011 Collection at Gouldylox Reviews. Anything catch your eye? I was delighted with the collection - as you know! I have more to show you next week.

Are you afraid of using a cleansing oil on your face? Gaia from The Non-Blonde explained why we should embrace oils - and why the Kanebo Sensai Silky Purifying Cleansing Oil is a must-have on her skin-care list. I don't like the fragrance in many Kanebo products, but I love oil cleansers. I use everything from the least expensive (St. Ives) to pricey ones, like Bobbi Brown and Shu Uemura.

Do you love lip gloss, but not the stickiness of some glosses? The NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Pencils may just be the thing for you. Sabrina at The Beauty Look Book loved these so much she bought the whole collection! I started with two, and I plan to purchase more of them, using Sabrina's swatches as my guide. It's love!

Speaking of NARS, Amy received the NARS Calanque Trio. This beautiful eye shadow trio for Spring 2011 is sure to be a hit on wish lists of neutral lovers everywhere. Check out her swatches of this latest NARS beauty at Café Makeup. I'll be giving you my take within the next few days. Mine arrived too, but I haven't been able to get photos yet. Amy, Sabrina, and I seem to be shopping in unison!

Kari at Fab Over Forty had a great opportunity to visit New York last week. One of her stops was at Bergdorf Goodman, where Dustin gave her a sneak peek at the Le Métier de Beauté latest Kaleidoscope. You might want to put it on your sweetheart list for Valentine's Day! The price is right too, after we suffered sticker shock with the latest MARCHESA collection.

Tired of spending money on manicures that don't last? Jennifer gave us the rundown on the latest long-lasting nail craze, Shellac manicures by CND, at BeautyXposé.

Debbi of DivaDebbi is busy preparing for New York Fashion Week. While she will see fall 2011 there, she stepped back and showed us the trends we can expect this spring.

Need to put a little happiness in your life? Love drugstore beauty? Laurie showed us Physicians Formula Happy Booster Blush at Product Girl. It's got a new twist - the plant extracts within are said to make you happy. If not, at least looking at the pretty palette will make you happy!

As we learned from her profile, Jane loves hair products. She has gorgeous hair - and has some favorite products to keep it that way. Read Daly Beauty to find out why Terax Crema Conditioner made it back to the top of her list.

I featured Spring 2011 makeup here at Best Things in Beauty, including the latest blushes from Tarte. These Amazonian Clay blushes come in a wide variety of shades and are said to last 12 hours. I don't know how anyone will be able to resist one - or two!

Don't forget that my Sephora Stila Make Me Blush Set giveaway contest ends tonight at midnight. Make sure to enter. You know what Lady Luck says, "If you don't play, you can't win!"

Photo courtesy of direct-2you.com

Lancôme Butterflies Fever Healthy Glow Mineral Blusher in Glowy Ballerine

Lancôme's collection for Spring 2011, Ultra Lavande by Aaron De Mey, is a lavender delight. If lavender is your color, you will love it. Even if it's not, there are some gorgeous pieces to wow you.

The new blush is a twist of two signature items of 70's style: the bow tie and the butterfly, designed by Alexis Mabille. In fashion, wearing a bow tie is the ultimate chic attitude - a way to express your inner free-spirit and total lack of concern for convention. The butterfly is a multicultural symbol of a free soul, femininity, and beauty of nature. Combined, with shades of lavender, pink, and blue, Butterflies Fever Healthy Glow Mineral Blusher in Glowy Ballerine ($40) is a collectible palette.

Lancôme says you should mix the the three shades for a healthy flush or use them separately. I think it would be difficult to use any shade but the pink in the bow tie separately. You will need a very small brush - and patience. The company suggests you use pink ballerina shade for a natural, rosy flush; the beige ballerina shade to sculpt your face; or the lavender shade to unify your complexion on targeted, red areas.

This "blush" is incredibly light. I think it's better called a highlighting powder than a blush. The blue-pink shades are beautiful, but they won't add much punch to your cheeks if used as a blusher, unless your skin is porcelain pale.

I struggled to get a swatch photo. The one at right is the best I could do. I applied the blush heavily with a sponge-tipped applicator. My photo was taken outdoors in the sun. The shade at the top is a mixture of all the shades in the compact. I picked up the colors by swiping diagonally from the upper-left corner of the palette to the lower right. The shade below was swatched from the pink bow tie. It's fairly easy to use that shade alone, but you'll have to use a small blush brush.

The blended shade is bluer than the bow tie shade. That's because of the blue flower and lavender butterflies. I might be able to wear the bow tie shade as a blush, but I have very pale skin. I'd like to see how Glowy Ballerine looks on someone with medium-toned skin. When I apply the blended shades with a brush brush, Glowy Ballerine flushes my cheeks with a pale pink glow. It's very pretty - and spring-like.

See what you think when you visit your Lancôme counter. I like it! I purchased mine online from Lancôme. Neiman Marcus has received the full display, so I suspect the other stores will have it soon - if they don't already.

Photos at top courtesy of Lancôme

The Friday Forum - February 4

We've been running a weekly series on our beauty blog roundup team members. This week, it was my turn. I toyed with the idea of not publishing the feature about me here at Best Things in Beauty, thinking that most of you would have read it on other blogs. Just in case you didn't see the feature, here it is - more about me than you ever wanted to know! The photo was taken in the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa blogger lounge during Fashion Week (organized by Lianne Farbes in February 2010). Billy Dee Williams had just done one of the most incredible blow-dries I've ever had. The guy is a genius.

When did you start blogging and why?
I started blogging about beauty in the summer of 2009 (I had written a local political blog years before, when blogs were new). I had been reading beauty blogs and saw an invitation for guest bloggers on BeautyLuxe. I responded, and I wrote a few posts for Kimberly. I realized quickly how much I enjoyed writing about my beauty passion - and that there weren't many beauty bloggers in my age group. Since I was a frequent flier at all the department stores, and I had closets full of beauty products, I knew my subject was a natural. I love writing. I had intended to major in journalism in college, but was snagged by psychology. I published the first Best Things in Beauty feature in July, 2009, and the rest is history.

Every blog seems to have a special voice - what's the message on your blog?
That's a good question. My readers might be able to provide a better answer than I can. I like to focus on beauty products that are the "best in beauty." I don't want to waste my time - or theirs - on products that don't make the grade. When a product has been hyped, and I don't think it's worthy of our money, I might cover it as a warning. Otherwise, I skip the bad and mediocre and feature the best (or newest). As a rule, I focus on higher-end products, but I try to cover the best from drugstores too. I don't cover teen beauty; I have no idea what the kids are buying. I always try to provide balance on the blog, featuring not only makeup (which seems to be the most popular subject), but also fragrance, skin care, hair care, tools, celebrity beauty now and then - everything beauty. I even write a rant now and then.

Following the beauty industry is fun. Beauty products are affordable luxury; buying them is so much easier on the wallet than collecting Giorgio Armani fashion! I am fascinated with every aspect of the industry, from the science behind skin care and cosmetics to public relations and marketing, so I enjoying reading, researching, and talking beauty. That's one reason you'll often find me hanging out at beauty department counters, picking the brains of product line reps for ingredients, why products work, and what's coming, along with techniques and tips. I love sharing that information.

Have you always been a beauty fanatic or did it come later in life for you? What made it blossom?
No, my interest in beauty products has waxed and waned. I went to a strict Catholic high school, and I'm sure visible makeup would have been a no-no. I was a cheerleader, and we had to keep our hair above our shoulders! Can you imagine? Somehow, we were supposed to keep our skirts from flying up in the air and exposing our "bloomers" when we jumped. I was always on the edge of trouble over my hair, skirt length, and bloomers. Once I went to college, my interest in fashion and beauty blossomed. Even as a college student, I had a subscription to Women's Wear Daily. There wasn't an online edition "way back then." Every day, WWD was delivered my college mailbox. It was a treat to pour over the latest news. Even today, I eagerly await my monthly fashion and beauty magazines. WWD Beauty Biz is my favorite.

Tell us a little about yourself.
I'm in my early 60's and single. I live in a fabulous home in Northern Virgina, and I love my garden, which I built from nothing, with love. I have two cats, Charleston and Savannah. Charlie is a gorgeous Snow Marble Bengal. Savannah, equally gorgeous, is a rescue cat. She is definitely schizophrenic, and, unfortunately, she has epilepsy. I love antiques, art, books, and great food!

I was frantically busy when younger, earning a Ph.D. in psychology and subsequently running my own management consulting business for many years. Now, I work for a large financial company in compliance and ethics. I have always been a volunteer, and much of my "spare time" and money have been spent on local and state issues, including land use and conservation and environmental/animal causes. I have also been active in many horticultural societies. That's one reason I write Best Things in Beauty under a pseudonym. If you Google my real name, many pages of results from local civic association activities will be returned, including some of my most-famous mouthy quotes from public hearings. I decided to keep my various lives separate.

What's your daily beauty routine?
It's relatively complicated. Every morning, I get up and wash, condition, and style my hair (using a mousse and hairspray to set the style). I try to use hydrating products. I am always testing products, but I return to my favorites unless a new product has knocked my socks off (that happens fairly often). Before work, my regular beauty routine starts with a cleanser for my face and neck in the shower. Then I apply one of my favorite serums and an eye cream (I've been using Cold Plasma Eye, but I'm always on the lookout for a new one). After they absorb, I add a moisturizer (or two) and makeup. There has to be sunscreen in one of them. My makeup always includes a concealer, eyelid primer, eye shadow, mascara (I love Maybelline Define-A-Lash), foundation (usually Giorgio Armani), blush, lipstick, and lip gloss. Sometimes a highlighter too. Before I'm out the door, I add fragrance. During the day, I re-apply lip color/gloss/lip conditioner repeatedly, and I often use a hand cream during the day. Before bed, I always cleanse my face thoroughly, using an eye makeup remover if I need it after the cleanser. Then I do skin care: serum, moisturizer, and now Chantecaille's new Biodynamic Lifting Neck Cream. Morning and evening, I use a body moisturizer. I also use a hand moisturizer after I give Charlie his evening treats. Right before I go to bed, I apply Lisa Hoffman's Spa Facial Lip Moisturizer. I supplement my regular products (some of which I rotate) with whatever my skin "tells me" it needs. For special occasions, I add products, such as eyeliner, which I don't wear every day. I know I should, but I prefer to beat the traffic rush into DC. Another product I use is scented hand soap. I love it and have a nice one at every faucet. Then there are the home fragrances (diffusers and candles), which delight me.

How many lipsticks/glosses can be found in your handbag at any given time?
Too many! More than I'll ever use in a day or week. I'm bad at subtracting - really good at adding, though. Recently, a Clarisonic rep held my handbag for me. It was heavy because it had my camera in it. I roared at his response, "Girl, no wonder your back and knees are bad! This purse is ridiculously heavy!" Well, of course! It had a full face of makeup in it, with every shade you could imagine. I pared it down after my knee surgery, but I doubt it will remain spare.

What's the best beauty advice you've ever received?
From my dermatologist who told me to stay out of the sun and always wear sunscreen. He should know. He's had to use liquid nitrogen to remove a lot of actinic keratoses that have resulted from my unbridled attempts to become a bronze goddess when I was younger.

What's the most surprising thing you have learned since staring your blog?
My readers have become a second family - definitely my friends! People warn that cyberspace is "dangerous," and I've seen some pretty nasty comments on blogs. At first, I was reluctant to "expose myself" to that. I feel so privileged, though. I have never experienced anything but warmth and love from my readers. I'm sure I have the best readers (and friends) in the world. I've formed lasting friendships with so many wonderful women (a few men too!). We e-mail, we call, we comment back and forth on the blog. Blogging has been an enriching experience. I'm also thrilled with the many beauty bloggers I call friends now. Our roundup team is amazingly talented. I check in on each of their blogs every day. I hope all my readers do too.

Now for the usual Friday Forum...

Physical therapy continues to be torture - but with slow and steady progress. This week, I started hobbling around without my cane and working from home a few hours a day! That has put a barrier in the way of Charlie's total dedication. He doesn't understand the exercise "thing," and he is clearly more annoyed than ever at the time I am spending in my home office. His feelings are hurt when I won't let him sit on me while I'm doing knee bends. I don't think he understands. It's heartbreaking - kind of funny too - when he storms off in a huff after being rejected for a lap sit. He goes into the guest room and curls up under Savannah's covers.

It's time for The Friday Forum. We use the forum to share information and chat. Did you find any deals you couldn't resist this week? 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? Just use the comments. Don't be shy. Just make sure to ask any question you might have over the weekend. By Monday, most readers have moved on. I have a lot of new makeup and skin care, and I'm so eager to show it to you. If I could get the photos - and the time - I'd be writing five features a day!

We have busy weekends and slow ones on the forum. I'm always happy if even one reader stops by. Leave a comment, and say hello - even if you don't want to comment on beauty products. If I am notified of any great beauty offers (great, not just good) over the weekend, I will leave word in the comments of this post.

Don't forget that the Sephora Stila Make Me Blush Set giveaway contest ends tomorrow at midnight. Make sure to enter. You know what Lady Luck says, "If you don't play, you can't win!"

Thanks for reading Best Things in Beauty! Got anything you want to talk about?

Photo by Andrea Betts