Coming Attraction: Giorgio Armani Beauty Eccentrico Collection for Holiday 2013

The Eccentrico Limited Edition collection was inspired by the Giorgio Armani Eccentrico touring exhibition: Milan 2012, Hong Kong 2013, and Rome June 2013. Mr. Armani showcased some of his most memorable and lavish couture designs throughout his career – a fusion of art, fashion, and design, unrestrained by a bizarre play of colors and wild fantasy. The Giorgio Armani woman is multifaceted and has an eccentric side that she wants to express. He gave her full rein.

Eccentricity was never so chic – Linda Cantello, International Makeup Artist for Giorgio Armani Beauty

The Eccentrico Palette, shown above, is a 4-in-1 multi-illuminator with poppy blush colors for a healthy, radiant complexion. A light dusting of silver pearls on top of the compacted blush powder creates the ultimate glow. The tip for use? Use each color like an eyeshadow to highlight your gaze! If I can't own this, I'm going to cry.

New Shades of Lip Maestro and Nail Lacquer are being introduced. The Lip Maestro shades intrigue me. I'm betting they are gorgeous on the lips.

The first luminous matte lacquer in Armani's new Nail Lacquer will be available in three new bright shades. Mix and match with corresponding shades on lips and nail.

• 302 Clash
• 303 Dazzling
• 505 Eccentrico

There will be very limited availability of these items. I must get on a pre-sale list. They are scheduled to be available in November at Giorgio Armani Beauty's Web site and Armani counters.

Photos courtesy of Giorgio Armani Beauty

Bobbi Brown French Pink Set for Breast Cancer Awareness

Bobbi Brown is proud to introduce this exclusive, limited-edition French Pink set in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Bobbi Brown will be donating $10 of the suggested retail price ($45) of this set during the month of October to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Featuring French Pink Blush embossed with a BCA ribbon in a mirrored compact and a Mini Face Blender Brush topped off with a bright pink handle, the set is a fun way to put on a rosy glow (and show your support).

I purchase Bobbi's Breast Cancer Awareness special every year. This year, I didn't have to think for even a nanosecond when I saw the cheerful pink color. Plus, I am a Face Blender Brush addict. One can never have too many of them.

I wanted you to see the product color. It's darker than I imagined, but still very wearable for most of us. I took swatch photos in full sun. I swatched heavily at the top of my arm with a sponge-tipped applicator. Then I used the Face Blender Brush to apply the larger swatch below.

This medium pink is bright, so go easy when applying. It's also shimmery. I like the shimmer, but I know some of you won't.

The pink shade is perfect for brightening up your mood - or perhaps the mood of a friend with breast cancer? It would make a nice gift set. You can find it at Bobbi Brown's Web site and all Bobbi Brown counters. I purchased mine at Neiman Marcus.

Photo at top courtesy of Bobbi Brown; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

The Friday Forum - October 18

I can't wait to see the full, real Dior Golden Winter Collection. I sure hope I'll find it in store this weekend. Last weekend, I suffered one of my worst pet peeves: a display with a few items from the collection and many items pulled at random from Dior's stock. I was misled by the sales associate at the counter when I specifically asked if certain items were new and part of the collection. Those items are going to be returned tomorrow. I'm tired of nonsense at the Dior counter. It doesn't seem to matter which store. The counter staff will pull just anything, stick it on the display, and then lie and say it's part of the collection. I don't know whether they are dishonest of just stupid. Unfortunately, I suspect it's the former. Why is it always Dior? Do you have any makeup shopping pet peeves?

Golden Winter is a beautiful collection. You can see it at Temptalia or Chic Profile. While I probably won't purchase one of the gorgeous nail lacquers, I see other items I'd love to have.

Has holiday been fabulous so far - or what? Far eclipsing fall, Holiday 2013 color has been a smash hit. Remember, Chantecaille, Armani, and other lines have yet to hit the counter. We will be totally glam by Christmas. Tim Quinn and I talked about Giorgio Armani Holiday. I can't wait to see it. He said it will surprise you.

This weekend, Kathy Shoreman (an aesthetician who is freelancing these days) will be doing RéVive facials at Neiman Marcus Tysons Galleria. If you would like an appointment, call Anna Befanis at (703) 761-1600, extension 3295, and ask to be booked with Kathy. I'd love to go, but I hate to take up time a "paying customer" might use. My beauty budget for this month was blown about a week ago, and there is new Le Métier de Beauté set to land. However, I am very interested in RéVive's new eye serum.

I want to thank all of you for your kind comments on my photos from last weekend. You were very sweet and made me feel young again. I know I don't look my age, but a little reinforcement now and then is very good for the spirit.

It looks like Chanel may be dumping Brad Pitt and returning to Marilyn Monroe. From WWD, comes the news that on her first cover of Life magazine in 1957, Marilyn Monroe famously said she only wore Chanel N°5 to bed. Now, a newfound recording of her from 1960 discussing the subject further with Marie-Claire’s then-editor in chief Georges Belmont is being used in a new advertising campaign for the fragrance set to break this fall.

She said people pose questions. “They ask me: ‘What do you wear to bed? A pyjama top? The bottoms of the pyjamas? A nightgown?’ So I said, ‘Chanel N°5, because it’s the truth...,” she explained. “And yet, I don’t want to say nude. But it’s the truth!” The voice of Monroe, who passed away in 1962, is to be accompanied by a photograph of her, taken by Ed Feingersh, holding a bottle of N°5. The ad will run in publications and on television. So long, Brad. You looked ridiculous.

It's time for the Friday Forum. I love this part of our week. 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.

I received even more fragrance this week. I see a lot of fragrance features coming in the next few weeks. I push fragrance aside when new color comes. I have to make time for fragrance! There are some lovely new ones, and I'm still discovering the last 10 years of introductions.

I can't wait to hear what's tempting you at the counters. Please spill the news. Happy weekend!

Photo courtesy of Dior

Clé de Peau Beauté Enchanted Winter Garden Eye & Lip Pencil Bouquet for Holiday 2013

Clé de Peau Beauté's beautiful Bouquet Floral Wintry Eye & Lip Pencils from the Enchanted Winter Garden Collection for Holiday 2013 ($95) feature three eye pencils and two lip pencils for endless makeup possibilities. I thought the set was beyond clever when I first saw it. I loved the mix of lip, eye, and highlighting pencils. Now that I've used the pencils, I think the set is magnificent.

From an unknown place comes a call to exquisite beauty, and along the path appears an enchanting winter garden. In a moment of awe, colorful flowers bloom in ice. Sparkling and gem-like, each precious petal reflects a drama all its own. With formulations that mirror the brilliance of a new beginning, and a revelation of the splendor that is yours.

This limited-edition of eye and lip pencils was inspired by the allure of flowers glistening in ice. Each pencil provides a distinct light-reflecting finish to enhance your desired look. Since it's Clé de Peau, it looks good. From the packaging to the graduated color on the pencils themselves, to the choice of colors, these pencils look special.

I was told that the pretty floral box was cut from a very large sheet of paper - almost like a giant print - so each design is unique. I didn't inspect boxes to verify that, but it sounds plausible. I like the design. However, the action starts inside the box.

I love these colors. The taupe pencil on the left is worth its weight in gold. Both lip pencils work for me, giving me a light option and a dark one. Right now, I have the darker one applied all over my lips, with a gloss on top. The look is really pretty. I like all of them.

Let's take a closer look. I drew lines on my arm - too thin, I can now see - moving in the same order in which the pencils are shown above. I took my swatch photos in full, mid-day sun.

The top three eye shades provide a unique trio. Even though it looks lavender at the top of my arm, the top shade is very taupe. I'd call it 3/4 taupe and 1/4 lavender. The best news is that it looks fabulous on my eyes. I've been wearing it as an eye shadow over the whole lid up to the crease.

The burnt orange shade will make your blue or green eyes pop. I've grown much less afraid of these shades as I've seen the results. I like this one as a liner. The champagne shade is utterly fabulous for the inner corner to highlight the eyes and open them. Of course, you can use this shade anywhere on your face. That's why it's so handy.

The two lip pencils, one rose and one warm pink, give you options - whether you choose to use them as lip pencils or lip colors. The darker one goes on my lips with a fall look, like a stain. I add the effect of flowers on ice with a sheer, sparkly lip gloss.

These pencils are all very long-lasting on my eyelids and lips. They apply like a creamy dream, but stay put once they set. Someone with very oily eyelids may have a different experience. That's why you'll need to try them, if possible, before you buy. My dry skin grabs on and holds on.

I purchased mine at Neiman Marcus. I have found the holiday collection online at Nordstrom. I suspect you will be able to find it at all Clé de Peau Beauté sources soon. If you stop by the counter, you can see the rest of the items in the collection. The blush and these pencils were all I could afford for now.

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

Clé de Peau Beauté Rosy Frost Blush from the Holiday 2013 Enchanted Winter Garden Collection

The new Clé de Peau Beauté caught my eyes immediately, and after I absorbed its overall beauty, I went straight for the limited-edition cream blush in Rosy Frost ($55). I could probably be called a cream blush fanatic, although I prefer to think of my love as a sophisticated appreciation for the merits of makeup that looks like it belongs on my face.

Here is the new display - unfortunately reflecting me (white sweater and all from Saturday). The new Enchanted Winter Garden Kit ($195) is pretty, but not me. I can't pay that kind of money for three eye shadows I won't wear. However, if you love lavenders, you will find the palette irresistible.

Clé de Peau Beauté brings you an exquisitely creamy blush designed to blend into your skin with a soft texture and rich, luminous color. It accentuates your natural contours, giving your cheeks an enchanting wintery glow.

It certainly does. Alanna warned me that a little goes a long way, so I am applying it with a light hand. She was right. Given the intense rose shade, I need to apply only a very light touch to transform from pale to blushing. My photo was taken in full sunlight, and I think it's too red. The color shown in Clé de Peau's own photo at the top of this feature provides a better representation of the blush color.  Even the pot is pretty.

I took my swatch photos in full, mid-day sun, using a sponge-tipped applicator to apply a swatch to my arm. I probably should have grabbed a brush to get another type of photo, but I got distracted. This swatch was applied in the medium intensity range - not ultra-lightly, but definitely not as heavily as I often apply swatches for photos.

If you want color that is more subtle than this, apply less. It helps to apply a fresh dose of moisturizer right before you apply it if you want much lighter color on your cheeks. The moisturizer will give it even more slip than it already has and allow you to apply it for very transparent coverage. Once it sets, it should stay with you all day.

I think the color is a knockout. I haven't had it long, but based on my current, very light usage, this pot may last forever. It's so good looking, I'll be pleased to see this charming blush among my favorite blushers with its peerless rose-colored jar.

I purchased mine at Neiman Marcus. I have found the holiday collection and Rosy Frost Blush online at Nordstrom. I suspect you will be able to find it at all Clé de Peau Beauté sources soon. What do you think? Will this beauty go on your have-a-look list?

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

Dior Diorshow Fusion Mono Eyeshadow in Météore for Holiday 2013 (?)

The newest addition to Dior's many eye shadows is Diorshow Fusion Mono ($30). The line was launched sometime this summer, if my memory serves me today. Diorshow Fusion is a cream eye shadow, but it shares its nouveau gel texture with the new-ish pot shadows we've already seen from Giorgio Armani and Chanel. At least my Météore filled the jar.

Météore is featured on the Golden Winter Holiday 2013 display (at least at Neiman Marcus it was), although the color has been available since the Fusion Mono line was introduced. Has it been long enough for me to call it a re-promote? I was told that two shades were being featured for holiday, but only one had arrived. OK, I'll take that at face value, but I'm getting fairly skeptical. Locally, Dior representatives have, in my experience, been frankly dishonest in substituting items on their displays. Maybe one of you can tell me whether it's really considered part of the Golden Winter Collection.

Anyhow, it's very pretty - and the perfect bronze for my pale face. I'll warn you: it is extremely sparkly and metallic. I must wear it under the crease (only). I swatched it in mid-day sunshine, using its own applicator, shown below, to apply it to my arm. The bullet-shaped sponge is very firm, which allows it to "grab" the product lightly and without much waste.

The color of Météore is a delightful bronze. It goes on extremely lightly and must be layered to achieve a reasonable saturation of bronze. That could be good or bad. If you want buildable color, it's perfect. If a lack of saturation is one of your pet eye shadow peeves, you might find it (and its sisters) too much sparkle for the trouble.

I built the color fairly heavily for my swatch photos, and I can do that easily on my eyelids. With each stroke of the applicator, the color intensity increases, but the sparkle never loses its drama.

Here is my problem with Dior's Fusion Mono. It migrates on my lids. Almost as soon as I applied it, it moved from its proper location on my outer lid to the crease outside the lids - and downward. I hate that. I want my eye shadow to stay where I apply it. For that reason, this will be the last of this beautiful line of shadows I purchase.

Mine came from Neiman Marcus, where there was a slot for it on the display. I see it available online with the rest of the Diorshow Fusion Mono Eyeshadows that made their entrance this summer.

Photo at top courtesy of Nordstrom; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

Dior 5 Couleurs Couture Colour Eyeshadow Palette from the Golden Winter Holiday 2013 Collection

Yesterday, I showed you Dior's Holiday 2013 Golden Winter display. Today, let's focus on one of the two 5 Couleurs Couture Colour Eyeshadow Palettes, #634, Golden Flower ($60). The two palettes on the display were quite similar in theme (golden winter), but there was one significant distinction that pushed me toward this one. The other, Golden Snow, has a very sparkly shade in the top right position. It's beautiful, but combined with the sparkling centerpiece, it was more sparkle than my lifestyle supports.

Dior really knows how to do gold. Look the photo directly above from the Spring-Summer 2014 Ready to Wear show. If you want to aim for a less theatrical look, but still love gold, you'll find the new eye palettes extremely pleasing. The Golden Winter Collection was inspired by Versailles in winter. That conjures a romantic and elegant vision.

I took swatch photos of Golden Flower in full, mid-day sun (yes, it finally returned!). I swatched each shade with a sponge-tipped applicator, starting at top left in the palette, moving around clockwise, and ending with the centerpiece shade - all shown in that order from the top to bottom on my arm.

The peachy pink at the top is a very pretty color - on its own or as a base. It's not too pink, and it's not too peach. It coordinates beautifully with all the other shades. I like the gleam it provides. The white is a saturated white (thank you, Dior). You don't have to struggle with it to get color.

The brown is very different from the shade I expected from looking at the palette. It has a lot of mauve in it - some might say red. However you describe the shade, it's one that you should try before you purchase Golden Flower.

The bronze is as gorgeous as bronze can be (except, perhaps for its cousin in the collection, to be shown here soon), and the sparkling white in the center of the palette will top any other eye shadow shade for a transition from day to night.

All colors are nicely pigmented, and the only fallout I saw was in the form of micro-glitter that had migrated away from the swatches on my arm. That does mean you should check your face after you apply these shades and before you head out the door - unless you like the glitter fest look. The amount of fairy dust on my arm wasn't bad - given what I've seen in my days of testing makeup - but it was definitely present.

I purchased my new Dior Holiday 2013 treasures at Neiman Marcus. They are likely to be everywhere - at counters and online - soon. I did a quick tour of the Internet and didn't find any sources today, but I wasn't thorough.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty; Golden eye photo courtesy of Dior Facebook