Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Bobbi Brown's New Nude Collection




It's here! Bobbi Brown's New Nude Collection for Fall. I was able to pick up a few pieces at Nordstrom this past weekend. The eyeshadows in the palette and the Nude Shimmer Brick are fabulous! There are four new creamy lipsticks, and two of them are shimmery - great colors. More on the collection later.

Head over to the Bobbi Brown Web site, where you can see the collection and decide what you can't live without. Registered site users can use the code Nude7 to get a free Shimmer Lip Gloss with any purchase of $70 or more.

Photos courtesy of Bobbi Brown.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Introducing Best Things in Beauty

Hi friends,

This is my first attempt at a beauty blog, and I will be feeling my way through the maze of options. In the meantime, I hope to bring you good information and have fun. If you have any suggestions for me, please e-mail bestthingsinbeauty@gmail.com. I hope you will visit often!

Charlestongirl

Armani Everything - Concealers

Master Corrector

Today, I'll tell you about the two concealers I can't live without: Master Corrector and High Precision Retouch. These outstanding products were recommended to me by Loyd Cassler, the Armani specialist at "my Saks" in Chevy Chase, Maryland. I was skeptical that any concealer could be "that good," but Loyd convinced me with his handiwork. Since then, I have lived in these concealers.

Master Corrector is a correcting concealer, meaning that it corrects for all of our possible imperfections. It comes in four shades: 1) pink, which you use to brighten yellow-toned skin; 2) peach (they call it orange, but it's really peach), which covers undereye circles and any dark patches perfectly on my skin; 3) yellow, which is perfect to correct for "excess pinkness" (think Bobbi Brown's lessons); and 4) green, which also corrects for redness and is perfect for those with red eyelids, rosacea, or just plain irritated skin. I use the peach one under my eyes (a bit counterintuitive for me), and if I am feeling a bit too red in the cheeks, the green one is perfect.

Although these concealers come with a built-in brush, I find that the best application is very light and achieved by brushing the concealer on my palm and then using the Armani concealer brush to move the product to my face. Loyd taught me to use light strokes to apply the concealer and blend it down toward and into my foundation. He cautioned not to swipe back and forth horizontally under the eye because this causes product build-up in my little wrinkles (yes, I do have them, and they certainly don't look great with any kind of "filler" in them!).

What's amazing about these color correctors is that they "lose" their color once you apply them. Instead of peach under eyes or green cheeks, you will end up with bright skin and be ready to go. You can apply - again very lightly - the High Precision Retouch right over them.


High Precision Retouch

High Precision Retouch is a light-reflecting concealer that adds that same radiance that Armani foundations provide. It comes in four shades. My skin demands #2, the lightest one. The concealer contains "light reflecting pearls," Vitamin E (the ultimate skin vitamin in my book), and moisturizers. This concealer is perfect for anyone with normal to dry skin. When used around the eyes, it brightens them and adds a subtle pop. It's also great to apply around the mouth to brighten the area and enhance the lip color (either your own or the lipstick you are wearing). Just add a bit over the cupid's bow and right under the middle of your lower lip.

Again, apply this product with a concealer brush and a very light touch. A little goes a long way. Use short brush strokes and blend as you go. You will love the results!

These products aren't new. I like to write about makeup that works, regardless of its release date. Sure, I'll be tempted by the latest and greatest of other lines, and no doubt I'll buy some of them. But I'll always come back to my long-term favorites, and these concealers have earned a place of honor on that list. You can purchase them at select Saks Fifth Avenue locations, the Giorgio Armani Web site, the Nordstrom Web site, and a few new store locations - making them more accessible than ever.

Next up for Armani Everything: I'll tell you about the miraculous Fluid Sheer.

Photos courtesy of Nordstrom.

Chanel's Fall 2009 Quad Eyeshadow

Murano is Chanel's Fall 2009 quadra eyeshadow. I was able to purchase it at Saks June 23 - early for a Fall intro. I saw it at Nordstrom too. Am I smitten! Although I was able to get my hands on a few other pieces of this collection, I had to try out this quad right away. It's drop-dead gorgeous.

Afraid of teal green shades? Admire them, but never use them? This is the shadow for you. The colors, when applied with a light hand, are subdued. I used the lightest green all over the lid (you can apply this color fairly heavily), the green on the photo top left on the outside half of the lid (and a tad in corner under the lower lashes), the darker green in the crease only, and the pink under the brow. Wow! The result was a subtly smokey eye that I could wear during the day - with or without the crease color. With a heavier application, it's all-out photo-worthy gorgeous.

I suspect this will sell out fast. I think it's one of Chanel's best-ever quads! More to come on Chanel's Fall 2009 collection.