New: Clinique Black Honey Shimmering Tones Powder

New and exclusive to Sephora, Clinique's limited-edition Black Honey Shimmering Tones Powder ($29.50) was a must-have for me. I love everything Black Honey!

Long a cult favorite, Black Honey shimmers in this beautifully blended powder. It instantly creates a sheer, subtle radiance that will look fabulous on everyone, just like the classic that inspired it.

The checkerboard pressed powder is presented in a fun black honey colored compact, rather than the usual Clinique silver. It will be easy to spot in my makeup pile-up.

The powder itself thrilled me. It offers three colors that, when blended (the only way to use them effectively), provides a gleaming, unique rosy brown mauve shade. The shade is so hard to define I had to string together three color terms. All of you makeup lovers know Black Honey, so I'm fairly confident you'll understand.

You can see the three shades in the compact photos above. One is a fleshy pink, the second is a light plummy mauve, and third is a deeper plummy mauve with a lot of brown in it. I suppose you could use the shades individually with an eye shadow brush if you want to, but that wasn't the purpose of the powder.

I took a few swatch photos in full sun to attempt to show you the shade. I applied the powder very heavily with a dense blush brush at the top of my arm and very lightly below. The powder gleams. It shimmers, but not in a sparkly way. If you swipe your fingers across the colors, you'll see that the shimmer must come from micro-fine powders - so fine that there's no single sparkle within the effect. It gleams like sunlight's reflection on water. Lightly applied, it's perfectly daytime-appropriate.

Black Honey Shimmering Tones Powder is enormously flattering. Black Honey has always been "every woman's color." There's something about the rosy brown that mimics our skin tones, blush tones, lip colors - no matter what our coloring. If you've never tried Black Honey, you have a new opportunity. You can find this beauty online at Sephora.

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

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New Clinique Lid Smoothie Antioxidant 8-Hour Eye Colour

Clinique's new Lid Smoothie Antioxidant 8-Hour Eye Colours ($19.50) build on the enormous success of Clinique's Vitamin C Lip Smoothies. These new creamy, crease-resistant eye colors keep their color and wear nicely all day. The lid colors promise to instantly cool the lids, thanks to a unique applicator (those metal applicators are all the rage, but see below). Nourishing ingredients in the formula are said to coax fine lid lines into a blanket of smoothness, and antioxidants and botanicals help protect the eye area. They even have spinach leaf extract in them (makes me think of Popeye).



These beauties come in 12 shades. I had a hard time selecting "only four." I wanted two shades I could wear as a base on my lids and two that offered some "quiet color."



My selections are all fabulous!

• Bit O'Honey, light champagne shimmer
• Cute-cumber, silvery leaf green
• Ginger-ly, peachy gold
• Seventh Heather, taupe (of course!)

A little bit of these cream shadows goes a long way. Clinique suggests that you start with a small amount and build additional color as desired. I'll go one step further and suggest that you squeeze the tiniest amount out of the tube and pick up the color with a small concealer brush. Apply to your lids with the brush, building the color until you've got the look you like. I would not recommend that you apply the creams directly to your lids with the gimmicky applicator and then blend quickly with your fingertip. I'd use my finger first if I were skipping the brush.



In my swatch photos, which were taken in full sun, I blended the shades slightly with a brush. I didn't blend Bit O'Honey as much as the others because it's light. It's shown at the top of my arm. As a result, it pops in my photos. You can apply it with more restraint.



The other three shades are, top to bottom, Cute-cumber, Ginger-ly, and Seventh Heather. All of the shades have some shimmer, but some have more than others. Cute-cumber and Seventh Heather have less then the others I purchased.



They shades dry quickly and stay put. If you have oily lids, I would recommend that you wear a primer. If your lids are dry like mine, you can skip the primer if you wish. These shadows shouldn't crease at all on dry lids.



Nice, aren't they? You can't beat the price. All of the names are corny, but who cares? I bought mine at Neiman Marcus, but ordered two more (that had sold out at NM) from Clinique.com.



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

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Clinique Black Honey Gradient Powder Blush for Fall 2011

Black Honey Gradient Blush ($29.50) is the surprise, grabber piece in Clinique's Black Honey Collection for Fall 2011. You can use this versatile powder blush to create any look you want, from a subtle glow to a cheek-sculpting intensity. You can brush on all shades in one swirl of your brush (as I did for the photos below), use the lighter half alone as a highlighter, or swipe the darker half for use as a bronzer or contouring color. For $29.50, you get three products in one.

As a Black Honey addict (I explained that long-time love last Saturday), I was excited to see this blush in person. I was stunned by its fabulous color. It was much more exciting than what I had expected from Clinique's promotional photos. I think Black Honey Gradient Blush was created by a genius who understands - feels - the allure of Black Honey Almost Lipstick and transformed the color into a blush.

I struggled to get a photo depicting the "true" shade of this blush. I think the one at left is a good portrait. It's definitely more accurate than Clinique's photo above, which makes the powder blush look too pink. The shade is as difficult to put into words as it is to photograph. I anticipate that Black Honey Gradient Powder Blush will adjust to the skin tone and look of its wearers, just as its namesake lipstick does.

My swatch photos, taken in full sun, show how the shade appears on my skin. The swatch at the top of my arm was applied heavily with a sponge-tipped applicator. The larger swatch below was also applied heavily, but with a dense blush brush. In no case would you wear Black Honey blush with such a heavy application, but you can see the gorgeous mauve-brown hue. There is a very minimal amount of shimmer, just enough to enliven the shade without making it look sparkly on the skin.

I'm smitten! Black Honey Gradient Powder is unique. I don't think I have another blush shade that's even close to earning a duplicate comparison. I have every shade of pink, mauve, and brown imaginable, but no Black Honey clones. I'll be reaching for this blush often, starting now, because it's so natural on my skin. It's absolutely fabulous - the reason you may see me at the Clinique counter buying a second one. It's a limited edition, and I'm not taking a chance that I'll reach the sad day when it's gone for good.

You can find the Black Honey Collection at your favorite Clinique counter. I bought mine at Neiman Marcus.

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

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Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick and Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 Duo for Fall 2011

Clinique's Black Honey Collection for Fall 2011 has arrived at a counter near you. I couldn't have been more excited to see it when I visited Neiman Marcus yesterday. I've been a Black Honey fan for more years than I can count and was thrilled to share a sneak peek of the fall collection with you last month. Yesterday, I was able to purchase a few pieces.

The dual-ended Black Honey ($21), with the Almost Lipstick at one end and a Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 at the other, is a Black Honey addict's dream! One side brings you the original, emollient-rich Almost Lipstick. The other features a coordinating Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 for extra shine.The shade has earned a cult following, and this two-for will speak to the legions of women, like me, who have worn the shade since 1971! The duo is a limited edition, so I'd suggest you buy yours now. I am contemplating a purchase of two more - that's how much I love Black Honey! One for my bathroom, one for my purse, and another just because. I suspect there are other Black Honey hoarders out there, so don't let us buy all the stock before you get to a Clinique counter.

I did purchase Black Honey lip gloss when it was offered a few years ago. If I remember correctly, it was a Sephora exclusive. I kid you not, I bought eight of them. The gloss tubes were much less convenient than this wand, though, so I'm in Black Honey paradise.

Just in case you are very young, have never experienced the joy of Black Honey, or have been living in a makeup-deprived world, I took a few swatch photos outdoors in full sun. The gloss is shown at the top of my arm, and the Almost Lipstick is below the little scratch on my arm (the result of removing wild raspberries from my garden, thorns and all). Both gleam, but they are not as shimmery as they appear in my photos.

The gloss and lipstick are different shades in the Black Honey "family." To my eye, the sheer gloss has more plum in it. The Black Honey lipstick is a universally flattering shade - and really nothing like it's deep, dark appearance in the tube. It's a super-sheer natural berry with a hint of brown and enough color to perk up my face without giving me a "lipstick look." It's also extremely hydrating.

I could gush. Instead, I'll suggest you Black Honey lovers get to a counter to buy yours. If there's really someone out there who has never experienced the joys of Clinique's iconic lip color, go see it! Chances are you'll love it.

The promo photo I showed you in June made the new eye shadow quad look too pink. I was seriously tempted to buy it when I saw it yesterday (and may still). The shades are fabulous neutrals. I did purchase the Gradient Powder Blush - also a more exciting shade than the press release made it appear. I'll show you a swatch soon.

For those who want to restock their Black Honey Almost Lipstick, it's also readily available in the fall collection, as is a Blush-on Cream Liner. Time to revisit Clinique! The Black Honey Collection is available at all Clinique counters and some store Web sites (see Nordstrom).

Photos courtesy of Nordstrom and by Best Things in Beauty

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Sneak Peek: Clinique Black Honey Collection for Fall 2011

There I was, surfing Nordstrom Beauty online, when Clinique's Black Honey Collection for Fall 2011 caught my eye. I've been wearing Black Honey on my lips since Hector was a pup, so naturally, I'm intrigued.

Cult-favorite Black Honey Almost Lipstick now works its charm on eyes and cheeks, courtesy of a limited-edition eye shadow quad and blush. And the lipstick that started it all, Black Honey, gets even more seductive in an exclusive Lipgloss/Lipstick Duo.

I'll be purchasing that duo at $21, probably in multiples! Black Honey Almost Lipstick ($14.50) may be easier to find since it's being re-promoted; it's often sold out at counters. Head over to Nordstrom to see the photos - and purchase now if you can't wait another second!

The eye shadows may not be my shades, but they will look phenomenal on gals with darker skin. I need to call my favorite Clinique representative, Alexandra Tuluceanu at Neiman Marcus at Tysons Galleria, to find out when she's getting the collection.

Photo courtesy of Nordstrom

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Lord & Taylor Friends & Family and Tysons Corner Events

Liza Wade, a beauty veteran, is now managing the beauty department at Lord & Taylor at Tysons Corner Center. Lord & Taylor has always had a great beauty department, but Liza has given it a little extra pizazz!

This week, Liza hosted a preview party for bloggers the night before Friends & Family began. The spotlight was on the Allure Readers' Choice Awards. We had an opportunity to browse and talk with representatives from many of the brands offered at the store. Now you have an opportunity to stop by your closest Lord & Taylor to take advantage of the Friends & Family events and, of course, discounts. You can even shop online using the code FRIENDS to save money! The Friends & Family event runs through Monday, June 13.

Where did I spend my time while I was roaming the beauty department? I started at Shiseido, one of my favorite brands, spent a lot of time with the charming Dior rep, poured over all the Lancôme summer colors, and checked out Clinique and Chanel. I can cover a lot of ground in my favorite department.

While I was in the store, I tried on a pair of fabulous Michael Kors shoes (they didn't have my size) and navy blue slacks (they didn't have my size). I was a lot more successful in the beauty department. I think I told you I came home with yet another Dior Addict Lipstick.

There are some fabulous gifts with purchase available during Friends & Family. One of my favorites is from Clinique. A darling, colorful water-resistant bag, perfect for the pool or beach, is filled with generous samples and bonus samples. For the bonus samples, you can choose a Colour Surge Eye Shadow Duo in Violets or Nudes and a Long Last Lipstick in Bamboo Pink or All Heart. The GWP is free with any Clinique purchase of $25 or more.

When there is a GWP, it's the perfect time to stock on on your Clinique essentials. Based on Allure's awards, we know many consider 7 Day Scrub Cream ($18.50) an essential part of their beauty routine. The gentle exfoliator nudges away roughness and flakiness to refine the skin, lessening the appearance of fine lines and clearing the way for moisturizer to absorb. The rinse-off formula is convenient. I keep one in my shower.

Did you know that Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector ($49.50), a serum that targets hyperpigmentation, is Clinique's #1 seller? It was launched early last year and had a meteoric rise to the top. Lynne Greene, Global Brand President of Clinique, saw an opportunity to fill a "white space" in skin care. She consulted with dermatologists, who told her they didn't have a great product for hyperpigmentation without sensitivity. Lynne saw the need - 26% of American women are interested in pigmentation issues - and tasked her team to create Even Better Dark Spot Corrector, now a worldwide hit. Under Lynne's leadership, Clinique has jumped from a being tried-and-true company to an innovative one with a host of skin-care solutions. I mentioned in April how much I love CX Neck and Chest De-Aging Cream ($110).

Interested in the gorgeous new Lancôme Bronze Sensations Collection for Summer 2011? You can try out all the shades at Lord & Taylor.

This weekend, Lord & Taylor at Tysons Corner Center has a host of events tied to Allure's award winners and favorites. Here are a few of the events on Saturday, June 11, that should interest DC-area gals. I think it would be worth your time to stop by!

• Clinique diagnostic facials
• Chanel summer color sessions
• Dior makeup sessions
• Shiseido facials (who doesn't like a free facial?)
  

There's another event on July 22 I have to mention. Clarisonic is having a trunk show, featuring Evan Harlow. Evan is the Clarisonic expert of our area, and he's a delight - as much fun as it gets. Why not stop by to let Evan show you how Clarisonic can change your life? I'm loving my Opal!

Everyone living in the DC area knows that Tysons Corner Center is a shopping destination. Don't forget to make Lord & Taylor your beauty destination. While you're there, ask for Liza and introduce yourself. I'm sure she would love to meet Best Things in Beauty readers. You can bet I'll be stopping by this weekend to take advantage of the 10% discount in beauty. It's like free money!

Photos by Lord & Taylor, Clinique, and Best Things in Beauty

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Clinique Almost Bronzer SPF 15 with Mini Makeup Bag

I've been in a bronzer kind of mood lately, and I'll bet some of you are too as the weather warms. I like Clinique - the company usually offers great quality at a great price - so when I heard that the line had a new, limited-edition bronzer, I asked Kathy Shoreman and Alexandra Tuluceanu at Neiman Marcus to make sure I got one.

Clinique Almost Bronzer SPF 15 with Mini Makeup Bag ($29) trades in Clinique's popular "almost" name. The sheer bronzing duo protects with broad-spectrum SPF 15, while giving you full control over your bronze look, from sun-kissed to suntanned for a natural look. It's oil-free, which matters to many. Not only that, it comes with a little brush inside the compact for on-the-go use, and you can carry yours in the cheery makeup bag with your lip gloss or whatever you want to have at hand. It's a cute set.

The important part, the bronzer duo, comes in one shade: light/medium. This is a bronzer for women with fair or light-medium skin - or young women who are looking for a light touch with their makeup (don't get me going on some of those teenagers I see at the mall). Almost Bronzer won't do much for anyone with darker skin. I don't know why Clinique didn't introduce a darker shade or two to give women a choice. Their Web site has only light/medium, and even though Alex was expecting a darker shade to arrive at Neiman Marcus, it hasn't yet.

Here's a photo of my duo, taken in full sun. The sparkles you see in it are there, but it's barely shimmering - it offers more of a radiant glow. There's even a reflection of me in this photo, which I didn't see when I took it. See the shadow across the lighter shade?

I took a few swatch photos for you. I applied Almost Bronzer ridiculously heavily with a sponge-tipped eye shadow applicator to get enough pigment on my arm for the photos, taken in full sun. Naturally, we makeup addicts would use a fluffy brush or bronzing brush to dust the bronzer on the high points of our faces or where we want a contour. I swiped straight across both duo shades to give you the blended shade - or what you'll get unless you carefully select a small brush and swipe up and down, rather than across.

Hopefully you can see that the color is good for fair ones, and it's not sparkly (and I know some of you don't want shimmer in your bronzer). Applied naturally, it adds a light golden touch to my face - one that makes me look healthy, as opposed to bronze. The SPF is an extra-added benefit. The sunscreen ingredient is titanium dioxide (9.8%). There are also hydrators in the ingredients, such as glycerin and sodium hyaluronate.

The bronze case is pretty too! The bag? Not me, but someone will enjoy it. Don't you love having extras to give your friends? I save these bags up and put them out at work with a "please take" sign. They get claimed quickly.

You can find Almost Bronzer at Clinique's Web site, Neiman Marcus, and other Clinique counters. I got an e-mail from Clinique this morning offering a gift with purchase at their site. Use the code SUMMER at checkout for free shipping and minis of City Sun Block and Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in Grapefruit.

Photo at top courtesy of Clinque

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Clinique CX Neck & Chest De-Aging Cream

Clinique has a winner with its CX Neck & Chest De-Aging Cream ($110). I was recently turned on to the value of neck creams. I had always used whatever moisturizer I was using on my face on my neck too. One neck product I really liked turned me to the idea of using a product targeted to the neck and chest. So, I jumped at the chance to try Clinique's CX Neck & Chest De-Aging Cream when Alexandra Tuluceanu at Neiman Marcus at Tysons Galleria offered me some very generous samples (enough to last for months).

While I'm mentioning Alexandra Tuluceanu, I want you to know that she is a dynamite representative for Clinique. Knowledgeable, but not at all pushy, she can size up your skin-care needs in a heartbeat and recommend some great options for you. Because Clinique's price points are so good, it's pretty hard to resist - even the more expensive CX line. She is so professional.

Clinique says that within four weeks, you will notice measurable results from using this cream. I disagree. The change is much faster! The product works by rebuilding the natural collagen cushion, and it makes sense that a change in collagen would take that long. There's something about this cream that produces visible results in a week - and that's for someone who always uses a moisturizer and treatment product on her neck.

This densely hydrating and luxurious cream delivers a potent de-aging stimulus to the skin.

• Visibly firms and tightens
• Horizontal lines on the neck and vertical lines on the chest are less visible
• Skin looks smoother and brighter

The cream was designed for all skin types, and my skin slurped it up. It absorbs quickly, leaving behind no residue to stain or harm one's clothing during the day, yet leaves the skin feeling moisturized and soft. Neck creams are supposed to be light so that they don't exert a downward pull on the delicate skin on the neck. This one is. It even has a very pleasant cooling effect. That's lovely for anyone suffering from hot flashes!

What's in it? A who's who of skin-care ingredients, including many natural ingredients make this cream a stunner. It has jojoba seed oil, beeswax, glycerin, green tea leaf extract, St. Paul's work extract, birch extract, wheat germ extract, and many more botanical and scientifically proven ingredients (such as hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C). The list is long. It doesn't include retinol (yea!). As with all Clinique products, it was allergy-tested and is fragrance-free.

Clinique advises to apply CX Neck & Chest De-Aging Cream day and night, smoothing over neck and chest in an upward motion. I use circular movements, but I seldom follow those upward movement recommendations. If it glides onto my skin, as this cream does, I use a light hand, and I doubt my application is pulling on the skin of my neck. The company reminds us to make daily sunscreen a habit to help stall visible aging and UV-induced damage to aging skin.

Once you notice lines on your neck, you'll be motivated to use a hydrating and treatment product on your neck. If you start to see lines forming on the upper chest area, you'll be doubly motivated. The lines aren't necessarily there all the time, but frightening when you see them. Why not start to use a product to prevent them? That product must improve elasticity while it builds collagen in the cells of the skin. Use this cream and the horizontal lines on the neck and vertical lines on the chest appear to "fill in." Your skin will look smoother, brighter, and more even-toned. Maybe it will take a month. Maybe you'll see a difference more quickly, as I did (a friend too). I want to hug Alexandra. I will next time I see her.

You can purchase Clinique CX Neck & Chest De-Aging Cream at Clinique counters, including Neiman Marcus, everywhere.

Photo courtesy of Neiman Marcus

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New Clinique Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15

Brand new from Clinique, Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 ($24.50) is definitely worth a look. Unlike many tinted moisturizers that come in only three shades, light, medium, and dark, and match no one, Clinique's comes in six shades. It's likely you can find one that works for you. I did (with an assist from Kathy Shoreman [aka Miss Brahms]).

Clinique says Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturizer will apply an instant moisture boost with SPF protection for your skin and a hint of skin-perfecting color. The refreshingly lightweight formula provides a no-makeup look and feel, yet covers imperfections with a natural, hydrating touch. It's oil-free, and you know the rest, including dermatologist tested.

Here are the six shades, and you can see they cover a wide range of skin tones. I'm happy to see that women with darker skin have options. Often, they don't need a mask of foundation. A light tint for even skin, and they are ready to go. I selected Shade 1, and it blends into my skin perfectly.You should have trouble seeing the tinted moisturizer in the swatch photo at right. I applied an unblended swatch of Shade 1 at the top. You can see that it's a yellow-toned ivory. Underneath, I applied even less product and blended with my finger. Normally, I would use a sponge or brush to blend. The Clinique tinted moisturizer "disappeared" right into my skin. It was "almost me." If you look closely at my photo, you can see how it masks the veins in my arm toward the bottom of my photo. It's sheer, but it will mask redness and small imperfections in your face.

Clinique's Moisture Surge is a nice moisturizer. Clinique has made it "even better" by giving it a tint with an SPF. Now, we have a fabulous option for days this summer when we don't want to wear a full face of makeup. I am looking forward to both summer and wearing it.

You can count on Clinique for makeup that doesn't have a fragrance (thank you!), and the price is always great. Clinique is widely available, which means all of you can find it. I got mine at Neiman Marcus. You can see Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 at Clinique's Web site. I recommend you check it out. Sometimes the simple pleasures can be enormously gratifying.

Photos at top courtesy of Clinique

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