Fresh Sugar Passion Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15

Fresh Sugar Passion Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 ($22.50) will look fabulous on all complexions, thanks to a well-balanced, warm-cool (neutral) pigment that compliments the natural shade of a woman's lip, no matter her skin tone. Sugar, a natural humectant, ensures long-lasting moisture, while hydrating meadowfoam and black currant seed oils condition the lips. The formula is also enriched with antioxidant-rich vitamins to defend against wrinkle-causing free radicals and provides year-round protection from damaging UV rays. This versatile treatment allows for buildable coverage to customize a sheer or rich hue and is the perfect partner to the best-selling clear Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15. The UVA and UVB protection is offered with avobenzone and octinoxate.



Red is the color of passion. No other lip color gives off such a powerful, feminine energy. Inspired by imagery from my favorite book growing up in the Ukraine, "Scarlet Sails" by Russian writer Alexander Grin, I pictured a silk scarlet fabric, light as a parachute, barely there but rich with color. - Alina Roytberg, Fresh Co-Founder



I'm sure you know that Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment comes in other shades - all of which I own and love. The most recent before Sugar Passion was Sugar Honey, a flattering nude. Sugar Plum and Sugar Rosé are both fabulous. I knew Sugar Passion was coming, and I ordered it the second I knew it was available at Sephora (thanks to Product Girl). It arrived, and I am thrilled.



All of Fresh's Tinted Lip Treatments give a natural, sheer tint to the lips. While I can't wear red lipstick unless it's super-sheer, I can wear Sugar Passion easily. I know I'll need to purchase another one because I like to keep these Fresh goodies at all my personal docking stations. There's a clear one next to me at my computer.



I've attached a few swatch photos for you to see the actual shade, which is more rose than red on my arm. Of course, add the color of your lips, and the shade will be darker.



My photos were taken on a tropical morning, with the sun disappearing frequently behind the hurricane-driven clouds that will get denser as the day progresses. We are expecting thunderstorms as Irene moves toward the East Coast. That gave me multiple light intensities for photographing the swatches - all in a five-minute period.



The swatch at the top was taken with a Japanese maple backdrop with a bright overcast. The swatch at right was taken in front of a cleome when the sun was shining fairly brightly.



I think the color is gorgeous. What do you think? Will you be shopping for Sugar Passion? It's available now at Sephora, where I purchased my first one, and should arrive at your Neiman Marcus counter soon.



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

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M·A·C Possessed by Pink Lip Kit Giveaway Contest

Congratulations to Ladytink, winner of Possessed by Pink!

I just love the Estée Lauder Company Store in Leesburg, Virginia. I find such nice things there, and sometimes, I buy an extra for a giveaway contest. That's how I came to have an extra Possessed by Pink Lip Kit. It was a limited edition when introduced.

The kit contains three lip colors and a lip brush and has a mirror.

• Sweet Smile is a sheer, shimmering rosy-pink gloss.
• Laugh A Lot is a sheer, medium rose-pink with a glossy sheen.
• Tickled is a dark, plum-brown with a glossy sheen.

Anyone who likes M·A·C and looks pretty in pink should be delighted with this kit, which is now virtually impossible to find - except on eBay, where you can pay more than its original price. I like the kit and find the colors to be lovely, particularly this time of year.

How can you enter to win? Here's the "fine print."

There are a few simple steps. First, leave a comment on this feature. After you comment here, feel free to send me an e-mail at bestthingsinbeautycontests@gmail.com and identify your comment. You can never be too careful about sharing an e-mail address you care about 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). That's all you have to do to be entered.

You can earn extra entries. Follow this blog (through an e-mail subscription or though one of the many Google readers - see sidebar at right) or my Twitter account, @BTiBeauty. That will earn a second entry.

You can earn a third entry by tweeting this contest. Just make sure to include "@BTiBeauty" (without the quotes) in your tweet. I will tweet the contest this evening, and you can simply retweet it to earn that second entry. Only one tweet will be counted as an entry. I appreciate multiple tweets, but it's not necessary.

The deadline for entries will be Saturday, July 16, at midnight. The next day, I will use a random number generator (random.org) to select the winner. I will e-mail the winner on Sunday. 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 anyone anywhere. Here are the terms. I will carefully pack and ship the prize (as I always do). I cannot insure the prize for overseas shipment - it's amazingly expensive to do so because of the way I have to send insured mail. If it's lost or stolen in transit, I won't be able to replace it with another. I'll do my best on this end; let's see if your mail services do right by you on the other end if we have an overseas winner.

Good luck!

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Le Métier de Beauté Écumes D’or Kaleidoscope Lip Kit - Part 2

Imagine a Mediterranean sunset, with shades of sunlit peach, lavender, rosy coral, and gold - just as Dustin Lujan envisioned when he created the Le Métier de Beauté Écumes D’or Kaleidoscope Lip Kit. My limited French tells me a loose translation is Golden Froth or Golden Sea Foam. Light, diaphanous colors, fleeting colors that change by the minute as the sun sets over the Mediterranean Sea, have been translated into a lip palette that offers us the opportunity to create our own nuanced masterpieces, using Le Métier de Beauté's Couches de Colour application technique. Layer the four shades of Écumes D’or to "interpret the moment" any way you see it.

Yesterday, I showed you my first photos of the Écumes D’or Kaleidoscope Lip Kit. I wasn't happy with them because the sun was intense when I took them. This morning, I took my camera to work with me and was able to get better photos of the colors. I wanted you to see more saturated views of the shades so that you could fully understand why I'm so excited about this lip kit. I also wanted to have an opportunity to layer the four shades, starting with Calm Phoenix at the bottom, and moving upward to create a beautifully complex nude lip.

My photos were taken in my office. I applied the four shades with a lip brush this morning, "painting" heavily until I had enough color on my arm to accurately reflect these stunning shades. They are presented here as they are presented in the Kaleidoscope, top to bottom.

• Soft Dew – a nude highlight
• Morning Light – a golden layer of warmth
• Deep Sea – a feminine lavender for contrast
  
• Calm Phoenix – a rich, berry base

The photos of a "single shade" (at left and below) resulted from layering, starting with Calm Phoenix and finishing with a Soft Dew highlight. Look at all four shades and imagine all the sheer, glowing combinations you can create with this paint kit. Then look at the result of layering all four. Isn't it amazing? An artist like Dustin could "see" the result of layering before the fact. I'm more of a left-brain type. I need to try it.

The second set of photos here benefited (or suffered) from direct morning sun. Even with the sun's reflection, they are not diminished, but rather enlivened by the glimmering sunshine. That's how your lips will gleam when you wear these shades.

I applied various combinations to my lips today while I was working, checking frequently in a mirror to see how long they lasted and how they looked. They don't scream, and they aren't metallic. Much better, they have a subtle shimmer - a beautiful glow, really - that's extremely flattering.

The color lasts a long time, much longer than many glosses and rivaling long-lasting lipsticks on me. Eating and napkin use will take a toll, but that's why I never mind reapplying my favorite lip colors after meals or touching up during the day. I'm impressed by how long these shades last on my lips. Hours after application, they look as great as they did when applied.

I described the shades yesterday. I won't repeat those descriptions; just scroll down to see them. Order your Le Métier de Beauté Écumes D’or Kaleidoscope Lip Kit now! It's a Bergdorf Goodman exclusive, and it's very limited. I am sure that those who procrastinate are going to be disappointed. Écumes D’or is going to sell out, and when they are gone, they will be gone. Just call (212) 872-8612, and one could be winging its way to bring a Mediterranean sunset to your house.

Lip Kit photo by Le Métier de Beauté; swatch photos by Best Things in Beauty

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Le Métier de Beauté Écumes D’or Kaleidoscope Lip Kit

Run, don't walk (and please don't trip and fall) to Bergdorf Goodman to get your hands (and lips) on the new Le Métier de Beauté Écumes D’or Kaleidoscope Lip Kit ($95)! It is drop-dead gorgeous, and every Le Métier de Beauté fan is going to want one. Since the availability is very limited and it's exclusive to Bergdorf Goodman, give the counter a call if you are not near New York. Their phone is (212) 872-8612.

Dusk on the Mediterranean, the sun’s lucent rays falling into the sea below. As the ocean collides with the picturesque beach, the rich colors of the sun and sea spray the horizon with lush tones of coral, gold, lavender, and opal. Introducing Écumes D’or, a new, limited-edition, summer Kaleidoscope Lip Kit from Le Métier de Beauté - the essence of this fleeting moment.

Le Métier de Beauté’s Écumes D’or captures the lush colors of the Mediterranean horizon, creating the perfect warm, nude lip. Using Le Métier de Beauté’s exclusive Couches de Colour application technique, layer the four shades to create a look that's all your own. Or use them individually, paired any way that pleases you, or layer three of them instead of four. Whichever way you choose to apply the shades, you are going to have happy and stunning lips.

The four shades, presented top to bottom in the Kaleidoscope, are:

• Soft Dew – a nude highlight,
• Morning Light – a golden layer of warmth,
• Deep Sea – a feminine lavender for contrast, and
• Calm Phoenix – a rich, berry base.

These are elegant, glowing, subtly shimmering shades. I have never seen a better kit for creating a nude lip - one that has just enough color to enliven your face, but not so much that you will lead with your lips. The shades are as perfect as it gets.

Le Métier de Beauté's photo is at the top of this feature. The other photos are mine. The one above right shows the top two shades in the Kaleidoscope, while the one at left shows the bottom two, with a bonus of another photo of Soft Dew. When I saw Deep Sea and Calm Phoenix, swiveling out of the compact, I wanted to do cartwheels (my body asked me to reconsider). When I applied them on my lips, I recognized a new love. Thank you, Le Métier de Beauté! You made my week!

Here are some swatch photos for you. They were taken in full sun, so remember, please, that my pale arm reflects sun extremely well. I took photos at different angles to try to get you decent swatch photos of these sheer, beautiful shades. They are swatched in the same order, top to bottom, in which they are presented in the Kaleidoscope.

At the top is Soft Dew, a light, almost clear, nude-pink (on my skin). Can you see its fluid look on my skin? It's the Mediterranean translated from water to lip color! The next one down is Morning Light, a gorgeous gold - one that you will use with the Kaleidoscope shades and over so many lipsticks you already own. Next is the lavender-plum Deep Sea, a shade that makes my heart skip a beat, just like Uma Paro does. These light plum shades look really good with my coloring - and on most gals. They are extremely popular. At the bottom, Calm Phoenix, is the most colorful of the sheer colors - a warm berry shade that's unique. In the compact, it displays a hint of coral. On my lips, it's more of a sheer strawberry shade.

I've been playing since UPS arrived, applying one shade, then another, then another, using the Couches de Colour technique Dustin Lujan taught me. To meet Dustin is to love him. I often think I'm his biggest groupie until I find out that hundreds (thousands?) of other women are sure they carry the only backstage pass to see him when he visits their Le Métier de Beauté counter. He makes all of us feel special, and his new creation, this exquisite Kaleidoscope, will make you feel special even if you've never met him.

The lip colors are light, luminous, translucent, and flattering. I can't imagine a prettier combination - one reason why Le Métier de Beauté is one of the most desirable and beloved beauty lines among women who "know." I rushed this feature into print so that you, my readers, will be among the first to order this Kaleidoscope.

I am sure that those who procrastinate are going to be disappointed. Écumes D’or is going to sell out, and when they are gone, they will be gone. I usually call sell-outs correctly. Order your Le Métier de Beauté Écumes D’or Kaleidoscope Lip Kit now! I will get "more intense" swatches as soon as I can, but don't wait.

Le Métier de Beauté's Écumes D’or Kaleidoscope Lip Kit is available only at Bergdorf Goodman.

Update 6/15: I got some more intense photos in my office this morning, so watch for Part 2 of Dustin's dreamy Kaleidoscope later today!

Photo at top courtesy of Le Métier de Beauté; other photos by Best Things in Beauty; Kaleidoscope sent by Le Métier de Beauté (I ordered one too)

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Two Sheer Lip Colors from BITE: SPF 15 Sheer Balm and Lip Shine

BITE Beauty is an alluring collection of lip products, available at Sephora. All of BITE's products feature the super-antioxidant, resveratrol, to protect your lips. Ranging from the lightest to the darkest shades, the long-lasting shades were designed by leading makeup artists. In addition to featuring resveratrol, BITE's formulas have all-star, natural ingredient lists that include organic shea butter, superfoods, and food-grade coloring, making them "good enough to eat."

I've been exploring my way through BITE's products, and I'm very happy with everything I tried. Today, I'm featuring two different products: SPF 15 Sheer Balm and BITE Lip Shine. I'm a sheer lip color worshiper, and I know that I don't sit alone in that pew.

SPF 15 Sheer Balm ($19) caught my eye immediately. The slim tube, transparent color, and SPF protection reminded me of one of my "old favorites," YSL's Gloss Volupté Sheer Sensual Gloss Stick. This soothing Sheer Balm formula features delicious organic mint and blood orange essential oils to refresh and cool the lips. With every application, a micro-delivery of super-antioxidant resveratrol provides age-repairing benefits. Each balm contains the amount of resveratrol found in five glasses of red wine. More has to be better, right?

There are eight shades available, ranging from Sparkling (pale peach nude) to Burgundy (berry rose). They had me at the berry description, so I ordered Burgundy. With transparent lip colors, I like to go darker so that I can see some color on my lips - it lights up my face.

BITE Lip Shine ($20) is a gloss, a translucent lip tint available in 10 illuminating colors. There's something for everyone, from the sheer nude Prosecco to Raspberry, a blue red. As with the balm, I was looking for a little color, so I selected Plum, described as sheer aubergine.

This high-tech gloss is infused with time-release jojoba beads and an antioxidant resveratrol complex that imparts soothing hydration and intense shine. Like the SPF 15 Sheer Balm, each Lip Shine contains a high concentration of resveratrol, but no nasty stuff, like synthetics, polybutene, and petroleum byproducts.

I took a few photos for you - all in full, afternoon sun, but all with my arm turned at slightly different angles to the sun. My photos were taken in front of a Kousa dogwood. Mine is in full, glorious bloom.

I applied SPF 15 Sheer Lip Balm in Burgundy at the top and Sheer Lip Shine in Plum at the bottom of my arm. I think both shades are gorgeous. They are different products, but have very similar levels of pigmentation - or sheerness. It's like describing a glass as half-full or half-empty. Since I selected pigmented shades in sheer lip colors, they have color - on my arm and on my lips. I love that.

On my lips, Burgundy isn't burgundy. Instead, it's the beautiful berry color you see on my arm. Plum Lip Shine is plum-rose or rosy grape, beautiful to my eyes.

The Balm has no discernible taste. The Lip Shine does. It's not one of those bubble-gum tastes, though - nor does it taste like red wine, which would be "interesting." The ingredient list of both says "natural flavor," but I have no idea what it is - and I can't taste it at all in the Balm. Figure that out!

There is retinyl palmitate (far down on the ingredient list) in the Lip Shine; it's not present in the Balm. For that reason, I would buy a second Balm before I buy a second Lip Shine. My regular readers know that's a personal preference. Unless you are also sensitive to retinyl palmitate, you shouldn't care; you might even like having the vitamin A derivative for its anti-aging benefits.

Enticed to try one? I think they deserve a look-see. There are many other BITE lip products to tempt you. I also purchased the Vitamin Gel Trio, which I'll tell you about very soon. All of BITE's beauties are exclusive to Sephora.

P.S. I've started spelling out my blog name in the photo credits because of content theft. BTiB was too vague to indicate to those reading my stolen features on other sites that it's my arm!

Product photos courtesy of Sephora; swatches by Best Things in Beauty

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Alima Pure Organic Nourishing Lipbalm

Just in time for summer, a luscious treat for luscious lips! Alima Pure's organic Nourishing Lipbalms ($7) hit the spot. Housed in cute little slim tubes, these are take-everywhere lip treats.

These lovely new lip balms are lip color and treatment in one. Filled with soothing antioxidants, rich pigments, and organic plant oils and butters, Alima Pure's glossy balms are delightful. The company sent me three of them, and I'm coveting more. At $7 each, I won't feel any pain ordering one of each. Each of the three shades I've tried adds what looks like natural color to my lips - like I was born with it. I'm wearing Fig as I write. It's divine. There is a clear one, just in case you want your organic lip balm to be colorless. I can't imagine that, given the pretty colors, but the option is available.

Alima Pure's Nourishing Lipbalm was in development for two years while the company worked to create the perfect combination of incredible organic ingredients from certified producers and premium natural mineral pigments. They wanted the balm feel amazing, smell great, and deliver rich color. They succeeded! Organic white tea and pomegranate antioxidants nourish and protect the lips for hours, and the shades are universally flattering.

Here are swatch photos of Fig, Holly Berry, and Rhubarb, top to bottom. My photos were taken in full afternoon sun. The sun added a lot of shimmer to the shades. They are not particularly shiny or sparkly - just gorgeously glossy. I think the middle shade, Holly Berry, in the photo at left below shows the finish the best. Even with the reflections from the sun, the color renderings in the photos are spot-on. I love all three and wouldn't be able to choose just one. Now I want all the rest of the shades - really! I am a lip balm addict, and why wouldn't a lip balm addict want believable color to go with a moisturizing treat?

While they have a very subtle mint fragrance, it disappears in a heartbeat. I'm fine with the scent. The sticks are soft, and I have messed them up a bit with use. I wouldn't recommend leaving them in a hot car. I'm not sure what they would do, and I am not going to test one of my little treasures by doing that.

Alima Pure is on my "favorite green beauty companies list." If you missed the dazzling Rainforest Collection of gem-toned eye shadows, you can see my swatches at this link.

Alima Pure has a great Web site, filled with information, and their blog is interesting (a great discussion of natural health and beauty). They also have a Facebook site and a Twitter account. Check them out - you won't be disappointed. This is green makeup a makeup snob can love!

Photo at top courtesy of Alima Pure

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Fresh Sugar Honey Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15

Fresh has done it again with the latest shade of its Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 ($22.50). Sugar Honey, a warm nude tint, is a color anyone can wear - and treat her lips while she wears it.

Sugar Honey Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 is formulated with an array of ingredients that nourish and protect the lips. Sugar, a natural humectant, ensures long-lasting moisture, while hydrating meadowfoam and black currant seed oils condition the lips. Its antioxidant-rich vitamins defend against wrinkle-causing free radicals and provides year-round protection from damaging UV rays. The versatile formula allows for buildable coverage to customize a sheer or rich hue.

I have every shade of Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment! The inspiration for the collection dates back to the childhoods of Fresh co-founders Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg. Each of their grandmothers used sugar, a natural antiseptic, to heal their scrapes. Wanting to pass this effective ritual onto the world, they bottled their shared tradition, pioneering the use of sugar in the beauty industry. Today, the beloved Sugar Collection offers a complete head-to-toe sensory experience and is an amazing source for supremely soft skin. The lip treatments make sure your lips feel and look great.

Here's a swatch photo of Sugar Honey, taken in full sun. The shade will look a bit more pink on your lips if they have pink pigmentation. I find it a perfect shade for a nude look on me. It's sheer, which I love, and the combination of my lips and Sugar Honey is flattering. The case is bronze, which helps me differentiate it from the clear ones in darker cases that are always at my side.

If you don't want nude, you'll find plum, rosé (strawberry), and clear shades of this wonderful balm-like lip treatment. You can purchase Fresh at Sephora, Neiman Marcus, the Fresh Web site, and other sources. It's easy to find. I bought my Sugar Honey at Sephora.

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora

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La Prairie Colour for Summer 2011: Cellular Lip Colour Effects by Raychel Wade

La Prairie's Cellular Lip Colour Effects ($40) is available in two gorgeous new shades designed by Raychel Wade for the summer color collection. The luminous, transparent glazed gloss in Berry Glace was irresistible to me. I wanted the other new shade, Cocoa, too. It's brown and beautiful (shown below). I had an issue, though; I looked at my credit card bill online - something I try to avoid.

This irresistible "semi-gloss transparent glaze with lip-plumping properties helps restore youthful fullness while producing a natural luminosity that lasts and lasts." I can't tell you it plumps my lips, and I'm very glad it's not one of those bee-stinging plumpers that makes you miserable. The plumping effects come from its many conditioning and moisturizing ingredients.

Fortified with vitamins and botanicals, Cellular Lip Colour Effects soothes, conditions, and hydrates the lips. It is luxuriously smooth and easy to apply, with its nice doe-foot applicator. I love the windows on the tubes. It's easy to see the color when you are reaching for just the right La Prairie lip gloss.

Designed to be used alone or applied over your lipstick for added gloss and depth of color, this lovely gloss is extremely nice. I can get enough color by wearing it alone.

The colors Raychel designed for her summer collection coordinate perfectly with the eye shadow palette. I'll make sure to get you the swatch photos of that tomorrow. For now, rest your eyes on Berry Glace.

My swatch photos were taken outdoors in full, afternoon sun. They show the shade pretty well, I think. I included both photos because one shows more shine (reflected from the sun) than the other. I applied Berry Glace very heavily for the photos.

The shade is a a bit hard to describe - berry with a hint of warmth, maybe? It has attributes of pink, mauve, and rose, and it glows, even without sunshine. It's a beautiful shade.

Looking at you, I'm closing my eyes, and it's a work of art, a thing of beauty... and I will finish that off with a double helping of ooh-yeah. - Steven Tyler

What would you expect from Raychel Wade, a color expert? Want to know more about Raychel? Check out my interview with her at this link.

You can purchase Cellular Lip Colour Effects at La Prairie counters or at La Prairie's Web site. I purchased mine at Neiman Marcus.

Photos at top courtesy of La Prairie

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YSL Volupté Sheer Candy Glossy Balm Crystal Color

YSL's Volupté Sheer Candy Glossy Balm Crystal Color ($30) has landed - at Sephora. I had expected it to arrive at Neiman Marcus in late June or July. Suddenly, it appeared as a temporary Sephora exclusive. I jumped for joy because it's the replacement for my beloved YSL Gloss Volupté Sheer Sensual Gloss Sticks, which I started hoarding the moment I learned they were being discontinued.

This glossy, tinted balm will dress your lips in a sheer veil of brilliant transparent color boosted with vitamin-laden and antioxidant-rich fruit extracts. Its ultra-light texture leaves my lips feeling soft and hydrated - just the way I like them.

There are six shades. Since I was online and didn't have an opportunity to play with them, I ordered all six. I'm glad I did. There isn't one I don't like. Here are the shades, as described by Sephora and YSL.

• 01 Lush Coconut, sheer nude beige with golden shimmer
• 02 Dewy Papaya, sheer fresh peach
• 03 Juicy Grapefruit, sheer fresh baby pink with golden shimmer
• 04 Succulent Pomegranate, sheer bright pink with red undertones
• 05 Mouthwatering Berry, sheer reddish blackberry
• 06 Luscious Cherry, sheer cherry red with golden shimmer

Here is a photo of all six tubes. The tubes are silver in color, as opposed to the golden tubes in which the Rouge Volupté lip colors are housed. That will help me find one of them in my makeup bag in a hurry, particularly since Rouge Volupté Perle in Stellar Pink is with me at all times. Each balm has a representation of its shade in the decorative color band on the tube - helpful for people like me who carry more than one along.

When you read "sheer" with each description, there's a reason. If you are looking for pigmented lipsticks, this is not your lip color. If you want a natural, hydrating color that you can swipe and go, you will adore Volupté Sheer Candy.

To get swatches for you, I applied four or five swipes of each shade on my arm and took my photo outdoors in bright sunlight. I swatched in numerical order from top (near my wrist) to bottom. The photo at left shows that, with one exception, they increase in pigmentation as you move from 01 to 06. The lightest one is 03, Juicy Grapefruit (third from top), which is a barely there pink.

I have had 01, Lush Coconut, at my desk at work for a few days. I love it! The nude color is perfect for a quick touch-up or dose of moisture for my lips, and I've needed almost continuous moisture on my lips since I burned them with something early in the week. Don't let the appearance of the shades in the tube mislead you. All of these, even the one that appears to be orange, are extremely wearable.

I added two photos to show you the shades from slightly different angles. Can you tell I love Sheer Candy? At right, with the sun making the shades reflect in an arc, the shades show off their glossiness. Below, with the sun at a different angle, you can still see how glossy the Sheer Candy shades will be on your lips. You certainly don't need to apply lip gloss over these beauties!

The Sheer Candy's do have a fruity fragrance, much like the Gloss Volupté Sheer Sensual Gloss Sticks (possibly the same). The mango fragrance of its predecessor didn't bother me at all, and this one doesn't either. However, if you didn't like the gloss sticks, try before you buy.

I love them! Right now, you can only purchase YSL's Volupté Sheer Candy Glossy Balm Crystal Color at Sephora. They are scheduled to arrive at YSL counters at the department stores in July.

Top photo courtesy of Sephora

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Chanel Rouge Double Intensité Ultra Wear Lip Colour in Rose Pearl

Chanel Rouge Double Intensité Ultra Wear Lip Colour ($34) in Rose Pearl (#11) totally changed my impression of Rouge Double Intensité. You may remember that I panned the lip color when Cristal Rose was introduced for Spring 2011. It was a non-color. You can see my January feature at this link.

Kathy Shoreman started wearing Rose Pearl - and raving about it - this year. She works in the beauty department at Neiman Marcus at Tysons Galleria. The double-ended product has a base-coat color that has a fluid texture that delivers long-lasting performance and a comfortable liquid-like application with a doe-foot applicator. It adheres perfectly to the lips - without transferring or feathering - and dries quickly. Once it does, it's there to stay. It will last for hours, like a stain. You can talk, eat, drink, whatever, and it stays put. On the other end of the wand is a top-coat gloss, a clear lip gloss that provides high shine if you want to use it.

You can use any gloss over the base coat, though, and Kathy showed me how she uses YSL's Touch Brilliance in Pink Topaz to top Rose Pearl. The results are stunning. She has received numerous compliments about her lip color and has sold both products based on her modeling. A shipment of Chanel's Rose Pearl Double Intensité arrived at her store the week before last. I got one, and a famous actress got one. Kathy got one too, I think. I believe the shade is already gone - again. It seems hard to find (but read on).

Here's a swatch photo of Rose Pearl Double Intensité. My photo was taken in full, outdoor sun. Isn't the color stunning? It's a warm rose - very flattering for many skin tones. Chanel's Web site shows it in the brown family. I don't understand why. I won't bother to show you the clear gloss. It's clear and shiny.

This shade is hard to find in the stores because it's so pretty. You can purchase it at Chanel.com. I found it at Amazon for $30, a $4 discount, but the seller wants $3.50 to ship it. You might as well check at your Chanel counter or Chanel's Web site to see if you can get one there.

Photo at top courtesy of Amazon

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Le Métier de Beauté Lip Crème

After spending time with Dustin Lujan last weekend and purchasing Fraise Crème Lip Crème, I decided I needed more Le Métier de Beauté Lip Crème ($36) colors. To recap, I had never bought a Lip Crème gloss before last weekend! I always selected the company's Sheer Brilliance Lip Glosses, so I was game for something new. That "something new" became an obsession.

Kathy Shoreman and Lisa Corsino at Neiman Marcus Tysons Galleria helped me select some colors over the phone. They know what I like. I purchased three more - all rather different - so that I would have a nice sampling of Lip Crème: Café Crème, Papaye Crème, and Framboise Crème.

Lip Crème is hybrid between a gloss and a lipstick. The formula offers a more intense color pay-off and creamier texture than regular lipsticks and more shine and gloss than most lip glosses. It leaves a lacquer-like sheen finish that's amazingly attractive. Lip Crème combines chic color, intense emollients, and antioxidants and vitamins to soothe and nourish the lips.

Here are two swatch photos, taken at the same time, but in different outdoor light. Each Lip Crème was applied heavily with its own doe-foot applicator. In both photos, they are shown in this order: Papaye Crème at top left, Café Crème at top right, Framboise Crème at bottom left, and Fraise Crème at bottom right.

The photo at right was taken in direct sun, and the one below left was taken in strong light. What I hope you can see in both photos is the luminosity and complexity of the shades. They sparkle. Kathy and Lisa talked me into Papaye Crème, which looked very peachy online. I wasn't sure I needed another peach lip color. While it is peachy, they were right; it was too pretty to pass up. I had selected Café Crème because it appeared online to be a rose-toned brown, one of my favorite shades. It is a little more brown than rose, but I still love it. Framboise Crème, the darkest of the four, is raspberry red, a color I feel I must use sparingly. I think it's so beautiful, I'll try to get used to having darker lips. You know I love Dustin's selection, Fraise Crème, a warm rose with a hint of coral that lights up my face.

Lip Crème is a nicely long-lasting lip color. I have been wearing it without lipstick underneath, and I've been delighted with it. I love what I call full-coverage lip glosses, so I'll be on the prowl for more shades. Please let me know if you have a favorite you think I would like.

You can purchase Le Métier de Beauté at Bergdorf Goodman (where you can usually find Dustin), Neiman Marcus, and some Nordstrom stores. It's also available online too.

Photo at top courtesy of Neiman Marcus

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Le Métier de Beauté Crème Fresh Tint for Lip and Cheek - New!

Steady my heart! When I saw the fantabulous Dustin Lujan from Le Métier de Beauté today at Nordstrom, he told me Nordstrom had just unwrapped new Crème Fresh Tints for Lips and Cheeks ($28). There are three colors, and they are all gorgeous. You guessed it - all three came home with me.

My photos were taken hastily the moment I got home. On the top row at left is the pink shade, Mystique. Ginger Lily is next to it (top right). Below is Coral Nymph. Blended out, all three shades work for me - and will work for you. Even if you think you can't wear Mystique when you look at it in the pot, you will see that it brightens the skin when blended. Coral Nymph blends into one of the prettiest corals I have ever seen on my skin. You can always count on Le Métier de Beauté for sheer perfection.

When Dustin did my makeup, he selected Ginger Lily for my cheeks. It adds a touch of neutral pink warmth to my face. I came home and just stared in the mirror. It looks so good I think I'm going to need one for my desk at work in addition to the one that will live in my bathroom.

Here is a swatch photo, taken in full sun. I applied each shade with my finger, and I did not blend the shades into my skin. They blend effortlessly, melting into the skin to flatter your complexion with long-lasting color.

I will show you each shade individually in the pot and blended in the next day or two. I'm just so deliriously happy with them, I wanted to "rush" this short feature into print. I haven't even had time to play with the Crème Fresh Tints on my lips because Dustin selected a new lipstick and lip gloss for me. I have a lot more to tell you about my visit with Dustin. I'll start tomorrow morning.

You can purchase Le Métier de Beauté at Bergdorf Goodman (where you can usually find Dustin), Neiman Marcus, and some Nordstrom stores (such as Pentagon City, where I was this afternoon). You will want to get your hands on at least one of these as soon as possible.

Update 3/14: Le Métier de Beauté said on Twitter that this is available only at select Nordstrom stores. So call ahead.

Photos by BTiB

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