Scenes from Neiman Marcus Beauty Week

Here are some scenes from Beauty Week at Neiman Marcus Tysons Galleria. The store lighting is absolutely dreadful for taking photos. These were the best I got.

Lisa Lingis and Erin Lockard from Le Métier de Beauté are shown above. The photo was taken on Thursday in a rare break. It's too bad the shadows in the store overcame my camera.

My friends are the Sisley counter are shown above. Had I taken this photo today, the counter would have been hoppping. Yesterday's driving rain kept some customers away.

The makeup artists at Chanel were hard at work showing customers the latest colors. Both makeup artist and customer consented to this photo, but they preferred to remain anonymous.

Today, Lancôme's national makeup artist Manuel Villegas was making women gorgeous. He's shown with Suzanne Callahan, who looked beautiful - before and after.

Then there was this blogger and the lovely Amina Murad from Laura Mercier, shown above. Amina gave me a fabulous makeover this morning. I'll tell you much more about it tomorrow. Look at the way Amina bent down to my height level. I have become such a shrimp!

I'm not sure whether the rains and flooding in my area have contributed to my frequent losses of my Internet connection, but I'm going to publish this quickly before I lose my connection again.

Update: Taking photos yesterday - even indoors - was hampered by the rain. There was absolutely no light coming into the store from the skylight, which always brightens the area. It was still raining today when I was there, but now the sun is shining outside, giving us all hope that the worst has moved on.

I would have taken a photo of our friend Kathy Shoreman if she had ever stood still. Next time!

Photos by Best Things in Beauty and a friend in the store

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Le Métier de Beauté Giveaway Contest for Neiman Marcus Beauty Week

How good does it get? Le Métier de Beauté is sponsoring a giveaway contest for Best Things in Beauty readers to celebrate Neiman Marcus' Beauty Week. Here's the scoop.



You know that Beauty Week starts Thursday, September 8 (Fashion's Night Out), and runs through September 18. Pre-sale is "on," meaning you can order from your wish list now. To give you a special incentive to check out Le Métier de Beauté's new skin care, eye and lip Kaleidoscopes, and basically everything at one of my all-time favorite beauty counters, Le Métier de Beauté will award one amazing new product to the lucky winner of this contest: a Revive Eye Concentrate ($175).



Revive Eye Concentrate with with Syntoc Actif + HydrationPlus Complexe is an innovative eye treatment that repairs and plumps the delicate skin around the eyes. Using the same exclusive Syntoc Actif delivery system, it offers these key ingredients.

• Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, which decreases capillary permeability to reduce edema (water retention)
  
  
• A dipeptide to improve lymphatic circulation to further reduce edema;
• Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide, a regenerating peptide to improve elasticity and strengthen the skin around the eyes; can slow or inhibit glycation and inflammatory damage
  
  

I've been using this new eye cream for two weeks, day and night, and I'm enormously impressed. It has quickly become one of those "I can't live without" skin-care products. I love the way it feels and smells, and I love the way the skin around my eyes has looked for the last two weeks. I'm looking bright and perky, even with a pinched nerve in my neck.



It gets better. Remember when I started a movement to bring back Artemis Liquid Eyeliner, one of the prettiest midnight navy liners I have ever used? The gift with purchase at Neiman Marcus for Beauty Week is none other than...an Artemis Liquid Eyeliner! If you don't recognize it, click on this link. Spend $125 at Neiman Marcus with Le Métier de Beauté, and you'll receive the Beauty Week tote, filled with samples, and an Artemis Liquid Eyeliner.



To enter the giveaway contest, you must make a Le Métier de Beauté purchase of any amount between now and September 18, and you need to comment here, letting us know what you purchased (please list at least one of your goodies, but we'd love to know all the details). Save your receipt because we will need to verify your purchase on September 19, and we may need information from the receipt.



Anyone whose purchases $100 or more in the beauty department (in-store or online) will receive the Neiman Marcus gift. Anyone who purchases $125 or more with Le Métier de Beauté at Neiman Marcus will receive the Artemis Liquid Eyeliner (get in line behind me). In addition, we'll have one lucky contest winner here who will receive a Revive Eye Concentrate (no minimum purchase to enter). I'm excited for you!



Here is the fine print about the contest. You must make a Le Métier de Beauté purchase for Beauty Week (or during and for pre-sale before September 8) at Neiman Marcus and leave a comment on this feature (as explained above). After you comment here, feel free to send me an e-mail at bestthingsinbeautycontests@gmail.com to 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).



If you have made that purchase, 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) to earn a second entry. You don't have to follow to enter. I want everyone to have a chance, but I also want to reward my followers.



You can earn a third entry by tweeting this contest. Just make sure to include "@BTiBeauty" and @MetierBeaute" (without the quotes) in your tweet and mention the giveaway. I will tweet the contest soon, and you can simply retweet it to earn that second entry. Only one tweet will be counted as an entry.



The deadline for entries will be Sunday, September 18, when Neiman Marcus closes. The next day, I will use a random number generator (random.org) to select the winner from those who commented (counting the extra entries too). I will e-mail the winner on Sunday. The winner will have 48 hours to reply to my message and provide receipt information and a shipping address in the United States. (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.) We will verify the winner's purchase with Neiman Marcus, and Le Métier de Beauté will send out the Revive Eye Concentrate.



Don't have a Neiman Marcus nearby? Our friends at the DC-area Le Métier de Beauté counters can help you. At Tysons Galleria, give Sales Associate Kathy Shoreman or Lisa Corsino (Le Métier de Beauté Specialist) a call. Kathy's cell phone is (571) 212-8399. You can reach Lisa by calling (703) 761-1600 and asking for the Le Métier de Beauté counter. At Mazza Galleria, give Michael Reinhardt (Le Métier de Beauté Specialist) a call at (202) 966-9700. Don't miss out on this contest just because you don't have a Neiman Marcus near you.



I'll remind you before the contest ends. Good luck!



Photos courtesy of Neiman Marcus or by Best Things in Beauty

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Neiman Marcus Fall 2011 Beauty Event

The photo says it all. The Neiman Marcus Fall 2011 Beauty Event starts next Thursday, September 8 (the date of Fashion's Night Out), and runs through September 18. During the event, if you spend $100 or more in the beauty department, you'll receive a tote filled with an assortment of samples.



The samples this season are more exciting than they were in the spring. You'll get packet samples of Le Métier de Beauté's new skin care, some of the newest fragrances, and other goodies. One of the three totes is Bordeaux (the others are a darling leopard print and black), and I'm sure Bordeaux's going to be the first choice of fashion-savvy gals. After all, it's Ken Downing's color of the season. Make sure to take advantage of the pre-sale period now to place your order and reserve the bag of your choice.



Many brands will be offering gifts with purchase - always a great incentive to spend. Works for me!



Photo courtesy of Neiman Marcus

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Fashion Night Out, September 8, at Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie

Save the date, DC-area friends...



On September 8, from 6:00 to 9:00 pm, Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie will host a celebration of fashion, music, and mixology - all things fun, fabulous, and chic - for the store's third annual Fashion Night Out celebration. You don't have to be in New York to have fun!



We'll kick off the evening with cocktails. Local celebrity mixologist Dan Searing will present his latest cocktail concoctions and sign copies of his new book, The Art of Punch - all about 75 recipes spanning four centuries of wanton revelry. Searling is a rising star in the classic cocktail renaissance, a historian, and a partner in the DC cocktail temple Room 11. He's also a founder of the DC Craft Bartender Guild.



Later in the evening, there will be a Michael Kors Fall Collection presentation. You'll be able to snag a limited-edition Michael Kors GWP with purchase. You'll also want to grab a front-row seat for runway presentations of fall's fashion trends, including Bordeaux, leather, and colorblocking.



Crooner BJ Ram will perform jazz standards by old favorites Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and others, while models show off the Lady Chic look in a Mad Men-inspired lounge. I'm going to love that segment of the night.



You'll also have a chance to be pampered at the Le Métier de Beauté Bordeaux Beauty Bar and have your photo taken professionally (showing off your lips and nails if you want). The photo will be yours to keep and share with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.



You may need a healthy dose of sugar to sustain the night's activities. There will be a design-your-own cupcake bar (oh oh), gelato bar, and gourmet goodies from local restaurants. No one will go home hungry or thirsty. This is a store that takes very good are of us at its parties. Make sure to take Metro to get there (located conveniently across the street) if you plan to get crazy.



Photos courtesy of Scienceofdrink.com, Michael Kors, and Le Métier de Beauté

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Neiman Marcus Fall 2011 Beauty and Fashion Trends

As I mentioned over the weekend, I attended a presentation of the fall fashion, beauty, and home trends for fall. We were shown a fabulous short tape, narrated by Ken Downing, on what's hot for fall - hot on the runway, hot in the stores, and hot on you! You can see a shorter version at this link. Then we were shown the latest examples to arrive in-store. All but one of the trends attracted my eye.

• Bordeaux - the shade of wine and roses (look for handbags and footwear in shades of cabernet and merlot)
  
  
• Lady Chic - ensemble dressing (look for matching dresses and jackets), dresses with fluidity, beautiful blouses, both cigarette and wide trousers
  
  
• Colorblocking - layering, contrasting colors, even multi-toned shoes
  
  
• Leather - everywhere
  
  
• Subtle Shimmer
• Ken Downing's own Bordeaux Collection for Le Métier de Beauté
• Pumps (in all heel heights)
• Hand-held Handbags - elegance, polish, and polite spirit
• Bold Gold - the perfect decoration for saturated color - Downing says, "More is more and less is a bore."

It's going to be a glamorous, elegant, ladylike season. The bag pictured at the top of this feature captures two or more trends with its gorgeous color and hand-held polish. The Bordeaux Collection developed by Ken Downing for Le Métier de Beauté pairs a lipstick with nail lacquer, taking the essence of the fall runways and distilling it with elegant, coordinated duos to transform you into Lady Chic.



Bold Gold? Fashion jewelry is back in style. Could it be that the price of gold has finally made what we used to call costume jewelry the "it" accessory? I'm a "gold snob," but I'd wear this gold-plated Golden Petal Necklace by Milly in a heartbeat! Priced at $220, it's accessible.



Cuffs continue to be very popular, and I'm coveting the gold ones. Neiman Marcus will have a gorgeous gift with purchase at the Trend Event from August 18 to 21. You'll receive the Neiman Marcus-exclusive Roxanne Assoulin for Lee Angel cuff, shown at left, when you spend $350 or more on regular-priced women's apparel, accessories, shoes, handbags, or jewelry. It's the perfect time to update your wardrobe.



You can shimmer with makeup or add an accessory - even though some of the subtly shimmering dresses for the season are extraordinary. I was drawn to this metallic Roberto Cavalli silk Leopard-Print Stole ($355), which brings on-trend sheen - and the collection's signature leopard print - to your look, ideal for topping casual T-shirts, your little black dress, and cocktail dresses alike. It's a wardrobe changer.



I've always been a shoe lover, and some of the latest shoes and boots we saw were stunning. Unfortunately, I can't walk in spike heels anymore (not that I ever wore the tallest of the tall). They even have trendy shoes for me!



I'll be scouting the trends starting Thursday at Neiman Marcus. I'll be taking a close look at stylist, editor, and supernova Rachel Zoe's collection. A fellow Virgo, she has designed a fabulous, glamorous collection of contemporary apparel, shoes, and bags, launching at Neiman Marcus.



Many thanks to our friends at Neiman Marcus Tysons Galleria for their gracious hospitality on Saturday. I left ready for fall and all of the latest fashions, with such an elegant return to the Lady Chic look I love.



The fall events at every Neiman Marcus store will showcase the latest looks. Check with your favorite store for a list of events, and don't forget Fashion Night Out and Beauty Week. All the stores will be hopping on September 8.



Photos courtesy of Neiman Marcus, Neiman Marcus Blog, and Le Métier de Beauté

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Saturday Shopping at Neiman Marcus with Chantecaille and Giorgio Armani Beauty for Fall and Holiday

With apologies to Gaia at The Non-Blonde, who wrote an ab-fab Bergdorf Goodman Shopping Report yesterday (I appear to be stealing her idea), I want to show you some highlights of my trip to Neiman Marcus Tysons Galleria yesterday. Early in the morning, I attended a "Media Mavens" breakfast at which the talented Neiman Marcus team showed us the fall and winter shoe, fashion, beauty, and home style trends. Stay tuned for my feature about that. I'll publish fall trend tips tomorrow.



At the breakfast, Lisa Lingis gave us an introduction to Le Métier de Beauté's new skin care. I'll also be featuring that as our week starts. I've had an opportunity to try some samples, and I'm extremely impressed.



After the breakfast, where every possible taste for food and drink was generously satisfied, I aimed for the beauty department, where there were many lovely new makeup previews to tempt me. This past week, many testers arrived, but the products were not available for me to purchase. Because it was raining outside, I tried to swatch inside the store. My swatch photos were miserably dark, so I'll hold off on most swatches until I get my hands on my own beauties, presumably this week for the fall collections.



Chantecaille's New Classic Palette ($85) is shown in the photo above left. The new palettes with the gold overspray are always supremely gorgeous, and this one's no different. This in-store photo appears a little more "pink" than the colors looked to my eye. I swatched them, and the two eye shades remind me a lot of my favorite Tiger in the Wild neutrals. They aren't duplicates, but they are in the same color families. The palette is totally gorgeous, and I'm anticipating its arrival with excitement.



I also got to see The Evening Duo for holiday ($84), again appearing more pink in this photo than it is in person. It's Chantecaille's first-ever, limited-edition Swarovski crystal palette that you'll want to show off. I was able to get a "just OK" swatch photo of the duo shades in the store. With a champagne shadow that will light up your eyes and a liner to define them, this palette will make you an elegant holiday dreamboat. It will be available in October.



Chantecaille has lots of other exciting items coming with the holiday collection. A Poudre de Perle in South Sea Pearl ($55), a soft and illuminating golden pink with finely processed light-diffusing optics, will be packaged in a limited-edition gunmetal for holiday. It will remain in the permanent collection, but in the regular silver packaging.



Chantecaille's popular fragrances will be available for your holiday shopping in roll-ons. Available in Petals, Kalimantan, Tiare, and Frangipane, each will be housed in a faux-croc envelope-like pouch that color-matches the full-sized box of the fragrance. At $68, you'll want to pick up a few in October for holiday presents. You'll want to add another holiday value set to your shopping list. Chantecaille will launch a Candle and Roll-on Gift Set for $98. A full-sized scented candle and roll-on fragrance packaged in a brightly colored faux-croc zip pouch will be available for $98 in October. The sets will be offered in Frangipane and Tiare. As if that weren't enough, Chantecaille is also creating an Aromacologie Starter Set with a collection of its best-selling skin care in a convenient travel size. Priced at $180, it's a $209 value.



Chantecaille will also offer hand-decorated, signed, and numbered Swarovski-embellished bottles of its fragrances, created by Cimon, a world-renowned artist. Cimon's fanciful Swarovski-adorned small sculptures are priced at hundreds of thousands of dollars and collected the world over. Each dazzling bottle may be special ordered only at Neiman Marcus at Bergdorf Goodman, starting now, and your fragrance of choice will be delivered in the collector's edition four weeks later. The price is $600. The bottles are extraordinary.



After reluctantly leaving my friends at Chantecaille, I moved on to visit my friends at Giorgio Armani Beauty. All the new testers arrived Friday without product to sell. Take a look at these three beauties from the Jacquard Collection for Fall 2011 - one for face (#1) and two for eyes (the greys are #2, and the greens are #1)!



The face palette is shown at left, with the two exquisite eye palettes in the center and at right. Believe me, these palette will take your breath away if you love makeup as much as I do.



My swatch photos taken in the store were so bad, I'll only show you one.



I'll own these palettes soon enough, and I'll get photos worthy of their fabulousness. I took a lot of swatch photos in the store, but I didn't want to use a flash and wash out the shades. As a result, there wasn't enough light to get good color representations.



There are four new Rouge d'Armani shades on display for fall. Here's a swatch photo (taken in the store) of all four shades in pink, beige, and red colors. I'll be headed straight for Pink 525, shown at the top of my arm, when the products arrive.



I also got a peek at the two new Blushing Fabrics for Fall 2011, Camel and Scarlatto. They are sheer and stunning on the skin. Surprising to me, Scarlatto is absolutely fabulous on my fair skin. It jumped right onto my to-buy list.



I've got only a blurry, low-light iPhone photo snapped inside the store. It shows Camel on the left of my arm and Scarlatto at right. I applied each heavily with a sponge, and their sheerness is still evident. Totally gorgeous! Don't let the dark-colored tubes for these beautiful Face Fabrics scare you off. Try them.



Think I had fun?



Before I leave the subject of lust-worth beauty, let's take a very brief stroll around the Internet.



The Non-Blonde is leaving me with brush envy. See her feature on the Hakuhodo's G series Foundation Brush.

Messy Wands published a fabulous tutorial on mixing Le Métier de Beauté's Lip Crème shades. I've shown it to everyone.

Thanks to Daly Beauty, I'm going to have to go purchase Spa Wisdom Polynesia Monoi Miracle Oil.

Fab over Forty's feature on BECCA's Pressed Shimmer Powder intrigued me.

Café Makeup compared the exquisite Estée Lauder Pure Color Illuminating Powder Gelée to some other popular highlighters.



All are worth a read. I've got lots of news lined up for this week's features. I'm excited about fall's fashion and beauty launches.



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

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A DOZEN ROSES, New Fragrance Collection Exclusive to Neiman Marcus

A DOZEN ROSES, a fragrance collection inspired by the emotions that roses can evoke, will launch exclusively at Neiman Marcus on July 17. Roses have inspired poets, artists, designers, and perfumers, of course. Now, they have inspired the fragrances of A DOZEN ROSES - modern, eclectic, and sexy fragrances created with a passion for art, perfumery, and unique bottle designs.

The creative fragrances are luxurious, delightful, and inspiring, spotlighting their shared rose essence uniquely. They may even win over some who have forsworn rose scents. The perfumers were given free rein to create the fragrances in the collection based on original artwork and the emotion of roses that inspired them. The results are artisanal scents, themselves works of art. Each original fragrance is imbued with 100% natural rose absolute essence wrapped in a complex, contemporary blend.

A passion for roses in art is showcased on the front and back of each fragrance bottle in the collection, paying homage to the beauty of the rose. Works of art themselves, the bottle designs evoke complex emotions and passions similar to the scents within.

A DOZEN ROSES is launching with three unique fragrances - each developed by a female perfumer at Givaudan. Although they share a signature rose absolute, the fragrances are very different.

Shakespeare in Love is a warm, comfortable scent, meant for the sweet, down-to-earth lady. She drinks red wine, lives in cashmere sweaters, and enjoys staying in on the weekends. It's a warm scent, luscious with jasmine, gardenia, and fresh pear, blended with creamy woods and vanilla, with a heart of blush rose and A DOZEN ROSES' signature rose absolute. Shakespeare in Love comes in a royal blue bottle.

Gold Rush is a rush of ecstasy - a sexy, rich scent, meant for the wild, confident gal. This gal drinks tequila, loves Kiki de Montparnasse lingerie, and spends her weekends at cocktail parties. Gold Rush is a blend of blackberry, neroli, and ylang ylang layered with the richness of bittersweet chocolate and ebony woods, all wrapped with the aura of the gold rush rose and the collection's signature rose absolute. This sultry fragrance comes in a black bottle highlighted by yellow.

Iced White is a clean, fresh scent - edgy and effervescent - meant for the cool, natural gal. She drinks gin and tonics, dresses simply in white cotton, and enjoys spending time outside. Iced White sparkles with a brisk mix of white on white: white peony, white primrose, and osmanthus. It cools down with vanilla, white musk, and rose absolute. Iced White was captured in a white bottle, accented by white, green, and violet.

I had an opportunity to try all three scents before this month's launch, and I am smitten! It would be hard for me to select only one. Sophisticated florals, the three fragrances are all captivating. They fall into that "I could live in these!" category of my fragrance collection.

I do have a favorite that might surprise you. It certainly surprised me. I would best be described as having a Shakespeare in Love personality. I do love red wine, and I'm likely to hang with the cats on the weekends. The divine Gold Rush captured my heart, even though I'm not a wild, tequila-drinking party lover. I was in my younger days; perhaps some vestige of those crazy days lies dormant in my personality.

Gold Rush will appeal to men - I have no doubt - but it's also for a confident woman, one who knows what she likes and isn't afraid to make a statement. While all three draw my nose to my arm, with Gold Rush I detect notes that are familiar. Rose, neroli, and ylang ylang are among my favorites. Enlivened with a thoroughly intoxicating blackberry and warmed by the chocolate and ebony woods, the familiar notes are suddenly new.

It's almost a tie between the other two for my affection. I like them for different reasons. Iced White is clean and fresh, with a powdery dry-down that I adore. Shakespeare in Love snags me as it settles in. The soft vanilla, paired with rose, is comforting.

The fragrances have arrived at the Neiman Marcus doors listed below, but are not scheduled to be available in store until July 17. I suspect you can sample the testers if you ask.

You can enjoy the passion, art, and perfumery of all three and decide which one you'll take home. Each 3.4-oz. fragrance is priced at $95. You will be able to purchase it at neimanmarcus.com (available now) and the following Neiman Marcus locations.

Neiman Marcus Doors
Beverly Hills
San Francisco
Coral Gables
Atlanta
Honolulu - Ala Moana
Chicago - Michigan Avenue
Chicago - Northbrook
Las Vegas
Short Hills
Dallas - North Park
Dallas - Willow Bend
Fort Worth
Houston Galleria
Newport Beach
Tysons Galleria

Photos courtesy of A DOZEN ROSES

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Le Métier de Beauté Ken's Korals - Exclusive to Neiman Marcus

They've arrived - Ken's Korals were delivered just in time for Camp Gorgeous, Neiman Marcus' summer beauty event! Neiman Marcus Fashion Director Ken Downing, the definitive taste maker for Neiman Marcus, collaborated with Le Métier de Beauté to create two limited-edition products inspired by the bold, uplifting colors seen on runways. The result was Ken’s Korals. The coral-red lip and nail shades were chosen to be universally flattering.

Colour Core Moisture Stain Lipstick in Ken’s Kissable Koral ($32) is an innovative lip stain and moisturizer in one. Jojoba, lanolin, and shea butter will keep your lips soft, while a shot of rich coral on the lips will adds some drama to the classic sun-soaked summer look. The Nail Lacquer in Ken’s Kontagious Koral ($18) is available in a new, larger size, .40 ounces.

Both items are available exclusively at Neiman Marcus and neimanmarcus.com. If you are interested, you should reserve or purchase them soon. They are bound to sell out.

These swatch photos taken by Kathy Shoreman. As you can see, they are intense colors. Kathy took the photos in the store, I think, with her iPhone. Pretty good for iPhone photos! Isn't she the best?

I'm such a Le Métier de Beauté devotee, I wanted to show you the shades as soon as possible so that you red and coral fans can make sure to get these beauties while they are available. The hot colors are already hot tickets.

Photos by Kathy Shoreman for Best Things in Beauty

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Sneak Peek: Ken's Korals by Le Métier de Beauté

I've been waiting to get my hands on a photo of a Neiman Marcus exclusive: Ken's Korals by Le Métier de Beauté. It popped up yesterday on the NMdaily. The title of this limited-edition, two-piece collection may be a little corny, but there's nothing corny about the bold colors.

Fashion Director Ken Downing, the definitive taste maker for Neiman Marcus, collaborated with Le Métier de Beauté to create two limited-edition products inspired by the bold, uplifting colors seen on runways. The result was Ken’s Korals. The coral red lip and nail shades were chosen to be universally flattering.

Colour Core Moisture Stain Lipstick in Ken’s Kissable Koral ($32) is an innovative lip stain and moisturizer in one. Jojoba, lanolin, and shea butter will keep your lips soft, while a shot of rich coral on the lips will adds some drama to the classic sun-soaked summer look. The Nail Lacquer in Ken’s Kontagious Koral ($18) will be available in a new, larger size, .40 ounces.

Both items will be available exclusively at Neiman Marcus and neimanmarcus.com in June. If you are interested, you should get on the waiting list. These are bound to sell out.

Photo courtesy of Neiman Marcus

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Fresh Event at Neiman Marcus, Tysons Galleria, with Jawn Marques

Visiting with the Fresh team is like a day of sugar kisses. It does wonders for your face and spirits! Last Thursday, Jawn Marques, Creative Director of Fresh, and Alyson O'Brien, Account Executive (and Best Things in Beauty guest contributor) joined product specialist Alison Kauffman at Neiman Marcus, Tysons Galleria, for a day of beauty. I had looked forward to the event for at least a month. I made an appointment for my friend Berry too. Fresh products are so universally appealing, I knew she would have fun.

Jawn was doing mini-facials and makeup applications, with a hand and arm treatment thrown in too for pampering. Berry went first, and his mini-facial turned her dry, reactive skin into a glowing wonder. Jawn usually exfoliates with Sugar Face Polish ($55), but he does so much more. He cleanses, tones, exfoliates, treats (always a mask and a serum after), and moisturizes - using many Fresh products that he custom-selects for his client based on her or her skin condition.

Berry started out a little dry. Her skin showed her recent travel and the ravages of winter and retinol, but by the time he finished with her, her face was radiant. For makeup, he gave her a golden bronze look on her eyes, and because her skin looked so good by the time he had finished the facial, he used almost no foundation on her peaches and cream complexion. On her lips? Fresh Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 ($22.50), of course! I think he also used a lip gloss with her lip treatment, but I got carried away chatting and missed that detail. The results? Jawn and Berry posed for me when he had finished. Her hair got a little flattened under the headband he had used to keep it out of the way, but otherwise, she looked fabulous.
The whole time he was working, I had three things going on: 1) talking with Jawn and Berry, 2) talking with Alyson O'Brien (shown immediately above on the left; she wrote a guest post for Best Things in Beauty here), and 3) talking with Alison Kauffman (at right above) - all without leaving my comfy chair. So I missed a few details. What I know is that Berry and I both hopped out of Jawn's chair with a naturally pretty look. While Jawn was working with me, Berry shopped Fresh's wonderful fragrances and soaps - a treat one should never miss.

When it was my turn, Jawn used the wonderful new Black Tea Age Delay Face Serum ($80) on me (among many other products). I had wanted this serum since its winter introduction, and I finally purchased one Thursday. The serum is a concentrated blend of potent antioxidants and peptides that firms, restores, and refines the complexion for smoother, younger-looking skin. The secret to this powerhouse formula is black tea extract. Packed with polyphenols, potent antioxidants that defend against the most aggressive free radicals, black tea extract protects the integrity of the cell membrane to prevent lines and wrinkles from forming. Its high melanin content also has a brightening effect on the skin for a radiant glow. I know I'm going to love it. I love everything from Fresh I've ever bought.

Jawn used the Fresh Imperial Bedroom Face Palette ($55) on my eyes. This palette is a little hard to find, but Neiman Marcus had it. This subtly sultry collection from Fresh captures the behind-the-curtain, forbidden sensuality of imperial aristocracy. The palette includes luminous shades of lightly gilded Eye Lusters (Pale Moonlight and Gilded Satin), an opalescent Satin Liner (called Black Chemise, but to my eye it has traces of deep blue and green in it), a warm shimmering Satin Luster for the cheeks (Chantilly Lace), and a seductive Crown Rubies Lip Shine. The colors have an elegant brilliance that remains discreet on the skin for a masterful expression of sheer sophistication.

All fives shades were customer-blended by Alina Roytberg, co-founder of Fresh, who was inspired by the unmatched charm, romance, and over-indulgence of the British aristocracy of the early 1800s This pleasure-seeking period was all about excess and style, sophistication and lust. "I imagined a luring bedroom setting where a sensuous, shimmering beauty is lit only by candlelight and surrounded by plush fabrics and rich colors" said Alina. While history may be the inspiration for this opulent collection, the result is modern and dramatic. I loved it! I came home with that too.

I swatched the shades so that you could see how pretty they are. My photo was taken outdoors in the last snatch of sunlight we had today, and I applied each shade with my fingers. I started with Chantilly Lace at the top. Below (top to bottom) are Pale Moonlight, Gilded Satin, Black Chemise, and Crown Rubies. John mixed the Lip Shine in with the Stain Liner and used it on my eyes. These colors all have an elegant glow, perfect for those of us who like a radiant, natural look. He used Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 on my lips, as he had with Berry.

Skip forward to the end of my session, and here I am posing with Jawn. Isn't that a silly, self-satisfied smile on my face? I went straight from Neiman Marcus to physical therapy, and everyone in the room complimented me on my appearance! I was sure they wouldn't recognize me with makeup on. Normally, I have no incentive to dress up for torture. Because we were running late, I didn't have time to get close-up photos of his masterful work on my eyes. It was one of those times when I didn't want to wash off my makeup when it was time to go to sleep.

I have a lot more to tell you about Fresh. Click on this link for a quick description of Jawn's last visit. Stay tuned in the coming week for more about Jawn Marques and celebrity beauty.

Photo at top courtesy of Fresh; palette photo courtesy of beauty.com

More about → Fresh Event at Neiman Marcus, Tysons Galleria, with Jawn Marques

Neiman Marcus Beauty Event for Spring 2011

It's time for Neiman Marcus Beauty Event! From tomorrow, February 24, through Sunday, March 6, in stores and online, you will receive a tote with a few samples inside with every purchase of $100 or more in the beauty department (cosmetics and fragrance). Additionally, most of the brands have gift with purchase specials. Depending on how much you spend with the brand, you may get a nice sample set too.

The GWPs range, in my humble opinion, from fantastic to ho-hum. I wouldn't spend $300 for something I didn't need just to get a few samples. On the other hand, if you are interested in trying something that is in the GWP, you should go for it!

This is the perfect time to visit Neiman Marcus if you have one in your area. The product specialists and sales associates are ready to help you. If you live near the Neiman Marcus at Mazza Gallerie, I suggest you go see Sunny Choi Noble, a sales associate who can steer you to all the best product specialists. If you live near Tysons Galleria, please visit with Kathy Shoreman, who will do the same. Both are knowledgeable and will not try to sell you something that's not right for you. I love them. You can call Sunny at (202) 966-9700, ext 2265. You can call Kathy at (703) 761-1600, ext 3282.

If I try to name all my favorite product specialists at the two stores, I know I will forget someone. If there's a brand that interests you, just leave a comment, and I will recommend a contact for you. Remember, if you don't have a local Neiman Marcus, the gals in the DC area can still help you. Give them a call.

Photo courtesy of Neiman Marcus

More about → Neiman Marcus Beauty Event for Spring 2011