The Friday Forum - May 24

It's the season for roses now, and they are so pretty. This David Austin rose in my garden has gotten leggy. It will be pruning time soon. That should make it bloom again, a real treat since the fragrance is swoon-worthy.

If you've left a comment here in the last few days, you'll see I enabled comment moderation. Between spam and the haters on the Internet - the majority of whom are anonymous - I decided, like so many bloggers before me, that it was best to screen comments. This week as we all cried for the victims of Oklahoma City, some full-of-herself, probably undereducated troll¹ decided to scold everyone who called for storm shelters and safe rooms, citing a political blog satire as her source. I immediately deleted her comment, so then she left one on a makeup feature complaining like a five-year-old that her comment had been deleted. I don't have time for that immature intrusion here - or anywhere else for that matter. Dear Ms. Troll, anyone who claims to have strong opinions should cite legitimate sources to back them up. There's quite a difference between facts and opinions. It's also clear that you don't read well. As for your threat to stop reading Best Things in Beauty, perhaps you should. My readers are classy women, with taste, style, intelligence, and compassion.

This isn't the first time hate comments have happened. It happens on all blogs. With comment moderation, it will be the last here. My readers deserve better. Sometimes there's a fine line between snark and a comment that should be published. When that happens, I usually consult another blogger for an independent opinion.

As I read the hater comments on The Voice postings on Facebook (can't people all acknowledge that the finalists are all good?), I realized that the Internet comments have become a way for the disaffected, miserable souls of the world to voice their unhappiness that everyone doesn't agree with them. They remind me of the Westboro Baptist Church, despicable people who protest at the funerals of our soldiers. This week, Fred Phelps Jr., the son of Westboro Baptist Church "minister" Fred Phelps, linked the devastation from the F-5 tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma to the Oklahoma Thunder's support for openly gay NBA basketball star Jason Collins. Really? To me, the members of that so-called church are terrorists - real life reflecting the ugliness of the Internet. One of the saddest things I've witnessed is a soldier's funeral at Arlington Cemetery. Why would anyone try to hurt the family?

I am trying to approve comments as quickly as possible, but I do sleep (not always well lately). Nighttime comments will suffer a time delay, particularly for those who are in Europe or Asia. My apologies, but I've been reviewing and approving them as soon as I get up, using my iPad in bed. I had a slew of them to approve this morning. Actually, I won't miss the morning ritual of deleting spam, often nonsensical posts with a link. While I was writing this feature, I got a spam comment directing readers to a site on growing hair. It was posted on the Camellia Face Oil feature.

One comment I didn't approve this week because it was off-topic was a good question from Leora. Can anyone help her out? I believe her fave was a limited edition, gone for good. I can't find it here at home, though, to do comparisons.

Totally off topic need help - I have a quick question maybe you can help me out since you seem to know your stuff. My FAVORITE eyeliner was the Giorgio Armani La Femme Bleue in Leaf Green. Do you know any color by any brand that even comes close to that, since I cant find not even one left not even on eBay. Thanks.

Leora, I hope you are reading. I just got an e-mail offer to sell you a new one in Leaf Green. Please e-mail me at bestthingsinbeauty@gmail.com.

Last weekend, I had a good cry as I watched the YouTube tape of the first interviews with the police officers who came upon and freed Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight, and Gina DeJesus. If you haven't seen this and want to know what happened the moment those women were freed, check out this link.

Switching subjects, did you know that Jennifer Aniston is a co-owner of Living Proof? There is was in Bazaar, which I was reading at the hair salon last night. Was I the last one to know that?

Remember that Guerlain's limited-edition Terra Nerolia ($69.00) bronzer will make an appearance within the next week! This exquisite oversized face and body bronzer showcases a dazzling sun icon comprised of shimmering peach, bronze, and gold shades. When marrying the three shades together with each brushstroke, the gold infuses throughout, resulting in a subtle satiny sheen. In line with the Terracotta collection, Terra Nerolia is scented with the alluring tiare flower. If you want to pre-order from the Guerlain boutique, give Rhonda a call at (702) 732-7008. If you are on the East Coast, remember that they are on Pacific Time.

Remember your sunscreen this weekend! It's supposed to be sunny here, so an SPF 50 would be appropriate. I heard that you can only count on a two-year life span for sunscreens, so if you plan to be outdoors, remember to pick up a new one today.

Important discount announcement...
Beautyhabit is offering a 20% discount this weekend on all color (makeup). Use the code SUMMERCOLOR through May 27. You can use it on Rouge Bunny Rouge!

This week's giveaway contest ends tomorrow, Saturday, May 25. If you'd like to enter to win YSL's Effect Faux Cils Crème d'Eyeliner in Jade Black, just leave a comment. Good luck! Just because, I think I'll do a flash giveaway over the weekend - for all of you who stay home and read blogs. You deserves some excitement!

¹ In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or ugly off-topic messages in an online community. We're not talking about supernatural beings in Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore.

Photo at top by Best Things in Beauty; other photo courtesy of Guerlain

Tarte's Summer Essentials Plus a Memorial Day Sale

Rain or shine, Tarte will transform you into a glowing bronze goddess this Memorial Day weekend. Their new Rainforest Glow Maracuja Waterproof Body Bronzer ($34) and Park Ave Princess Bronze & Glow Matte Bronzer and Cheek Tint ($32) will help you achieve that perfect sun kissed look from head-to-toe. Traveling? Tarte's Prime, Shine, and Define To-Go-Kit ($12) has all of the pocket-sized essentials you'll need to look flawless on the fly.

It will take seconds to score a waterproof faux glow with Rainforest Glow Maracuja Waterproof Body Bronzer. If you don't have time to wait for a self-tanner to work, Rainforest Glow will give you instant color without commitment - my preference anyhow. It's also a great product for filling in a patchy tan or rejuvenating a fading one. Ultra-hydrating maracuja restores the skin's natural luster, so even after you wash it off with soap and water, your skin will still feel supremely soft and look radiant. This streak-free, quick-drying, and non-transferable formula is the cat's meow for when you want a fast, natural-looking tan.

Park Ave Princess Bronze & Glow Matte Bronzer and Cheek Tint, which I really want, is the new liquid version of Tarte's iconic Park Ave Princess powder bronzer. With this innovative two-in-one complexion enhancer, you'll achieve the perfect balance of sun-kissed bronze and a healthy flush. Plus, nature's pure miracle, maracuja, instantly absorbs into the skin, delivering a high dose of essential fatty acids and vitamin C to hydrate the skin while imparting a beautiful pop of sheer color. By fusing two products into one, Tarte has reduced packaging for an eco-friendly option.

The Prime, Shine, and Define To-Go-Kit, shown at the top of this feature, is a three-piece of deluxe travel-sized essentials - just what you need for getting flawless on the fly. Perfect and brighten your complexion and dramatize your eyes with Clean Slate Poreless 12-hour Perfecting Primer, Amazonian Clay BB Illuminating Moisturizer, and Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara - the three products in this kit. This convenient, travel-friendly kit will cover your beauty basics as you prime, shine, and define yourself.

It gets better. Over Memorial Day weekend, Tarte will be offering a 15% discount off everything at the company's e-commerce site - plus free shipping. Just use the code MDAY between May 23 and May 27. See Tarte's Web site for details.

Photos courtesy of Tarte

Neiman Marcus Camp Gorgeous Coming Soon

It's time for another beauty event at Neiman Marcus in stores and online! Camp Gorgeous will run from Sunday, June 2 through Sunday, June 9. During the event, there will be gifts with purchase. I love those little extras.

Spend $85 or more in the beauty department (cosmetics and/or fragrances), and you will have your choice of large, stripped summer totes (beige, blue, or hot pink) with a few samples to try. Perfect for the beach, lake, or pool, it's an ideal way to pull together your sun goddess look. Get your tote and fill it with the season's essentials, then throw in some sunglasses and a good book. You'll be ready to soak up the summer.

Many of the brands will be offering GWPs with your purchases. If you plan to purchase something soon, why not line it up now as a pre-sale purchase so that you can take advantage of the gifts?

I want to thank two wonderful Neiman Marcus product and sales representatives for alerting me to the upcoming event: Layla Murad and Valerie Fleming. They are both at the Tysons Galleria store.

Valerie is a Bobbi Brown representative. Here's what she told me about the Bobbi offer...

Bobbi Brown is giving away a Bobbi Mirror that you can throw in your bag as well as a lip gloss in Bellini for customers who take advantage of the pre-sale, spending $100.00 or more. Supplies are limited. They are also having freelance makeup artist support during Camp Gorgeous. If you are near Tysons Corner, call (703) 761-1600 to make an appointment for a new Bobbi Brown summer look.

I've put my thinking cap on. During these events, I usually stock up on my staples. I must survey here to figure out what I need.

Photo courtesy of Neiman Marcus

Aroma M Beauty Camellia Face Oil - An Organic Treat for Your Skin

I love camellias. To me, they are among the most elegant shrub-growing flowers. Based on receiving a lovely sample of aroma M Beauty's Camellia Face Oil, I've spent a few months researching camellia oil and its beneficial properties.

What have I learned? Since the 14^th century or before, camellia oil has been widely used for many purposes, including skin care and hair care. Camellia oil is composed primarily of oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fatty acid, which has a similar composition to natural human sebum and other essential fatty acids, such as linoleic acid. Its oleic acid percentage is the highest among the natural oils being used for cosmetic purposes today. Those in the know are aware that oils are one of the latest best things in skin care. You're seeing them everywhere, right?

Studies of oleic and other fatty acids have proven that they are an excellent emollient and a remarkable natural agent for the retention and enhancement of moisture. A lack of lipid or fatty substances impairs our skin’s ability to retain moisture. These substances in human skin decline as we age, and this deficit is a key factor that causes our skin to dry as we age.

Studies have demonstrated that oleic acid has unparalleled penetration power, capable of permeating deeply into the lower layers of the stratum corneum to greatly enhance the beneficial effects of collagen and elastin (which are essential for cell growth and flexibility), helping to repair the damage caused by dryness, sun exposure, and other factors. Using camellia oil on the skin results in restoration of the skin’s elasticity, significant improvement in skin texture, and elimination or remarkable reduction of fine lines and small wrinkles.

American born artist Maria McElroy synthesized her love of blending colors and textures with her passion for scent to create aroma M perfumes in 1995. Maria's seven-year journey, rich in Japanese history, romance, and mystery, became the genesis for aroma M Beauty and the inspiration for the new capsule collection of her renowned Geisha beauty products.

Maria's appreciation for Japanese culture and aesthetics and her extraordinary experiences in the secretive world of the Kyoto Gion Geishas have been the foundation for aroma M’s Beauty products. Steeped in the ways of ancient Eastern traditions, and adhering to the Eastern mandate that beauty is a daily routine, Maria uses unexpected, precious ingredients in her beauty line.

Her gourmand combinations are a direct influence from Maria’s Kyoto-born chef husband. Tuberose and rosemary, jasmine, and frankincense essential oils are designed to smell beautiful and simultaneously enchant the mind, the soul, and the skin. Drawing on her aromatherapy background, Maria has developed elixirs that will satisfy all your beauty needs.

In her beauty products, she uses organic cold pressed oils and organic essential oils - all carefully selected for the ultimate refined beauty experience. Although she is well known for her fragrances, her beauty line is relatively new. Her initial two offerings were the Camellia Hair Oil and Camellia Face Oil. She sent me samples of both. Today, I want to focus on Camellia Face Oil.

Maria's Camellia Face Oil (40 ml, $95) is a luxurious face moisturizer. I know that many of you appreciate the benefits of using oils for hydration. I think you'll love her camellia oil. At a visible/practical level, camellia oil is said to remove impurities from the skin while it moisturizes, freshens, and purifies the skin. I've even read that it offers UVB protection, stretch mark prevention and reduction, treatment of eczema, and even acne and acne scars, and treatment for thinning hair - although I have no proof for any of those benefits. Since it has been used for centuries, there's got to be something to it. TATCHA and Shu Uemura Art of Hair also offer camellia oil-based products, and you know how good their products are.

The ingredients in Maria's Camellia Face Oil are organic camellia seed oil, organic carrot seed oil, organic golden jojoba oil, organic apricot kernel oil, organic evening primrose oil, organic argan oil, vitamin E, organic essential oils of jasmine, neroli, geranium, and frankincense - giving Camellia Face Oil a divine natural fragrance. Because aroma M Beauty oils are made in small batches and contain these natural ingredients, they should be used within six months of purchase - they are that pure.

I have used up the sample Maria sent me. I loved it. If you've never used oil on your face, you might think it would be messy. It's not - hence the popularity of oils today (think argan oil, one you probably know). Camellia Face Oil absorbs quickly, leaving behind a moist, smooth feeling. Oil-based moisturizers can even be used by those with oily or combination skin. They absorb readily and do not create or increase oiliness. They hydrate and leave behind soft skin. Just apply a few precious drops on moist, freshly washed skin - your face, neck, and décolleté. I suggest you pat the oil onto your skin, giving yourself a pressure massage as you do. Use Maria's oil for a few days, morning and night, and you'll start to see a difference in your skin's hydration levels.

The aroma M Beauty line is artfully housed in a modern art nouveau glass bottle. Each bottle is adorned with Aroma M’s signature patterned Yuzen paper designs, handcrafted in Kyoto to complete the Japonesque design. They are luxurious inside and out.

Aroma M Beauty's Camellia Face and Hair Oils are on sale at Maria's online boutique through May 31. We all like discounts, so why not try one of the aroma M Beauty camellia oils and save 10%? I can assure you that the hair oil will make your hair shine like no other. I was skeptical, but now I'm a believer in that too. I was an easy sell on the face oil.

Photos courtesy of aroma M Beauty, wikimedia, and nationalgeographic

Sharon Stone and the Side Boob - Yea or Nay?

Have you noticed that the "side boob" (as they call it in fashion and on television) is getting a lot of attention lately? Sharon Stone, 55 years old (hard to believe - she is still as sexy as ever) was rocking the side boob at Cannes 2013. She was wearing a revealing red Roberto Cavalli dress which had a slit that went almost up to her thong region and a sexy back cutout. The sides of her dress (above the waist) left little to the imagination.

Some award shows have cautioned their attendees on "inadequate" dress this year. What do you say to the side boob? Is it sexy or attractive? Yea or nay?

Photo courtesy of the Huffington Post Canada

Jouer Crème Eyeshadow - Organza for Taupe Lovers

If you saw this photo, would you think that Jouer's Crème Eyeshadow in Organza ($20) leans lavender? I would. Then, after reading its description, "shimmering lavender taupe," I'd be sure of it. I don't go out of my way to order lavender eye shadows, even though I love cream shadows. Why then did I order it? Honestly, I have no idea. It was months ago, and I was desperate to add another one of these beauties from Jouer to my makeup wardrobe. I had Cashmere, which is gorgeous, and I wanted to try a lighter shade.

Imagine my delight when it arrived. I saw lots of shimmering taupe, and almost no lavender. Even before trying it, I know I was going to love Organza.

Lightweight in texture with a velvety finish, Jouer's Crème Eyeshadows offer a subtle shimmer. They can be worn alone as a shadow, layered to illuminate the eye, or smudged along the lash line to create natural definition. The soft, exquisitely blendable formula ensures easy fingertip application if you wish, but out of habit, I use a cream shadow brush to apply my mine.

I took swatch photos in full, mid-day sun because I wanted to show you the glory of Organza. I did use my finger to swatch. I was being lazy and didn't want to go back inside and up the stairs to get a cream shadow brush. Fingertip application works well.

Organza is a drop-dead gorgeous taupe. I suppose one could stretch and see some lavender in it, but it doesn't produce the eye-reddening that lavender does on me. I love everything about this shade: the color, the soft shimmer, and the wear time. It stays on. Remember, I use an eye primer below my eye makeup.

I positioned myself in front of a pink azalea, trying to see if I could make the shade look lavender. I think the photo directly above shows its taupe deliciousness even more - despite the sun drop-off on the left.

Do you see lavender, taupe, or a mix of both? By any chance, do you have Organza? How does it look on your skin? I'm thrilled to show you another not-new product you may have missed.

I don't write about Jouer often because we don't have a Jouer counter in the DC area. It's sad. I discovered the brand online and was delighted to visit the counter at Henri Bendel the last time I visited New York. I hope to go back to explore more of the line in person. In the meantime, I shop online. Now and then, there's a site-wide discount, and I love those opportunities.

You can purchase Jouer's lovely cream shadows and all of their products at the company's Web site and Henri Bendel (also Skin 6|2 in Las Vegas).

Update 3:11 pm: I just saw this. Enjoy 30% off during Jouer's Friends & Family Sale using promo code: FRIENDS&FAMILY! Hurry, the sale ends TODAY at 8:00 pm PST.

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

Fresh Sugar Shine Lip Treatment

Last week, when I was browsing at Sephora, I saw that Fresh had a new lip product: Sugar Shine Lip Treatment ($18.50). As something of a Fresh groupie, I circled around it for a few hours, thinking, "Do I need another clear lip treatment?"

Sugar Shine Lip Treatment is a high-shine lip treatment that moisturizes, promotes suppleness, and improves lip definition.  It works to promote suppleness and improve the definition of the lip area while preserving moisture for up to six hours. The high-shine treatment enhances the natural color of the lips while offering essential nourishment. It can be worn alone or on top of your favorite Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment [really any lip color] for smooth, youthful-looking lips.

I parsed that marketing blurb and decided it would offer me shine and moisture. It was a go! The lure of the Fresh brand and my endless fascination with moist lips sealed the deal. I ordered it.

I am wearing for the fourth time it as I write. Although it appears to have a slight, light pink color in the tube, it's clear. There is absolutely no sense in taking a swatch photo. What you will see is clear lip gloss. I can make it shine with a direct hit of sunlight, but why bother? Is it shiny on my lips? Not particularly.

I can feel it on my lips; it's not weightless. It's not sticky either, but its feel on my lips is a clear reminder that I've applied it. Does it make my lips plump or youthful? Of course not. Most of those claims are silly - no matter which brand makes them. I know some of you don't like certain kinds of sunscreens, but this product offers none. I give it a demerit for that. Our lips are sensitive to sun exposure, and they burn just like the rest of our skin. SPF protection would have differentiated this new product.

Is it hydrating? Yes, for however long it lasts. Here are the major players in the ingredients.

• Sugar (Fresh signature): Attracts and seals in moisture. 
• Commiphora Extract: Promotes suppleness and helps smooth rough lips. 
• Cupuaçu and Mango Butters: Help nourish, soften, and restore suppleness.
• Hyaluronic Filling Spheres: Help make the lips appear fuller. 
• Black Currant Seed and Grapeseed Oils: Help hydrate and protect.

The only bone I can pick with Fresh's description of the ingredients is their description of hyaluronic filling spheres. Hyaluronic acid is nature's sponge. It gloms onto moisture and keeps it in the skin. Moist lips might be fuller lips, but in my case, that isn't often the case.

Fresh is really good about disclosing all ingredients, so there is the list...
Diisostearyl Malate, Polybutene, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Isostearyl Isostearate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Sucrose Tetrastearate Triacetate, Commiphora Mukul Resin Extract, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Fragrance, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ci 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Trihydroxystearin, Bht, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ci 77491 (Iron Oxides), Ci 75470 (Carmine), Hexylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Propyl Gallate, Limonene, Citral, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, and Phenoxyethanol.

The product has no overt scent - just a slightly fruity hint you have to purposely smell to notice - so the fragrance was probably added to mask one of the other ingredients - a common practice.

I'm not sure this new product offers any advantages over Fresh's Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment ($25). I like it's gloss-like formula and texture, but not enough to recommend that you run right out to buy it, especially if you already own the Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment, which I do. At $18.50, it is less expensive than the other. Regardless, I'll stick with Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment.

Fresh says Sugar Shine Lip Treatment is proven to preserve moisture for six hours. I have not experienced that, but I don't get that from any lip product during the day. After an independent consumer testing panel (of undisclosed size) used Sugar Shine Lip Treatment:

• 97% reported smoother lips;
• 94% felt their lips were softer, more supple, and healthier-looking;
• 84% said it conditioned and protected their lips;
• 84% immediately noticed their lips looked radiant;
• 81% felt it hydrated and moisturized their lips.

You be the judge. Lip products are so personal. You can purchase Fresh Sugar Shine Lip Treatment at Sephora. Just don't expect miracles.

Photo courtesy of Sephora

The Tragedy in Oklahoma

I tried to write this post this morning, but couldn't. I sat and cried so hard I couldn't see the screen. I needed to detach for awhile and gain some composure. Although I knew no one affected by the tornado centered in Moore, Oklahoma, I felt like they were my neighbors and friends - and in a way, they were. We are all bound together by a force that transcends location. We are citizens of the United States and the world.

The photo above started my crying jag - one of several I saw online (click on the link for other photos). It was widely shared - a photo of a woman comforting a dying dog. I had already heard about the horse barns obliterated, with most of the horses killed. I had already seen the CBS video of the elderly woman reunited with her scraggly little darling during an interview. I had already cried as I watched the teacher who threw her body over six children - and the man who commented, "Good job, teach." I have watched hours of the news and scoured the Internet, and with each hour, I've become more emotional over the loss to so many in Oklahoma.

Last night, I suspended tweeting and posting on Facebook. It seemed like the only thing to do. I and others wondered on Twitter how anyone could tweet about makeup when so many were suffering.

I have so many questions. The children? Why was a school built with cinderblocks, rather than solid concrete walls, in tornado country? How could anyone live there without an underground storm shelter - even after FEMA offered to subsidize them after 1999? My questions will probably never be answered, but I still wonder if even one death could have been prevented. Despite being located in a region prone to tornadoes  and being devastated by one in 1999, the city of Moore, according to its Web site and The New York Times, has no ordinance requiring safe rooms in public or private facilities, and the city itself lacked a community storm shelter.

Our Fairfax County Search and Rescue Team was getting ready this morning, in case they were called. I'm always so proud of them when they represent us during disasters. I doubt they will be called to Oklahoma. The authorities have said they have said they are fairly confident they have accounted for most of the area's residents.

I'm even mourning for the trees. I started to write a poem this morning (not my strength), but the thoughts that poured from my brain weren't complete. I may try to finish it later. Trees that might have provided shade for generations of families are dead and dying, their limbs and leaves torn from their trunks in an instant.

Please do what you can to help. The Red Cross, Salvation Army, Humane Society, and other established, reputable charities are on the ground and doing everything they can to help. Most news Web sites have lists of legitimate charities. Money will be needed to shelter those who are now homeless - and will be for a long time. Blood may be too; giving blood is giving the gift of life after tragedies like this one. Please remember the animals when you give. Many are still out there in the rubble of collapsed homes - or wandering the neighborhoods, looking for their families.

Tonight, hold your loved ones near, for you never know what they next day will bring.

Update 5/15: I have now cut off comments to this post. There's always a commenter who wants to tell us and the New York Times that we are all hosed. I have deleted the comment; it wasn't helpful to anyone, and the referenced source provided by the commenter was factually incorrect. FEMA offered years ago to subsidize the expensive cost of storm cellars, and the major of Moore and the governor of Oklahoma have stated on the record that they are working to ensure that all schools have safe rooms. Let's let the facts speak for themselves and continue to support the victims in any way we can - without the insulting snark that pervades the Internet. That's the real point here.

Photo courtesy of avaxnews.net

Rouge Bunny Rouge Original Skin Blush for Love of Roses - Three New-to-Me Shades

My obsession with Rouge Bunny Rouge started two years ago (see this link). That's when I purchased my first two shades of Original Skin Blush for Love of Roses ($28): Delicata and Gracilis. When ordering sight unseen, I gravitate toward light, mistake-proof colors. Delicata and Gracilis turned out to be exactly that.

One day a few months ago, I got the itch to try some shades that might not be perfect for me, but would expand my knowledge of the blushes and possibly give me new blending options. Am I glad I did! I ordered Florita (#035), Habanera (#038), and Starina (#037). They are shown above in that order, from left to right. My photo was taken in bright light, but not full sun, so the colors look a bit flat.

An intricate and luxurious cosmetics brand, Rouge Bunny Rouge, twists opulence and beauty with embellished detailing to deliver a range of color makeup that embraces both romance and whimsy. Wearable, blendable, and adaptable formulas and shades are at the very heart of Rouge Bunny Rouge. The formulas are absolutely outstanding and have been sourced from the world's most sophisticated laboratories. 

Original Skin Blush blends with a sheer, silky touch for a naturally luminous glow. A medley of active ingredients, including Uhaloa from Hawaii, also known as velvet-leaf, and modern technologies impart a long-term brightening effect. Indian gooseberry fruit extract stands guard against free radicals. Sheer pearls amplify the creamy, soft touch and ensure a limpid glow. Innovative powders entwine with your skin to preserve perfection all day long. The result is your skin but better; you'll wonder how you blushed before.

Rouge Bunny Rouge is easily the most imaginative, inspirational, and addictive brand I’ve come across! The formulas are out of this world. They state online, "Be warned, once you fall down the rabbit hole and try this brand there is no going back."Truth!

The packaging of these "darling" compacts is whimsical - adorable, actually. From the box, which has a botanical theme on one side and the Rouge Bunny Rouge coat of arms, with bunnies, of course, on the other, it's enticing. The compacts have a pretty white-on-black floral design. The Rouge Bunny Rouge crest is shown on the inside insert that protects the powder blushes. The blushes themselves have an embossed design too.

I think I ordered these three shades from Beautyhabit. Florita is described as a natural, rich raspberry red with an illuminating radiance. It glides onto the skin imparting a warm rosy glow and is best suited for medium or olive skin tones, i.e., not me. Habanera was listed as a great shade for medium complexions, but I knew I could use it lightly for my pale face. It's described accurately as a medium, sun-warmed terracotta with a hint of rose. Starina is described as a good color for fair skin. It's a pale coral nude with an illuminating radiance.

I took swatch photos in fairly full mid-day sun. I swatched with a sponge-tipped applicator to show you the shades. No one will apply the colors as heavily as I did for these pictures. Florita is shown at the top of my arm, Habanera in the middle, and Starina at the bottom.

Don't you think Florita at the top of my arm is drop-dead gorgeous? Imagine this color applied with a brush, and you've got a medium pink that will look great on nearly everyone. The warm brown-toned Habanera does have rose in it. I hope you can see that. I have to apply it with a very light hand. It's a good contouring shade, as is Starina. Starina is the neutral shade here that's perfect for my skin.

After I took these swatch photos, I got cheeky and decided to play. I mixed Florita with Starina on a dense blending brush and applied the resulting shade to my arm. I got pretty excited when I saw the result - a warm rose pink that lights up my face. Shall I call it Florita-Starina? Can you believe this color (shown below)?

I'm very pleased with my experimental purchases. A blogger has to do what she's got to do, and sometimes that means wandering outside her comfort zone. I wandered right into the Enchanted Garden.

Deep inside a labyrinth of perfectly topiaried winding lanes in the Enchanted Garden lies the Rose Orchard. The sweet and tantalizing fragrance of the roses, combined with the sight of their intense pigments, provokes torturous visions of languorous beauty. The thorns of the flowers, so piercingly sharp, can slice through flesh as though it were air, and the elegant, gorgeous Floribunda-Elves are the only guardians that the roses, with their poisonous thorns, will allow to tend the orchard. The Floribundas perfectly preen and nurture each flower, and in return, they are gifted by the roses with the most effervescent and radiant faces in the whole of the Enchanted Garden, their cheeks exuding happiness and excitement, causing many a lover to fall to his knees. Rouge Bunny Rouge has recreated for you this radiant glow with six petal-soft colors to impart a splendorous bloom and captivate your heart's desires.

We have more options than ever for ordering Rouge Bunny Rouge. Rouge Bunny Rouge's own Web site, Zuneta, and Beautyhabit. Watch for specials on shipping or gifts with purchase, particularly at Rouge Bunny Rouge and Zuneta. You'll be glad you did.

Black and white photo courtesy of Zuneta; other photos by Best Things in Beauty