Le Metier de Beaute at Nordstrom and Julie Hewett Sale- Online Shopping News

Enabling ahead!

Best news of the week: Le Metier de Beaute is now available online from Nordstrom. The color swatches are better than the ones on Neiman and Bergdorf sites, so that's a real upgrade. They have everything, from the miracle that is Peau Vierge to LMdB superb makeup brushes. Especially worth noting: the Face Kaleidoscope. It has everything you need- powder, highlighter, bronzer and the gorgeous Echo blush in one palette. I have most of these items separately, but having them in one kit is even better. I actually wish I had it right now- I have some traveling coming up and this would be perfect.

Many of you emailed me lately asking what was going on with Julie Hewett. The web site is back, everything seems to be in stock and there's quite a bit to explore. Julie Hewett has great red lipsticks for just about anyone- including those who are scared of red. I love her cream cheek colors and the Hue Colour in Newsprint Bleu has been a staple in my makeup wardrobe for ages. There's also a little sale going on until the 7th: 25% off on Bijou lipstick in Jacqueline (sheer fuchsia) and Duo Blush Palette in Carmine/Coral. Use code SSA2010 at checkout.

Le Metier de Beaute at Nordstrom and Julie Hewett Sale- Online Shopping News

Enabling ahead!

Best news of the week: Le Metier de Beaute is now available online from Nordstrom. The color swatches are better than the ones on Neiman and Bergdorf sites, so that's a real upgrade. They have everything, from the miracle that is Peau Vierge to LMdB superb makeup brushes. Especially worth noting: the Face Kaleidoscope. It has everything you need- powder, highlighter, bronzer and the gorgeous Echo blush in one palette. I have most of these items separately, but having them in one kit is even better. I actually wish I had it right now- I have some traveling coming up and this would be perfect.

Many of you emailed me lately asking what was going on with Julie Hewett. The web site is back, everything seems to be in stock and there's quite a bit to explore. Julie Hewett has great red lipsticks for just about anyone- including those who are scared of red. I love her cream cheek colors and the Hue Colour in Newsprint Bleu has been a staple in my makeup wardrobe for ages. There's also a little sale going on until the 7th: 25% off on Bijou lipstick in Jacqueline (sheer fuchsia) and Duo Blush Palette in Carmine/Coral. Use code SSA2010 at checkout.

Le Metier de Beaute at Nordstrom and Julie Hewett Sale- Online Shopping News

Enabling ahead!

Best news of the week: Le Metier de Beaute is now available online from Nordstrom. The color swatches are better than the ones on Neiman and Bergdorf sites, so that's a real upgrade. They have everything, from the miracle that is Peau Vierge to LMdB superb makeup brushes. Especially worth noting: the Face Kaleidoscope. It has everything you need- powder, highlighter, bronzer and the gorgeous Echo blush in one palette. I have most of these items separately, but having them in one kit is even better. I actually wish I had it right now- I have some traveling coming up and this would be perfect.

Many of you emailed me lately asking what was going on with Julie Hewett. The web site is back, everything seems to be in stock and there's quite a bit to explore. Julie Hewett has great red lipsticks for just about anyone- including those who are scared of red. I love her cream cheek colors and the Hue Colour in Newsprint Bleu has been a staple in my makeup wardrobe for ages. There's also a little sale going on until the 7th: 25% off on Bijou lipstick in Jacqueline (sheer fuchsia) and Duo Blush Palette in Carmine/Coral. Use code SSA2010 at checkout.

Tarte emphasEYES Liquid Eyeliner (Brown Bronze)

Sometimes it's hard to find your way through the distribution maze of Tarte Cosmetics. The products are sold at Sephora, Henri Bendel, QVC and the company's own website (by the way, there's a 30% discount code on their front page that's valid until July 5th). Each venue seems to have a bunch of products that are not available anywhere else and following what to buy where takes more mental energy than I'm willing to spare for one brand. It's too bad, really, because Tarte offers some great items. My sister is a devoted fan of the Park Avenue Princess bronzer and I just sent her the Kabuki brush which she loves.

As an eyeliner addict, I've been very curious about Tarte's various formats and formulas. Once again, each venue seems to carry different items. The inner rim pencils come directly from Tarte's website, Sephora has the emphasEYES aqua-gel pencils, QVC mostly sells trios of colors and who knows what's available at Bendel- they don't have e-commerce. Seriously.

This arte emphasEYES Liquid Eyeliner is sold at Bendel and was part of a recent GWP there (QVC has this in a trio of colors- black, brown and navy). The color you see here is Brown Bronze and I like it a lot- it's perfect on a summer morning but still dark enough to provide good definition. The pen is small but easy to control and the tip is precise. Staying power is great- morning to night without smudging or flaking even in humid weather (I always use a primer).

Bottom Line: Next time I'm in Henri Bendel I'll probably get this in Navy.

Tarte emphasEYES Liquid Eyeliner ($21 for a single full size or $32.76 for a trio) can be found on QVC or in store at Henri Bendel.

Photos by me.

Tarte emphasEYES Liquid Eyeliner (Brown Bronze)

Sometimes it's hard to find your way through the distribution maze of Tarte Cosmetics. The products are sold at Sephora, Henri Bendel, QVC and the company's own website (by the way, there's a 30% discount code on their front page that's valid until July 5th). Each venue seems to have a bunch of products that are not available anywhere else and following what to buy where takes more mental energy than I'm willing to spare for one brand. It's too bad, really, because Tarte offers some great items. My sister is a devoted fan of the Park Avenue Princess bronzer and I just sent her the Kabuki brush which she loves.

As an eyeliner addict, I've been very curious about Tarte's various formats and formulas. Once again, each venue seems to carry different items. The inner rim pencils come directly from Tarte's website, Sephora has the emphasEYES aqua-gel pencils, QVC mostly sells trios of colors and who knows what's available at Bendel- they don't have e-commerce. Seriously.

This arte emphasEYES Liquid Eyeliner is sold at Bendel and was part of a recent GWP there (QVC has this in a trio of colors- black, brown and navy). The color you see here is Brown Bronze and I like it a lot- it's perfect on a summer morning but still dark enough to provide good definition. The pen is small but easy to control and the tip is precise. Staying power is great- morning to night without smudging or flaking even in humid weather (I always use a primer).

Bottom Line: Next time I'm in Henri Bendel I'll probably get this in Navy.

Tarte emphasEYES Liquid Eyeliner ($21 for a single full size or $32.76 for a trio) can be found on QVC or in store at Henri Bendel.

Photos by me.

Tarte emphasEYES Liquid Eyeliner (Brown Bronze)

Sometimes it's hard to find your way through the distribution maze of Tarte Cosmetics. The products are sold at Sephora, Henri Bendel, QVC and the company's own website (by the way, there's a 30% discount code on their front page that's valid until July 5th). Each venue seems to have a bunch of products that are not available anywhere else and following what to buy where takes more mental energy than I'm willing to spare for one brand. It's too bad, really, because Tarte offers some great items. My sister is a devoted fan of the Park Avenue Princess bronzer and I just sent her the Kabuki brush which she loves.

As an eyeliner addict, I've been very curious about Tarte's various formats and formulas. Once again, each venue seems to carry different items. The inner rim pencils come directly from Tarte's website, Sephora has the emphasEYES aqua-gel pencils, QVC mostly sells trios of colors and who knows what's available at Bendel- they don't have e-commerce. Seriously.

This arte emphasEYES Liquid Eyeliner is sold at Bendel and was part of a recent GWP there (QVC has this in a trio of colors- black, brown and navy). The color you see here is Brown Bronze and I like it a lot- it's perfect on a summer morning but still dark enough to provide good definition. The pen is small but easy to control and the tip is precise. Staying power is great- morning to night without smudging or flaking even in humid weather (I always use a primer).

Bottom Line: Next time I'm in Henri Bendel I'll probably get this in Navy.

Tarte emphasEYES Liquid Eyeliner ($21 for a single full size or $32.76 for a trio) can be found on QVC or in store at Henri Bendel.

Photos by me.

I Love Serge

I was trolling the summer sale on Olivolga, my favorite online destination for funky jewelry, when I saw this ring by The French Factory. I'm pretty sure they don't refer to our favorite perfume prophet (who would probably strongly disapprove of this kind of nonsense), but it still amused me to no end. 

46.40 € on olivolga.com

I Love Serge

I was trolling the summer sale on Olivolga, my favorite online destination for funky jewelry, when I saw this ring by The French Factory. I'm pretty sure they don't refer to our favorite perfume prophet (who would probably strongly disapprove of this kind of nonsense), but it still amused me to no end. 

46.40 € on olivolga.com

I Love Serge

I was trolling the summer sale on Olivolga, my favorite online destination for funky jewelry, when I saw this ring by The French Factory. I'm pretty sure they don't refer to our favorite perfume prophet (who would probably strongly disapprove of this kind of nonsense), but it still amused me to no end. 

46.40 € on olivolga.com

A Perfume Shopping Companion- My Little PSA

I don't believe in buying anything, including perfume, just because it's on sale. That said, there are a couple of things worth the savvy shopper's attention in the current Parfum1.com promotion code (20% off with code TWENTYOFFPW valid until May 9). Here's what I spotted:

Best Deals I Could Find-
Cuir de Lancome and La Mome by Balmain are both discontinued (the latter was a limited edition to begin with).    Even before discount they are incredibly priced ($30.75 for Cuir, $22.50 La Mome), and the 20% off makes both an incredible bargain.
EnJoy by Jean Patou is also in this group. $22.75 before discount.

Serge Lutens-
Uncle Serge is not exactly bargain basement material, so finding his perfumes at discount is always nice. Not all the scents are available, but take note that Santal Blanc, which is rumored to be pulled from the export line into the Paris exclusive range next year is in stock ($108 before the additional discount).

Other niche brands-
Bois 1920, Atelier Flou, Il Profumo, Les Parfums de Rosine, Comme Des Garcons

Also worth mentioning- Lalique Encre Noire (the men's version is by far superior), Cartier Le Baiser du Dragon Parfum and EDP (just skip the EDT), Jil Sander Pastel series (I've never tried them, but I know a few readers who are fans, a handful of Annick Goutal scents, Comptoir Sud Pacifique and Tom Ford for Men.

With $1 of each sale going to ASPCA, finding a bargain here feels even better. Just don't buy unsniffed. Seriously. There's still time to get a sample before you commit to a full bottle.

Are you ordering anything? Do you have any other tips?

And, no, I am in no way shape or form affiliated with Parfum1 (or any other retailer, for that matter). You'll notice I don't link to their site and I don't get a commission or any incentive. All links in this post lead to my own reviews.

A Perfume Shopping Companion- My Little PSA

I don't believe in buying anything, including perfume, just because it's on sale. That said, there are a couple of things worth the savvy shopper's attention in the current Parfum1.com promotion code (20% off with code TWENTYOFFPW valid until May 9). Here's what I spotted:

Best Deals I Could Find-
Cuir de Lancome and La Mome by Balmain are both discontinued (the latter was a limited edition to begin with).    Even before discount they are incredibly priced ($30.75 for Cuir, $22.50 La Mome), and the 20% off makes both an incredible bargain.
EnJoy by Jean Patou is also in this group. $22.75 before discount.

Serge Lutens-
Uncle Serge is not exactly bargain basement material, so finding his perfumes at discount is always nice. Not all the scents are available, but take note that Santal Blanc, which is rumored to be pulled from the export line into the Paris exclusive range next year is in stock ($108 before the additional discount).

Other niche brands-
Bois 1920, Atelier Flou, Il Profumo, Les Parfums de Rosine, Comme Des Garcons

Also worth mentioning- Lalique Encre Noire (the men's version is by far superior), Cartier Le Baiser du Dragon Parfum and EDP (just skip the EDT), Jil Sander Pastel series (I've never tried them, but I know a few readers who are fans, a handful of Annick Goutal scents, Comptoir Sud Pacifique and Tom Ford for Men.

With $1 of each sale going to ASPCA, finding a bargain here feels even better. Just don't buy unsniffed. Seriously. There's still time to get a sample before you commit to a full bottle.

Are you ordering anything? Do you have any other tips?

And, no, I am in no way shape or form affiliated with Parfum1 (or any other retailer, for that matter). You'll notice I don't link to their site and I don't get a commission or any incentive. All links in this post lead to my own reviews.

A Perfume Shopping Companion- My Little PSA

I don't believe in buying anything, including perfume, just because it's on sale. That said, there are a couple of things worth the savvy shopper's attention in the current Parfum1.com promotion code (20% off with code TWENTYOFFPW valid until May 9). Here's what I spotted:

Best Deals I Could Find-
Cuir de Lancome and La Mome by Balmain are both discontinued (the latter was a limited edition to begin with).    Even before discount they are incredibly priced ($30.75 for Cuir, $22.50 La Mome), and the 20% off makes both an incredible bargain.
EnJoy by Jean Patou is also in this group. $22.75 before discount.

Serge Lutens-
Uncle Serge is not exactly bargain basement material, so finding his perfumes at discount is always nice. Not all the scents are available, but take note that Santal Blanc, which is rumored to be pulled from the export line into the Paris exclusive range next year is in stock ($108 before the additional discount).

Other niche brands-
Bois 1920, Atelier Flou, Il Profumo, Les Parfums de Rosine, Comme Des Garcons

Also worth mentioning- Lalique Encre Noire (the men's version is by far superior), Cartier Le Baiser du Dragon Parfum and EDP (just skip the EDT), Jil Sander Pastel series (I've never tried them, but I know a few readers who are fans, a handful of Annick Goutal scents, Comptoir Sud Pacifique and Tom Ford for Men.

With $1 of each sale going to ASPCA, finding a bargain here feels even better. Just don't buy unsniffed. Seriously. There's still time to get a sample before you commit to a full bottle.

Are you ordering anything? Do you have any other tips?

And, no, I am in no way shape or form affiliated with Parfum1 (or any other retailer, for that matter). You'll notice I don't link to their site and I don't get a commission or any incentive. All links in this post lead to my own reviews.

A Quick Shopping Tip- Neiman Marcus vs. Bergdorf

You probably got the email newsletters about the 40% sale going on at both Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. Since the Bergdorf one was at the top of my inbox, I clicked on it first to check what DVF items they had on sale. I found a top I really liked so I proceeded. During checkout, I realized they were about to charge me $16 for shipping and I couldn't find a free shipping coupon anywhere.

Now, Bergdorf and Neiman Marcus share not just the user interface but basically the entire site. As far as I could tell, the 40% sale is the same at both online stores, so I switched to Neiman, found the blouse- same sale price and used the current free shipping Coupon, SHOPNM.

So, if you're planning to indulge, do it at Neiman.

A Quick Shopping Tip- Neiman Marcus vs. Bergdorf

You probably got the email newsletters about the 40% sale going on at both Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. Since the Bergdorf one was at the top of my inbox, I clicked on it first to check what DVF items they had on sale. I found a top I really liked so I proceeded. During checkout, I realized they were about to charge me $16 for shipping and I couldn't find a free shipping coupon anywhere.

Now, Bergdorf and Neiman Marcus share not just the user interface but basically the entire site. As far as I could tell, the 40% sale is the same at both online stores, so I switched to Neiman, found the blouse- same sale price and used the current free shipping Coupon, SHOPNM.

So, if you're planning to indulge, do it at Neiman.

A Quick Shopping Tip- Neiman Marcus vs. Bergdorf

You probably got the email newsletters about the 40% sale going on at both Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. Since the Bergdorf one was at the top of my inbox, I clicked on it first to check what DVF items they had on sale. I found a top I really liked so I proceeded. During checkout, I realized they were about to charge me $16 for shipping and I couldn't find a free shipping coupon anywhere.

Now, Bergdorf and Neiman Marcus share not just the user interface but basically the entire site. As far as I could tell, the 40% sale is the same at both online stores, so I switched to Neiman, found the blouse- same sale price and used the current free shipping Coupon, SHOPNM.

So, if you're planning to indulge, do it at Neiman.

Sephora Friends, Family, Frustration

It's 4:15AM. Do you know where your Sephora shopping cart is?

Sephora's Friend&Family online sale was supposed to start tonight (20% off nearly everything with code FF2009. US only). I thought I'd beat the web crowds by shopping at 3 am. After all, I had a wishlist longer than my hair. Apparently, I wasn't the only one with the same brilliant idea, and Sephora's website crashed. It's 4:15 now, give or take a minute and the site is still down.

Saks used to have the very same problem during their F&F sales, but this season it went smoothly, as far as I could tell. Maybe they can give the people of Sephora a number to call, or something.

Sephora Friends, Family, Frustration

It's 4:15AM. Do you know where your Sephora shopping cart is?

Sephora's Friend&Family online sale was supposed to start tonight (20% off nearly everything with code FF2009. US only). I thought I'd beat the web crowds by shopping at 3 am. After all, I had a wishlist longer than my hair. Apparently, I wasn't the only one with the same brilliant idea, and Sephora's website crashed. It's 4:15 now, give or take a minute and the site is still down.

Saks used to have the very same problem during their F&F sales, but this season it went smoothly, as far as I could tell. Maybe they can give the people of Sephora a number to call, or something.

Sephora Friends, Family, Frustration

It's 4:15AM. Do you know where your Sephora shopping cart is?

Sephora's Friend&Family online sale was supposed to start tonight (20% off nearly everything with code FF2009. US only). I thought I'd beat the web crowds by shopping at 3 am. After all, I had a wishlist longer than my hair. Apparently, I wasn't the only one with the same brilliant idea, and Sephora's website crashed. It's 4:15 now, give or take a minute and the site is still down.

Saks used to have the very same problem during their F&F sales, but this season it went smoothly, as far as I could tell. Maybe they can give the people of Sephora a number to call, or something.

A note to the good people at Chantecaille

Dear Chantecaille People,

Having a spiffy new website is great. It gives us a sneak peak of new products, web exclusive- it's all good stuff. But don't you think that selling top-of-the line makeup requires color swatches that don't look like it's 1999? Seriously, Lancome, Clinique, Nars and others have figured out ages ago that people who shop online really like to see what they're buying. Your products are usually better than theirs, so why can't your website be? Otherwise we have to face the sour-pussed SA at Saks, and that makes us cranky.


P.S. The Bengali Tiger Compacts are to die for.

Love,
Gaia, The Non-Blonde


Images: Chantecaille.com

A note to the good people at Chantecaille

Dear Chantecaille People,

Having a spiffy new website is great. It gives us a sneak peak of new products, web exclusive- it's all good stuff. But don't you think that selling top-of-the line makeup requires color swatches that don't look like it's 1999? Seriously, Lancome, Clinique, Nars and others have figured out ages ago that people who shop online really like to see what they're buying. Your products are usually better than theirs, so why can't your website be? Otherwise we have to face the sour-pussed SA at Saks, and that makes us cranky.


P.S. The Bengali Tiger Compacts are to die for.

Love,
Gaia, The Non-Blonde


Images: Chantecaille.com