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Friday, May 30, 2014

The Friday Forum - May 30

As the roses opened, I dreaded a windblown, crashing rain storm. What did we get? You guessed it.  Not one storm, but two. My poor roses look bedraggled today.

The Google program I used since the blog's inception has gone kaput - with no notice. Overnight, Feedburner stopped sending out e-mails, which I noted earlier in the week, but it also lost my entire subscriber list. Fortunately, I had backed it up at the end of 2013. I am in the process of setting up a new e-mail feed using a program called Mail Chimp. Last night, I imported over 1800 subscriptions to Mail Chimp, but I still can't figure out how to tell it when to send out messages and which messages to select. I should have it all configured by the end of the weekend.

I am so glad I backed up my subscription list. The unfortunate part of this story (besides Feedburner's total meltdown) is that I have no subscription updates (adds, deletes) from 2014. So when I get Mail Chimp working for Best Things in Beauty, you may need to resubscribe if you wish. I'll let you know when Mail Chimp goes live for me so that you can determine whether you are getting the e-mails (in which case you will have to do nothing) or not (you will have to resubscribe).

My frustration level is beyond high. I was so angry, I tried to call Google late yesterday! If Google had provided warning, as it did when it announced its intention to discontinue Feedburner support of APIs, I could have planned an orderly transition. I'm sorry for the inconvenience we have all suffered.

As a result of the time I have spent troubleshooting and setting up a new program, I am backed up on features I want to write! I have photos for the new M·A·C blush and bronzer, a whole new color line, and Pixie darlings I want to show you. I will have to get busy and try to find time to write extra features this weekend.

It's time for the Friday Forum. I love this part of our week. What new products did you discover this week? Did you find any deals you couldn't resist? Are you using a fabulous product and want to sing its praises? Did you find a beauty product disappointing? Do you have a question others might be able to answer? Want to talk about skin care? What's new in your life? Just use the comments. Don't be shy. Just make sure to ask any question you might have over the weekend. By early the next week, most (not all) readers will have moved on.

Happy weekend!

Update: I did not use Mail Chimp. I decided to use a paid service called FeedBlitz. I know they are reliable, and I have a notion that a paid service will be accountable for my feeds. So far, their customer service in helping me set up my feed has been superlative. Stay tuned. You will receive a notice and have the opportunity to stay on my list or opt out if you wish.

I hope you will receive your first e-mail soon. I will be providing instructions later for those who subscribed in 2014. My back-up did not include you. I hope you will resubscribe using my new FeedBlitz option at the top right of the page.

Photo by Best Things in Beauty

13 comments:

  1. Technology sucks! (sometimes - other times it's a miracle). I'm loving the new Dior nail polish formulation this week. And especially Junon an amazing smokey blue grey. Sophisticated and a tiny bit edgy at the same time. The gel like appearance of these varnishes is much more to my taste than the old formulation and lasting better on the nails in the couple of colours I have worn so far. Susan, London

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  2. CG, I am sorry to hear of the recent Google headaches...technology is such a necessary pain in the neck!

    I am absolutely loving the GA Solo eyeshadow singles as well as YSL Couture Eyeshadow palettes in #1Tuxedo, #6 Rive Gauche, and #8 Avant Garde. I am also completely smitten by the Beach Tint Soufflés from Becca and the EL Bronze Goddess Cheek Glow...I am lemming the newly released EL illuminating Gelee Powder in "Crystal Baby"! Press photos make it appear similar to last year's "Tease", but I'm tempted to order all the same so I don't miss out...they seem to sell out quickly!

    I hope you have a wonderful weekend and thank you so much for all you do!

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  3. This week has been more about skin care than color cosmetics so pardon me while I rave yet again about Tatcha :-) I purchased Tatcha's Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Serum and it is incredible! I've long been a fan of the Luminous Dewy Skin Mist to set my makeup and give my skin a moisture boost throughout the day and, of course, the Luminous Deep Hydration Lifting Mask for those times when a special and intensive treat is in order. So, when Tatcha introduced a new hydrating serum and a deep hydrating eye mask to their Luminous line, I knew I'd have to try them. For my first purchase, I selected the serum and wish Tatcha made an industrial size so I could bath in the stuff! LOL Everywhere it touches, my skin is transformed with long lasting hydration. I can't speak to the firming aspect, because that isn't an issue for me, but the transformation of my bone dry skin into something soft, smooth, and hydrated has firmly placed this new serum in the indispensable category. I'm generous with my facial treatments and so I use two pumps to cover my face, neck, and décolletté. The pump mechanism is finely tuned, though, so you can dispense a full measure or a tiny speck if that's all you need. Since there is no waste, the 1 oz. serum should last quite awhile. I'd encourage anyone dealing with dry skin--whether it is all over or just in patches--to visit Tatcha's website to read about the new products in the Luminous line. With the Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Serum, Tatcha has yet another winner that is sure to become a cult favorite. Next to try? The eye mask :-)

    I hope everyone is enjoying the abundance of gorgeous summer products that have been steadily making their way to the counters and that you all have a glorious sun-filled weekend (but not too hot!).

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  4. Rebekah, you are on my wavelength! I have ordered Crystal Baby from Nordies, and I have one of the Becca shades. Cool stuff!

    Thanks!

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  5. Sorry to hear about the tech-problem, CG!

    All these talk about Becca souffle & Crystal Baby made me want to order one, but I'm afraid any of them will only accentuate my large pores.. Has anyone seen them in person?

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  6. Best of luck with your new computer stuff! I foloowed all of that (just barely) :). Spent the day playing with all the Becca Souffle tints. Beyond sublime. I took some internet tips and applied with a stipling brush and the effect was seamless and flawless. Surprisingly, I left with the Lychee/opal. The Raspberry had too much brown in it for me. . . . Had so much fun playing!

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  7. Hi Claire, I tried the Becca on at Sephora, the Lychee color and I was very impressed. I was reminded of the new Hourglass blushes when I first saw them but they are a totally different product. They go on super smooth and sheer and highlight the cheeks well. I left without buying it because I bought so many cosmetics last week but I will probably go back for it.

    My beauty raves this week are about nail polish. Last week I wore Tom Ford's Coral Beach on my nails and I could not keep track of how many people told me it was the perfect summer shade. I have never gotten so many compliments on my nails. This week I had Bobbi Brown's Raw Sugar put on my nails and I love it - it is the perfect bronze. I could get through the summer with just these two shades but I still have Chanel's Sweet Lilac to try, that will be next week.

    On the subject of skin care I want to recommend a local Bay Area business that makes affordable handmade natural beauty products, By Nieves. http://www.bynieves.com/purchaseproducts/cperfectskin.html

    The "C" Perfect serum is a gorgeously feeling and smelling beauty oil with Vitamin C. It makes my skin super soft. The ingredients are top-notch. The generous trial size product is only $9. If you are a beauty oil lover you will be impressed with this oil and the ingredients.

    Happy Weekend everyone!

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  8. I bought Jo Malone Silk Blossom, ordered TF mascara, (Nordstrom had messed up big time for me earlier on mascara madness.) and a few fun things at the Body Shop. Also, I tried the Hourglass long lasting lip gloss.
    Have a great weekend and I hope your roses are recovering. Mine are full of blooms, the 4-day winter freeze suited them.
    Tanja

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  9. @Eileen, they had it on QVC tonight and I would have purchased for sure if I hadn't just stocked-up on serum (and a pricey one, at that!).
    SO excited to see the "newbies"! And glad that I'll be getting your posts again. (Your rose is beautiful, if you ask me.)

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  10. I'm just happy that you are back!

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  11. Eileen, I got my TATCHA box yesterday. Can't wait to dive in!

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  12. CG, I'm going through the sudden and horrible shock of a sudden laptop death. You don't happen to know of any local, reliable, but reasonably priced services in NoVA, would you? I caught that horrible bronhcitis-like bug that's going around and spasmed so suddenly and violently that I doused my MacBook Pro.

    Beauty-wise, I'm loving the new Dior It Lash colored formulas- but am afraid of falling in love since I'm going to be buying a new laptop.

    -Quirky, Busy, and Beautiful (I can't log in via my ipad)

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  13. Quirky, I use Rx PC in Falls Church. I don't know, though, if they fix Apple products. Call first.

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