Friday, May 9, 2014

The Friday Forum - May 9

There's something about the commingling of dogwoods and redbuds that makes spring glorious. I had two pretty volunteer redbuds, and both are gone. I believe a neighbor killed one on purpose (it shaded her porch), and the power company pruned one so severely that it died. They grew here and thrived, brought by the winds or the birds. I really should go buy a small one and plant it in a safe place next to one of the dogwoods. If only I could lift it.

This was a week to try to get back to normal. Unfortunately, it did not work out that way. Mom's caregiver, who suddenly had to do real work to help her regain her strength, demanded that we double her salary. We refused and had less than 24 hours to find a temporary replacement. The former weekend caregiver - a sweet gal - will take over the full-time responsibilities tomorrow morning. A very nice young lady is taking care of Mom now. She is the daughter of a nurse's aide who helped Mom in the hospital. Things have a way of working out - even when you think they won't. As for the "caregiver" who attempted blackmail at a time when we needed her, I wish her karma.

Pamela Morgan was, when I first met her, a national or international representative for Guerlain. She has jumped ship and joined YSL. Tomorrow, she will be at Neiman Marcus Tysons Galleria, and I'm lucky to have an appointment with her. I haven't seen Pamela in about two years (I wondered where she went), so I'm thrilled she's back on the circuit. If you are local to the DC area, call Tysons and make an appointment. She's extremely talented, and I know you will love her.

The new Givenchy fragrances have launched at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City, and they are making quite a splash. I ordered three, and samples are on the way of most of the rest. If you want to try a narcotic neroli, I'd recommend Néroli Originel ($220). It is divine.

WWD recently reported that many beauty companies are looking for buyers or major investors. I knew that to be true with one of my favorites (I'm sworn to secrecy), but it was interesting to read that Perricone and NYX Cosmetics are actively looking for buyers. Apparently, Too Faced Cosmetics, one of the last of the indies established in the late 1990's, continues to resist buyout offers from larger firms, but there is a lot of activity in mergers and acquisitions these days. What does that mean for us? Not much, really. In some cases, it means brands will like will survive with a cash infusion. In others, it means there will be more homogenization in the industry.

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.

Once again, thank you for your thoughts and prayers for Mom. She says she feels only "half-dead," which is an improvement. She gets stronger every day.

Photos courtesy of fineartamerica.com and Saks Fifth Avenue

13 comments:

Behindthepillar said...

So sorry to hear about the problem with your mother's carer. I suppose the only upside is that her behaviour revealed that she was not someone you could really trust to look after your mom before she did any harm. Beauty wise I have been enjoying bright pink this week - old stuff but not used for ages - Chanel Diva Rouge Allure on the lips and Splendeur on the nails. Sometimes pink just cheers me up! Susan, London

Eileen said...

There are some wonderfully caring and dedicated caregivers, but they are like the rarest gems. Unfortunately, the field attracts a lot of lazy people who just want an easy gig and a place to live. I'm sorry your mom's caregiver turned out to be one of those kinds. Even if you had agreed to her demand for more money, she probably wouldn't have lasted very long because she didn't really want to work. Alas, good in home child care and elder care are both very hard to find.

On the beauty front, the more I use TF's Unabashed palette, the more I like it. I've figured out which brushes work best with it and have come up with a number of looks ranging from daytime casual to nighttime dramatic. Some of the prettiest looks I've seen were done by Rae on The RaeViewer and Karen on MakeupandBeauty. They're completely different but illustrate the versatility of the palette. One of the ugliest was done by . . . I won't name names, but suffice it to say that it was an over-the-top study in blue that would put Dame Edna to shame! LOL Somehow I don't think it was quite what the elegant Mr. Ford had in mind :-)

I bought a couple of Lancôme's new glosses and really, really like them. I have Lip Lover and Rose Contretemps. They're moisturizing and make the lips look fuller and smoother and yet they are light in texture. They're easy to wear, swipe and go glosses that come in a nice range of shades. I loved Dior's new liquid lipstick when I first bought it, but after wearing it off and on for a few days, I began to develop a sensitivity to it. I actually got a few small blisters. Yikes! Such a shame because it provides glossy rich color---but not for me :-( So, I consoled myself with purchasing two Lancôme to substitute for my one Dior. Works for me! LOL

Here's wishing all you beautiful, nurturing women a wonderful Mother's Day!

Charlestongirl said...

Eileen, you teaser, you. :) I can see the blue on very dark skin. Otherwise...

Jo said...

CG, have you seen this article about a new makeup printer that someone has invented? It's a hoot. Her target audience is 13-21 year olds and I think that is just about right. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/07/makeup-printer-mink_n_5279546.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063

Sorry about the caregiver problem but when one door closes another opens up and sometimes what's behind the new door is better than what is in the closed door (that's me being philosophical LOL). Hope your mom feels better every day.

Have fun at Neiman's tomorrow. I'm heading there tomorrow myself - to get the new Chantecaille highlighter.

Happy weekend everyone!

Unknown said...

I'm sorry you had to deal with the caregiver issue, especially at such a crucial time, CG. I'm glad that you were able to find someone else in short notice though. I hope your mother is recovering painlessly. I wish you and her a great Mother's Day weekend!

Anonymous said...

Fran Says:
Eileen, thank you so much for reporting your reaction to the Dior Fluid stick, was sorely tempted to get one based on Cafe Makeup's review. You have every right to return it with that sort of sensitivity/allergy. When I tested the new Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy at the counter, my lips swelled up for the rest of the day - was so glad I hadn't bought it.

Grlnxdor said...

Whether you are a Mom to humans, animals or both, I wish you a happy Mother's Day!

Eileen said...

Hi Fran,

Thanks for the encouraging words. I actually did take the Dior back at my husband's urging. The lovely young SA at Nordstrom was wonderful. She not only happily issued a return, but she called their regional manager and left a detailed message about the reaction I had had to the product. I think we've all had a gloss dry or irritate our lips a bit, but the blisters and, in your case, the swelling really should be reported to the company as those are rather extreme reactions. In any event, I left the Dior behind and brought the two Lancôme lovelies home with me :-)

Evelyn said...

Eileen - "the over the top study in blue" made me giggle. I think I'm going to have to look around to find that one. If I don't think I can use a palette well, I stay away. I think instead I will finally pick a Tom Ford brush.

Caregivers...unfortunately they are so inconsistent in quality. My mom's friend has had a number to help her care for her husband who has Parkinsons. They are required to lift him, help her move, bathe him and clean all areas that he uses. Many only do half. She had one really great caregiver but she was honest enough to say she could no longer do this kind of work because she felt she could not give proper care to her charges. That I can respect, doing half the work or taking advantage of people, no.

On the lighter side, I haven't bought anything very exciting but I'm interested in the new Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow powder for the summer. They look pretty!

Happy Mother's Day to all!

ChristineV said...

Sorry about the blackmail. But glad you shared. I have MS and may be in the same place as your mom, so helpful to know others experiences.

On another note, the cash infusion needed by beauty companies? They have escalated prices beyond consumers ability to pay. The middle class is shrinking; meaning their disposable income is going away.

I know you enjoy and can buy the high end stuff, but frankly, I won't spend $$$$ on eye shadow, lipstick, nail polish.

I am going through a divorce and until its settled, my splurges are pretty limited.


I only spend the big money on foundation and concealer. I have found some drugstore subs that are comparable at a fraction of the price. So I feel like the their financial issues are self inflicted.

Charlestongirl said...

Gosh, Eileen, blisters? I think I ordered one of them, which may be in an unopenened box. Now I am not enthused.

Charlestongirl said...

Christine, I have so much experience to share. Just write me when you have a need to know.

Charlestongirl said...

Jo, I haven't, and I must go look that up. Sounds bizarre!