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