The Friday Forum - June 20

June has been strange. We have had weeks of rain interspersed with days on end on August heat and humidity. I think my plants don't like it. Isn't June supposed to be the glorious month?

What's new in beauty? Alicia Keys will be the face for Givenchy's newest fragrance, Dahlia Divin, which will launch in September. Is there anyone who doesn't love Alicia Keys? Of Dahlia Devin, Keys told WWD, “This scent is grounded, but still has a femininity that is very earthy, and I love that.” The scent, developed in-house by Givenchy perfumer François Demachy, combines notes of jasmine, mirabelle plum, patchouli, vetiver, and sandalwood. The eau de parfum will be available in three sizes, as well a large Skin Dew - all moderately priced. In the U.S., the scent will be sold in about 1,500 doors, including Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor, Dillard’s and Sephora. I imagine it will receive the same "can't miss it" publicity Dahlia Noir received. I didn't like that one either.

Will I be giving it a whiff? You bet. Will I be purchasing it? Very unlikely. I despise patchouli, and it's a rare day when I can't smell it in a fragrance. I'm actually disgusted with today's perfumers who think they can't create a blended juice without it. There are plenty of other ingredients to give a fragrance an earthy edge. Patchouli must be the go-to because it's widely available and relatively inexpensive.

Speaking of fragrance, I read a book this week - I often don't have time for books - called The Book of Lost Fragrances: A Novel of Suspense. I'd recommend it for a good and atypical read. M. J. Rose spun an unlikely and certainly unpredictable tale of secrets, intrigue, and lovers, separated by time, all connected through the mystical qualities of a perfume created in the days of Cleopatra - and lost for 2,000 years. I purchased it at Amazon, where the hardcover is on sale. I bought the Kindle version, though, and read it on my iPad. I enjoy reading. If I ever get to retire, I'll be going through a book or two every week.

Do you have a favorite beauty loyalty program - one that leads you to try to purchase from a single retailer whenever possible? Some are loyal to Sephora (I'm one of them, although I hate setting foot in their stores); others prefer Ulta. Both have approximately 13 million members. I enjoy my Sephora V.I.B. Rouge status. I really like the fast shipping and my ability to order a single item and get free shipping without a minimum purchase. I hope they don't roll that back someday. I think Sephora was brilliant when they set it up. It encourages me to buy more often.

I also like the perks of the Neiman Marcus special beauty events, but I am starting to tire of the ever-rising minimum purchases to get a few tiny samples from the brands. I gave up on the tote contents years ago. Now I'm starting to give up on the GWPs from the brands. They are far less generous than they used to be. Those of you who have been with me for years know that I've written about this before. I am lucky. I do have brand representatives who are very generous with me because I spend mega-bucks over the year, not just at events. Others have to spend $350 to get a little makeup bag with four samples, three of which they may never try.

I'd be interested in knowing your strategy for selecting a retailer. I'm sure the retailers would be too. Let's see if we can have a good conversation this week.

Don't forget that Giorgio Armani Beauty is having an online Friends & Family sale. If you spend $75 or more, you will receive a 20% discount through June 30. If you spend over $125, you will be able to select five samples. I got the e-mail yesterday and hopped right onto the site to order stock of my foundation. I also found some samples that were more exciting than packet samples.

Did you hear that UPS plans to change its fee structure to charge more for larger boxes? In other words, a regular-sized Sephora box filled mostly with paper padding will cost more to send than a very small box containing less padding. I fear that this change is going to lead to more damage in shipment or - the horror - more use of padded envelopes, which annoy me. When I have purchased a $75 compact, I don't want to see it arrive in an envelope. I remind myself that less packaging material is good for the environment, but I fear that I'll be spending more time returning damaged merchandise. One thing I hate about Chico's is that they send clothing in plastic envelopes, and by the time it gets to me, it is wrinkled beyond my ability - and time - to iron it. I end up returning half of what I order. I don't know why I should have to put work into making new clothes wearable.

Is anyone reading a fan of beachy hair treatments? I'm intrigued by one I just saw at Sephora. DRYBAR's Mai Tai Spritzer Sea Salt Spray ($25) promises to adds soft, beachy waves for a breezy look without the drying, damaging effects of seawater. The formula contains real sea salt, aloe, and algae to create just the right amount of grit, texture, and volume, while leaving hair with a soft, matte finish. I am this close to adding it to my cart. I'd love to hear about it if any of you have tried it.

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.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty and courtesy of Givenchy, Giorgio Armani Beauty, and Sephora