Friday, January 29, 2016

The Friday Forum - January 29

This photo reminds me to today's weather. The wind is blowing. The snow has started to melt, but not enough. Everywhere you turn when driving, there are lanes still covered with snow, making many multi-lane roads one way. People are walking in the street - it's dangerous. It's cold outside, and much of our snow hasn't melted. The wind chill makes it feel in the single digits - and we are supposed to get flurries later. I really think I should go over to Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie today because Hylton Lea, Le Métier de Beauté's Global Director of Skincare, is there, but it's cold and miserable. I'm having trouble working up the energy to get dressed to go out.

I did go over to Neiman Marcus yesterday to get the 411 on all the upcoming Chanel collections. That was fun. I also picked up Armani's new Year of the Monkey compact. I really thought I had purchased it a week ago. It wasn't in my bag. The woman who was filling in for my regular product specialist didn't charge it to me after I made it clear I wanted to purchase it. At least they still had one.

I've been staying up much later than usual watching television (a very bad habit). Why do networks put all their great shows on between 9:00 and 11:00? I'm thoroughly hooked on the Blacklist, which I call a show for people who can think. I'm also enjoying Jennifer Lopez's new show, Shades of Blue. Those shows make me pump adrenaline, so it takes me until about 12:30 to calm down and go to sleep. It's so cute that Charlie stretches out on my legs while I watch television, and even he can't stay awake that late. Between 10:00 and 11:00, his head slowly drops as he falls asleep. I feel so guilty when I have to roll him over on his side to get up. His eyes say, "I was so comfy; why are you doing this to me?"

It's time for The Friday Forum. The Friday Forum has always been an opportunity to share information. Are you using a fabulous product and want to sing its praises? Tell us about it! Did you find a beauty product disappointing? Tell us why! Do you have questions others might be able to answer? We can help! Want to talk about skin care? I'm game. Just use the comments. We have busy weekends and slow ones on the forum. After a long delay, I hope you are ready to share.

I hope you are safe and well, especially if you were in the blizzard's patch. I'll probably post more Chanel news this weekend. I'm sure I'll be home a lot.

Photo courtesy of ncadvertiser.com

26 comments:

Poppy B. said...

OMG I'm hooked on The Black List too--although it makes me think of my mother's reaction to seeing Love Story back in the 1960s--who cared about Ali MacGraw dying? All she noticed was that Ray Milland had lost his hair.

I strongly recommend Elementary--although I confess, sometimes I enjoy it just to see what Lucy Liu is wearing.

Charlestongirl said...

Poppy, is Elementary on cable? I've never heard of it, but since I don't pay for cable TV, that may be why.

Eileen said...

While you're dealing with the blizzard's aftermath and more snow on its way, here in So Cal we've been enjoying brilliant sunny days. I feel guilty--not! LOL Seriously, I spoke to friends who live in NY and they asked if I could send a bit of sunshine their way. Meanwhile, we're still doing rain dances here; hoping El Niño will put a significant dent in our drought.

I know what you mean about late night television. "The Blacklist" is one of my very favorites, but I can easily understand why it isn't on earlier in the evening. It's not exactly what you'd call family friendly, is it? Dark, violent, but extremely thoughtful, it goes far beyond the usual suspense procedurals. And, isn't James Spader fantastic? The whole cast is great, but he steals the scene every time he's on and his character reveals more and more complexity as the show progresses. I love the twists and turns and the one in "The Djinn" had my middle eastern in-laws talking. I won't say any more than that in case a Blacklist fan hasn't seen it yet. An even later show that I dearly love is "Elementary"--a thoroughly modern and relevant take on Sherlock Holmes. Johnny Lee Miller is extraordinary as a brilliant, complex, and deeply disturbed man. I'm sure there are countless threads online that have analyzed his character at length. As for Lucy Liu, her performance is every bit as strong as Miller's and her Watson is the perfect foil for his Holmes. They've got great chemistry. I'd miss most episodes if it were not for "On Demand". I frequently view the late shows at an earlier time.

On to beauty :-). I ordered the new hydrating overnight memory serum from Tatcha and it was delivered today. I can hardly wait to try it tonight. Since Tatcha's hydrating products perform so well for me, I just went ahead and bought the full size jar rather than the travel size. I love treating myself to a Tatcha mask every week or two, using the hydrating serum on a daily basis, and I am never ever without my beloved dewy mist. Consequently, I have high hopes for this new product. Sleeping masks seem to be all the rage right now, and I'm sure Tatcha's entry will be outstanding. Tonight a septuagenarian; tomorrow morning a babe! LOL In my dreams!

I saw pictures of Dior's summer collection (Chic Profile) and it seems somewhat moody. It has some beautiful mono eyeshadows and a new Pro Liner waterproof eyeliner that I'm interested in trying when it is available. It has that elongated shape that we often see in brow pencils (Tom Ford, Hourglass, Clé de Peau, etc.). I think Dior actually makes some wonderful eyeliners but you don't seem to hear much about them. I've worn their waterproof "stylo" style pencil for years and noticed that lately it has been vanishing. Perhaps this new waterproof pencil is its replacement. What I've seen of the collection, though, it doesn't have a summery vibe at all. It seems cooler and deeper than what we usually see. I wonder if they're planning on releasing something more summery later in the season the way Guerlain does. Hmmm . . . In the meantime, our crazy weather has me alternating between cool, rainy day tones and warmer rays of sunshine. The more I wear my Guerlain spring, the more I like this simple, cheerful collection. It reminds me of early spring flowers. And as for my Dior pale pink highlighter, I sigh whenever I brush it on my cheekbones. It's just so beautiful. We still have plenty of winter ahead of us, though, so I'm in no hurry to put away all the beauties I purchased for winter/holiday.

Have a wonderful (and warm!) weekend, everyone.

Eileen said...

Hi Charlestongirl,

I can't speak for what you get in your area, but Elementary is on CBS here in So Cal.

Hi Poppy,

I smiled when I read your comment about Lucy Liu's wardrobe. Isn't she the a beauty? Her character is strong, fierce, intelligent, clever, sensitive, tolerant, and patient. Who could ask for a better role model for a young woman.

Charlestongirl said...

Eileen, I use an indoor antenna and get all network channels pretty well, except for CBS. If the wind is blowing, it scrambles their signal.

I am totally hooked on The Blacklist. James Spader is a remarkable actor. Yeah, it's dark. I don't get it, though, why networks have no problem showing erectile dysfunction ads with breakfast, but put the extraordinary shows on late at night. I've also started watching the Chicago shows.

TATCHA just sent me their newest products. I haven't used them long enough to review, but so far, I think they are fabulous. Naturally, huh? They are a great company.

I think you may like the new Hourglass Strobing powders. I have all four and have been playing with them. Although strobing is an old technique, all the young kids think it's new. Shows how long in the tooth I'm becoming. :)

Nemo said...

Hello, Cg! I am hoping that CHANEL is doing a Chinese New Year Collection! The little fire monkey would be right up their alley!

Anahita said...

The snow is slowly melting here in Philadelphia. In fact it's going to be almost 60 on Sunday. I just bought some Tom Ford spring. I can't wait to get it. Of course Honeymoon is sold out at my Neimans in KOP but they were able to order it for me. I recently got a sample of Darphin Intral anti redness serum. I really like it although I don't suffer from redness and therefore can't tell whether it's effective in that area. It smells nice. I never tried anything from Darphin after trying their purifying balm which my skin reacted horribly to.

Charlestongirl said...

Anahita, that Honeymoon quad looks pretty online, but I can't wear the plum and might find the other shades to be dupes of what I have. Let us know, please, what you think when you get it.

Rebekah said...

I wholly agree with you about the windchill...it's absolutely biting, I hope you have a warm and cozy weekend!
I received the new Burberry Spring/Summer runway palette in 02 Nude Gold yesterday and my heart skipped a beat. It's so very lovely that I went to the Burberry site to send one to my mom, only to find they're sold out after only being on the site a short time :( I'm hoping they arrive at retail locations soon, I can't get a definite answer from Burberry CS so here's to hoping! LOL!
Speaking of skincare, I need something more nourishing/hydrating than what I'm currently using. Even running a humidifier hasn't thwarted my wintertime, forced-air heat induced, dry skin. I'm drinking tons of water and eating well...that's helping some, but I need a boost! LOL! Any creams with a more rich texture that you're loving? I'm layering my regular serum, argan oil, and Kiehls Super Multi-Corrective cream...but still feel dry by mid-day, or by morning. I'm also thinking my environment may just be too dry for Hyaluronic acid to properly work, which really stinks!
Wishing you a great weekend, CG! Take care!

Anonymous said...

Now I need to check out the Blacklist. I still love The Good Wife and Elementary is usually entertaining, too. Have liked Lucy Liu since Ally McBeal :)
This week and the past have been exciting beauty weeks with the new Chanel products and other fun stuff. I am still playing with a lot of the items and have used the Perles et Fantaisies highlighter with better success. Looking forward to you featuring the other Chanel quad.
Nemo, a Chanel Chinese New Year Collection would be amazing!
CG, I saw minute pictures of some Chanel things to come and some quads looked very pretty and enticing.
Have a great weekend.
Tanja

Charlestongirl said...

Rebekah, I use AmLactin on my body. Sometimes something over it. I am parched. AmLactin is a wholesale/drugstore brand that's worth every penny of its low price - and more.

I'll have to look up that Burberry item. We don't have a counter here, so I don't order their products. As lovely as they are, some are so highly fragranced, I can't wear them.

wendy said...

hi charleston girl! i'm from cincinnati and, last friday it was predicted we'd have a big snowstorm but, it passed us. we are however suppose to get severe rainstorms this coming week. i remember last year we had a huge snowstorm in march, i go day by day with our weather. i really don't watch tv. i like doc martin and enjoy watching the australian open but, otherwise i stick to your beauty blog, some youtube and that's it! my work has been especially stressful so i've been at the cosmetic counters pretty much all week on my lunchbreak. yesterday i went to macy's and they had the new chanel collection (that has to do with pearls). the "regular" spring collection is just not for me although, i'm still thinking about "the ribbons blush". anyway, loved that pearl collection. i did alot of "damage" during my lunchbreak. i think it's such a beautiful collection. the eye look reminds me of the post you did on tom ford's ice queen. or was it a picture you posted of hillary duff? it's a very light, icy look (too me). my favorite is the "white, iridescent" lipgloss and the peachy pink matte lipstick. although it looks more pink on me. i love it! i went over to dior but there was no sales associate at the counter. either they did not get the spring collection in or it's sold out. they didn't have the display or anything like that. i saw an image of dior's summer collection (hi eileen) but, this was all in russian and it was a picture of the display unit called "milky dots". my favorite was the polka nails. since i'm a chanelphile, i definitely will look forward to their summer collection. i saw 2 blurry pictures...a quad with bronzes and green (why does chanel have a fetish for green and pink on the eye, did coco like that?)....and many glossimers (which i love). cincinnati does not carry tom ford and i highly dislike returning stuff. i do know a fabulous sales associate from nordstrom's bellevue store, her name is rachel and she's the counter manager. if you want something she will go out of her way to make sure you get it. i hope it's apprropriate to mention her name. she's wonderful. okay...long day...pardon any typos....happy friday....xoxo.

Charlestongirl said...

Hi all,

The latest Chanel collection is drop-dead gorgeous. I'll try to post swatches over the weekend. I couldn't buy it because I still haven't found a consulting job. One is pending, though. I'm hoping to get good news next week.

Eileen said...

Hi Tanja,

If you take up with "The Blacklist", you need to start at the beginning with the first episode of Season 1. There's a mystery within a mystery, wrapped in another mystery and watching the episodes progress is like slowly peeling away the layers of an onion. The intrigue is what cements the main characters together. It's really an outstanding show. Some episodes can get pretty intense, but it is all interwoven with the mystery of Reddington's relationship to Elizabeth Keen. It's quite a show.

Hi Wendy,

Mosey on over to Chic Profile for Dior Summer 2016. It's in English :-) I can easily imagine a Chanelphile coveting Les Sautoirs de Coco. That gorgeous Tissé Ombré de Lune and Illusion D'Ombre Iridescent are my kind of products. Les Sautoirs was originally released as part of the Asian Le Blanc collection. It has that gorgeous crystalline look that is featured in so many of Chanel's Asian exclusives. I much prefer Les Sautoirs over LA Sunrise.

Rebekah said...

Thankfully this Burberry powder is fragrance free...I have the same problem with their fragranced products :(

Thank you for recommending the Am-Lactin! I am
going to pick some up ASAP!

Anonymous said...

I wanted to get this message out quick so anybody that still wants the 001 Glowing Pink Dior Glowing Gardens compact can hopefully still locate it this weekend!
It IS available on the shelf at Sephora stores, not online but in the stores! You can't know this without calling because it is completely out of stock on the Sephora website and they do not give you the option to check stores that might have it by zip code.
I purchased two last night (Friday) at Tyson's Corner and I called Chevy Chase and they have it there as well.
Call your Sephora that has Dior and ask.. you may be very pleasantly surprised!
Theresa

Anonymous said...

Eileen, thank you for this tip. I will start on Netflix then.
Tanja

Crista said...

Hi from a fellow Cincinnatian! So glad we missed out on the predicted storm! I just moved and don't have a garage now :(
Do you shop at Macy's Kenwood? I love that store! I have really had to cut back on my cosmetic and skincare purchases. Not that I don't have enough stuff to last me for the next couple of years. I did buy the nude lip set from sephora and some moisturizer and toner from Paula's Choice - I've decided not to stray from her skincare line

Charlestongirl said...

Crista, if I stopped buying because I have enough for a lifetime, there would be no blog here. My latest attitude is to buy only color that's unique and skin care that's an advance. Working for me so far. :)

Eileen said...

Hi Rebekah,

If your facial skin is feeling parched, you might want to try Tatcha's new Luminous Overnight Memory Serum Concentrate. (Whew! Could the name get any longer? LOL ) Not only does this product have a long name, but it is super long on hydration. I've used it two nights in a row and am very impressed with how dramatically it has smoothed out the wrinkles and crinkles caused by dehydration. The flakiness at the corners my mouth is also gone and the skin around my eyes looks as smooth as its gonna get on a 71 year old ;-) As it is restoring hydration, it is also calming thenskin irritation caused by the dry weather. I ordered it directly from Tatcha and they kindly sent me a travel size of their silky moisture cream to use over the serum along with the information that I could use this morning and night, as often as needed, to keep my skin hydrated. I'm sure my ordering history revealed that I'm a huge fan of their hydrating masks, daily serum, and dewy mist so they know my skin is as dry as the desert without products to counteract the loss of moisture. In any event, you can check it out on their website. They have a travel size that would be perfect for anyone who is unsure. You need so little of this gelatinous "serum", that a travel size would easily give you enough uses to determine whether or not to purchase the regular size. As I said in a previous comment, I love Tatcha's hydration products and knew I wouldn't have any problems with the new one so I jumped right in and purchased the regular size. The ingredients are posted on the website so you can see if their is anything that gives your skin grief. I hope not, because this product is an anti-aging hydration "mask" done right.

Charlestongirl said...

Wendy, in DC, the new season of Doc Martin started tonight. Did you see it?

I hope to buy a few pieces from the newest Chanel collection, unless one of my Chanel BFFs can get me some testers. That collection is "to die for." The lip glosses are pigmented too. An extra added benefit.

By all rights, I should be asleep. Unfortunately, I've been trying to fight off a sinus infection this weekend. AND, at this moment I am screaming at Charlie. He's in the bathroom knocking all my makeup into the sink. He does that to get attention. Doesn't matter that I just rubbed his belly for 30 minutes.

Those poor Dior reps get three of each new item. I've seen the collection in photos, and to be honest, I thought it was pretty, but contained nothing that took my breath away.

Now Charlie is pawing at the hand that's typing. Attention hog much?

Charlestongirl said...

Nemo, I have the papers on upcoming collections. Look for Rahman to reach out to you.

*JW* said...

Very late to the mix, but maybe not too late! Anyone: How different is the new, always sold-out Dior Glowing Gardens pink illuminating powder from the always available standard Dior pink illuminating powder? I have never tried Dior's illuminating powders, just mostly those beautiful 5-color eye shadow palettes, a few lipsticks, etc. Is anybody still out there? THANKS...Judy

Eileen said...

Hi JW,

Dior's standard illuminating powder is just that--powdery--and consequently, it can look like it is sitting on the surface of the skin unless it is carefully blended; especially if you're going for a more intense spotlight look. The new illuminator by Dior is a powder/gelée hybrid which feels and looks smoother than the regular one. It melds with the skin to create looks ranging from a soft diffused glow to that coveted spotlight look that is so on trend right now. Either way, the new illuminator looks like it is one with your skin. I'd say Dior's new illuminating powder is a definite upgrade. Don't settle for the old one.

Charlestongirl said...

Thank you, Eileen, for answering before I could. This morning, I ran Mom errands. I got home in time to write a Chanel feature, and here I am at 3:28 watching Ellen. :) Hugh Jackman is amazing!

*JW* said...

Thanks for the reply re: Dior illuminating powders. Guess I'll have to continue to hunt for the new one! At least now I won't waste money on the other ones.