The Friday Forum - September 2

It's hard to believe it's September - my birth month - already! The summer flew by, even the month of August that I took as a vacation. I felt I deserved one since I take them so seldom.

There was an interesting article in Tuesday's New York Times about the Kardashians/Jenners and their flouting of the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) guidelines for bloggers, and celebrities who advertise products on Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and other online boards. In March of 2013, I told you about the new guidelines that require transparency regarding gratis products and/or payments for product features. Many bloggers immediately and unhappily began to follow the rules requiring that they disclose gratis products (free), sponsored posts, and affiliate links clearly and conspicuously.

Here is what I wrote at the time...
The FTC wants digital sites to make perfectly clear that the product being reviewed was received for free. The agency assumes (as I often do) that a glowing review was provided in trade for the free product. I think it's about time the FTC weighed in and clarified their expectations. My only regret is that they did not extend their guidelines to magazines. If you think Allure purchases what it glowingly features, think again.

The FTC make it clear that it's not adequate to leave a small print statement, such as "This product was provided for editorial consideration," at the bottom of a review. They want it disclosed in the review right away, up-front if possible, and they want it equal in size to the content of the post. I have always tried to disclose early in my features (as long as I could make it flow) and will try even harder going forward. I have never resorted to the "editorial consideration" lingo because I believe the product was sent to me with an implicit expectation of a review. No one sending me free products expects me to enjoy them and "consider" reviewing them. I'm not that naive.

The FTC particularly does not approve of a disclosures section that says something like, "From time to time, companies send me products for free, but I always review them honestly." That was the "solution" of many beauty bloggers and now it's a no-no - as it should be. Additionally, bloggers paid to tweet [or post on Instagram] about a product will be expected to add a hashtag, such as #ad to their tweet.

The Times told us that the FTC had caught up with the Instagram posts of Kim, Khloé, Kourtney, Kylie, and Kendall for their failure to abide by federal guidelines. These women get paid big bucks to advertise products, services, and places on Instagram as if they were their favorites - love or advertisements? The example cited was an Instagram post by Kylie Jenner that originally said, "Thanks for the birthday home, @airbnb," that was changed to"Thanks for the gift of a lovely birthday home, @airbnb" after her lawyer received a letter from TruthinAdvertising.org. I'm not sure that cleared up the gratis stay. The "ladies" also edited the captions on at least a dozen other Instagram photos and deleted others.

Top social media celebrities are paid on the average $187,500 for a post on YouTube, $75,000 for a post on Instagram or Snapchat, and $30,000 for a post on Twitter. The rules state that these posts must be labeled #ad or #sponsored to make it clear that they celebrity was paid for the endorsement.

I found it hilarious that several PR representatives were quoted as saying that audiences have a "visceral" reaction to seeing the #ad hashtags because they don't want to know that people are getting paid for "stuff, even if they are." Bloggers have told L'Oreal Paris and Urban Decay that their engagement on posts that are properly tagged "ad" or "sponsored" get lower engagement than if the tag were not there. I think that's hooey. What do you think?

As you know, many beauty bloggers disclose, either in the text of a feature, or by using buttons at the top of the feature. I sincerely doubt that their readers are turned off by such disclosures. I'm sure you have also noticed that some beauty bloggers do not disclose. Sooner or later, these bloggers, if they have a decent audience, will be caught, and the fines will be painful. I'm glad the government and Truth in Advertising are making an example of the Kardashian crew. They make millions of dollars a year simply by posting Instagram promotions. It's time they added honesty to their shtick.

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. I hope to see you in the comments.

I may take a few days off over this Labor Day weekend. I've noticed that readership has taken a nosedive in the last week, and I've concluded that many readers are taking advantage of the last official week of summer for a vacation. I think should do that too, but if I get my hands on anything extraordinary, I will put that vacation on hold and feature it. Happy Labor Day!

I do want to remind you that Neiman Marcus' Beauty Event starts next week. You can pre-order now. If you need some help, call (202) 966-9700 and ask for Debbie O'Malley or Michael Reinhardt. They can help you with their own products (Tom Ford and Le Métier de Beauté) or any products in the beauty and fragrance department. The tote that you will receive with a nominal ($125) purchase is nice this time. It's worth a look-see.

Photo courtesy of Pinterest

Dior 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Skyline for Fall 2016

Peter Philips, once Chanel's makeup guru, is now Dior's makeup maestro (he joined Dior in 2014), orchestrating the company's color cosmetics strategy as Creative and Image Director of Christian Dior Makeup. His collection for Fall 2016 has imagined a beauty look that plays with shadow and light as he celebrates the daring Dior woman driven to experiment; a woman enhanced by the Skyline collection featuring eye shadows, blushes, lipsticks, and brow pencils inspired by the techniques of professional makeup artists. Facial contours are naturally sculpted, eye shadows in autumnal colors bring out the eyes, while lips and nails take on shades of daring that evoke the bold lines of the Eiffel Tower, the timeless icon that inspired Peter Philips to create the Skyline Collection.

I purchased a few pieces from the collection at Neiman Marcus. Today, I'll feature its namesake Skyline 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette ($63).

I had not seen it when I purchased it, but I relied on Debbie O'Malley to assure me that the colors would work for me.

Inspired by the iconic architecture of the Eiffel Tower, Dior revisits its star 5 Couleurs Palette with two limited editions featuring deep, luminous and richly contrasting colors. The other palette is called Capital of Light, and one of the shades is definitely burgundy - not me.

I took my photos in full, early afternoon sunshine. I swatched relatively heavily with a sponge-tipped applicator, starting at the top left and moving around the palette clockwise, ending with the shade in the middle at the bottom of my arm.

The light copper color at the top of my arm is much more attractive than it appears in the compact. The compact photo worried me; I was afraid the color might be muddy. Not so! The beautiful slightly shimmering light beige at the top right of the compact is a wonderful base shade for use with all of these colors. The deep brown is a perfect eyeliner or contour shade for me. I applied it heavily for the photo above, but you can use a much lighter hand and brush to use it as a contour shade.

I've always loved blue with brown, and Peter Philips selected two gorgeous blues to "pair" with the browns in this palette. The icy blue brightens the eyes and erases any redness in the eye area. The grey blue is simply gorgeous. What else can I say?

The formula offers an ultra-pigmented texture without a chalky effect for a smooth, even application. I think I will get a lot of wear from Skyline, starting now.

The Dior Makeup Web site shows both fall palettes as being out of stock, but they are available at Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie. Just call Debbie. Stock is limited (as is always the case with Dior for some reason), so if you are interested, call soon. I'm sure the Dior Web site will catch up and stock it before long.

Photos at top courtesy of Dior; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

BECCA x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection Shimmering Skin Perfector Slimlight in Champagne Pop

I have to admit that I am not a fan of YouTube videos about beauty or makeup application. I find most of them time-consuming. I can read quickly, but I can't fast forward on videos and "get the message." That's why I had no idea who Jaclyn Hill was when her Collection for BECCA was suddenly "everywhere" on Sephora. I was intrigued, not because of Jaclyn Hill, but rather because the products looked gorgeous. To see the entire collection, hop over to this link.

Apparently, BECCA and Sephora noticed that Ms. Hill is not only popular but also a big fan of BECCA's Shimmering Skin Perfector, and they asked her if she would like to collaborate in creating a highlighter that would work for everyone. The result? Champagne Pop, a universal shade that works with both warm and cool tones.

I purchased several pieces from the collection and still haven't made the time to photograph them and feature them here. However, the newest piece is the Champagne Pop Shimmering Skin Perfector Slimlight ($28), so I decided to start by featuring it. Considered a celebratory extension of the earliest items in the Champagne Collection, it's intended to allow you to sculpt your favorite features with layers of light and color for the perfect, customized glow in a peachy white gold shade.

Shimmering Skin Perfector Slimlight is a targeted wand that’s perfect for precision highlighting to achieve the iconic BECCA glow on the go. The cream formula highlights and brightens specific areas of the face with a subtle luminosity. Use it anywhere you would use a highlighter: at the top of your cheekbones, on the inner corner of your eyelids, down the center line of your nose, in the cupid's bow of your lips - anywhere you want to brighten your face. The wand makes application fast and easy.

It is handy to throw into your makeup bag if you find you need a pick-up mid-day. I use it at home, and its radiance lasts all day.

I took my photos in full, mid-day sun. It was very bright outside, and because the Champagne Pop shade is light, it was hard to get a photo that showed its true color. The picture below was my best.

I remember reading in Allure (I think) about a year ago that highlighters were on their way out. Makeup artists were using moisturizers - under and over makeup - to give the skin a glow. They do that; it's not a new concept. However, highlighters are more popular than ever. I like this one and its sister products. BECCA and Jaclyn Hill clearly hit the spot with their collaboration.

You can purchase it at Sephora.

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

Giorgio Armani Beauty Compact Cream Concealer

I've been wearing Giorgio Armani Beauty's cream foundation ever since it was introduced. Now, it seems to have been discontinued. I guess my consolation was the introduction of a new Compact Cream Concealer ($42). I found it while browsing Sephora and ordered my shade, #2, immediately.

Described as a high-coverage spot concealer, it's perfect for the sun spots I have to cover with something. One is near my left eye, and its appearance really bothers me.

Compact Cream Concealer is an instant corrector that completely hides imperfections, dark spots, and blemishes. Its customized precision applicator is said to offer high coverage and a thin texture for a flawless-looking finish. I'm not a big fan of the applicator. I use my own (Bobbi Brown) touch-up brush.

This concealer is available in six shades, all of which have a matte finish. If you are a fan of Giorgio Armani foundation, you will love this new concealer. It stays on all day, just like the foundation, and it has provides excellent coverage for those sun spots. I hope you don't have them, but most people who came of age when suntans were considered beautiful - and before we all knew the danger of the sun's rays to our skin - has probably already developed the keratoses that resulted from our adoration of the sun.

I'm hooked on Armani's new concealer. I didn't see it on the Armani Beauty Web site, but it's available at Sephora.

Photo courtesy of Sephora

The Friday Forum - August 26 Plus an Exciting Estée Lauder Launch

There's hope for Estée Lauder. Most of you know that after years of profitable, but unexciting existence, Estée Lauder brought in Tom Pecheux, who reinvigorated the brand. Suddenly, Estée Lauder was hot again, and we bloggers had fun with all of the color products he created or inspired. Unfortunately, he left. From that point, the company became what I called the Aerin Lauder Company. Most of the new color introductions were Aerin's, and I found them boring - to the point that I seldom browsed the company's Web site.

More recently, in its efforts to attract Millennials, Estée Lauder made Kendall Jenner its new face (along with blogger Irene Kim) and rebranded many of its new products Estée Edit, which are "curated" by Ms. Jenner and guest bloggers. Intended for rule breakers and risk takers - the way Millennials like to think of themselves - Estée Edit products strike me as modern, but traditional at the same time. In other words, they are a product of marketing. If anything, Kendall Jenner was a turn-off to me.

Little of Estée Lauder's recent marketing has impressed me or enticed me to buy. Then the news broke. Estée Lauder would be partnering with Victoria Beckham to launch a limited-edition color cosmetics line. The collection is set to debut on September 13, with a preview at Beckham's runway show two days before. It will be sold in select retail outlets, including department stores and Victoria Beckham Dover Street, plus the retailer's Web sites. The full collection will be sold at Bergdorf Goodman and bergdorfgoodman.com, Selfridges, Victoria Beckham’s Dover Street store in London and on victoriabeckham.com and esteelauder.com starting September 13. It will launch in the rest of the world from October 1. I can't wait!

In an interview with WWD, Beckham said her aim is to empower women, fill a few market niches, complement her fashion collection, and relay some of the makeup and skin-care wisdom she’s gathered from a life spent on airplanes, red carpets, and in the full glare of paparazzi flashbulbs.

“I was very specific about what I wanted. It was about the must-have items that I felt everybody should have in their makeup bag, things that are really quite difficult to find because I know, I’ve searched,” Beckham told WWD. The aim was also to deliver products people could immediately associate with her, “whether it’s a smoky eye, a nude lip, or dewy skin. So I’ve been very honest, very true to myself. This has been something that I’ve wanted to do for so many years,” she said.

WWD told us there will be 15 units, including a limited-edition, portable mirror that casts a flattering light for makeup application. Prices will  range from $30 for the designer’s signature nude-matte lip pencil to $45 for an Eye Metals Eye Shadow, $95 for the Morning Aura Illuminating Crème and $1,200 for the Victoria Beckham Collection Daylight Edition, a light box that includes a removable lighted mirror as well as eight products.

While the focus will be mostly on lips and eyes, there will also be a bronzer, a highlighter (Beckham convinced Lauder to bring back a version of its limited-edition Modern Mercury highlighter - yea!) and the Morning Aura cream. There is more, but I'll save some surprises for you.

I finally have hope for Estée Lauder again. Victoria Beckham has proven that she has a talented eye, and her experience in the limelight as a celebrity and successful designer should give her the one-the-ground knowledge to develop a cosmetics line that will appeal to everyone, not just Millennials. Are you as excited as I am?

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. I hope to see you in the comments.

Photos courtesy of Estée Lauder and WWD

Guerlain 5 Couleurs Eye Palettes for Fall 2016

In early August,I was privileged to show you a coming attraction of Guerlain's Fall 2016 Collection. Today, I am thrilled to show you my first purchases from the collection, two eye shadow palettes. I purchased them at Nordstrom online.

The new eye shadows, Guerlain's 5 Couleurs Eye Palette ($69) offer six new, trend-setting and comprehensive eye palettes that allow us to be as daring as our moods. Each compact contains five perfectly graduated shades to enhance your eyes with just one swipe to create the desired look - from natural to bold. This easy-to-use range of shades contains a base to even and illuminate, two nude tones to subtly enhance, and two smoky sophisticated shades that intensify every look. Applied separately or layered, the shades deliver unfailingly chic results. Each palette comes with a plastic overlay that labels the shadows base, nude, and smoky.

The technology of these palettes offers ultra-fine, light-reflecting pigments for brighter, illuminating color that can create numerous effects. Depending on the shade, the finish may be matte, satin, or metallic with a luminous finish so that eyes appear more lively and vibrant. 

Of the two I purchased, Coque d'Or (#03, $69) is my favorite. With shades ranging from ivory to green (yes, that shade on the far right is green, but you know my camera has a green deficiency), this palette is swoon-worthy.

I took my photos in early afternoon full, very bright sunlight. I swatched each shade with a sponge-tipped applicator, starting at the left in the palette at the top of my arm and moving toward the right as I moved down my arm. Coque d'Or is swatched below.

The base shade is a yellow gold. The next shade is a shimmering gold, followed by a shimmering copper. The two shades paired at the right are a brown-copper hybrid and green.

Every one of these shades looks fabulous on my eyes. My only regret? That Guerlain did not make the last two colors on the right full-sized.

Bois des Indes (#06) is a gorgeous set of neutrals. As you can see in my swatches below, the palette is extremely flexible for everyday use.

The base shade is so light (at the top of my arm), I accidentally cut off the top of my swatch. The next shade down is a warm peachy-pink, also with shimmer. The next shade is a matte mauve. The taupe below is a gorgeous shade. I'll wear it often. The charcoal at the far right is a dark grey-brown when applied dry. I imagine it will provide more oomph when applied with a damp brush.

For a nude look, apply the illuminating base shade #1 to the eyelid (each is numbered on the plastic insert), arch of the eyebrow, and inner corner of the eye. Layer shade #2 over the eyelid. Blend in shade #3 as an accent in the outer corner, one of my favorite techniques.

For a bold look, sweep the illuminating shade #1 over the eyelid, arch of the eyebrow, and inner corner of the eye. Layer shade #4 over the eyelid. Then apply shade #5 at the lash line on the outer corner. Blend as an accent in the same corner to smudge - another of my favorite techniques.

I'm anxious to see the rest of the palettes in person. I'm sure I'll "fall for" at least one more. I suspect it will be Tonka Impérial. I'll wait for the palettes to arrive at a local store.

I know you can order these new Guerlain palettes from Nordstrom. They will be available at Guerlain Boutiques, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom, Saks, Bloomingdale's, Dillard's, Sephora, and online.

Photo at top courtesy of Guerlain; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

Tom Ford Lip Contour Duo from the Runway Color Pre-Autumn-Winter 2016 Collection

Tom Ford introduced eight new Lip Contour Duos ($53) in his Pre-Autumn-Winter Runway Color 2016 Collection. I found them intriguing. "Innovation meets lip artistry with a dual lip color and shaping tool" in one wand.

On one end, the slim and sleek pencil features a lip shaper (pencil) to enhance and define the lips. On the other end, a full-coverage slim stick lip color is concealed inside. The packaging is clever.

Use the lighter shade of the lip shaper together with the deeper lip color to add dimension and shape and create an ombre effect to your lips as you please - from a subtle contour to a high-definition contrast, however you like. For those of you who plan to wear red and orange this fall (the trend), there are two perfect duos for you.

I selected three duos for myself: #02, Fling It On, #3 Dream Obscene, and #4, Show It Off. I purchased Fling It On online from the Tom Ford Beauty online site, and when I saw the other two at Neiman Marcus (while playing with Debbie O'Malley, the product specialist), I purchased them too. It was too hard to make up my mind and limit my selections to only two - a goal this season.

I had a hard time placing the round tubes on my blue paper. If you look closely, you'll see my blurred color between the duos. I decided to use it anyhow because I didn't want to ruin another piece of the cover stock. It has been discontinued, and each time I ruin a piece, I get closer to "the end" of my recognizable backgrounds.

Fling It On is shown on the left, with Dream Obscene in the middle and Show It Off on the right above. My photos were taken in full, bright, late-morning sunshine, and I applied each shade to my arm directly from the tubes.

I'm sorry that my swatches weren't perfectly placed. Once I got going, I didn't want to try to straighten the edges of each color because I knew they would blur on my arm. I've considered making stencils, but I never get around to it. #02 is shown at top left, #03 at top right, and #04 below the others.

I like all three duos I purchased, but my favorite is, without question, #04 Show It Off. That mauve/rose shade is one of my all-time favorites. The slim stick has a slight shimmer the other colors don't offer, and it wasn't simply from the sun's reflection. I tested it inside in a dark room to ensure that it shimmers a bit. The shimmer is not as bright as it appears above; there's just enough to brighten and plump my lips. If I had to name the general finish of these duos, I'd call them satin.

Fling It On is the warmest duo I selected. It's perfect for this late-summer season. Dream Obscene is the most blue of the three - but not so blue that I look like an iceberg. One extra-added benefit of these duos is that you don't have to pair them. You can wear the shaper all over the lips and achieve a single color, which means you really get two lip colors for one price.

I have found that these Lip Contour Duos have excellent longevity. They have a very light fragrance, but it's much lighter than the usual Tom Ford Lip Color fragrance. It dissipates almost immediately.

If you'd like some help selecting a duo color, give Debbie O'Malley a call at Neiman Marcus at (202) 966-9700. Ask for her at Tom Ford Cosmetics. Or go to the Tom Ford Web site and check out the duo shades there.

Photos at top courtesy of Tom Ford; other photos by Best Things in Beauty