The Friday Forum - June 27

I saw my first mosquito of the season last weekend. "He" had made his way into CVS - either flying through the open door or riding in on someone's clothing. That mosquito made me think about one of the worst aspects of summer: ugly mosquito bites and the possibility of getting West Nile virus and the other diseases mosquitos carry. I need to order a fresh batch of Avon's Skin So Soft Bug Guard with SPF. I like it because it smells better than the other repellants on the market.

I ran across an article that noted plants that repel mosquitoes. Ageratum, Basil, Beebalm, Catnip, Citronella Grass, Geranium, Lavender, Lemon Thyme, Marigolds, Rosemary, and Sage. Check out insidershealth.com. Many of these plants are desirable additions to the garden. The herbs can find their way into our meals, while the decorative plants, such as lavender, smell great and add a touch of elegance.

Speaking of Avon, they are implementing a major cost-cutting program. It's expected that they will eliminate 600 corporate positions in an effort to return Avon to "sustainable growth." Somehow, over the years, Avon seemed to become our mother's beauty company. It could use an update. I'd love to see more adventuresome products and snazzy marketing.

Elizabeth Arden is another company undergoing major change. Their restructuring plan calls for reducing head count; exiting under-performing businesses, retail doors, and fragrance licenses; discontinuing certain products; and shuttering the Puerto Rico affiliate. It's a competitive world out there. That often makes me wonder how so many new and very small companies are starting up at the same time established ones are cutting back. Hope springs eternal?

I noticed a "new" Estée Lauder product at Sephora: Pure Color Cheek Rush. It's not new at all. It's a re-introduction of the limited-edition Pure Color Cheek Rushes from the Cello Shots Collection from last year - right down to the same shade names! I hate it when companies introduce re-promotes as new. Sometimes they mix re-promotes in a new collection, reducing the creative effort required to develop new products, and sometimes they simply bring back individual products as new. It's one of my pet peeves.

The Pure Color Cheek Rushes are nice products. If you missed them last year, you might want to check them out this year. The ultrablendable blushes feature an array of see-through shades and sheer, buildable, water-light gel coverage. Simply pump sparingly on fingertips and then blend for a perfect luminous and natural glow.

Last week's Friday Forum comments ended with a focus on Tom Ford's Fall 2014 beauty collection. There is an eye shadow quad in the collection I must have! I don't steal photos, so I'll send you over to Full Time Ford to check out the advance photos.

If you missed the Le Métier de Beauté Dark Orchid Kaleidoscope when it was offered as a GWP at Neiman Marcus' Camp Gorgeous, you might be able to pick one up at Bergdorf Goodman. I'm not sure when that offer ends, but a sharp-eyed reader let me know.

I have noticed that I am getting unsubscription notices with the reason "too many e-mails." If you don't want to get an e-mail every day, you can go click on the FeedBlitz link and select a frequency that you prefer. Perhaps once/week? This is a feature that Feedburner did not offer.

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.

Update: Now through June 29, you can get a 20% discount at Beautyhabit by using the code SUMMERKICKOFF. I'm shopping!

Photo courtesy of Burpee.com