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Facial Party

Ency, enjoying a facial mask.
Ency, enjoying a facial mask.

The story is as old as Avon. A salesperson slips into your social sphere, and the “social” invitations follow. But these aren’t casual, gather-round-the-teapot chatter fests – they’re nets cast far and wide, for the sole purpose of gathering wallets into one woman’s house. These nets are thinly disguised with labels such as Makeover Party, Candle Bash, Sexy Lingerie Soiree, and Wine Night.

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As a rule, I don’t attend such “parties.” I like to do my shopping in private, as is my technological right, without someone standing over my shoulder and yapping in my ear about this lotion’s superior ingredients or that wine’s incredible terroir. Just pass me the catalog, offer me a taste, and I’ll do the deciding on my own, ideally not while you’re staring at me. But, despite my aversion to sales pitches, as with every rule, I have my exceptions. Case in point -- when my mother-in-law, Ency, asked if I would accompany her to a “facial party,” I was all about it.

I had plenty of reasons to be interested – I enjoy spending time with my mother-in-law on my short visits to her home on Martha’s Vineyard, I’m always on the lookout for good lotions, and I heard there would be wine and food. All that, added to the fact that the hostess of this party was a dear woman in whose Manhattan apartment I had experienced her kindness and warmth firsthand over afternoon tea, and the decision was easy.

“She promised we won’t have to buy anything, she just wants us there because it should be fun,” Ency said, after asking if I would accompany her.

“It sounds like fun, and I’m honored to be invited. And even though I know she doesn’t expect us to buy anything, that she’s just hosting this at her house, I’m still bringing my credit card, because, well, you never know.”

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Ency, enjoying a facial mask.
Ency, enjoying a facial mask.

The story is as old as Avon. A salesperson slips into your social sphere, and the “social” invitations follow. But these aren’t casual, gather-round-the-teapot chatter fests – they’re nets cast far and wide, for the sole purpose of gathering wallets into one woman’s house. These nets are thinly disguised with labels such as Makeover Party, Candle Bash, Sexy Lingerie Soiree, and Wine Night.

Sponsored
Sponsored

As a rule, I don’t attend such “parties.” I like to do my shopping in private, as is my technological right, without someone standing over my shoulder and yapping in my ear about this lotion’s superior ingredients or that wine’s incredible terroir. Just pass me the catalog, offer me a taste, and I’ll do the deciding on my own, ideally not while you’re staring at me. But, despite my aversion to sales pitches, as with every rule, I have my exceptions. Case in point -- when my mother-in-law, Ency, asked if I would accompany her to a “facial party,” I was all about it.

I had plenty of reasons to be interested – I enjoy spending time with my mother-in-law on my short visits to her home on Martha’s Vineyard, I’m always on the lookout for good lotions, and I heard there would be wine and food. All that, added to the fact that the hostess of this party was a dear woman in whose Manhattan apartment I had experienced her kindness and warmth firsthand over afternoon tea, and the decision was easy.

“She promised we won’t have to buy anything, she just wants us there because it should be fun,” Ency said, after asking if I would accompany her.

“It sounds like fun, and I’m honored to be invited. And even though I know she doesn’t expect us to buy anything, that she’s just hosting this at her house, I’m still bringing my credit card, because, well, you never know.”

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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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