#thanks to all the people who have diligently screenshot them!!!! you are incredible!!!

[madzillus]

I saw that screenshot of Ed and I thought it was funny

[tarasharmashow]

Post About Our Lockdown...Lessons learnt and things that seem to help us Do share any thoughts and things that have helped you too

How is time flying like this? Months since I last wrote here on my blog. I keep intending to and then a bizarre hecticness seems to take over. Though not much has changed and good health for us all and staying safe touch wood:) remain priorities in lockdown and always I guess, yet days seem to be flying by and months are flying by too.

Huge thoughts and prayers for those affected badly in this time. Not easy for anyone but disparities and other factors, make this a particularly difficult time for some, so before proceeding with what may seem a frivolous post, a huge mention to all the many who are struggling and sending lots of strength your way. This too shall pass.

Being quite an optimist, I find myself trying to look on the positive side of most situations. Enumerating things to be grateful for. While extended lockdown brings a range of emotions, I’m thankful we are fine and together as a family touch wood:). And while there are ups and downs, the pros like bonding with each other, focusing on the simpler things, playing family football matches and witnessing nature celebrate cleaner air with spectacular sunsets often, are some of the positives. 

So lots to be grateful for and making the most of this strange time, I am learning is a big lesson in lockdown.  

Before going on, a huge how are you? So important to check in. Everyone is reacting to lockdown and all that is going on differently and situations vary as do moods. Sometimes even within a few hours I find emotions change. I have found things that help me and would love to hear what helps make all this smooth for you too. And of course everyone is allowed to feel the good and maybe not so good and great and knowing there are people out there who care I think is a help.

I used to think when one is doing many different things and geographically moving about, it made time move fast but it is a revelation that a routine of relative sameness seems to make time move faster. Well, the perception of time, as after all the speed or seeming speed of time is perception as the number of hours in a day remain unchanged.

I know all this perhaps sounds rather philosophical but most of us are perhaps pondering various things in this time, so apologies, what follows is perhaps a rather uncharacteristic long ramble (my posts here are usually brief especially in the last few years) of thoughts, some you may somewhat relate to, some perhaps not, some perhaps very much so, so here goes.

It has been just over 5 months since the kids’ school shut for what we then thought would be a shortish lockdown, never perhaps imagining it would go on this long and even now we do not know when school will physically reopen. 

While being grateful to have a comfortable home and some open garden space, and acknowledging how hard it is for many who may not, yet as discussed on a #LockdownLivewithTara chat where I spoke with super @TomFoolery the poet of The Great Realisation, because there are others around who may be in a harder situation, that does not mean you are not allowed to voice any of your difficulties. While they may seem trivial to another, it is all relative and everyone must acknowledge the good and even the not great feelings if and when they come along. 

So while I quickly re group to positivity, I must confess there are moments of grrr! Moments when yelling and screaming seem to become the go to lingo and while of course I love our kids and family more than anything, balancing #homeschooling and #workingfromhome and #exercisingathome and everything else that fills up these fast moving days, often culminates in a chaos that brings out my Monster Mum side! I have always said every age and phase of bringing up children is incredible and amazing in it’s own way, and while our kids are at an age where they are relatively independent when it comes to doing their school work, there is no doubt they are also at an age where they are full of energy and arguments and fun and annoyance haaha, and pack all that and more within the walls of a home with all of us in it, and there are often fireworks.

What helps me regain my sanity after instances of emotional eruption? Yoga is one, and something that has become a big part of this time. Not just doing the regular classes I learn in but also conducting #YogaWithTara sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10am Indian time live on all my platforms (do join if you would like to). We have done about 30 classes so far and I must say it helps me and from the comments I get, it seems to be a source of positivity and way to stay fit, for many. I always add a caveat that I am not a professional teacher but have been practicing yoga for about 20 years and my teacher, Sir Deep Pandey, who teaches us 3 times a week, is very good. https://www.facebook.com/tarasharmashow/videos/1395939177257595/?vh=e&d=n https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpSyK3D7eNA https://www.instagram.com/p/B_XCtwqDCSL/

Another thing that helps is just looking at nature. And the sunsets in lockdown have been truly stunning.

Playing competitive family football matches have been a great help too. I was the least proficient at the start and am glad to say over the lockdown thanks to literally being trained by our kids and @roopaksaluja​ my football skills are improving.

Cooking is helping too. I always called myself a terrible cook but that may have been thanks to being nervous to try, being surrounded by super cooks. But thanks to lockdown, I have experimented with cooking more and our kids and my Mum, who lives in the same building, have been very encouraging. Roopak has turned vegan, so hasn’t been able to try most of my experiments.

I am writing this while the kids scream and shout. The #homeschool day is ending and it is that free time that inevitably ends in fisty cuffs, the word that describes all our little tiffs. My answer to these annoying moments is outdoors. So just pushing them and myself out the door to the garden, to run about and get rid of the pent up energy and angst. The kids enjoy playing in the garden but for some odd reason it is a struggle sometimes to get them to move from the dreaded word...gadgets!

Coming back to finish later. Rushing to the garden. As much for me as them.

I have not written this much in yonks. Apologies if it bores you or is a ramble and it is sort of pouring out. 

Hi Hi! I am back. It is the next day. See, even trying to finish a post in one day is not usually possible! Phew had quite a surprise last evening. A friend forwarded a screenshot of NDTV New ‘Top Picks’ and our mad little video of chaos https://www.instagram.com/p/CEBtw0aj8_c/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link from yesterday was top of the list! We were so shocked and sooo embarrassed haaha https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/tara-sharma-says-working-from-home-and-homeschooling-is-driving-her-bonkers-2281439 ! Just to clarify I am not always a screaming banshi! And the funny thing is in this world of content creation in lockdown, you really never know what will trend. So many videos I work hard on, even the 30 yoga classes, I have diligently been conducting, get great response on my platforms (thank you all my wonderful sociamily:) (social media family) for the encouragement, but they do not usually make it to top picks on news platforms so it makes me realise people want and like to see reality which often consists of a little craziness. Of course the goody-goody side of me is itching to post this and more such to explain that ordinarily I am quite calm...but yes admittedly random freak outs do occur! Perhaps others relate? Do you? How do you regain calmness?

So going back to the post of yesterday, to things that help in lockdown..

Routine helps us loads. And I must say we are very grateful to our kids’ school for setting a well planned schedule. It helps establish a regular timetable for all of us. We all work around it. And most often #homeschooling and #workingfromhome merge peacefully. Being a creature of habit and somewhat of a routine junkie, I thrive on routine and find all of us at home seem to too especially in this otherwise unstructured lockdown.

Househelp is of course a huge help and we are so grateful to have long term live in help that make things easier. For 3 months we were short staffed and of course we all pitched in to help and continue to, and now with our help back I admit to this luxury being a huge help and while I know not everyone has this especially in many other countries, here in India one justifies domestic help by ensuring that we treat them well and keep them safe. I think they too understand the perils of being out at this time and are quite happy to be locked in in a safe place. But it is upsetting that they are away from their own families, so we try and make them feel as much of the family as possible, as in non lockdown times too. 

We are tremendously grateful that my Mum lives in the same building as us. Apart from it being lovely to be together albeit with some distance in between when needed, as on different floors, she is a great help. My Dad, before passing on, in hospital, when unable to speak much, had gestured that he was peaceful in the knowledge that we were going to be close to Mum when he was physically moving into another realm. Mum was on our farm in the hills for the first 3 months of lockdown and being very independent and quite happy on her own with dog, long walks, regular video calls with all of us, and our caretaker family, was quite content and only came back to the city when the impending monsoon drew nearer.

Speaking of dogs, our Tia here in Bombay and TinTin on the farm are a great source of joy. Articles often innumerate the benefits of having pets and in lockdown especially I think more and more people are valuing the wonderful bonds with dogs and other pets that help in these strange times, and always. 

I have lived in the same building since I was a kid. Married with our kids now we are on another floor but same structure and must admit the secure feeling that years in a place and familiarity give, are something I value. Our building has always had a lovely bunch of people but in pre lockdown times, interactions were minimal. We find in lockdown, as our building has a lovely garden for which we are so grateful, with the gorgeous sea beyond (which as you may know is tragically being reclaimed for a coastal road and I have with several others have been trying to speak up politely and say please make this road on stilts if at all and not mass reclamation and destruction of our beautiful coast, but that’s a post for another day as so much to say about that, the garden apart from being our exercise oasis has also become our little building meet up place. Being a relatively small building and with strict rules in place with no guests or temporary help allowed in, the garden is the only place where the few residents who use it meet somewhat freely. Maintaining social distance and mask when needed 

Coffee to start the start, freshly brewed Blue Tokai,has been a wonderful companion:) as has the little treat on some evenings of some soothing delicious vino in the company of our family and once the kids are in bed, Roopak and me enjoy watching a good show on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu or another.

Although all of us are being very careful and not meeting friends yet, our What’s app groups, are a great way to stay in touch. Light banter, jokes and keeping abreast with each other’s lives with some phone calls too, helps and yes we have managed a few masked meet ups when lock down relaxed a bit, but the uncertainty that prevails, makes us unsure of when and how we could properly meet.

My big sister lives in the UK and our regular video calls help as of ofcourse we miss not meeting in the flesh but for now we feel grateful for technology that enables al of us to chat and for all our kids, cousins to each other, to bond.

#MadnessWithTara a silly little series I started on TikTok before it was banned, was sort of a weird way to just let go. Often ridiculous and perhaps not something all my viewers like as I am often in a filter with beard and mooch, but something that I admit gives me a giggle so I assume some find me making a fool of myself amusing or at least relate to how many of us have slightly whacky sides too.

Without sounding like a martyr, helping those less privileged is hugely important in this time, and always. In whatever way possible, as always each to their own, with how one helps, whether with money, awareness or time, helping helps all round.

Reinvention has been something I have always embraced. Acting to my show and in this time, beginning all these different little ‘series’. No idea if they help others or not, I hope they do, and no real idea if they are going anywhere, but I also realise living in the moment and letting passion merge with practicality, figuring new ways to earn and not letting stress pervade, are so important. Yes some days I wonder, when will Season 6 of #TheTaraSharmaShow begin? When will I act in #films again? What new #brand #influencer (not too fond of that word, but it has become somewhat a buzz word now) assignments may I get? But then I try not to let that seem nerve inducing, I feel grateful that Season 5 happened just before all this, that #Kadakh released in lockdown and got great reviews, that brand jobs pop up now and then and I look at Roopak who is always calm, and I learn that in all the whirl and swirl of so called ‘regular’ life, the most important things are actually free and with us and yes while we need to earn and work and all the rest of it, without being cliched, this lockdown has really made us rethink priorities. And while we pray and hope #corona goes and we are all fine and safe and school and football classes foer the kids and shoots and all else resumes safely soon touch wood:), yet we feel sure we will go back to the good parts of normal, and hopefully do away with the old not so good things. Work from home more, when and if possible. Appreciate simple things. Ensure we continue loving chatty family meals and bonding time, and so much else as enumerated above.  

This is way more than I usually write and to be honest it may be a little fragmented as was over a few days. Suffice to say, it is a strange time but all of us are trying to make the best of it and there are good, not so good, and special and tough things going on and I think everyone is doing their best. This was my little attempt at listing out the things that help me and that I am grateful for and of course there are more and I am not all smiley all the time but yes I do think smiling within and staying positive helps. Do write in with how you are doing and what is helping you or just how you are finding all this. Ah and please do comments on my platforms too. Insta, YouTube FB Twitter. Social media, I think, for those of us who use it for work and otherwise, is also a great way to stay connected so do keep writing in and #staysafe all!

[theconservativebrief]

For those who know their skin care products, Sunday Riley is a beloved brand. Good Genes face acid is a best-seller at Sephora and frequently hailed as a holy grail product. But the company got some unwelcome scrutiny this week after a former employee shared an email directing employees to open fake accounts and leave glowing Sephora reviews of new Sunday Riley products, on the subreddit r/skincareaddiction. The post shocked customers and served to highlight the questionable trustworthiness of online product reviews at retailers like Sephora.

Online reviews are really important to brands. Studies have shown that customers trust products that have a lot of reviews, and it’s human nature to look to peers and “real people” for their opinions. It’s why, especially for makeup and other beauty products, so many people follow bloggers, YouTubers, and Instagrammers. They’re perceived to be authentic (though recent drama in that world has revealed that their reviews can sometimes be purchased for a lot of money).

This is not the first time the authenticity of online reviews has been called into question. Amazon has been singled out frequently in stories alleging that brands pay people to write reviews. It happens enough that there are now even plenty of tips for recognizing when a review might not be what it seems.

In 2017, I reported on this phenomenon in the beauty industry for Racked. There are a variety of companies that offer free products in exchange for “honest” reviews, and small brands admitted feeling pressure to solicit fans to leave positive reviews. But this is the first time a major brand has been called out on the practice, with receipts. It provides insight into the way the beauty industry sells products, and how cutthroat and dishonest it can be.

A user and supposed former Sunday Riley employee calling themselves “throwawayacctSRiley” posted on Reddit and shared a copy of an email that clearly shows that employees had been asked by the company to register as fake Sephora users in order to leave glowing reviews for new acne products that the company was launching. The email lays out in great detail how employees should register as reviewers to avoid having their IP address traced back to the company, and to leave reviews on other brands as well to avoid drawing suspicion to themselves. It was recommended that employees set up several different profiles and “mix and match your identities.”

The most eye-opening section of the email reads:

It helps to make yourself seem relatable — like you know how hard acne is and you’ve tried everything, and this one actually works or mention things like, yes it’s a little more expensive but works incredible [sic] well compared to the cheaper masks out there. If you need any help with things to come up with to say, feel [sic] to ask myself, Sunday, or Addison. As reviews come in, read them too. If you notice someone saying things like I didn’t like “x” about it, write a review that says the opposite. The power of reviews is mighty, people look to what others are saying to persuade them and answer potential questions they may have.

It caused a huge commotion in the beauty world, racking up over 500 comments on r/skincareaddiction. And the news only got bigger when Sunday Riley confirmed that it was true. A brand representative wrote in the comment section of the anonymous beauty industry watchdog/gossip Instagram account Estee Laundry:

As many of you may know, we are making an effort to bring more transparency to our clients. The simple and official answer to this Reddit post is that yes, this email was sent by a former employee to several members of our company. At one point, we did encourage people to post positive reviews at the launch of this product, consistent with their experiences. There are a lot of reasons for doing that, including the fact that competitors will often post negative reviews of products to swing opinion. It doesn’t really matter what the reasoning was. We have hundreds of thousands of reviews across platforms around the globe and it would be physically impossible for us to have posted even a fraction of these reviews. Client word-of-mouth, sharing how our products have changed their skin, has been the cornerstone of our success. In the end, our products and their results stand for themselves.

(Sunday Riley did not return Vox’s request for comment by publication time.)

Responses were swift and decisive. Fans of the brand on Reddit commented things like, “Joke’s on Sunday Riley, even if they actually have good products now I’ll never believe it because of their manipulation” and “As someone who suffers with acne, I find this extremely upsetting. Advising your staff to write a review saying a product cleared your acne is preying on the vulnerable.”

People have strong attachments to brands, especially when it comes to skin care. This was largely seen as a breach of trust.

Sunday Riley is likely not alone here. “This happens a lot. Sephora puts the pressure on brands — they really ‘encourage’ reviews,” says a beauty industry source who wished to remain anonymous so as not to jeopardize their relationship with Sephora and beauty brands. “When you have a new launch, the sales will increase with a ton of good reviews. I do want to reiterate how common this practice for brands is. Sunday Riley just got caught. I’m not defending it, but it’s a vicious cycle.”

Caroline Hirons is a popular and well-respected UK-based skin care blogger and beauty brand consultant. She posted a sponsored video with Sunday Riley a few days prior to this controversy and worked as a consultant to the brand five years ago. She says she was never asked by the brand to post any sort of fake review, and wouldn’t ever agree to do so. But she concurs that it’s a common practice in the industry.

“It’s not the brands. The direction comes from the retailers,” Hirons, who has called out the practice in the past on her blog, says. She notes that she’s never had a request quite as detailed as the Sunday Riley email, though. “I’ve never come across anything that organized. I’ve just had verbal requests in retailer meetings.” (She also clarifies that she’s never heard those requests from UK-based retailers like Space NK, Cult Beauty, or department stores like Selfridges.)

In Hirons’s skin care fan group on Facebook, which has almost 10,000 fans, a user shared a screenshot of communication she had supposedly had with Sephora’s customer service department after she’d asked about the Sunday Riley issue. The email read: “Thank you for taking the time out of your day to reach out to us about this matter. We have recently found out about it and we are looking into it. We do not condone this type of activity. Rest assured we are working diligently on this.” It was signed “Jazlyn, Sephora Client Services.”

A screenshot of the Sephora email, with the customer’s name erased for privacy. Facebook

Sephora declined to comment for this story, but a representative offered the following comment in the 2017 Racked story about its reviews policy: “The goal of Sephora Ratings and Reviews is authentic client experiences that can inform fellow beauty fans on the product solutions and benefits based on their concerns. Reviews are monitored and if needed, removed if they are truly not centered around the product experience, therefore not a benefit to the larger community.”

The shelves of Sephora are crowded, and competition in the beauty industry is fierce. Brands, especially small ones, are under a lot of pressure to sell and to conform to the whims of retailers. Retailers often hold a lot of the cards. Read this cautionary tale about Sephora and the now-defunct makeup brand OCC for an example of how this can sometimes play out.

A small brand owner who wished to remain anonymous wrote in an email to Vox, “We are under a lot of pressure to drive reviews for our products on Sephora.com, but Sephora’s site is also really good about weeding out reviews that aren’t legitimate, so it’s very hard to build up a product page by leaving a large number of ‘fake’ reviews.”

Sunday Riley has struggled in the past few years, facing a lawsuit about false advertising, which was eventually tossed out. It also launched a foundation called The Influencer earlier this year, which no longer appears to be available. But it’s also been actively trying to build its business in the UK, launched a wellness-focused beauty box, and relaunched its website. This will likely be a setback, at least temporarily, but it’s a case that shines a brighter light on how retailers can manipulate customers.

It’s all just a modern-day example of the old adage, “Buyer beware.” As one redditor suggested, perhaps be wary of any review that’s too glowy, and head for mediocre territory: “This is why I tend to trust only the reviews that are 3 stars. That’s where the honesty is.”

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Original Source -> A leaked email reveals why you can’t always trust Sephora product reviews

via The Conservative Brief