Forever35, Mini-Ep 469: “Return of the MAC”

Hosts: Doree Shafrir & Elise Hu
Date: November 12, 2025

Episode Overview

In this lively mini-episode, Doree and Elise blend their signature humor and self-awareness to answer listener questions and share updates spanning skincare (including night creams and the exciting return of MAC Cosmetics to Sephora), personal wellness (quitting coffee, the value of a gratitude practice), and practical life management (work boundaries, caring for aging parents, and decluttering for joy). The episode balances product talk with deep listener stories about caregiving and boundaries—touching on the realities of adulthood and self-care, especially as women approach new life stages.

Catching Up: Upcoming Travel & Thanksgiving Plans

Timestamps: 01:42–05:48

• Elise is prepping for a TED event in Atlanta: She describes the previous venue's “Dune vibes,” inconvenience for fashion (“you couldn't wear heels,” 02:09), and how TV productions have increasingly moved to Atlanta.
  • “Rob was like, I think I've been here before. ... You could convert them [Pullman Yards] into sound stages, and they probably are often converted into sound stages, given so much of Hollywood has moved out there.” (02:53 – Elise)
• Both hosts express disbelief at how quickly November arrived and discuss Thanksgiving plans.
  • Doree: Will spend it with siblings, no cooking required.
  • Elise: Plans to keep the holiday quiet (“I’m on an austerity plan ... have to make sure I have enough saved for my taxes at the end of the year,” 04:24), avoids travel due to airport chaos—delays, lack of TSA workers, and potential government shutdowns.

Listener Q&A and Beauty Product Chat

MAC Cosmetics Now at Sephora!

Timestamps: 05:48–07:21

• A listener rejoices over MAC now being available at Sephora, sparking a nostalgic and practical product deep-dive.
  • Elise: Still loyal to MAC’s under-eye concealer. Describes MAC as essential for “stage and screen” during her TV news days, praising wide shade range and inclusivity:
    • “They [MAC] tend to have a lot more yellow pigments ... so it’s good for people of color. My Black colleagues liked MAC. The Asian girlies liked MAC.” (06:49 – Elise)
• Doree: Acknowledges the excitement and nostalgia among listeners.

Vitamin E Oil Uses

Timestamps: 08:25–12:44

• Listener shares a tip about using Trader Joe’s Vitamin E oil for winter dryness and chapped skin, especially around the nose.
  • Elise: Admits she just breaks open vitamin E capsules for lip care, surprised to learn about Trader Joe’s version.
    • “I didn't know Trader Joe's had vitamin E oil. I guess I haven't been paying attention.” (12:12 – Elise)

The Great Towel Debate: Costco & Parachute

Timestamps: 12:44–14:18

• Follow-up from the original Costco towel recommender, who was thrilled to hear her tip on the pod.
• Doree: Buys new towels based on listener rec.
• Elise: Expresses desire to KonMari all house towels for uniformity.
  • “I just want to like replace all the towels at once in mass and get the exact same towels for all of the bathrooms so you can't mess it up.” (13:38 – Elise)
• Listener suggests Parachute brand towels; Doree recalls Parachute’s earlier podcast sponsorship.

On Work Boundaries & Burnout

Timestamps: 14:20–17:59

• A listener shares a New York Times op-ed about boundaries in healthcare as a model to combat burnout.
• Elise reads:
  • “While hours on a given shift can be grueling, they’re also a known quantity. ... The effect is that people can set plans with ... childcare providers, partners, friends, and family members. ... Other industries could learn from healthcare.” (15:16 – Elise/Hu reading Corinne Low)
• Both hosts discuss unpredictability in industries like law, advertising, and TV writing.
  • Elise: Cites legal work culture and TV news’s “always-on” demands; the pandemic shifted her perspective on routines and boundaries.
    • “It was such a shift during the pandemic when I had left my job in Daily News ... That was the first time in my life where I was like, okay, I’m gonna have three to four units of exercise per week and just make sure that I do it.” (16:52 – Elise)
  • Doree: Notes the toll unpredictability takes on family plans (re: Matt’s writer’s room job).

Aging Parents: Navigating Senior Care

Timestamps: 17:59–31:05

Listener Tips and Lived Experience

• Multiple listeners continue weighing in on caring for aging parents—insurance, long-term care, financial strategies.
  • Tips:
    • Investigate veterans’ benefits (“if your parent is a veteran or the spouse of a veteran, they may be eligible for benefits that cover similar services that Medicaid would otherwise cover,” 18:09).
    • Consider long-term care insurance early (“it’s much more affordable if you sign up when you’re young and healthy.”).
    • Utilize dependent care benefits via insurance enrollment.
    • Engage financial advisors early.
  • Alert about hospital policies (“insurance companies are getting stingier ... approving shorter rehab stays.”).
  • Start hard conversations early; get professional help.

Listener Voicemail with Personal Insights

Timestamps: 24:22–29:47

• Caller shares her own family’s labyrinthine journey:
  • Trusts as asset protection, state-specific look-back periods (e.g., 15 years for Massachusetts).
  • Navigating MassHealth applications: “It took three of us ... hours and hours and hours of time spent on the phone and collecting bank statements ...” (25:35)
  • Even home care (not just nursing homes) is hard to secure and support is minimal.
  • Emotional/physical toll: “It's very physically, emotionally, and mentally taxing to care for an aging person. ... It's not like caring for a baby. They were very aware that they once were independent and now no longer are. ...” (27:18)
  • Importance of sharing the caregiving load—“Caregiving should never just fall upon one person. It’s too much.” (28:28)
  • Honest about limits: “I hope to never have to do it again, to be perfectly honest ... even though it was something I respected her wishes ...” (29:38)
• Doree & Elise reflect:
  • “Just as there isn’t enough affordable child care for the very young, there is not enough affordable care for the very old. Like this society is really failing the youngest and the oldest, which is like, shame on us.” (29:47 – Elise)
  • “Everybody in the middle too, like middle class, middle-aged people, we’re having to help care or stretch ourselves even thinner ... we place way too much responsibility for structural or systemic problems on individuals.” (30:24 – Elise)

Memorable Quotes

• Elise Hu (on MAC): “MAC was really good for like stage and screen and things like that, at least back then ... I really like their shades because they tend to have like a lot more yellow pigments ... so it’s good for people of color.” (06:41–06:57)
• Doree Shafrir (on towel uniformity): “Totally do it.” (13:55)
• Elise Hu (on work boundaries): “I’m not saying it’s healthy or normal, but ... I’ve worked my entire life in news, and as a result ... It was such a shift during the pandemic ... to establish some routine ...” (16:52)
• Caller (on eldercare): “It’s very physically, emotionally, and mentally taxing to care for an aging person. ... Caregiving should never just fall upon one person. It’s too much.” (27:18–28:28)
• Elise Hu (on systemic failures): “This society is really failing the youngest and the oldest, which is like, shame on us.” (29:47)

Key Takeaways

• MAC at Sephora: Listeners and hosts share nostalgia and practical use cases; MAC’s shade range and performance for diverse skin types highlighted.
• Simple Skincare Swaps: Vitamin E oil (Trader Joe's version especially), is a winter must-have; small skincare changes can make a big difference.
• Home Comfort Upgrades: Costco towels get rave reviews; minimalist longing for household uniformity.
• Work-Life Boundaries: Drawing firmer lines between work and life can reduce burnout. The healthcare model—predictable, isolated “on call” time—is held up as an example, but other industries lag behind.
• Caring for Aging Parents: The challenge is immense, multi-layered (legal, financial, emotional). Listeners and the hosts emphasize professional help and community support, and express frustration at structural shortcomings in the US.
• Open Conversations: Forever35’s community continues to be a place listeners can turn to for practical advice, camaraderie, and the acknowledgment that none of these challenges should be faced alone.

Notable Timestamps

• 01:42 – Atlanta TED event & travel woes
• 05:48 – MAC Cosmetics comes to Sephora
• 08:25 – Vitamin E oil hacks
• 12:44 – Costco towels triumph and towel uniformity dreams
• 14:20 – NYT op-ed & work boundaries
• 17:59 – Senior care resources and strategies
• 24:22 – Personal voicemail: real talk on eldercare
• 29:47 – Systemic reflection: "shame on us" for failing young & old

Forever35 continues to be a touchpoint for practical tips, humor, and community support as listeners and hosts age—and grow—even wiser together.