Try as I may and no stone has been left unturned in a desperate effort to find any trace, it appears that number 315 has disappeared. While we're at it, number 5 seems to have suffered the same fate and something tells me that number 225 isn't too long for this world. The searches only confirm what is most likely believed and experienced by cosmetic users world-wide, in that these regular disappearances is a collective plot by cosmetic companies to drive consumers crazy. Really.
Number 315 - no shade name supplied - has disappeared mysteriously off the shelves and hasn't been seen since. It was the perfect deep shade of foundation for summer wear, being a beige color that imitated a rich, summer tan leaving the skin looking like it was kissed by the sun. Once applied on the face, it was love at first site and I ran out to purchase a couple more bottles knowing that it could disappear off the shelves, as is a frequent practice by well-known retail outlets and pharmacies.
It's not a high-end brand, F.I.T. by Maybelline but it was moderately priced and suited my skin type.
My seasonal ritual is to use a deeper beige shade in summer while a lighter more natural shade is the choice for winter and spring. All good things come to an end and once the remnants of 315 had been coaxed out of the bottle, a trip to the local pharmacy for a refill revealed number 225 in the place where 315 had once been. Assuming there was a run on this color, an inquiry and verification by the pharmacy cosmetic clerk revealed the shock that 315 was no more. Thing is - 225 just doesn't...won't do. Know what I mean? You know you do! Its disappearance has precipitated a search in the hope of it turning up in some pharmacy, somewhere, anywhere, but it doesn't look promising.
As if all this wasn't traumatic enough, loose powder compact number 5 by Cover Girl, used to compliment number 315, has dropped out of sight. This week alone, numbers N55 and 155 that looked similar, are among others that most likely will lay dormant somewhere in the back of the bathroom cabinet, along with loose powder 360.
It makes a person - me - wonder if cosmetic companies take the tastes of consumers into consideration, in deciding the shelf life of their products.
A similar situation exists with lipstick shades and it appears, at least in my eyes that it's a group decision when it comes to choosing the dominant color - singular - for the coming season(s). Pink, the "in" shade for a while does not suit my coloring, which is most likely the case with many other lipstick wearers. Do the powers-that-be care? Most likely not.
COSMETIC CO. CEO
So whad'ya think, people? Pink for this year, again?
ANOTHER COSMETIC CO. CEO
Didn't we do pink last year?
YET ANOTHER COSMETIC CO. CEO
And the year before that?
COSMETIC CO. CEO
True, but the word according to cosmetic reps, is there's a lot of pink left over. We gotta move it
ANOTHER COSMETIC CO. CEO
Doesn't that mean that lipstick users have had enough or perhaps don't even like pink? Why don't we try another shade, like beige, for example? Beige is good.
COSMETIC CO. CEO
Beige? That's like...so two-seasons-ago. The lipstick wearers will use pink and like it. We have spoken and they will obey. More pink for another year at least. We'll start a marketing campaign promoting pink as the new beige. Consumers will have to buy it. They'll have no choice.
So now you know the reason why you're wearing pink lipstick - again. At least IMHO.
Right now my cosmetic bag is filled with "reject" lipsticks that looked to be in the desirable beige tones when purchased, but ended up pink. Attention cosmetic companies: not everyone suits the same color lipstick!
There's always the hope that maybe down the line, 315 will show up again but with another number. In the end, it's all a numbers game anyway. Right?
Showing posts with label cosmetics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cosmetics. Show all posts
Friday, July 26, 2013
Sunday, April 24, 2011
On being cosmetically challenged
It occurred to me while conducting one of my favorite pastimes, which is hanging out at the cosmetic display that this is one growth industry and one which thrives on our vanity. Over the years I've bought, used and then tossed out thousands...maybe even millions of lipsticks not to mention foundation, eye shadow and other supplies after one use. It's not that I want to discard them given the price of these "necessities" but after bringing them home and applying them, they just didn't...work.
Right? C'mon - you know it's true!
Some people collect antiques. Some people collect dolls. Then there are others, like me, who collect makeup because we can't admit we made a mistake. Well...not really a mistake as such.
Cosmetic companies spend millions of dollars perfecting their products and still more millions in advertising in an attempt to convince us to try their line. If there is one sure thing in life in my humble opinion it's that a decent lipstick shade will be discontinued. It's as if the marketing department monitors the various shades sold (I'm actually sure they do) and then decide that purchasers are becoming to complacent and happy with a color and then pull it. Let's face it: a happy and contented lipstick purchaser means that all the other new shades will languish on the shelf. In dealing with this reality and whenever I find a decent lipstick shade, I buy at least three more in anticipation of their disappearance. A person can't have too many lipsticks.
Right now in my cosmetic bag, there are:
* 3 Oreal lipsticks, kind-of tangerine shade that I bought six months ago, which appealed to me at the time. I assumed they would be pulled. They weren't. I'm stuck with them. Could toss them in the trash but keep them just-in-case.
* 4 tubes of Maybelline lipsticks that were discontinued. I loved the shade...once. I'm bored with it now.
* 1 Luster...something-or-the-other lip color. Can't read the brand because the writing is miniscule. Discontinued shade. Loved it and miss it, still.
This leads one to wonder:
- Why the writing on the under-side of the lipstick is so small, anyway.
- Why can’t manufacturers use the sides of the lipstick cover to indicate the shade and/or number? Most lipstick wearers don’t carry a magnifying glass when choosing a new lipstick and checking the name given to it in order to remember the shade
- Why do long-lasting lipsticks – at least in my experience – all seem to end up in a pink shade?
- How come the plump-up-your-lips products cause your lips to tingle but do little else.
- Why don't all cosmetic companies provide testers for their products, especially lipstick? Why do shoppers have to guess if the shade is the one they're looking for?
There are also 5 bottles of liquid foundation (brand name(s)withheld)included in the collection, which all looked neutral-beige, the desired shade under store lighting but weren't when brought home and applied on face. Enough said.
- 2 eye shadow trios. Both tops are broken because the hinges always (at least for me, anyway) fall off and the subsequent broken pieces of shadow adhere to the sides of the cosmetic bag. Blechy mess.
- 4 eyebrow pencils of various shades of light brown...or what appeared to be light brown but all the wrong shades because they looked the correct shade in store light.
What's in YOUR cosmetic kit or bag and what have you thrown away lately?
Right? C'mon - you know it's true!
Some people collect antiques. Some people collect dolls. Then there are others, like me, who collect makeup because we can't admit we made a mistake. Well...not really a mistake as such.
Cosmetic companies spend millions of dollars perfecting their products and still more millions in advertising in an attempt to convince us to try their line. If there is one sure thing in life in my humble opinion it's that a decent lipstick shade will be discontinued. It's as if the marketing department monitors the various shades sold (I'm actually sure they do) and then decide that purchasers are becoming to complacent and happy with a color and then pull it. Let's face it: a happy and contented lipstick purchaser means that all the other new shades will languish on the shelf. In dealing with this reality and whenever I find a decent lipstick shade, I buy at least three more in anticipation of their disappearance. A person can't have too many lipsticks.
Right now in my cosmetic bag, there are:
* 3 Oreal lipsticks, kind-of tangerine shade that I bought six months ago, which appealed to me at the time. I assumed they would be pulled. They weren't. I'm stuck with them. Could toss them in the trash but keep them just-in-case.
* 4 tubes of Maybelline lipsticks that were discontinued. I loved the shade...once. I'm bored with it now.
* 1 Luster...something-or-the-other lip color. Can't read the brand because the writing is miniscule. Discontinued shade. Loved it and miss it, still.
This leads one to wonder:
- Why the writing on the under-side of the lipstick is so small, anyway.
- Why can’t manufacturers use the sides of the lipstick cover to indicate the shade and/or number? Most lipstick wearers don’t carry a magnifying glass when choosing a new lipstick and checking the name given to it in order to remember the shade
- Why do long-lasting lipsticks – at least in my experience – all seem to end up in a pink shade?
- How come the plump-up-your-lips products cause your lips to tingle but do little else.
- Why don't all cosmetic companies provide testers for their products, especially lipstick? Why do shoppers have to guess if the shade is the one they're looking for?
There are also 5 bottles of liquid foundation (brand name(s)withheld)included in the collection, which all looked neutral-beige, the desired shade under store lighting but weren't when brought home and applied on face. Enough said.
- 2 eye shadow trios. Both tops are broken because the hinges always (at least for me, anyway) fall off and the subsequent broken pieces of shadow adhere to the sides of the cosmetic bag. Blechy mess.
- 4 eyebrow pencils of various shades of light brown...or what appeared to be light brown but all the wrong shades because they looked the correct shade in store light.
What's in YOUR cosmetic kit or bag and what have you thrown away lately?
Monday, January 03, 2011
Oh the horror of it all! Kate Perry without makeup!
If ever there were two-faced people, it's celebrities or people whose photos are frequently featured as part of news stories. Take comedian/actor, Russell Brand - I'm sure his wife would add 'please!' - who for whatever reason, decided to post his wife, Kate Perry's photo so everyone could see. Celebrities are used to having their images everywhere and in fact, pay people to do this for them. The difference in this situation that Brand had the audacity to post Perry without makeup, and presumably, without her permission or knowledge.
Oh the shock of it all! The horror!
Let's be objective here: Perry is a talented and according to all the photos posted of her, visually appealing. However and one can only presume this, she obviously wants a certain public personna that only face cosmetics can provide.
According to reports, the photo was snapped when she first got up in the morning. I mean, how many of us would be happy if our significant-other snapped a photo and posted it where the world could review? Then again, nobody would probably care because we're not Kate Perry. In this case, Brand tweeted it on Twitter. It was not a tweet move since Perry does not like being seen, ever, sans makeup.
It's rare to see well-known s*t*a*r*s out and about at premieres or fund raisers or anywhere, actually, being themselves, baring their faces for the world to see. When they are caught off-guard doing natural things like shopping, they're usually wearing large sunglasses and hidden beneath layers of clothing.
My reaction is get over it, Kate! Thinking further, perhaps she should wear full makeup to bed, just in case. Maybe Brand wants a before-and-after photo of her.
Oh the shock of it all! The horror!
Let's be objective here: Perry is a talented and according to all the photos posted of her, visually appealing. However and one can only presume this, she obviously wants a certain public personna that only face cosmetics can provide.
According to reports, the photo was snapped when she first got up in the morning. I mean, how many of us would be happy if our significant-other snapped a photo and posted it where the world could review? Then again, nobody would probably care because we're not Kate Perry. In this case, Brand tweeted it on Twitter. It was not a tweet move since Perry does not like being seen, ever, sans makeup.
It's rare to see well-known s*t*a*r*s out and about at premieres or fund raisers or anywhere, actually, being themselves, baring their faces for the world to see. When they are caught off-guard doing natural things like shopping, they're usually wearing large sunglasses and hidden beneath layers of clothing.
My reaction is get over it, Kate! Thinking further, perhaps she should wear full makeup to bed, just in case. Maybe Brand wants a before-and-after photo of her.
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