Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Life Defined In Lipstick

I am a lipstick kind of girl. I don't worry too much about eye shadow and the like on a daily basis, but I do love me some lipstick. And for any of you who have this obsession you know that when you find THAT color, you stick with it. Even if it means selling your firstborn and throwing your grandmother in front of the bus to race by her and get it.

I found my color about 12 years ago as a free give away from Estee Lauder. I bought a gift for someone and was treated to a free lipstick. I did not get to pick the color, it was more than likely a new color they were introducing. Well, Hello Dolly! It was a perfect fit.

Against my mother's raised eyebrow (she has been a Mary Kay consultant for many moons), I gladly paid Ms. Lauder's staff of make-up maidens for the privilege of wearing, "Alfresco Brick" lipstick. All was right with the world.

Two years ago I went to buy more, as I was running low. I was hit with an alfresco brick to the head. The color was discontinued. Dis. Con. Tinued. It took all the grace I possess to not take the sales lady by the lapel and shake her. Hard. And then hold her hostage until they agreed to re-continue my discontinued addiction. It was not to be.

I scoured every department store within a three state radius (I am not kidding) as well as eBay. My color was gone forever. Life would be irreconcilably less colorful than before the ultimate betrayal.

I searched for a color that would match my previous lipstick's glory. I searched Mary Kay (I think my mother secretly gloated and snickered behind my back), Arbonne, all the department store lipsticks, and even the brands I would literally have to sell my firstborn to simply afford. There was no comparison. My beloved was gone. I had to settle for a different color altogether, but it did not have that "wow" factor.

Fast forward two years (give or take a few months) and I found a stick in a forgotten drawer with a smidgen of lipstick left. I whipped out a lipstick brush as quick as you please to scrape the remnants. That was it, the obsession was back. I decided to search eBay again. I knew it would be fruitless. After all, Estee Lauder The Great Betrayer had discontinued my color over two years ago or better and failed to contact me personally to discuss this. All the other junkies would have certainly torn each other apart by now to get the last stick.

There it was. A small light in the darkness. One "Alfresco Brick" lipstick left on eBay. I prepared myself for battle. It was going to be mine. I checked all our bank accounts, money markets and retirement funds to see just how much I could spend for this last glimmer of hope. There were already bids, but I am proud to say I beat them all and did not have to mortgage the house to do so. The other junkies must have all died from lipstick overdose by now, as I got it fairly easily.

All I can say now is that the mailman better throw it from his truck and keep on going, to prevent attack when I see that bulky envelope. Life is good again.

Until this stick runs out...

14 comments:

Susie said...

LOLOLOL, Angel! You're a hoot! I'm still laughing at this post!

But I'm SOOOO glad that you found a stick on Ebay! Ain't technology great? Who'd have thunk it? You could find your favorite lipstick -- now discontinued -- at a virtual flea market? Wooo-hoooo!!!!

Happy dancing for you!

Laurie said...

Wow - MY THOUGHTS exactly! I actually bought Alfresco Brick from ebay for a couple of years after it disappeared locally. I have tried and tried and cannot find anything to take its place - I still miss it terribly!

Angel at Aduladi' said...

LOL Laurie! I am so bummed that it is gone. Every once in a while I saunter by the Estee Lauder counter to see if they have come to their senses...

TCMOB said...

Alas . . . I love you all due to our love connection with Alfresco Brick, but I dare say that I will kick, punch, pull, grab and contort you in my efforts to outbid you on ebay. And I say this with the utmost affection!! ;P

(Can we all "lobby" for EL to add it again??? *sigh*)

Angel at Aduladi' said...

I understand your sentiment concisely, TCMOB! I have been rationing that last stick for the past year now, but it is getting VERY low. I actually started visiting other stands this week for that vain attempt at a match. Sigh! There is none other!

Anonymous said...

I'm not making any promises, and there is NO perfect match for Alfresco Brick, but I may have found a close second! It's Wild Ginger sold by American Beauty (private label of Estee Lauder). It is sold in Kohl's stores. Let me know what you think!!

Angel at Aduladi' said...

Ellemtee, you may have just become my new best friend!!! I will get myself to Kohl's this week and try it! I have been nursing this last tube since this blog entry and it is almost gone.

WHOO HOO!!

Anonymous said...

What do you think of the Wild Ginger? Also, ebay has TWO sticks of Alfresco Brick!! I check daily! (Can you say, "unbalanced??!!"

Angel at Aduladi' said...

LOLOLOL Ellemtee! I was so bummed to find out that our Kohl's apparently does not sell make up at all. I could not find it online either! So, I never got to try the color. :-( Hopefully we will not be trying to outbid each other on Ebay, LOL!

Anonymous said...

Okay, I just bought a tube of alfresco brick from ebay for $42.50 of my husband's hard-earned money. It's gone too far . . .

. . . anyway, I put alfresco brick on my top lip, and wild ginger on my bottom lip. The wild ginger has a little more shimmer to it, but the shade is virtually the SAME!!!

. . . I will try to take a picture of it and post it on my blog (which I never use). You NEED to try this!! So, here is my email address : bbblmt123@gmail.com. Send me your mailing address and I will send you a tube of wild ginger. I won't sleep well unless you get some! (I feel your pain.)

:)
Ellemtee

Angel at Aduladi' said...

Oooh!! Sounds good!! Will do!

Anonymous said...

Newsflash!!! 3 available!! Go to this link!!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200647893237&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

Hope you get 'em!!
;)

Ornithophobe said...

I just found your blog, because I JUST NOW found out they got rid of my damn lipstick. Yes, I too am an Alfresco Brick kind of girl. But I rarely wear lipstick; just for special occasions and such- so I didn't realize that when the last couple tubes I had finally ran out, I would get no more.

Have you found an acceptable substitute? Estee Lauder suggested Urban Auburn and Autumn, but neither have the right shimmer factor.

Anonymous said...

GO TO THREE CUSTOM COLOR SPECIALIST AND YOU CAN BY YOUR COLOR BY ESTEE LAUDER OF ALFRESCO BRICK.