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Last week, I headed into the MAC store in my hood to grab perhaps my tenth refill of powder blush in Prism. And I realized, man, I've been wearing that stuff for years. I think I discovered it back in the mid-nineties when MAC was a teeny little West Village shop for those in the know and the drag queens who loved them. And, somehow, me.
When the black-clad sales woman told me it was the perfect color for me, she was right. And even now, 15 years later, even while I might experiment with something a little more bronze in the summer, or cheat on Prism in a taudry one-nighter involving a free sample of something with more shimmer, I always come back to my one true cheekbone-enhancing love.
I started thinking about how so few of my cosmetics endure past the first few applications, and let alone through multiple purchases. The way I see it, if you still love it after three years, despite changing trends and fads and It Colors of the week, it deserves a spot in the Perfect Cosmetic Hall of Fame.
My own tops:
1. MAC blush in Prism. So neutral and perfect, turns out its my mom's favorite too. And I'm old enough now that I'm hardly embarrassed by that statement at all.
2. MAC lip liner in Spice - It was painfully clear from the most hilarious comments on my last post about your most-hated beauty trends that that weird dark lip outline with a lighter lipstick is wrong in oh so many ways. Spice doesn't do that. It looks just like my lips, no matter what color ends up inside, and has for more than ten years. Spice pencil, I kees you. Mwa.
3. Estompe de Chanel concealer - Yes it's $34 but it lasts me a couple of years. It's the right shade, the right texture, and it's light enough that I don't feel like I'm wearing HEY LOOK AT THAT CHICK'S CONCEALER concealer. Key.
4. Maybelline Volume Express Turbo Boost Mascara - this one is cheating a little because I'm only on my second tube. But I tried it on a recommendation and um...love. Loooove. And I'm a cosmetics snob, as you might have noticed. But this stuff is so great, it's gotten me off a 10-year high end waterproof mascara kick and that's saying something.
I'd love to hear your favorite - what are the cosmetics that you will just die if they discontinue? What are the shades you realize you keep returning to no matter what wacky kabuki eye makeup they're showing on the runways? Don't our long-standing favorites deserve some kudos for getting us through the tough times?
I say yeah.
Liz Gumbinner is the publisher and editor-in-chief of the shopping and design blog Cool Mom Picks, the author of Mom-101, and a contributing editor to Blogher Fashion + BeautyHacks.
[photo: Mac]
