Close friends know I’m not really a brand snob. I always just look for good quality, uniqueness, how much use I will get out of it and then I weigh the value of my money against those. This is not to say I haven’t made an impulsive purchase in my life, but since I’ve been in factories which make couture labels, I know inside secrets of manufacturing costs.
Part of my job includes competitive shopping. Not going to lie, it’s fun, but surprisingly tiring and stamina is needed. I’ve been fortunate over 22 years to have shopped in most major cities around the world. One place we frequent is New York City, frankly because of its proximity and well, it has just about everything.
On our way to dinner, after a long day of vendor appointments and competitive shopping, a vendor of mine asked if I would be ok to swing into Saks Fifth Ave. New lipstick was needed! Of course, even though the feet were killing, I was tired and bleary eyed, I could pull it together for my friend.
Now, I have not been brand loyal to a makeup line. I usually stroll the aisles of Sephora or Ulta with my list, and then whatever I find (again using the criteria from above), I buy. On this particular night I ended up at the Dolce and Gabbana counter.
Before I knew it the sales associate was working with us, having us try different shades of lip color. Gloss, Matte, Shimmer, again I never was one for being consistent. Whatever mood I was in, that’s what I put on, UNTIL NOW!
The associate put color Traviata 636 Classic Cream lipstick on my lips. As soon as I looked in the mirror, I had to have it. It’s literally the most perfect shade of red lipstick I have ever found. Not fire engine red, not berry red just a nice warm red color. I was in LOVE. WOMENT! The moisture and texture, swooning.
I purchased 1 tube and I put this lipstick on every day. Sometimes multiple times. I received compliments on it and it became part of my routine, like putting on your underwear.
Months later I was running low. What was I going to do? No stores near me carried the D&G brand.
I would often fly out of NYC for an overseas trip. I decided I needed a pit stop to grab a new tube before my flight. Dragging Lara with me to the department store right before meeting a vendor for dinner. Nothing, “D&G is not sold here anymore” the sales associate said as she tried to sell me something else. Sadness. We are in the business. We know you need to introduce new products to keep customers interested. We understand the business of why, but it’s hard to take when you are the customer.
The next day we took off for Dubai (our transit stop). With a few hours to kill I thought they MUST have D&G in duty free. Sure enough, there it was. They had 2 tubes of it left in terminal A and 1 tube in terminal B. Ladies, you know what I’m talking about! You find something you love, like I loved the old Fendi perfume, yeah that is gone too, you go to the ends of the earth to find it.
So, I wanted to get more on our trip in January, same thing during our transit we found the D&G counter. DISCONTINUED. “NO”, She said, “we don’t have that”. Color 636 Classic Cream, gone. Isn’t it CLASSIC for a reason? Devestated.
I understand, I guess (sulk). I hope Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabanna see this post and reconsider. Please fellas, help a girl out. I’m down to my last tube and a half. Thank God for the masks we are now wearing, lipstick has become, well, obsolete. I can save my tubes for post Covid.
A red lip will always be a classic! Now Lara and I sometimes sport the same shade.
Find your shade and WOMENT ON!
