If compulsion, loss of control, personality changes, and facing unpleasant consequences are all signs of an addiction, then I have stared down the barrel. Though I do not wear much make-up, I love make-up. I agree with Dianne Von Furstenberg when she wisely tweeted that a girl’s handbag is her “home during the day”, and in that bag lies our beloved cosmetics. I have turned the car around and driven straight back home upon realising mid-rush hour commute that I have left a favourite lip gloss (it’s now Chanel’s number 51 ) or Bobbi Brown shimmer brick in the bathroom. I can almost sense, like a phantom limb, when I’m missing something. I once left a coat behind in a restaurant, and the magnitude did not hit me until I realised later that night with a sharp pain in my chest that my Chanel lip gloss was in the pocket of the coat. I am also a girl who sold a Volkswagen years ago, and still have a sneaking suspicion that my limited edition (the curse of the make-up world ) Christian Dior sparkly lip gloss had rolled in under the driver’s seat. The new owner assured me he looked, but did he really?
Because I am lucky enough to work in Brown Thomas, this kind of behaviour is looked upon as perfectly normal. I did a quick ‘ask around’ at work to find out what items the girls were addicted to. Everyone answered the question instantly.
Tara in Bastyan says she could not leave the house without Mac’s liquid liner. She says the brush is foolproof, the colour is long lasting, and it really plays up the eyes.
Aisling seems puzzled that anyone would choose anything but Benefits Brow Zing. She says eyebrows are the most important thing for her to get right.
Audrey and Caroline in Mac both simultaneously said they could not live without Mac’s lip conditioner, especially now that the weather has turned colder.
Cailiosa said she would never leave the house without lashing on Bobbi Brown’s lash glamour mascara, because it “catches every last lash”.
Sheelagh on Crème de la Mer says that without a shadow of a doubt her night would be ruined if she left the house without her Bobbi Brown pink beige lip gloss. Bernie on Clarins agrees, her favourite is lip gloss too, but she likes Clarins because it contains lip conditioners like rose wax to really soothe the lips.
Lorraine and Aoife in fashions both said that their addiction of choice is Bare Minerals bronzer in Warmth. I went down myself to check this out because it came up so often as a must-have, and I can see why. It is a really good brown and you can build colour as you deem appropriate.
Sinead and Joanne both named Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream, for its sheer versatility. You can moisturise lips, cuticles, and brows with this hardworking little tube.
We invite readers to email in your cosmetic addictions and why, and we will mention them in future articles.
