I like makeup but do not wear it much, so finally I persuaded myself to stop buying eyeshadows, eyeliners and other products that I never finish up or even use enough before I feel they are too old to touch my skin.
So, not to tempt myself, usually I do not read magazines, make-up-focused blogs or groups and do not watch YouTube tutorials and such. But from time to time I can’t help being exposed to some cosmetics-related news. Over years I noticed that one of the most effective marketing moves with me is reading that something “iconic” is back in stock.
I do not have a good explanation why it affects me – after all, I didn’t care about those products when they were popular and still in stock. But it’s a fact: I immediately feel like I need to at least try that product.
This was exactly what happened to me with the Charlotte Tilbury’s lipstick Pillow Talk: a couple of years ago I read that it was being finally re-issued. Before than I’d never heard of either the brand or that lipstick but for some reason it sounded (and looked on pictures – ha!) really appealing.
If it weren’t for years of resisting the urge to blind-buy perfumes, I would have bought Pillow Talk lipstick online months ago. But I thought I should try it first. Time passed, and I either couldn’t remember the brand name when I came to a store, or that store wouldn’t carry the line. Then recently I almost payed a double of that lipstick’s price for a set of the lipstick, lip liner and gloss from that collection in the last Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale but others beat me to it (hopefully, knowing what they were buying), so I finally made an effort, found and tried it at Sephora.
I’m almost positive that had I tried it on my own before reading anything about it and hunting for it for that long, I wouldn’t have bought it. But I was conditioned, and I couldn’t resist.
I’ll spare you my attempts at swatches: you can find a lot of those online if you’re curious. It is a nice lipstick that doesn’t suit me completely but I wanted to get it, I did, and I’ll use it up. Eventually. But it directed my thoughts toward perfumes: do I ever do the same there?
I think with perfumes I exercise better restraint, and a news about any perfumes being re-launched, if anything, would rather make me more skeptical since I’d suspect reformulation at play. And reissue means that it’ll be available for a while… so why to hurry? But when I hear about perfume being discontinued, that’s when I suddenly get anxious and start talking myself into grabbing a bottle while I still can. A couple of days ago, after learning about Parfums DelRae closing, I sifted through four or five pages of search results looking for perfumes that were still available. I knew that a couple of perfumes that I wouldn’t mind getting were sold out long ago (I tried looking for them before), but I found 3 perfumes that were still available, and only after that I checked my database for what my impressions of those were. To my surprise, one of the perfumes that I could still get was the one that I previously tried and liked a lot – Coup de Founre. The “surprise” part comes not as much from the fact that it was still available but from reading my thoughts on that perfume from four years ago (that’s when I tested it last): I liked it and thought that I needed to test it from a spray bottle… but then I never did because the only store that used to carry the brand in our area – Barneys – dropped the line a while ago. Had it not been discontinued now, I would have probably never got to buying it. But facing the complete extinction of Coup de Founre, I pounced.
Will you miss any of DelRae’s perfumes?
Images: the first one – brand’s ad; the rest – my own
Undina's Looking Glass 
When I read the part in which you said you’re giving up on buying make up, my first thought was “she may give up on make up but she won’t give up on lipsticks” – this came to my mind probably because in the past you said how much you enjoy Lipstick Queen products.
I recently had a slightly similar situation with a perfume. Years ago I wanted to smell Mona di Orio Amyitis but by the time I wanted to do it, the perfume was already discontinued. Now it came back and I know people behind MdO and they told me the formula is exactly the same. And I want to believe them, especially that I don’t have a reference point of how it smelled before being gone.
It’s sad news about DelRae. Small, artisan brands have it harder and harder in the niche market. I haven’t tried any of the fragrances from the line. At least I don’t know what I’m missing ;)
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Well… I’m not completely giving up but I’m definitely slowing down. Lipstick Queen (and probably some other brands) are excluded.
Most MdO’s perfumes do not do anything for me, so I wasn’t excited by the re-issue. But I was glad for all the fans who missed those perfumes.
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I understand! Exceptions are good as long as there aren’t too many of them 😉
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Charlotte Tilbury is a master at marketing. I bought the Pillow Talk lip pencil when it first came out – and was hyped – but wouldn’t buy anything from the brand now.
I did feel a pang of regret about the demise of Delrae. One of my longest lemmings has been Mythique since reading Angela’s review of it on NST in 2010 (I just looked it up). “…it’s not so much how Mythique smells that draws me to it — it’s how it wears. Mythique is light and unobtrusive, like leather chiffon underwear, if there were such a thing.”
A soft green, suede iris will always appeal but now this one will never be mine. I don’t get upset about things like this anymore though. I have way too much to get through as it is.
I agree that generally re-issue make me suspicious because they’re rarely as good as the original.
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I don’t think I’ll ever buy anything from CT again. Well, not unless the lipstick suddenly grows on me, so to speak. But I had to do it – if nothing else, as an inoculation against buying random cosmetics :)
Mythique wasn’t “my perfume” but I’m still sad it will be no more.
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Love this inoculation technique :)
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Never tried a Delrae but now I wish I had, or maybe not since they are no longer available. It’s a shame about Delrae closing. I guess she was unwilling to be bought out by one of the large corporations. Niche is no longer niche.
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Brands that are bought by large companies sooner or later become such that sometimes I think I’d rather mourn their closing than what became of perfumes I used to love.
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I haven’t tried any DelRae. (Did not get a chance to try any Vero either 😥). I feel like I have so much perfume that it’s ok to miss out on some (most) of it- I’m no longer having FOMO for anything, I try to be really deliberate about my purchases. On the Charlotte Tilbury front – It’s a brand that is on my list of “never gonna buy” on principle, despite the hype it’s just not going to change my life!
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How did that brand get on your “never” list? I mean, most (all?) brands will not change our lives, but we buy some of them. So, what did they do? :)
I always think it’s better not to expose yourself to something inaccessible. That’s why I rarely try vintage perfumes I’ve never tried before: why to risk liking something I might never find again?
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There are a handful of pricey brands that I just don’t want to try – perhaps afraid I will fall in love with too many things and blow my budget, which is a challenge already. Not personal!!
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I see. Makes perfect sense.
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Luckyscent had several DelRae perfumes on sale this past winter, I ordered samples and none of them appealed to me enough to buy. I am sorry for any indie perfumer to go out of business though.
As for marketing ploys, I am enticed most by big sale price cuts, discontinuations and limited editions. I mostly stopped buying cosmetics because I have so much and will never get through it, which is also true of my perfumes, but cosmetics go bad faster, so that puts me off.
I tried MdO Amyitis when it was discontinued years ago and didn’t like it.
As for Charlotte Tilbury, I don’t care about the brand or products as such, but desperately wanted to buy a compact and lipstick to enjoy because of the CT letters on it (my initials are TC, close enough) so I did, but now I’m satisfied and pay no attention to it.
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I don’t think DelRae can be qualified as indie business: she was an art director, perfumers were all well-established and known noses. But still, I’m sad it closed. I hoped to buy Wit once my decant is done.
Big sales do tempt me but usually I think and re-test samples until the sale is over :)
I can totally see the appeal of those initialed cases: I wouldn’t probably be able to resist something like that.
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I don’t think I have anything by Charlotte Tilbury. I generally don’t actively look for make-up as I am pretty satisfied with my minimalist routine – make-up base and sometimes a blush. I have on occasion bought lip make-up (e.g. MAC lipgloss collaboration with The Simpsons) or to step up to a GWP.
As to Parfums del Rae, I am most familiar with Wit and that’s about it. I have some samples and decants but nothing I would overtly reach for outside of themed scent wearing.
And kitten Rusty was fierce-looking!
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Rusty was having a serious talk with that pillow :)
Not getting a bottle of Wit is, probably, my biggest regret: I was sure I’ll buy it once I’m done with the decant I got in a split.
My daily routine is comparable to yours: tinted moisturizer, setting powder and a lipstick (and, of course, perfume). But I love (correction: loved) buying mascara, eye shadows, liners, blushes, etc., etc. If it weren’t for perfumes, I would be probably still buying all those items I never have time or desire to use on a daily basis.
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Excuse my ignorance, Undina, but not familiar with Del Rae fragrances at all. I wish more brands would alert their fans about perfumes being discontinued. Love the way Rusty is blending so well with that sofa.
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I think that brands that stay in business should definitely warn their loyal customers about perfumes discontinuation: after all, if it will be sold out completely, often times with heavy discounts, why not to allow people who love those perfumes already to get them while they still can – instead of enticing new people to pick those up because it’s a bargain, fell in love – and not being able to get more?
But with brands going out of business, I think they have more on their minds than warning us. Besides, had there been that many loyal customers, they might have stayed in business. So, fair game there.
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Can’t fault your logic here, Undina.
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Hey Undina,
Late, as ever, to the party.
Really bummed that DelRae has gone. Wit has been on my Must Buy list for ages, ever since it came our, but it always got bumped for some other shiny trinket.
I do have Amoureuse and Coup de Foudre, both of which I adore.
It’s strange that I didn’t just buy the whole range, they were very affordable and I liked or loved, all of them.
Rusty is so freaking CUTE in that shot. Hug and treat him from me please.
Portia xx
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I wish I bought Wit: it’s unique enough to have in one’s collection. Now I should wear my decant before it went off.
My Coup de Foudre purchase turned to be a big disappointment: perfume is turned, and I’m arguing with the seller to return it.
Rusty will get a treat from you (and will look very cute while eating it :) ).
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