Impulse Purchase, Again: L’Oréal Colour Riche Balm

My older sister has always been a veritable, occasionally formidable, influence in my life, one that has been a predominantly positive force. I will admit, at a more nascent time, many years ago, when my powers of logic and deductive reasoning, and by extension, economics, were notably weaker than they are now, Elizabeth negotiated a number of unfair trades, namely, taking my unfinished ice cream cones and promising in return, at future date, packs of gum. Our mother did not allow us to chew gum, so, this was an enticing offer. Needless to say, she owes me a good fifty or so gum packs. I will refrain from making any comments regarding cavity metrics. I must also admit, conversely, that she is the reason, during the reviled and awkward developmental stage, adolescence, I was listening to Depeche Mode and New Order and Stereolab, as opposed to a group of hair gelled, glittered, middle aged men, inappropriately labeled as boys, jive and shake before throngs of sweating, also glittered young girls. And the reason I would simultaneously carry a hand-painted skull and crossbones while wearing a pink lacrosse ribbon in my ponytail, in a true Free to Be You and Me-fashion. And the reason that I precociously understood that, sure, high school can be fun, to an extent, but it is not the climax of life cultural, aesthetic, and social experiences. She is a beautiful woman, and is a big reason that I am the beautiful woman I am, here, today. But I digress.

Last night, the inertia of influence perpetuated, this time in the form of lipstick lusting; over the weekend, Elizabeth introduced me to her latest acquisition: L’Oréal Colour Riche Balm. In between buying some deodorant and some calorie-free sweetener, because I believe we should take everything in moderation, even our carcinogens, I added a plum balm to my cart. After years of excavating fine stain fonts from the caverns of cosmetics, she has converted, to those that are a bit cheaper to procure: the pharmacy selection. I agree wholeheartedly with this decision; most of my favorite lipsticks, those with the most vibrant hue and the optimum texture and consistency, those that are enduring, are those that were under 10$ and were found between aisles of hard candies and greeting cards. Elizabeth collects lipsticks in the way that I collect clip-on earrings; that is, to say, obsessively and compulsively and without restraint. So, when she recommends a brand, I take heed.

Donning lipstick for my cubicle is not an adventure on which I have been willing to embark, at least not yet, so I have no personal experience as of yet with this new tube. I would imagine it will be smooth, bold yet a bit more sheen and sheer, and will become a new staple.

(image taken from Musings of a Muse)