Resurrecting the Perfect Product :

In ninth grade, my heart was broken. But don't blame some pimply boy – no, it was the Cover Girl company. Softshell Pink, my favorite shimmery, innocent, rosy lip color, was nowhere to be found. It, like many cosmetics, had been discontinued.

It's frustrating and downright heartbreaking when a company decides, for whatever reason, your favorites shouldn't exist anymore. But cosmetic companies aren't trying to punish loyal consumers when they discontinue products. Sometimes popularity isn't even a factor. Newer, more sophisticated product development is sometimes responsible for the companies' out-with-the-old, in-with-the-new philosophy. Who wants a foundation that slides right off at the first sign of sweat when there's a new formulation that sticks like glue and looks better? You? Well, sorry about that. Products go out of style, ingredients become unavailable or the product just may not sell as much as expected. So where do your favorite colors and products go when they die? Sometimes cosmetic and hair product companies keep a stash of discontinued products and/or samples after the fact, but this is only a limited supply. It is mainly a way to ease the panic consumers feel when their favorite products go to the grave. Several companies have programs that bring back discontinued cosmetics for a limited time, especially when consumers clamor for their favorites to be made available. Clinique, for example, has its last-chance "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" section on its Web site, where discontinued cosmetics are featured. It says, "There's still hope if you don't find what you're looking for." A toll-free number is given for customers like me who miss products such as the still-popular Chubby Stick. Estee Lauder's "Farewell Favorites" features makeup and skincare that has fallen by the wayside, including some products that were seemingly popular -- featured in several magazines.

But if the company has forsaken your favorite for good, is there anything else you can do? It depends on how much you're willing to shell out for a custom-made product. Three Custom Color , a company located in New York City, will take a dime-sized sample of your favorite cosmetic and create a new lip, foundation, powder (pressed and loose) or eye shadow just for you. But it'll cost you -- $50 for two tubes of lipstick. But there is a reorder discount, and the company will have your special formula in its database forever. You also can create your own shade from pretty much anything – a paint chip, nail polish color (alas, the company can't create nail polish), piece of fabric, magazine clipping … The sky's the limit.

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