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On those rare occasions that I find it, the breakout-inducing cleansers, runny mascaras and stinging serums I tried feel worth it. As they say about love, when you know, you know.
So I can appreciate the panic that sets in when you arrive at the makeup counter to find that your favorite product has been discontinued. I can also understand why bereft loyalists might go to Elaine Benes extremes to track down every last bottle of their beloved beauty product. What I can't understand is someone paying 25 times the original price for an expired or half-empty jar, as many regularly do on eBay.
Here, the gone-but-not-forgotten beauty products women are bidding big bucks on -- and the almost-as-good alternatives we hope will take their place (RIP).
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The Polish a Nail Blogger Would Sell Her First-Born for
Original retail price: $25
Going for: $350 on eBay
This limited edition enamel was part of the Chanel Jade Collection, which launched in September 2009 to coincide with the fashion label's fall/winter runway show. Nail polish fiends consider this color "VHTF," or very hard to find. The unique, not-too-shimmery shade that falls somewhere between mint and pistachio green is a highly sought-after hue that self-described "laquerheads" are willing to pay big bucks for.
The dupe: Essie First Timer, $8.50, is a slightly more mint version of Chanel Jade. Milani Dress Maker is a closer match if you can get your hands on it, but it's also been discontinued.
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The Hair Product That Left a Sea-Spray-Sized Hole in Our Hearts
Original retail price: $6
Going for: $149 on Amazon
Due to its ability to coax perfectly tousled waves out of frizzy, dry, straight or wavy hair, this spray was a Holy Grail product for many women. It's been discontinued since 2006, and women are still mourning it eight years later -- so much so that John Frieda has established a voting page on their website to bring it back.
The dupe: John Frieda came out with a replacement product called Brilliant Brunette Starlit Waves, $8.95, but devotees of the Beach Blonde spray say it isn't the same. To get those frizz-free, beach-bombshell waves, former consumers of John Frieda's product have taken the DIY route with this recipe.
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The Bath & Body Works Scent You Just Can't Quit
Original retail price: $12.50
Going for: $48.25 on Amazon
Anyone who has ever obsessed over a certain Bath & Body Works scent (I'm looking at you, Cucumber Melon) knows that it's like summer love: Enjoy it while it lasts, but don't expect it to stick around. Water Blossom Ivy wearers say the scent was a sophisticated, gorgeous scent that smelled much more expensive than it was. Now going for four times the original price, the lotion is more big-ticket than bargain, especially when you can't count on those Bath & Body Works bin sales.
The dupe: Bath & Body Works Rainkissed Leaves Body Lotion, $11. A clean, refreshing scent, the floral and green notes in Rainkissed Leaves mimic the crisp white flowers in Water Blossom Ivy.
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The Liquid Gold Highlighting Powder
Original retail price: $9
Going for: $79.99 on Amazon
One dust of this fine, shimmery powder, and your skin develops a gorgeous, luminous, dewy glow. Somewhere between a highlighter and a perfecting powder, this product gives the illusion of perfect skin. Because it's a powder and only requires the lightest hand for a glowing visage, it lasts forever -- a good thing, considering it was discontinued in 2007.
The dupe: Revlon Photoready Skinlights Face Illuminator, $13.99. In 2013, Revlon reintroduced the Skinlights line, but only as a liquid. Fans of the old product say it provides the same lit-from-within glow.
