I am not going to buy one more single solitary product from your Tom Ford Beauty line ever again! Not one. Two, maybe. Three, a distinct possibility. Four? Now we’re taking. But one? Impossible. Every time I promise myself that I will pick up just one TF lipstick, I walk out of the store with a bronzer, blush, concealer, lip gloss and not one, but two of said lipsticks—and my wallet $320 or so lighter. So the insanity must stop! I am actually thinking of starting a 12-step program for others like me (and I know a few) called Tom Ford Beautyholics Anonymous.
It all started with Indian Rose, a pink/ brown/rosy lipstick. But it might have been Casablanca, a pink/ mauve/nude with hints of lilac. I read about one or the other in Lucky (or Allure) as being the perfect lip color for all seasons, ages, occasions and skin tones. This is a rather tall order, so I hit the Neiman’s in San Francisco to check it out for myself and was completely and utterly blown away. Now, in my 20-some-odd years in the beauty industry I’ve run across thousands of lipsticks. And some of them were terrific. But I’ve never seen anything like a Tom Ford lipstick; they are positively thrilling.
The square-cut bronze-and-gold tube oozes chic and extravagance, and just feels so good in your hand. The bullet is perfectly shaped with just the right amount of firmness to hug the contours of your lips and give a flawless application without smooshing or breaking off. It is also emblazoned with a fabulous looking TF monogram. Then there’s the coverage-- just the right balance of natural looking sheen and dewy creaminess that somehow manages to be both fresh and glamorous simultaneously. And the shades? Perfect. So perfect that I bought Casablanca and Indian Rose, plus a to-die-for plummy/violet/burgundy lip gloss called Love Bruise. With each stick costing an unheard of $49 and the gloss a hefty $48, I congratulated myself that this would be the last time I visited a Tom Ford Beauty counter ever and made my way home with my treasures, vowing that they would sustain me for the rest of my life.
I showed Casablanca (or was it Indian Rose?) to my sister-in-law, who has far more restraint and common sense than I do. After much oohing and ahhing, she promptly dismissed it for its hefty price tag, saying she just wasn’t the type of girl to shell out those kind of shekels for a lipstick. Famous last words. At a dinner party a few weeks later, my sensible sister-in-law who would never ever spend nearly $50 bucks on a lipstick, whipped out a tube of Indian Rose plus a Rose Crush lipgloss, and said with an emphatic nod of her head and a gravity she usually reserves for discussing environmental causes: “You have to see my new lipstick. It is fabulous.” The irony of this situation was not readily apparent to anyone but me, and unfortunately it triggered a craving—a habit far more extreme than chocolate or potato chips, because it’s a $49 per serving habit. It was the craving for more Tom Ford lipsticks. (At least they don’t make you fat).
My mounting obsession was further fueled by the email I received a few days later from my friend who hosted the dinner party, crowing with delight over her new Tom Ford lipsticks: Casablanca and Jasmine Rouge, a dramatic yet completely wearable red. She also bought two or three TF fragrances. This news pushed me over the edge. No longer able to control my TF jones, I headed back to Neiman’s with my pulse racing and picked up Pink Adobe and Pink Dusk, two pinky/brown/rosey/mauvey nude lip colors mystifyingly different enough from each other (and from Casablanca and Indian Rose) to justify my having to have them both. Then there was the rush I got from the TF Bronzing Powder in Gold Dust, a ridiculously gorgeous pressed bronzer infused with a stunning, just-right shot of shimmer. With the compact tallying an insane $95, I could no longer deny that my “problem” was now heart attack serious and in need of some form of intervention.
Further temptation appeared in the form of TF’s limited edition cream eyeshadows, lusciously satiny whipped creamy eye colors in Pink Haze, a coppery pink and Illicit, a golden bronze--$35 each. Now here’s the really scary part: If I am honest with myself and you, I would have to say that I never need to buy another eyeshadow again.Ever. I have drawers full of them. But I could not stop myself. And I could not listen to the little voice in my head admonishing me to just get “one.” So I got both.
I had a few really good TF-free months. The hubby and I were totally immersed in packing up our apartment in Oakland and making arrangements to move back to NYC. (Hooray!) Frankly, the excitement and insane amount of preparations necessary for the move were exhilarating enough to keep me away from TF. But one short month after we got here, I could no longer resist the siren’s song. I had strolled onto the beauty floor of Bergdorf Goodman on a sultry summer afternoon to use the Ladies to freshen up for a meeting across the street. And Jason the TF counter manager stopped me en route with a winning smile and a warm, “Hello. Welcome to Tom Ford.” I am proud to say I kept right on striding to the restrooms. However my walk back to the escalators didn’t go quite so well.
Did you know TF makes a glorious under eye brightener called Illuminating Highlight Pen and an exquisite shimmery pinky/coral cheekcolor irresistibly named Love/Lust? Oh and he’s recently introduced the most extraordinary eye makeup primer that looks so clean and fresh on its own and makes eye makeup last a lifetime. There’s also the divine limited edition In the Pink eyeshadow compact of sparkling pink and nude shadows that gleam and glimmer like an afternoon in St. Barth's. There’s also Pink Guilt lipgloss and Nubile lipstick, stunning tawny pink neutrals with knockout sex appeal.
I will not tell you how much this particularly elating Tom Ford trip cost me. Frankly, I am still reeling from the receipt. But I will tell you that first thing tomorrow morning I am calling Eric Clapton to beg him to add a Tom Ford Beauty wing onto his Crossroads facility. Hey, it’s in Antigua. Who’s in?
Ciao for now my friends. Stay happy and healthy.