Died and Gone to Heaven

Those of you who are beauty junkies - hold on to your seats. Don't hate me... because I have been to the Ultimate Beauty Event Ever.

For gals in the biz, there's Cosmetic Executive Women, a nonprofit trade organization of approximately 4,000 executives in the beauty, cosmetics, fragrance, and related industries. And every year these experts, these trendsetters are invited to review the year's product launches and vote on which products were the hottest, coolest, most unique or effective.


How does this work? Droves of women descend upon Metropolitan Pavillion in NYC - waiting outside in the February chill wearing their strappy Manolos and dreaming of the array of products inside. They enter and see row after row of tables where earnest marketers describe each product with a combination of the reverence of church and the excitement of a 5 year old's birthday party.

As you wander down Mascara Row or sniff your way through Perfume Alley, your senses are overloaded. A glow of euphoria spreads over you, aided by the free chardonnay and pumping DJ music. Once you've sampled and sniffed, massaged and blended 2005's best of the best, you wonder how this night could get any better. And then your joy reaches a crescendo as you are handed the GIFT BAG to end all gift bags on your way out the door.

Now, you'd better be seated for this: we are talking 20 pounds of free products packaged in an Allure totebag. I estimate this motherload to be valued at about $1000 (consider some products like Idebenol retail for $109 a tube...). My co-pilgrims and exited back ito the chill, retreated to a restaurant, and could only utter, "Blood Orange Margarita, no salt" before digging into the depths of The Bag to explore our booty.

yet for the truly addicted, even the euphoria from a haul like this may not last until next February...