The Hunt for the "Holy Grail" Beauty Product

By Christiana Molina, Allure Magazine

If you're any kind of beauty aficionado, chances are you have a Holy Grail product: It's that one item you can't live without, but much to your chagrin, it's hard to come by. Many of us have gone to extreme lengths—and paid extreme prices—in our ongoing quest. I once spent an admittedly absurd amount (over $100) to score M.A.C. Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade. Retailing for $28, this limited-edition metallic powder launched in the December 2006 Danse collection and it was the perfect highlighter. The whimsical swirl of pastel rainbow hues was not too shimmery, not too sheer. Only problem was, Lightscapade sold out in a snap. So I was forced to resort to eBay to snag my dream beauty product or miss the boat entirely.

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So I had mixed feelings when I learned that M.A.C. is re-releasing Lightscapade this fall in the Cindy Sherman for M.A.C. collection. I'm not sure whether to weep from embarrassment over what I paid, or jump for joy that I can now afford a back-up. It helps a little to know that I'm not the only one who would do anything for a beloved rare product. Below, Allure staffers admit to their their own discontinued darlings and hard-to-come-by obsessions:

"About five years ago, when I finally reached the dregs of my last pot of M.A.C. Eye Shadow in Bark, I went to M.A.C. only to find out they had just discontinued it. They suggested visiting their Pro store in hopes of getting another. While they said they had some extras, it turned out the salesperson told me that Liza Minelli loved it as much as I did and had snagged the last few pots! Still never found a shade quite the same." — Lori Segal, Research Director

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"My best friend lost it when Benefit discontinued a lipgloss called Her Glossiness: Life on the A List, so she wrote them an email and a letter and scoured blogs for news about it and checked eBay weekly. They brought it back, but changed the formula, and she still hasn't recovered." — Colleen Egan, Project Manager

"Chanel Nail Polish in Jade. It was the polish that started the whole pretty-yet-rebellious nail shade trend. I swear I can still spot it amongst the slew of imitations. But I know deep down I'm going to have to convert to a knock-off once I run out!" — Renee Trilivas, Editorial Assistant

"M.A.C. Eye Shadow in Style Snob is no longer available and I accidentally dropped my sample on the floor during fashion week and ruined it. I went around to all the M.A.C. makeup artists to see if they had it backstage, to no avail. I would give away all my eye shadows to have that one back." — Sophia Panych, Associate Editor