It was an instagram influencer, Negin Mirsalehi who sold me on the Nars Matt Velvet lip pencil in unforgettable shade name  Do Me Baby, something I would never say let alone wear. But the lip pencil turned out to be my go to shade and then like so many brands have done to me in the past, Nars discontinued it. So instead of using it with reckless abandon, the two I had left, as rare as a canary diamond were saved for special occasions.

Periodically I would search EBay and Vinted to see if one would turn up, the regular size Nars Matt Velvet Lip Pencil 2.4g I found in the Netherlands but the seller wanted £60 for it, a price I just couldn't justify. I could find Cruella, Never Say Never, Roman Holiday, Endangered Red, Dolce Vita, Damned, Sex Machine, Training Bleu, Walkyrie, Mysterious Red, Red Square. Not sure how many shades there were in the range, but it felt like everyone was available except Do Me Baby.

Then a few days ago an email popped into my inbox, when my last one was all but a stump. It was like a big win. I am sure many understand the feeling when something, a product you love just isn't available anymore. It was a travel size, 1.8g instead of the 2.4g but who cares, it wasn't a million pounds and a few days later it was safe in my hands.

I understand why make up brands stop making certain products, consumers are fickle and they have to keep bringing out something new to keep the 'lipstick effect' in place.

But when you've found the product you love, wear every day, this particular Lip pencil is the perfect blend of creamy and Matt and stays put,  there's nothing more frustrating than never being able to replace it, or if one drops in the hands of an opportunist having to pay way over the odds.

It would be so good if we as loyal customers could reach out to a brand like Nars and buy product left over, maybe for a small premium, like a back room closet where discontinued stock goes or every year, they bring back a limited edition version of something from days gone by so die hard fans get a chance to stock up on their favourite whatever.

My Do Me Baby will last another 3-4 months maybe if I don't use every day. Ecstatic for now but if your reading this and have one or more you don't use, pop a comment. I am a buyer.

And if anyone from Nars or any other other make up brand, or make up artist/expert can recommend an alternative for me, I'd love to hear from you. FYI I've tried the Power Matt High Intensity Lip Pencil and like so many fans for the Velvet Matt Lip Pencil it just didn't stack up for me.

And while I am on the subject, the Bobby Brown art stick in Nude and Rose Brown are two others I have been in search of for a few years now. What the hell. WHenever I get a notification from EBay about these beauties, lucky if they come in under £100. I am in the wrong business.

Thanks for listening to me RANT and RAVE all at the same time.