Tracking down that hard to find Avon lip gloss may prove to be a challenge at first, but with a little nudge in the right direction you may end up finding your dream product after all!
Anyone who's used a product for years and adopted it as a tried-and-true, lifelong favorite knows just how disappointing it is when the product suddenly disappears from stores. You search in vain, scour every store you can think of and come up empty-handed. Disappointment eventually turns to devastation when you, in an act of desperation, contact the company and find out that the product has been discontinued.

Products are discontinued for a number of reasons. Sometimes they undergo reformulations and reappear several months or even years later with a new avatar. A lipstick may return to the scene with a slightly different undertone, or a few ingredients may be changed around in a skin care product.

Another common reason for discontinuations is that the makeup industry is a fickle, ever-changing thing; new becomes old within just a few weeks, and then it's time for the next best thing to steal the spotlight. There's always something bigger, better and more promising on the horizon, perhaps an improved version of the old.

Of course, it could also very well be that the products simply don't sell well enough to warrant being produced anymore. You might be a devotee of the product, but there simply aren't enough loyal fans to keep the company interested in making it.
Let's Find that Hard to Find Avon Lip Gloss!

If you've been on the case but don't know where to turn next in your search for that hard to find product (you know, the one that the company discontinued without so much as a moment's notice), you may be in luck. While there are never any guarantees in this cyclical industry, the truth is that it's not impossible to find products that are discontinued anymore.

Once upon a time, once a product was gone it was gone for good. Today, though, the Internet has made it possible to track down everything from your favorite perfume in high school to the lip gloss you swore by in college. In other words, even products you thought you'd never see again might be out there somewhere.
Find a Replacement

If you're an Avon fan, you're probably aware that the company, like so many others, does discontinue products from time to time. However, you might be in luck! Avon's Web site features a department devoted to discontinued and replacement products. In this area, you'll find a selection of fragrances, skin care products and color cosmetics (more specifically, lip and nail items and foundations). You may be searching specifically for a hard to find Avon lip gloss. If that's the case, visit the "Lips" link in the discontinued department and browse through the provided list of colors, which are listed in alphabetical order. Here, you'll find the name of the original product (or the one which was discontinued) and the name of the color it was replaced by. While you may be disappointed to find that the replacement is usually not an exact color match, you will find that it's typically in the same color family.

If, by chance, the shade you're searching for is not on the list, this means that Avon does not have a recommended replacement product for it. In this case, the company recommends contacting your Avon representative and browsing the colors firsthand to get a better idea of what might work for you.
Shop the Avon Outlet Sales Flyer

If Avon has sufficient inventory on hand of the color in question and decides to exhaust the supply, the product will usually go on sale in the Avon Outlet Sales Flyer until all pieces are sold out. The flyer can be obtained from your Avon representative; you may also wish to have your representative keep an eye open for the color you're after.
Scour the Internet

When all else fails, a thorough search of the Internet may be necessary. Visit eBay and search for your color; be sure to check auctions and stores both, since many cosmetic sellers specialize in Avon glosses in particular. Don't be discouraged if your first search doesn't yield results. This site is updated every minute of the day, so regular searches are your best bet.