I have just found the following article by Kirstie Leong regarding 'The Secrets of Buying Discontinued Cosmetics' - although it has an American bias, I thought it would give us all some further ideas!
It’s annoying when you fall in love with a shade of lipstick and it’s promptly discontinued by the company who manufactures it. This happens all too often. A cosmetic company can discontinue a particular cosmetic for a variety of reasons including a change in makeup trends, lack of sales of a particular item, or it may be a limited edition or seasonal product. Nevertheless, it can be a source of frustration when you lose access to a cosmetic product you love. Is there a solution to this problem? Fortunately, there are places where you can buy discontinued cosmetics if you’re willing to invest a little time.
Buy discontinued cosmetics: Ebay
The world’s largest online marketplace is a rich source for discontinued cosmetics although it may take a little time to track down the exact item you’re looking for and it may only be available in limited quantities. If you’re not rewarded with your first search, don’t get discouraged as new cosmetic products are posted on a daily basis. To prevent the possibility of contracting an unwanted infection from used cosmetic products, only purchase products that are still sealed.
Buy discontinued cosmetics: Harness the power of search engines.
Try typing in the exact name of your product into your favorite search engine and see if you can find a site that carries it. You can also try some of the price comparison search engines using the exact product name. Often times a discontinued item will turn up in an online store.
Buy discontinued cosmetics: Check off price outlets.
If you visit outlet stores on a frequent basis, check the cosmetic outlets to see if they might have your desired product. They often carry discontinued items that other stores no longer have. Saks Fifth Avenue outlets have a substantial cosmetic department that often has makeup items that are no longer found in mainstream retail stores. Be sure to check the local T.J. Maxx and Marshall stores in your area. You can also sometimes find discontinued makeup and cosmetics at yard and estate sales.
Buy discontinued cosmetics: Estee Lauder Gone But Not Forgotten Program
If you’re looking for discontinued makeup by Estee Lauder, Clinique, Origins, Prescriptives, or Bobbi Brown, you may be able to find them through this program. You can inquire about availability of a product by calling 646-602-7725 and giving the name of the product.
Buy discontinued cosmetics: Contact company outlets by phone.
Many discontinued makeup products are sent to company outlets that you can contact by phone. To find the outlet where a discontinued makeup product may have been sent, do a Google search for “discontinued cosmetics + the name of the cosmetic line”. In many cases you’ll be rewarded with the name of an outlet and its phone number.
By playing search detective, you may be rewarded with that elusive discontinued makeup product you thought you’d never find.