Girly Girls

Good evening everybody. 




Remember these, girls?  This is an Avon lipstick sample and what every little girl loved back in the 60s.  Back in those days, the Avon lady actually came to our house with all her samples.  That bag she carried had all sorts of potions, but what we wanted was that little lipstick.


The Avon lady always had a handful of these little beauties and I couldn't wait to pick a color.  One I particularly remember, and what I wore in the 7th, 8th, and 9th grade was the color Mauve.  Just plain old Mauve, not Enchanting Mauve, not Magnificent Mauve, just plain old Mauve.


Today on our way to Ulta to browse the makeup aisles, my daughter told me she was out of her favorite Tarte lipstick.  She showed it to me and indeed, it was flat.  I told her there was lipstick left in the tube.  Not believing me, I told her how I always got the last little drop of lipstick out of those tiny Avon samples.  She said, "Oh, I remember those little samples.  Grandma always had some."  I told her to put her lipstick to her lips and form her lips around it.  Then I explained that she needed to suck on the lipstick until it pulled out a bit.  She was shocked at how much lipstick was remaining in the tube.  "Well, Mom, look at you!"  and then she laughed.  We both laughed at how clever I was all those years ago. 


Back in those days we literally used things up.......at least I did.  A new tube of lipstick was rare.  There wasn't a lot of money for lipstick, and I could make that little tiny tube of lipstick last another week or more...........or until the Avon lady came back again.


What fun we had just being girly girls today.


I love you.


Ella Lowe was our Avon lady.  Yes, she was also the cook at our little rural school.  I loved when she'd come down our driveway, and secretly, I think Mom did, too; our little time to be girly girls.  I thought of that when my daughter and I were checking out all the makeup.......just girly girls.


And if you are wondering, that is one of mom's samples from years ago.  When we cleared her bedroom, I found that little lipstick and just couldn't throw it away.