Ah, Max Factor. I have fond childhood memories of hanging out in front of their display with my friend Sarah, in the cosmetics aisle at Rockbottom (the drugstore with the BEST cosmetics section, at least in NYC in the '80s). We'd pore over all the lipsticks, mascaras, blushes, foundations for hours - or at least until dinnertime.

I wanted to wear Pan-Stik so badly. Alas, I was all of eight years old and that was slightly out of the question.

Today's Max Factor has a glamorous new image, and while Pan-Stik is still around, the brand has added some exciting new goodies, as well as a gorgeous spokeswoman. Carmen Electra - maybe you've heard of her?

I'm loving the MaxWear Lipcolor - it's a 2-step system with a longwearing base color and a lighter, sheer gloss. The base layer is highly pigmented and goes on evenly without drying, and the gloss adds shine and dimension without making the whole thing slide right off your lips. While the gloss has to be reapplied every so often, this is expected; what's important is that the base shade really stays put. And it does!

Of the 26 double-ended offerings, my pick for the season is Split Personality. It's great for creating - what else? - the perfect berry lip. The base is a deep berry, and the gloss is a sheer light pink with no shimmer. It's a great holiday shade and won't come off halfway through the company Christmas party!

*Win It!*
Want your very own custom MaxWear shade? Now through October 16, enter to win a year's supply of your own custom blended MaxWear lipcolor, created for you by the experts at Max Factor. Click here to enter. Good luck!

photo of Carmen taken by me at the Diane von Furstenberg show.