Goo Goo Goo Joob

I am the Eggman.  Or rather, the Egg-woman.  Which is, as we all know, infinitely better than being the walrus.  Goo goo g’joob.

It all started when I hit the road for a catalog shoot in Knoxville.  The client had requested “clean hair, clean face.”  That’s the industry standard in New York, but not here in the lower states where clients generally expect models to arrive hair and makeup ready.

I think that’s what threw me off.  — That and the fact that it was o’dark-thirty in the morning.

As I drove west on I-40, I worked through my mental checklist for the third and final time.  Model bag?  Check.  White trainers?  Check.  Assorted camis and undergarments?  Check and check.  Accessory roll?  Yep.  Barrier products?

Oh, crap.

Barrier products aren’t compulsory in real life.  But on set, they’re sometimes the only thing standing between a model’s skin and imminent infection.  While most makeup artists run a clean show, keeping color cakes fresh and using disposable applicators and implements, there’s always a chance of cross contamination.

Barrier goods disinfect, treat and seal skin, and can significantly reduce the risk of picking up anything communicable.  These are not the heavy-duty silicone, zinc oxide or dimethicone-based skin products used in industrial and medical settings, but simple OTC items that cleanse, sterilize and offer a layer of protection.

Some of my favorite barrier products.

Basic barrier merch includes prepackaged alcohol prep-pads, antibacterial hand sanitizer, cleansing wipes, moisturizer, body lotion, triple antibiotic cream and lip balm.  — I had the alcohol pads and a bottle of Purell (I use them regularly and keep extra supplies in the car); but I’d gone off and left the rest of my stash sitting on the counter.  Poop.

As I wound through the gorge between North Carolina and Tennessee, I quickly ticked off exit options, planning a brief barrier buying spree along the way.  Waynesville and Maggie were a distant memory.  Fines Creek and Harmen’s Den were well behind me, too (and would have been little help).  Up ahead was the tiny town of Waterville.  Nothing there except the big dam (damn).  The Wilton Springs Road exit was next — perfect if I was looking to pick up some granola or have a whitewater rafting experience (I was not).  And so I’d follow the road to Newport — a small but burgeoning burg with drug store options.

Twenty minutes later I neared the exit, took the offramp and cruised into the local CVS, the sun rising higher in my rearview.  I didn’t have much time to spare if I wanted to make my 10 o’clock call; so I hit the door running, eyes up and scanning the aisle listings suspended from the ceiling.

I lucked out on aisle 12 where I found the trial size versions of Lubriderm, Nivea Lotion, Huggies Baby Wipes (well, okay, if I have to) and an abbreviated first aid kit which included disposable squeeze packets of Neosporin.  Cool.  Now all I needed was a tube of Vaseline.

I breezed through the lip care section at the rear of the store (they were out), made a quick loop through cosmetics (nope) and returned to the front of the store to check the impulse section by the registers.  There were always additional tubes there, right?  Wrong.  No Vaseline — and no time to hike back to inquire at the pharmacy (awwww).

And that’s when I spotted them:  Hanging from a clip strip, suspended inside sealed blister-packs, were three adorable little eggs — perfect pint-sized specimens of the green, yellow and orange varietals.

Oh.  Em.  Gee.  I’d seen these eos Lip Balms advertised in various women’s magazines….  Oh, but they were so much cuter in person….  I wanted them all.

No time to stop and consider ingredients, I grabbed the colorful spheres, laid down my money, returned to the car and continued on my way, hoping the eos eggberts would afford me adequate barrier protection in K-town.

I was not disappointed.

eos Lip Balm in Medicated Tangerine

From evolution of smooth, eos orbs are packed with 100% natural goodness including Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil and Vitamins C & E.  Olive oil, beeswax and coconut oils work together to condition — and, in my case, provided a surprisingly good buffer between lips and any germs suspended in community gloss pots.

The clear eos balm glides on smoothly and leaves lips feeling soft and supple.  Color applied afterwards stays put.  eos subs beautifully for traditional primer.

Though not a fan of flavors, I was pleasantly surprised by the orange egg (tangerine).  Mmmmm.  I wanted to like the yellow egg (lemon drop), too, but could not get past the scent which reminded me of wood polish.  I gifted the green egg to a colleague on set who says she loves everything about it, especially the honeysuckle honeydew flavor (looks like I’ll be buying another).

Petroleum-, paraben-, phthalate- and gluten-free, eos is 95% organic and full of good-for-you antioxidants.  The orb design is ingenious — easy to hold and easy to apply.  The unique shape makes it a cinch to locate in the bottom of a purse, too.  And the twist-top really stays on — so you’ll never reach into your bag or pocket and find an unpleasant surprise.

Available in Honeysuckle Honeydew, Lemon Drop with SPF, Medicated Tangerine, Summer Fruit and Sweet Mint, you can find eos Lip Balms at most drugstores, big box stores and online at evolutionofsmooth.com.

Goo goo g’joob.