It wasn't a bad smell, but if you're not a fan of sandalwood, you'll have to learn to tolerate it. And so will anyone who gets within five feet of your face for the first 30 minutes after you put it on. When I put on the Vicco, my skin instantly tingled in a way that usually signals an oncoming skin tantrum. The Dervina Firming Cream had sunk in, leaving my face feeling clean, matte, and only vaguely incense-d.

I thought the pink lip glosses looked awful on me because my lips were too big, and the glittery eye shadows looked strange because my skin color was all wrong. I didn't realize that this makeup wasn't made for me at all - and neither was the ideal of beauty that I saw in magazines or the movies. But in a way, not much has changed - it's still a challenge to find the right colors for my dark skin.