The new MAX Factor is all over magazines these days, with those Carmen Electra yellow eyelash ads. They're getting great buzz and the color palette is sizzling. We were dying to try that Vivid Impact mascara and report back to you.

Except we couldn't find it anywhere.

Walgreens? Nope. Rite Aid? Uh-uh. Target? Sorry. Sephora? Don't make us laugh.
We finally got the bright idea of going to their website and clicking on the "Where Can I Buy MAX Factor?" link. We entered a zip code for San Francisco and got a crazy list.

The nearest place was an Albertsons -- yes as in the grocery store -- in Daly City. Not one single retailer, not even another Albertsons, in the actual city of San Francisco.

The next place on the list was a Long's Drugs in Marin City, which is on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge! You have to get on the freeway and drive to get your MAX Factor.

Sure, you can buy the stuff online, but we like to look and touch, and sometimes even smell makeup before we buy.

It looks like we have a trip to the 'burbs in our near future. We'll do almost anything in the name of research!