Stila, no more?

So this morning, I innocently awoke, turned on my computer, and was greeted with this news, courtesy of Paula Begoun's beauty bulletin:

Estee Lauder Companies has decided to sell the Stila cosmetics line. Lauder, which acquired the Stila brand in 1999, believes its goals can be achieved with their other makeup-driven lines--Bobbi Brown and M.A.C. Stila's third-quarter 2005 operating losses were reported to be $3.3 million, a staggering figure when compared with the same period in 2004, when Stila's losses were a seemingly meager $700,000. As of this writing, Stila did not have a new owner, and is on Lauder's corporate roster as a "discontinued" brand (Source: www.reuters.com, October 26, 2005).

I don't know what to think! I can't really imagine a world without Stila cosmetics. It's wierd, because I have never been a huge outspoken fan of the line, but I am really upset at the thought of it not existing. I think it is because of the creator, Jeanine Lobell. She is such a cute and talented makeup artist. When I read the story of how she started the Stila line, creating the packaging and products at home, bringing her products from store to store, and then the line taking off and being so successful. Plus, she has always been very ahead of the pack with her ideas. She was the first one to popularize creme blush, and her invention of the lip gloss that you click up from the bottom and has a brush, not a sponge on the end, was revolutionary and spawned a million imitators. Someone who is such a genius should not be ruthlessly pushed aside by a huge faceless corporation. Then again, this report was from Oct. 2005, and Stila seems to be forging ahead with a spring line, so maybe I am totally overreacting. Let's hope this is the case and I don't need to run to Nordy's and stock up on Sweet Pea blush, Raspberry lip gloss, and Kitten eye shadow.