How To Get Your Hands On This Year’s Most Anticipated Beauty Buys

Do you remember how you used to buy beauty products before the internet? It went something like this: You'd see an ad on television, a sample in a magazine, or a great new shade on your friend's face, and then go off to the store to try it out and pick it up. It was quaint. Civilized. Predictable. But now, thanks to a pretty intense mix of online shopping and social media, the game has changed. Buzzy products (ahem, the Kylie Lip Kit) are teased on Instagram and Twitter, and then sell out in seconds. Most of us make a play for them, but are left empty-handed, tweeting our frustration.

The people who are able to scoop up these goodies are like modern-day gunslingers, or Olympic sprinters. They train for these moments, and have a set of techniques that help them score every time. How do they do it? I (sort of creepily) messaged a handful of them on Twitter to pick their brains. Pro tip: Clear your schedule and charge that laptop. This could qualify as a part-time gig.