I've always had a serious addiction to lip balm, lip gloss, and lipstick. When I was six, I stopped talking to my then-BFF, Sandy, for an entire week because I was convinced that she had stolen my peach-flavored Lip Smacker. The thief turned out to be Sue, not Sandy. It ended with my very first, very awkward formal apology (thanks, Mom). Many years later, I won a contest on a ValuJet flight for carrying the most tubes of lipstick in my bag. I had 15. I know what you're thinking: "Fifteen tubes of lipstick in one purse? That's bananas!"

Speaking of bananas, get your tutti fruttis all rooty for this week's "Win-It" Wednesday prize, the Super Glossy Sweets Set, courtesy of e.l.f. cosmetics:

It's a set of three shiny, cruelty-free flavored lip glosses in Tropical Breeze, Berry Bliss, and Passion Punch. If I could add one flavor and turn the trio into a quartet, I'd want guacamole. A swipe of Tropical Breeze, followed by a swipe of Guacamole—I'd go on a mini vacation every time I applied, which would be once an hour, on the hour.

Now tell us which fantastic flavor you would crave most in a lip gloss in the comments section below. Make it sweet or savory—just make sure it's of the vegan variety. The five people whose responses make our mouths water the most will each win a set.

The contest ends on January 27, 2010, and we'll choose three winners on January 29, 2010. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Good luck!

Written by Karin Bennett

Are there any Monty Python fans in the house? In one classic Monty Python sketch, John Cleese plays a self-defense instructor who insists—despite his class's protests—on demonstrating ways to protect oneself against attackers armed with various types of fruit.

Well, it turns out that he might have been on to something.

Last week's news was filled with food-related violence. First, in Michigan, Frederick McKaney allegedly hit a woman over the head with a frozen chicken. Then word arrived of a Maryland man who reportedly held up a convenience store with—what else? A banana! Somewhere, Graham Chapman is shaking his head.

All this violence is enough to make you worry that we're headed for a future filled with bumper stickers that read, "You'll take my French bread only when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers," and cop shows that feature officers who yell, "Drop the carrot sticks, and put your hands where I can see 'em."

So can we all agree that it's time to chill with the edible aggression? We've started the ball rolling by asking authorities to make sure McKaney is fed a vegetarian diet should he end up spending some time in jail, since everybody knows (right?) that animal abuse is connected to violence against humans!

So let's all take a deep breath and reach for tasty veggie fare to help end the violence inflicted on others—both human and nonhuman. Plus, going vegetarian helps you and the environment too! Though you might want to leave the bananas alone until you're a bit calmer.

Posted by Jeff Mackey