Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Makeout 2013

Yeah, I'm a little late to the YouTube party but better late than never right?

Last year was a huge reality check for me in terms of what I had been spending at the drugstore on stuff.  Just stuff!  It took me a year to use up dozens of skincare items, shampoos, lotions, toothpaste...  The list goes on and on of the "stuff" I had stockpiled from my 2010 and 2011 coupon days.

Did I save money?  I sure did, hundreds, probably thousands.  Did I need all that "stuff?"  Nope.  Did I still spend hundreds probably closer to a couple grand on stuff that I really didn't need?  Yes.  It was sheer madness.  I thought by using coupons and saving money, justified the purchases.  Couponing started off with good intentions.  I bought lots of cereal, toilet paper and cleaners nearly for free.  Did we use these items?  Yes we did.

Drugstore shopping was a blast.  Rolling rewards (CVS extra care bucks, Walgreens Register Rewards and Rite Aid +up rewards) and leaving with bags of "stuff" was so much fun for me.  Getting paid to "buy" 4 Nivea body wash and 3 bottles of John Frieda shampoo?  Yes please!   That is until reality hit.  What was I going to do with all this "stuff?"  Where was I going to store it?  Would I ever use it all?  Listen, I wasn't a stockpiler like an extreme couponer, but I had enough to fill up 2 bathrooms.  Enough was enough.

So how did I do in 2012?  Here is my original post...  link!  Lots of cross outs!  I finished every bottle of shampoo, conditioner and every tube of toothpaste.  I did have a little help.  We are a family of 5.  :)  I gave away a lot, pitched some that I know I didn't like and returned items to AVON.

I still have hair products to use as well as self tanners and face masks.  These are things that I use infrequently and take a long time to finish!  The cloth drawer cabinet was emptied as I finished the products and re-purposed the drawers.  And here is what my bathroom cabinets look like now!

Before:


After:






The only shampoo I have is now in my shower.  It feels good.  It took my 11 months to go through most of the items.  I did buy somethings in December.  Do I still have a lot of skincare items?  Yes.  I love skincare.   My motivation to finish those items is to go more natural.  I'm doing research on essential oils and I want to make my own cleaners and serums.  I will leave skincare for another post!  :)

Now that I have that situation under some control, it is now time for Makeout 2013.  

I'm going to go through categories and what I need to use up before I repurchase.  Some categories will be impossible to fully "use up."  Those being for starters, foundations.  I have never used an entire foundation.  I came close to Lioele Beyond the Solution BB cream.  Blushes, most eyeliners, most eyeshadow, lipsticks and lipgloss also have proven to be quite difficult to use up before the dreaded expiration.  The sheer quantity I have of each category fully prevents this from happening.

My goal for Makeout 2013 is to get my makeup collection to a reasonable amount of products.  Reasonable to me that is...

Concealer:

I have 9.



None of them truly work on their own to conceal my new dark undereye circles (thanks stressful job and insomnia) and redness around my nose.  I am a cosmetic mixologist.  The Rimmel Match Perfection is too dark.  I mix with either of the 2 Maybelline Mineral Power concealers.  They are also both nearing 2.5 to 3 years old.  Really need to think about pitching them.  They were CVS clearance items when we lived in NY State.  (Since we moved to NC 2 years ago, I have a pretty good idea how old everything is... If I didn't buy it while we have been here, it's over 2 years old.)  The Rimmel is a recent purchase since the first of the year.  It was to replace the 2 Maybelline ones...  Time to pitch.  So now I have 7.

Glamoflage I believe I bought here in NC so it's almost 2 years old.  It took my forever to find it in stock.  It works well but in the summer it just adds to my oil slick.  It also has a tendency to separate...  Philosophy was a Big Lots purchase from last summer.  I forgot all about it!  It's a bit light but since it is so moisturizing, it has worked well this winter.  Mineralogie is a Beauty Army sample.  It is thick and works really well.  It's about a year old.  It can crease under my eye if I am not careful.

My 2 brighteners: L'OREAL Magic Lumi and Maybelline Instant Age Rewind.  Both work but the Maybelline Brightener really highlights my pores and circles.  Not the best look.  Might be good to mix it with the darker Rimmel.

Makeout 2013:  When the 7 remaining are used up I want to purchase a NARS concealer or the Kat Von D and the Giorgio Armani Master Correcter in #1.  That's my motivation to use these up.  :)

Eyeliners:

Woah, that's a lot.



 
I know for a fact that I have bought the following eyeliners since moving to NC and they are the only ones I use on a regular basis except for the blue liners:  


Urban Decay 24/7 liners from Hautelook sale
Milani Easyliner in Espresso
Milani Liquif'eye in Brown
Cargo Eye Bronzer from Glossybox
AVON Glimmersticks in mocha flash, nocturnal, brown glow
Tarte empasEYES inner rim brightener
Cargo EyeBronzer from a Glossybox
Stila  smudge stick in blue ribbon from a Birchbox
Ofra eyebrow from Glossybox.  Well that's an eyebrow pencil that I never use.
BareMinerals Big & Bright Eyeliner in Midnight.  Got it for free with a $5 purchase.  I bought a $5 gift card. 
Rimmel Spark it Up! in peridot.  This was a Walgreens clearance item.
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on in Elderado was a free item from a purchase.  

All the others are more than 2 years old.  Technically eyeliners can be kept up to a year.  So I'm going to pull one brown PF that I use all the time and the MAC Surf Baby collection liner in Gilded White and the 2 clinique liners and toss the rest.  Since I don't use them, I'm not going to keep them.  I believe the Clinique cream shapers run on me so I will try them out this week.  If they run, they are gone as well.

New drawer!

  

Makeout 2013:  There aren't any eyeliners that I have been wanting other than more Urban Decay.  But since I have enough to last me for another 5 years.  No more eyeliners this year... period...  If I run out of black, I can get a black to replace it, etc.  But I don't typically reach for black eyeliner, I can use a black shadow as a liner.

Lipstick:


I have a modest amount of lippies.  I tend to favor the sheer varieties, i.e. lipbutters and lipgloss.  Just a quick glance into this drawer I've already tossed 2.  L'OREAL Infalliable Never Fail in 730 Grenadine.  I've had it close to 2 years and never been worn.  Also the NYX Lip Smacking in Earth Angel was worn a couple of times probably 4 years ago.  Time to let them go!  Also the L'OREAL Endless in Timeless Tawny is way too brown on me and that taste.  YUCK!  The other 2 L'OREAL's I have Cheryl Cole limited edition 297 Red Passion and 800 Fairest Nude both have that iconic smell and taste but to a lesser degree.

I don't need another nude lipstick.  I have 3; Maybelline Colorsensational Nude Nuances 865 and Revlon Fashion's Night Pout and Ungaro by AVON Lip color in Champagne.  Great formula by the way.  Very creamy.  Limited Edition from a few years ago.  I also have 2 Revlon Super Lustrous in 651 Porcelain Pink and 205 Champagne on Ice.

I'm looking at the Mary Kay's right now. I have 3.  Each bought for special occasions, specifically Marine Corps Birthday Balls.  Sweet Nectar, Whipped Berries and Inspiration.  Lipsticks can last up to 4 years.  I've had these 4-5 years.  They still smell the same.  I will keep these but if I don't wear them in 2013.  It will be time to toss them.

New drawer!

 
Makeout 2013:  I love my Revlon Lip butters but I don't need any more but I reserve the right to hit up a 40% off sale this year.  Same goes for the L'OREAL Colour Caresse Wet Shines...  Thankfully I don't need to shell out another $30 for a YSL.  :)

Lipgloss:


I have too many for my liking.  I remember driving all over the place looking for the Milani Haute Flash and they look ridiculous on me straight out of the tube. But I can't part with them.  I can mix them with other lip products to make them work.

I have one Revlon Colorburst in Strawberry Fraise.  I wear it during the summer.  I remember grabbing this from a CVS in NY right before we moved.  It was bundled with a Grow Luscious Mascara.  I have one MAC Lipglass from the Hey, Sailor Collection.  I love the Cover Girl natureluxe gloss balms.  Not as much as the Revlon Lipbutters though.  These are old, pushing 4 years.  I still reach for them.

I've never worn the Lorac.  I've tested them out but most of the time it's too hot in NC to have stickiness on your lips.  lol  They are starting to lose their watermelon scent.  Great Hautelook sale but such as waste.  :( 

I've narrowed it down to the few that I am keeping.  They fit in 1 drawer now!  Pitching what doesn't fit.


Makeout 2013: No more!  I forgot to mention the Revlon Kissable Balm Stains.  I have 2 and 1 Tarte Lip Surgence.  I don't need anymore of course but I reserve the right to hit up a 40% off sale at the drugstore.  But since I have a variety of colors, I probably won't.

L'OREAL infalliable eyeshadows:



Yes I have these in a separate category.  I have 19 of them.  Most from the permanent collection and from the all the limited edition collections that I can pull off.  I love these shadows.  They are effortless for me.  I can slap them on and run out the door.

Makeout 2013:  I can purchase more but they have to be unique and wearable colors for me.

Maybelline Eye Tattoos:


Yup, I've separated these out as well.  Another drugstore standout for me.  I have 16 of them. And a L'OREAL HiP cream liner...  some of these are better than others in terms of pigmentation and blendability.  I use Inked in Pink, Pomegranate Punk, Bad to the Bronze, Barely Branded and Barely Beige all the time.

Makeout 2013:  Unless the color is to die for, I cannot purchase another one.

All other eyeshadows:

I have too many.  So many palettes in fact that I started selling unopened and untouched palettes on eBay.  I couldn't justify holding on to them anymore.  These are my go to palettes and eyeshadow mostly because I keep them easily accessible. 



All 3 Urban Decay Naked Palettes, WetNWild Comfort Zone, Vanity and Brulee and Stila Cloud.

One day I will do a collection post.  I've done bits and pieces of over the years.  At the moment, it is too intense for me to handle.  lol  I've given a lot to my niece and she is about to get a lot more.

Makeout 2013:  I can buy the Lorac Pro Palette.  INLGOT if and only if I gift out most of my Wet n' Wild and various other drugstore eyeshadow palettes.

Powders:


I've hit pan on the Rimmel Stay Matte in Transparent, PF Healthy Wear in Translucent Light and PF Bamboo Wear in Creamy Natural.  The PF Bamboo Wear has a bit of a shimmer to it.  Some days I like it, others I don't.  It's also about 4-5 years old. I need to let it go.

The Benefit Sexy Mama is a bit dark on me right now but I can work with it.  I love the Airspun Loose Face Powder but I want to finish it up so I can try something else.  The Maybelline Instant Age Rewind is usually in my bag for touch ups.  I have been using the Colorscience over the winter as it is quite light.  

I don't reach for the Milani or the Lorac.  Milani is too dark right now and very full coverage.  Lorac is a nice undereye concealer powder that I really should be using more of!

I just got the Tarte sample with an order.  The color is a touch darker than Sexy Mama so it might be an early summer match.

Makeout 2013:  Every single powder that I own needs to be used until significant pan is showing and then I can purchase new.  I really want to try Bare Minerals again or Laura Mercier Loose setting powder.

Mascara:

I can skip this category as I have 5 samples to work through and I have no full size mascara currently.  I'm not sure what I want to try next.  Maybelline Falsies worked nicely.  I do need a waterproof.  

Makeout 2013:  I can buy one mascara at a time.  Urban Decay Cannonball has been calling out to me!

Blush:


Blush is a little insane right now.  I'm not sure what I like and what I don't.  They are all pretty old.  The PF ones I reach for the most but I really don't need much on my cheeks as they are naturally quite pink.  The cream Maybelline ones seem a bit frosty on me right now.  Not a good look.

I wear the MAC Hey Sailor Highlight powder as a blush one almost every day.  

Not pictured... the 2 NARS Nordstrom LE cheek palettes that I haven't touched.  What I need to do is donate these blushers and open up the NARS palettes.  I almost sold them on eBay but I just couldn't part with them.

Makeout 2013:  I keep wanting to get some new Milani baked blushes as well.  Basically I need to find some good blush.  Any suggestions?

Bronzer:


Most of these bronzers are too dark, too brown, too orange, too shimmery.  Most of the time I can get NYC sunny to work but not in the contour.  I look too done up.  Not a very natural look for me.  Maybe I'm uncontourable.  Is that possible?  :)

I've been trying to find NYX Taupe in stock...anywhere...  Ulta, Ulta.com, Cherryculture.com, Drugstore.com  No luck!

Makeout 2013:  NYX Taupe or an equivalent.  Or Benefit Hoola.  Haven't tried that one yet!

Highlighters:

I don't need any more.  I'm good.





Makeout 2013:  Don't even think about it.  My oil provides enough highlight.  Thank you very much genetics.

So basically, I can't buy until I use up.  For serious.  Except for those categories where I am giving myself some wiggle room.  Sounds awkward but I need to have realistic and achievable goals right?

I'm going to lump foundations in with skincare in it's own separate post next.  Most are BB creams so it's justified.  ;)


Are you participating in a Makeout 2013 or reducing your purchases on cosmetics this year? 

3 comments:

  1. You should! I'm using up a ton and tossing/giving away stuff that I know I will never use. It keeps you in check. I have bought a few new things but nothing like I have in the past. So proud of myself! lol

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  2. I'm doing Make Out 2013 also. Sometimes it is so hard to resist! I am also trying to use up a lot of my beauty products. I'm so impressed with the progress you made.

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