Unless it looks awful but I plan to wear it anyway, it can go.
2. Is it similar to anything I already have?
I’ll illustrate with an example. I have three MAC lipglosses, all limited edition (MAC is extraordinarily fond of making items limited edition so the masses run out to acquire them like some bloodthirsty horde).
Their names are Bare Fetish, a milk chocolate colour, translucent with slight shimmer; Sable, as above, but with enough mauve and a hint of green pearlescence to make this significantly different to the aforementioned; and Taupe Notch, smack-bang in the middle colour-wise between the previous two. Taupe Notch, you’re fired!
3. How often am I likely to use it?
Lately, my mental health has been very good. The best it’s been in the last four years, in fact. I mention this because when I’m happy, I’m much more likely to want to make effort with my appearance and enjoy the effort needed to do so. It might not make sense, but I feel more worthy of wearing makeup. Odd, but that's how it works.
So, my little Urban Decay Hotpants lip gunk, this means you’ll be getting some serious usage this (Southern Hemisphere) spring! As will any lip product that resembles my lip colour (it helps to deter me from biting my lips). It’s also going to be fun wearing flirty teal green eyeshadows on lids. However, six such eyeshadows (admittedly of varying textures, but come on, that’s just an excuse!)??? Oh, come on now, that’s just ridiculous! Perhaps two are worth holding onto but four have to go.
I have a fairly big pile of things whose fate is undecided. At the beginning of last week, I took four brand new things from this pile and they were the beginning of a ‘for sale’ pile. Later, a few more additions — three for the ‘maybe’ pile and one for the sale pile, then another two for the maybes.
So far, I’ve decided to keep two items. It’s going to take a really long time to get through this pile of cosmetic treasures, but I will not be swayed from the path! I may even consent to having a friend or two help me be brutal in my cull. Wish me luck; I’m really going to need it.
It would also be great to hear of anyone who has been able to cull their own collections. Is it possible? If you think so, then feel free to share your story or confess that you have a similar problem! I'm sure there must be some people out there who can identify with my weakness.
Article comments
1 - Nomes
Ok, so I am not commenting because you mentioned that nobody else did, I am commenting because I am totally with you on this one. I have so much makeup that I rarely use and I wanna sell off most of it actually but I can't seem to part with it all. Everytime I try to come up with a sell list my eyes begin to water up, how did you get the strength to do this???
2 - Snarkattack
Strength??? What's that???
I think it was more about personal guilt, being so wasteful.
You see, back in the day, when this postcolonial Anglo-Asian family lived in London and pretty much broke even week to week, such extravagances were unheard of.
Then we come to the land 'down under' (love that Men At Work song! I was still in England when it was a hit), and cost of living was just so much more reasonable.
And ah, the nouveau riche, what trash we are. Any spare dough is flitted away on hedonistic pleasures or bargains (BOGOF and so forth!).
Then you end up with so much that you can hardly decide what to use. It just struck me as being a bit wasteful. It'd be different if I were a makeup artist, which I'm not. Plus, I need to stop using consumerism to fill the void within - getting nice new stuff was only really a quick thrill, you know?
Thank you dear for the comment :) you're a pal.
3 - Kitty
I have the exact same problem! I really need to get rid of the stuff I'm not using, but throwing it away or attempting to sell it and that not working out seems like a bigger waste. I wish I could give my barely used, unwise MAC purchases to Goodwill.. That'd make for a hell of a tax deduction!
4 - Snarkattack
Hey Kitty, goodwill donations would be a great idea. It's a shame that you can't really give away gently used makeup products to women's shelters and the like, even if one were to sanitise them to death.