Those Fenty liquid eyeliners were rough, so they can go with no remorse! The NARS Endless Orgasm Multi-Use Palette was a mess for me, so that, too, can take a walk (or run) outta my stash. Kaja’s Moon Crystal Pigments were on the weaker side for me (I tried four, only one was good), so I know I’ll never reach for/bother with them because they’re too fussy.
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Probably my two Ciate palettes; they’re warm neutrals so I only wear them for work. I know that’s technically more often than I wear my other shadows but at least I reach for my other neutral/browns and cool/neutrals on non-work days. If I didn’t have to go to work, I’d probably never reach for them.
It would have to be the Chanel Soleil Tan Bronzing Base which I misguidedly bought and Tom Ford bronzer in Terra which were supposedly good for neutral skin. I can’t wear bronzers. Period.. Another candidate is the ever so popular Viseart Neutral Matte palette. I never wear it. The flesh tones are off on me, I don’t wear browns (except on my brows) and how often do I reach for any palette to wear the gray color? For many years, Nude Dip was the priciest unused palette in my stash, but more recently, I’ve worn it. You never know.
Yeah – I held off on buying that Viseart palette even though I really wanted some of the lighter shades. The black/gray row I was just never going to use. Thank goodness they just released singles so I was able to (mostly) get the shades from them I needed!
I bought a quad from the Wet n Wild Rebel Rose collection. Bed of Roses. It’s pretty. But it has glitter that gets in the eye so bad even with the use of glitter glue
Bath and Bodyworks Wild Rose & Apple Body Lotion. I cannot stand its smell!
I’m debating whether to keep my Juvia’s Place Saharan palette. Not a fan of JP
You’re the first person I’ve ever heard say anything but a rave about JP. While I do think the value is there, and I like the shimmers, the mattes just don’t last!
Any eyeshadow with glitter in it
Any lipstick that’s heavily muted
Any heavy bronzer.
I’ve got a lot to trash.
Most of my lip liners, my pink and copper lipsticks. Lip liners I don’t really use. The only pink that looks good on me is Pillow Talk, and it pulls brown on me. Copper doesn’t seem to go with my skin tone at all. I keep trying to make them work and they always look weird!
This question did make me KonMari those shades, thank you for bringing this topic up. It’s hard to let stuff you paid for go, but they have already served their purpose of letting me know what looks terrible on me.
1. Two for the price of one: two NYX Holo Graphic Halo shimmer sticks — they turned out to be oddly sparkly. I’ve been sitting on them because I think I can turn them into eyeshadow bases, but I haven’t experimented with that yet.
2. An illuminating powder from an indie company that’s the wrong shade for my skin (peach-toned rather than gold-toned). I haven’t gotten rid of it yet because it truly has a lovely finish that I feel like I could use in some way (like a subtle wash over my eye or around my eye area on a “nude look” day where I haven’t had as much sleep as I should).
3. Any of about 200+ lip products. Actually, I take that back: specifically, my matte liquid lip stains, which are probably the oldest lip products I own. I used to use them religiously, but they’re not kind to my lips (they have an alcohol base to help them dry very quickly). I like the look they give me, but … I dunno. It would make a lot of sense to at least narrow them down to the 1 or 2 colors I like best and am actually likely to use.
Okay, by the time I posted that, I saw my hand had gone a bit blotchy where I tested the NYX shimmer sticks, which leads me to believe I’m sensitive to whatever the base is made of — they’re now in the trash.
All of my Giorgio Armani Eye Tints and MAC Paint Pots and all of my MAC Look In A Box(es) – I just don’t reach for them like I thought I would. Virtually all of them are unused. I use a MAC eye primer or the Tom Ford cream shadows for my eye shadow base. I thought I would like/use the Look in a Boxes more than I do because of the one-and-done factor but I don’t.
Every griege or greyed out lilac/mauve lipstick I’ve purchased thinking “This is the one!” They’re never the one. I amp gray and look dead.
Colourpop’s Jelly Much shadows. I love love love love the concept. The few I’ve bought look outstanding. But I hate the packaging, they aren’t suited to travel because if they tip it all sticks to the insert/lid, if you don’t put the insert/lid back on exactly straight it gunks up the edges, and since I haven’t been reaching for them as much I found a couple that weren’t getting as much love and they are starting to dry out. They just aren’t practical even though I want to love them so so much.
Stila Shade Mystere highlighter. This is just ugly chunky glitter on me.
I was the same way with the greige/gray-lilac lipsticks. I bought three before I finally gave up.
I’m pretty good about culling items as I go, so there’s not a lot I’d be fine trashing right now. But three items I realistically wouldn’t miss:
1. Nars – Goulue — just doesn’t blend out well on me.
2. Fresh Sugar SPF Tinted Lipbalm – Coral — I love tinted lip balms, and I love coral. But why is this shade so thick and goopy??
3. One of my Etude House Dear Darling lip tints. They tend to look LOVELY… for a while… and then wear off atrociously, making my lips look diseased.
Colourpop Lux Lipstick in Cheetah (looks terrible on me, but I’ve kept it as a mixing shade…but I never bother mixing), KVD Shade and Light Contour Palette (I used it a lot years ago, then I stopped contouring altogether, and now I don’t use her products anymore), Too Faced White Chocolate Chip Palette (awful, just awful).
1. About 100+ lipsticks that I never touch but haven’t been able to get myself to throw them out. I keep talking about doing another lipstick de-stash but haven’t done it yet.
2. I can’t remember the name of this palette and Too Faced has released at least two but it would be the blush palette that has like a circus themed cover. Anyway, the bronzer is too red, the blush shades are all nice but I own all of them in single form and so I just don’t reach for the palette at all. I know it is lurking in the back of my blush drawer so I need to dig it out and get rid of it. Bonus, since it is bigger I will have more room!
3. Dior Dior Skin Forever Perfect Cushion Foundation: I love cushion foundations and have several that I use frequently. I purchased this one after watching a YT video where the creator raved on and on about this cushion. In general, I like Dior products so was sure this was going to be a beauty. It literally does nothing. When I apply it to my face you can compare the two sides and the one with the Dior looks the same as the other side without the foundation. I read the insert and it is suppose to be a light coverage that contains skin care properties that are suppose to protect your skin from pollution, etc. The cushion was $82 and it literally has no pigmentation that I can see. I would like my $82 dollars back, Dior. I have left it in my drawer thinking that I would see if I could use it under foundation but keep forgetting to do that.
1.) It CC Cream. I don’t even use it anymore due to how it broke me out when still did. Yet, it sits there…only because it was so pricey for what it is (high falutin tinted moisturizer) that I would feel guilty if I were to toss it!
2.) Half of my ColourPop SSS’s, because there are some that must be 3 or 4 years old. Also, I barely ever think to reach for them at all lately.
3.) A virtual slew of old, undoubtedly expired makeup and nail polishes! Lipstick shades that don’t work on me at all! Glittery highlighters! My entire “makeup graveyard” drawer save for a just a few items!
I just cleaned out my nail polish caddy and took my unwanted/unloved nail polishes to my mom’s nursing home. They routinely paint all of the ladies nails and were happy for the donation.
I have purged a lot over the last few years. I do have some recent palettes which I never reach for:
Both the Huda Amethyst and Huda Emerald palettes (What the heck was I thinking) and ABH Riviera has been pretty much a wash up for me if it were not for the shimmers.
I’m already over ColourPop blue moon palette.. I was eyeballing that one this morning. With clothing, I always picture myself wearing it. If I struggle seeing myself wearing it, I don’t buy. I need to routinely adopt the same strategy with makeup.
1) The Huda Obsessions mini palette in Mauves. Because I can’t make those colors work. The only exception was when I was in costume as Bunnicula, a vampire bunny ?♀️ ? from children’s stories.
2) That sample Tom Ford eyeliner I just can’t get to work.
3) the deluxe Liquid liner from Stila. I think it’s past its prime.
Same for me on the Huda palette. It looks so pretty but I can’t make it work
Oh my….tough-ish question but I think it would be Clarins Natural Glow e/s palette that was LE and that I never use because it’s pretty crummy; MAC Family Silver Mineralize eyeshadow duo and Nars Radiant Creamy (NOT!) Concealer.
ABH matte lipsticks – I hate the formula, they are too dry, too stiff and the colours are OK but nothing that can’t be duped elsewhere.
ABH Prism and Mario Master palettes – I just don’t use them. There’s nothing really wrong with them, they’re just not for me.
Sydney Grace Always & Forever blush and Melody highlighter. I love her other shades but these two are a strange sort of lilacky pinky purple kind of nothing on me. They look all right in the pan but on me, they just look bleh.
I’m surprised you didn’t say the Ciate Jessica Rabbit Eyeshadow Palette.
1. Most of my gazillion nail polishes. I’ve been getting my nails done for years, and there’s no point to having most of them any more. Plus, a lot of them are old. I really need to do a purge.
2. ColourPop Ultra Matte in Trap. It shrivels my lips up unless I wear something with it, and then it loses its lasting power. I love the color, but I wonder what the point of keeping it is. I have a couple dupes for the color now.
3. A three-pack of brown Jordana lipsticks. The colors are great and I always get compliments when I wear them, but they’ve always had a bit of a weird makeup chemical scent/taste to them that makes me avoid them. They were cheap, and I should just throw them out.
Hmmm – I think I have a couple of eye quints/quads that can go:
Guerlain’s les verts: the pigmentation is on the too soft side
Estee Lauder’s Emerald Oasis – same as above
Bite Beauty’s Maple lipstick that turned pink on me…
A deluxe size version of the Pat McGrath mascara. It is just so-so as a mascara and it clumps, flakes and smudges. I don’t know why I have kept it this long.
The Laura Geller blush in Pink Grapefruit. I used it last year and really liked it but the last two times I’ve applied it all I really see the shimmery finish. I don’t know if it is because I had more color in my face last year, my preferences changed or I’ve just come across an especially sparkly vein. I might try to wipe down a layer but if that doesn’t work it is gone.
The last of a PUR Hydrating Facial Mist. I got an extra large bottle that has lasted for a good while. I have others that I like more so I’ve been reaching for the PUR less and less. Probably just time to let it go.
Good question, I should answer this one regularly. It is certainly less daunting than a formal declutter!
I had the same issue with a Laura Geller blush & brighten, I think. Loved it for the longest, then WAY too glowy. I might try to wear mine down in case it’s a too-shimmery vein, like you mentioned, before I toss it. Good tip!
Anything made in China.
I just did some clean out, so have a clear idea of what else needs to go:
1. Great LE and basic MAC Pigments, barely used! (So lovely but so messy and so sparkly. I can mix into lotion for sheen on legs and shoulders, but one can only do so much of that.)
2. Most of my MAC Paints and Paint Pots — I narrowed down to only using a couple of these, as shadow bases.
3. Eye liners that have anything more glittery than “sheen” or a holo look. The microglitter disagrees with my dry eyes’ world view, and again, one can also only wear so much eyeliner in a lifetime…
Now, what to do with this stuff? I used to swap on MUA but now just have to give away or throw out. The loose pigment I can actually use in mixed media art, at least. 😀
All but one of my Bobbi Brown cream shadows are just boring. Go away! The stila liquid eyeliners never worked, bya. And finally shape tape foundation, it’s a mess.
Because of frequent editing over the years and moderation in purchasing, I cannot come up with three products to get rid of. I just got rid of an oldie – Too Faced La Creme lipstick in Cinnamon Kiss. It used to be a favorite but it has pulled more and more brown on me over time. Nowadays, even the slightest degree of brown or beige in a lipstick dominates on my lips – – not a good look for a fair, pinkish, and mature complexion. I also got rid of a Wet n Wild lipstick that didn’t smell that great and was too glittery. I have to stop buying $1 lipsticks – they never quite work on me.
Easily Stila Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow. I have four and rarely reach for one of them. Too messy, too glittery.
Tarte Love, Trust & Fairydust. Was so excited by this and never pick it up–even though I recently moved it to the front of my stash to try and engage with it.
Lippies. About 50 (lipstick, lip paint, stains) I never reach for.
I would have to say numerous lip products and some eyeshadow palettes and quads and quints. I really need to start somewhere so maybe three at a time might be a good way to do so
The first thing that comes to mind is a NARS single eyeshadow in Lunar. I bought it after watching Tati rave about it. It’s horrid. And to add insult to injury, I paid full price for it. It annoys me every time I see it in my collection, but it was so expensive! Gah.
Now I have some questions for you – I’d love to see a behind the scenes post on your day. What’s your workroom look like? How often do you purge products? Do you keep a massive amount to have for reference? I’m sort of picturing rows and rows of ikea drawers full of every possible thing….. But it must be overwhelming to have so many products coming in your house to deal with. LOL, I’m very curious about it.
All of my pencil eyeliners – I just don’t use them at all anymore.
All of my lip liners – ditto.
Contour pencil I’ve got – ditto.
I just did this. My two Juvia’s Place palettes, both of which I could never figure out how to apply well enough to leave my bathroom, and a Makeup Revolution blush palette. Unfortunately, I did this to make room for the new Morphe purpley palette, a Kevyn Aucoin palette and a cool-toned 8-pan Morphe blush palette that apparently is cool only insofar as the “warm” iteration is warmer.
All my lipsticks, all of them!! My mouth is very small and any color emphasizes how oddly small my mouth is, LOL, and makes my lips look less full, like the exact opposite of what you want lip color to do!!
KVD Metal Matte palette – way too cool-toned for me. Ooops!
Too Faced Return of Sexy palette – this is so old already, but the packaging is so thick and plastic that I don’t have the heart to throw it into the trash. Can I recycle palettes?
I’ve just donated two massive makeup boxes this past weekend to Anime North Cosplay Repair Lounge. A LOT of shades that just didn’t work for me or dupes of shades went in.
But last minute additions were the Too Faced Chocolate Gold Eye Shadow Palette (love this palette but Pat Mcgrath eyeshadows won over this palette), Anastasia Aurora palette, and a butt load of false lashes style I haven’t wanted to touch in years! The lash drawer now has room for all my press on nails styles. lol
I have been thinking about this question and this morning I decided to stop forcing it with Giorgio Armani Maestro foundation. I love the foundation but hate the delivery system (dropper) – no matter how many times I clean the neck and the dropper, it gets gunked up the very next dip into the bottle. I dislike the messiness of it and am just tired with forgiving it. I think it was due to turn anyway. If that foundation ever comes in a different style bottle/delivery system (i.e. pump), I’d repurchase.
Just did this recently and got rid of some old mascaras that were definitely past their prime and a few eyeliners that were clearly old and one which had lost the cap and so dried out completely before I noticed it. I have soooo many palettes. I neglected my makeup collection for a while during a few difficult years as I just didn’t have the energy and enthusiasm to enjoy it all but have been in a better place lately so have been padding my collection quite a bit this year. I could probably cull one or two that I don’t use that often but I love what I have all for different reasons! Add being a single mom and having things lost in numerous moves, had things stolen or ruined and I hold onto what I have with an iron fist because one-I spent hard earned money on that! I need to make it work, and two-I just hate the waste. Now I can pass things along to my younger sister who has started experimenting with makeup and her friends so it’s less of a waste but I still get that guilty feeling when I think about tossing something.
On another note, I went to Big Lots and was browsing to see what they had and I found a Maybelline Dream Velvet mousse that obviously ended up there because the label was damaged but seemed to be in my shade and was not expired. For 2 bucks I thought why not and am wearing it today. Got a look in the mirror at work just now annnnd…not looking so good. It’s settled a bit into some pores and moved away from the creases around my nose completely, but in it’s defense I did my makeup in a hurry this morning and maybe wasn’t as careful with my application as I could’ve been. I am going to try it with a different primer also and better application techniques and see if that changes it. Otherwise I’ll move it along.
I actually normally do discard products that I dislike, but here goes.
1. Tarte Toasted palette. Idky I hand onto it, when it performs so horribly.
2. Neutrogena Hydroboost mascara. It was horribe, no pigment whatsover.
3. Fenty foundation. It’s like cracked cement on my face, it’s so think and drying.
1. Urban Decay Smoked palette (Fun concept, but the shades turn grey/black on the eyes and don’t maintain their color at all… way better stuff out there by now!)
2. LA Splash Lip Couture liquid lipsticks. (I used to love these because they’re the longest lasting lip products I’ve ever tried, but they feel like concrete on the lips! I just don’t have that kind of patience for dryness anymore.)
3. Too Faced Candlelight Glow highlighter in Rose. (I wanted this thing for ages, but the product is pressed so hard I struggle to get any pigmentation from it. Have used it maybe once).
You got me thinking. I have a Cover Girl shadow quad in the BEST blue shades, but it’s from high school. I also have a Mac Crystal shadow from my 20’s that I love(d). And I’m 48. I can’t remember the last time I’ve used them, so I must be hanging onto them for the nostalgia. Think it’s time to let those go??? I’m now inspired to declutter those, send probably more!
I want to toss out my older liquid foundations. I just don’t like liquid foundation! Tossing Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation and YSL Touche Eclat foundation, for now. Soon will toss Mac Face & Body (back-2-mac!)
My new thing is to use concealer instead of foundation and just blend it out very well. Stick foundation is also great for people like me!