How important is frequency of use in your purchasing decision?
It matters to me more for skincare/haircare, since testing is a longer-term commitment (weeks!), so it has to make sense for my skin type, hair needs, and so on. For color cosmetics, it’s not a consideration in most instances since I live to review products, so there’s not much I actually use often, LOL.
In terms of skin and hair care, it’s very important. I am committed to certain products and I rarely experiment with new products,
As far as makeup is concerned, frequency of use is something I really need to think about more often. I tend to buy makeup without giving this any consideration. At this point, I have way more makeup than I’ll ever use.
Because they’re staples, haircare, skincare and complexion are ones where frequency matters most to me. So does my mascara, brow products, black tightline pencil and gel liner. Almost everything else gets used according to both my clothing and mood, generally speaking.
Agreed
It depends on the product. Obviously, I intend to use some products on the daily. I’m willing to pay more for good stuff, but I also can’t let products I’m using up quickly get too expensive.
As for color cosmetics, I don’t think about it a whole lot. I work from home, so I can wear whatever I want. On the other hand, I have a huge stash through which I rotate, so I know some items aren’t going to get used all the time.
The frequency of use does play an important factor, but with various reasons depending on the product.
Some items I rarely use in my routine or I use regularly but toss after 3-6 months, I prefer to always get in mini sized. I don’t use eye liners that often, so for me it doesn’t make sense to get full sizes. The same for mascara, I have sensitive eyes and I use one mascara at a time; so because I toss my mascaras every 2-3 month, it makes more sense to get minis (I actually usually get them from free from other others, I can even remember the last time I actually purchased a mascara).
Also, for make-up items I rarely use I’m usually more inclined to get a cheaper dupe, while for the ones that are in daily or regular use I’ll spend more money without a doubt. For example, the primer and foundation I use everyday need to be top notch quality.
When it comes to skincare the frequency of use doesn’t matter; if it’s the toner I use twice a day or the treatment I use once a week, everything needs to be high standards. But if I rarely use a product, I prefer again minis or smaller sizes. I’ll buy my cleanser and toner in the hugest bottles I can find. But with vitamin C or retinol or benzoyl peroxide I prefer to purchase them in small or mini sizes, so they’re more `fresh` and `active`.
I agree about the skincare. My skin is pretty sensitive so I’m willing to invest in something as long as it helps keep my skin calm and does what it claims it will do. But those are usually daily or weekly use items so as long as I actually use them I feel I’m getting my money’s worth. Color cosmetics on the other hand are a bit different. I’ve been a magpie for a while so I have a pretty big collection of palettes, highlighters, lipsticks, etc. Now I think I’m finally hitting my saturation point as I find I’m getting more selective in what I buy because it takes more to get me excited about a product when I already have three or four (or more) similar items in my drawers already. More practical considerations like how often I’ll use something come into play.
It’s relatively important to me. I don’t mind buying eye shadows that I won’t use too often since they have a longer shelf-life, but for most other stuff, I like to buy things that I could see myself reaching for regularly. So for instance, while colored mascaras can be fun, I don’t wear them often, so I stopped buying them because they would go bad before I could use them more than a couple times.
The one thing I buy that I don’t use frequently is green lipsticks. I just love them, and I’m pretty good at finding excuses to wear them every now and then, so if a shade comes along that is unique to my collection and reviewed well, I’ll buy it even if I might only wear it once a year, and that might just be at home because I’m playing with makeup and wanted to do an all-green look.
For skincare, I do use the products I purchase on a daily basis, so when a larger container is on sale, that is of most benefit to me.
For colour cosmetics, I tend to purchase those that will work with my clothing colour schemes for summer and winter, as I co-ordinate my eye and lip look with those. Knowing that I will use a palette or lipstick frequently does help so that I can get the most value for my money.
It isn’t, really. If I like it, I’ll find a way and time to use it.
I think if it’s a good performer, cost shouldn’t be a huge factor. I love a lot of Etude House things, Peripera liquid lipsticks because they perform very well and are inexpensive.
I also do have a lot of Viseart and ND because they are good workers. OTOH I am loving Neutrogena Hydroboost tint and my Koyudo brush for foundation. I am all over the map.
I will say I’ve discarded a LOT of cheap drugstore eyeshadow and a lot of cheap lipsticks/concealers/primers because they were “cheap” but not good, so even buying them was a fals economy.
Right now I am loving my collection of TJ Maxx Becca blushes. At $7.99 I can play around with nicer stuff.
I have to really make sure if I purchase something, it must be unique, and it has to be something I am going to use all the time. I have so much makeup that I have been purging things and giving them away. I have so many beautiful things now, and it really has to be something I don’t already have, and I will use. My collection is large enough now that if I see something new, I can usually shop my stash and can pretty much find something similar or a dupe. I am trying to be less wasteful, and I have started an absolute no buy going into the New Year. Even all the wonderful sales aren’t tempting me because I have so many backups as well as what I use all the time. I also swap out my makeup for each season, and the only thing I had to repurchase has been mascara. I have been using things that I had forgotten that I love, so I am falling in love again, and when the season changes to spring, I have plenty of things to fall in love with again.
It’s a pretty big deal. I don’t use many products up, but I kick myself if I buy something and only end up reaching for it a few times before moving on to the next thing. A recent example is the Lunar Beauty Moon Spell palette – beautiful formula, but the shades aren’t ones I gravitate towards often so now it sits on my desk. It’s not in regular rotation.