19 Comments

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Gilad Avatar

Ditto! Last time I remember buying makeup for a special occasion was over a decade ago for a good friend’s big, formal wedding. I was making the toast. I wanted a lip color and texture that I thought would look perfect with my fretted-over fancy outfit. I can’t imagine anything comparable ever coming up again. I have too much stuff and I’m so much less attached (hopeful?) about looking “perfect” .

thirteenthirteen Avatar

No! I have enough stuff to last me through most occasions I could possibly think of. If I were getting married is the only possible exception I could imagine.

Heather Avatar

I might buy something as a celebration — picking an item from my wish list as a reward for getting a new job, rocking a particularly hard final exam, etc —but I don’t generally think “oh, I need a new red lipstick for the work Christmas party” or “I should get pink eyeshadow to wear to the baby shower.”

And nowadays, I see celebrations more as an opportunity to break out the makeup I own but rarely have an excuse to wear!

Seraphine Avatar

Heather, yes! I absolutely agree with you about celebrations being an opportunity to wear the makeup I bought that I don’t get to wear in my normal everyday life.

And I think this could make another great daily question: What makeup do you own that you only wear for celebrations and special occasions?

AJ Avatar

Not really… Not to wear for special occasions, at least. I might use a cash birthday or holiday gift to buy myself makeup. And I’ll buy new false lashes for important belly dance performances. That’s about it 😉

Back 5 or so years ago, when I was newer to makeup, my collection was smaller, and there were more big belly dance festivals, I would buy new makeup to create a look for a specific performance. I’d build Pinterest boards for the look I wanted to achieve (hair, makeup, and costume inspo, and maybe some general mood stuff) and then I’d often go with a friend to Sephora and we’d find products that would work for what I wanted to do. That was a lot of fun! But nowadays I pretty much already have whatever I need for a look, and I’m doing less themed festival performances, so that doesn’t really happen anymore.

Ana Maria Avatar

No, I’m trying to keep my collection minimal, so it’s kind of pointless to buy items I only wear 1-2 a year.
That being said… I wear bold lipsticks quite regular, so what’s `special occasion` for some, it’s my Wednesday at work. 😆
That’s why I like make-up products that are buildable. I can deepen an eyeshadow, add a thicker liquid liner and bam! special occasion look.
I also like medium to full coverage foundation, that are shearable. Everyday make-up with a thin layer, add a second one for full glam.

xamyx Avatar

Yes; well, sort of… While I don’t buy something I didn’t already plan to at some point, I may pick it up sooner than planned. For example, I was planning on buying the Melt Cosmetics Muerte & Vida palettes, as well as the Illuminaciòn highlighter, but since I wanted to have them on time for a concert on 12/01, I jumped through a few hoops to find them in-store. Ironically, I opted for a different eye look the day of the event… Another time, I bought MAC Electric Eel to go with a corset I bought for another concert several years ago, but at the last minute, decided I’d rather dress for comfort, and didn’t wear either… I’m planning on another concert in October, and just bought a new outfit for the event, but I don’t think I’ll be picking up any makeup items; if anything, I have a huge purge that’s long overdue, LOL!

Lauren Avatar

I got a lipstick when I was a bridesmaid recently and we did our own makeup. I’ve done similar for a couple of events, though not often. My collection is small enough that everything stands apart and it’s almost a kind of memento I give myself of the fun occasion.

Shawne Avatar

Are we talking special occasion like going to an event or my own birthday? If it’s my birthday I might use it as an excuse, tbh. At this point there’s very little I want that I don’t already have. For evenings out I usually reach for Pat or Natasha, they never let me down!

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