I try to finish skincare products as long as they’re working for me, and I’m not bothered by their scent, but for makeup, I don’t buy with the expectation of finishing–in a way, I know I won’t, so I’m less bothered by smaller amounts than some consumers might be.
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I am. I hate being wasteful or tossing anything, so I really try to use everything I have unless it causes a reaction (sadly, I learned Bite products with jojoba are in that category). I won’t return products I bought, but the color didn’t quite work for me since I know they’ll usually get destroyed, so I try to use them in some fashion. I’m old enough (mid-40s) that I have 5-10 years before I get serious about retiring and cutting back on makeup, so I’m looking at my eye shadow palettes wondering if I really “need” more – they’ll likely last me until I retire!
I bought most of my makeup after I retired. It was not until then that I could experiment and have fun. But you probably don’t need more neutrals.
I didn’t start backing off until I was literally at retirement age. Savage decluttering can be fun, whether it’s give away or toss. Probably no reader here ‘needs’ so many eyeshadow palettes. But as I used to say to the BFs, ‘It’s better than cocaine or booze, right?’ Tacky, but true.
Nope! I have only finished products like concealer, mascara, foundation, lip balm and like one or two lipsticks. But other than those first categories, I don’t care if I finish something. Panning doesn’t work for me because it takes the fun and creativity out of putting makeup on. I mainly try to just limit my purchases and give away to little sisters what I don’t end up using. A big collection doesn’t work for me because I just forget about stuff and don’t get enough use out of it..
Not really, I have more makeup than I’ll ever be able to use in my lifetime so I know items will expire before I can use them. But I do follow PanPorn on Reddit (kind of a dumb name, but a really great sub!) and it inspired me to start my own Pan Project. I set aside 21 items I’d like to use up this year, and I’ll be curious to revisit it on December 31st and see just what I can use up. 🙂
I don’t know how you can finish most color cosmetics with a lighter hand. Even when I only had a single quad, lipstick, and blush for work makeup every day for 2 years, the eyeshadow and lipstick dips were never impressive and the blush barely has a dip at all. The only old color that shows serious wear is my fun eye pencil. (And then I get an ABH eye palette late 2020 and already have dips – formula makes such a difference.) My only empties have been foundation, complexion primer, contour/highlight/color-correct cream, and lip oil, which seems reasonable to me.
It bugs me from an environmental point of view that more packaging is not recyclable and that makeup is bad to put in the trash because what are we supposed to do with it?? I end up having to scoop out so much product once it’s time to discard.
I’ve heard good things about Terracycle and drop offs of packaging at L’Occitaine if you’re in the US!
Not really. I think most color cosmetics would “expire” before I would finish, even with daily use. I’ve cut back but I’d never be able to do a project pan.
Some things are very easy to use all up, ie; skincare, mascara, eye liner, foundation. Others are not, like; eyeshadow palettes, blushes, lipsticks.
It does bother me that I have a ton of stuff that I may not be able to use up or at least use half of before it “turns” or otherwise becomes unusable. But the reality is that I am 61, so I may not get a chance to use up all my makeup gems and goodies!
I wouldn’t say concerned… I’m due diligent of using up products, I’m mindful about finishing products before I open / purchase new ones, but not concerned.
With skincare I’m quite strict on finishing things. In the end, even a product bad for my face I can end up using up on my body.
For make-up it depends on the product. Concealer, foundation, setting powder, face primer, brow pencil are things I finish up with no issues. With face powders (blush, bronzer, contour) and eyeshadows I just want to get a good use, maybe some pan; I throw them away 3 years from manufacturing date (based on batch code) and I don’t remember finishing up before that anything, even with my small collection. Mascara goes out 3 months after opening no matter what; well, if it gets really dry before that it’s earlier of course.
It depends on whether I could realistically finish something. I am not likely to finish an eyeshadow or a cheek color because I like a variety of shades and don’t wear the same ones all the time. But it is feasible for me to finish base products, eyeliner and mascara so I prefer to finish those before buying more.
Yes and no. I’ve mostly accepted my magpie, variety-hungry self. I’ve also cut way back on purchases after a slew of new makeup in the last few years. I’m set, if I can stick w/ using up instead of buying. I’ve never had a powder go bad on me (in any observable way,) and lipsticks have lasted a looong time without changes. I like to get good use from all my products but don’t feel color cosmetics have to be finished, unlike my felt obligation toward base products and skincare. Hate wasting but not that afraid of spoilage. so I figure I’ve got time.
I’m not really concerned about finishing makeup products because I generally do. As I only have one or two mascaras, blushes open at a time I do get through them, although the blushes take a year or so.
I regularly go through lipsticks as well – just finished Tea Thyme by CP and I am careful about opening another lipstick from my lipstick stash until I finish a similar shade.
I only use one foundation and setting powder at a time as well.
So that leaves my eyeshadows – I guess I won’t be finishing them all anytime soon, however when I hit pan on the key shades I love (and there are often shades in a palette that I don’t use because they don’t suit me) I generally toss the palette.
I always finish a skincare product before opening another similar item. I am not wasting any of that!
Yes!! It costs money and I work hard for my money!! Furthermore, I hate throwing out perfectly good items in the process of decluttering because it just ends up as waste.
But also on another note, I have some products that I love to death. I’m someone who prefers to walk-the-walk and if I’m not using a product that I love, it just feels hypocritical.
I recently did a declutter and I have about 20 products that I love dearly. They make me feel great and fit my preferences and I’m not gonna swing around to the next new shiny thing until some of them have gotten some lovin’.
I don’t like to waste things, but I don’t worry too much about finishing things. I use up foundation, mascara and skin care on a regular basis. The only things I’ve had “turn” on me are lipsticks — it seems to be a formula issue, the problems I have are mainly with more emollient formulas and they start to crumble and leave bits on my lips after a couple of years. I wish I could say I use them anyway, but I find it so maddening from a texture perspective that I end up trashing them. I just used up my first eyeshadow palette — a NARS Madrague eyeshadow duo from I don’t know how long ago; luckily, I recently found and purchased a backup at the outlets. It’s probably because that’s my go-to eyeshadow look when I’m working. I do a lot of research and thought before buying stuff willy-nilly; I rely on the reviews here and the dupe list as well as the foundation list, so I’m not making poor choices.
Not particularly concerned about finishing color cosmetics, assiduous about finishing skincare. Your older readers will probably agree with me. Way BITD there was far fewer brands and choices. In HS, I had one l/s (EArden Candlelight Pink, yes 1964 and I still remember.) one Revlon pink Blush-On, two e/s, no liner, and tossable mascara. Choices were limited; one did not see the vast color arrays to covet that one sees today. So you did finish (or more likely dent and drop!) then replace with the color that appealed to you then. As the choices burgeoned (and my cosmetics lust grew) the stash exploded and I was lucky to make heavy dents. On to the next thing! Some days it embarrasses me, because it did get out of control.
I’ve long since given up on the idea of finishing most of my makeup so that’s not a concern of mine. I do regularly finish skincare items though unless it stops working for me then I stop using it regardless of how much is left in the container. I might try to repurpose it like using moisturizer as hand cream if I can but otherwise it’s gone.