For color cosmetics, not at all. For hair care and skincare, yes, I like to finish products so long as I like them – it doesn’t have to be LOVE, but if I don’t like the product or it’s not working, then I won’t force myself to finish.
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This question is such a double edged sword for me. I do like to finish products (if they’re good) but when they are good, I live with the concern that they’ll be discontinued and I won’t be able to replace…. things like Becca’s Backlight Priming Filter, Marc Jacbobs skinny pencil liner, a Perfect Day hair product I loved, several Clarins products, The Body Shop’s Brittany Coast Body Wash….I could go on and on. These are things I really, REALLY like and which I can no longer replace so I despair of finishing them but, of course, “hoarding” them means I run the risk of them going “off” before I actually do finish them.
Good point! Some brands tend to DC more than others, too. I’m looking you, NARS.
I try not to waste anything, so for makeup, I want to use up liquids, creams, and lipsticks and have at least significant use of powder cosmetics before I toss. I feel like powder never really goes off per se.
For skin care, I’ll only toss if it causes a bad reaction. If I don’t love it, I usually use it up on my feet. I have very pampered feet!
It’s more like I have a mini celebration when I actually do finish a makeup product. That said, as Mariella mentioned, I too have a couple of products which have been d/c’d and dread finishing them with no comparable replacement in sight. I am far stricter about hair and skincare products. If I am not super keen, and the product is in a pump bottle or similarly hygienically packaged, (not skincare, but more hair and body products) I will put it in a guest bathroom for guests to use should they wish/need or have forgotten their own. 🤫
Things that I literally ALWAYS either use up or use until they’re unusable: skincare, haircare, body lotion/cream/SPF, mascara, eye liners, lip liners, ALL types of primers, brow products, lip balm, browbone and transition shadows in my HG basics, setting and finishing powders, setting spray.
Things that I deem as less important to use up: Lipstick, plus almost every other color cosmetic I own!
Base complexion consisting of foundation and concealer? Very important to me.
Color like lips and cheeks? Fairly important, but it’s a sliding scale according to what I paid for it. I want to get as much use out of something I paid more money for as possible. Though I prefer not to waste at all, if avoidable, I can feel better about not using as much of a cheap lipstick before it turns as an expensive one.
Care products like skin care, haircare, nails, etc…I will finish those. There is no throwing out of usable skin care.
Pretty much the same for me. Things that can spoil or lose potency faster such as skincare, mascara, foundation, and fragrances I like to finish in a timely manner. Ditto hygiene items and haircare. Color makeup is less important. No way I’ll use up everything I own!
The perfectionist in me says it’s very important. To the point that the item will be the only one of that class until it’s used up.
For me it’s very important to use and finish products, but it’s also quite easy since I only use / own one type of product at a time.
I also repurchase old favorites, so nowadays rarely I have a bad one I don’t like using. But if I get a face skincare product I don’t like, it becomes body care; or I try to find another use. Or if it’s close to expiration date, I’ll finish it faster by using it on the body.
But while I know I finish complexion and brow products every 6 months, body care every 1-2 months, and so on, I am not that strict with finishing up color products (blushes, eyeshadows, eye pencils). If they get close to 3 years from manufacturing date, I toss them. I know some say powder products last longer, but since I use all my products regularly, the quality does drop significantly around that time.
If it can be done, I prefer to finish things. I know I will never finish an eye shadow palette or even most singles so I don’t think about that. Also not realistic for me are cheek products. But everything else should be done before I buy a new one. No backups unless the old stuff is close to the end. After several declutters, I am enjoying the empty space in my makeup drawers.
Over the years I have been wearing makeup and using different skincare products, you do have your favourites that work best on you. When Physicians Formula Argon Oil was no longer available in Aus, I was devastated – but soon found a replacement – The Ordinary’s Moroccan Argon Oil. Which means that there is always something new that comes into the beauty/skincare marketplace for you to replace a beloved product with.
I think it’s important to finish a skincare product to get the full benefits from it (unless you are allergic to the ingredients) and similarly for haircare products too. Because once these products are open, they have a short shelf life or window for you to use up before they go ‘off’.
As for makeup – I tend to have only one or two foundations ‘open’ at a time so that I use them all up, ditto for blushes, setting powder and mascaras.
I am aware that I will probably never, ever get through all of my eyeshadow palettes, quads and quints in my lifetime. That is why I have been using my Naked 1 palette a lot recently. I know that its end date is coming up in the next year or so. And I will probably focus my attention on a few other eyeshadow palettes that are approaching their end dates soonish in the coming year.
As for lipsticks – I have started to reduce the quantity of lipsticks I own to those that I really love and wear often and as my preferences have changed (not wearing darker shades anymore), it has become easier to toss them.
However, you do feel an emotional connection to a much loved beauty product (like Dior’s Bonne Etoile) and it’s a very sad moment when you finish it and can no longer replace it.
Bonne Etoile, indeed, and also Naked 1 (which I know you’ve been using lately), Naked 2 and Smokey and – dare I mention it (I know you don’t have it but so many here do and it’s iconic) – Chanel Empreinte du Desert. I suppose it’s “fortunate” that I’m not actually likely to finish any of these in the next 5 or 10 years and they’ll probably all be going with me to the old age home!
Very. Need to know if it’s user error, or just doesn’t fit with my routine or skin type. Samples are somewhat helpful, I usually know within a few days if I will like it enough to purchase a trial product or possibly on sale. 🙂
This is very important to me, I feel like I’m getting my money’s worth if I finish a product. I only throw something in the trash if it gives me an allergic reaction. If I buy something and I don’t like it, I try to reuse it in a different way. Your site has saved me from trying some duds and when I had my Ipsy subscription I was able to try some new products for a minimal amount of money. I ended up canceling my subscription because I was starting to fell overwhelmed by my cosmetics collection.
Ditto to all🙌🏽