What's the first thing you do with a new purchase?
For makeup, I organize and determine what order I expect to photo/swatch and review. Then, I’ll move it into the photo studio in preparation for photos!
— Christine
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Try it out!
I smell it.
I have my own spreadsheet where I track the products I own, I add an entry with the expiration date. If I open it that day (which is sort of rare), I add the opening date. For makeup I also use temptalia vanity, but my personal spreadsheet allows me to sort by expiration date bot makeup and skincare.
Open it and swatch it.
Depends on what it is. If it is a lipstick, then I am applying it immediately. I will put it on in the car if I have purchased at a brick and mortar store. Things like eyeshadow’s generally wait until the next day to actually apply to my face. I do generally swatch them on my hand to get a feel for the formula and how best it might be applied. The same goes with skincare. I usually rub some on my hand when it arrives so that I can feel how it it going to feel on my face. I think that I apply things to my person, either face or hand, as soon as I get it so that I can make sure that it applies or looks the same as the tester in the store. Testers dry out and having human skin oils on them can affect how they perform so I want to know if the product I actually bought is comparable and going to perform the way that I want it to. If not, I am still in the general area and I can return it. When you live three hours away from any store you don’t want to have to wait and return or turn around and go back. It doesn’t always work out but many times it does. I also prefer to return things in person, when possible. When my PMGL Mothership palette arrived completely smashed and all over everything, I wanted Sephora to see the mess it made of the other products I had purchased and I wanted to make sure I was going to be reimbursed immediately. They don’t carry PMGL in the Sephora that is three hours away but still, it went back to the company I purchased it from and the SA’s were astounded at how badly it had fallen apart and how it had destroyed everything else. I guess it makes me feel vindicated in returning it since I don’t often return things.
Crack it open to try out and admire!!
Use it! Or at least try to. If it’s makeup, I will have a “swatchfest” if not bought in-store. Skincare backups that I purchase upon seeing that something is running low gets promptly stored in a drawer where I always keep b/ups.
Arm swatch!!! It’s therapeutic! I’d just walk around with swatches all over me if they didn’t smear everywhere LOL
I usually ooh and ahh over it and cannot wait to try it out, just like Seraphine!
For powder products I will often do a few swatches with a brush, and end up trying a new look with my purchases the next day. For lip products I usually try them on right away, haha. For foundations I’ll use them right away the next morning.
I’m proud to say that I’ve really, really cut down on my makeup spending this year; so new purchases were appreciated that much more, as they were infrequent.
Swatch it! Or if it’s a skin product, try it in the next makeup application I do.