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Did you make any beauty-related resolutions for 2016? How did they go?
I half-heartedly make one that’s beauty-related, mostly to answer the follow-up to this question, which will be “Do you have any beauty-related resolutions for 2017?” I had to look it up, and it was to write at least as many reviews as I did in 2015. I don’t have a final tally in yet, but at last look, it was just over 3,900 for 2016–and it was 3,564 in 2015, so I did!
— Christine
Hmm, I know I never make New Year’s resolutions, but I think I said something to the effect that I was going to really try to purchase more cruelty free products instead of buying as many things from brands that test on animals or that sell to countries where testing is mandatory? Well, I think I pretty much failed in that department…. I’m such a sucker for MAC. Yep, I’m a MAC addict in need of rehab. ?
Christine!! That’s over 300 reviews a month! ??
My answer was:
“I didn’t write any down but I am going to continue what I have done the past 2 years, which is:
Keep it organized
Rotate the stash
Buy quality, not quantity
Purge (older items in stash) as needed”
I don’t mean to toot my own horn but HONK HONK because I have done just HONK that and I have HONK a nice little system and routine in place. I love my stash, love that it’s curated. HONK I have my brands that I buy from and for me, I’ve learned that it’s not so much having what you want, it’s wanting what you have. I know that’s a line in a song, but it fits. HONK.
I’m on the same honkin’ page! Nicely said and HONKS to you! 🙂
LOL Thanks Linda! ☺
Oh my god 3900 reviews!! Great job!!!
Love your work Christine
Kisses from Italy
Somewhere earlier this year, I did a massive declutter of makeup. I told myself to use up my favorite foundation at the time before purchasing anything else, after seeing many barely used bottles and tubes getting thrown out.
I usually keep my lipsticks for 2 years and powder products even more years, but foundations I don’t really feel like keeping for more than a year. I honestly just can’t use up foundations, I only use one pump at a time and don’t wear makeup everyday. But now that I’m looking at my drawer, this one foundation a year mission definitely failed. I have 5 foundations and 2 cushions open at the moment. Sigh.
Regarding skincare, I had a resolution to never open too many new products at the same time and use up any products within 3 months. I learnt from some youtuber to put a sticker tag with the open date on the bottle/jar, just to keep track, and I’m happy to say that I have kept up with the resolution for almost all of my skin care besides face washes (because I still haven’t found the one). After a whole year, I’ve developed loyalty to some products and feel less tempted to try out new ones unless it’s been thoroughly researched, and tried out (with sample sizes). My skin condition has drastically improved and it’s been very stable, even during seasonal changes. This resolution also helped me to save a great deal of money, as I’m stocking up my favorite products whenever there is a sale, and I always try to buy the bigger sizes knowing that they really work for me.
For 2017, the only resolution I have for certain right now, is that I never want to buy another highlighter again. I really like all of the ones I have at the moment, and truthfully, the differences for highlighters shown on one’s face are minimal as long as it’s a good formula and good color match. Probably a lot of us have gotten enough highlighter for a whole life time during this year of highlighters. You need so little! So here’s hoping I’m not getting sucked into any new releases in 2017!!
Oh and liquid lipsticks. I really don’t want to buy another liquid lipstick in 2017. Like I said, I keep traditional lipsticks in my collection for 2 years or more, but I really don’t want to use an opened liquid lipstick for more than a year because there’s no way to sanitize them. I almost never reach for my liquid lipsticks when I’m about to walk out of the door, so I don’t understand why I bought that many of them. I should probably declutter some of them already.
I’m with you on the highlighters. In the last two years, I’ve bought several beauties, the last being a Dior LE in the spring. I’ve passed up everything since then — as hard as that has been sometimes. But, I’m not a collector, so it’s just a matter of will power. I have enough.
I made the resolution to practice applying false lashes. In November I discovered that my lash glue had gone off when trying to glue stars to my face for a video. Until the. i hadnt touched it and I havent purchased new one quite yet, so… I think I failed.
I made a resolution to shop my stash and find dupes on Temptalia rather than running out and buying every new shiny that I saw. I was pretty successful, but some products I just could not resist. I also was able to hit pan on some products, and finish some of them as well.
Christine that is amazing and thank you!
2016 was the year of playing makeup curator for products. It’s why I got more involved here. My goal was to really dial in the looks I like and get the best products to create them — then stick with them.
I feel I did that. I culled my brush collection, pared it down to products that do the job without struggle. I dialed in my concealer, primer, foundation regimen. Same with eyeshadows, sticking mostly with my Viseart palettes (now I’m deep into experimenting with simple and more complicated eye looks, which is SO fun).
I feel I quelled the makeup magpie that reacts and wants each new shiny object. I’ve gotten more particular, and it’s working for me.
If I did make one, it probably had to do with finishing up things before buying new products of the same type (cleansers, for example, or primers). That hasn’t been entirely successful, to be honest. And I think I might have even written something here about not getting so totally fixated on buying LE items just because they’re LE and that I’d wait for reviews here and also give myself a bit of time. I’ve done that a bit more, though I am glad I jumped and got the ABH Mario palette as soon as I saw it in-store.
I had two and both went well:
1. Find a skincare routine that improves my very dry skin.
2. Don’t just buy to buy or to try; make well-reasoned choices; and then enjoy them.
All those reviews of yours are admirable, Christine. I personally don’t know how you do it, and do it so well. We’re very lucky you are so conscientious, honest and dedicated to your blog. Here’s a New Year’s toast to you! Cheers!
I would love to know your skincare favorites that worked for you! Desert skin gal here still trying to improve.
Oh, sure Roxi. There were two questions just prior to this one that asked about our daytime and nightime skincare favorites. I answered those and listed all the products that have worked for me. Just go back a few pages and you’ll find them. Dry skin has plagued me for several years now, and I think I just this year got a handle on it. Let me know if you have any questions and I’ll sure try to answer them. Thanks for asking.
Yes I definitely did.
My goal was pan/use up products. I did pretty well overall (I wrote down items in a journal to keep track). I used up items over all categories including skincare, body, hair, samples/deluxe size (just started that in about Oct), lips, eyes, face,etc. I already have 6 items to back to MAC. I used up quite a few items I had already used quite a bit just never bothered to finish or items that I normally would have given to my sister/thrown out.
My goal is to keep doing it next year as well. I am not so good about the not buying new items but I am always good about de-cluttering my makeup a least a few times a year.
New Year resolutions per se haven’t ever really worked for me. What does is sort of going through focus areas, and so shifting me into new normal practices. Over 2016, I focused on getting more stable sleep patterns and then skin care, both with beauty benefits of course. Also, just allowing myself more fun in general — easing the unrelenting discipline — and hence my makeup exploration intensified a lot.
Not one to make resolutions, I didn’t make any that were makeup related. (Though am sure my spouse hopes I make a ‘buy less’ resolution in 2017. Ha!!)
This was my first year where I really got into makeup. Until 2015, I had one makeup bag worth of product and very minimal to non-existent skincare. This year… I became obsessed with both makeup and skincare (and became a VIB Rouge). My goal for 2017 is to buy less and use this things I already have. I would also like to hit pan on an eyeshadow, a blush, and a bronzer.
I decided to work on using everything in my stash. I’ve been going through lip products for several months – using a different one or two every day…. I still have several to use. But this has made me realize how much stuff I have, and has prevented me from buying new lip products. I didn’t even get the Bite Beauty holiday set this year, which I would have jumped on before…. Now I’m also working through my pigments and single shadows, using something different every day. I am falling in love with so many products in my stash all over again! 🙂
If there was any, it was to buy less and use up/donate/give away more. I have done a good job of giving away products I didn’t enjoy, and a decent job of not buying much throughout the year, but over the last couple months I more than made up for it by purchasing a lot.
I am going to make my progress more measurable this year… but I’m guessing that the 2017 resolution will be another question, so I’ll save my plan for then!
About buying more these last couple of months, I hear you. I realized the same thing and for me it was because of all the holiday goodness. I don’t buy much throughout the year but between Halloween and January (when they release holiday and some summer/spring collections) I feel like I’m hauling weekly.
Not really. For 2017 though it will be to only buy what is needed and not wanted.
I did pretty good!
I did fall for two LE highlighters (camélia ans modern mercury) even if I was succeeding at my no buy for 10months… But I don’t regret. I feel like it rounded my collection of highlighters.
I wanted to balance my stash of eyeshadows by getting more mattes. Check! (now I would “need” to get more shimmers ???)
I wanted to play more with colours on my eyes. Check!
No buy for blushes. Check!
No buy mascara. Check!
I didn’t use any lip product up… I should stop buying long lasting lipsticks (reapplying would help) lol.
Good for you Marie-Estelle. I wish I had the will power to do a no buy but I know I would end up buying even drugstore stuff.
I succeeded in my no buy on items I am moderately attracted to. Eyeshadows, highlighters and lipsticks are way more difficult. If I am honest I should start a complete no buy in 2017 except for foundation… Never gonna succeed in that ??
Always remove makeup before bed (broke this maybe twice in 2016)
Always use my lotions and potions a.m. and p.m.
Never leave the house without some level of makeup
Omg, the first one is totally going to be my 2017 resolution.
Not to buy so much makeup, since I have enough to make it through the zombie apocalypse. It took about 3/4 of the year, but I’m finally succeeding in an (almost) no buy.
In 2017 I’m going to try to use up all my foundation, mascara, and other staples (or use what I can before it goes bad) before buying more – which means I’m going to have to find a way to salvage the UD Naked Skin Foundation I stopped using once I had It Cosmetics CC Cream and Tarte Rainforest of the Sea. ?
(I absolutely detest UD foundation on my skin. I like that is very lightweight, but it’s too matte for my liking and emphasizes every pore, line, and dry patch on my face.)
I put a drop of PC facial oil in my UD Naked and love the finish. I’m not big on matte finishes and UD has an almost perfect match for me.
Honestly, if you hate something, it shouldn’t be in your collection. Just throw it out or give it away. Life is too short to use stuff we hate because we feel guilty over money. May your makeup make you happy every day in 2016 and beyond!!
I decided to give up eye makeup because it was aggravating my eye diseases, I’ve written about this before here, but it was exceptionally hard to give this up after wearing eye makeup for 54 years. I was inspired by Alicia Keys, but watching KelleyAnne Conway convinced me. Her makeup is all wrong for her skin type and her eye makeup makes her look hard. I wanted a more natural look. At 70, this is a challenge. I found that after switching to Olay Eyes, a better foundation color, lip pencil and gloss, and a pretty pink blush, I was finally showing the world what I was seeing inside. Nothing better than feeling the same way inside and out!
I feel for you. I have some chronic eye conditions that sometimes force me to stop wearing eye makeup for weeks/months at a time. While being meticulous about eyelid hygiene helps prevent this and speed the healing when it does happen, often I just have to go with it. So I focus on everything else…eyebrows, skin, cheekbones, and lips and leave the eyes alone. The brows really help in keeping the eyes in perspective without actually having to wear shadow, liner, mascara, and concealer around them.
Thank you for your comment! Nice to know I’m not the only one going “eye naked”. I think your advice about concentrating on all the other areas of your face is a good idea. My hairdresser today told me to wear bright lipstick. This will be fun, experimenting with color. Hope your eyes appreciate your care by getting well for longer periods of time.
Bright, light, dark…whatever makes you happy and feel like you! Myself, I like light lips when I’m not wearing eye makeup, or browns. Either way, have fun and have a Happy New Year, Beautiful!
Thank you, Bonnie! Happy New Year to you too!
I’m calling them new years intentions this year. Last year I wanted to buy less impulse drugstore stuff and I really did do that, the only things I got were from Pixi, RT and SK. It was all planned!
I like “intentions” a lot better. 🙂
I did make a pledge to buy better, and I know I did that. I had a tendency to buy without research or checking swatches and ended up giving away so much stuff. I still buy way to much, but it’s things I like/love and use.
Last year I tried to do a no buy. It was a fail and more like a low buy. In 2017 I am going to try the no buy again. Shadows are my weakness and I feel like I am on shadow overload so I think it will work much better.
OMG Christine -that is an amazing number of reviews and it shows us all how hard you work to keep this blog running. You deserve a holiday Christine – seriously, you can take a holiday break and have a complete rest.
As for my resolutions – it was to just buy what I need and I have pretty well done that for most of the year, but fell off my trolley and purchased some extra lipsticks that really I didn’t need……(but they were on sale at 60% off…..)
My 2017 resolution is to focus more on purchasing high performing skincare items.
Well I wanted to use up my products and hit some pans. I’ll keep on doing that next year. I’ve done a great job but my collection is still big
To make and stick to a skincare routine, which I think I did admirably! It’s now second nature, I can’t imagine going to bed without doing it.
You are a complete asset to all beauty addicts, and lovers of cosmetics Christine, and so helpful to me this year. My goal was to seriously reduce my spending, I used to spend an ungodly amount on cosmetics that quite frankly would sometimes just get swatched, and sit in drawers because an item was beautiful, new and desirable. It was wasteful and pretty embarrassing quite truthfully, and some of the products were pretty mediocre for the cost incurred. I added up the amount, halved it, and didn’t buy until a review came out, and tried to make sure that I really needed the item, that I didn’t already have a beige lipstick like the 60 others that were almost new. It’s helpful that I don’t live in a major market and can’t swatch all the better lines in person like Tom Ford and Chantecaille, ByTerry. Another thing that helped was my boycott of Sephora, I didn’t buy even one item in the Rouge sale. The Neimans InCircle and Gift Card event has become my new friend but I’m still loving the service over Sephora (and staying on budget)
I have never thought in a resolution about make up but this coming year I should not fall into more temptation. I have everything I like in each area. Instead I’ll focus on getting back to running. Maybe one more marathon? And some makeup here and there but this year I bought so much is getting out of hand. I like it all I’m happy with my stash mostly drugstore and a few HE.
I don’t make New Year’s resolutions, but when I moved in the summertime and purged my stash, I did resolve at that time to not give in to my impulses to buy every single pretty thing that catches my eye. And I think I did a fairly decent job at controlling myself 😉 I try to focus on quality over quantity, and to not buy so many things that are dupes for what I already have.
Christine, I also want to thank you for all of your hard work – over 3,900 reviews, mercy! Temptalia is the best beauty blog (IMO) and I so appreciate your honest and in-depth reviews, your beautiful pics and your STUNNING eye looks that inspire me so much. I’m excited to see what you will bring us in 2017 🙂
I would like to wish you and your family, as well as all of the other members of this lovely community, a very happy new year <3
Thank you, Cathy! Best wishes for your 2017!
Not makeup specifically, but I always have financial resolutions. I did do a lot better in 2016 and will continue on this path in 2017. I only mention this because money is the only issue I have with being a beauty junkie, okay maybe space, but being better with money will solve that too as we hope to buy our own house this year.
I recognize that buying new beauty products, even when I don’t need them, makes me happy, and I don’t try to change that. I just include it as part of my budget. I always tell people just starting out not to budget so tightly that their income matches their bills, because they will be unhappy if they can’t have/do/buy anything extra. For me, I work a 2nd job, although my full time one pays the bills, that 2nd one allows for extras AND savings.
I did a “brand of the week” project. I made a point to use the items I have for whatever the brand was that week & really asses what I like/don’t like. I ended up purging over 200 items as a result. I figured out what brands really seem to suit me well & which ones I can just give up on. It was a great way to rotate my stash & purge a little more thoughtfully.
I had so much fun doing this, I plan to do it again in 2017. I made my schedule already & am looking forward to seeing if my thoughts have changed on any of the middle-of-the road items I kept.
I don’t make formal resolutions. I wanted to spend less on makeup and buy less makeup in 2016, and I achieved that with no problem. I also wanted to use up more samples, and I did, though not as many as I would have liked.