Do you own any products you don't actually use?

Hundreds. Maybe thousands. There are a lot of products I’ve purchased for review but haven’t had time to even photograph/swatch — it is something I’ve actively been working at being more realistic about what I can/can’t review in a reasonable length of time.

— Christine

23 Comments

Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!

Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).

We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!

Comments on this post are closed.
CeeBee Avatar

I only use waterproof or tubing mascaras because again, my lashes will not hold a curl (even with a curler, which I have to warm up before I use) without it – I don’t have any trouble with waterproof formulas being drying or causing breakages, though if you’re not using an oil based cleanser to remove makeup and/or rubbing really hard to remove eye makeup, I guess that could do it?

But I have never had a problem, ever.

Tessa Avatar

Maybe if you do it every day. But once or twice a week, gently cleansed by double-cleansing? No issue at all. I mean, I guess it depends on your eyelashes and the curler you’re using… but I’ve never had an issue.

Mariella Avatar

I sure do. Some are freebies/GWP items but some are things I actually like but which just get moved both physically and mentally out of mind and sight. I will make a concerted effort every now and then to get out some disused but still good products and put them back into the rotation (the Laura Mercier mini shadow stick set Holiday 2017 is one example and a points perk or GWP of Bobbi Brown’s grey shadow stick are 2 that come to mind, just because I dug them out the other day so they’re fresh in my memory and, fortunately, still “fresh” in the sense of being smooth and usable).

Nancy T Avatar

Ever? No, I’ve used everything I own at least a few times!
But, on a regular basis, though? Yes, I do have quite a bit that gets neglected. Mostly it’s unusual lipstick shades or very bright eyeshadow palettes. Also, some of my older palettes get neglected for months on end, so do most of my ColourPop SSS’s. It’s actually embarrassing that this is how unweildly my stash has become. If only that were enough to stop me from adding more.

Ginny Avatar

I don’t use my Sugarpill Edward Scissorhands palette because the colors don’t really suit me but I love it as a piece so it’s staying.

Seraphine Avatar

YES!!! I have several highlighters and an ABH Glow Palette that I never use. I’m not into highlighters, and when I do feel like wearing one, I always go for my Dior Nude Luminizer. I never use any of my liquid lipsticks anymore and should probably toss them. I have a some other lipsticks and a few eye palettes I never touch. And I have a whole collection of KVD products that I haven’t use since I stopped supporting her. I just can’t bring myself to get rid of anything.

CeeBee Avatar

I have maybe a dozen unused products, but I will get around to them eventually! There are quite a few more that get neglected more than they should, simply because of the sheer volume of stuff I own but I don’t think there is anything I bought and then deliberately didn’t use. I got a rose quartz roller as part of a points gift box – I never would have purchased it and it’s not actually something I see as useful but I have since used it a couple of times…

Moxie Avatar

Yup. I have a SCINIC snail AIO that does zero for my skin but it’s haven’t been able to trash it knowing that there are people out there who genuinely freaked out when it was discontinued. I feel almost guilty!

But I’m going to have to toss it, realistically.

I also have a lip balm from My Lip Stuff that dried my lips out like sand the only time I used it, but it still smells like caramelized bananas. A very expensive scent stick, basically.

Eileen Avatar

I tend to use everything; if not regularly, at least often enough that I don’t feel like I’ve wasted my money. Occasionally a “mistake” will linger in the drawer for awhile, but because I purge my collection on a regular basis, it gets tossed sooner rather than later.

Deborah S. Avatar

I have a couple of quads that I don’t use but purchased with the intent to use and then either discovered they don’t work for me or they take a lot to make them work. I have quite a few highlighters that are too dark for my skin tone and I planned to use them as blush toppers or e/s and just never do get around to using them. Then, I have a couple of finishing powders that I purchased never planning to use them since I love the embossing so much I can’t make myself destroy it. My daughter will likely pitch them after I am gone since she is darker skin toned than I am. Maybe I will give them to one of her best friends in my will !!

Carmen Avatar

Unfortunately lol! I plan on decluttering those items, like the Morphe Jaclyn Hill palette I have that is just a disaster. That one will go straight into the trash though. No need to pass that onto someone when it’s just a pile of poo lol.

Quark Avatar

I don’t have the space to keep unused products, but I do have some rarely used products. Like my ABH dip brow. Now that I let my brows grow out I just used a pencil and brow gel to get a soft feathered look instead of something more dramatic.

Ana Maria Avatar

Back-ups that I’ll start using once I finish current products. 😆 And when I say back-ups, I mean I have (for example) one foundation I use right now, almost finished, and I have another one as a `back-up`.

Well… while I do have a well curated small make-up collection, there are products that I sparingly use but I still want to have them. For example I rarely use a black eye pencil (I prefer brown or a liquid liner) or a green eye pencil, but I want to have those options in my collection. The least-least item used in my collection is a pink shimmer eyeshadow that I use once 1-2 months to remind myself pink doesn’t suit me. 😀

We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!