Have you ever regretted getting rid of a product?

At this point, nothing sticks out in my mind as a regret–I want to say mostly no but especially now. I go through it like water by the nature of what I do, so I don’t get that attached. I only find I get attached now if it’s something that has a lot more meaning – like I’d definitely regret it if I tossed my MAC Jealousy Wakes eyeshadow, since I had a part in creating that.

— Christine

28 Comments

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Erica Avatar

There is old Revlon limited edition lipsticks, nail polishes etc I miss and wish I still had for color reference or the old Jane I had from the 90s bc of the nostalgia. I know it’d be crazy to hold onto those things but I miss them!

Lesley Avatar

No. No regrets whatsoever. It takes me awhile to give up on something and I do my best to think of ways it could work for me, including research on product adaptations, so I have a lot of confidence in those decisions, and up to now, I’ve been right.

kjh Avatar

Not exactly. However, I frequently think, ‘Oh X, that I tossed, went bad, or was d/c’d would have been perfect with a look I was doing. At times, I have nostalgia over certain products that belonged to points in time, such as Yardley Glimmericks, Biba Blue Roses, late 60s Revlon l/s, the original Kevyn nakeds, or a Dior/Borghese blockbuster from the 80s or 90s. Especially Aziza Clinging Vine (dark green) mascara, that I wore nonstop until d/c.

Mariella Avatar

I rarely get rid of anything, so no regrets. I can’t find 2 face washes though – both from Clarins. One is the more oily skin version with tamarind (I wasn’t wild about it but can’t imagine I’d have tossed it) and the other is the dry skin version with shea butter and I can’t find it anywhere either. I’m sure I put both “aside” somewhere to make room for other stuff but it’s not in any of my usual “put aside” places.

Lauren Avatar

Not a specific brand, but I think I pared down my lipstick/gloss collection just a little *too* much. I find that I don’t have any peachy pink lipsticks or true MLBB shades. Most of mine are a bit mauvier or browner than I prefer these days, but a year ago they were what I wanted. As for glosses, most that I have are either bright and punchy, super sparkly, or ones that lighten dark lipsticks. I don’t seem to have just a nice every day gloss that adds a bit of color to enhance my lips. I should have kept more of my CP ones even though I decluttered most of them because of the brush applicator and they seemed to go bad quickly. Still, I have plenty to work with and while there are gaps in my collection I absolutely have lip products that work and that I enjoy. Once they start running out I’ll look at getting more in colors I am missing.

Cameron Avatar

Does getting rid of something because you fear it went bad count? I got rid of my Tom Ford Jordan lipstick because it stopped smelling like the normal vanilla scent and smelled a bit weird. I wasn’t sure if it was completely bad, and instead of risking it I threw it out. Most of my discarded items I don’t miss, but I really liked that one and I wish it wasn’t LE.

Taylor Avatar

Not really – I declutter so often now and don’t usually think twice about things. If I don’t use it, I get rid of it. The only thing I slightly regret was the OG Naked palette, but luckily my sister still has hers (untouched!) and she’s giving it to me. I don’t even want to use it, I just want it for the nostalgia I guess lol.

Mariella Avatar

What was the company? You didn’t say (and if you don’t want to, no problem; it’s just that, as I said to Christine, I’m always curious especially about those who, like me, have a long history of makeup-loving).

Nancy T Avatar

The company that seems to have disappeared from off the map, Jean-Pierre Cosmetique. I’ve tried Googling it ad nauseum, with zero results other than a skincare company. But, back in the 80’s and early 90’s the brand had plenty of large kiosks in shopping malls in the Northeast U.S. and also in Toronto and Montreal. It is just so frustrating that I haven’t been able to find out what happened to the company. They made very innovative, interesting shades of eyeshadow, plus some really nice lip, cheek, face and skin products, too.

Pearl Avatar

A few years ago when I would de-clutter, it would feel like “why did I even buy this” and was regretful in that sense. I’m sure it was on sale and/or from the latest collection and yet I hadn’t even thought twice about it. Then it pops up in a declutter 6 months to a year later… just wasteful.

I remember one specifically – the Tom Ford Soleil (cool) palette. I never used it and the pink blush was particularly unflattering on me. I have a cool-toned friend that I thought would benefit from it. I don’t think she’s used it once. I expected her to be as thrilled with it as I was when I bought it. I de-cluttered the warm toned palette and have no qualms about that because in my mind, whoever has it is using it and glad for it. I’d rather send something out into the ether through donation then give something away to someone and they don’t use it. It was such a big deal to me and so special at the time and I’d think the big deal-ness and the specialness would transfer but oftentimes it does not. Lesson learned. Another reason for me to buy mindfully so that the products I covet, I actually keep and use.

Sarah Avatar

No, I can’t say I have. Once I decide to throw something away, it’s gone forever and I don’t think about it again. Which is why it’s so important for me to regularly de-stash, or else the pile becomes larger…and larger…and larger…

Mariella Avatar

Christine, I hope this isn’t being too nosy or asking something you don’t want to answer. I’m just curious, really. When you developed Jealousy Wakes, did MAC give you a case of the shadow or a half dozen of them or one of each of the shades from the Bloggers’ Choice shadows? Like I say, if you don’t feel comfortable answering, just ditch the question. I’m just curious about how MAC commemorates your creation.

Mariella Avatar

Thanks for answering, Christine! That was nice that they gave you a goodly number. Probably a silly question given how many products you sample, test, use, etc. but do you still wear Jealousy Wakes often? At all?

Christine Avatar

Truth be told, I couldn’t even find it for sometime. I was like WHAT!! it was after we moved from CA to AZ, and I couldn’t locate my “stash” of them, LOL! I was like I might have to steal one from my parents (they have two displayed with their mug collection). I did, thankfully, find the few I had left, but I can’t recall the last time I wore it!

xamyx Avatar

No, because by the time I get rid of something, it’s because it has literally gone rancid, LOL! However, over the past few years, I have decluttered several items to my daughter, so if it’s something I really regret, or even just need for a specific reason, I can always just borrow it from her… There were a couple of things she never even touched, and I did regret it, so I may have taken them back…

Jen Avatar

There was this one lip gloss from Gurlein’s Terracotta collection several years back that I donated to an online pal’s art project because I hated it, though I no longer remember why. It was one of the first few items I got when I started shopping at Sephora and I was very uncertain about some things I bought. But after some time went by and I began to feel more comfortable with makeup I started wondering why I didn’t like it because in my memory the color was nice and I didn’t remember it being wildly uncomfortable in any way. Since it’s been discontinued for years finding one isn’t going to happen so I’m stuck wondering why and what that gloss was really like.

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