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Have you ever started your makeup collection over?

Nope, I can’t say that I have!
It’s always been an evolving collection of products but never have I started from scratch again!

— Christine

33 Comments

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Joyce Avatar

Um kiiiind of. Several years ago I gave away nearly my entire collection and just kept a bag of my most used products (and some precious ones like MAC Jealousy Wakes & Chanel Dragon). I’ve since built it up a bit more, but everything can fit in 2 small Alex drawers 🙂

Pearl Avatar

?? No and just the thought of doing so or (GASP) having to makes me anxious. It’s my number one hobby and I’m curating at this point. I don’t think I ever would voluntarily, but never say never. Not to sound cliche, but It’s been “a journey”, an emotional one and I am pretty sentimental and attached to my collection.

Deborah S. Avatar

Yes, a couple of times. The first was when I went away to school back in the 70’s and didn’t have room to take anything with me as I was flying to my destination. While I was gone my parents and siblings moved a long distance from where I grew up and pretty much everything that I had was either sold or thrown away. I graduated and starting slowly collecting makeup again. The second time was following the birth of my daughter and my breast cancer I went through a period of time where I wasn’t interested in buying or wearing makeup. I got rid of pretty much everything I owned. Once I started trying to be more present in my life I rediscovered my interest in makeup and started collecting again.

Erin Avatar

Unfortunately yes. My ex boyfriend decided to ‘prank’ me by destroying almost all of my cosmetics–short of nail polishes stored in a different bureau–and film my reaction. For youtube? I assume?? I don’t understand how it was funny.

Sure it wasn’t *that* much, maybe 20 pieces of palettes and lippies over the years. But it was still a messed up thing to do, and I’m still mad about the few LE palettes that were destroyed. I almost wish I’d retaliated somehow, breaking his consoles or dumping soda on his dumb gaming computer. But no, I just grabbed most of my things and left. Who destroys their partners’ belongings??

Heaven help the next person who fell in love with that trashfire!

kjh Avatar

Evil….and that’s the insidious part, about bad people. They don’t show their antisocial personality traits until they are pretty ensconced in your life. Because they can mirror appropriate beh, but really have no empathy or care. Glad he’s in the rear view mirror, being destructive to s.o. else. Or better yet, that his potential is seen in advance and he doesn’t suck anyone in. That guy is dangerous.

Anne Avatar

Kjh, I love your comment. Exactly right. Personality disordered persons, love bombing, the mask, false self, mirroring, no empathy, everything is about them, always about them. Does my heart good to see people like Erin put her predator in the rear view mirror ASAP. Yes, people like her ex think their ‘pranks’ are funny. Totally sick!!! And kjh, most people don’t know what we’re talking about, which is sad because if they get involved with such a person, they will be so sorry.

Pearl Avatar

I saw something like this on an instagram post a while back. It happened in the bathroom and he took a hammer to all of the compacts and palettes and poured out foundations and just destroyed her train case, then she came in and he was all giddy in the camera and it cut when the poor girl flipped out. I was horrified – this was supposed to be a ‘humor’ instagrammer – partly because it was obviously a beloved makeup collection but mostly because someone thought this would resonate as funny to most people.

I’m sorry that happened and glad he is in your rearview, Erin.

Robin Avatar

Last year my discontinued HG Chanel Lipstick and back ups ran out so I began a search for a new HG lippy. In the process I started throwing out old & unbecoming lipsticks and it became a total purge . I also threw out all my eye pencils ( now use liquid) and eye shadows . I spent many many hours on Temptalia researching new products ! Temptalia has been an amazing resource . I spent a fortune last year but it’s the first and probably the last time I’ll ever do that level of a purge . PS it was so much fun and found so so many fantastic items

Nancy T Avatar

A few times, I did overhaul where it was going, either by choice or circumstances. However, there was only ONE time where I literally had to get rid of almost everything and begin again. And it was awful! At 33 y.o. I developed a full body viral infection, ie; bronchitis, sinusitis, gastroenteritis, etc, *including* very severe conjunctivitis and iritis. When I finally recovered, I had to replace my foundation and ALL my eye makeup. As in; I literally had to toss out EVERYTHING, and buy all new. This is one of the main reasons why I didn’t have much makeup again until I was in my tail end of 40’s entering my 50’s!

AB Avatar

Thanks goodness, no. Closest experience was years back, boyfriend and I were on romantic long weekend in NYC, so I’d brought all favorite things, and our suitcases were stolen out of the car. So I had nothing, had to fill in with drugstore items for the weekend and later replace key items, no small expense for me back then.

Linda Avatar

Kind of – I went through a 3 year period where I couldn’t wear eye make up, so I “started over” by getting into face products like blush and highlighter, whereas I only used a bit of bronzer before. Then when my eyes recovered enough I slowly started exploring eye shadow palettes and buying them again, so I’ve done micro startovers, I guess.

Genevieve Avatar

Only when I got into makeup seriously about 4-5 years ago, I threw out all my old trashy stuff and started researching (here on Temptalia) better quality eyeshadows and products. Now I have an amazing stash of lipsticks and eyeshadows and I never want to start again.

Terri-Lynn Thompson Avatar

I did this same thing about 4 years ago. Before that I wore mascara and some lip gloss. Anything else I had was pretty old and poor quality. Then I got serious about makeup and wanted to use better quality products. Now I have a nice makeup collection and wouldn’t want to start over either.

Stephanie Avatar

My experience is the same. Got rid of all my hodge podge DS items that may or may not have suited me a started seriously into makeup. Now I have a fair sized collection.

Sarah Avatar

No, but I’m about to lol. Most of my makeup is past expired and I’ve been holding onto it to avoid spending money, but now that I use Temptalia a lot and review before I buy, it’s gonna be super easy for me to restart. Knowing what I actually want to use, will use, and will keep makes a difference.

Tracy Faith Avatar

Yes! In my early 20’s when I discovered quality make up and Color matching lol. Went on a spree and bought the essentials to replace the crap I had, threw the junk out and started the amazing collection I have today.

Lorri Avatar

I’ve had to start over twice. First time was around sophomore year of college, when I had to replace all of my eye makeup after a nasty infection. I finally realized then that cosmetics have a shelf life and that I had terrible habits that lead to a lot of cross contamination. Everything (honestly, not a lot and all drugstore) that had been opened went in the bin.
Second time was after a nearly 3 year break from wearing any makeup at all. My face was always super broken out, and nothing was helping, so I just gave up completely, and pushed all my makeup into the back of a cabinet for a few years. Tossed everything for a second time in 2014, since it was all 3+ years old by that point, and got back into it.
If I had to replace everything I’ve bought since the last purged… I’d probably go back to not wearing any. It’s overwhelming and I need to trim back my hoard, lol.

zeezee Avatar

yes unfortunately, when i realised i was sensitive to sunscreen at the grand old age of 34. i threw out my extensive collection of base products with spf, anything that had spf. it was painful.

Elina Avatar

I’m at a point where I honestly wouldn’t mind. I have a few favourites that I would surely repurchase but other than that… well, my collection IS very optimized right now so I suppose I’d repurchase like 75% of it anyways. 🙂

Rachel R. Avatar

I didn’t buy hardly any makeup while raising two special needs kids on one income. Once they were grown and I went back to work, I started pretty much from ground zero, because I had so little. I got rid of drug store stuff that wasn’t working for me, kept the little bit of BareMinerals I had, and went from there. It was expensive to do, but well worth it to feel like my old creative self again.

Sarah Avatar

I am right now! I had a 5 drawer Alex full of makeup, but as much as I enjoy watching the gorgeous looks others create with makeup, I’m not that adventurous when it comes to my own. Mostly of my “collection” was also things YouTubers were recommending, not things that worked for my fair skin and cool undertones. So I gave away most of it and stuck with the products I actually used. Just last night I went through it again and got rid of products from companies that test on animals (my personal belief, not something I push on others) and I’m now left with almost nothing. It’s a fun reason to go out and get some more though.

I’m doing something similar with skincare…I really stopped for awhile and evaluated my skin’s needs the researched some options. I placed orders with Beautylish this morning and have products from Korres, Glow Recipe, and Sunday Riley heading my way!! I’m really excited for those. Once I get my skin acclimated to the new skincare, I’ll start picking out new makeup.

Silvia Avatar

Not entirely I just gave away a few slightly used WetnWild items and few more things to my cousin which came not long ago from Cuba with her young daughter of 15 year old beautiful smart kid. I came at 12 with my family when I was 12 also with just the clothes we had on. Thankfull to all family and friends who helped my parents and my two brothers and I when we lived 4 years in Chicago. Now we live in LA. I always donate never-ever throw a useful thing away since someone else can use it and I appreciate the smallest things given to me still this day. and the genuine gesture along. Then I slowly replaced the items and have bunch of WetnWild makeup plus others I really have mostly drugstores and very few HE but they are working great for me after seeing many swatches and pages like this, few you tubers and podcasts. I would hate to start over love my current precious stash. ?

MacKenzie G. Avatar

Thankfully, no. However, I am in the process of purging my collection of old/poor quality/unflattering/not cruelty free makeup, mostly in the form of eyeshadow palettes (my poison of choice until this last year). I hate to give up some of my Mac lipsticks, but it’s mostly been a relief. Plus, I enjoy giving my makeup to my roommate if it’s still good. She loves makeup and really appreciates it.

Cali Avatar

I lost everything in a fire a few months ago. Everyone was safe but I lost so many LE palettes and products. I had only the makeup bag in my purse. I’ve repurchased some, but the rest will be a long process.

Jena Avatar

Yes!!! I’m doing it right now ? I got rid of everything except 1 foundation, 2 lip colors and my UD Electric pallet a while back. Now I have 5 eyeshadow pallettes and way too many lipsticks again thabks to colourpop haha. It feels AMAZING to have so little. To get creative, use everything and know I’m not forgetting about a makeup item I once loved. Everything is right there ❤️

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