I’m going to give my answer as if I was just a regular consumer (not a blogger), and I would say that I would do more research before purchasing items, buy less but buy the things that I loved and worked the best for me, and return more things that didn’t work well (particularly if it was a quality issue).
We're here to help you make better beauty purchases that you'll enjoy and love! We recommend signing up to take advantage of personalized features like tracking products you own, viewing dupes that you already have, and more!
Here are some useful resources for you:
Curious how two shades compare to each other? Type in the shades below to get instant side-by-side swatches!
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!
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!
I would look for swatches/reviews as much as possible, be more selective and less impulsive in my purchases so I don’t end up with dupes, and not buy into high-end hype on certain things (esp skin care).
I would hope that I would be more inclined to only buy what I really love, need, and would use often. Plus, what works well with my coloring. I’d try to do better when it came to buying cruelty free products. And would have gotten UD Naked 1 instead of 2!
Same as you, Christine. Along with doing more research, I’d swatch more in store. It would be tough to wait for things to be in store vs. buying online when it first comes out, but as I get older I’m finding I only like certain textures and finishes. Fomo buying or buying large quantities doesn’t make much sense anymore and I don’t like having to return something just because I mis-jusged a color or finish from a promo image.
YES. First and foremost, I would have never followed the advice of any “beauty guru” Youtubers. Had I just gone into a store myself, played with the makeup items myself, and researched on my own, I’d have saved a TON of money. I feel stupid for getting played into thinking they were real recommendations when in actuality, they are getting paid in some aspect to promote these products. Secondly I would have never followed into any hype (Instagram, I’m looking at you, LOL). Here I am now with 5 Urban Decay palettes I NEVER use, along with who knows how many different brands of lipsticks and glosses. I wish I had realized sooner it’s okay to have your few (or more) basic staple items that work for you, that can multi-task, and that you know will never fail and always give you the look you are going for.
I know what you mean about the Urban Decay palettes – right now, I can’t not collect them, but I’m not using them either. I have swatched a few and used the Naked 3 palette a few times, but otherwise they are just displayed decoratively in my storage tower and that’s it.
Thanks for sharing this Lynda! It’s a good reminder for me? I do not need what everyone else is raving about, I just need what works for me!
I feel the same way Lynda!! Between the YouTubers and on line shopping I could of saved A LOT of money IF I would of gone to the store myself to swatch them. I am an impulsive person so if someone says “you have to have this” … I get sucked into the hype and buy it. Now I am more selective about what I purchase and use.
Before buying a product I really spend time on research (dupes, texture, smell, etc.) and then I key in “best” _, name it, best eyeshadow palette, best lipgloss, best drugstore foundation, etc. While a certain product may be so hyped, only you can know what’s “best” for you.
I would get some drugstore but top quality base to start and build my new collection slowly.
1. If that was possible I would buy like only one but great item every 2-3 months. A great product every 2-3 months – no problem. But ONLY ONE item every 2-3 months?
2. I would invest in brushes. They are not shiny and colorful so I kind of skip those.
3. I wouldn’t buy single eyeshadows because I always end up getting a few more from the same brand to use them together. Once summed up (and depoted anyway) I could get a nice palette instead.
4. If I love a new formula lipstick I would stay with 1-2 of that brand and not go for every color from the range that might suit me. Everyday there’s something new out there so I don’t go back to worse formula older ones.
5. I wouldn’t hunt for the perfect red lipstick (and buy 10 trying), because I use 90% pink/mauve anyway.
6. I would get only only like 5 shades of nail polish and finish those up. I loved this category once, so I own a lot but I use much less nowadays.
I’m the opposite. I make a point to never buy palettes bc they always have too many colors I would never use and I still have to go out and buy a single so I can create the looks I want. I love single eyeshadows that I can store in a z palette bc they are colors I love and know I will get use out. My customized MAC is my best investment and I use it daily
Yes. I think I would focus more on having a variety of high quality things I really love instead of hoarding 500 red lipsticks.
I would make a checklist with all the things I needed and would research the best options for me (colors and brands). I’d narrow it down to 2 or 3 items and then, if possible, check those out and choose one. Also, I wouldn’t buy so many palettes – have 2 naked (the first and smoky) and I really only use the first and another from UD with several bright colors, that I hardly ever reach for (totally impulse buys) . I came to the conclusion that I should stick to those palettes that I can choose the colors in it and not the pre made ones…better use of my money!!
Ah, a good foundation is expensive and I’d wish I’d come to that conclusion before wasting my money on cheaper ones that I had to toss away…
Definitely do more research. I am (or had been heh) pretty restrained when it comes to buying, but I have gotten some products in my makeup-n00b days that I wouldn’t now.
Yes! I would make a concerted effort to always try before I buy whenever possible (I often impulse buy online), and not just buy things because they are on sale. I also need to just be satisfied with what I have if I love it, and not immediately conclude that if its good, I need more shades of whatever that item is.
I’m actually doing that now. After spending the past several weeks using each palette I owned for one week solid (if I could stand it) i am investing in single eyeshadows to create the palette I want and will use. I’m working on removing myself from the ‘marketing machine’ and researching and testing products to find what really works for my everyday life. I’m learning that more is just more.
One thing I could have done while starting out it make sure I bought makeup according to seasons (e.g. buy neon orange lipstick when I’m a little more tan in the summer) and my skin colour instead of splurging on everything any day of the year. I have a fair amount of makeup that only looks good when the weather is hot/sunny, and they are just rotting there! counting down the days to their expiration date! Guess it’s never too late to start…
Yay! It’s never too late to start. Thanks for reminding me! With all the good ideas (look like good New Years resolutions) from everyone here, I feel happier with my collection then ever before! ??
Buy smarter! Think more about what I need and go for versatility and variety rather then always the same thing. And avoid impulse buying.
I would shop more but buy less. I would read reviews and get more information before buying. I would buy with my head rather than with my heart. My collection would be much smaller and only contain quality items that love and that really work well for me. I would buy less, but buy better.
I would also research the products before I purchase them. I also would learn the return policy for drugstores and other stores like Ulta and Sephora. For a long time, I that that if you opened and/or used a makeup/skincare product, that you couldn’t return it. That was a rookie move. Now, I return any and everything that I don’t like and I don’t feel bad about it!
Well said, Christine! My sentiments exactly!
I’d only buy the 10-15 items I really use and save my money on the rest… although in hindsight it all had value because it helped me experiment with makeup and find a bit of identity. As I’ve gotten older I’ve figured out the sort of makeup looks I like on myself and the things I know suit me best, so a lot of the makeup I have never gets used. Ah well, it was fun at the time!
Wow, so many things. I would not buy on the recommendation of a certain YouTuber because what worked for her never worked for me. I would stop thinking that “Limited Edition” meant “OMG I have to buy it noooowwww!” I would realize that Budget Brand A works for me while Budget Brand B is utter crap and I need to stop giving it a chance.
I love your comment! So true —
I don’t regret much. I already look at reviews, read ingredient lists and I’m skeptical before purchasing. I return things that don’t work. I wish I knew more about skincare as a kids and how to read ingredient lists back then and to get advice from credible places not magazines that is just interested in selling products. If I knew oily skin didn’t need creme based lotions or to avoid products w SD alcohol, I wouldn’t have struggled with acne as much as I did. However when it comes to makeup, the fun of it is trying it out and discovering what you like or don’t. How do you know bright blue is not for you unlesd you bought that blue eyeshadow, put it on and discovered oh no no not for me. It is just makeup. I don’t think I ever not surrounded myself w items I truly loved. Yes my tastes have changed but never have I just settled
*unless* 🙂
I would certainly buy less limited editions products, less palettes just because of the hype or because of a deal, and less drugstore makeup – it’s easy to get carried away when each product is just a handful of quarters, and now I have drawers overflowing with mediocre products that I never use. I’d wait for reviews and only buy drugstore products that I believe would work for me, instead of jumping on every new release.
Great question, Christine. I wish I had realized that I could create the looks that I liked without having to buy every single product the YT “gurus” were using. I mean, early on I would either go out or internet shop to buy the exact same products to recreate a look and many times it wouldn’t look right on me because my coloring is different. Now I realize it is the technique I should be focusing on and substituting the products that work for me. I wish that I had invested in really good basics and not so much poor quality product. The price I have paid for cheaper brushes I could have purchased several really nice quality makeup brushes.
1. Not buy ALL THE PALETTES. I have probably 47 eye palettes (excluding trios/quads/singles, which I don’t have many of anyway), a contouring palette, and 3 blush palettes. I justify by telling myself that they’re more cost-effective than single products, but it’s usually more like “OMG LOOK AT ALL THE PRETTY COLORS AND THE SPARKLE AND OMG THE ADORABLE PACKAGING AND I NEED IT BECAUSE IT’S WEDNESDAY!”, and it’s getting ridiculous even by my lax standards.
2. I would bite the bullet and buy good foundation…and not try to match on my own at first! Turns out I’m not quite as pale as I thought I was, and with my neutral-leaning undertones, I’m susceptible to choosing a shade that pulls either very yellow/orange or pink by mistake.
3. I would have paid more attention to cruelty free earlier on.
4. I would not have been so quick to dismiss good drugstore products (as long as they’re cruelty free, at least). Some are surprisingly good quality. I can’t live without NYX and I had no idea until recently that dirt cheap WnW shadows were sometimes on par with higher-end products!
4. I would have done better research overall. That hasn’t stopped my compulsive palette acquisition efforts entirely, but it might have cut down a little in the beginning!
There are products that I didn’t like that I’d avoid now. My collection would be a little better edited and not have as many dupes, now that I know what works for me.
Wait you don’t need a bin full of peachy nudes lipsticks or peachy pink blush. I’m confused by this:)
Ha, ha! 🙂 I’m sure I’d still have a bin of them in every minute color variation, they’d just be better quality. XD
Well being that I’m in a purging phase I will say that I’m trying to sift through and keep items that I actually us, if I could go back I would do less “collecting” and more buying products that I love and would use instead of just to have. Even with my purge I still have more makeup than I will ever need in a lifetime. #beautyaddict
I don’t regret any of it because I learn from each ‘mistake’ or ‘failure’. If a colour or texture doesn’t work for me, that is a valuable learning experience for me. You don’t know unless you try. Here in the UK you can’t return makeup or skincare if it’s been used, unless it’s faulty. Even so, you cannot buy experience, you have to do it yourself to learn these things. You can read reviews and look up swatches and these can help but it’s not quite the same as trying it for yourself. So it’s priceless, in that sense. I have spent a lot this post year on skincare and makeup, as I only really got into it last year and I now know what suits me and what doesn’t. So no, I wouldn’t start over again, lol ?.
Agree, aside from learning how to read an ingredient list and knowing what ingredients to avoid, as pertains to skincare, I wouldn’t change most of it. Make up is about experimentation and you can never really learn what is you until you try different things on. I mean I had to buy a few red lipsticks to learn a red lip is not me but unless you bite the bullet, how do you know red is you are not? No regrets…live and learn!
i have zeroed in on colors that look flattering with my complexion & that I’m comfortable wearing. If I had it to do over, I’d skip a lot of the “looks good on everybody” hyped products. Nars Orgasm comes to mind as an example. It does not on any day, on any planet look good on ME.
I am just now learning a little more about skin care ingredients & find that my research is paying off. It has saved me a lot of money (& breakouts!) to understand what works for me vs. what is hyped on the front page of Sephora’s website.
More research. Nuff said!
If I was starting from scratch today, I would definitely read reviews, but back in the day, those weren’t available so I just went with what I liked, or thought I would like. I also would be more likely to return something that didn’t work for me than I was when I was first starting out.
Somehow I think I’d still end up with quite a hoard!!
I totally agree with you, Christine!
I would buy only make-up that complements me! And not just trendy, popular things.
I’d look more into the ingredients and buy only brands that are careful and cautious on their ingredients.
I’d rebuy just what I know now works best on me and what I reach for often. But getting there and finding all that out by long and costly experience was a valid process on many levels.
Definitely. I would go to store and test products out instead of buying based on pictures and reviews, on line. Then I’d have a reasonable amount of stash instead of the over crowded makeup drawers of product I’ll never use. I just can’t justify throwing away at its cost.
I would not buy all the foundations that did not Match my skintone and all the Mascaras I have tried but Do not work. And I would buy less red lipsticks because I Do not wear them very often.
Unfortunately you mostly realize that something does not work for you When you have tried it 2 or there times or under real life conditions and here in Germany it is nearly impossible to Return makeup you have already used.
I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 palettes. Many are collecting dust. I jumped on the guru train and bought everything that they recommended without checking ingredients or quality. I also was naive not to realize that many of those “big name” gurus are compensated for their recommendations. If I had to start over I would use the money spent on those 100 palettes for single shadows that are great quality i.e. the MUFE singles. I also wouldn’t waste money on owning every liquid lipstick known to man and just buy from them from the one or two companies that make a comfortable version. I am a lip neglecter and I hate to have to reapply ANY makeup during the day, so I wouldn’t waste so much money on regular lipstick or any makeup with no staying power. I am a collector, and gave felt the need to keep all of my collections from any brand complete, regardless whether or not I think I would get use out of the products. Great question!!!!
Know what to buy high end and what to buy drugstore. And ask myself: “Do I really need this?” Use up what I already have instead of buying more.
I would resist buying items I knew I wouldn’t use, but had great packaging. Things like the Marc Jacobs Highlighter sets.
I would do more research on formulas and how colors looked on my skin before I purchased.
I wouldn’t try so many things and stick with products that work for me.
I wouldn’t be as keen on buying all of the products in a limited themed offering.
I would try to think a lot more before making impulsive purchases. Sometimes impulse buys end up working out, but I’ve had a few too many of them that just didn’t work out for me in the end.
I’d also just be more mindful to read or watch even more reviews on products before buying than I already do, because sometimes I chose to buy something, thinking it was a pretty educated decision, but it still didn’t work for my eyes/skin/etc. because the reviews I saw may have been from people with different needs than mine.
Definitely do more research on brands and buy more lip liners then lip sticks since I reach for them more.
I don’t have many makeup buying regrets! except not to buy into the super hyped up YouTube/Instagram products like nars orgasm or morphe eyeshadows. I would also get more into skincare early on! and just reading the ingredients list on almost everything! it would’ve saved me about a year of breakouts
Definitely! I would research my complexion undertone before selecting any old foundation – I have made some really expensive mistakes in this area.
As far as eye shadow palettes are concerned (they are my weakness and I have stacks), I would certainly read the reviews before purchasing. Since I have been part of the Temptalia community I have purchased less and valued more.
I have started slowing down and really researching before I purchase. I like to try different brands but I don’t want to waste money. I like to look for dupes but there are some brands I totally regret buying…..I don’t like Wet and Wild. Sometimes I end up spending more on “less than” products and would have been better off to have bought the high end product.
Same as you Christine and I wouldn’t listen to too many you tubers. A lot of them are paid to say the product is amazing and pigmented and whatever and in actuality the product is straight trash. Not every YouTuber tells the truth because not every product is amazing. I would’ve definitely did more research and not solely rely on someone else.
Since i know now how to do my makeup and more about cosmetics; I would probably buy only nice high quality brushes. It would cost dearly; but many medium range brands are coming up with really nice products; so could save some money there. Also; could save money on experimenting on foundations and concealers… As i know my shade properly now. Would spend more on skin care products; rather than on makeup( esp those which i would use very less in the long run). Also, infact i have a query here too. Can u suggest me some goid sunscreen sprays with spf50; which i can carry in my handbag and spray on every 2 hourly… Without disturbing my makeup and without any whitish cast or greasy sticky feel. Something like mac prep and prime spray; only with spf 50.
Minimize trial & error, definitely. I spent too much time purchasing products not having directly experienced them in person or at least research first, then regretted my decisions. Now that I have tried a handful of products I adore and useful review sources, wastefulness should be banished 😀 AND never EVER only buy something for the hype!
Lots of the comments here are revolving around doing more research and being more selective when choosing products. I agree and have been doing that more and more.
Resources I find very helpful to sort through the marketing hype are — http://thebeautybrains.com/ and http://colinsbeautypages.co.uk/. They are cosmetic scientists who help readers sort through ingredients and claims. I find them especially helpful for debunking skincare claims (which is how I ended up being a user of Kiehl’s exclusively, but I digress…).
There is no better site than Temptalia for sorting through the options out there in terms of selection, tone, and colors–it’s outstanding. The resources above are different and helpful in an alternate way.
PS– I have no vested interest or association with either colin or the beautybrains. They have been helpful to me is all, and I thought I would pass it on.
Not being forgetful or fearful to make returns. I bought a lot of stuff in my 20’s that just lingered when I wasn’t using it.
I think I would take more time to choose and make sure I love the colors. I do like most of the beauty purchases I make.
Not by into MAC’s 1200 limited collections a year!
For the most part I’d repurchase what I have with the exception of all the NYX eyeshadows & palettes, Sonia Kashuk brushes, generic drug store makeup brushes, and skip any makeup brush that were touted/claimed recommended to be a dupe of a high end brush. All of that was a waste of money. It always better to save up money for quality items.
Look at swatches on SIMILAR SKINTONES before I go and waste money on colors that look like garbage on me, don’t do as much impulse buying, stick to a few tried-and-true favorites with a few fun colors on the side.