What was the last product you purchased a back up of?


What was the last product you purchased a back up of? How many did you buy? Share!

Hmm, I know I stocked up the most on Chanel Dragon (I think I bought four or five) a few years ago. I think the last would be Burberry Trench Eyeshadow, which I bought two (one to replace my almost-empty one and one to have on hand). It’s my go-to brow highlight shade – just love it (and it’s totally boring, I get it).

Thanks to reader Donna for today’s question idea Do you have a question idea? Submit yours here.

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Ashley Bencomo Avatar

If you had to choose one which do you think is a better buy for the holidays..the best bite beauty remix or the top faced melted kisses? 🙂 I’ve never tried the melted lipsticks so I’m just curious your opinion!

Rachel R. Avatar

I don’t buy too many backups. I think the last thing was Sephora Cougar lipstick, when they had the pink cased ones on clearance for $7 a few months ago. I bought two.

Melinda Avatar

OPI Over and Over A Gwen. It’s a red polish that I liked a lot, so I bought 2 of them. Most people don’t get excited about red polish but I do, and even though I have a ton of red creams, some of them are better than others.

Lena Avatar

i love over and over a g-wen, it’s the first red that i really LOVE, and i’ve been a nail junkie since the late ’90s and thought i’ve seen it all. i’ve considered getting a back up but it’s so expensive now.

Jessica Avatar

urban decay 24/7 eyeshadow pencil in mushroom. I stumbled on a clearance where they were like $5 so I bought 2. I also buy back-up mascara because you never know when a wand will break (seriously, who even knew that could happen?? But it happened to me once with one eye done and I was screwed, so now I always have a back up of mascara on hand).

Alison Avatar

There’s nothing boring about Burberry’s eyeshadows, Temptalia! Taupe Brown is my go to shade for every day wear and I wear it as contour and through my brows occasionally, too! It’s fabulous. The formula is so buttery (not powdery at all) and the shades are so wearable, versatile and useful. Nothing boring about that!

Nurse Ratchet Avatar

I have three backups of Revlon’s discontinued matte lipstick “Mauve it Over.” It looks great on people with pigmented lips whom it is hard for a nude to look natural, as well as very pale people whom nudes wash them out, as it is a slightly cool toned pinky brown shade. I love the long lasting formula, as well!

Sunny Avatar

I always buy a tube of Dior Diorshow Lash Maximizer when the local beauty chain has a sale, because as long as I’m not testing a mascara, I always ALWAYS prime my lashes with it! I ask friends to bring me Hourglass Soft Brunette Arch when they go to the US, because Hourglass is significantly cheaper there. The only “color” cosmetics I have two backups of is Dior Spring Addict Extreme. I can’t even call it an MLBB, but it’s a shade that I am always in the mood for and never ever goes wrong!

Eleine Avatar

Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in New Moon (sold out EVERYWHERE. Had my first one shipped from a random Macy’s in Arizona. Got my second one because I found the last one in a duty free shop in the Frankfurt airport 2 months later when I thought there weren’t any left in the world.) Unlike most cream eye colors, the bouncy mousse type doesn’t significantly degrade in quality as it dries out.

Sephora Colorful Universal Atomizer (purple ones are on sale for $7.00 and they are FANTASTIC for perfume touch ups or traveling with my favorite perfumes)

Real Techniques brush kit just so I could have 2 of the buffing brushes in case of travel or not having time to wash them.

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper – still my holy grail liquid liner after 3 years.

cara Avatar

Mine are the basics, cover girl lashblast, hard candy glamoflauge concealer, and Kat von d tattoo foundation. Boring but so necessary as these are my favs.

Ilovemakeup Avatar

MUFE Matte a Velvet plus for me! Although I recently started using the Hourglass mattifying foundation and it stops the shine for longer than MV+, but with a few drawbacks. I usually stock up on stuff I use daily at sales, like foundation, mascara, eyeliner, skin care.

Áine Avatar

One of the limited edition colors of the Maybelline Great Lash line, So Very Berry. I love it so much that I waited until the store was running out and they went on sale and bought like 3? 4? at a few dollars a pop.

Zainab Avatar

The Urban Decay Mariposa palette, which was a go to for a while, and which was being offered cheaply on eBay. Of course now I’ve got other palettes I use a lot, so I might give the unused back-up to my sister-in-law.

Jennifer Avatar

I go through products very slowly so I don’t really worry about running out. The one exception is the eyeshadow I use to set my undereye concealer, Embalm by Detrivore. It’s a buttery, melt into your skin, matte that’s brighter and yellower than my skin and perfect for undereye. I use it every single day and travel with it so it’s both being used up and high risk. I figured I would wait until it was low to buy a replacement, and then the woman who ran the company became incredibly ill and stopped producing. Luckily she was able to work out a distribution arrangement with Shiro, and the moment Embalm became available again I ordered a back up.

I immediately swatched the new one of course… and it’s a completely different color. It’s warmer and peachier and even better for adding a bit more oomph to my undereye concealer. So I guess it’s not even a backup? Whatever, I love it.

Alison Avatar

I just went and looked at the site for this product and I was wondering how do you work with the loose pigment. Do you just dust it in? Is there a sealer or other product you mix it with? I am wondering for the other shadows as well if used on the lid.

Ellen Avatar

I was i love with a beauty supply store no name brand lipstick called Nordic. The perfect peachy brown. When I went in to replace it when it was getting low, I was told the line was made by an older woman in her bathroom at home, and she decided to rtetire, just like that my favorite lipstick was gone. I carried it around looking for a dupe for so long that ther is not a drop of lipsitck left in the tube! Have you ever seen a lipstick tube scrapped totally clean? Its not a pretty sight. I learned my lesson. If you love something that much, don’t wait till you don’t have a drop left and send it to a company like three custom color collection. They say they can copy any discontinued shade for $50 for two tubes (that was a long time ago, it could have gone up). I should have done that a long time ago and I might still have my beloved Nordick with me. Now the same thing has happened with Smashbox’s Be Legendary lipstick in Chai. I will look for a dupe for a little while, and I did have the presence of mind to buy a second tube when Sephora was having a sale so I have some time that I didn’t have with Nordic, but I won’t wait too long. You were lucky the brand was able to be picked up by another line. I’ve never heard of it, what country is it from?

Catie Avatar

The last product I bought a back up for was Philosophy’s Help Me. It is such is such a delicate balance for me to keep my skin hydrated, but as acne-free as possible. The retinol in Help Me has done a tremendous job helping to keep my skin from looking like a teenager going through puberty that I always have a back up on hand. I am terrified to run out!

Estefania Avatar

I’ve never bought backups, actually… I made three different purchases at Sephora to get three deluxe minis of the PMD No Foundation Foundation Serum… Does that count?? Haha the only product that’s ever made me consider getting backups has been the UD Mrs. Mia Wallace lipstick. It’s my Chanel Dragon!

Ellen Avatar

a woman who knows what she likes, I wish I had done that with Smashbox’s Chai. But with MAC you know its a limited edition, but when permanenet lines just up and discontinue reasonably popular colors, that’s just cruel!!

redshift87 Avatar

It’s been a few years, because I no longer allow myself makeup backups since I have more than enough makeup for myself. BUT, I scooped up a backup of Stila’s Artistry palette. It wasn’t especially lauded or amazing or anything, but it was the palette I taught myself to apply eyeshadow from so it has pretty big sentimental value. Also; Kitten, Dapple, and Golightly are still pretty gorgeous colors 🙂

It’s not really makeup, but more recently I bought a backup of Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab’s Ava perfume. It is an absolutely breathtaking scent, I love it!!

Jessi Avatar

MAC Blacklit Electric Cool Eyeshadow – it’s my go-to black shadow for an evening out and to my surprise, I hit pan on my original pot. I was glad to see it come back again and even be a little smoother and with more of that green sheen.

I’ve been considering a spare of MAC Pander Me lipstick too, since it’s a really perfect day to day shade on me, not too pink, not too brown, not too orange.

patsyann Avatar

The last product I bought a back-up of was Bobbi Brown’s lipstick in Italian Rose. This is MLBB for me.
I also recently bought a back-up of Southern Magnolia Mineral’s Well Rested Shadow and I am ordering today a back-up to a back-up of my most essential make-up product: Ben Nye Blue Neutralizer (NB1). This is in a little pot and I can’t find my back-up at the moment. I panic if I don’t have two….this is the only thing I have found so far that cancels my blue/purple under eye circles. Over eye cream or primer it never settles in those little lines and lasts until I remove it.

Tigerlily Avatar

Lol Christine 😉 mine is ‘boring’ as well but a real workhorse, just like Trench is to you. I was recently in London and purchased several (ok, 6. But there was a 3 for 2 sale!) backups of N°7 Nude lip pencil. It has great consistency, pigmentation and wear. Big-time HG to me and my uneven upper lip contour.

Rubygarnet Avatar

I rarely buy backups but made an exception for the LE eyeshadow
from MAC called Moth Brown. It’s not really brown! Complements
my green eyes and is a reliable go-to shade.

xamyx Avatar

e.l.f. Cool Matte Bronzer; it’s a decent contour shade, although the quality isn’t great. It’s $3, but not the easiest product to find in-store, so after buying the first, I figured it was something I’d go through fairly quickly since it’s a bit powdery…

I also have backup RT brushes, as they are my most used, particularly the Expert Face Brush. I also have a backup NARS Bad Behaviour; apparently it was mislabeled on eBay, although the photo was accurate, and I was looking for Wishful Thinking. I got it at a great price, and it’s a shade I actually regretted not buying 2 of originally, so it worked out. I found my HG brow highlight (Revlon Pure Pearl) at Big Lots years ago, and grabbed 5, and I still haven’t hit pan on the first… I don’t go out of my way to buy backups on a regular basis, but there have been times I grabbed foundation or mascara on BOGO sales, and I have accidentally grabbed a product I arleady have.

Diana Avatar

Mine are “boring” too. I have 3 backups of a Hard Candy primer only b/c it’s my HG and so hard to find and I’m seriously terrified they’ll discontinue it. The other things I have back-ups of are theBalm Instain blush in Swiss Dot (1, awesome!), Dior Gold Touch Single Shadow (3, most perfect bronze gold shadow ever! discontinued :() and Shiseido Radiant Lifting Foundation (2, this is as close to my HG foundations that I’ve ever gotten 080 & 060)

Ellen Avatar

It was MAC’s lipstick in Siss from the Artificially Wild collection. I look best in brown toned colors, and they have not been in style for quite a few years. This lipstick alone is quite ghoulish, but when placed on top of a coral, orange, reddish , or any color that is too bright for me on its own, it turns it into a brown toned version of its former self. It will give life to many lipsticks that otherwise would have gone in the unused drawer (which is burstiing at the seame)!! I does seem like the brown tones are coming back into style, as illustrated by the Artificilally Wild collection. But when I went to restock my current favorite lipstick, after I opened the backup I had wisely purchased, it was discontinued!! It was Smashbox’s Be Legendary Lipstick in Chai. All the other colors were there except this one. When I contacted the company I was told by a friendly SA, who admitted that she loved the color too, to try their Fair light lip pencil under their new liquid lipstick in a pinky brown color. As soon as I looked at the color online I knew it would not give me the same result. But adding Siss to a beauty store no name lipstick called Nectar, give me almost the same effect. I see that Bobbi Brown and Clinique have added light yellow browns to theire new lipstick lines, but those colors are too light and yellow to be worn alone. They would serve the same purpose as Siss, to mute a color to one with a more brownish tone. MAC’s Sharon Osbourne line had some nice browns in it, bu the patent lip gloss/pencil is too sheer to really give lips more than a hint of color. My lips are so pink, and get more so after testin more than two lipsticks, that a color really has tio have that yellow in it to show up as a brownish tone. Otherwise, everything turns reddish or pinkish on me. I so miss Bobbi Brown’s original lipsticks. They had staying power, deep pigment, and were truly brown based shades. The takeover by Estee Lauder turned her line into a copy cat of every other one! That is why MAC has a new collection every two weeks, and you can never purchase the same color twice!! One thing you can say about Clinique, they don’t change their colors every night. There are two or three lipsticks of their’s that I repurchase when needed: bronze leaf and pure posh. They both have red in them, but blend nicely with my com;lexion. I just purchased their In a Nutshell at a department store charity day when all cosmetics were 15% off. Its a light brown with a little pink in it. Not as yellow as Siss, but adds a nice glow to the above mentioned shades. If anyone knows of a good dupe for Chai, please let me know. I searched E bay, but no luck in findiing some leftover tubes!

Helene Avatar

I don’t buy back ups for make up very often, The last time was aeons ago, it was/is a LE Dior eyeshadow trio in purpely greyish tones. I loved it so much. I still havent had to open the back up as I still have the first one. Some day, though 🙂
I bought two backups of Benefit Dream Screen this summer as it’s my favourite sunscreen, and it was on sale. I also got two backups for my beloved Jouer lip balm just the other week.
So hardly any makeup. but skincare.

Gillian Avatar

I can only think of one product that I bought a back up of and that was the MAC Moon River mineralize blush from the Grand Duos collection some years back. I love shimmery blushes and I’m obsessed with highlighter. Add in the fact that peachy-pink is my favourite blush colour and we’re on to a winner! So gorgeous. 😀

Kazza7 Avatar

I recently bought a backup of one of fave nude lipsticks – Rimmel Kate Moss 03. And also I purchased a backup of Nyx True Taupe eyeshadow – we have to order these from overseas as you can’t get them in NZ. The next backup I want to get is Mac Concrete – it’s awesome to set my brows with <3

Meghan Avatar

Skincare… Where do I even start? I have backups of almost everything. Eye cream, toner, face creams, cleansers, balms. I usually stock up on sale but I always work my way through products. I probably should stop hoarding a bit! Just because something is on sale doesn’t mean I should buy it!

Makeup… Very rarely have I repurchased stuff or bought back-ups. I probably have too much makeup anyway… I bought a back-up of MAC’s Ripe For Love. I bought two Chanel Perfection Vitalumière because for ages I wasn’t sure of the easiest way to get a hold of Chanel products.

Brenda P. Avatar

Maybelline One by One mascara. I discovered a few months ago when I went to replace it that it’s been discontinued!!! SO disappointed. I found a place online that still had them in stock so I ordered 4! That should last me the next year until I can find a replacement.

Before that, I bought a backup of Dior’s Rose Deshabille (by mistake, thought i’d lost the first one). I’ve learned to buy backups of items I really love because inevitably I lose them or they get discontinued. It never fails.

Lena Avatar

great question, and i’ve just gone over all the responses here and got a few tips!

mine was the guerlain crazy meteorites compact from last year’s holiday collection. previously, i believe sue devitt’s microquatic blue primer.

Jackie Avatar

I never, but never, buy back-ups of makeup items. I figure, I already have plenty of makeup as it is to go through–why buy more of the same exact item? With that said, I ended up loving MAC’s La Vie En Rouge lipstick so much, I couldn’t help but buy a back-up. It’s a beautiful shade and so *me*. I couldn’t imagine running out of it and being without such a gorgeous, vibrant color.

Quinctia Avatar

…probably when I bought another UD Greed Primer Potion. Then, when I looked in my drawer (I have a drawer with backups and gift purchases), I realized I had four, so I probably shouldn’t buy any more. Or maybe I bought the UD Deslick compact more recently. Deslick powder lasts me forever, so I only buy it when I have a sale opportunity.

Rashmi Avatar

I don’t use so much makeup that I need a back up of , but where my EOS lipbalms are concerned I always have to have a backup otherwise i feel something is incomplete in my collection! And since we don’t get those in india I ALWAYS have to have extras!

Johnna Quick Owens Avatar

I just ordered two extra backups of my favorite eyeliners, Julep Gel Eye Glider, because I always worry that once I have found something I love, it might go away. 🙂 I have been trying to find backups of the NYX Transylvania soft matte lip cream, but I may have to order it online as everything around me seems to be sold out. I rarely buy more than two of any one product at a time, unless I find them on clearance or have heard a rumor that they might be discontinued.

Mariella Avatar

Besides my Alpha Hydrox and Eucerin face products, which I can only get in the US, so I purchase multiples when I’m there, it would be Bare Minerals eyeshadow primer. When they came out with their new BB eye stuff, I was concerned it meant the end of this great little tube of primer (and I do mean LITTLE!) so I bought a backup to the one I already had.

Ruthie Avatar

Too many to list??!!!

But seriously, MAC Lip Conditioner and MAC Prep + Prime Lip.

I always have 2 open (1 in purse and 1 on vanity or nightstand) and 1 (or 2!) backups in their boxes!

I have REALLY problem chapped lips and these two products are the ONLY things that will keep them healthy! 🙂

Monica! Avatar

I purchased four bottles of Sally Hansen’s Pacific Blue (the original shade) and I got a backup of The Balm’s Marylou Manizer, my bestest highlighter ever! I dont usually buy backups but this two items I love and I would hate to be deprived of them.

Alecto Avatar

Other than the MAC Outre LE shadow ( which I knew, the moment I saw it, would be my basic, making-an-effort, go-to eyeshadow forever) I only get back-ups of pressed powders (Neutrogena mineral sheers foundation, which I use as a finishing powder). I don’t carry a purse, so I have several stashed (drawer at work, glove box, coat pocket, etc.) and when I use one up, I always seem to do so at the moment that all my local drugstores are out of my color, so I got in the habit of buying multiples even when I don’t need them.

Except …I screwed up recently and let myself get down to no backups and OF COURSE every drugstore was out of my color, so I got the Revlon Nearly Naked, which is fine except that it has the WORST APPLICATOR EVER. So mad at myself.

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