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Temptalia Asks You - Do you consider yourself a makeup collector?

Do you consider yourself a makeup collector? Sure you use some of what you buy, but do you often buy just to have it in your “collection”? Do you consider what you have going an actual collection, similar to someone’s stamp collection?

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bec Avatar

Yes, Yes, YES! I was waiting for this question to come along.
I hoard eyeshadows, blushes and lipsticks from various brands. I only use about 1/4 or 1/5 of them! I don’t know why I do it, because it’s definitely a waste of money but I just love collecting makeup for some bizarre reason.

Nell Avatar

I only recently came to adopt the idea of me being a makeup collector instead of a slightly crazy person, intent on owning every other lipstick, eyeshadow and gloss known to man, whether I´m going to use it or not! If I like a particular brand, I have the urge to own everything from it, which of course I can´t (thank God there are limits to my greed), but I sure try (ebay is our friend).
It is probably just a euphemism, but it sounds a hell of a lot better than makeup addict or beautyjunkie.
We are collectors, sounds real good to me!

Kimberly Avatar

Wait you’d better make that triplets! I do the exact same thing. I’m having shuffle things around though, I’m running out of storage space!

Erin Avatar

Well, I think I try really hard not to be just a collector. I like to think that everything I have in my collection is to give me more options… but seriously, if I wore the same look for two weeks straight nobody else would probably notice. I would consider myself a collector, sure. I don’t store backups, though, and if it doesn’t work with everything else I already have I won’t buy it- I rarely buy a brand new three- color look all at once or anything like that. If a color is too close to what I already have I figure I can fake it. I like to take out all my shadows and find new combinations with then.

Christine Avatar

Hey Erin! No one says you can’t collect and use as the same time 🙂 I consider myself a bit of a “collector” but I definitely try to use everything I have, and I do try to avoid buying anythingn that’s just “too pretty to use.”

Lindsay Avatar

I like to “collect” makeup, but I use everything, or I try really hard to. Its the only way that I can justify paying all that money and having so much make up. I never wear the same look 2 days in a row or even in the same week, like Erin said though, I dont know how many people notice but that doesnt matter to me. I enjoy trying something new everyday and never wearing the same face twice. The only thing that I have ever bough a back up of was Mellow Flame l/s, it is perfect for me!

Oh, on a different note…its -47 C here today! Yikes!

Tanya Avatar

nope not a collector. I take great care in picking my colors and not buying a color or product that I wont get max use out of. I use to be much more loose with my spending and would just buy any brand or product just to get in a shopping “fix”. That all stopped when I found MAC, now I only wear MAC and despite having no problem affording it…I want to take great care in only buying products I will use and are a good “investment” for my face and beauty.

Brook Avatar

Nope, I’m not a collector. I’m a stickler for hygiene, any open product that I haven’t used up inside of 12 months gets to meet the trashcan. So I don’t really get to amass a horde.

ariele Avatar

I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a “collector” because I won’t buy something if I know I won’t use it “just to say I have it.” But I do buy a lot of makeup, sometimes stuff that is similar to what I already have. I like to have a wide selection of color options to choose from.

Lingping Avatar

I think I could very easily become a collector, given money. I find nice palettes and shiny special editions extremely tempting, but have to concider all the brands carefully and choose a few select items every season (which is also fun!). I do however buy a lot more than I can actually finish; there is only one eyeshadow I have used so much of that I could see the pan in the bottom (and I had to get a replacement, it’s such a great and easy everyday look – for when there is no time in the morning) and that is Clinique “Strawberry Fudge”.

So at the moment I am not a collector, but only due to economical factors 😉

Mariah Avatar

OMG I LOVE Strawberry Fudge! I got it in a trio pallet with Vanilla, and my boyfriend’s favorite color combo is Neopolitan (You know, Pink/Brown/White), so he loves when I wear it! It’s so easy to wear too!

Mariah Avatar

It’s funny, because I used to be a collector. When I was a teenager, I got into Garden Botanika, when they had stores in the mall. And it was my second brand of high end makeup I got into (The first being Ultima II, lol!). I just HAD to have every color even if it didn’t look good on me! Which, as a teenager was kinda good, because I learned early what looked good on me and what looked crappy!

Now, I just save my money for the really good things I know I’ll love. I like to spend money on really fantastic products like Dior, Nars, Mac, Cargo, TooFaced, etc. And I have a collection now that’s both beautiful, fun, high-quality and looks great on me. And I can use it all!! LOL!

Christine Avatar

Hey Mariah! What a cute story. It’s true that you can get away with the experimentation early on and not worry about looking silly. It’s all fun!

It’s great that you’ve learned what works and what doesn’t, so now your collection reflects the very best!

Jetblack Avatar

I think i’ve bought more make up since visiting this site! It’s also encouraged me to play with makeup more and it turns out im not too bad at it! I fell in love with your tutorials when I first saw them here. Got a few drugstore products in similar colours to the ones you had used in a tutorial and followed it step by step! It took ageeees but I was so pleased with the outcome. Hmmm just realised I’m not answring your question!

Not a collector, I do have back ups, love to keep the stuff I have in goodlooking boxes (even if the boxes once held chocolate!)

Jennie Avatar

Well, I’m only 15 at the moment but I love buying makeup! MAC especially. I am a potential makeup collector 😉 Now I’m trying to only buy the staples and then splurge on the Fafi collection!

Janis Avatar

Well I never really thought that I’d be a collector of make-up but it just so happened that I can’t stop buying them! As of now I’m trying to sort out my make-up and narrow them down to the ones that I actually need and not to just look at. I’m thinking of giving some of my palettes to my sis and mom. I’m sure they’ll be very happy hehe.

Sara Avatar

Oh God, yes! I think I need to join a program for ‘Cosmetics Anonymous’ or something. LOL.

I’m obsessed with buying makeup/hair products. I just love the idea of having everything I need to ‘beautify’ myself, even if I’m never going to use it. Heck, half the stuff I have is still unopened. I don’t know how much money I would’ve spent over the years, but I know it would’ve been a lot! 😉

I think what makes it worse for me, is whenever I see something that’s ‘Limited Edition’ or from MAC, thats when I go nuts and spend big. Here in Australia, MAC is double the price than what it is in the US, so my bank account is always out of funds because of it. LOL.

Also, whenever I see a look someones created that I love, I just have to go buy all the items used to create it.

I really am quite nuts when it comes to makeup. I can’t help it though. I love it all. 🙂

I’m sure there are some people out there that share my, uh, “passion”, the same way I do….. 😉 LOL

~Sara~

Monica Avatar

I would definitely say I am a make up collector. I did your spreadsheet to see the approximate value of my collection $5g
yeah that’s really bad but not the extent of it bc it doesn’t include all my other make up
I feel like I need to have a huge sale and get rid of half the stuff bc I can’t possibly use it all especially with all the new make up collections coming out
I can honestly say I don’t buy like I used to though
I pick up maybe 1-2 items per collection

Tonee Avatar

I used to be a collector but not anymore. It’s something that changed with time. When I was younger, I was fascinated with make up and collected anything and everything. Now I know what works on me and what doesn’t, so I don’t waste time and money (and space) on what I don’t need. The only items I collect are LE stuff that is stored in the refrigerator until I need it!

Tonee Avatar

Lipsticks and nail polish certainly last a long time. I have some stuff that is more than ten years old but is in perfect condition. The color/smell/consistency – nothing has changed.

Recently I was looking through my collection in the fridge when I discovered I had an unused Clinique Chubby Stick, still inside the original packaging, too! It was a shade I used to love called Vanilla Brownie and I started using it again – great stuff. Makes you wonder why some awesome products are discontinued in the first place!!

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