I like something that seems edited but still has some variety, and I like seeing a theme. Part of wanting to see variety in color is that I want to see products that can work across skin tones. Example: if a brand is going to release a blush, I don’t want to see something that is a shade that will only work on ultra light-skinned folks; I’d rather them launch two or three shades that fit the theme.
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Mainly colors and shades that I would want to use throughout the year. For eyeshadow I know you can keep palette shades such as powder eyeshadow for two years or more if you keep your brushes clean (but we all know they can really last years and you can spritz them with some rubbing alcohol and let dry to keep using).
Since cream eye shadows really start going downhill after the 6 month mark, I really gotta love them to use them otherwise they start to dry up.
Lipsticks – depends on the type of lipstick. If I’m not going to use a bullet lipstick for a while I gently wipe off the used area with a tissue and spritz it with a bit of rubbing alcohol and store. I know the ingredients really start to break down and go rancid after a while but can easily last about two years, maybe three. I have a few Besame lipsticks that are still phenomenal after hitting the three year mark. If it’s a liquid lipstick, I noticed my YSL vinyl and liquid tint collection really started to cease up after 6 months despite good storage and usage about once a week. I won’t repurchase those because I paid over $45 for a lipstick that lasted 6 months tops before it started to break down. I know gloss can last two years, but due to applying to my lips and pushing the bacteria into that tube it really starts to smell bad after a while.
Blushes seem to last forever, I have yet to hit pan on any of mine and end up throwing them out due to lack of use rather going bad.
I like regular eyeliners, pencil style because they will last for an incredibly long time if stored correctly, I just need to sharpen to freshen them up. Gel style liners and liquid eyeliners I don’t normally buy ‘seasonal’.
Mascaras are a total no-go for me. Once they are open, I got a month, maybe two, to use them before they need to get tossed. I don’t want to fall in love with a mascara that is limited or seasonal.
I have a lot of regrets from buying seasonal items due to impulse purchasing and they sit in my drawer. I have to really want to use it throughout the year or use it before they expire once opening.
Yes! A tightly edited colour story with inspirational colour combinations. I like to see a focal point, a definitive colour story.
I feel Sydney Grace and Huda Beauty are doing a decent job at taking skintone into consideration with their colour product releases. I think it is an underutilized marketing strategy. Sure there are base products embracing the wider skintone spectrum, but it’s nice to see colour products getting onboard.
I don’t believe in ‘seasonal’ make-up, I’ll wear my bold burgundy lipstick in the middle of a hot summer day. 😀
Still, I agree with Christine’s point that with any collection (including a seasonal one) you really need to have a cohesive theme, well structured, not just a bunch of seasonal items thrown together. I also more than agree than usually collection are catered to specific complexion (let’s admit, usually light to medium skin tones).
Something unique, hopefully enough so to get my interest. Also, well coordinated pieces that make the entire collection a well-edited and interesting one. Oh, and well thought out, beautiful, yet functional packaging always helps!
First and foremost, I like a well-edited, cohesive color story that is consistent with the season and I think it is a definite plus when that color story offers warm and cool options in varying tones. Chanel’s recent Desert Dream collection is a good example of how you can have warm and cool tones telling the same story so that they can work separately or together. I also want to see a complete look with products that encompasses eyes, cheeks, and lips. It’s not that I’ll necessarily purchase the entire collection, but by seeing a brand’s overall vision for the season, I find inspiration and can better judge which products I actually need to purchase to achieve a similar look. But, even if a seasonal collection has all the elements that I look for, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for me. When creating seasonal collections, each brand has at its core an image it wants to project and a specific demographic. If I don’t embrace the image or if I’m not part of the demographic, that’s OK. There are so many collections from which to choose and it’s even OK to skip a season entirely.
I don’t wear colors seasonally, so I don’t think about them much. Quality is a no-brainer. As much as I like variety, I’d rather see small collections of great quality than large ones that are so-so. It’s nice to see a collection with some cohesion and thought put into it. I like to see something different from what other collections are doing. It seems we see the same products in the same shades in every year. I understand there are always new people coming to makeup who need basics, and that’s fine. But the basics aren’t what I’m looking for, so I leave those collections to those who need them.
For things like bronzers, highlighters, and blushes, I’d rather see singles, duos, or small palettes with options for different skin tones, rather than having a larger palette. If I can only wear two of the shades, why would I bother?
I tend to buy the most products in the fall, when there are more color options and the bonus of pretty fall and winter holiday packaging.
I want the items to cohere — if I bought a palette, blush, and lipstick, I’d like them to look nice used together. I don’t need to be able to use all of them — variety of shades that flatter different skin tones would be nice! — but if there’s a variety of products, they should make sense together.
Alternately/additionally, I’d like them to evoke something about the season. That doesn’t have to be super restrictive — I know sparkly red and gold and green might be cliche for winter holiday releases, but why not silvery pastel blue and duochrome white and midnight navy, for a snowy night? Or a more Scandi vibe, with matte/shimmer red and cream and pine and straw-gold? Or a Yule Fire collection, a smoky palette with a fiery lipstick? If you can tell me how it fits the season or what the theme is, I’m all for it!
I hate really massive seasonal collections, though. Taking into account the need for a variety of skin tones, I’d still like no more than 12 total shadows (broken into quads or one large one), a couple of blushes, a handful of complimentary liners, and maybe three or four lipsticks. Please don’t overwhelm me!
A seasonal collection for me should contain half a dozen or so beauty items – 2-3 bright, colourful lipsticks in quite different shades, 2-3 eye quads featuring both warm and cool shades and a blush or two.
I would like the eye quads to contain cohesive shades in a range of colours (no blacks or whites) that speak to the season. I want the eye quads to cater for all skin tones as well.
The lipsticks should have all year round appeal – a berry, a good red and a bronze shade at least.
I like a big collection with lots of options (Colourpop), packaging that’s aesthetically pleasing to me, pigmented colors, hopefully in a new or unique formula. And it’s generally from a brand I love and buy most of the products from. Although there are a few brands, like MAC, Tarte, and Too Faced, that I like but probably don’t buy everything from. For brands like that I need to see the collection and then decide.