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On a personal level, quality has to be exceptional (or the color/finish very unique). More generally, I tend to keep permanent lines of products from popular brands, but I don’t keep most cream/gel-based formulas (like eyeliner, blush, highlighter, etc.) as I don’t find I need to go back into the archives much any more (to do side-by-side comparisons), so I’d rather pass those on while usable than sit around and get gross.
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I keep everything. It’s a problem.
I may well be the worst person to ask about this! LOL!
Seriously though, I have a heck of a time letting go of cosmetics or clothing. Other things I can much more comfortably let go of, generally speaking. I have been able to unload some of the products that I really just haven’t enjoyed using or didn’t like on myself, though. But this tends to be fairly immediately, and has usually been in the form of returning an item for either a refund or exchange. So, my answer would be that it works for/with me, has very good to excellent quality, is at least fairly easy to use and that I enjoy using and/or wearing it.
I’m working on this. Ideally I’d only keep what I use and what I love and get rid of everything else. But it’s challenging because I don’t know anyone personally that I can pass things on to so if I can’t donate them I have to trash them. Then I feel bad about doing that so I end up rationalizing them back into my collection.
I tend to hang on to palettes, especially. And since the first true palette I bought was Naked2 by Urban Decay, I got used to really hanging onto them, knowing that the best shades in the palette were never going to be replicated in a single shadow, and if it was–they were going to discontinue it immediately. I am still hoping that UD will put out a block of “Booty Call” –it matches me perfectly. I’m currently searching for a perfect transition shade & when I find it, I’ll buy 3!
I tend hang on to powders, but liquids and creams, to as soon as they show the first little sign of degrading–out they go. But I admit to hanging on to lipsticks, especially when I love the color. Even if it doesn’t flatter me. Like the bluish-cherry red Dior lip I was gifted long ago…
I just make needed purchases for my makeup collection, so for me everything is worth keeping if it was worth purchasing. I only remove from my collection finished items and pass expiration date (months from opening or 3 years from manufacturing date).
If I receive as a gift or perk something I won’t use (colors that I don’t like, types of products or formulas I don’t use, things with ingredients I personally don’t use), in the past I would just pass it on to my mom (she either use it or see if one of her friends wanted it); but that wasn’t in the book in the last year and a half.
If I like it and it works for me, I keep it. I regularly declutter to try to keep things under control.
It gets used!
Declutter is cathartic.
What makes an eyeshadow palette worth keeping for me is, as you have said Christine, the exceptional quality and the unique shades and combinations of colours that suit me best. As I buy so few palettes these days, I do tend to love and use all the ones I have.
If the product hasn’t spoiled or gone funny smelling and there’s even the slightest chance I might use it in the future (MAC Family Silver mineralize eyeshadow is a perfect example) then I keep it. Compared to other things, makeup items don’t take up a huge amount of room (well, individual items don’t; enormous collections like many of us have DO take up a lot of room “en masse”) so I hang on to things.