Decluttering Makeup, as 2016's Resolution: Quality Over Quantity

The older I get, the more I know makeup, the wiser I be. We all once must have been in the period of impulsive buying. We buy everything, even we had not known the idea of using all those makeup tools or we buy just for the sake of its cute packaging. I know we were. Times passed by, you would realize that makeup and tools that you've been using over and over were only some, while the others were sitting peacefully on the vanity.

Those happened to me too, it's about time I realized that some makeup looks doesn't suit my personality, some makeups that those beauty bloggers recommend doesn't work on me and some makeup dupes that I thought would be fine, turned out did not meet my expectation that I still longing for the former one that I was looking for the dupe.

My affection towards skincare too, affecting my makeup appetite. As far as my concern is on the "canvas", I would confidently go out even without makeup on. Investing in a good skincare and maintaining a healthy skin is my current main priority that makeup has been set aside for now.

Then I looked at my pouches....

I had only one back then, and it was my mom's since she accidentally left her makeup pouch when she visited me in college. What she left were a mascara, a neutral eyeshadow palette, a powder brush, a lipstick, peach blusher, and face powder. Sounded regretful, in the end, she gave all of them to me with this justification: "At least my daughter would look presentable.". Guess what, she then even regretting the day she gave all her makeup to me because, since that day, my addiction towards makeup was becoming real!

There was no single time I came out from Sephora empty handed - I would just bought anything as long as I got something out from Sephora, like a NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil or a Sephora Eye Pencil. I browsed makeup dupes and affordable makeup because I thought "Why would I spend more when I can get the similar ones in a fraction of the price?" --- that led to another trouble.

In the beginning of 2016, I finally said to myself I'd favor quality over quantity. I forgot what has triggered me but suddenly it popped out of my head. Maybe, it was because I was being too overwhelmed with stuff and I needed more space just for things I actually love. So I started to have a more quality life. Not that it wasn't before, but I started to eliminate things that didn't spark to me as it was before, and end myself with any negativity.

As I'm reaching the completion of my degree, I started to pack things in my room. Thanks to Konmari, cleaning made easier. I tossed out those papers, clothes that didn't fit me anymore, and those garbages that I kept just for the sake of the memory I had with them. I started to have as minimal as it is and whenever I go to the supermarket I'd say to myself "Would I finish this, or would it sits inside the cabinet forever and goes expired?" -- I hope this will continue forever, not merely because I need to think of the overloaded baggage when I go back, for good.

Same goes to my makeup and skincare stash. Here are the tips from me if you want to declutter your makeup and skincare, and tips before adding a product into your vanity:

Categorized

I separated my makeup and skincare in three; totally not working anymore, it might be working but I get bored of them and perfectly good. This made me easier to select and toss the products.

1. Totally not working anymore

This category falls under makeups and skin care that have reached beyond their expiry date. For makeup, they have manufactured date that you can check it here. And if it said it's expired, I just tossed it right on to the bin because who wants an infection, right? Skincare products have their shelf life too. Skin cares that were not working for me; it gave me bumps, it's too much alcohol, it dried out my skin and else falls into this category too.

2. It might be working but I get bored of them

So what happened to makeups and skin cares in this category? I sold it online or I gave them to my sisters and friends instead.

Anyhow, makeup is not a basic needs - there are some essentials like face powder, MLBB lipstick, coral or pinkish blush on and a mascara, but not to have it in every shade and brands, so have fun with it and buy things that only makes you happy that every time you look at them you're still sparkled on how beautiful and joy you have when you're playing with them.

3. Perfectly good

To those belong to this category, I forced myself to finish it quickly before it goes expired. They become the priority to be used before I open a new product.

Don't go for dupes

This happened a lot when I got myself a dupe. Temptalia.com said,

"a dupe is a similarly-colored (and often similar in finish) shade compared to the "original shade", it might be cheaper than the original, better-performing, permanently available, or by a brand more available to you in your area."

I wanted to have an eyeshadow palette but those palettes in Sephora that I was interested would cost me at least RM 200, so I browsed online to find some drugstore dupes. I rushed to the nearest drugstore to find the brand I looked up to and found the eyeshadows. "Great! Instead of spending RM 200 I got less!" I said to myself proudly. Later did I know, I wasn't so happy with the eyeshadows. They were good but didn't please me enough: didn't stay long, bulky packaging, less pigmented and I still wanting the former eyeshadow palette I've been eyeing to in Sephora. And actually, by calculation, an eyeshadow palette is still considered as affordable since they carried many colors in a palette.

Actually, a dupe is good for a tester too, although this can only be applicable strictly for their color, not formulation. I wanted to have a MAC Kinda Sexy because it looked flattering on some girls, so I bought Wardah Long Lasting Lipstick in 02 Pink Sorbet because they said the color somehow similar. I was grateful that I didn't buy the MAC one because this kind of color didn't look flattering at all on me and made me looked pale instead.

However, I don't go for dupes anymore now. The color the dupes have might somehow be similar, but the quality might not be the same. Instead of looking for dupes, I go for the quality. I buy because of the whole nice experience I get: comfortability, look good on me and it has a nice packaging. It's a plus if the price does not kill my wallet! The most important thing is to not go beyond yourself, and yes, there are absolutely cheaper alternatives out there.

Test before you buy

However, before, there's always a tester for you to try out. When I went to MAC store in KLCC, the BA was so nice that she'd clean the lipstick for me to try out and giving me color options although I ended up didn't buy the lipsticks because they felt so dry on my lips.

Sephora is a nice place too. The BAs would not mind if you try out all the testers provided because that's your right. You only need a little courtesy here: to place back the testers to their original places. If you have an eye for a foundation, you can always ask for a sample. I was once desperately in search of my holy grail lipstick color because I kept on buying that does not suit my liking. So I took lipsticks from Sephora, NYX, Laneige, until I found Marc Jacobs Beauty's Le Marc Lip Creme Lipstick in Infamous 228 that perfectly suits my lip color.

That wraps the tips from me! Makeup and skincare are definitely and should be fun. Brands are competing in the market to attract beauty enthusiasts and I know there are a lot to come in 2017. So, have fun picking out!