Makeup Inventory for 2017

Relatively speaking, I have a smaller wardrobe of makeup products. The amount that I have is relative to each person; some people only have a product or two so mine might be larger, others may have 50 lipsticks alone. The “right number” for each person varies depending on the person. For me, this is my current collection as it stands going into 2018.

In an effort to moderate my collection, I am including if I would or intend to repurchase, how I use the product, and if it’s something that I may destash in the future (and why/why not that would be the case). These things are important because it gives me an idea for what in my collection I would be leaning towards replacing and making impulse purchases and to be prepared for it, so that way, I am not buying things impulsively when I’v already got similar products in my collection.

Taking a look for what I already have can also highlight what it is I may be missing, and again, may be inclined to purchase without foresight, but for now, I am actually content with what I have and don’t see any glaring gaps in things I may be missing. Below the cut is everything I currently have.

Foundations

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Make Up For Ever Water Blend Face & Body Foundation (Y215)

  • Purpose in Collection: It stands as my every day foundation to even out my skin tone. I consider it “Holy Grail” and it is the one foundation I return to and works best with my skin type.
  • How do I use it?: As a foundation, of course. But this also really helps as a “tinted moisturizer” and adds moisture back into my skin. I can definitely notice when I haven’t used it frequently and it makes a difference in my skin.
  • Repurchase?: Absolutely! I’ve already purchased it twice before and am currently on my third bottle since it has come out in July 2016.
  • Destash?: No. This will have a spot in my collection for as long as it is produced (or until something better comes out.) I sometimes use something with slightly more coverage for photoshoots, but this is what I wear almost daily.

Tarte Cosmetics Rainforest of the Sea SPF 15 Foundation (Porcelain)

  • Purpose in Collection: Foundation with more coverage for photoshoots.
  • How do I use it?: As a foundation, so something to even out my skintone. It’s better used in the months I have not had a lot of sun exposure, but also used to reduce redness in my face.
  • Repurchase?: Have not decided. It definitely has higher coverage than my beloved Water Blend, but I only would be able to use it for a portion of the year. As Water Blend is sheerer, it fits my skin better for more months.
  • Destash?: I wouldn’t say I won’t do it, but it depends on how much use I can get out of it. My skin is a hair too dark to make this work right now. If this doesn’t get as much use as I would expect it to, I will likely destash.

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Face Products

Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primer (Nourishing)

  • Purpose in Collection: Face primer.
  • How do I use it?: Enhance length of foundation longevity and increase moisture in my dry ass lizard skin.
  • Repurchase?: Yup. I’ve tried other moisturizing primers, but this works the best for me, in my experience.
  • Destash?: No. I use mine fairly regularly and I find this works well enough to not be replaced.

Dior Flash Luminizer Radiance Booster Pen (Pink)

  • Purpose in Collection: Under-eye concealer.
  • How do I use it?: Reducing the appearance of under-eye bags and dullness.
  • Repurchase?: No. Per my previous review, I prefer a different product and would rather use that over this. It’s thicker than I prefer and the brush is very prickly on the delicate skin area. (In fairness; I know this isn’t intended to be used as a concealer, but that’s how I use it.)
  • Destash?: No. It may not be what I prefer, but it gets the job done and I’m also relatively sure I’m coming to the end of the product sooner rather than later anyways.

MAC Sheertone Blush (Ladyblush)

  • Purpose in Collection: Blush.
  • How do I use it?: Adding color back into my face to look human.
  • Repurchase?: I can’t answer this quite yet; the amount of product on this is huge and while it definitely lasts well and this color goes with everything, I would repurchase this but I don’t know that I actually will when it is used up.
  • Destash?: No. I don’t know of another blush I would actually use to replace this. It goes along with everything without clashing too much.

Make Up For Ever Artist Face Color (S112)

  • Purpose in Collection: Contour.
  • How do I use it?: Adding definition to my face; contouring. “Darkening” my face when using the Tarte Rainforest of the Sea to make the color match better by darkening at the points where it connects with my neck for cohesion.
  • Repurchase?: No. It’s not a bad product, but the color is “redder” than I would prefer a contour shade to be. I prefer more gray-based contour powders to emulate a shadow better.
  • Destash?: No. I can see myself using this, especially as it’s my only one. It’s not a bad product, it’s just not an ideal shade for my skintone. Until I either get really annoyed or it looks awful in pictures, I’m willing to use this up. As it stands right now, it’s not noticeable and can be tolerated.

Kat Von D Lock-It Loose Setting Powder

  • Purpose in Collection: Setting powder.
  • How do I use it?: Setting the under-eye area concealer.
  • Repurchase?: Yes. It’s not perfect, but it’s much better for dry skin than the Laura Mercier Loose Translucent Setting Powder and emphasizes the drier skin to a lesser degree.
  • Destash?: No. I will be using this up for sure, as I don’t have a back-up and there’s no indication of a better setting powder for drier skin on the market.

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Brow Products

Benefit 24-Hour Brow Setter Shaping & Setting Gel

  • Purpose in Collection: Brow gel.
  • How do I use it?: Keep the shape of my eyebrows in place throughout the day and makes it easier to trim them once set.
  • Repurchase?: As written previously, no. I much prefer the Anastasia Brow Gel and will be using that once this has been used up.
  • Destash?: No. Although I don’t like this as much as the other and have a Brow Gel ready to go, I’d much rather use this up. While I don’t buy into the sunk cost fallacy, it isn’t abhorrently bad enough to just toss or try and sell (especially when I’ve used it enough to not warrant the price for shipping.)

Anastasia Brow Wiz (Taupe)

  • Purpose in Collection: Brow product.
  • How do I use it?: Reduce sparse appearance in brows, make brows look fuller.
  • Repurchase?: Maybe? I prefer other brow products, but I would be willing to repurchase again. Some people state that they’ve gone through this quickly, but I’ve been using it for 3 months and am not close to using it up yet.
  • Destash?: No. While it’s not the best brow product I’ve ever used, it’s a nice pairing with a brow gel. I will definitely be using this product until completion.

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Eye Products

Urban Decay Eye Primer (Anti-Aging)

  • Purpose in Collection: Eyeshadow primer.
  • How do I use it?: Enhance longevity and pigmentation of eyeshadow and liner. I find it also helps to reduce the creasing effect due to my eyelid and how it is creased.
  • Repurchase?: Yes. I have used a few others and didn’t like them nearly as much as this one.
  • Destash?: No. I use this regularly and haven’t found another similar product I like nearly as much as this one.

Benefit Cosmetics Roller Lash (Brown)

  • Purpose in Collection: Mascara.
  • How do I use it?: Enhance lash length, separation of lashes, and additional volume.
  • Repurchase?: Yes. This is my fourth repurchase of this item and is my favorite mascara. It comes in both brown and black, but I typically wear the brown daily.
  • Destash?: No. After playing with other mascaras, this is the one I prefer the most.

Kat Von D Shade and Light Eye Contour Palette (Lazarus, Samael, Solas, Saleos, Sytry, and Shax)

  • Purpose in Collection: Neutral eyeshadows.
  • How do I use it?: Eyeshadows used for neutral, office-conservative/friendly, or general looks. I don’t use a lot of color, so these are the standard eyeshadows I use.
  • Repurchase?: Although I like the shades themselves, there were enough shades in the palette itself that I didn’t like or would not use that would cause me not to repurchase these. Instead, I would replace with similar singles. These come with fallout and there are other formulas I prefer without it.
  • Destash?: I think there is a reasonable likelihood after reviewing these colors that during my next destash, I will probably wind-up throwing out one or two of these colors given that I don’t use them all regularly.

MAC Eyeshadows (Omega, Vex and Nylon)

  • Purpose in Collection: Eyeshadows.
  • How do I use it?: Eyeshadows used for neutral or general looks. Omega also triple threats as a brow powder and a contour powder. Bar none, Omega is the one eyeshadow I would consider closest to “holy grail” in my collection based on this. I use Nylon as an inner eye highlight to make my eyes look bigger. Vex is used for more vintage looks.
  • Repurchase?: Both Nylon and Omega have a role in my collection that no other product fills. Vex, I am on the fence about.
  • Destash?: I would not destash any at this point. I use all of them fairly regularly and I quite like the MAC shadow formulation.

Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows (M500 and S114)

  • Purpose in Collection: Eyeshadows.
  • How do I use it?: A eyeshadow base that is close to my skintone; a gray used for vintage looks.
  • Repurchase?: The Artist Shadow formula has been discontinued (and will be reformulated), so not an option.
  • Destash?: Not M500; it’s easily my most used eyeshadow, but S114 could be on the pile if I don’t feel like I can use it as much as I should. I’ll be honest: I was disappointed by these eyeshadows. I don’t mind a sheerer formula, but these require a lot of building up and even then, it doesn’t build as nicely as I’d hoped.

Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner ((Earth)quake and Blacquer)

  • Purpose in Collection: Eyeliner.
  • How do I use it?: Tightlining. Adding dimension to eyes and drawing out the blue in my eyes.
  • Repurchase?: I would not repurchase Blacquer (I rarely use it), but definitely would for (Earth)quake which I use almost daily.
  • Destash?: I can foresee Blacquer being destashed if I continue to not have a reason to use it. I rarely use black for every day purposes because it is so stark against my coloring. I use it really only for special occasions or photography. (Earth)quake is used almost daily, so it would not be destashed.

Physician’s Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum (Dark Brown, Ultra Black)

  • Purpose in Collection: Liquid eyeliner.
  • How do I use it?: Vintage looks; particularly cat eyeliner.
  • Repurchase?: Yes. The price is right, it stays on even in humid temperatures without smudging, and comes in a dark brown.
  • Destash?: Possibly the black, but the dark brown is definitely a keeper. I just don’t use black liner enough.

Lip Products

MAC Cosmetics Lipsticks (Kinda Sexy, Chili, and Brave)

  • Purpose in Collection: Lipsticks.
  • How do I use it?: Kinda Sexy is the resident nude lipstick, Brave is MLBB (My Lips But Better), and Chili is the brick red of my childhood dreams.
  • Repurchase?: I would repurchase all three happily. The formulas are great, colors are excellent, and I find I really like wearing all three colors.
  • Destash?: No. All of them fulfill a unique position in my lipstick library and so they shall stay.

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick (Project Chimps and Double Dare)

  • Purpose in Collection: Liquid lipsticks.
  • How do I use it?: When I need something that won’t smudge easily or wear off easily, these are the ones I turn to. Project Chimps, much like MAC Chili, is a fabulous red brick color. Double Dare is a great pink that I can wear both pinup and “unpinned.”
  • Repurchase?: Yes, but Project Chimps was limited edition and there is no indication Kat will be bringing it back permanently. Double Dare is a newer addition to my collection and hasn’t been worn enough to establish this yet.
  • Destash?: No to either.

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution (Love Liberty)

  • Purpose in Collection: Lipstick.
  • How do I use it?: Darker “vamp/berry” lipstick for fall/autumn.
  • Repurchase?: Yes! I love the formula, I love the color, all of it is great. No complaints on this.
  • Destash?: No. I haven’t found a darker shade in a formula I like and a color that works for me as well as this. Plus, this fills a specific role for me. Even if it doesn’t work as an “authentic vintage” kind of shade, it’s pretty enough and works for me that I won’t be destashing it.

Besame Cosmetics Classic Color Lipstick (Red Velvet)

  • Purpose in Collection: Lipstick.
  • How do I use it?: I used it for my Peggy Carter cosplay, but also for office-friendly red and presentations when I need to be pumped up.
  • Repurchase?: I actually have a back-up of this waiting, but I would definitely repurchase this. The formula, as a bullet lipstick, is top notch especially for a red. I don’t necessarily believe in a “universal” color, but this is the closest I’ve seen to it yet.
  • Destash?: No. I still intend to do some Peggy Carter cosplays and I love wearing this color. It’s kind of like the instant kick you get from hearing something like Bohemian Rhapsody or We Will Rock You.

Givenchy Le Rouge (Mandarine Bolero)

  • Purpose in Collection: Lipstick.
  • How do I use it?: With the combination of the MUFE Aqua Liner in 23C to create a lovely orange-based, retro coral lipstick. Mostly worn during spring/summer months.
  • Repurchase?: This is technically a repurchase, but I think after this, I am going to have to do some more experimenting. As much as I know I can get in the ballpark for what I’m going after with this, there has to be something closer than this out there.
  • Destash?: I won’t say no, but I think it’ll be much more likely when the MUFE Aqua Liner in 23C gets used up that this will also probably be tossed or sold. It pulls more pink and white-based than orange and slightly muted without the liner, and I’m not really into that.

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner (23C – Orange)

  • Purpose in Collection: Lipliner.
  • How do I use it?: Adding more of an orange emphasis to Givenchy Mandarine Bolero and mutedness; without it, it’s more pink and more white-based.
  • Repurchase?: Not unless I would also purchase Mandarine Bolero; I really use this as an addition to that product.
  • Destash?: Not unless I would also be destashing Mandarine Bolero. These two work together and are used together. If one goes, both go.

BITE Beauty Lip Pencil (076)

  • Purpose in Collection: Lipliner.
  • How do I use it?: Maintaining precision, adding depth and color, and increasing longevity for red lipsticks.
  • Repurchase?: Yes. I quite like the formula of it and it really does help to extend the wear of the lipstick.
  • Destash?: No. I like this product enough that I will definitely use it up.

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Analysis

This is everything as it stands. Here are some things I have personally noticed in analyzing it:

  • I can generally keep track of everything and while I typically don’t replicate in a lot of areas, this is something I would like to continue to work on to keep reducing. While red lipstick is a staple piece of a vintage makeup wardrobe, I don’t really need to have that many.
  • I don’t have a highlighter after realizing I generally don’t like it and don’t think it really helps. I prefer a more traditionally “matte” look (even though I have drier skin) and I don’t particularly like how highlighter looks on me.
  • Getting a better concept of knowing what colors work best for me (e.g. reds, berries, orange-based corals) helps to reduce impulsive purchases and things that won’t work (i.e. vampy, white-based pinks, greiges, etc.)
  • Even though I have all neutrals, I don’t necessarily use them all and I know I can cut down on it. At this point, it is just knowing which ones to cut.

At this point, I have a collection that is a nice size and can be cut down slightly. I don’t have any particular gaps that I can see would need to be filled at this point. I think at this point, it’s being able to use products up that will be the bigger challenge. I intend to do a Project Pan for 2018 (and will document it here). But given my sloth-like pace on using products up, I foresee a lot of these will remain into next year.

How do you feel about your collection going into next year? Are there particular gaps you are looking to fill? Or are you content and working towards using products up?

 

Yours ’til Niagara Falls,

Jupiter Gimlet

Decluttering: Fall 2017

I wouldn’t consider myself a minimalist; although some would say there’s a lot of freedom that comes with being one. For the first time in a few years, I’m starting to put down roots-ish (with a lot of help from my significant other.) For the last several years, I’ve been bouncing from place to place and now that I’ll be in the same place for at least a good few years now, I have an actual vanity and with it, space for makeup. With this as well, my vintage/vintage reproduction wardrobe has also grown.

Despite this, I tend to make myself every few months go through my collection. I have a hard limit of 6 months; if I have not used a product at least once or I don’t love it anymore, it has to go. Even if there is a sentimental reason for keeping it, if I don’t use it, it’s time to lose it.

So, without further delay, here are the things I’m removing from my collection and why I am no longer keeping it.

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation Stick

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I have had this product for a good few months now, at least since MUFE went ahead and added new shades (including my match, Y215) to the line-up. However, I don’t use it that often with good reason: it breaks me out. If I use this product more than one day (and sometimes, depending on how long I’ve worn it that day), I tend to break out and my skin gets irritated. The next morning, I’ll wake up with at least one giant blemish and usually with a lot of redness along my chin. My skin (in the same area) has the same reaction to the regular Ultra HD liquid formula, so this one and I are just not meant to be. (Which is fine, because Water Blend is my everything.)

There are a few other issues I have with this product: after a long day of wearing, the use of it really starts to show. I’ve had issues with the separation looking very obvious. With cream foundations, although they are marketed towards dry skin, they can emphasize patches so I also have to do a little more maintenance work in preparation for wearing this (I have to use a nourishing/moisturizing primer with it and can only use a Beautyblender with it; my paddle brush is too streaky.)

It looks great for photography, and that’s the only time I’ve actually been wearing it is for when I know I am going to get my picture taken. For me, for something that is $42, that’s not a great value for the product if I only wear it sparingly. This is a product I’ve worn within 6 months a few times, but because I can’t use it as often as I would like, I know it’s time to get it a better home than I can give it.

 

Besame Classic Color Lipstick

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This is one where the intersection of pinup crowd and makeup crowd who know me will be shocked that I’m putting a Besame lipstick up for decluttering. This particular shade is Wild Orchid, based off of a shade from 1952. It’s a lovely fuchsia-based color, but tends to lean very cool-toned.

And that is precisely why it’s going out the door (among a few other reasons.)

When I wear this one, the cool-tones are very pronounced. While I have cool-toned hair, I have an overall low-contrast appearance, which when adding the very bright (and therefore, high-contrast) Wild Orchid along with it’s cool undertones, it really throws off the coloring in my face and emphasizes any redness. In short: it’s not very flattering on me.

When comparing this to my beloved Red Velvet, I also find the formula is just a hair different. I’ve had Red Velvet for some time now and it’s still pretty creamy and easy to work with. Despite having had Wild Orchid (and I have used it within 6 months) for some time, I find it has gotten drier (despite having the lid on it) and a little more difficult to apply.

Because of those two reasons, I’ve been inclined to use it less. Since my goal is to actually use products, this one is going to a new home.

 

NARS Audacious Lipstick

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I had mentioned in a previous post that I don’t like the Audacious formula, but was holding onto Marlene for sentimental reasons. After having some important internal debates, I decided it was time to give up the ghost.

The reason this is going? I just have other reds I prefer to wear and when given a choice, this one always comes to the bottom of the list. The formula itself is the problem; it’s creamy to a fault and tends to transfer all over. Because it is also very pigmented, it also is difficult to remove so if that red bleeds all over? Enjoy the Joker look, because it’s going to be a hag to clean up.

I also put the sentimentality bug to bed for this reason: Project Chimps, a red I much prefer to wear, was also important to me. Before going into public health, I was a primatologist (though, chimps were never one of my focal species.) The point is: holding onto something I don’t like for sentimental reasons isn’t sufficient enough when there’s other ones I like more and are just as memorable.

For that reason, bye NARS Audacious.

 

Laura Mercier Loose Translucent Setting Powder

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As you may be aware, I am a lizard woman. Powders, in general, are not my friend. This powder, in particular, is not the friendliest to dry skin. I only use this to set my undereyes, but when compared to the Kat Von D Lock-it Setting Powder, it makes the skin under my eyes look much more crinkly and gives the appearance that I’m tired faster. This is because of the product being talc-based, as opposed to being cut with mica which doesn’t make it as drying.

For that reason, that’s why the Laura Mercier is going to be losing a spot in my collection.

 

MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil

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In general, I’m not the biggest lip liner fan. I don’t think most of them work that well. This one actually does work pretty well in terms of extending the length of wear and helping to keep product from bleeding out without drying my lips. In fact, I actually don’t have any problems with it otherwise and would strongly recommend it.

So then why am I ditching something that actually works? Simple. Kiss Me Quick is a hair bit cooler in terms of undertone than I prefer in my reds. BITE Beauty has a lip pencil in 082 which is a perfect brick red and the color that I normally reach out for when I want a red lipstick. There’s no real point to me having both, and I haven’t reached for this in months, so it’s time for this to go.

 

Kat Von D Metal Crush Eyeshadow

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This is a product where you can definitely see the use on it. I have used it quite a bit and it’s a terrific multitasker; you can use it as an eyeshadow, but also as a highlighter or lip topper. It has a decent wear time as both of those things in addition to the eyeshadow.

So, why ditch it? The honest answer is that I don’t like wearing highlighters, and in terms of brightening/shimmery shadows, I much prefer MAC Nylon. This is a sheerer shadow and it requires some build-up to get a decent pay-off on the eyelid (which makes it decent as a highlighter if you prefer less in your face ones).

 

And that will conclude this fall’s destashing. I regularly comb through and ditch stuff, so we’ll likely see another one of these in the next 6 months or so.

Yours ’til Niagara Falls,

Jupiter Gimlet