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
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
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
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
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
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
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
