Buying lots of beauty products when I don't use much?

[Littlepond]

So I've probably hit my mid life crisis, I look in the mirror and see an old woman looking back at me. Several months ago I signed up to a beauty box subscription which I LOVE, it's my fave day of the month. And every month brings promise of that one product which will MAKE ME AMAZING. Thing is, since the beauty box bringing me so much joy I've started buying other beauty stuff online too. Not high end, or tiny samples if it is, but I just love them all.

But... I don't really know how to use half of it. I don't have a "skincare regime". I don't use make up much at all - I have a job which requires physical stuff and can be quite stressful so a full face would soon sweat and run - plus I don't have time in the morning as I'm still working out how to use it all...

And I don't go out much. I meet my mum for coffee on a Saturday, I have maybe one night out per month which might be wetherspoons drinks or dinner at a curry place. I go to the occasional wedding. I do have a few parties coming up as friends all reach a milestone birthday...

I'm not sure my point, I feel a bit daft when I look at my drawers and drawers of make up, and my shelf of face oils and sprays and shimmer sticks and primers and and and... I'm spending about a quarter of my personal disposable income on beauty each month. But it all makes me so happy and when I do get to go out I like choosing which me I'm going to be.

Should I try and learn to use it all better? Beauty blogs? Or just be happy with my collecting/hoarding? Or do I need to stop buying??

You need to start using or stop buying.

Have you looked at "Ashamed of my beauty hoards" threads?
When you buy the boxes do you know what you get in advance? Is there a Holy Grail product that you believe/hope/know will change your life?

Each thing you buy , you think "If this is The One, will I have wasted 6 months using those inferior products" but it isn't and you go onto the next one and the next one.

the Beauty Industry is ugly. From the idea that we need all this make up to make us acceptable, the money used to peddle it , the testing of products on innocent animals, the frankly hideous look that people sport with their inflated lips and eyelash extensions like a rigid shelf.
My lovely DD pours over social media (nearly 16) and its scarey how young women are influenced.

Cancel your subscriptions. Use what you have then only buy it if you LOVE it !

You need to take a step back and look what you need and what works for your skin. The only things I buy in bulk is the Boots No7 serum when it's 3 for 2. You really don't need all this stuff and why does it make you so happy? Experiences with friends and family should bring joy a face cream not so much.

It's a mindset thing. I used to be like this ( and I still have more make up and skin care than I can possibly use, even when I wear a full face 6 days out of 7).

No one would say to stop enjoying your stash, but have you really tried it all? I mean, have you gone through all the eyeshadow palettes and experimented with the 'other' more out there colours? You can have fun with that without buying any more.

A cautionary note from me - I recently went back to use a lipstick that I'd had for a while and maybe used 3 times only to find it had gone off. It had probably cost about £20 originally, and I had to bin it. This has happened a few times with some things ( mostly lipsticks). It did make me realise that I may as well be flushing £20 notes down the loo for all the return I was getting from my money in real terms.

Ultimately it's your disposable income and you are free to do what you like with it, but if it isn't bothering you from a wastage point of view and you want to tear through your stash, start to use face creams on neck/hands. Facial oils on ends of hair etc.
Facial oils on hands/feet/in bath.

I have a pot that I have emptied that last few squirts of several serums into and now use that as a magical elixir which does the same job as any one of them but makes the cupboard less cluttered.

This year I am using up a lot of stuff and not replacing it, but for me it's from a storage point of view more than anything else.

I love beauty boxes

I have a half year subscription on LF, 3 months to go. It's only about £13.50 per month.

Which one do you have? I'd make a month's effort to start using/experimenting with the products and if you can't make it work then cancel.

They're so beautifully packaged! I always cheat though and get a pre-glimpse online beforehand of what's going to be delivered...

I keep thinking that a beautiful lipstick that I can whisk out of my bag, re-apply and 'click' the exquisite case shut will change my life.

Reality check- I'm not a lipstick wearer, I cannot find things in my bag (not because it's messy but it has so many pockets) , my lips are thin and mean so the red lipstick of my dreams makes me look like a drag queen.

I bought a beautiful nudey pink from TooFaced. Gold case. Very glam.

Do I wear it? No.
Does it make me happy? Not really
Was it a phenomenal waste of £18? Sort of. I've given it to DD now, she's pleased.

Sigh

Awww 70. At least dd is happy so it's not a total waste.

I want Littlepond to come back and update on what she's got in her stash :)

I went through quite a phase of beauty boxes last year and also asked for the Liberty advent as an early xmas present, but I've loads of products now so won't get anything else til end of this year.

My beauty box subscription is great, I get to chose my items if I want or I can get a surprise. I always chose my items and there are usually 3 things I always get each month - a small perfume, a moisturiser and a hand cream (I have several of these stashed away as I don't get through the whole tube in a month but I love it and I a must always worried they will stop offering it!)
I try and research stuff before selecting it, mainly on cost, as I like to get a bargain. I pay £18 for 9 things and I reckon my box is usually worth at least £50. But it isn't a bargain if its stuff I won't use!!

I currently have 3 different "face oils" I'm not sure what to do with. I have a dry ole face but these just make it feel, well, oily! I guess I'm waiting for that one product which makes me go wow look at my face.

I always get mascara in those nice small sizes that fit beautifully in a purse or small handbag.

My latest fave is a Code Beautiful plumping lip gloss worth £20. It's all tingly and a subtle pink.

I think I need some YouTube tutorials or some make up blogs, can anyone recommend? So I can start actually using everything I have...

I would honestly step away from general browsing of beauty blogs. They will only make you buy more stuff.

I recommend Lisa Eldridge on YouTube as she's very informative and an actual makeup artist.

The other thing you could do is search for the specific item you have and want tutorials for, rather than general facial oils for example. That should narrow your search.

I agree with a PP, come and join us on the 'ashamed of my beauty hoard' thread, we will help! (And enable a little bit too)

I think im coming out of my beauty product mid life crisis now thank goodness. Over 2 years i bought various beauty boxes, lots of qvc special offers with beauty and makeup. Ive literally spent hundreds and wish i hadnt, what a waste. Lots of makeup was passed off to nieces and some skincare given out as presents. The problem was that im a shopaholic and felt i needed to make myself look better (always had spotty skin).

I now have a skincare routine that im happy with and found some brands of makeup i like. My best advice would be to decide what it is you want to change and go to department store for advice.

Start using them, then you'll find out what suits your skin and what doesn't.
Use the face oils at night only, he they're still making your skin too oily add a drop to your night moisturiser or if using both alternate them nightly.
Using skin care shouldn't make your skin sweaty, unless you apply too much.
When my products need a cull I pick a few of them and focus on using them up over a month. When they're done I pick another few and repeat and during this time don't buy any products of what I already have an alternative of.
You'll soon start seeing what works for your skin and enjoying the results and no longer buy products that won't work.