Make up cull - I need help!

[ChiefWiggumsBoy]

Going back the last 20 years, easily, I was a make up fanatic. Whether it was obsessing over the perfect MLBB lipstick or the foundation that never budged, I was an advertiser's dream.

I was also quite depressed about how I looked as I developed rosacea in pregnancy.

As a result, I have so much make up I'm drowning in it. This picture is just lipsticks from my chest of drawers - and doesn't count the 20-odd I immediately binned, or the probably also 20-odd floating around in handbags and pockets.

But I'm looking at these piles and don't know where to start. Help. I've got so many dupes, so many expensive items I just don't use for whatever reason I don't know why but I'm struggling!

Any words of wisdom before I accept 20 in the bin as a win and put them all back for another time?!

I've got lipsticks in there nearly 20 years old but I don't want to bin in, I bought I when I was studying in Canada. Others I've barely used because why do I need *thirteen almost identical red lipsticks?!?!"

Gah. Help!

Arranging them in types is a good start. Re lipstick, I would cull down to your face pinky nude and your face browny one. (Think about expiration dates when making that choice too.)
If you are a red lip kinda girl, I would also keep a blue red and an orange red.

Lipgloss - One Pinky Nude and One Browny one. (Also a work one.)

Lip sleeping mask if you’re me.

When it comes to foundation, you probably have an everyday favourite and a “good” one (or a work one.) Also think about expiration dates.

Powder - one loose and one pressed. (I’m not afraid to refill fave loose powder jar and mix them as they aren’t contaminated.)

Blush… Do you have two contrasting faves? Or Summer and winter.

Highlighter? Summer/Winter
Same for Bronzer

Mascara - one everyday and one waterproof. These are supposed to be binned every three months anyway. Be ruthless.

If you have any minis, throw together a work/travel bag.

Btw, 20 year old lipstick is bound to be putrid. Be heartless.

If you haven't worn it in the last 6 months - it's for the bin.

Be ruthless.

Open the bin, throw them in, job done.

Empty all your make up into a different container.

When you do your make up, if you actually use a product, put it in your make up bag.

After a few months you’ll have a make up bag full of things you actually use, and you can chuck everything else.

I see bundles of make up selling well on Ebay, maybe separate designer stuff and sell it in a bundle, then sell the rest

Bin the dupes and going forward buy a lot less but better. One real item will be cheaper than 5 dupes and if you are happy you won't need all the rest.

Surely all of it just needs to be binned? Sunk cost fallacy and all that - the money you spent is long gone, keeping them won't change that, you don't use them and presumably most are well past their best or aren't anything special regardless (whether they look fine or not).

I'd only be keeping stuff I'd want in my makeup bag for daily use (things that will get used up because I rate them) or the odd shade that i genuinely loved for occasions.It isn't as though if you end up wanting a new red lipstick for a specific occasion (for example) you can't repurchase one in Boots cheaply.

1. Sniff test
2. Arrange by color. Wear one type of color for a week at a time - bin any you try that make you think no.

Bin any you aren't reaching for. Any with special memories you don't wear put to one side - look at these at the end and perhaps put in a box elsewhere or bin.

For lipsticks if they're over 1 years old then bin. Lip gloss doesn't last, bin after a year. Foundation in pump bottles lasts along time, pour bottles don't so bin any that are over 2 years old (in a pour or squeeze bottle). Eyeshadow lasts for years. Bin if its gone hard in the surface. Same with blusher and powders. Any products you've not used in two years bin. It obviously doesn't work for you if you don't reach for it.

Do not buy any more.
Buy a fancy lipstick holder and aim to have that looking nice

So long as its not out of date and smelly. There's nothing worse than buying something off of ebay that's way past it's best! 🤢

I would start with 2 years as the limit and see what that gets you down to. I know they often say 1 year but many last longer

Fantastic idea!

I actually have four makeup bags each with a look for that season. Each season has 2 or 3 different lipsticks (many quite old and still useable although perhaps it’s time I had a cull too ). It at least arranges the makeup into some kind of useable order. The out of season looks are packed away until they are needed. I do the same with perfumes.
Anything else you have probably does need chucking. Don’t be cross with your past self, be proud of the progress you’ve made.

These are all great ideas thanks!

Embarrassingly, I rarely wear make up now. I stopped during Covid (because why bother? I wasn't going anywhere) and have had lots of treatments for my rosacea, so that combined with being older and caring less I go out with no make up frequently now. I've just put on a full face and I feel weird. I feel like foundation in particular I just can't do anymore? It looks like a mask!

Surely all of it just needs to be binned? Sunk cost fallacy and all that - the money you spent is long gone, keeping them won't change that, you don't use them and presumably most are well past their best or aren't anything special regardless (whether they look fine or not). This is where I think I'm heading. I've a few 'special' items I want to keep (for the memories, not for use!) but I have newer lighter glosses that I use daily that I will keep and store.

I really like this idea actually. I do tend to stick to the same colours per season - I wear a lot more peach and coral in summertime for example.

I think I'll do this first, with maybe a couple of 'special occasion' ones held back, then bin the rest. If push comes to shove I can just hide them in a cupboard to be found in a year and THEN binned!