I have been Infatuated with make up for the past seven years, and I mean INFATUATED. I often think of make up several times a day. I watch make up related videos each and every day without fail. I’ve managed to piss about $3,300 on makeup over the years, if I were to make a close estimate. The value of my collection is more like $6,600 due to how I’ve almost always exclusively bought maybe on deep sales and discounts. This isn’t to boast/brag/flex, but to give context to my dilemma, and to show the size of my regret. I am super fucking grateful for my collection and try to savor it the best I can.
Here’s my issue- I’ve been unemployed for the past year, with the exception of a one day a week apprenticeship that concluded in July. There’s been a series of super unfortunate events that caused this. I’ve been pursuing other work opportunities, but I anticipate being unemployed for the next 6 weeks at minimum. This means I’ve been basically at home every single day that I’m not leaving for job fairs and interviews. I don’t want to do my makeup everyday just to sit around the house because I’ll go through my products quickly doing that, and I’m worried I’ll finish them before I have the funds to repurchase. I interviewed for Ulta in August, but unfortunately they didn’t have availability for a new employee like they thought they did, so I was encouraged to apply again in the future. I’ve applied to Ulta 4 times over the years, and they are always fully staffed in my area. This has meant that I only find a legit excuse to wear makeup around 2x a month and my whole collection is slowly but surely going to be waste. I’ve been actively chasing 9-5 jobs so that I could have a chance to wake up at the same time every morning to do my makeup before work.
I’m infuriated that I wasted thousands of dollars for jack shit.
Where do you all wear makeup to?
Would also recommend r/MakeupRehab, it’s a great resource for anyone in a similar situation to yourself. Makeup is beautiful and easy to buy so don’t beat yourself up but there are definitely ways to help reduce your spending! Xx
I just have play days where I test all my products and “rehearse” for when I’m actually going somewhere. Irony is that when that day comes, I’m usually panicking that I need something new or my hair or outfit is off - or I lose a palette or a mascara, etc… however, I feel guilty that this is my only accomplishment on the weekends when maybe I should be more productive!
I love makeup too, my most cherished products are like my family. I meet with them before work and we discuss what will happen to my face that day, who will I be today!
I just thought of a suggestion, what if you had a backup set of less expensive products but similar colors like ELF brand, so you can wear a pretty face of makeup on off days and save your treasured makeup specifically for when you do have an Important day/work shift/ event?
I have at least some makeup on just about every time I step foot out of the house. Minimum is undereye concealer and some kind of lip product.
Also, if it makes you feel better, my collection probably is in the 5-figure range. I’ve kind of accepted that makeup makes me happy. I’m not a minimalist. I find the Marie Kondo philosophy admirable, but it would actually give me anxiety. I’ll be worried that I wouldn’t have something I need with so little options.
I’m not saying that I give myself free reign to buy whatever I want, whenever I want. I am trying to be more mindful of what I buy. Like I used to just pickup drugstore products on a whim by justifying that it’s not that expensive. But I do think twice now, because it still adds up to a lot of money and while I don’t mind having a large collection, I don’t want a large collection of products that I dislike or don’t suit me. (Returns are much stricter in my country, you can only return products that have obvious defects, you can’t return stuff just because you don’t like them.)
FWIW, I personally think expiry dates, especially on powder products, are mostly there for liability and legal reasons. My eyebrow powder is like 20 years old. It’s like the 2nd product I ever bought for my eyebrows and I’ve been only using it but since my eyebrows only need a little bit of a fill in certain spots I just have not been able to use it up. I’ve only recently bought a new one because the colour seems to have turned a bit cooler than it used to be. Still use it when I’m wearing cool tones though.
Personally I like to wear makeup whenever I’m leaving the house not for school/work. So be it a grocery run, a walk, or whatever I like doing my makeup. I view makeup as my hobby, and think about how people wouldn’t see making a painting a “waste” just because no one else sees it. I also think taking photos can make it feel more “worth it”. The photos don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to show anyone or post it anywhere, but they are nice to have and look back on. Feels like all the work isn’t just disappearing after you wash it off.