Downsizing my Makeup Collection

'You can never have too much of a good thing'

I am a self confessed makeup addict. I've studied it, have a blog dedicated to it and spend many a waking hour thinking about it. Our love affair started young. When I was 14 I got my first job mopping the floors in a Bakery after school (the glamour!) I used to save my weekly pay cheques to buy these Versace lip glosses (a line that has long been discontinued). I think I had almost every colour and they were my pride and joy. 

Every morning I do my makeup, its my favourite and most relaxing part of my day. I think about the look I want to achieve and the colours I want to use and then I get to work. Its my safety blanket and my war paint.

However, this addiction has resulted in a makeup collection that is frankly embarrassing! Its difficult having a blog dedicated to makeup because there's always this pressure to buy and review the latest products. I have found some holy grail products through blogging but what happens to the products that were just ok, they sit in my drawer gathering dust. 

I still love makeup as much as ever but for the last few years makeup was my crutch. I feel like I'm starting a new chapter in my life, there is so much I want to do this year and girl just can't be spending all her money on makeup no more!

Downsizing my makeup collection has been something I have been considering doing for a while. Seeking inspiration I turned to YouTube and have discovered some amazing ladies who are also on a similar mission. 

Pinksofoxy - I have been watching Pinksofoxy's videos for over a year and she is a PRO at decluttering. She has gradually reduced her makeup and belongings over the last two years and documented it along the way.

PrettyPistol86 - Is my current fave and the Queen of 'Project Panning'. Project panning is a blogger term, where you pick a certain number of products to finish or 'hit pan' on before you allow yourself to buy anything new. 'Hitting pan' refers to that satisfying moment you see the silver bottom of your makeup packaging peeking through. PrettyPistol86 just completed a project 20 pan and I think her latest project is to finish 7 items by Spring. I've said it before but I honestly think using up a piece of makeup is just as satisfying as buying one, so I am addicted to her videos and they really make me motivated to use up my makeup.

Amber F - Although I wasn't new to the concept of 'Project Panning' I had never heard of 'Pan that Palette' until I watched Ambers video. Pan that Palette is a new tag with loads of lovely ladies who are trying to completely use up an entire eyeshadow palette over the space of one year. Amber completely finished her Urban Decay Naked palette last year and the video she made when she finished it, is just brilliant. I haven't decided if I'm going to join in with this challenge just yet but it is definitely something I want to do at some point.

After too many hours procrastinating on YouTube, I was feeling thoroughly inspired and started by taking an inventory of all my makeup. I categorised and counted everything and not gonna lie....pretty much filled up an entire notebook! Seeing the numbers written down is pretty embarrassing, lets just say no one needs 106 lipsticks! 

After I had thoroughly shamed myself, I decided I was putting myself on a makeup ban and I am very proud to say that for the whole of January I haven't bought any makeup (A real First World achievement I know!) I have to give a shout out to my friend Lucy though who hooked me up with some freebies from work to test and try. I don't know how I would have got through January without her!

Now I'm kind of umming and ahhing whether to keep up a strict ban or just reduce it to a 'low buy' meaning I can only buy one makeup item a month or something. Realistically I know I wont be able to buy no makeup at all and I don't want to set myself up to fail, so I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with the low buy option. At the moment though, I have to admit that I'm really enjoying using up my makeup so don't really have an urge to buy any! 

I am giving myself two exceptions where I can purchase makeup without self judgement and that is, if they do a beauty sale at work and hopefully when I go to American in October. These two events are monumental for me and no, I wont give them up! 

As well as dramatically reducing the amount of makeup I buy, I'm also making a conscious effort to use up the makeup I have. I have a little clear acrylic drawer unit on top of my makeup storage that I keep the products I use everyday in. The only thing I am changing on a daily basis is my eyeshadow, everything else stays the same until I finish it and replace it with something different from my collection.

Since November last year I have been keeping all the makeup I have finished in a bag (Sephora of course!) When we get to November this year I am going to count up everything up and see how much makeup I managed to use up in a whole year. I will also update my makeup inventory and pray that its dramatically reduced! 

As January is now over, I thought I would share the items I managed to use up this month and I think I might do this each month going forward to spur me on!

Dior Star Foundation £32.00

I really grew to love this foundation and its definitely one I would repurchase, once I get through the other 14 foundations I own! This gives a medium coverage but with a very natural finish. It doesn't feel heavy or look cakey on the skin and really does look like your skin but better.

Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie £7.99

A few years ago I was obsessed with these Revlon Lip Butters and I think I own almost every shade! Whilst I love this colour, the consistency is horrible and nothing like any of the other lip butters in the range. For some reason this particular shade is really thick and almost gloopy. Every time I applied it, someone would tell me I had lipstick on my teeth or I would smear a bit on my chin. For that reason I would not buy this again and I'm so happy its finally finished!

NARS Pure Matte Lipstick in Montego Bay £19.50

I LOVE this lipstick and I was so close to putting it in my 14 Makeup Favourites of 2014. Firstly its matte, which is my favourite finish. Secondly, although its matte it doesn't feel at all drying on the lips and thirdly the rose pink shade is just a beautiful everyday colour. 

I miss it already.

Shell Lip Balm £14.99

If you have been watching YouTube videos for a while, I'm sure you will remember these shell lip balms! Housed in a real sea shell, these organic lip balms are really pretty and the lip balm isn't bad either!

Total used up makeup = £74.48!

It's pretty scary how quickly that adds up, I plan on adding up everything I have used at the end of the year so god knows how much that will be! I have to say I am really, really enjoying using up the makeup I have and its definitely becoming a bit of an addiction. I think February will be good because I have a lot of products that I'm really close to finishing!

If you are in a similar position to me and thinking of downsizing your makeup collection let me know and we can support one another!