An Evaluation of My 2016 Collection (My 2017 Project)
Now that 2016 is at an end and we're all busy anticipating what the new year is to bring, nursing hangovers and liberally applying our favorite undereye creams to reduce puffiness, I decided it's also a good time for some spring cleaning and organizing. This past year, I have spent quite an extraordinary amount of time, energy, and my hard earned dough on makeup. It's paralyzing, really, when I see it all laid out in front of me. But the truth is that I needed a new hobby, I needed something new to occupy my time, energy and heart. I needed another creative outlet, another thing to give me a little extra zest in the morning. Makeup is like that for many of us. Sometimes we need a distraction, sometimes we just want to surround ourselves with pretty things. Sometimes we want to be creative and experiment.
Now that it's 2017 and I've taken inventory of my collection, I see the sheer vastness of the items I've collected and I realize that while I am an anti-clutter freak, an organizational hound, and a general no-mess Type A personality, each of these items I can vividly recall buying. I know when I bought it, what other products I researched when I was deciding to buy, and how I felt when I bought it and used it for the first time. I love competitive research. I will spend HOURS looking up swatches on the internet. For my first couple of Colourpop orders, I spent about 8-10 hours looking up swatches of their eyeshadows, Ultra Matte and Satin liquid lipsticks. Why? Because that's fun for me. I hate buying in bulk. I like to build a collection over time and really get to know my products. In a sense, I've failed at part of that this year; some products I haven't touched yet because I'm still getting to know some of the other products I bought prior. This will be part of my New Year's Resolution for 2017.
What is makeup? It's an experience, or it can be if you let it. For many of us, we are paying for this experience. That's where my time, energy and money has gone: into the makeup experience. Into the hours and hours I spent comparing swatches online of both $6 and $26 liquid lipsticks, into the fun I have waiting for a new package to arrive. Into the hours I spend taking photos of my products! People who aren't into makeup may think that's dumb ("why would you take photos of your makeup?"). These are the same people who think it's dumb to take pics of your food and coffee. "Why?" I ask them back. "Because I paid $49 for this eyeshadow palette, it's freaking gorgeous, and I want to appreciate it as much as I can. Because I adore nice, well thought out presentation, the effort and thought put into the layout, the marketing" (yes, I appreciate good marketing tactics--I work in marketing hello!!). "I bought this item, I spent hours researching it, this is partly how I appreciate it. Do YOU take photos of things you appreciate?" If someone thinks it's dumb to take photos of the things you love, materialistic or otherwise, maybe they don't appreciate it, and really, whose money is better spent in the long run then?!?
I've taken inventory of some of my collection through a series of flatlays. These are all items I have acquired in 2016. At the end of 2017, I'll go back and take inventory of my collection again to see exactly what I've used. I want to know what really is Holy Grail status to me? Why didn't I use something I thought I'd use regularly? What will I pass on next year? What MUST I have in my collection next year? What were my regrets? (I already have a few of these and we will get into those). I'll be updating my blog as I go through my collection, reviewing as I go through product by product and at the end of the year, I'll evaluate which products I really did use all throughout the year, and which products I didn't. I encourage you all to do the same with your collection <3
My Makeup Resolutions for 2017
* Get to know my stash
* Improve my technique
* Experiment with Boldness
* Organization
I've bought a lot this year. Some items I've used multiple times a week that are clear winners, while others are new and hardly touched. This year, I want to know, really know, every single product I have in my collection and have an opinion on it. I want to know every shade, even if I don't like it, I want to know why I don't like it, I want to try different methods to see how each products works for me and if it doesn't work for me, that's cool, at least I'll know why and that I tried.
I want to improve my technique. In 2016, I found a Holy Grail foundation. I purchased a Beauty Blender which I learned that I prefer to apply when dampened with cool water. I invested in setting spray, improved facial and skincare products. I learned how to do my eyebrows and use 3 kinds of eyebrow products. I learned how to actually apply blush. I've improved in a lot of areas but have a lot of learning to do still, like when it comes to eyeshadow application. I want to use my collection to improve this skill. I want to look back on 2017 and see some improvement in this area.
I've always done the same old same old eyeshadow looks. I've always reached for those neutral shades. I always had a lot of eyeshadow shades called something like "mushroom", "taupe", "satin" and "earth". I always bought eyeshadow singles because I thought palettes were a waste. "I want the right, exact shades for ME" I would say. "Why would I want to spend money on something that isn't that exact right shade of brown for my crease?" After this year, my response (to myself) is "ummm, because it's FUN?!?". Yes, I have removed myself from my comfort zone of the same 6 eyeshadow tones I've used for years now, (hell I am actually wearing non-nude/pink nude/nude beige/mauve nude lipsticks now!) but there is still work to be done! How do I use more color in my looks in a way that I can wear to work? Not artsy MUA material looks, but something fun and still outside that "safe" zone I've spent the better part of a decade in. I've invested in eyeshadow palettes (ummm have you seen my flatlay??) and I've bought about a dozen and a half Colourpop singles most of which provide a good dose of fun, colorful options. Now how do I use these better? What looks can I create and how can I apply them better? This year, I will work on this.
I need to organize. I just moved to a new place and traveling for work (and pleasure) should be non-existent for at least a couple of months. It's time to organize. I don't keep a lot of stuff on counter tops as a) I hate dust and clutter and b) my kitty cat LOVES to rub her head against anything she can, knock things over, cause general chaos, etc, so I'll be looking at a nice drawer type setup to fulfill my organizational needs and protect my makeup assets.
I encourage others in our makeup community to do this too! Share flatlays of all the products you bought this past year, then do an eval. and see what you actually ended up using!
*Pending flatlays of single blushes, highlighters, lipsticks, lipglosses, and miscellaneous products (eyeliners, lipliners, mascara, foundation, primers, etc.). They will, of course, still be considered in the eval. I just haven't actually flatlayed them out yet!
 |
| Eyeshadow Palettes |
What is makeup? It's an experience, or it can be if you let it. For many of us, we are paying for this experience. That's where my time, energy and money has gone: into the makeup experience. Into the hours and hours I spent comparing swatches online of both $6 and $26 liquid lipsticks, into the fun I have waiting for a new package to arrive. Into the hours I spend taking photos of my products! People who aren't into makeup may think that's dumb ("why would you take photos of your makeup?"). These are the same people who think it's dumb to take pics of your food and coffee. "Why?" I ask them back. "Because I paid $49 for this eyeshadow palette, it's freaking gorgeous, and I want to appreciate it as much as I can. Because I adore nice, well thought out presentation, the effort and thought put into the layout, the marketing" (yes, I appreciate good marketing tactics--I work in marketing hello!!). "I bought this item, I spent hours researching it, this is partly how I appreciate it. Do YOU take photos of things you appreciate?" If someone thinks it's dumb to take photos of the things you love, materialistic or otherwise, maybe they don't appreciate it, and really, whose money is better spent in the long run then?!?
I've taken inventory of some of my collection through a series of flatlays. These are all items I have acquired in 2016. At the end of 2017, I'll go back and take inventory of my collection again to see exactly what I've used. I want to know what really is Holy Grail status to me? Why didn't I use something I thought I'd use regularly? What will I pass on next year? What MUST I have in my collection next year? What were my regrets? (I already have a few of these and we will get into those). I'll be updating my blog as I go through my collection, reviewing as I go through product by product and at the end of the year, I'll evaluate which products I really did use all throughout the year, and which products I didn't. I encourage you all to do the same with your collection <3
 |
| Blush & Highlighter Palettes |
* Get to know my stash
* Improve my technique
* Experiment with Boldness
* Organization
I've bought a lot this year. Some items I've used multiple times a week that are clear winners, while others are new and hardly touched. This year, I want to know, really know, every single product I have in my collection and have an opinion on it. I want to know every shade, even if I don't like it, I want to know why I don't like it, I want to try different methods to see how each products works for me and if it doesn't work for me, that's cool, at least I'll know why and that I tried.
 |
| Liquid Lipsticks |
I've always done the same old same old eyeshadow looks. I've always reached for those neutral shades. I always had a lot of eyeshadow shades called something like "mushroom", "taupe", "satin" and "earth". I always bought eyeshadow singles because I thought palettes were a waste. "I want the right, exact shades for ME" I would say. "Why would I want to spend money on something that isn't that exact right shade of brown for my crease?" After this year, my response (to myself) is "ummm, because it's FUN?!?". Yes, I have removed myself from my comfort zone of the same 6 eyeshadow tones I've used for years now, (hell I am actually wearing non-nude/pink nude/nude beige/mauve nude lipsticks now!) but there is still work to be done! How do I use more color in my looks in a way that I can wear to work? Not artsy MUA material looks, but something fun and still outside that "safe" zone I've spent the better part of a decade in. I've invested in eyeshadow palettes (ummm have you seen my flatlay??) and I've bought about a dozen and a half Colourpop singles most of which provide a good dose of fun, colorful options. Now how do I use these better? What looks can I create and how can I apply them better? This year, I will work on this.
I need to organize. I just moved to a new place and traveling for work (and pleasure) should be non-existent for at least a couple of months. It's time to organize. I don't keep a lot of stuff on counter tops as a) I hate dust and clutter and b) my kitty cat LOVES to rub her head against anything she can, knock things over, cause general chaos, etc, so I'll be looking at a nice drawer type setup to fulfill my organizational needs and protect my makeup assets.
I encourage others in our makeup community to do this too! Share flatlays of all the products you bought this past year, then do an eval. and see what you actually ended up using!
*Pending flatlays of single blushes, highlighters, lipsticks, lipglosses, and miscellaneous products (eyeliners, lipliners, mascara, foundation, primers, etc.). They will, of course, still be considered in the eval. I just haven't actually flatlayed them out yet!
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