I originally titled this post as A Beauty Blogger’s Dilemma but after thinking about it, I realised it’s not just something beauty bloggers face. It’s something beauty lovers face. If you enjoy makeup, skincare, haircare, bodycare … anything beauty-related, well, this might apply to you too.
This issue has been on my mind for years now. It’s something I’ve faced even before I started blogging. I’m like a magpie but instead of being just attracted to shiny things, I’m attracted to beauty products too. I see something good, I buy it. Do I already have 30 blushes? Of course I do. Yet, I still buy another. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg.
When you enjoy so many beauty products, do you wait till each product is finished/used up first before opening a new one?
See, my dad calls me a guinea pig. Mind you, it’s not a term of endearment. He calls me that because I test and try out products before recommending to my readers. I can’t argue with that because that’s exactly what I do.
As a beauty blogger, I’m very fortunate to be sent beauty products to try. As a beauty enthusiast as well, I sure buy a lot of makeup, skincare, etc goodies too. It really is no wonder that my wardrobe is now not only inundated by clothes, bags and shoes but beauty products as well. It also becomes a problem because so many times, I see myself with lots of half-used – heck, try barely used – products in my cupboard. I open one, try it out for a month or so and then move on to another product. It’s not just me. I’ve seen a lot of beauty bloggers and enthusiasts do that as well.
So what happened to the used products? Do we give them away? Use them on different parts of the body so that they can finally be used up? Chuck them into the bin? Now you see why it’s a dilemma?
I find it so wasteful. I can’t give them away unless people are okay taking on my used products. I can sell some of the stuff online but only if it’s mine and again, only if people are fine with used makeup. I cannot sell products that were sent to me for review (bloggers: never, ever do this). I have half used moisturisers, serums, toners, lotions and potions in my cabinet taking up space. In order to use them up quickly so that I don’t waste them, I end up using face creams, serums, toners, lotions and potions on my arms and legs. I even give my bum facials, for goodness’ sake. True story.
Say it with me again. Wasteful.
But it’s not my place to whinge. How can I, for it’s such poor form and terribly ungrateful to even dare complain that I literally have too much stuff. Hell, I’m embarrassed enough to even write this. It’s a first world problem and I’m incredibly blessed to have it. I’m very thankful for all that I have. So what’s my problem again?
Sigh.
It takes me approximately 3 months to finish up a moisturiser and serum. Takes about the same amount of time for body lotions. It’s about a couple of months before I go through an entire bottle of shampoo and conditioner. Let’s not even talk about lipsticks and blushes because it’ll take me a decade to finish up what I have before moving on to another. Taking time into consideration, my current stash and that I should only open a new product after I’m completely finished with one, it’ll take me a year before I can tell you about this brand new serum that’s launched this month in A YEAR’S TIME.
A lot of beauty bloggers take on the Project 10/20/50/100 Pan challenge. This is when they have to finish all 10/20/50/100 products before they can buy a new one. I’m afraid this doesn’t work for me at all because I do want to try out new products and I want to be able to tell you about it. Mind you, it’s a great challenge and I admire bloggers who persevered and finished all 10/20/50/100 products. It’s just not for me.
This is the reason why topics like Empties (where bloggers/YouTubers show you products they’ve actually finished) are such a big thing because it’s seldom that an entire 200g jar of body lotion, 100ml moisturiser, 50ml serum, 30ml foundations, etc can be completely used up. I pat myself on the back big time when I hit pan on makeup. With so many new things to try out, it’s not easy to actually hold off the temptation to break open that new moisturiser without finishing our current ones first.
So what do I do with my used products? I give them away to anyone who wants them. Thank goodness for family and friends who don’t mind taking on my barely-used products. Thank goodness for charity shops like Salvos and Vinnies (I donate new items, not used). I give them away to readers, to family, to friends, to strangers and so on.
I hope this post didn’t come off as ungrateful or complaining that I have too much stuff. I contemplated long and hard on whether to publish this post or not because it’s so difficult to write it without sounding like a complete cow. It’s something that’s been on my mind for a long time now and I really want to know what your thoughts are about this.
Anyway, enough about me. What about you? Do you face the same thing too? Are there any barely to half-used items in your cabinet that you end up not finishing before opening new products? What do you do with the old? Do you know of any charities or organisations who wouldn’t mind donations of opened-but-barely used products? I’d love to know more.
I am with you on this one. I have so many half used moisturisers and serums, which are just sitting there. Body lotions are the next. And yet, I bought a new Evelyn Rose Body Lotion recently. In an attempt to use stuff which get pushed back, I picked up my Illamasqua Cream Foundation…and it had dried up š
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That’s exactly what I was talking about and my exact dilemma too. A couple of days ago, I went back to my half-used stash and picked up a Jurlique moisturiser I haven’t used in a while only to find out that it has gone bad (smell was off). I was hoping that even if I don’t use the moisturiser on my face, I was hoping to use it on my body instead, just to finish it up. I ended up having to bin it instead, which was such a waste.
I must confess…. I do!! I am trying to use up my current skincare products before I start a new range I have had sitting in my vanity. I bought it when they had a promotion, now I am trying to use up what I have left so I can dive in.
You could offer your readers a chance to ” buy” your barely used products in exchange for a donation to a charity you like to support. Not sure if that would contravene any health codes or bloggers codes š I would consider it, if I know it’s been stored properly, if only to try a product at a fraction of the cost. I just recently bought a bottle of Alpha H liquid gold off a blogger which was minimally used for a small cost, cost plus postage.
Good luck, looking forward to your blog “sale” …. If you ever have one š
That’s a great idea, Claire! I’ve done a blog sale before on my makeup but never skincare because even though it was barely used, as they’re quite heavy especially when you buy more than one item, postage costs increases. I’m not sure if people would want to buy even a $1 moisturiser that comes with a $10 postage.
Still, that idea about selling in exchange for money to charity is a brilliant one. I’ll check my stash pronto! š
Ok, I used to have this same dilemma but I am proud to say that this is no longer an issue for me especially with the recent house moving.
I was typing away with my system and realised it would take an essay full to comment here so I am publishing a post on your topic. Stay tune! x
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Hahaha thanks for the reply post! I like how you said that we have a lot more skin than just our face so why not treat it as well? I’m currently using some leftover serum on my arms and legs and while I don’t know if it’s doing anything to my leather boot skin yet, I hope it helps. Either way, at least it’s not wasted š
guilty as charged! i have short interest span and usually jump to another bottle after a month or 2 weeks, except for facial oils. with that said, usually i hand all the stuff to mothers or sisters (5 of them) so nothing goes to waste unless it’s really crappy
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That’s a lot of women in your family! That’s great, at the very least, nothing goes to waste and you can continue checking out new stuff š
I totally have this problem as well. I am attracted to shiny new beauty products (particularly skincare) — and often buy new ones while barely putting a dent in the old. Sometimes, I use them on my hands or body, which only causes a pileup of body lotions that aren’t being used. It’s the worst when I have to throw them out because they’re past expiration dates. Those make me feel the guiltiest (and they happen much too often). I’m not a blogger, so I’m instituting a “hit pan” project on myself until I use up all my current skincare. š
Me too! I had to throw away some really good skincare products a few days ago and it’s just sick to the stomach to see good products go to waste. I’m now using an old serum on my arms and legs. Hopefully like my face, it’ll make my arms bright and radiant and GLOWY! š
PS: Good luck on the “hit pan” project!
I have this problem where my skin will be fine with something one week, and then it’ll flip out over that product the next. Or a really nice product will work really well for my skin, at at first I can tolerate the way it smells, and then I just can’t stand it anymore- the scent will start triggering migraines. This usually only happens with soaps and lotions, and since it’s liquid soap, I usually just find friends who want to try new things.
I really try not to buy anything unless I actually need it, so once I’m completely out of a lotion, I’ll buy another one. Makeup, though, is something that takes me years to go through, so I’ve just stopped buying any. I’ve found that I have enough lip-safe red, peach, and pink loose eyeshadows that I can mix up just about any shade I like.
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That’s great! Saves you a lot of money too, I’m sure. I tell myself I don’t need it and whaddyaknow, it’s in my shopping basket. I’m terrible like that. š
Wow, you have so many products in your cabinet. LOL. Although my problem is not severe as yours, I do find it hard to resist to buy new skin care makeup especially when it is so highly raved by bloggers.The only reason I stop myself is because of monetary constraints as I do not want to add the debt on my credit card.
Having said that, I do have lots of body creams and lotions that I received as gifts over the years. Sad to say, I had to throw some away because they are 3-4 years old and I do not see myself using them at all.
Thanks for this post and please do not think that you are complaining or ungrateful. As a beauty lover myself, I do understand where you are coming from.
Erm, what you saw was only 40% of what I have. Make that 30%. Ahem. š
I think my hoarding of products stemmed from my mother’s love for beauty products too. She would get them (either buy or get them as gifts), keep them, never use them because they’re too pretty to use and 4 years later, still don’t want to chuck them because they’re a waste. But she wouldn’t use them. Drove me nuts.
And guess what? The daughter’s experiencing the same thing! Oooh this cycle, it’s vicious! š
I could have the same problem if money wasn’t an issue! It is big showstopper!
I tend to try out shampoos regularly but keep the ones I’m not using at the back of my bathroom cupboard and I rotate them. My hair tends to get used to one type of brand so rotating is good (is this an excuse? š ).
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Well there you go. Even though you’re rotating them, you’re using them. It’s good! š
I do that with my makeup too. I have this makeup caddy on my chest of drawers and I rotate old makeup just so I use them too. OR … was it an excuse to buy a cute makeup caddy? Ahem. š
Man I hear you!!!! For me, friends. I normally pass them to friends. They usually don’t mind partly used (a few pumps) products because they know it’s clean. Thank goodness for friends I say. And I’ve started giving some to my trainer too. The new products that come in goody bags that I know I’ll never use. She loves it!
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You know the problem with having more friends who are beauty bloggers than the ones who are not? Them beauty bloggers don’t want my stuff!!
Haha I’m too Hokkien so I restrain myself and ensure that I use up the products that I have before opening a different product in my stash. A few factors that promote my high self control. Limited monetary resources and anatomy. Only one face. Only one bank account with only one source of fixed income. Lol. That aside there’s also limited siblings that will want my partially used items. I guess being a beauty blogger, no offense intended, may have more supplies to try and sometimes you have deadline for review publications. Hence that may contribute to the growing stash of half used products. I’m not too particular so sometimes I’ll gladly accept gifted used items. It allows me to try and erm, Hokkien frugality might say if it is free why not lol?
Hahahahaha it this a Hokkien thing because I showed it to my husband (he’s Hokkien as well) and he said yep, we’re kiamsiap! (not saying that you are, but you know what I mean) š
I’m more than happy to give my barely-to-half-used products away if people want it. It helps me declutter, it helps other people try out new products, it helps to reduce waste…it’s a win win win for all. On the other hand, when you have more friends who are beauty bloggers than those who are not, it makes it more difficult because they don’t want my stuff. They too have a lot! Also there’s that issue about hygiene, etc.
I admire your high self control. It’s not sarcasm, I really do. š
Don’t worry about your tone. It is absolutely well.
I think you could start a blog circle for readers or something… I remember you saying that it is okay (or was it Paris B?) to swap or pass products to someone else to review, so not all blogging has to be really expensive, and about endless consumerism.
Of course then it would cost on your side to mail parcels. But I thought if it is a healthy blog circle, people may not mind paying for the postage to get something to try. Some stuff, some people may be eyeing for some time, but aren’t ready to buy.
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I do so love buying new stuff when I see that my current product is about to empty. The thing is, my estimate is seldom correct, so it could be about 2 months later before I actually really empty that something, and get to open the new one.
The worst part comes when I can’t seem to control myself on buying new replacements/backups because at the back of my mind, it says that something is emptying, and my brain keeps telling me I need backup. So I go out and buy 3-4 backups for that one thing that is emptying. =(
But on opening products, I am very disciplined about that. I am OCD about emptying products before opening, and I really really can’t stand it to see half-emptied skincare lying around. I will even help my husband to empty his stuff because … yeah … I need to throw that away. The urge or rather OCD in me to THROW THROW THROW far outweighs the urge to try a new product.
I can’t say the same for makeup though. I feel like makeup is something that I can have more of. Like 4 setting powders on my vanity right now, but I don’t have that strong of an OCD to empty them. It does bothers me. I try very hard to empty at least one (I have hit half the pan!! oh yay!). But my skincare OCD does not apply to makeup.
haha, yup, I just hate flattened tubes and cranky almost empty bottles. I hate seeing bottles half-filled. Sorry if this sounds so strong, because it IS – an obsessive compulsive habit.
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Hahaha I love your comment Jyoan! That is exactly what I feel too! My husband has a lot of almost empty products lying around (e.g. deodorant, shower gel, facial wash) and he doesn’t want to chuck them because they’re not finished yet. Because they take up space and just look awful, I’ll end up using his stuff instead of mine so that I can bloody well throw them away. I bet he’s using my stuff, maybe that’s why his never seem to finish. Hmm.
That’s a very good idea: passing products for someone else to review. I’ll send word out to new bloggers and/or readers if this is something they’re interested in. Thanks for the suggestion! š
haha, anyway, I looked at your photo again, and I see things like Lush Dream Cream and Sekkisei cleanser? That sounds great to try.
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Lush’s Dream Cream is my current go-to body lotion. It doesn’t smell strong like a Lush store would and is good! š
I am an absolute makeup and skincare hoarder, there are always new stuff I start lemming for. It’s not as bad for makeup because sooner or later I’ll use it (hey variety is the spice of life right?) but with skincare it really takes time for something to ‘work’ so jumping around different stuff isn’t fantastic. I have to deliberately smack my hands before I do the click or grabby thing lol. Especially worse around holiday times when things go on special or sale and I’m thinking ohhhh but it’s so worth it!
I do think it’s great to have blogsales for items that you don’t quite like in case other people would love them, especially if they’re limited edition or super expensive stuff you can get for cheaper then. powder items can get disinfected or if you tend to use spatulas or brushes to take off cream products so it remains hygienic.
Hahahaha oh my hands are definitely clicky and grabby when it comes to shiny new beauty products. I’m like those wee green aliens in Toy Story; whenever I see a new launch, new makeup, etc, I go “ooooooh” like them š
I did a blog sale on makeup items only a while back and it was quite a hit. I might have to do it again soon ‘cos I really am running out of space and that’s not a good thing. Still, I guess I shouldn’t buy more even after I’ve made space, eh? Eh? š
haha we girls at belledemoiselle are already lusting over urban decay’s eyeshadow vault. that’s like…..48 shadows I think? i just tell myself we’re helping the economy!!! *grabby hands*
I hear you Tine. As you have said, some of us are fortunate to receive press samples. Its our ‘job’ to try it, as it were and I treat it as such. If it works fine for me, or I like it, I stick with it and finish it (skincare) but if I don’t for whatever reason, I set it aside and pass to friends, family or my mom’s friends sometimes too. I’d like to think this isn’t wasting anything because its going to someone who will use it, and who will likely appreciate it more than we can. For makeup, its harder to actually finish up anything but that again is true whether I blog or not. So I’m not too fussed about owning more makeup than I can use in my lifetime. It’s skincare that ges to me because I want to try every damn thing! Lol
For the most part, I think this is where the idea of blog sales came from. I personally am not a fan of them as I do believe its an easy cop out excuse for spending in the first place. If our collection is filled with stuff we buy without thinking only to sell for a hefty markdown then that’s just silly. if its gifted. We can’t sell. So, I’d stick to what you’re doing. Friends will appreciate getting them. Shelters too if you can pass them on. I gave a huge bagful to a church for their Xmas production last year. I may do so again this year, or just to pass it on to a friend who can pass it on further since I’m no church goer. Ultimately I think so long as we don’t toss it out, there is little to no wastage. If I like something, I stick with it. To reduce the amount of stuff, I decline products that I can’t use or won’t use or have no interest in. Being a blogger doesn’t mean we have to accept everything handed to us. Its nice, but ultimately we only have 1 face and if integrity dictates that we actually try and evaluate a product, there’s no way we can go through the tubs and bottles of skincare offered.
Long and short (apologies for the essay) I think blog sales work of you have the time or inclination, to have products go to someone who wants it. But I also think giving it away to people who really appreciate it is better and may make you feel better too š
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You know I enjoy your essays anytime ;). Well said PB. For someone who goes to church, it didn’t even come across my mind to donate my stuff to church! *huge facepalm*.
What happens when you have more friends who are beauty bloggers than the ones who are not? I can’t give my stuff away to them because 1) they probably already have the same items and 2) they may even have more stuff than I do! In the end, I just give them away to random readers, Salvos, etc. I’m going to check out shelters too, which slipped my mind. Thanks for the suggestion.
Agree with not accepting more products from brands than we can handle. I’ve long stopped asking for skincare products (unless they’re the ones I really want to try) because I have only one face. Plus I don’t think they’ll be keen to know that my review of a face cream is based on me slathering it on my legs! š
Honestly, I have the same problem plus I love to buy when I’m home and ended up with heaps of products in the cabinet I think it can last me for ages.. Not easy for me to get them at that price since I’m in Aussie. Well, I don’t mind getting half used products since I get to try the as the samples you get from the counters if any, are barely enough to try to see if they are suitable for you. You can always start that it’s used and whoever goes in the giveaway will mean they are okay with it and for those you receive for editorial reviews, more people get to try their products. Win-win?
Unfortunately, the stuff that I received for editorial consideration that I’ve already opened and used cannot be openly given away because if anything bad happens to the next person who used it, the PR gets in trouble. It’s a bit of a grey area when it comes to this so if I do want to do a giveaway of skincare products that I was sent for review that are already opened and used, I have to get permission from the PR who sent them to me. For stuff that I purchased, it’s not a problem.
i forgot many of the comments I meant to leave š Oh well. I really liked this post!! And i am definitely one to have multiple products open at a time. Sometime this year I’ve suddenly ended up with SO much open skincare.Usually i try to use up unless it bothers my skin, or if my fiance likes something that i don’t love, i just make him use it lol
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Hahaha I make Tim use my products too! He hates putting stuff on his face but if someone does it for him, he’s okay (tsk tsk). So I just slap my old serum on his face. I tell him that if his face burns off, it’s not my problem. Wicked wife, this one. Bahahahaha!
I definitely have this problem, although I am getting much better. I’m a professional beauty therapist so I have access to lots of professional/prescriptive products at wholesale prices and I have to say I do take advantage of that because I just CAN. NOT. RESIST. something new. Nevermind the gifted products from brands and distributors.
I’m improving on actually saying to myself “you don’t need this” but it doesn’t stop me lemming every new thing I see! I can’t be satisfied by samples or trial sizes either. I want the entire product, I want it in its box, I want to peel the cellophane off! I get quite fixated on having new products, so it hasn’t been easy.
The thing that has made me calm down my collecting has been really cleaning and organising my bathroom. It feels much nicer to have a clean, streamlined, organised bathroom. I used to think I loved having six body scrubs to choose from but now I find that I’m so much happier just having the one and not having a heap of them cluttering the shelves.
That said, I don’t ever finish one thing before opening another. I go against all the advice I would normally give my clients! I mix brands and stagger products and layer products! But if I can’t limit myself to one, I’m getting much better at only having two or three on the go at once instead of six or seven.
I’m speaking for skincare here — makeup is a free space as far as I’m concerned, at least for powder based products. I may have twenty bronzers but I have had some of them for six years and they are still perfectly fine.
For what it’s worth, some types of products are more tempting to me than others…..I can’t resist body lotions, cleansers, and makeup removers. Whereas I’m reasonably happy to just have the bare minimum of serums, day & night cream, eye cream and sunblock.
Love your comment! That feeling of peeling the cellophane tape off the box of a new product … oh it’s so good! It’s like buying a new phone and removing the plastic protector off the screen. It’s new, it’s cool and you just want to delve into it right away.
I’ve been streamlining my bathroom too. My home office and bedroom are full of beauty products here and there but my bathroom, everything has to be kept in the cabinets, stacked properly (thank you Daiso for your cheap plastic shelf thingies) and all that. I prefer to see as little stuff as possible when I enter my bathroom. Like you, I’m just happier seeing an organised bathroom without different types of shampoos, shower creams, scrubs etc littering the place š
The first thing that sprung to mind when I was reading this was someone should start a skincare/make up bank, , like a milk bank or something lol. When hubby is less stressed with work I might make him develop that actually as part of my procrastination ‘when I start my beauty blig’ website lol (he’s a web/app developer/programmer).
But don’t stress about tone…if you were saying it to starving street children it might be a tad self indulgent, but to other first world problem types it is a bit of a dilema as the whole point of it is you genuinely are upset by the privileged position you have been put in and not wanting to squander or take it for granted š
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Aww thanks for understanding, Hilary. I don’t take products I get for granted because it is a privilege and that privilege can be taken away from you at any time.
Oh if there’s a beauty bank, that would be fab. That bank can distribute the products to people who need them. I deposit, they distribute. Seriously, that’s a great idea! Someone should come up with one! š
Guilty as charged!! I usually keep them and struggle to finish them.. Unless mum comes to the rescue of course but it’s very rare. However I’m very okay with buying things and keeping them in mint condition until the current one finishes. It could be months, years.. Tried the projects but I realize I finish skincare/body lotion more quickly so the skincare/bodycare stash is decreasing (good) but the same can’t be said for the skincare stash though..
Ahh mum to the rescue! š I wish mum lived in Melbourne too instead of Australia. I’d love to give her so many new products to try out. She’s a beauty buff like me too.
Try using your old skincare on your body. After all, we have a lot more skin than just our face š
Even as a blogger, I’ve always been pretty good at using stuff up before I start something new. Blogging is just a hobby for me so I usually just share the things that I am currently using, there is always enough things to cover. Lately I’ve been chopping and changing and generally being indecisive. Your post spoke to me – I definitely understand your dilemma!
That’s fantastic! I’m terrible at it and stuff end up wasted, which I hate. I need more friends who aren’t beauty bloggers, I tell ya. When you have more friends who are beauty bloggers, chances are you can’t give them ‘cos they either already have the same products or that they have more than you and are trying to offload them as well! š