Makeup Collection Tag

I was not expecting to post another tag so soon, but when Georgia Harris posted her Makeup Collection Tag last week I knew I wanted to participate. I have been enjoying Georgia's Youtube channel for a few years now and have thoroughly been loving her content lately with the introduction of her no-buy year. It is so refreshing hearing creators talk less about buying all the new products and more about exploring what they already have. And I think this tag is perfect for that, so here we go...

 1. How long have you been collecting makeup?

The first collections I remember are Mac Alluring Aquatics and the initial launch of the Maybelline "Buffs" lipsticks. That would put my start in 2014. I remember exploring things in the drugstore for at least some of 2013, but it was probably around five things total for the year because I was still very hesitant with becoming interested in makeup.

2. What kind of collection do you have?  Minimal, utilitarian, aesthetic, historical, etc. 

I'm not sure how to define it. I definitely lean more towards minimal, but I also like having choices. I want the products I own to be right for me and chosen specifically with my style in my mind. I like having almost a capsule wardrobe when it comes to makeup, where nearly everything meshes cohesively with the other products.

3. Are you a completionist? 

Absolutely not. I am careful now about choosing the particular product I like the most from a line. Just because I like one formula does not mean I need more of it. If I'm looking for a new color product though I'm more likely to purchase one from a line I already know I like (hello Urban Decay eye liners). It also would not bother me to buy, say, Lorac Pro 4 even though I've never owned 2 or 3 and no longer own the original. That just means that the fourth iteration is the one that is "right for me."

4. How do you store/organize your collection?

I have the bulk of it in my closet in a cosmetic tabletop organizer, the kind with dedicated spots for lipstick tubes on the left and other bulkier products on the right. I keep a smaller edited bag in the living room with products for a quick easy face: a face primer, powder, blush, eyeshadow palette, two eyeliners, and some brushes. Because my toddler usually "helps" me put on my makeup I've learned to keep my lipstick separate from the bag. (Did you know it's so much fun to jam your finger down a lipstick tube?) Instead, my current lipstick or two essentially lives in my handbag.

5. What is your favorite thing about your collection?

I love how unique it is to me. It has been a few years of progress to get to this point, and I love how "me" my collection is now. I like how nearly everything fits into my style and mesh well with each other. I have a few remaining aspirational items I can't yet bring myself to declutter, but overall I love how nearly everything I own now was chosen by me not because I bought something someone else on Youtube or Reddit told me was likable.

6. What is your least favorite thing about/something to improve your collection?

I want to change how I am storing things. The plastic cosmetic organizer was perfect when I had a larger collection and enjoyed being able to see everything at a glance. But now that my collection is smaller and I can easily remember everything I own I think I would rather have a set enclosed spot for everything to be placed. I think it would help me better contain everything in one spot instead of having stragglers here and there.

7. What is the biggest category of your collection?

Excluding eyeshadow, either lipsticks or eye liners. I have around eight of each. These are two categories where I like having choices. As far as eyeshadow I probably have closer to thirty considering my custom singles palette and handful of pre-made palettes.

8. What is the smallest category of your collection?

I have one each of eyeshadow primer and highlighter. The eyeshadow primer is just the first one I ever used and since I had no qualms with it I've just continued repurchasing the same one. I think I'm now on my fourth tube of Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer. Having only one highlighter now is amusing to me because just a few years ago it was my favorite category. I still really enjoy highlighter, but since becoming more selective with my purchases I've learned that this is one category where I would rather have "the right one for me" than lots of choices.

9. Do you have a “holy grail” in your collection?

I love my custom singles eyeshadow palette. I was very careful with choosing the shades, selecting the right shades of brown and complimenting "colorful" colors I was actually likely to wear as a neutral lover. As far a single holy grail product, my face primer has been a game changer for me. I don't wear foundation, so I love that the Urban Decay Optical Illusion Primer blurs things just enough and creates a nice base for my face products.

10. Do you ever wish your collection was bigger/smaller or is it complete?

I am quite content with the size of my collection right now. Of course, I wish I had a few more eyeshadows and few fewer lipsticks, but overall I am pleased.

11. How often do you declutter makeup in your collection?

If I notice that I have not used a particular product in some time, I'll reconsider why I own it and might get rid of it in the moment. Also if I find that whenever I reach for a certain product I get annoyed with it or elect not to use it a few times in a row, I'll consider getting rid of it then as well. If I notice that I haven't decluttered anything in several months I'll "pick a team" with everything. Meaning, I'll take out each product and from the pile choose which ones I most like, the ones I know I would repurchase and find myself using constantly. Then if there is anything I'm hesitant about I'll consider why that is. And any of the stragglers I'll think about why there were the last to be chosen, if they were even chosen at all.

12. Do you ever get envious seeing other people’s makeup collections?

Not anymore. When I first started watching Youtube, I was amazed at how many different lipsticks people had. I thought it was completely normal to have fifty lipsticks and ten new favorite products every month. Now so many of the collection videos I see have single categories that are bigger than my whole collection. I cannot imagine having to store and utilize that many items.

13. Who on YouTube has the best makeup collection video?

Hands down Jacquelyn Lovene. I love how edited her collection has become over the years, and I especially love watching her favorites and decluttering videos because of this. I know that she has spent enough time with her products to actually have a personal opinion on them and isn't just spitting out the normal Youtube talk about them.

14. What’s some advice you’d give to a future makeup collector?

Just because you think something looks nice doesn't mean it's the right fit for you. You can appreciate the beauty of something without owning it. Also, just because it looks nice on you doesn't mean you need to buy it either. It might be a pain to apply or it might not fit your style, and that's okay. It's also okay to not like or buy something that someone else tells you you should. Everyone has different preferences and styles. Also, learn to change your way of thinking about purchasing products from "I want new makeup and this is pretty" to "I want a purple pencil eyeliner and I like this shade and formula the most."