Hello Gang,
It’s time for the change of the seasons, and in the cycle of my belly dance business, it’s time for a good rummage through my makeup collection. Simply put, it’s time for a good oldfashioned clean-out. There are quite a few products that need to be tossed. Some because they are expired or have simply lost their makeup mojo. Others, like the poor unfortunate Profusion Spectrum palette to the right, are broken.
Cosmetics are like Food
For me, makeup has this beautiful arc of experience. You buy the products, consume them, and enjoy them. It can be a very pleasurable if ephemeral, experience. But like leftovers at the back of the fridge, old makeup needs to be tossed! Makeup has posted expiration dates. These recommended guidelines are based on the ingredients.
Creamy, liquidy and wet products simply go bad over time if you are using it or not. Powder products have binders and preservatives that can go bad, allowing bacteria and fungus to proliferate. To keep the state of my collection health, I go through my makeup stash each year and do a real clearout.
However, I will be the first to admit that I will keep a powder product like eyeshadow way past the suggested “use by” date. But when I’m done with it, I have no problem throwing it out when it’s just not working for me.
Focus on the Eyeshadow Drawer
This fall, I took a close look at the eyeshadow in my makeup drawer and decided I had more eyeshadow than I could ever hope to use before it goes bad. This is the one product category that I feel needs a good cleaning this year. In my world, I basically have been buying 2 eyeshadow palettes a year. I ask to be gifted one for my December holiday gift, and I pick one out for myself on my birthday. Consequently, my eyeshadow drawer was full, almost to the being of being unable to close! So I took the bull by the horns and dove into purge these products.
Establishing Eyeshadow Declutter Guidelines
Before diving into any declutter, it’s good to lay out some basic guidelines or rules to help keep you focussed. Many folks hold onto things beyond their useful date for sentimental reasons. Other people simply like the feeling of abundance and choice. For me, I often find it difficult to let go of things that felt like an investment. To help me during this purge, I established this set of rules.
Toss any eyeshadow untouched for two or more years. Palettes that were still in good condition I offered to my dance friends. Things that were bad went directly into the trash. My motto is “When in doubt, toss it out!”
Choose your favorite colors. I’m a cool girl (as in, I have a cool undertone) so I primarily wear pinks and purples, blues in every shade, turquoise and aqua. This list helped guide the next round of cuts. If a paletted didn’t include these colors, it was added into the giveaway pile. I have to admit – I never wear warm tones so this Wet-N-Wild “Cosmic Collision” got a new home with a friend.
Rank your palettes. Once you’ve done a first and second pass, it’s time to rank your eyeshadow. Starting with your absolute favorite and rank them holding them in your hands and doing a side-by-side comparison. When you have them ranked, give final consideration to the palettes in the lowest categories.
After this sorting pass, I had an epiphany. What I like best is putting together my own eyeshadow palettes. I enjoy the creativity of selecting colors that coordinate. While pre-made palettes are gorgeous, I found in many cases I was only using one or two colors out of 8-12 options. I’m going to depot some of these palettes to harvest my favorite colors.
*** Check out this blog post, “Help – My Depotted Eyeshadow Won’t Stick to my Palette!“
Build Your Own Eyeshadow Palette
Since September is my Birthday month, I decided to invest in a “Build Your Own Palette.” In the past, I’ve built quads using Inglot cosmetics, and frankly, I love them! But this year, I needed a more affordable option. So I choose to build an affordable 12 pan palette during the Colourpop Labor Day sale. 
Build your Own from Colourpop – https://colourpop.com/collections/eye-palettes My favorite shadow in this palette? The incredibly reflective silver in the lower right corner called “On a Whimsy.” https://colourpop.com/products/on-a-whimsy
Makeup is a Regular Belly Dance Expense
Of course, there’s much more to a makeup collection than just eye-shadow palettes. For each other category, like foundation or mascara, I to try and keep only one or two. My process is to make a shopping list and buy the products that need to be replaced. As the new products arrive, I make the replacement then.
Turning Minutes into Makeup
A while book, I wrote a blog post about how I “Turn Minutes into Makeup” by using the MyPoints website. In a nutshell, I spend about 5-10 minutes a day to earn points that I convert to gift cards that I use to buy makeup. Over the summer, I’ve “Saved Up” points to use to restock my belly dance makeup essentials. These are the things I picked up to replenish my makeup collection after the purge.
Mascara
The rule of thumb is to swap out your mascara every 3-6 months for eye health and safety. To keep my eyes save and healthy, I’ve tied switching my mascara to the spring and fall equinox. My goal with mascara is to darken my naturally dirty-blonde lashes and add volume. When I’m not wearing false lashes, which means most days, I am really enjoying the L’Oreal Lash Paradise. But when I’m wearing falsies, I like to use a really crispy, waterproof mascara that will help support the weight. The best I’ve found for this very specific effect is the Covergirl Supersizer.
Covergirl Supersizer Mascara — https://amzn.to/2OhVT35
L’Oreal Lash Paradise – https://amzn.to/2OfkWE8
Glitter Primer/Glue
If you want your glittery eyeshadows to seriously pop from stage, using a layer of glitter primer or glue will be your best friend. I find I go through a tube every other year. Like eyelash glue, glitter glue will dry out and get clunky to use over time. But unlike lash glue, I find that for me, a tube will last about two years. I’m not loyal to any particular brand and have selected this NYX Glitter Brilliance for my next tube.
Nyx Glitter Primer – https://amzn.to/2LIMBeR
Lip Exfoliator
I have very dry lips and regularly use a lip exfoliator. I go through about a tube and a half of this e.l.f. Lip Exfoliator each year, and was happy to find a two-pack that will take me through all of 2020. There are several different “flavors” of these exfoliators, but I find the original is most effective.
e.l.f Lip Exfoliator – https://amzn.to/30a40Fm
Eyelash Glue
My eyelash glue always goes dry, gets chunky, and clunky before I manage to use it up. I only wear eyelashes when I perform or attend an event where I need to go full glam. For me, a tube lasts about a year before it dries out. The autumnal equinox is the time when I replace the old glue and purchase new.
Kiss Strip Lash Adhesive – Latex Free – https://amzn.to/2LHh2Sx
Duo Green Brush-On Lash Adhesive – https://amzn.to/2V8MRGU
Thank you
I just want to take a moment to thank you for reaching the bottom of this post! If you like the content here on my website, come join the conversation over in my FaceBook club, Studio Davina. Join me and my friends, family, and fans as we chat about costuming, sewing, makeup, and more! Just follow this link. I also want to thank anyone who uses one of my Amazon affiliate links above. Using these links helps me keep this content free and accessible with no impact on the prices of the products you buy. I really appreciate your continued support.
Happy Dance and Costuming,
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
October 1, 2019
