2018 Empties: I've used up £250+ of Makeup in 2018
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Makeup Empties
For a couple of years now (see posts on my Project Pan here and here), I’ve been making a conscious effort to use up the items in my collection before adding to it, only repurchasing an item such as a foundation if I had nothing left to replace it. So, when, at the end of last year I came across a post on Cosmo where Laura came to the realisation that she had managed to use up over £1000 worth of makeup, I was keen to know the value of my makeup empties from 2018. To do so, I have kept tabs on the makeup products that I have managed to use up to see how much makeup I really use up in a year.
If you find yourself with an extensive makeup collection that you feel guilty for not getting fair usage of, this is a really interesting exercise to see how well we are using up the makeup we spend our hard earned cash on. I’m fortunate that I am sent many makeup products to review (marked with an *), but a large majority of the makeup I own and use has come from years of collecting (and hoarding). With such, I have had the realisation that despite hoarding these in my collection for years, that using these items before they expire will be near-impossible and that I will need to let some items go before adding new items into the mix.
My Project Pan Makeup Empties
Foundations (6)
I wear foundation almost everyday, and certainly every time I wear makeup, so I wasn’t shocked to discover that I’d used up 6 foundations this year - so thats a foundation every 2 months!
I tend to gravitate towards drugstore/ high-street foundations, my favourite being the CYO Long Lasting Foundation. IT Cosmetics, although considerably more ££ than my alternatives this year, worked great in the autumn months when my skin requires added moisture.
Bourjois City Radiance Foundation* (02 Vanilla) - £9.99
Maybelline 24Hour Foundation* (10 Ivory) - £9.99
The Ordinary Foundation - £5.95
CYO Long Lasting Foundation - 102 x 2 - £15 (£7.50 each)
IT Cosmetics CC Cream* - £30
Total: £70.93
Concealers (3)
I like to experiment when it comes to concealer, but I found myself repurchasing Revolutions Conceal & Define concealer in the larger size once I’d finished up the smaller size.
Bourjois Radiance Reveal Concealer (01 Ivory) - £7.99
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer - 05 - £5.99
Revolution Conceal & Define - C3 - £4
Total: £17.98
Powders (2)
I usually find myself just reaching for the cheapest powder I see, and for the Primark Setting Powder, I was thoroughly impressed. The IT Cosmetics translucent powder, on the other hand, I was disappointed with for how quickly I managed to finish it and how much I needed to apply for each use.
Primark Setting Powder -£3
IT Cosmetics Translucent Powder* - £25
Total: £28
Primer (1)
Primer is one of those items that I don't mind skipping from my routine day-to-day so it doesn't surprise me that I've only used one this year.
Benefit Porefessional* - £27.50
Total: £27.50
Bronzer (1)
Although I reach for bronzer every time I wear makeup, it is one of those items that seems to last a lifetime within my collection, in this case 2 years.
Benefit Hoola Bronzer - £25.50
Total: £25.50
Eyeshadow (2)
Eyeshadow is one of those items that I'll reach for everyday but struggle to use up a full pan of. Maybelline Colour Tattoo worked great as an alternative to Mac's paint pots for helping eyeshadow to last all day.
Maybelline Colour Tattoo - Creme De Nude - £4.99
MUA Eyeshadow - Fudge - £1
Total: £5.99
Highlighters (3)
I'll admit, I was unimpressed by Becca Champagne Pop compared with my Mac and Maybelline alternatives, but as a lover of highlighter for both eyeshadow and on my cheeks, I'm not surprised that I've managed to use up 3 this year.
Mac Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish - £25.50
Becca Champagne Pop Highlighter - £30
Maybelline Facestudio Chrome Extreme (Molten Rose Gold) - £8.99
Total: £64.99
Blusher (1)
MUA Blusher - Bon Bon - £1
Total: £1
Mascara (1)
Bourjois Volume Glamour Effet Mascara - £8.99
Total: £8.99
TOTAL = £250.38
So 2018 I managed to use up 19 items, £250.38 worth, of makeup which consists of 1 primer, 6 foundations, 3 concealers, 2 powders, 2 eyeshadows, 3 highlighters, 1 blusher and 1 mascara. Much against my best efforts, has hardly made a dent in my collection. I tried my best to use up a lipstick this year, but didn’t succeed, which opened my eyes. As I tend to have the most lipsticks out of all makeup in my collection, I have since gone through and tried to purge this to include only shades I reach for frequently.
This project has definitely helped me to become more self aware of how much makeup I can physically use in a year. As a result of this experiment, I’ve had to be ruthless with myself and have purged a couple of items that I know are long past their expiry date but I’ve been too sentimental about to part with in the past.
I’m definitely going to be more mindful of what items I am using within my collection, and will look to repeat this challenge next year to use up at least one lipstick and eyeshadow as these are the items that dominate my makeup collection.
How much makeup have you used up in 2018?
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