I was browsing my feeds recently and came across this interesting post on Musings of a Muse. Basically, she asks if you keep looking for new makeup out there to play with, all the time? After all, we do enjoy makeup and wearing and playing with makeup. Brands keep releasing new stuff every now and again – although they now seem to come in fast, concentrated waves – and this fuels the addiction to newness.
I think social media has a lot to answer for as well, for it is through social media (Instagram, in particular) that pretty flatlays and makeup looks fuel the addiction so an “I want”quickly escalates to an “I need” by the time you shut your Instagram page.
Are you addicted this way? Do you crave newness in your makeup collection? Are you in a happy place with your makeup?
10 years ago, when I first started getting into using makeup, my answer would have been “Yes, I crave newness!” I want everything that’s new and wonderful and sparkly and shiny. I want them all!
And I’d go through extraordinary lengths to get them too. I’d hunt them down online (no broadband and little information made for some exciting times!), I’d participate in swaps, I’d ask for CPs (custom purchase) and I’d coo over my new goodies…. until the next new thing came along in a day or two. Yes, fickle was my middle name :D Looking back, this was pre-Instagram, so I really have no one to blame for my obsession, except myself! Blogging was a good excuse – everything was “So I can blog about it!” LOL! Gosh, those were the days.
Over time, this borderline obsessive behavior naturally waned. I think a lot of it has to do with my finding other interests, as well as eventually figuring out that quality trumps quantity. Also, I figured out what worked for me and what I liked.
These days, I don’t chase all that’s new and shiny and sparkly anymore, and I haven’t done so for a while. I do take note of what’s new and file it away for reference, but I don’t pursue it. This explains why sometimes, when I’m contacted by some of you to ask about the availability of a new collection or a new item, I’m often left scratching my head. I’m not quite as on the ball as I used to be, but I’m happy this way.
I’m happy not chasing everything that’s new anymore. A lot of it has to do of course, with the fact that I’ve had 10 years of chasing behind me, so there is little that’s really new LOL :D
I’m not saying that fueling our addiction for newness is a bad thing, of course. It’s just human nature.
If you’re starting out in the beauty world, chasing that makeup unicorn, pursuing all that’s new and shiny and wonderful is fun! Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, or put you down. It’s your interest and your money (I hope) and your time. Not everyone understands, but they don’t have to.
Give yourself 10 years and then you might find yourself slowing down, like me :D
Do you chase and lust after all the new makeup products and releases out there?
As with all new hobbies, it’s quite normal to keep watching the horizon for the next new thing. But remember to enjoy and use what you hold in your hand right now. Remember, a unicorn doesn’t exist ;)
Paris B
Same here. I feel like I’ve been round the block and as pretty and new they are, I’d ooh and ahh and move on. I’ll state an example – PLEASE DON’T KILL ME OMG! You know the Guerlain Xmas powder that’s pretty and shimmery with the star ballz? You passed it to Tine earlier this year? She handed it to me? IT’S STILL SITTING IN ITS BOX! It’s in my study and each time I sit down to do some work, I’d glance at it and go, awww, it’s so bloody pretty and PB went through great lengths to get that for me, oh, better get some work done :P
And, remember that Dior Omotesando palette I got from Japan almost 2 years ago? Still pristine.
I love the chase more than I love the product. Once I’ve obtained it, I go, so what? And that’s why I’ve stopped chasing and be extremely selective with what I buy.
The only thing I truly hoard now are limited releases of whiskies. Rare coloured/leather bags. I’m trying to slowly let go of everything else. SLOWLY. TRYING. TRYING.
Hahaha My Dior palettes are still pretty much intact, both Omotesando and the My Lady ones. Also, I hardly use the Guerlain balls now. Makes me wonder why I have so much sh*t :P I’m also trying not to hoard anymore stuff. If you can believe it, I’m actually contemplating not enlarging my bag collection! :O Scary thought I know LOL!
I do crave for newness once in a while but I am slowing down. It used to be really crazy but now I’m more selective with what I chase after. I am however is a matte liquid lipstick craze right now so yah I’m trying but sometimes not really successful at curbing my hoarding.
I tend to be more selective now too. I think it’s when your collection reaches critical mass LOL! Thankfully I’m not into the matte liquid lipstick trend – so many brands to try!
While I have always chased, I’ve never bought because I was a poor college student when I started out. I bought what I felt like I needed and used everything I own to death. Ever since I got my Vice 2 palette from Urban Decay, I don’t think I’ve ever caved into any crazes that weren’t my own.
(That being said, I am on a liquid lipstick kick since forever)
Haha I still don’t do liquid lipstick, which is a good thing since there are suddenly so many new ones out there these days! I remember you used to be into eyeshadow. But I think the Vice 2 palette addresses most of that eh? ;)
I am a serious guilty offender, but my craves work in a cycle. Sometimes I lust for something with a very, very strong yearn then I will go on all fire to know and learn about it. But then I can’t crave in to all my desires right :P. So I would just let the list linger and linger and linger…until it dies down. But if the lust persist, oh what the heck I would just get it LOL.
LOL That’s a wise approach – sleep on it as they say. I do the same. Sometimes, I forget about it, which is a good thing. Other times, they go out of stock or the price goes up and then I bid it good bye. But if all fails, then it’s time to give in! That way, I know for a fact that I really REALLY want it too :D
I don’t do makeup but I do lust after skincare products specially serums.mtgese days I am totally into quality and high end classics. Slowly I’ve time. Have realised that some of the pricey products are actually way better than the regular over the counter products.
Btw Paris, I need a recommendation from you. I want a very light foundation which just gives a light coverage, evenly spreads on my face after the sunscreen and something easy to apply and blend in, specially with fingers!!
Oh my skincare lust is always there! I keep wanting to try all the latest cult products, but with skincare, it’s hard because they expire and a lot of it is expensive so I try to curb my lusts. Doesn’t always work though! LOL!
As for your query, a couple I can think of that are lightweight with low-medium coverage would be Urban Decay Naked, Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum, Bourjois City Radiance, Nars Velvet Matte Skin Tint, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser just to name a few that I’ve used and quite liked :)
I used to. Oh, I used to be obsessed with a certain brand and I’d buy everything the brand had to offer. It was crazy. Now, not much anymore. I’d appreciate the beautiful products, go ooh and aah, and then I’d forget about it. I still buy makeup, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t chase anymore. I think it’s a good thing :-)
Yep, I think this comes after we get it out of our system. A new hobby always takes up a lot of time and resources. I’m glad I finally got a lot of it out of my system – got so tiring chasing! I think blogging helped too. Too tired to chase just to blog, when I end up hating half of what I end up getting!
I used to chase after any hype products that ppl rave about for years too. Then when I made the move to US I realize I don’t use most of the makeup I buy, they just sitting pretty. So now I’m more selective on what I buy. I still buy new releases from guerlain, abh and jeffree star. The rest not so much
Maybe being in the US helped you too? Since now everything is within reach :D But then, I think it’s also to do with having tried and amassed a collection, we often realise that we don’t really need every new thing out there.
I used to all the time. Well ok, since I joined Instagram, I have been making some ridiculous skincare purchases. With skincare, I know I’ll use them up.
Makeup, especially lipsticks I would lust all the time. Now a days even though I “ooh” and “aah” over lipstick releases, or feel the need to buy them nearly as much.
But I gotta say, instagram is a terrible influence haha.
Oh I hear ya about skincare! Instagram is bad for the wallet LOL! But I try to be more selective with skincare because a lot of what I lust after are expensive, and also because they can expire. With makeup I feel like a lot of it is coming full circle. So, maybe there are new colours or new packaging, but a lot of what is released isn’t new in a sense, just a rehash of existing/previous formula/textures. Then again, I suppose it’s also because there are always new customers so they have to cater to them :D
I used to when I was still in university. I loved MAC and would eagerly read its press releases and buy whatever I could afford from each collection! After a while I lost interest… how much makeup does a girl need anyway? And I felt sometimes I was buying things just to ‘complete my collection’, rather than because I actually wanted it.
Nowadays I still like makeup but I know what works for me and what I need. I splurged on the CPB liquid foundation and silky cream foundation, and it’s been really worth it because I don’t lust after other foundations anymore. I don’t feel the need to jump on every new foundation release nowadays.
I still love skincare though but I generally finish up whatever I buy, so no wastage there =)
Ooh I remember chasing after MAC releases. I didn’t buy them, but they were so prevalent that it was hard to ignore and as a blogger back then, it was about the only brand that had any newness to “report” on. These days, I don’t even know what’s new anymore and honestly, don’t quite care haha! I figure, I don’t miss it anyway. Oh and you are right about finding the right foundation. I still enjoy trying new ones, but in the main, I know what works so the minute I feel the texture or read what the foundation is supposed to do, I know immediately if it’ll work for me or if it doesn’t. Used to be I’d just try everything willy nilly. Now, I actually think! whoa! ;)
If I don’t look (i.e. surf the net), I don’t lust for new stuff. Speaking of which… I would love to get my hands on genuine Colourpop makeup, but fortunately, it’s not easily available. Wallet is safe for a while. :-)
Haha staying away from Instagram does it for me too! :P Colourpop is darned hard to get in this part of the world due to their shipping arrangements so I think you’re safe for now. That said, I think they’re OK for the price just don’t expect a ground breaking product
Haha yes I’d blame Instagram for fueling our new makeup purchases too! Funny though, pre-IG days, I’d be more inclined to go for new makeup releases that I saw on beauty blogs. As time went on, that desire waned. These days, unless the makeup is interesting, cute as heck (hello to the world of K-beauty!) or recommended by you, I’m not really interested, to be honest. So many new makeup releases these days are rehashes of old ones anyway.
Same here! First it was blogs and then now it’s IG. But with IG I find that I’m more attracted to the pretty factor since there isn’t much else you can discern from there. I think also once you’ve been around a while, everything, like fashion repeats itself. In time to catch the new fans, but old fans will find it humdrum. Doesn’t stop us looking though eh?
I used to be obsessed with makeup, I mean OBSESSED, then for some time I was almost indifferent, as I had so much stuff at that point. Now, I want some new products from time to time, but my interest is not based on the “hype” (in fact that can turn me off) but rather on my preferences. I actually think of posting my wish list soon :)
Your comment also sums me up Marina! I used to take great joy in writing lists of all the goodies I wanted to purchase (thanks to beauty blogs, Youtube or magazines). I can’t say I do that very often anymore. I feel like I can now see through the ‘newness’ of products as quite a few people have mentioned, LE collections and just crap lol I used to also ask friends of friends who were going to the US for a whole list of goodies, but I’m just not bothered anymore (and I’m sure they are thankful!).
Every now and then, I will lust after a new product which is just random – like the Clarins lip oils (I just received two from the US as they are impossible to find here) and I feel satisfied! ;)
Thanks for sharing your thoughts ;)
By the way, these days I try to spend more money on skincare, and products for hair and body beauty wise.
And I do have a Clarins lip oil, too. :)
Teehee… you are Makeup4All after all! ;) But I think most of us started out that way, especially in the early days of beauty blogging. It was so easy to get caught up wasn’t it? But now I think most of the old guard have sobered down, and some have moved on. I’d like to think we’ve gone through our experimental phases and now work with what works for us! Do post your wishlist – it’ll be interesting!
Yes, I think I’ve found what works for me, and I am sticking to it. I will.
PS. Hope you’ve had a great time in Paris!