After skincare it felt like it only made sense to go through my makeup. Also I never really organized it when I moved into my new bedroom at my parents’ house and I was sick of looking at it scattered all over the place. I also washed my makeup brushes (wash your makeup brushes I can guarantee they are disgusting thanks to a presentation one of my cohort-mates did very shortly into our MPHs that still sticks with me).
I don’t have a ton of makeup, I think I realized pretty quickly that I am not a huge make up person and I’m not particularly good at it. Also, I think I wore make up for the first two weeks to my job at the vet clinic before I realized it was a complete waste of time because I was always getting sprayed in the face with the hose or panic-washing my face because some sort of bodily fluid ended up on it. Disgusting.
I also realized in undergrad that I am not a nail polish person. I hate how it looks on me when it is chipped (even though I can see it on other people and think they look cool and effortless) and the thought of getting my nails done to have them ruined at one of my many jobs throughout uni just seemed like a waste of money. I still have never gotten a manicure or a pedicure, maybe when COVID is over. TL;DR, I don’t own any nail polish or any of its accessories.
The only area I really struggled with was with my two Naked palettes. And yes, I know there are much “better” palettes out there and that Naked palettes are basic, but I am basic and these work for me, and I have literally had my original Naked palette since like 2013 and that is as much as I have used it. I was terrified every time I opened my backpack while I was on exchange and backpacking on weekends that it would be shattered, but it never did, the mirror just cracked a bit. I have to give it loyalty in return when it has never let me down. I did end up keeping them, I just love most of the colours and if post-pandemic life is going to be anything like the life I have planned in my head then I’m going to want some eyeshadow.
I am also devastated by how many of the brands that I had were not actually cruelty-free because they have gone into mainland China. I understand from a business perspective why they would want to, its such a huge market and that they don’t do animal testing on products that aren’t going to mainland China. However, I can’t help being disappointed. Especially since Benefit finally brought back the Georgia blush which I used in high school (even though they are calling it a “new” shade) and peachy blushes just work great for me. So I think when I hit the end of this one I will switch to the HBFace Peach-ish Blush. I have been obsessed with her Baked Highligter since my brow tech Eden (hi I miss you) put it on my face after my first appointment. Also I’m going to go off on a tangent for a moment to just say how devastated I am that I moved away from Oakville so shortly before she opens up her location there. And HBFace is a small, women-owned business, started in Toronto and their website says that they are 100% cruelty-free. We love.
I ended up getting rid of more than I thought I would. Nars, Revlon, Rimmel, and Benefit not being cruelty-free anymore helped with that decision making. I don’t think I would have gotten rid of the blush or lipsticks if it hadn’t been for that. I also remember wearing those products for sorority recruitment in 2013, so they are definitely expired. I’m also not as heavy with my makeup anymore and hate the mess of loose powders. So goodbye powder and foundation. Then the mascara smelled funny last time I used it, and is definitely about a year old, and I have two tweezers and my other ones are better. I am going to replace the mascara, it is one of the few products I wear on a very regular basis but I am going to do some research on clean beauty/ low waste/plastic-free options and see what I can come up with.
I forgot to take pictures prior to it getting dark, I may try again and update this in the future with natural light. But now all of my makeup fits into my little blue makeup bag, except the palettes. My lip products do fit, I just like having them out. But I was able to get my eye products into the bag now, emptying out that one litter jar and reducing the visual clutter on top of my Ikea unit.
Laura
Thoughtful Millennial 