Monday, April 14, 2014

Do Blogger Swatches Cause You To Make Well-Reasoned Purchases, or Cause You to Over-Purchase?

The amount of time that beauty bloggers and beauty enthusiasts spend looking at, or "studying," swatches and reviews in order to select or reject upcoming purchases can become a rather time-consuming activity that can be a very costly undertaking (both in terms of the time spent "conducting research" and money spent in chasing down the next best thing).

Obviously my intention is not to undercut the value of beauty blogs and the various beauty forums for their ability to help each of us weed-out what might end up being frivolous purchases (or to introduce us to fantastic finds that we might have otherwise missed), but I do think that there are a few things that need to be taken into consideration before falling too far down this particular rabbit hole.
Swatches online do not faithfully indicate how this particular color will look on your skin. Nowhere is this more evident (and less forgiving) than with foundation swatches. This issue goes far beyond any disparity in the skin tone of the swatcher compared to the skin tone of the reader-- though the raw canvas of the swatcher's skin does indeed modify the appearance of the foundation. Of course the difference in the resolution and color of individual monitors also serves to distort these colors. Even if one establishes that they have a similar skin tone to the swatcher because they are both in the NC/NW blah blah range this doesn't take into account that many foundations have a tendency to oxidize, and even those that do not can suffer oxidation when commingled with the particularities of each person's unique body chemistry. I, myself, have tried to narrow down my color selections by studying swatches only to learn that the differences between what I saw online, and what I saw in-store were canyons apart. I realize that access, or lack thereof, to physical retailers make seeing for yourself an impossibility much of the time-- particularly when what is sought are hard-to-find niche products that can only be purchased online, or ordered from a store that is cities, states or even countries away. However, there is no beauty product that can make one look worse than wearing the wrong color of foundation.
Left to Right: Tom Ford Frantic Pink (too warm for some people), Tom Ford Wicked (too cool for some people), and Frantic Pink and Wicked blended. When blended, Frantic Pink warms up Wicked, and Wicked cools down Frantic Pink-- thereby making them infinitely more wearable to people who find them individually more difficult to wear.

Lipsticks, blushes and eyeshadows that are less than ideal can be tempered by blending them with other colors to make them work, but the wrong foundation shade can create the most artificial mask, or my face but worse, that sticks out like a sore thumb. I'm not saying that there is no value to seeing our swatches, but caveat emptor, because what you see isn't necessarily what you get. I always try my best to acquire foundation samples before making the purchase because history has proven time and again that it will help me be able to weed out the duds from the potential holy grails.
Shopping your own stash will reacquaint you with many of the wonderful products that you already have. I started Project Make-A-Dent for this very reason. I found myself so far down the rabbit hole of the latest releases, and realized that I had plenty of brand new products that were very similar to those that I didn't have and found myself coveting (in many cases my products were untouched and still in their boxes-- a particular problem that beauty bloggers often face as we generally leave new things unmarred in order to photograph them for our posts to show you the pristine product before it becomes ravaged by the brush). The potential for wastefulness when you have forgotten about so many products already in your possession should give each of us pause to at least take a good inventory before going and buying yet another nude lipstick or taupe eyeshadow that looks just like the many already collecting dust.

This is not intended as an indictment of our makeup & skincare purchases, or an anti-buy message to myself or others, but instead the call for a reasoned approach to acquiring more products, and perhaps a note to myself to try to avoid the many pitfalls of what can ultimately be very expensive purchases of ill-suited or duplicative products.

Chasing limited edition releases because of their perceived scarcity, and their limited time to be acquired can end up looking like a crazed addiction for those of us who get caught up in the mob mentality of needing to get that new thing that promises to be the one that you simply can't live without. Certainly the endless You Tube videos and blog posts that extol the virtues of these "must-haves" should be tempered by one's own common sense, discretionary funds available, and the objective interest in, or need for that particular product. The frequency of reading about these new releases, since everyone is talking about and swatching them at the same time, begins to feel like an effusive endorsement since so many bloggers are talking about them, but that doesn't necessitate buying all of these things. They will be discussed until the next release, and then will be forgotten about. The cycle continues in perpetuity because the collections just keep coming, and we keep talking about them.

I wish that I personally had the willpower to never find myself caught up in the hype of "needing" something that is over-hyped or hard to find, but I do find myself succumbing to these powerful impulses, albeit with less and less frequency.

Studying swatches is fine until it crosses that line from an interest to an irrational fetishistic desire to possess everything that your favorite bloggers adore, or that look just too pretty to pass up (not because you really want them per se, but because seeing them has become needing to possess them). Even though it may be the most perfected coral lipstick ever produced in the history of mankind, that changes absolutely nothing if coral lipsticks categorically look ghastly with your complexion.
I have contemplated these issues with sustained regularity, and even wrote a think-piece entitled Makeup Hoarding or Collecting: How Quickly the Edges Can Blur, and what I have come to believe is that what should be a fun and artistic endeavor (playing with makeup) can quickly devolve into a compulsive need to over-engage in conspicuous consumption (and to spend an inordinate amount of time reading about those very products). Neither buying, nor playing with makeup should be tainted by the uncomfortable compulsion to acquire in a frenzied state for fear of losing out on something that one will forever regret not having purchased (as though that special lipstick actually has within it the power to change our lives in any sort of appreciable way).

Truth be told, I (and I suspect many of you as well) tend to gravitate toward the same colors repeatedly (pinky nude lipsticks and lip glosses, pink blushes, taupe eyeshadows), and with each new compelling permutation of these shades I find myself seeking out what may be the best and most idealized version of each. Save for the disparity in finish, texture and overall quality-- what I am most often confronted with is the fact that I tend to repeatedly come home with shades that are close enough dupes to those already found in my stash.

I think that part of the problem becomes the fact that the purchase of coveted raved about products becomes aligned with the misperception that purchasing these products can become something that is needed in order to be granted access to the blogs and bloggers-- as though it is more than a product, but instead a membership card to a particular community to which one wants to belong. As though being without it one is hopelessly relegated to the sidelines and rendered mute on the particulars of this or that lipstick. It leaves one feeling as though they showed up to a lecture without having done their assignments, and then they need to sink down in their seat to avoid engaging because they have shown up unprepared.

Additionally, subjectivity must always be factored in since each of us has our own inherent likes and dislikes. For instance, if one has a particular aversion to matte lipsticks, or a particular penchant for shimmering eyeshadows, then one may be dismissive of the former and overly enthusiastic about the latter. In truth, it may be a fabulous matte lipstick formula worthy of consideration, and a mediocre shimmery eyeshadow in a lovely shade that may not be worthy of consideration.

Bottom line, the most important thing that each of us can do is let our common sense prevail, and try to remember to enjoy oneself rather than allowing something that should be lots of fun become a stressful enterprise predicated on excessive, and often unnecessary, acquisition. It is also important to remember that we as bloggers tend to test far more products than the average consumer, and that our experiences should help you avoid making purchases that ultimately won't work for you as much as our experiences introduce you to products that will be a good fit.
Ella said that this post would be perfected by the inclusion of a picture of Zeus-- so here you go!

What are your thoughts on the subject?
How do you keep your purchases in check?
How influenced are you by pretty swatches and positive reviews?
Has your beauty cup runneth over, or have you maintained a levelheaded perspective?

Copyright © 2014 www.lolassecretbeautyblog.com All Rights Reserved.

67 comments:

  1. Hey Helen, thanks for the thought-provoking piece. I hear ya. I refuse to purchase a foundation that I can't sample first, and by now I have figured my preferences out. For example, I won't buy big palettes and glosses no matter how good they look (or I try very hard to resist anyways), because I know I never reach for them. I think that once you've figured this out, you can save yourself from wanting absolutely everything you see. Figuring out what shades sit better on your skin tone is immensely helpful as well.

    I agree with you though. Following beauty blogs sometimes create this illusion that everybody owns something. If everybody owns this, it must be good and I must have it, too. I personally try not to exaggerate when I write (how many things can one truly not live without? For me it's just my brow pencil), and I always remind people that it's not because I feel an affiliation to a product that they will, too.

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    1. Hi Sunny! You are so welcome! Yes, foundations really do need to be sampled first in order to see what one's skin/chemistry will do with it. I never buy them without trying them first these days-- it's just not worth it!

      You are so wise to avoid palettes and glosses knowing that you won't reach for them often enough to justify the purchases. Pretty new shiny things can definitely be so hard to resist, but it really is wise to remind oneself that it is a wasteful purchase if it never gets used!

      I agree-- the illusion that everyone has it, and therefore everyone needs it is a dangerous trap. Even if one does not exaggerate the fabulousness of a particular product the sheer number of people talking about it can easily create a false need. Your approach is such a levelheaded one, and one of the reasons that I love your blog so much! :D

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  2. Helen, I love reading your essays! I identify so much with the thoughts you've put together here. Pre-blogging, I've spent a fair bit of time reasearching various new LE releases from my favorite brands on my favorite blogs which looked so deliciously tempting on my favorite bloggers. I've spent a lot of money too indiscriminantly. I think the very act of dwelling on anything (beauty or otherwise) makes it probably to spend more. Of course now with my own blog, I spend even more time thinking and researching all things makeup! Even though I started the blog with the intention to be thoughtful about how I purchase makeup, I think the very act of thinking thoughtfully may have actually contributed to buying more makeup! HA! HOW IRONICAL AND ALL THAT!

    I guess the good thing now is that I'm more educated about what types of products and textures work for me so that I do make purchases that are more likely to work. Still have to admit, pretty pictures and raves from my favorite bloggers make me quibble and bit weak in the knees though.

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    1. Hi Belly, Thank you for your very kind words, my friend! The feeling is totally mutual! I know just what you mean about the pre-blogging to post-blogging relationship to researching LE releases from favored brands and bloggers. The problem with this temptation is that it is never satisfied because as soon as you acquire one thing it is easy to move right on to the next without pause. I know just what you mean about having spent too much money indiscriminately-- it is far too easy to do (and justify) especially when you are in that "scoop up an entire collection" paradigm! I know just what you mean, blogging can definitely end up contributing to buying way more-- even when they are so-called well reasoned purchases. Part of the problem certainly has to do with spending an inordinate amount of time thinking about makeup and skincare products, and objectively it sounds a little crazy all things considered. I know what you mean, pretty pictures make my heart go pitter patter, and favorable reviews can be very hard to ignore when you are already susceptible to over-purchasing all of those pretty shiny baubles! Thanks for such beautifully articulated response! xoxo

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  3. Good, colour-accurate swatches rock my world.

    I live in the middle of nowhere. We have a Dillards. That is pretty much it. We have a Dillards, and it boasts a very robust Lancome counter and the occasional Dior product. I don't know what's going on with the Dior pieces, which seem to surface almost at random: one day the Cherie Bow palette, for instance, just appeared on a perfume counter with a price-tag attached and a few flanking nail polishes at its side. I hadn't even seen it swatched online yet.

    But I digress. :) Here, if you're not buying your cosmetics at the Dillards, you're buying them from Walgreens or the internets - and that's where bloggers' swatches become essential for me.

    Someone whose skintone perfectly matches mine still isn't going to provide me with sure-winner foundation suggestions. Oxidations happen. Undertones happen. I'm an olive-ish ultra-pale; oh boy, do undertones happen :) But what bloggers do - for me - is enable a process of elimination: if Bobbi Brown's palest foundation shade looks a little golden and dark on a blogger's NC5 skin, then I know for certain that Bobbi Brown does not make foundations that I can wear. If Chanel's latest LE lipsticks look fiercely saturated against a blogger's NC20 skin, then I know they're going to look clownish on me. :)

    It's thanks to excellent bloggers like yourself that I have a serviceable bronzer for the first time in my life and a set of go-to cosmetics that work for me, and that I love. Without you guys I'd be trapped in a perpetual cycle of test-and-return that would have me banned from shopping Sephora within a month.

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    1. Hi Ari!

      They rock my world as well! You raise the perfect point-- it is precisely because not everyone has access to a whole host of retailers that swatches are of value (certainly one of the reasons). However, the other side of that coin is that one might remain happy with their purchases from Dillards if there wasn't so much temptation to purchase lines that they don't carry. It's just that there are so many of us who decide that we need to find and buy things that are more difficult to track down, and we end up spending lots and lots of money on more and more things.

      You are so insightful in your approach to foundations-- swatches can definitely help determine whether a line appears to have shades that are even in the ballpark. Aside from all of the other obstacles involved in finding a good color match!

      Thank you for your very kind words they mean a great deal to me! Swatches definitely can help mitigate the whole test and return merry-go-round, but it can also create a whole new merry-go-round ride of its own!!!!!!! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such an excellent thought-provoking response! :-) Helen

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  4. I think it depends on many factors how much you actually expend or how crazy you go with makeup hoarding. I won't even enter into the perfume blog territory because I may buy perfumes and perfume samples on a weekly basis without a problem and experience a terrible anxiety when I read about a perfume I think I need. With make up however is different for me because even if I want something, say a new foundation, my skin is a darn mess and I am picky about the bloggers I trust not because I think there's people out there actively trying to lure us to buy things, which I am sure there are, but because I need to feel a personal connection to the people I follow. Does it make sense? So for me buying comes as a combination of what can work for my miserable skin and who is talking about the product.
    I read on a daily basis probably 10 or more beauty blogs and I only comment on one (this one) and I only follow advice directly from one (this one). So I can be tempted, curious, and willing to buy many things but I won't do it just because 3 bloggers have a nice review of the product (I will buy it if 3 perfume bloggers like a perfume though which shows my utter insanity regarding the world of perfumes ). My skin is a mess so even buying lipsticks is problematic for me so I know that when someone loves a product and looks great on a picture does not mean at all it will look good on me, my skin, my highly dry and pigmented lips that turn everything into fuchsia.
    On the other hand, I never finish anything I buy. I have never finished a lipstick, a foundation, or a face cream for that matter, so being constantly updated by the bloggers on newness, new technologies, new textures and finishes is a gift for me and a pain for my pocket. I like newness because I have not found the panacea yet so beauty bloggers are, for me, a breath of inspiration. I will always be in search of the perfect foundation, the perfect concealer, the perfect red lipstick, the perfect mascara, the perfect setting powder, etc. so it is due to the effort and knowledge of the bloggers that you get to think outside of your own makeup box (for me it is always Chanel, Armani Dolce Gabanna, Guerlain). It is because of you and your swatches I have discovered I can wear pink blushes in the most gentle and sublet way of course due to my redness but I do it now! It is something new and so gorgeous!
    It is interesting too because I know you love pinks and nudes and I cannot wear anything like that. I turn nudes into mauves for whatever reason so I get other compulsions satisfied with the beauty blogs. I don't wear eye shadows because I am lazy and there is no other excuse really and I read your blog (and others) religiously so, at least for me, more than getting the urgency to buy is just the urgency to share. I look at your pinks and nudes and think they are gorgeous and wish I could wear them but I content myself with looking at your swatches if that makes any sense.
    Lastly, I think for me, also more than buying like the maniac I am, it is about the pleasure of seeing gorgeous things. We talked about this a while ago. When you swatch 10 lipsticks, all Tom Ford gorgeousness, I get a rush of happiness! so for me it is a lot about the voyeurism, the fetichizing of beauty and what the image instills in my tiny brain (you know much more than I do about the power of the image and what it conveys so I know you understand what I am trying to get to), and about making my brain happy with new knowledges and new images. I just really love reading beauty blogs. They satisfy so many different needs and compulsions.
    I felt I wrote a lot of nonsensical things here Helen.
    Kiss your furry ones for me and tell them to please continue to chant feline mantras. I havent heard yet from the postdoc :(
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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    1. First of all, let me just say that the felines, canines and I continue to chant good luck mantras about your post-doc! You deserve a fabulous post-doc! Perhaps it will bring you to the LA area :D, and perhaps USC is still on the table!

      Thank you for your insightful (as always) response. I am also extraordinarily touched that out of the beauty blogs that you read that you only comment on mine, and only follow advice from mine-- you have absolutely no idea how much that means to me that you would say such a thing! I'm profoundly touched and humbled!

      I can only imagine the trouble that you could and would get yourself into if you seriously followed perfume blogs and made purchases accordingly. Given your exquisite taste in fragrances, I imagine that you could gut the holdings of one of the biggest banks in an afternoon- LOL!!!!!!!

      You make a very important point about never finishing anything that you buy-- I think that is true for so many people. That is part of the reason that I do the Empties posts and Project Make-A-Dent because they keep mindful of what I have, and motivate me to use things up before buying more things. Of course a good deal of the time I buy more things before I finish other things, but I do force myself to use what I have-- especially with skincare products. Changing technologies that create better quality products certainly always inspire interest, and new textures and finishes are often so hard to resist.

      I definitely concur with you about the perpetual search for the perfect foundation, concealer etc. I'm so thrilled that my swatches aided in your discovery that you can wear pink blushes (I'm smiling ear to ear right now).

      I know just what you mean about the pleasure of seeing gorgeous things-- it definitely satisfies both the voyeuristic and fetishistic impulses without the need to possess the referent! It's really nice when the signifier and the signified are enough!!!!!!!!!! I get the same rush of happiness when I see beautiful aesthetically pleasing things, and often the viewing without the possession is enough, but sometimes the impulse is simply too strong and I must possess it! LOL!

      Nothing that you said was nonsensical, in fact-- I was nodding my head the entire time that I was reading your infinitely insightful and intelligent words! xoxox

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  5. This is a great question, and one I've been asking myself recently. Almost without exception, my favorite products were purchased after I tested them (or at least saw them) in person. Sometimes all it takes is a split-second glance before I realize that a lipstick that looked blah online is perfect for me, or vice versa. Conversely, the products I buy after seeing online swatches often prove disappointing--and I'm the sort of person who has to look at EVERY SINGLE swatch available before making a decision. Oddly (or not), the impulse buys I make in person tend to work out better than the online purchases I mull over for weeks and weeks.

    The Internet is a whirlpool of material desires, which is fun until it's not. I'm very familiar with the moment when seeing becomes wanting, regardless of how the desired product will look *on me*. For this reason, I've been trying to limit my purchases to products I can actually test in person before buying. This means excluding quite a few brands, but that's probably a good thing.

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    1. Hi auxiliary beauty! Thank you, I definitely feel that it is a question worth grappling with. It is far too easy to make rash purchases that are ill-suited to our skin tone etc., and I have found that my best purchases tend to be those made when I am rational rather than simply reactive to all of the pretty things that people are raving about. Seeing things in person, whenever possible always seems to be a good idea. Or at least buying online sight unseen--for me-- needs to be a calculated risk with something that is relatively fool proof in terms of perceived color. I agree that many purchases made online based upon swatches alone have often proven to be quite disappointing for me as well. I often mull things over for weeks and weeks as well. Sadly the LE frenzy often forces people to act fast before hot ticket items sell out. I find that this often results is less than stellar purchases, and I have been making every effort to avoid the pitfalls of that particular exercise in futility (at least it is much of the time, but certainly not all of the time).

      Beautifully stated, the internet really is a whirlpool of material desires, and you are so right-- it is fun until it's not! When seeing becomes wanting, and the compulsive desire to acquire becomes an issue-- then it stops being fun altogether. I think that excluding a few brands in favor of making purchases based upon tested products is a great policy to uphold. However, this becomes infinitely more difficult for the many people who live nowhere near a Sephora or any other big retailer that stocks the brands that they covet! Thanks for your wonderful comment! :-)

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  6. I recently moved and can attest to this as I had two fairly decent sized baskets of items I hadn't touched yet because I wanted to photograph them but had forgotten about by the time the weather was good enough as more stuff had been released since then! I do an on-going Make-a-dent project (I mostly finish foundation and skincare) but I've also started photographing and blogging about well loved products in my stash in an effort to cut down... and also because makeup is so cyclical! It is interesting how product formulation will make a difference to a shade though, which is what I've found comparing my 'old' stuff to the new products available now!

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    1. Hi Justine, Don't all of the unused products just make you cringe?! They fill me with guilt and anxiety because they make me feel so wasteful while they await being photographed. Whether I purchased them myself, or whether they are press samples-- it always feels somewhat stressful knowing that I need to do something with them and that they aren't getting used while in their state of limbo! I can just imagine your surprise when you found all those neglected treasures! Things like Project Make-A-Dent and Empties posts help keep me focussed on using what I already have rather than just fixating on what new things I "need" to acquire. My hat is off to you that you are able to get through foundations and skincare! I do a good job using up skincare, but a rather poor job with foundations (though I am trying to do a better job with them).

      You are so right that product formulations can make a huge difference to a shade-- high quality ingredients and advanced technologies can certainly make a big difference in the way that a product adheres to the skin, and the intensity of color, smoothness etc. You make really excellent points-- thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and express your views! :-)

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  7. I think we all get enthrauled by the hype but it's your choice to buy or not. I find swatches to be useful but then personally I swatch everything I buy first so I rarely end up with off shades. I used to save things for photographing now I just use them I'd rather enjoy the product and in use it shows on the items you favour the most. I thunk its a fine line between want and need and luckily ive not hit a moment of must have every shade but I can see the pull

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    1. Hi Jessica! I agree, and it is so easy to get swept off of our feet by the hype! It's a great idea to swatch everything that you buy first-- far fewer mistakes that way. Good for you for no longer waiting to use things-- I really need to try that!! I think that would make it that much more enjoyable rather than photographing it first (which can take a while to get to), then using it long enough to be able to write a meaningful review. If I skipped those steps I could use it and love it first! You are so right there is a very fine line between want and need, and one can easily talk oneself into the belief that it is an actual need. I think that the whole enterprise is much more enjoyable when one doesn't feel the need to buy so many things!! Thanks for your very insightful comment!

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  8. What a thought provoking post! I definitely buy more makeup because I spend more time looking at makeup and reading the hype around items, especially new and LE items. If I didn't look at blogs, I doubt I would buy because I wouldn't want to take a chance spending so much money, particularly when it comes to expensive products unavailable where I live.

    One of things that close up swatches do is exaggerate how different products are and therefore heighten the need to obtain. But realistically, once on the face, many products look very similar. I do love when products are applied and the full face is shown. Then I can see, yes, the overall effect is the same, whether it's this shade or that one, so no need to get both! Or no need to buy at all because it looks like something I already have!

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    1. I'm so glad that you found it thought provoking! I know just what you mean-- reading about makeup and looking at swatches inevitably causes us to want to buy more. Like you, it does the same to me! New and LE items have such a great pull. I doubt that I ever would have gotten so fixated on them if I hadn't spent so much time reading blogs and writing my own for that matter.

      What an excellent point about close up swatches-- they do exaggerate the appearance of the products and can definitely serve to heighten the desire to obtain those pretty shiny new things! It's definitely true that once applied to the face that their appearances can become far less dramatic. That said, even in swatches the shades are quite often very close to what we may already have!!!! Thanks for your insightful comment!

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  9. Great post, as usual. I think it's less the swatches that make me buy than it is the often herd mentality raving about a particular product. I've learned that even multiple raves may not make it the right product for me (usually after I've plunked down my cash for it, though). I've also learned that though I enjoy reading some bloggers, we often have very different ideas of what makes something a must-have item. I do appreciate seeing swatches, especially if the item is not easily available. If I'm going to go to the effort to track it down, I want to know more about what it really looks like, even if it's on someone else. And often, it's super close to a shade I already have. More than swatches, I tend to be swayed by LE products. That kind of panicky, "OMG, I have to get this NOW because if I don't, it will sell out and then I will never, ever have it!" feeling. If anything, I find a lot of blogs tend to glom onto those limited products and get very hyper about them. And that feeds my "new/now" frenzy more than swatches. And so it goes ...

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    1. Thank you, Evelyn!! That means a great deal to me coming from you! Ah yes, the herd mentality definitely often makes me buy as well. I am really trying to be better about that, and instead focus my buying efforts on things that I really love-- like pretty much anything from Surratt, Tom Ford, Guerlain and Hourglass to name a few of my favorites. I agree with you wholeheartedly that multiple raves do not mean that the product will work for me either, and it is far more disturbing when that discovery is made after spending a small fortune on something that failed to live up to the hype (or at least didn't work well for me). LE releases are particularly insidious creatures because everybody is talking about them at the same time which doesn't necessarily translate to it being a fantastic product, but the buzz from all of the talk itself creates the impression that it is worthy of purchase because everybody else seems to be trying it at the same time. I wish that I wasn't at all susceptible to LE products (whether or not they are hyped)- their LE status alone created that panicky OMG reaction that you discussed, and can make one's fingers trigger happy during late night department store website adventures! It can be very scary when your shopping cart is filling up, and your credit card is in hand!

      I know just what you mean, everybody talking about the LE products does have a way of pushing one to purchase at times. I am just trying my best to remain as calm and levelheaded as possible because I already have more makeup than I could possibly use up in a lifetime-- so I am trying to let my common sense prevail whenever possible. I just don't want to squelch the fun and enjoyment of it all by losing perspective, over purchasing, and then feeling anxious that I have been wasteful and excessive! And so it goes, indeed! Have you been getting much in the way of new releases from Burberry in Canada? They really seem to have slowed production and distribution here!

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    2. Burberry was yanked from the one Canadian department store that stocked it. Now some of the Burberry boutiques have a lonely little display but no dedicated cosmetics salesperson. I just saw the spring palette (rose something or other) ... the lipsticks looked like repromotes to me and nothing was tempting. Thankfully. I have several of the earlier palettes and singles, and that's just fine! Oh, and I am trying the Sunday Riley Artemis oil and liking it a lot. Not sure if you are still into the brand or have tried the new oils she introduced. Not a fan of the dropper she now has for Juno (as well as this one and Isis) as I think it will cause the oils to oxidize and spoil faster. Just another reason to keep using it, I guess.

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    3. That's too bad! I wonder why that happened?! I noticed that the lipsticks look like repromotes as well. I wonder if they are putting their efforts in creating some fantastic Fall Collection (fingers crossed). I have a few samples of the Artemis Oil that I need to try, but I am the most curious about the Isis oil (I LOVE rose oils!!). The last time I went to SpaceNK to check it out they didn't have a tester or samples, but definitely want to try it next time that I go there or Barneys. Have you tried Isis? What do you like about Artemis? I wonder if the switch to dropper bottles was an aesthetic one or if it was done to ensure that one could more easily control the amount being dispensed?

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    4. Eek - it IS Isis I have, not Artemis. The dropper does control the amount dispensed, but I am sure it will also decrease the oil's shelf life, too. Well, I do like the smell better than the oregano/salad dressing smell of Juno! And I have to say that after a week of using it (I am layering Skin Adrenaline over it, and trying to use up my serum ... I think it was the II?) I really am seeing a softening of those "angry 11" lines between the eyes. That's a nice benefit! It takes longer to soak in than I would like, but then, I find that with nearly all the face oils I've tried. It's not an unpleasant feeling, it just is sitting on top of the skin for a while. I have to say that when I go back to the Sunday Riley products, my skin reacts so well to them. No hives or redness or weirdness which I have occasionally seen with other lines. I am trying Radical (bought the trial set from Sephora, and have a full size of the acid pads and the bubbling treatment ... which are great). No bad issues with them, but the occasional complaint from my skin. So I'm going back to the (huge) stash of SR products I have to at least use them up. And if they are improving my skin, all the better. I may just stick with them.

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    5. I really want to smell Isis. Artemis smells strange to me-- somehow the scent of the lemon and the eucalyptus smells off to me-- so I'm not sure that I can use it comfortably. I much prefer the scent of Juno to it. I love rose scented oils (the one from Aftelier Perfumes is going to be a very hard one to beat, and the By Terry Huile de Rose is pretty fabulous as well-- so I am really interested to feel Isis. I do tend to prefer oils to sink in quicker rather than sitting on the skin for too long. Does it sink in quicker if you heat it up in your hands first and then massage it into warm slightly damp skin? Isn't it Stem Cell Serum I-- the one meant for lines? Softening the angry 11 is always a good thing! I decided to try prescription Retin A to see how it would work, and it is truly one of the most impressive and potent anti-aging products that I have tried, and for a mere fraction of the price of our high-end luxury serums. I definitely makes sure to apply one of my oils after I have massaged in the Retin A, and then I top that with a cream so that my skin doesn't get dried out, but it has really made a huge difference. I'm so glad to hear that your skin is doing so well! I'm really loving Radical. I find the whole line rather magical, and they are employing such innovative technologies and superior ingredients. I completely agree that the new mask and the exfoliating pads are great! It will be interesting to see how your skin responds to the new products-- you might end up with a combination of RS and SR-- since they are inverted maybe the two will be the perfect balance :-)

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    6. I think the smell of Isis is another one that takes getting used to. Almost a medicinal rose to me, but not unpleasant, if that makes sense. But not classic rose the way you would think of it in fragrances either. I do warm it in the palms of my hands and press it into my skin. It still takes easily an hour to completely sink in, but it is not super tacky either. That's with 3-5 drops. My skin does feel great in the morning. Yes, it's the Stem Cell Serum I - not sure she is even making that anymore. It doesn't appear on the Barneys site and Sephora never carried that. t haven't combined the Sunday Riley products with Radical yet, but I may. I'm not sure I will love the feel of an oil on my face when the weather heats up (and after our brutal winter that can't happen soon enough).

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    7. I wonder why the formula is so slow to absorb? I will definitely have to go check it out though. I think that they discontinued Stem Cell Serums I & II quite a while ago. The last time i checked they only had III (the one with retinol), but I have found the prescription Retin A to be far more potent and effective at a fraction of the price-- so that is my newfound workhorse! You might try a lighter weight oil for the warmer weather-- there are so many good ones on the market-- you might check out the Colbert MD Illumino-- it is very very light, sinks in immediately, and has the added benefit of containing retinol. I really really love it!

      http://www.lolassecretbeautyblog.com/2014/01/colbert-md-illumino-face-oil.html

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    8. maybe it has to do with body chemistry and it's preference for certain types of oils? for example, coconut oil sits on top of my skin forever but sinks in really fast on my boyfriend despite the fact that he has oily skin and i have much drier skin

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  10. Aaahhh! ALL OF THIS. <3 I have gone far down the rabbit hole and it's only this year that I've really made it a point to stop myself before I disappear further down that path. It's definitely become a sort of addiction and I'm just trying to stop myself before it comes to a point where I can't. I've been going back to my stash and trying to look for stuff that I've forgotten but really loved when I got them. I'm also trying to be more conscious of the reasoning behind wanting to buy something. Often, it's just a case of "I MUST HAVE ITTT" for no other reason than "needing" to have it.

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    1. Hi Carina! Do I ever know what you mean!!!!!! Your approach is a wise one, and a good way to maintain a good perspective. Buying makeup is fine, but being consumed by it is a whole other thing, and it is really easy to end up with with way too much. It's the constant craving for more that I don't like feeling, and an insatiable desire to buy more than I could possibly ever use is just wasteful for me. Don't get me wrong, I love makeup and skincare, and don't plan to stop buying it-- I just want to keep my common sense in the driver's seat rather than impulsive decisions armed with a credit card! Thanks for your wonderful comment! :-)

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  11. Wow, what a fantastic question to ask! Very thought provoking. You have been my very favorite beauty blogger for a very long time for many reasons, and this post just further validates my reasons for always coming back for more every day.

    It's refreshing not feeling as though I'm being tempted to buy piles of things that I don't need, but instead being asked to think about my motivations for so many potential purchases. I feel like so many beauty bloggers these days have just turned into marketing machines for the companies whose products they review, and way too many seem to use their blogs as forums to promote themselves rather than as a place to honestly engage with people. I love makeup and skincare, but I am really turned off by so much of what I see going on in the blogging world now, and find that your blog is one of the few that I still love to visit. Thank you!

    Don't get me wrong, I have made numerous purchases based upon the products that you review favorably, and have never been disappointed!! :) But it's really nice to see your well-reasoned approach, and the fact that it's not at all about trying to get us to buy things that we don't necessarily need. I completely agree with you about foundation swatches, I never buy them based upon online swatches. I have done it a few times in the past, but stopped doing that a while ago. There are way too many variables involved when you are putting something on so much of your skin and trying to have it look natural. If I can't swatch it in person, or if I can't get samples to try, then it really isn't worth it. I love the idea of mixing colors of blushes and eyeshadows I never used to do that in the past, but you have mentioned doing that repeatedly because it increases your color wardrobe so much and because it can make colors that aren't by themselves a good fit very wearable. You have saved me from tossing lots of beautiful products by doing this, and lots of money by not needing to replace them.

    I completely agree with what wefadetogray said, I really love looking at beautiful swatches, and yours always make me so happy because they are always gorgeous. I am trying really hard not to get caught up in the hype of buying lots of over hyped limited edition seasonal releases and only selecting things that I really know that I will actually love and wear. I don't have unlimited resources and don't want to throw away my money on things that I won't use and love.

    Thank you for such a wonderful article! :)

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    1. Hi there! I'm so glad that you liked this post! Thank you so much for your kind words about my blog-- they are tremendously meaningful to me. I'm just thrilled that you feel as you do! It just seemed like a question worthy of asking since we are all surrounded by these temptations all of the time!

      I'm glad that you are able to enjoy beautiful swatches without feeling the need to buy everything that you see, and that you know what works for you so you are able to avoid what will surely be disappointing purchases. You and me both about trying not to get too caught up in hyped LE releases, and just selecting those things that one is likely to actually use and love. Sometimes it's a tough thing to do! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a wonderful comment!

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  12. Years ago, when I first started reading beauty blogs, I found them to be like catnip--fun, fanciful, playful, and thoroughly addictive :-) Seeing all those pictures of lovely products and reading glowing and enthusiastic reviews gave me a serious case of the "lemmings". And, because I've always loved makeup and have a fair amount of discretionary income, it was far too easy to make blind purchases without really thinking about them. Needless to say, I bought a number of products that were total fails. It didn't take long; however, to learn that far too many bloggers are basically shills and that even the opinions that weren't actually purchased with cash or product were often influenced by the blogger's desire to cement a positive relationship with a company's PR department. It took awhile to separate the wheat from the chafe, but I eventually found blogs that were authentic and which could be trusted. The next thing I had to internalize was that a blogger's age, lifestyle, taste, esthetic, and personal preferences would influence her opinion just as surely as would her coloring, skin type, and application technique. Just because the blogger published a glowing--and honest--review about a product that looked gorgeous on her, that didn't necessarily mean the product was going to suit me. Once I got a handle on all that, the "lemmings" vanished.

    When it comes to making purchases, I might order online, but I usually do a bit of counter reconnaissance first or I might have previously seen the product on another person. As you well know, in the LA area we have such easy access to an abundance of brands, both main stream and niche, so we have a huge advantage over readers who don't live in major metropolitan areas. I do order blind occasionally but not very often. Sometimes I'll see something on a trusted blog and, because I know the brand so well, I'll feel confident ordering it. Sometimes I'll want to try a product line that isn't available in the US as was the case when I purchased Addiction eyeshadow a few years back. I had no choice but to rely on blog swatches to select a color. Ordering based on blog reviews and swatches; however, is not my norm.

    In regards to quantity of products, I have quite a bit because I love to try new colors, textures, finishes, etc. I don't worry about "making a dent" because that's not what it is about for me. Makeup is for fun and I'm always eager to explore new products. What keeps my stash under control is that I never hoard products or buy backups and I'm very good about tossing out old products. I know some people insist you can keep certain products "forever", but my attitude is why would you want to do that? For example, why use an old blush when better formulations and more fashionable colors and finishes abound? When it comes to cosmetics, I'm always moving forward.

    I want to thank everyone for the article and the subsequent comments. It was very interesting.

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    1. Hi Eileen,

      Thank you for such an insightful response (as always). I am always thrilled to read your wonderful comments here and on other blogs-- you always add so much to the conversation.

      Your level-headed approach to new releases, and your ability to separate the genuine from the disingenuous reviews makes such a huge difference. Being able to wade through the sea of information and swatches, and being able to quickly dismiss those that should be dismissed and engage with those that are worthwhile saves lots of wasted money and time!

      You are so right about the desire to try new colors, new textures, and finishes etc. Never hoarding products is the perfect way to keep one's stash size in check, and you are quite right that wanting to keep certain products "forever" is rather ill-conceived!

      Thank you for your great and meaningful insights!

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  13. Thank you for such an intelligent and thought provoking post. Most beauty blogs seem to promote the over buying frenzy, and I total agree with Eileen that FAR too many beauty bloggers are basically shills either to stay in good standing with PR companies, or to get in there good graces. I also completely agree with anonymous that many of the beauty bloggers out there are really in it to glorify themselves rather than engage with their readers in any real and meaningful way. For many it seems to have become a super narcissistic undertaking (and very boring to the reader), and they don't seem to understand that it is so easy to see through. I have unsubscribed myself from almost all of the beauty blogs that I used to read regularly, and only trust a few. I also have to say that I have sent you numerous emails asking you about particular skincare products that I could have easily purchased, but your honest answers (and in several cases your telling me that a particular product probably wasn't going to be a great fit for my needs and that I should save my money for something that you really want or need) have made you like a very trusted friend. :-)

    I definitely love to drool over your beautiful swatches, but recognize when a particular color won't work for me so I have have learned to appreciate their beauty without "needing" to buy them. I wholeheartedly agree that buying foundations based upon swatches is not the best idea unless you are already really familiar with the line and know their color selection well. Even then texture preferences are so personal that I really need to swatch and feel it in person, and whenever it is in a sanitary container I like to try it on my face as well. Like many of you have said there are just too many variables at play with something that covers your an entire face. It's not like a lipstick, blush or eyeshadows that only go on a small specific area.

    I really want to thank you and everybody else who is contributing to this very interesting "think piece" you all are very insightful and intelligent, and it was such a pleasure to read all of your thoughts. Now if you had included a picture of your crazy cat Zeus this would have been even more perfect :-)

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    1. HI Ella!

      Thank you for such a lovely comment, and your kind words. I'm so glad that you feel that I have been helpful in our lovely email exchanges. I would never encourage you to spend your hard-earned money on something that seemed ill-suited to your needs! I am flattered that you consider me trusted friend, and trust me when I tell you that the feeling is absolutely mutual. Additionally, what you claim that I have done for you you have done for me as well. You have successfully steered me to, and away from several products-- and for that I am grateful! I consider this blog as one that belongs to all of us who engage here, not just me. And it is the exchange of ideas and the sharing of products etc. that I find so valuable!

      LOL about perfecting this post by including a picture of Zeus!! Refresh your screen because I just added one!

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    2. OMG, you are so awesome, Helen!!!!!!!! Seriously, I just adore you! Thank you for the picture of Zeus! xoxox

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    3. Absolutely my pleasure, Ella! The adoration is absolutely and positively mutual! <3

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  14. Hi Lola! Firstly, you might be the brainiest beauty blogger ever! :) Secondly, I agree with your post and pretty much all the responses to it as well. Honestly, the average person has to use common sense and know that many factors whether it be skin coloring/tone, lighting, formula oxidation, etc. will always yield a much different effect on that individual against the the blogger's. Nevertheless, I still REALLY appreciate all the effort, time and energy that you and other beauty buffs put into posting reviews & swatches. (Honestly, it looks like a massive pain in the butt! LOL! I say that lovingly, of course!) I still believe in researching the heck out of a product before purchasing. And whether the reviews or quality of photos are good or bad, helpful or not so much, it's still up to the reader to discern whether a product will work or not. Honestly, I've gone into department stores and personally had an SA apply products on me and thought they were wonderful (in store), only to find the opposite once I left. So, no guarantees either way. You just need to be as savvy as possible and for goodness sakes, know the return policy (just in case). :)
    Also, I am glad that you and others are incorporating a movement towards revisiting and using up products already in our arsenal. Because of you, I've kept a steady list of products that I've conquered and rotate items to keep them in "play." By the way, I had an accident with my TF Frantic Pink and your posting is making me want to repurchase that sooner than later (FP + Wicked combo is still really lovely), but the same posting is making me hold off until I can justify it (maybe a birthday, or till I use up "x" amount of stuff, etc.)! :P Anyways, keep up your insightful posts! cindy

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    1. Hi Cindy! Thank you for saying such a nice thing about me!!!!! :-)

      I'm so glad that this post speaks to you, and that you agree with what everyone is discussing. I definitely agree with you about all of the variables that either make a product work or not work. You raise a very valuable point that even when applied in person, that what looks great in store may actually look terrible once you go out into the natural light! I have had that happen so many times, and learned the hard way to walk outside and take a look at my face before committing to the purchase of any of the products applied! Knowing the return policy is a great word of advice as well!

      I'm glad that you like this incorporation of items already in one's arsenal into their routine-- rather than always only seeking new hyped products. I am personally uncomfortable finding myself in the position of only craving what I don't have, and certainly don't want my readers to feel as though my intention is to simply make them want to buy things that they don't necessarily need (or perhaps really even want for that matter). It is for this reason that I created Project Make-A-Dent, and do monthly Empties posts. It keeps me cognizant of what I am using, and serves as a reminder that I should remember to use what I already have without depriving myself of well-reasoned purchases. These two things have helped me do more than simply engage in a frenzied type of conspicuous consumption, and I'm happy that it has had a positive effect on some of you!

      I'm so sorry that you had an accident with Frantic Pink!! Was any of it able to be salvaged? If so, here is a rather easy fix for broken powder products! Frantic Pink is definitely worthy of repurchase for me, and I REALLY do love mixing it with Wicked-- it is a heavenly combination. Thankfully Frantic Pink isn't limited edition-- so it will be waiting for you whenever you decide to repurchase it!

      Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a wonderfully insightful comment, I really appreciate it! Have a lovely weekend! :-) Helen

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    2. Hi again, Cindy! I meant there is a way to fix broken products-- not "here" is a way. That said, if Frantic Pink crumbled you can mix some alcohol into the pan of crumbled blush and then stir it about until it's sufficiently moist. Then you let it set a bit and pat it down to a smooth surface and let it fully dry. There are numerous easy to follow online tutorials, in case that is what your Frantic Pink needs. :-)

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    3. I definitely agree that she is the brainiest beauty blogger, Cindy! I would also say one of the most sincere and kind! :D

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  15. Hey brainy blogger, you cause me to spend!!
    By the way I just realized that I stopped getting your emails for the blog. All of a sudden I stopped getting at least a dozen blogs and I'm just realizing yours is one. I wonder why.

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    1. I don't know about all of that! I do, however, know that you send me on shopping sprees after you swatch and review as well!!!!!!

      That's really strange that you haven't been getting my emails-- I wonder if the others were on blogger as well, and if there is some kind of glitch. That's very strange!

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  16. ah helen, if only i could send this and project make a dent posts to my past self, i might not have had the uncontrollable hoard of makeup where i feel like my only recourse is to become a beauty blogger myself :P

    seriously though, i'm so thankful to have discovered your blog. the intelligent and eloquent community you have fostered here is so rare and such a pleasure to be part of. your project make a dent posts have saved me from succumbing to the temptation of acquiring nars' any warhol palette you posted a while back (although i did have to chant to myself "i don't need more copper, bronzes and taupes!" for a week) and kat von d's new chrysalis palette (though there were a few days of chanting "i have plenty of purples and i CAN IGNORE that cobalt blue!!")

    i think the whole issue revolves around choice, knowledge and awareness as many others have commented on before me. it took me a lot of duds and a long email exchange with another blogger about a palette before i gained the realization that the intensity you see in swashes might not be achievable with a few casual swipes. in fact, sometimes it takes a lot work! and it's only now sinking in that peaches and pinks rarely work well on my skin. i've finally learned to say "that's a beautiful peach swatch but it probably won't show up that well on my skin. go test it at the store first and save myself a return later. ultimately we all have to spend our time and money on something to make our lives pleasurable. if i've indulged too much in my love of makeup this month then i'll know to forego movies and alcohol when i go out with friends. as long as you keep balance and awareness in mind, it doesn't really matter what you spend your money on. it doesn't matter that i don't have art on my walls because i can go into my makeup stash, open a few palettes and take luxuriate in the bounty of beautiful colors

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    1. Hi Chia-Yi, I wish that my past self had already been doing this project as well!

      Thank you for your kind words, I too am thankful that you found my blog! I think that it is so important that each of us finds that balancing point between buying what we really want and not over-buying. Sometimes I find myself getting swept up by a particular product only to realize that I have numerous things that are so similar that there really is no "need" to make that particular purchase. I think for me it has become an issue of encouraging my common sense to prevail in all purchases that could be duplicative. That said, I also don't believe in instituting rigid no-buy policies that make me feel deprived-- all that does is make me want those things all the more. So I try to just let reason prevail.

      You are so right that just because the swatches are gorgeous doesn't mean that those products will work on one's own skin, or that the pigmentation will give the desired intensity. I totally agree that it doesn't matter how one spends their discretionary income-- doing what makes one happy is of paramount importance, and if one derives great pleasure from their makeup then it is money well spent. Of course all of this has to be done within reason-- because if one spends their food money on makeup-- then a bigger problem is clearly at issue! Thankfully I have managed, for the most part, to regain a more balanced approach to my makeup and skincare purchases-- but there have been more than a few occasions when I had to stop myself from going too far down the rabbit hole of conspicuous consumption!

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  17. I actually just "stumbled-upon" your blog and must say I'm impressed! Very thoughtful post. I like to say I'm older than dirt (I'm 56) and I've been playing with makeup and nail polish since I was around 13. I already KNOW what colors work for me and which ones don't, and yes...that has changed over the years, lol. I got genetically gifted with great skin, good hair and great nails so I look much younger, but that's another topic. I discovered beauty blogs about 6 years ago and although my "thing" is really nail polish, I enjoy reading them and seeing the swatches. They have helped me with a few choices - amongst them a new favorite foundation and mascara - but I don't buy foundation without swatching it! I also don't like to buy blush without swatching, but I HAVE found a couple of new ones via the bloggers that I love. Again, my biggest weakness is nail polish, which I have been collecting for literally a couple of decades. Yes, I DO have some 20-year-old polishes in that nasty (wonderful, carcinogenic) formula we all covet in our 3-frees and 5-frees...and I still love them. The nail blogs have introduced me to brands I'd never have heard of otherwise and thus I have some amazing polishes I'd not have had. My DH got a little upset when my polish collection suddenly increased exponentially, but I pointed-out that we are NOT poor, that one of his sisters has a closet-full of designer purses and a sister-in-law has a closet-full of Manolos. He thought about it for a minute and said, "I guess I'm a lucky man!" Now, when I pick up something from a new collection, he'll say, "Well, you need that. You're getting low." ;) I suppose my point is that information is a wonderful thing to have, but self-control is also necessary. I have reached an age where I don't HAVE to have what everyone else has, so I make informed decisions. Had all these blogs been available to me when I was younger and more easily swayed, I would probably have spent my life in a pile of cosmetics that I never used.

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    1. Hi Pamela!

      Welcome! Thank you for discovering my blog and taking the time to leave a comment! I'm very glad that you like it! 56 is hardly older than dirt! :-) Your skin, hair and nails sound absolutely lovely!

      It's very nice that your DH realized that your penchant for collecting fantastic nail polishes is one the more affordable vices-- particularly when compared to Manolos and designer purses! That is very sweet that he goes so far as to encourage you to purchase things that he perceives that you need! My husband will occasionally say similar types of things, and in fact will go so far as to say something like, "I think that you should probably try this or that because I'm sure that you have many readers that would like to know about these things." I'm always surprised when he engages in that sort of way!

      I completely agree with you that self-control is absolutely necessary-- it is all too easy to get swept up in the hype, and that simply isn't a good enough reason to buy something! You are so wise to swatch things in person that you know that you need to see in person. Making informed decisions is the best way to avoid huge piles of makeup that go unused because they were a bad fit to begin with! It is so lovely "meeting" you, and hope to get to know you better. Thank you again for leaving such a lovely and thoughtful comment! Enjoy the rest of your weekend! :) Helen

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  18. I have definitely ran out and bought something immediately after reading about it from one of my fav beauty bloggers!! (And I can't say I've been disappointed either). I'm certain it could easily get out of hand though! But thank the good Lord for Pinterest! LOL. I save pins there to a special 'must try' board, and I can come back to it any time when I have extra cash and want to try a raved about product! I've started really controlling myself though! I use extreme self control now ... because, a few weeks ago, I decided I needed to clean out my makeup stash. I literally had shopping bags full of products that I threw out. And it was tough, I had to be really blunt with myself. Nope, you don't use that, yes it is pretty, but you don't use it, so it goes. Period. woman! (Yes, I had to be tough with myself LOL). So ... now I'm very careful to try and only buy things that I need. Last week, after reading a few reviews and seeing the same sales at a store here in CA I ran out to the store. But I literally spent an hour in the same aisle contemplating if I *really needed it or not. One purchase I did make, but I returned it later, after deciding I really didn't need it. Although, I will allow myself one splurge every few weeks on a new item that looks just plain fabulous! I mean, that is a must! You can't be too strict on yourself! But you CAN be reasonable :) But I must admit ... I have weaknesses. Like brushes. I am currently purhcasign ELF's brush set. I'm pretty sure I do NOT need any more brushes LOL. But we don't have ELF retail here in CA, so when I buy online from them, I buy in bulk! (They have a few products that I can't live without!). And their brushes are on sale ... so why not try and see if I like! LOL :)

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  19. I have definitely ran out and bought something immediately after reading about it from one of my fav beauty bloggers!! (And I can't say I've been disappointed either). I'm certain it could easily get out of hand though! But thank the good Lord for Pinterest! LOL. I save pins there to a special 'must try' board, and I can come back to it any time when I have extra cash and want to try a raved about product! I've started really controlling myself though! I use extreme self control now ... because, a few weeks ago, I decided I needed to clean out my makeup stash. I literally had shopping bags full of products that I threw out. And it was tough, I had to be really blunt with myself. Nope, you don't use that, yes it is pretty, but you don't use it, so it goes. Period. woman! (Yes, I had to be tough with myself LOL). So ... now I'm very careful to try and only buy things that I need. Last week, after reading a few reviews and seeing the same sales at a store here in CA I ran out to the store. But I literally spent an hour in the same aisle contemplating if I *really needed it or not. One purchase I did make, but I returned it later, after deciding I really didn't need it. Although, I will allow myself one splurge every few weeks on a new item that looks just plain fabulous! I mean, that is a must! You can't be too strict on yourself! But you CAN be reasonable :) But I must admit ... I have weaknesses. Like brushes. I am currently purhcasign ELF's brush set. I'm pretty sure I do NOT need any more brushes LOL. But we don't have ELF retail here in CA, so when I buy online from them, I buy in bulk! (They have a few products that I can't live without!). And their brushes are on sale ... so why not try and see if I like! LOL :)

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    1. Hi Mysty!
      Thanks for taking the time to leave such an awesome comment! What a great idea to create a 'must try' board on Pinterest! That's a brilliant way to catalog your interests, and I imagine that there are many times that once you go play with those items in person that you are able to eliminate things from the list! Good for you for really controlling your purchases-- I am trying to do the same. You sound like me standing in the aisle at Sephora for long periods of time contemplating my purchases. I continually run outside to look at my swatches in natural light, and then go back and take things out of my basket and add other things! I try really really hard not to make impulse purchases because much of the time those are the items that end up not getting used. Nothing is more sobering than cleaning out your stash and dumping piles of neglected products. I always feel terribly wasteful when I don't use things that I have, and I feel guilty when I dump them because of the amount of money that I spent! At least your obsession with ELF brushes isn't a lavishly expensive treat! I'm in California as well-- I thought that we had ELF here! Thanks again for stopping by! :-) Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

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    2. It just occurred to me that you probably meant Canada, not California-- LOL!!!!!

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    3. i have the same pinterest board! only mine is called beauty blogger recommended items

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    4. Haha, yes, sorry. I'm in Canada :) Yup, as soon as I've tried a product, if I like it, I move the pin to my Cosmetic Faves board, and if I don't I just delete it. :)

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    5. Oh and I laughed at your hours spent doing swatches and putting things in and out of the cart. I do that too! :) I always wonder what the sales lady's are thinking haha

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    6. After I hit publish it occurred to me that you likely meant Canada :-) Really such a brilliant idea, Mysty! It's a great way to really see everything that you are wanting at any given moment, and I bet that sometimes it ends up being enough just seeing the images rather than needing to own the actual thing!

      I bet the the sales associates are used to seeing it, but I'm pretty sure that I look rather deranged to someone there shopping who isn't as obsessed with makeup! LOL!

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    7. Plus I think that bloggers have become such a regular part of the landscape in those retail settings that few sales associates bat an eye! That doesn't change the fact that we probably look a touch crazy to some of the other shoppers!

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  21. i just discovered your blog from '15 minute beauty' and am pleasantly surprised! expect a new subscriber soon.

    my cosmetic collection is extensive, yet i do not consider it a hoard even if it will not be all used up in my lifetime. i do use up products and replace the well loved ones. the few purchases i have regretted, i generally pass to my friends or daughters who can make better use of them. i do question my consumption levels a few years ago, however. i did not incur any debt, but i also think i would have made greater savings progress had i been more discriminating.

    i find value in beauty blogger swatches, because i am now far removed from the bay area. a trip to the nearest cosmetic counter is an all day excursion and puts another 200 miles on my car. it is something i do 3-4 times a year. blogger info helps me to keep a list of things to look for, sample or purchase when i do get to sacramento. i have never made a blind purchase based on any blogger's swatches or recommendations.

    as much as i love cosmetics, i do see the industry's marketing as rather insideous, with ever revolving 'new' or 'must have' collections, LE items selling hope, desire, glamour and 'need'. i see many bloggers as a mere extension of this marketing, especially the ones with daily updates on new collections and never a bad review in sight. just call me skeptical, i'm fine with that.

    with regards to skincare, i must exercise extreme caution. my skin is sahara like in its dryness, very sensitive and i have rosacea. it has taken me years to perfect my skincare routine and with the exception of a couple of derms that i trust, it would be rare for a blogger to be able to influence me in that regard or with foundations. i buy what i need and replace those precise items, hopefully before i have run out.

    i am always interested in seeing new collections, learning of new formulations and open to new ideas. at 49, i am less concerned with being 'on trend' because i truly know what suits me best. i am also more careful with my expenses now.

    that said, i am still tempted. there was a laura mercier powder highlighter that was an LE a couple of years ago. i covet it, in spite of the fact that i do not particularly like powder highlighters and i suspect the shade would not look good on me. i did not have the chance to see it in store, but i sure do notice them on ebay selling for $200. i am simply not willing to spend that kind of cash.

    i am also quite intrigued with charlotte tillbury's new line. i love the packaging and have heard very good reviews from bloggers/vloggers that i trust. there is no place in the US to actually see, touch or sample her products and she is still awaiting federal approval to even import many of the items i am interested in. occasionally, i sit down and view her website, adding coveted items to my cart and editing carefully. no matter what, i cannot get the total value below $700 US and i am just not willing to spend that kind of cash on anything, sight unseen. i do have dreams though of placing an order for a friend of mine in the UK to forward to me. i do want. i do, i do, i do. but wait, i fear i must.

    truly insightful and inspiring blog post here. i look forward to more!

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    1. Hi faux mccoy (very clever name, btw! :)

      I'm so glad that you discovered my blog from 15 Minute Beauty :-) Welcome!!!!!

      I take my hat off to you for finishing up products and replacing the well loved ones! It really sounds as though you have a very sensible approach to your purchases, and the few regrettable purchases get passed on to people who will use them! I know just what you mean-- about not having incurred debt for the makeup collection, but like you, I could have had a larger savings had I been more discriminating with more of my purchases.

      You raise an excellent point about the geographic inaccessibility of the nearest makeup counter, and therefore the value in seeing online swatches. I think that there are a great many people in that very situation who have become reliant on visual aids that are more accurate than the sad little paint chips online retailers call swatches that most often differ wildly from the actual products in color!

      Ahhhh yes, those insidious LE collections and aggressive marketing strategies definitely need to put put in perspective, and there are far too many bloggers in the blogosphere that have become part of the marketing machine of those companies. It can get a bit disconcerting, and I think that they are easy to spot and see through.

      You are wise to be working with trusted dermatologists and not allowing yourself to be seduced into trying things that could potentially wreak havoc on your skin!

      I think that there is almost no way to avoid feeling tempted from time to time-- I think that the trick is to figure out when it really is worth succumbing to that temptation. I agree that the Charlotte Tilbury line is very intriguing indeed, but not being able to see it in person is such a gamble. $700.00 on makeup is a huge chunk of change, and for that amount I would definitely need to see and feel everything before making that kind of a commitment!

      Thank you so much for your insightful and thought-provoking comment! It's really lovely meeting you! Best, Helen (Lola is actually my cat and my pen name :)

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    2. alas, faux is a nom de plume as well, as you have so clearly seen through ;)

      it is a pleasure to find you, read your response and see new blog entries show up. thank you kindly.

      cheryl

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    3. It's a fabulous nom de plume, Cheryl! Lola is my cat :) I look forward to getting to know you! I'm so glad that you found my blog! Best, Helen

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  22. Wow. This is an amazing piece, and I'm sorry I haven't come across your blog sooner! It rather makes me wonder where I've been... :-S

    There is, I suppose, one significant advantage to living in a country with pricing along the lines of 'MAC lipsticks are $56 apiece', and where there is a *much* more limited brand selection (New Zealand!). In addition, most collections, if they release here at all, come out 3-6 months later than in the US (the country where most of the beauty blogs I read originate). All this is kind of frustrating and discouraging sometimes, since it makes beauty and makeup a *very* expensive and restricted hobby, but on the other hand, it makes me consider my purchases so much more carefully and selectively than I might, if I could get a decent lipstick for, say $3, from any one of a hundred brands. I read *many* beauty blogs (and now one more, curse you!), but it's mostly just to see what's out there and enjoy the community. If there's something that really catches my eye, I will move into Interest Phase B, which is 'Can I get it here and what will it cost?'. if the answer is 'yes, and not too much', then I will still go and see if I can swatch it. If the answer is 'yes but it'll cost you!' then I have to stop and consider a little more, maybe swatch, read a few more reviews...let it cool off and see if I really want it. Maybe shop my stash (which fits in a shoebox - some beauty blogger I am, heehee!) and consider if there's a colour or finish or *thing* that I've been really wanting, as opposed to one that just looks nice online!

    There's also the fact that I have been known to temporarily blind people when struck by direct sunlight, which means that no matter how great something looks on non-vampires, I always feel I need to swatch it myself! :-D This is, perhaps, not quite as true for lipsticks (because, as you say, it's easier to 'make them work'), but it's still something to think about.

    I recently came across a comment on a discussion about makeup collections, in which someone voiced the opinion that 600 of a certain makeup item) was a normal, reasonable collection for a 'non-blogger'. Now, far be it from me to ever dictate to someone how big their collection should be if they are truly a collector of that item. What caused me to almost fill my keyboard with tea was the idea that 600 of any makeup item is 'normal'. It is a very, very impressive, collection (I wanna see!), but *'normal'*...well, perhaps it's just my envy talking ;-)

    I can't really say I've ever impulse-bought makeup... I really wish I had the money to be able to do that here sometimes, and treat myself to something small - and Gods help me if I'm ever in a US drugstore with a bit of money to spare, LOL!

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    1. Hi thepaintedrogue! Thank you, I am glad that you liked it, and am very happy that you found me! :-)

      I had heard about the $56.00 MAC lipsticks in New Zealand-- that just seems criminal to charge that amount for a $16.00 lipstick! However, you raise an excellent point about how it forces you to more carefully consider your purchases-- which most of us should probably be doing anyhow! I'm really inspired by your level-headed approach-- it's so rational and well reasoned. I bow to thee! :-) I love doing all of this because I really enjoy the community as well-- I now that includes knowing you! :-) It definitely can be far too easy to get swept up in the hype of certain products and lines, and there are so many unworthy of all of that hype and attention-- so it's definitely a feat having to sift through all of information out there to determine whether these things are worth chasing down and swatching, or just pulling the trigger on and grabbing before it is gone.

      LOL-- I almost spewed water all over my keyboard. I love the visual of you temporarily blinding people when struck by direct light!!!! 600 lipsticks as the norm, and for a non-blogger at that? I'm shocked that you didn't fill your keyboard with tea! I definitely have an INSANE number of like products-- I don't think I have anywhere near 600 of any type of product! If that is "normal" I wonder what she considers excessive?!

      Good for you for never having succumb to impulse makeup buys!!!!!!! That is very very impressive! Oh, you could do some serious damage in our drugstores here!!!!!!!

      Thank you for your fabulous comment and taking the time out of your life to stop by! :-)

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    2. Hehe - having just posted about my fist impulse buy from Australis, I felt I should return to this post and confess my sins, LOL! Thank you for such a lovely reply and warm welcome to your blog, and I'm glad your keyboard survived my comment ;-)

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    3. I absolve you of your sins :D Are you loving your impulse buy?? So glad that you are a part of the Beauty Spotlight Team now! <3

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    4. it's ok. you're not the only one! i confessed i lost my head due to pretty packaging and picked up the limited edition proenza schouler mac ombre blush. no i did not need another coral blush but it's so pretty >.<' i just recently discovered your blog through the beauty spotlight and i must say i enjoy your writing very much. the rpg slant is especially cool since those were my favorites growing up!

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I love reading all of your comments and interacting with you- so please do not hesitate to share your thoughts, and to ask questions. Remember that what you have to say is of interest to all of us! Always feel free to email me directly as well. SPAM and advertising links will not be published.

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