I wrote the article below on Monday, April 14, 2014, and at that time the beauty blogging world looked quite different. Most of the bloggers with whom I was friends back then no longer have beauty blogs, and at that time we spent a lot of time studying swatches, running to department stores to see the swatched products in person, and often we would succumb to unreasonably large hauls. I am wondering how your ideas have changed in the 11 years since I published this. I, for one, no longer run to the department stores to swatch whole collections, or return home with piles of purchased products. I also seldom study swatches online, and I don't find myself obsessively plotting my next purchases of lipsticks, lip glosses, blushes, eyeshadows and foundations.
Here is what I wrote over 11 years ago:
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.
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.
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.
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?
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?
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