How much makeup do you buy each year? - YouLookFab Forum

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How much makeup do you buy each year?

Gigi

Veteran

I just started using makeup again last year after not having used it for several years. I have a small stash built up now (a few colors for each item), but I find that I am still unable to create a lot of looks that I would like to try. I would have to buy several more makeup items to be able to experiment with more looks. So that got me thinking about how much makeup YLFers buy each year. I am wondering if my makeup experimentation will end up like my closet experimentation: what I thought was enough at the beginning may turn out to be on the very low end of the spectrum!

So, for those of you willing to share, how much makeup do you buy each year?

General

51 replies

Latest reply was from Gigi

donnat

Veteran

Blush, foundation, concealer and mascara, I buy when I run out. I buy 2 or 3 eyeshadows a year, lipstick, probably 5 or 6 a year. I generally buy Mac.

Anonymous

A year? You mean a month, right? I LOVE makeup and skin care products and am always trying new ones. I stick to the basics in eye shadow and liner colours but buy new bronzers, blush, powders , eyebrow stuff and foundations often. I like to try new lipstick and gloss brands and formulations so I am always poking around Sephora and am a regular at the Bobbi Brown Counter at Holts. I bet I spend an average of 60 - 80 a month on makeup and skin care. Makeup alone? Probably averages out to be a in the 500 hundred a year range. It's a vital part of my look- even on days where no one sees me I have mascara, something on my face , and always, always lipgloss and lipstick. Yikes!

janni

I'm a clinique gal. Usually stay with tried and true regimen, so only but a few times a year. Foundation, blush, eye liner, mascara, & lots of lipstick. But I do buy scrubs, masks, moisturizers from differ vendors quite a bit.Probably spend several hundred dollars a year, I guess.

Sal

Veteran

Make up alone.

I have. One foundation and one tinted sunscreen
One blusher
One powder
One primer
One mascara
One pencil eyeliner
One liquid eyeliner
One brow pencil
Three eyeshadow palettes
Six lipsticks/glosses
Two lip pencils

The lip colours I update as I feel inspired, but always have a pinky rosy natural which us what I use up the quickest. I update mascara and foundation the most regularly - about once a year. I change foundation often as I struggle to find the perfect colour/texture/application method. After trying Estée Lauder mascara I am brand loyal as this one is curling, and does not smudge!

Blusher and eyeshadows seem to last me ages!! Liners somewhere in the middle.

I don't see myself increasing the numbers I have just replacing and tweaking as I do so.

I either go for red lips and simple eyes or smoky eyes and pink/ natural lips. I wear tinted sunscreen, mascara, blusher and lips on most days although not every day.

Gigi

Veteran

Lisap, you make me laugh! You have a good point about makeup being an important part of your look, which is why you have to devote more money toward it.

I probably have a similar amount of makeup as Kiwigal and am looking to add to it. I have only three single eyeshadows, but you can't do much with that if you want to do some more sophisticated eye looks. I have the opportunity to go out more than before because I joined a ballroom dancing studio, so I can have fun with some more dramatic looks!

deb

Veteran

It varies from year to year. I used to be able to go quite some time, several years, between purchases. Except for mascara. But since getting older and the changes in my older skin, I have experimented more in the last year. I need to replace my cream blusher. This is the first time in my life I have used up any makeup besides mascara. This year I have purchased cc cream, mascara, two lipsticks, and vitamin c serum.

Deb

Veteran

I wear makeup almost daily....regardless of whether I leave the house or not. I'm a loyal Lancôme user of many, many years. Usually I stock up twice a year, and take advantage of their promotions. Skincare, moisturisers and serum, foundation, concealer, blush, mascaras, lipsticks x 3 or 4 , perfume, body cream, exfoliants, and masks.....I adore the products and I have tried items from other brands over the years but my skin always prefers Lancôme. It is quite a big annual expense, of which I'm unsure of the total figure and probably don't want to know it, but it is not one I'm prepared to ever forego.
Maybe you should have a makeup consultation to sort out your colours so you don't waste good money on failed experiments. Makeup and clothes colours are similar in so much as their success is specific to our personal colouring.

rizamei

I'm a minimalist as far as makeup and only wear lipstick on a regular basis. I like to have two tubes of Clinique Black Honey - one for home and one for my handbag. Aside from replacing those as needed, I just make 1 or 2 purchases a year. So far this year, I've refreshed my nail polish collection with two new colors and a new base coat.

(And if you include other beauty products, I also buy sunscreen, hair styling products, perfume, and lotions, mostly on a replacing-as-needed basis. Right now I have more hand lotion than I actually need, so I'm trying to use up what I have before buying more!)

Ledonna N.

Veteran

Lip gloss only 4 or 5 times a year. I will get the wild hair occasionally and splurge on full face from clinique every 2 or 3 year's. I will make a slight effort for full face and then just give up after a couple of wears.

Cococat

Veteran

I wear makeup everyday but I mostly go for a natural look.

I start with an SPF moisturiser, so I buy that about once a month. I sometimes wear a BB cream and it lasts about 6 months. I don't wear foundation. I use a concealer under my eyes that lasts about 4 months. I just bought a new blush which is very highly pigmented, so I think it will last for ages. I have many eyeshadows which I've bought over the years but I tend to stick to the neutrals. I have a favourite Revlon palette that I replace because the lid breaks, not because it runs out. I buy a lot of lipsticks, probably about one a month. I have a good set of brushes because I think that they're important, particularly for my eyes. I don't use mascara because I have lash extensions.

Style Fan

Veteran

If you had asked me this 4 years ago when I was working full time my answer would have been different. When I was working I wore eye make up and lip gloss everyday. Since I retired I only wear make up when we are going to a special event or when we are in the city (Toronto or Montreal). Make up lasts longer now.

I wear eyeshadow (always Mac), eye liner (Laura Mercier) and mascara (Lancôme). I use a eye primer by Tarte.

For eyeshadow I usually use 3 colours and they are all neutrals. One on my lid, under eye brow and a contour colour. I have lots of eye shadows. I buy warm neutral colours that flatter blue/green eyes. I research colours on line and I find the make up artists at the Mac counters very good.

I use a highlighter in my eye inner corner by Smashbox.

Mascara by Lancôme. My favourite is Hypnose. I always curl my lashes.

I wear lip gloss by Mac. Occasionally I wear lipstick by Nars.

I have a bronzer by Mac.

Rarely (like once a year) I wear blusher. I have rosy cheeks to begin with and putting blush on seems like overkill. I use blusher by Nars.

I do not wear foundation. Ever. I tried BB cream and didn't like it.

Smashbox makes a primer that I like for the face.

I might wear a tinted moisturizer if I was really going all out. Not likely though.

Now to answer your question. I replace the mascara every 3 months because it is a safe thing to do. The rest of the make up lasts for years. I clean my brushes (Mac, Laura Mercier, Smashbox) carefully and I never share my make up.

Louise

Veteran

Recently I've become a bit obsessed about using things up before buying more (I use obsessed because I even cut toothpaste tubes in half to scrape the last bit out! Seriously you get another week out of it by doing this!)

I use Lily Lolo mineral foundation which lasts about 6-7 months.
I have 1 blush, 1 bronzer and a bronzer highlighter I'm trying to use up. I've hit pan on the blush and bronzer but I'm dreading replacing them as a makeup artist colour matched me for them but they are no longer made so I can't replace them.
I've just added a lip gloss as I don't wear much on my lips other that balm as most lipsticks dry my lips out.
I only wear eyeshadow high days and holidays so the ones I've got will last me forever.
I wear Blinc mascara daily and usually get a new tube in my christmas stocking every year.

So really the only things I need to replace regularly are foundation and mascara. Going back to my earlier point about not wasting things I'm wary about buying lots of different things to try different looks in case it doesn't suit me x

Staysfit

Veteran

I'm wearing less makeup as I get older, and I'm happier with the look.

I have one mineral foundation that I almost never use, but I go through one every 10 months.

I have two blushes, that I only use in winter. These seem to last forever.

I have one eye liner pencil in a light blue grey but it looks quite dark on me. I go through maybe 5 a year.

I have three mineral eye shadow powders that I use as eye liners both above and below my eye. They are funky colors. One is a light but bright green and one is a bright teal. They make my eyes pop. The third is a tinted green that looks almost white that I use on the inner corners of my eyes to make them look more open and bright. I don't always wear them. They last a long time, but I replace them once a year even if not used up.

I have four lip glosses and three lip sticks that I replace when they run out.

I have one mascara which I replace every three months.

I have a brush on brow gel also. I almost forgot that because I rarely use it. I don't worry too much about my brows now that I have glasses frames. They are less noticeable.

I used to used eye shadow base and eye shadow in addition to the eye liner but I don't bother anymore. I think the eye liner with some liner shadow over the top is enough.

Louise

Veteran

Must add that I've overhauled my nail polishes as I've had to move to '3 free' polishes as I found it was causing eyelid eczema. So in the last few months I've added about 8! The old ones are sitting in a bag waiting for me to dispose of them ( you can imagine my horror at throwing them out still 3/4 full!) x

Karie

(website)

Veteran

Blush, mascara, concealer, eyebrow pencil, BB cream foundation, I re-buy when I run out which is probably every six months or so. Oh and lipstick. Oodles and oodles of lipsticks, that's my "makeup weakness."

retailgirl

Veteran

I use a Lancôme foundation, teint miracle, which I love. Clinique blue gray liner, any black mascara, Clinique angel red lipstick. Skin care: cetaphil cleanser, neutrogena no alcohol toner, neutrogena sun screen, Clinique laser focus serum and eye cream, and Clinique youth surge moisturizer. I get compliments on my skin all the time, and I'm 65. I used to wear eyeshadow, but it's only for occasions now. I replace all of these things as needed, but if I'm low and there is a gwp available, I'll stock up.

dakotacheryl

Veteran

Love makeup. Once I found my favorites for foundation, I replace them when needed.
Mascara gets replaced every 3 months for sanitary reasons.
Eyeshadows, I have several palletes and I use them all and have not added to the collection in a long time.
Blush, my favorite is a 3 color pallet from Hourglass that is so versatile I could probably never need anything else until it needs replacing. But I also have a few cream blushers that I also love.
One eyebrow pencil that I replace as needed...probably every 5 or 6 months.
One black Kohl pencil that has lasted me forever, I use it on the upper waterline.
Lipgloss, lipstick, lip anything is my weakness...always looking for the perfect formula...sheer, but not too sheer, must be hydrating, not too sticky...loads of colors. One of the cup holders in my car is full of lip sticks and glosses.

Anonymous

Two foundations (buy as each one is used up)
One blusher
One powder (only use during summer months)
One mascara (replace every thee months)
One eyeshadow (replace every three months)
~10 lipsticks (most frequently bought item)
Two lip pencils

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

I always do tinted moisturizer with sunscreen, blush or broker, liner, usually shadow, mascara, lipgloss/ stick. Lip color is the thing I buy most for fun and I don't wait till it runs out to get more. FWIW lately I'm really liking Bobbi Brown Tulip, which is a coral thst works for me (they rarely do.) I'm replenishing the tinted moisturizer (Laura Mercier) and mascara (Lancôme) about every three months. Most everything else lasts at least a year.

lisaflex

Veteran

cetaphil face soap
purpose or cetaphil moisturizer w/ spf
laura mercie tinted moisturizer w/ spf
mascara - lancome definicils or clinique (the one in silver tube)
trish macavoy eyeliner (gel pencil)
clinique all about eyes cream

soap and moisturizer = 8x per yr
tinted moisturizer = 3x yr
mascara = 3x yr
under eye cream = 5x yr

i have oodles of makeup but dont use barely any of it.....

Gail

Veteran

I buy very little , only foundation and a blush. I usually get by for other items using the free gift stuff from Clinique or Lancome:) I am not very adventurous or fussy.

gryffin

Veteran

I am on the more minimal side (not by number , see below) in that I use the same products and have one usually for each area. I really use make up to enhance for a very natural no make up look (PS so I need less!!) I also have sensitive skin so I stay with mineral products

Sunscreen : Neutrogena 60 Pure and Free Baby
Bare Minerals Flawless radiance - as foundation/powder
Bare minerals rose radiance - as blush
Cle do Peau - concealer (the mother of all concealers - love!!)
Bare Mineral The Truth Palate
Three Custom Colors Liner Pencil in Navy (made to be used on the inner rims, very gentle and stays put)
Bare Minerals Flawless Definition in Espresso
Bare Minerals Locked and Loaded Waterproof topcoat (amazing)
Benefit Speed Brow
Burt's Bees Lip Balm for day, Fresh Sugar Rose for evening

A lot of products but I don't vary except darker smokier eye for evening softer by day. I stockpile so I buy to replace as a need a new one.

Lisa I love the Bobbi Brown look/philosophy. The time I treated myself to a palate I was a broken out mess in 4 days. Sad face!! Enjoy, I would love to be able to shop that counter!!

Joy

Veteran

I use less makeup every year. I've recently gone from a tinted moisturizer to a BB cream because it has sun screen. I wear no eye make-up except a tiny bit of liner for special occasions; and hardly ever wear lipstick because it makes my lips peel. I probably buy BB cream 2-3 times a year.
Louise, I thought I was the only one who cuts tubes to get out all the stuff still inside. I also get an extra week of toothpaste brushing 2-3 times a day. I also get an extra week of BB cream or moisturizer. I have tiny travel plastic jars that I transfer the stuff left in the tube into.
For cleanser and moisturizer I use CeraVe from Target and it lasts many months. I have to remember to throw out old makeup as it ages before I use it up.
Louise, Safehome or a home for battered women may take your nail polish cast offs. Sometimes I am gifted with bath products, scents or lip gloss that I know i won't use and that's where I donate it, or to a friend's daughter with small children trying to stretch a paycheck.

Anonymous

Gryffin- that's such a shame you had that experience with Bobbi Brown. Odd, isn't it? I honestly buy at least one new thing from every new colour collection as I love it that much. Ah makeup - my favourite thing in the world. It always fits

Peri

Veteran

Let's just say...a lot! No way I'm going to count my stash. I probably have 10 eyeliners alone. I'm with Lisa! Makeup is very fun for me and I don't really count what I buy.

Louise

Veteran

Joy glad I'm not the only tube cutter! I've never heard of donating to battered women here in the UK but what a lovely idea, I'll have to look into it x

numbersgirl

I have found some things that work very well for me that are steady in my routine: Jane Iredale foundation and Bobby Brown blush. I have 2 colors of blush - a peach version and a pink version that are both amazing. I have a couple of great eyeshadow palettes that can create virtually any look: Urban Decay Naked Palette and a smaller palette from Stila. I find I can create looks more easily with lipsticks. My favorite right now is Chanel.

harmonica

Veteran

I'm a minimalist when it comes to make-up and like a natural look best. Liquid eyeliner, mascara, foundation and blush are my basics. One of each. I wear eyeshadow max twice a month, and have three or four palettes. I also have three lipsticks which I often forget, but I intend to wear it every day. I supply when I run out. I spend more on skincare and moisturisers/sunscreen, but like to keep it to a minimum here, too.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I'm not exactly a minimalist, but I don't do much experimentation these days. I buy Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer and MAC False Lashes mascara at least 2-3 times a year -- those are my everyday makeup items that get used up the most quickly. My blush is the same every day, and it lasts a pretty long time -- I'll rebuy the same shade, maybe once every 2-3 years? Bronzer, ditto -- that lasts a long time. I use these things sparingly. My favorite lip color gets replaced when it runs low -- and those tend to last a couple of years too. I have a variety of eyeliner pencil colors and rotate them depending on my outfits and my mood. I use one of those almost every day, but because I have different ones, they are very slow to run out. I have eyeshadows that are 10+ years old (MAC) because I use them very sparingly and they last a long time. I spend maybe $200 a year on makeup. Maybe. Clearly my priorities are more on shoes.

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