This post by Modesty Brown got me to pondering what I'd keep if I were to cull my cosmetic collection down to a reasonable size.
I find it relatively easy to get rid of skin care that is past its use-by date. I find it next to impossible to let colour cosmetics go. If I had to decide on a handful of things to keep, these would make the cut:
Basics:
W3LL People Narcissist stick foundation concealer.
Shu Uemura spot concealer - I have a feeling this has been discontinued. I have no idea what I'm going to replace it with - it's densely pigmented and a perfect colour match.
Shu Uemura hard brow pencil in Seal Brown.
I don't often use foundations, but I'd keep Sappho Organics Leisha (liquid) and Alima Pure Olive 0 (powder) foundations for the occasions when I do.
I still haven't found a mascara I completely love. This is one product I generally only have one of and replace regularly; at the moment I'm using Sue Devitt's Lengthening Mascara.
The cheek products:
Rouge Bunny Rouge Delicata Blush - the perfect pink/beige/peach neutral for my fair skin.
Ilia Beauty Sway - a solid gel-balm bronzer with shimmer.
RMS Beauty Living Luminizer - best highlight in the world, ever, especially for drier skin.
RMS Beauty lip2cheek: Rapture - deep red, for lips and cheeks.
W3LL People Universalist multi-use stick in #7 - a medium cherry pink.
The eye products:
Viseart Basic eyeshadow palette - 12 neutral matte eyeshadows. Nicely pigmented, blend beautifully. If you have these, you really don't need any other neutral mattes.
RMS Beauty cream eyeshadows: Karma, Magnetic, Myth. Black/brown, silver taupe and reddish copper. I love the texture of these cream eyeshadows - they are so easy to apply and wear. They do crease a little, but it's very easy to fix.
Le Metier de Beaute Penelope Kaleidoscope. I'm willing to say I can see the Emperor's todger with LMdB - once you've seen a couple of the Kaleidoscope kits, you have pretty much seen them all, and the general effects of each kit (if not the exact shades) are largely dupeable from the main line. I do really like the combination of colours in Penelope though.
Rouge Bunny Rouge Solstice Halcyon eyeshadow - semi-sheen taupe.
Rouge Bunny Rouge Lola eye kohl - cool brown with copper shimmer.
Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier pencils in Pointe-Noire (black) and Surat (silver taupe).
Now this was hard. I've got it down to the four lip colours I wear most often, but I could easily double this number (and I couldn't let go of all of the rest of my lipsticks).
Ilia Beauty Arabian Knights - berry stain.
Ilia Beauty Neon Angel - bright pink, very comfortable to wear.
Tom Ford Cherry Lush - bright cherry red.
W3LL People Nudist #3 - sheer red balm.
I think I'd have to keep at least a couple more Tom Ford lipsticks - Violet Fatale, Black Orchid and Casablanca.




Great post, I love knowing what others consider to be their absolute gems out of their stash of make up! x
ReplyDeleteHello! Me too :)
DeleteOoh lovely mind if I pinch this too? :) Oh and. You and Tom Ford should just get a room and be done with it.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'd be his type :D Knock yourself out (not literally).
DeleteGreat post! I would keep my Illamasqua Skin Base, Bobbi Brown Mascara, Naked 2 by Urban Decay and Model Co Lipgloss! I am hosting another global blog swap. This time the theme is Xmas in July. Hope you check it out and take part! Details are on the blog!
ReplyDeleteWow, that would be an edited collection! Thanks for your comment.
DeleteI'm so far behind this curve, the road still looks straight. LOL! I have a lot more skin care than cosmetics, and would be loathe to part with any of it. Short of it having past it's best before date.
ReplyDeleteHowever, so long as I have a good tinted moisturizer, my Rouge Coco lipstick and a decent mascara (I've not found this Holy Grail product yet either), I'm a happy camper.
Ali x
Hi Ali - the mascara hunt is a tricky one. So far, I think Lancome Hypnose Precious Cells is closest to what I'm looking for, but I'm trying to avoid anything L'Oreal, so I haven't repurchased and am looking for alternatives.
DeleteI second that Grace re 'buying more natural niche lines' rather than mainstream when it comes to skincare, I am just not willing to pay premium prices for a jar/bottle of skincare full of chemicals... I would rather pay more for natural ingredients- sorry I am digressing from your make up topic!
ReplyDeleteHere goes: Une Mat foundation, Becca Boudoir Mineral powder, Chantecaiile Faux cils mascara, Terri D'oc gloss, Bobbi brown bronzer in Antigua, Une black eyeliner,any old neutral long lasting eyeshadow and blac liquid eyeliner.
Hi Anon - in my view it's like food - I'd rather pay a fair price for good ingredients rather than fancy window dressing :)
DeleteI do like your cosmetic picks :)
Oh thanks Grace, I do love reading your blog especially the product reviews. After reading your's and Modesty's blog today it got me thinking; when does one say 'enough is enough' when purchasing cosmetics when you have simliar shades of lippe, shadow etc. I have 2 Chantecaille pallets one gloss and the other Le macaroons and a Sue Devitt Neutral pallette they all contain similar colours. My hubby hit the nail on the head a few times, I would ask him: ''oooh thats a nice lip gloss colour'' and he would reply' you have 5 already in that shade''!! Geeta
ReplyDeleteHi Geeta - I like the idea that some bloggers might be ready to challenge the 'I need to buy everything!' attitude, and I enjoyed reading Modesty's blog today too.
DeleteI do sometimes feel like the practice of PRs sending bloggers everything from a particular collection normalises extreme-purchasing for blog readers, and in my personal opinion that isn't a good thing. It's easier to enjoy the things you have if you don't feel guilty when you look at them!
There is no way I could get rid of my Tom Ford cheek products and most definitely TF lip products - agree that Cherry Lush is an absolute keeper.
ReplyDeleteStill laughing at the Emperor's todger comment!
x
Hi! I do like my TF Wicked. Maybe that would need to make the cut too. Cherry Lush is my favourite red, and quite possibly my favourite lipstick, of all time.
DeleteHad to be said about LMdB :D
Hi again Grace - i also thought once I have my babies ( I have 2 boys both under 3) I would 'grow up and stop the monthly splurges', however being 37 years of age 'kind of' excuses me to buy more skincare due to the anti aging aspect. Its also the special offers that draw me in. I often lust over things more months then finally give in and splurge (Vaishaly cleansing balm and Moisturiser is a perfect example of this).
ReplyDeleteHello! I have no guilt about skincare as long as I use it up, and generally I do these days. Vaishaly is a lovely brand - I bought some when it used to be in Harvey Nichols.
DeleteHi loving your choice of Ilia Lipsticks, I currently own Ilia in Nonbodys Baby, Bang Bang and Blossom, I am defo steering towards the more natural brands for lippy and gloss, however I do have a soft spot for Mac Viva Glam lip glass. Can you remeber how long the Vaishaly cleansing balm lasted you? By the way Bobbi Brown extra balm rinse is a good cleansing balm and emulsifies to a milk once water is added, this is not mentioned in the product decription as well as stating its for drier aging skin types (I have normal cheeks and slightly oily t zone) and at £41 for 200ml it should last several months, it does sting my eyes like the Vaishaly one. Sooy for the ramble :-)
ReplyDeleteThe Vaishaly lasted at least three months, used once a day. I've only ever used samples of BB's skincare - they don't list ingredients on the website so I've never bought full sizes. Have just googled the Extra Balm Rinse and it does sound nice :)
DeleteI meant sorry for the ramble! sleep deprived!!!!
DeleteThanks Grace. I checked the Bobbi Brown ingredients on Make up Alley before the purchase and no 'dodgy' ingredients either!
ReplyDeleteOh wow, MUA has a thing for ingredients now in the reviews! I didn't know that. That's really handy.
DeleteAnother one I go to is COSDNA.COM or Beautypedia as I read ingredients listing for my beauty products- same as I would do for food. Geeta
ReplyDeleteThis is such an interesting edit, Grace. We definitely share the 'essential' lipcolours, though I'd need to whack in a garish coral of some kind :D
ReplyDeleteFor me eyeshadows would be the sticking point -- I'd honestly rather skip it altogether than stick to a dozen old reliable shades. Call me a mindless sybarite but I've never quite gotten the whole 'creativity can only bloom from constaint' thing -- it certainly doesn't for me.
PS I think the new version of the Mark Cealer is 'Point Cealer': http://www.shuuemura.jp/?p_id=MCON004
Hi Kate - oh, thank you for the concealer - I couldn't see it on the Shu U UK website. I'll go and have a look at a counter for that one.
DeleteI'm a bit of a creature of habit with eyeshadows, at least 95% of the time. I can hardly ever wear brightly coloured eyeshadows without feeling odd, other than occasionally red eyeliner, which for some reason I have no problem with!
This is such a great post and I've really enjoyed reading the comments. As I anticipated, you chose a delectable selection including *that* Viseart palette. Loved the Emperor's Todger comment too ;).
ReplyDeleteReading your post this morning inspired me to think about which things I can and can't live without. I definitely couldn't part with my Ilia lipsticks and the W3LL Universalist in #5, editing down my taupe eyeshadows would be a little more complicated! If palettes were banned, I would probably go with Solstice Halcyon and Kjaer Weiss Wisdom.
I am going to go upstairs with a box in a bit and see if I can genuinely make my fantasy culling a reality. You can expect tears on Twitter later!
I said todger *snigger*.
DeleteWill be interested to know what makes your cut. I think palettes are allowed - it's just what would you keep and know it'd keep you happy 95% of the time.
Loved this post (& Jane's). Another lusting after the Viseart palette - off to google!
ReplyDeleteNic x
Thanks Nic! The Viseart really is very good. I haven't bought any other mattes (or many other powder eyeshadows, actually) since I bought this.
DeleteHi, can you tell me where you can get Sappho organics in England thanks.
ReplyDeleteHeather
Hi Heather - you can get it from www.nutribeautyproducts.com and www.xynergy.co.uk in the UK. The foundation is lovely.
DeleteThank you grace .
ReplyDeleteHeather
Hmm, I really cannot cull. I still have Tony&Tina eye liners and a Pout blusher that I look at a sighsob over because the brand is no longer. To me makeup and skincare is my hobby, my collection. My OH collects sheds, my Mum collects dress fabric, my son collects cameras, me, I collect cosmetics. Great post.
ReplyDeleteJAN! Tony & Tina is older than C/Miss London!! :D
DeleteHi again
ReplyDeleteI've just been looking at the foundations and they look great, it's colour choice I'm not sure on in my bobbi brown foundation I am warm sand, and in the concealer I am natural, although I don't rate the concealer for coverage, and my skin under my eyes is lined and dry.
Any advice would be helpful.
Heather
Hi Heather - for under eyes, I'd recommend RMS Beauty Un Cover Up - it's very creamy and forgiving. You might be 11 or 22 - I wear 11, and have pictures of it on my blog if you search for RMS Un Cover Up.
DeleteGoogle Image search for Rachel Shelly and (separately) Leisha Hailey. The Sappho foundations Leisha and Rachel were made for these actresses, and it's actually quite a good indicator of what shade would work for you. I'm Leisha, and I'm BB Warm Ivory, so I think you'd be Rachel, the next shade up.
If you wear BB Natural, I think you'd be 22 in the RMS Beauty Un Cover Up.
DeleteMany thanks grace you are a star, love the blog.
ReplyDeleteHeather
You're very welcome :)
DeleteNow this is what I need to do! A capsule collection. Great post, Grace. I've been thinking about it since reading Jane's post last night. Might have a go at this task myself. See what is really important to me x
ReplyDeleteThe lipsticks were hard for me! Will be interested to see what you pick :)
DeleteYou'd hear me in the UK from my house in Michigan if I was forced to cull. I had guessed a few of your items like the RMS and Shu Seal Brown pencil (that's been with you forever!).
ReplyDeleteI surely hope you don't have to just keep these though!
Love W3LL PEOPLE! I use the Narcissist #2 Foundation stick. This is my - "if I were stuck on a desert island I couldn't live without" item! I live in a super dry climate so the extra nourishing ingredients are awwwsome. I also use it with the Realist #22 setting powder for a "just stepped off the cover of Glamour Magazine" look. So YUMMY!
ReplyDeleteGrace, thank you for your support and W3LL PEOPLE love!
ReplyDeleteWe are soooooo proud to a part of your make up 'cut'!