Beauty Challenge -- Twelve Months of Beauty Inventory

[haleyvvvv]

[EDIT-Updated to not limit to a year, legacy posts for all years.]

A few years ago I was inspired by a challenge on Instagram and we did a makeup inventory. ✨❄️December 2022 Challenge - 12 Days of Makeup Inventory - Show Off and Catalog Your Collection!!❄️✨

I was a little behind on planning this year (job interviews, life, not being able to login to the BIC), so I thought we could make this a yearly challenge for 2024+ and broaden it across all beauty categories. 

Why participate?

• I know I went back to my posts to find "dupes" for things that were limited edition (Melt Pumpkin King, in my case).
• It's a good idea to look through your products every bit to review for quality and cleanliness.
• Curation is important.
• Knowing how much in your stash can help with your Low/No Buy or keeping an eye on your backups. 
• The fun of organizing your collection!!

Rules 

Please no negative comments about the size or contents of others' collections, this is a place to celebrate our collections. Self-reflection is always welcome though 💖. Please don't take this as an impetus to declutter (unless you want to!). 

I'm going to try to get a little contemplative with mine, to see if I would purchase again or not. But don't feel obligated to join that part!!

Timeline

• January - Face Primers, Nail Polish
• February - Foundations, Concealers, Cleansers and Mists
• March - Bronzers and Contours (singles), Serums and Treatments
• April - Blushes (singles), Moisturizer and Oils
• May - Highlighters (singles), Sheet Masks
• June - Face Palettes, Non-Sheet Masks, Tools (Brushes, etc.)
• July - Eye Primers, Single Eyeshadows (free standing or in custom palettes), Body Cleansers, Body Scrubs, Body Lotion, Body Glitter
• August - Eyeshadow Palettes, Shampoo, Conditioner
• September - Brow Products, Eyeliners, Mascaras, Hair Treatments 
• October - Lip Balms, Lip Liners, Lip Glosses, Perfume Samples
• November - Lipsticks, Travel Sized Perfumes
• December - Setting Powders, Setting Sprays, Full Sized Perfumes and Body Sprays

[Samtian]

@PDXXXX That picture is so pleasing to look at. Great job getting rid of some!

[PDXXXX]

Thanks @Samtian !

[itsfi]

You did a great job of paring down your foundation collection @PDXXXX. Good to know about the Outside In foundation; I also picked it up last year but have yet to open it. I've heard mixed reactions to it, but will keep your thoughts on it and using it with the foundation brush in mind. 

[haleyvvvv]

February - Foundations, Concealers, Cleansers and Mists

Probably should have also added toners and essences to this one. I guess they'll go under treatments instead. Also if I'm missing any categories, let me know.

*=Gifted either from TeamBIC 💖 (thank you!) or Influenster

Mists

Top is for AM mists (3 + 1 refill) and bottom is PM mists (1 + refill). I'm happy with the numbers here and happy to keep testing mists for the AM.

Spoiler

I'm currently mostly done with the Byoma most, I like it but I mostly like all mists. The price point on it is good, although it's only available at Shoppers which I'm trying not to shop at a lot. Next up will be the The INKEY List Hydro-Surge Dewy Face Mist 2.5 oz/75 mL which is actually quite small.

I love the hypochlorous acid in Tower 28 Beauty SOS Daily Hypochlorous Acid Spray for Breakouts & Redness 4 oz/ 120 mL , and don't just use this on my face each night but anywhere I need some wound healing. I buy the refill size every year and it's good for about the year, which is nice. I have the small bottle for travel.

Makeup Removers

I tend to have both an open micellar product and a full cleansing balm. 6 ish full sized / 2 sample travel balms and 2 full sized / 2 small cleaning oils/emulsions/micellar waters. I brought all the unopened Farmacy ones in this past month ish, so I'm overall happy with the numbers here, because I do tend to go through these items.

Spoiler

My big Farmacy green clean is almost gone 😭, but now I have a bit of back up with a few of the different varieties, since its been reformulated and there's different types Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm. I remember the old Sephora Collection balm SEPHORA COLLECTION Melting Cleansing Balm with Algae Extract 4.22 oz / 125 mL being non-irritating, so wanted to see if the updated version SEPHORA COLLECTION Clean Skin Cleansing Balm with Postbiotics + Squalane 2.70 oz / 80 g  is also good. It sucks at the speed sometimes the SC stuff gets cycled out. Aside from those, I have this REN one, which I hate, and I just need to quickly use.

I like both the Clinique CLINIQUE Take The Day Off Makeup Remover For Lids, Lashes & Lips  and Sephora Collection micellar water for different things. I use the Clinique for when I have stubborn eye makeup and a micelle water when I don't need a full cleansing balm or like an having a lazy day, so I'm happy with the collection size there

Cleansers

I tend to use a different face wash type for the morning (milky/creamy/gentle) and evening. AM ones on top (2 full sized/3 deluxe/travel sized) and PM on bottom (3 full sized/5 deluxe/travel sized). Numbers here are okay and are steadily decreasing (although I got two in the past six months from Style Korean boxes/freebies).

Spoiler

I'm currently using the Perfect Whip, which is fine. I like the Origins Checks and Balances™ Frothy Face Wash Gentle Cleanser 5 oz/ 150 mL old formula a lot when I used in the past (I guess it's updated lol). I'm intrigued by the Tatcha The Rice Wash Skin-Softening Cleanser so want to get to that sample but I also want to try the Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Moisture Barrier Cleanser and AESTURA ATOBARRIER365 Gentle pH-Balancing Foaming Cleanser for Skin Moisture Barrier Repair 5.07 oz ... 

In the PM I'm using the Peach and Lily which is fine, perfectly good, but my fave is the Youth To The People Superfood Hydrating Gentle Antioxidant Refillable Cleanser 8 oz / 237 ml . Just a few to use up to get back to there. I didn't realize that a few of these have acids, but I don't totally mind for a cleanser .

Scrubs

This is kinda out of control. I only use a physical scrub like once a week, but I just accumulated so many over the years in various sets, makeup boxes etc. 5 full sized / 12 deluxe/travel sized; I'd like to go through a few deluxe ones this year, but we'll see.

Spoiler

Right now only the Raeka tumeric one is open, which I like, because I like tumeric as a ingredient for brightening. I've also used the Tatcha The Matcha Cleanse Daily Clarifying Gel Cleanser 5 oz before but I don't find it to be the most exfoliating despite being too much for my dry skin for day to day.

I need to add cleansing wipes as a reply 🤦‍♀️.

Concealers 

10 full sized / 2 deluxe sized . This is a little much, although many I've received as gratis. I'd like to finish two of these this year, and since the Kokie is almost done and the L'Oreal is starting to get a dent.

Spoiler

Everything open is on the top, my fave being the Rose Inc, since it's super hydrating, but it's not quite the right shade, so I have to mix it with the others, but it works out since it's a little red. It takes me forever to go through a concealer 😕 and there's so many I want to try. 

Color Correctors 

2 full sized / 2 deluxe sized. None of these are getting a lot of use currently because of the Rose Inc concealer. Ideally, I would just like an eye brightener like the Tatcha Pearl (RIP) but I don't mind using these in conjunction with concealers.

Foundations, Skin Tints, BB/CC Creams

More full coverage on the top and lighter in the bottom 15 full sized (I have an ABH stick somewhere too) / 11 deluxe sized. I also have a large box of foundation and concealer samples that I need to get to at some point. This is also a little out of control. I'd like to use up 6 (three full sized, three smaller) this year, which should be doable since at least one skin tint (QMS) is almost gone and I've been mixing the Laura Mercier, QMS and Danessa all month.

Spoiler

I really really like the Laura Mercier Long-Wear Tinted Moisturizer Natural Dewy with Hyaluronic Acid for my dry skin (received from Influenster), but the shade range is bad enough that I wouldn't want to support the brand for that reason. I wish I liked the Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Serum Foundation more, I like almost everything else the brand does. It'll be a lot of mixing with glowy primers and more dewy foundations to get through the more heavy coverage ones

[missjeanie]

@haleyvvvv I'm so impressed at how you've broken out your cleanser category.  I'm going to try and do that one this month for sure.  

How do you think you're doing this year compared to years past?  Are you overall feeling better about your inventory numbers?

[haleyvvvv]

Thank you, @missjeanie!! Excited to see your collection!! 

I think, in some categories I'm doing really really well. I think in general (not counting scrubs) my skincare numbers consistently go down each year (I guess scrubs do go down it's just hard to see as much progress) and while I might have more in some categories than I want, I have much less than 3 years ago. And using stuff up lets me actually try newer stuff before it's out of the market.

For makeup, I've done some decluttering over the years, but mostly my collection has remained overly large. I don't mind in some cases, but a lot of complexion stuff I bought/received when I lived in multiple different cities or when I was starting to get more in and maybe the weather and preferences are different now. And I need to be better about not buying stuff just because it's on sale. I've really tamped that down in the past few years and stopped getting sub boxes, so I do feel better but I wish I maybe didn't have as much I feel like I need to get through? 

But I like these types of challenges for critically thinking about my collection and seeing the usages and sizes over the years. 

[Samtian]

@haleyvvvv Wow what collections! Yes RIP the Tatcha :'(

[haleyvvvv]

Thank you, @Samtian !! What a sad day on the BIC when we found out it was being discontinued. Have you found anything you like similar to the Tatcha Pearl? 

[Samtian]

@haleyvvvv It was. I have not, but I haven't tried either. 

[Titian06]

A really nice and varied collection, @haleyvvvv ! 💞  I appreciate your comments about your fave products.

[haleyvvvv]

Thank you, @Titian06 !! 😊

[itsfi]

Lots of oooh'ing and aaah'ing over here with your post @haleyvvvv! 😍 The categories for this month are among my favorite skincare products. I need to sort through my stash a little more - there are a few (maybe more than a few) that I know I have somewhere and it's bugging me that I can't seem to locate them. 🤔 Will be back to post my collection.

Mists - the number in your current collection is the aspirational goal for mine. I'm not sure I'll ever get there but ... 

Makeup Removeers - look at those Farmacy cleansers!!! 😍 That really is such a good formulation. Ohhhh, that REN!!! I loved that cleanser a lot; another one that hurt to see discontinued.

Cleansers - your post reminds me that I have a deluxe sample of the GR cleanser somewhere, or at least I think I do, unless I gave it away and don't remember. Hmmm... You know, for someone who likes as many of the Olehenriksen skincare products as I do, I've never tried that cleanser before. Odd. I do like the line it is from and I hear good things about it. 

Oh wow, you have a nice selection of scrubs - types and sizes. Ohhhh, is that the AmorePacific enzyme peel powder? That's my favorite scrub. Believe it or not, my scrub collection is probably the skincare category that I have the least number of products. I have a lot of items I like in the scrubs area but as far as what I actually have, it's on the small side. 

It's not a bad thing it takes you a long time to go through concealer - you're skin doesn't need it! I know there are others you want to try when you're done with the L'oreal, but based on how it's performed for you alone, is it something you would repurchase (if you didn't have other concealers in your collection and other you wanted to try)? Ummmm.... asking for a friend, lol. 😉

Ooooh, foundations, that's gonna be a sobering one for me. Out of curiosity, have you tried the Keys Soulcare foundation? If so, thoughts? Asks the one who has zero need for any more foundation.

[haleyvvvv]

Thank you, @itsfi !! I always feel like I'm missing something every time I post a inventory. 

Oooh, I'm excited to see your mists collection. I feel like I'm still trying to find that perfect morning one, so I don't mind testing, but I'm trying to get my skincare to a place where I have one in use, and no more than 2 other full sizes reserve. But if you like to rotate, then no shame in having a larger collection. But if you want to get it down, it's just a matter of using them and not buying more LOL. 

It's so funny, because I think you were someone in the BIC that influenced me to get the REN cleanser (I got 2 from a Boxycharm I think), but I actually really dislike it, so I'm putting off using it. I need to just go through it.

I think I've maybe tried the Ole cleanser but I can't remember. Cleansers take so long to go through, and there were so many released I want to try over the past few years but then I keep getting more in boxes 

My scrub collection is a little wild for me (I use once a week at best). It is the Amore Pacific powder!! I like a powder scrub, but I do think that I prefer a tumeric one. Ooooh, that's interesting your smallest category.

The L'Oreal one is just okay, I think. It's not what I prefer, but my review is in the spoiler. I did get it for free, but I wouldn't repurchase for what I like.

Spoiler

I haven't tried the Keys foundation yet 😅, unfortunately. And now it's gone from Sephora Canada 🤦‍♀️

[itsfi]

That's a good way to approach skincare mist @haleyvvvv. I have a few mists I can generally use year round and then some that are for specific purposes. There are probably 4 I'd definitely like to have in my collection at some point or another but I wouldn't say I need all of them to be open at once, or all to be in my stash at the same time even. 3 - 6 would be a doable range with numbers 5 & 6 being ones that were new to me or that I was testing or trying out for the first time. My mist and cleanser collections are up! There's room for improvement (whittling both down) but I'm happy with where they're at - what's open is in use at a consistent rate, for the most part and none will require an overwhelming amount of effort to work my way through them. 🙌 I could not say that a couple of years ago so it feels good to have made some progress.

Ack!! So sorry the REN didn't work out for you. 😣 I'm trying to thing of a way you can repurpose it ... makeup brush cleaner? Or as hand soap after using fingers for applying your makeup. I'd go with regular soap to wash my hands in general but if I'm removing makeup from my hands after swatching, blending or applying makeup, that might be an option. 

[haleyvvvv]

Woohoo to progress made, and what's open being in current use @itsfi !! I need to be here with masks.

I'll just power through the REN, otherwise I'll never finish it. I'm almost done with my large Farmacy, so it'll be the REN next

[missjeanie]

Okay I got primers done yesterday and will try for nail polish tomorrow! 

I realized when I first considered doing this project that it would force me to go through some things in my stash.  I currently have things organized in such a way that open make up and skincare are all in one dresser.  Then another organization system has all of my unopened products.  In that shelving system I have full size products all grouped together then three bins of what I'd call travel size or delux size products divided by skincare/haircare and makeup. Going through those unopened products would take some time.  But I'm going to use this an opportunity to declutter a bit of those mini's as they've gotten a bit out of control. 

This photo has three categories for me. 

Lower portion are opened primers with the exception of the Estee Edit primer that appears to be brand new though I'm guessing could be a decade old. 

Spoiler

-Project Inn Beauty Face Glaze.  I'm not even sure this is actually a primer, but I've only ever used it that way so it's included here.  I only used this a handful of times and do not recall if I like it or not.
-Benefit Porefessional.  I haven't used this in a long time.  It should be used or tossed I'm sure. 
-Tatcha Mini.  I remember using up a full size of this at some point and have had this stashed in my travel make up bag.  Should probably use it up and move on to something new as it's been open in there for about a year. 
-Becca..... ya..... how long have they been closed now?  I know I opened this up after they closed, but there is no reason for me to have it open still. I can also tell there may be nothing left in it.  Will find out tomorrow if it's going to be an empty.  I probably should have checked that yesterday.
-Bobbi Brown Face Base.  I've used this off an on for years (not this container, this container was only opened at the beginning of last fall). My dry skin that lives through a full on winter is in need of all the hydration sometimes.  
-Estee Edit. I swiped it on the back of my hand and it's still creamy.  Should I use this... probably not.  Am I going to try it out anyway.... yes.
-Gxve primer oil.  I have another bottle of this somewhere.  I'm guessing at my SO's place, or camp.  I do not find this to be especially priming, but it's more of a facial oil that I've slowed down on using of late. 
-Milk Primer.  This is the primer I've been trying to use more often and is currently in with my 'everyday' make up.  It's fine.  I don't think it actually makes my makeup last longer though.

 Upper right hand of photo

Spoiler

These are all what I'd call full size products that I have not yet opened.  I believe the Maybelline and Dermablend were gifted at UBW last year.  The Bobbi Brown box I picked up thinking I'd enjoy a smaller jar for travel. I will try them all once I whittle down some of the other products that are open. 

Upper left hand of photo

Spoiler

These were the four mini's I pulled out that were in my new deluxe size makeup bin.  I'm interested in trying the Rare which is a favourite of a friend of mine.  The Laura Mercier and Hydrating Benefit were two that I may like, and the It cosmetics felt so light that I figured I may as well try it as it's only likely one or two uses.

These are all mini's that I found going through my deluxe size bin that are unopened.  I'm not really interested in any of these so they'll be going into a bin that I'm calling my "Freebies for Friends" bin.  Friends and family can go through and take anything out of the bin they're interested in.  

I'm not someone who regularly uses primer.  I generally want a primer to help my make up last longer, and I just don't know that I've tried one that really does that for me.  So I was kinda shocked that I had so many of them.  A little eye opening tbh.  I feel like some of the categories to come may end up being waaaay more work that I want them to be.  But if I can keep up with my 'Freebies for Friends' bin ... maybe I'll be in a better place at the end of the year? 

[Samtian]

@missjeanie Ooh lovely collections! I forgot about the Estee Edit brand. 

[missjeanie]

@Samtian I had to look it up, because I was convinced I've somehow had this since 2000.  It looks like the brand closed after about a year in 2017.  So it's only 9 years old at this point lol.  That's really telling..... I'm actually ashamed that I've had makeup unopened that long. Must do a really solid low buy year!

[itsfi]

This is a good variety of primers @missjeanie. I had forgotten all about the GXVE but like you, I used it more as a facial oil than a primer. I'll be curious what your thoughts are on the hydrating version of Benefit's Porefessional primer (not that I need another primer) - the original was too potent for me, even my oily T-zone so I can see how it would be a phenomenal pick for someone with oilier skin. I couldn't get the MILK primer to work for me but found the setting spray in that line to perform better at making my makeup last longer. Your "Freebies for Friends" is a fabulous way to pay it forward. 👊

[missjeanie]

@itsfi Funny you mention the Milk Makeup setting spray, I just finished one that I'm pretty sure I've had open since October of 2024, maybe 2023.... I know I got it at Sephoria NYC, so whichever year that was lol.  While I did find it helpful to kind of marry all of my make up components together, I'm not sold that it helped anything last longer.   Which makes me think I'll need to do one of the Beauty Product Battles, Throw Downs and Showdowns at some point to test out setting sprays.  

[itsfi]

You should do a throwdown @missjeanie.; it would be great to get your thoughts on what works for you and doesn’t. Thread is there whenever you’re ready. I started doing a comparison of these and a few others last year but got pulled away by something else and didn’t get to posting. Two I’ve finished so I should probably pivot back to it. Note to self …

SEPHORiA NYC was 2023. I think I passed along the MILK setting spray to someone who would get more use out of it because I haven’t seen it in my stash (though that’s not to say it’s not around here somewhere 😆)