ETA: While I appreciate the many comments and suggestions for products that you value, I am not looking for any product recommendations and would like to remind everyone about the rules of this sub to avoid recommending specific products/brands. We are all here because we don’t need more FOMO in our lives.

I got my first “adult job” and will soon get my first “adult paycheck”. To celebrate I wanted to gift myself something special.

After considerations, I chose to give myself a high-end blush. I have one blush and it is almost panned, so I need to replace it anyway. I use blush every day, so ideally it would feel like a daily treat/pampering. Hopefully make me feel confident and luxurious. I am getting married next year and blush seems to be one of the most important things when doing a bridal look, so investing in the best quality makes most sense, right? A lot of pressure to put on a tiny jar of pigments.

After *a lot* of researching online, I found a selection of products that were supposed to be the best and match my desired finish. They were not cheap, like almost 10x more expensive than my current blush. But they are probably worth it, right? The online hype (mostly Reddit) definitely claimed so.

Yesterday I went to this very nice department store to swatch all the different ones I was considering. I was quite excited to see them in real life and experience that incredible performance that justifies the huge pricetag.

Well, it was incredibly disappointing. They were all just some pigment. The satin or glowy finish ones had the same kind of visible glitter pieces that I was promised they would not have. The magic was completely broken.

I can’t speak for the longevity or blendability, as it was just swatches, but it’s honestly not something I currently struggle that much with.

I am going to repurchase the same cheap blush that have had my back every day for the past year for a fraction of the price. My favorite lipstick will double as cream blush for the wedding to increase depth and longevity. Or I’ll borrow something from a friend, if I really feel like I need a change.

I first started getting into makeup when I was 16, and I eventually became interested in high end brands when I was 17. I was really in love with the packaging, the elevated designs etc. I ended up spending thousands of dollars across 2 years because I was 'collecting' designer lipstick cases. My plan was to have all these beautiful cases from all these designer brands, and then I could use drugstore lipsticks as refills for those cases.

Reality showed me its not that easy. I often struggled to transport lipsticks, and I also struggled melting them down and pouring them in. I don't usually buy many drugstore lipsticks either way, now they're usually around mid-end and I'm not superrr bothered about using cheaper packaging. But now i have like 20 designer lipsticks which i dont really have any plans to reuse the packaging of. I realised what i had done when i went to London last year and bought a $100 lipstick that i ended up hating the packaging of (it is shaped like a dagger, is longer than a mascara and bright red. It also feels cheap and flimsy plastic and very fragile). And now i have this lipstick which i really really hate using, i dont like the shade much, and i hate the packaging even more. Like what do i even do with it now?? Its so expensive i cant throw it out nor do i want to because i waited 7 months to buy it in London and now that ive got it i feel guilty and regret it.

And dont even get me started on the $90 lipbalm i got in Paris and didnt realise was freaking pH adjusting until i got back home 💀 gah damn i hate-panned it and realised i hate slim bullets because theyre too fragile and i have to apply it multiple times to cover my entire lips. Like im just filled with so much regret on what i bought on my holiday. I spent $300 on 3 lipbalms/lipsticks. The other one i dont regret THANKFULLY

Maybe sometimes we create such a deluded image of what we want, what we want to buy we forget that reality exists. Thats why i try never blindbuy anything.

Anyways, for now im stuck with 20 lipsticks (some empty and some not) with only 1 pair of lips. Even if i want to refill them, i cant refill 20 at the same time.

I have dermal melasma on 50% of my face area. It not that prominent but do look like I have dirt on my face. To cover it up I started doing make up. What's worse is that make up doesn't stay put on it, so I bought more and more of skincare plus make up and results were the same. Now I am letting go of all that junk and trying to find other ways, more healthy and viable to help build my confidence. But I don't know what to do, any help would be appreciated. TIA

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This thread is for open discussion about everything and anything though please abide by our sub's rules.

Have fun chatting!

Welcome to MUR Daily Chat!

This thread is for open discussion about everything and anything though please abide by our sub's rules.

Have fun chatting!

Seeing the sheer volume of wasted products has made me realize I desperately need to curb my spending habits. How do you all manage to keep yourself within a strict beauty budget without feeling deprived? I’d love to hear your best tips or rules for staying disciplined!

For more context, I'm in the non binary spectrum, but my gender expression was always hyper feminine, and also had for lots of years a problem with over spending on make up bc I saw pretty ones on ig, sometimes I just used them two or three times before discarding it completely, fortunately this changed when I deleted ig and stopped consuming so much makeup content, and I felt quite good with my makeup collection.

But in the last two months or so, I started to feel uncomfortable whenever I tried to do makeup, hell, even putting a bit of blush or doing my eyebrows triggered me badly, I thought it was bc I got unused to the feeling on my face, but I got to the conclusion that it wasn't that when I was getting ready for my job, I saw myself and I felt like it wasn't me, and I was feeling dysphoria.

My gender expression is leaning towards something more "masculine", and I decided to just stop doing my makeup, I still think the process is really fun, it is like painting! I like doing make up on my girlfriend. But seeing myself with makeup just wasn't for me anymore, I don't feel good on it, and I don't feel like myself.

The point here is, yeah, I don't use makeup anymore, but now I don't know what to do with what I have- I already started decluttering things like foundation and concealer, liquid things in general, and I plan to still have some things to do make up on my girlfriend, but I can't help but feel guilty, like "I wasted a lot of money and time on this to just not use it anymore" and also, the sustentability part, this is not good for the enviorment, and it makes me feel more guilty...

Sorry for the long rant, I just need advice of how to cope with feeling guilty with spending so, so much, and sorry if my english is bad, tbh I just wanted to get this out of my chest. :,D

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This sounds weird but I think part of my makeup habit became procrastination like I would tell myself I was just getting ready but really i was standing there adding more concealer fixing blush changing lip products checking different lighting and suddenly 40 minutes were gone.

At some point I realized I was not getting ready anymore I was just stalling

Lately im trying to keep getting ready more boring so same few products. No opening new things just because im nervous noo redoing my face because one angle looks off. I’ve also been doing more of my actual skin routine at night like the good old moisturizer and sunscreen during the day and this Solawave RLT mask i got for recovery. Im doin this so my makeup doesnt feel like the only time I pay attention to my face but lets see how this goes.

I still enjoy makeup but i dont want it to become the place I hide when im anxious

Has anyone else started focusing more on skincare because makeup was becoming too much of an anxiety ritual?

*Trigger Warning: replies will contain product names, descriptions, and opinions.*

We focus on a palette for the week and our thoughts on it. All palettes are welcome. This includes eyeshadow, cheek, lip, pre-made, and self-made. Grouping of singles can also be a palette (ex: colour palette or scheme).

Did you do the PAW challenge last week? Which palette did you use? Did you find it successful or was it a failure? Have your opinions on the palette changed at all? Do you plan to keep the palette and use it again?

Which palette are you going to use this week? Why have you chosen this palette? Do you have any goals you hope to reach in using it?

BAW/CAW- Did you use any particular cheek product last week? Has it made the cut or is it time to let it go?

I seriously need to rein in my spending before I go broke. How do you guys actually stick to a beauty budget and resist the hype? What are your best tips for stopping the impulse buys?

Welcome to MakeupRehab’s Project Progress!

Project Progress is one of MUR’s oldest community activities, formerly known as Project Pan. The goal is to pick products you want to use up and keep track of how you are progressing. Every member has different goals and timelines, so project progress was created to be welcoming for everyone.

Got a stack of samples to work through? Join us!

Want to get more use out of your giant lipstick collection? Join us!

Have a lotion that you feel has stuck around too long? Join us!

These posts go up every Monday!

Follow the template below to share your progress on whichever products you want in whatever time frames work for you. Tracking progress is the best way to see it and we’re all here to cheer each other on!

TEMPLATE:

Product name | Beginning and/or remaining amount: | Goal: (Finish the product? Make a dent in it? Use it x-times a week?) | Picture:

Welcome to MUR Daily Chat!

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Have fun chatting!

Month 7 of my no-buy for the 'personal care' umbrella. It has slipped from a strict no-buy to an apathetic 'hey, someone's destashing, that's okay because I can handle myself'. Most of my 'eh' products have been destashed or are listed for sale. I have reduced my nail polish collection by 1 shoebox of polish. New videos don't turn my head. New releases look somewhat familiar and undesirable.

..

A couple of weeks ago I sent a friend a picture of my hand holding down a receipt with postage tracking details. Nails bare except for a strengthening base coat. It felt weirdly vulnerable. I went to see a family member and didn't change up the beige polish I wore to a professional event two days before. No makeup. Felt like I walked outside my home in pyjamas.

My skincare has been slipping. My ankles and lips are rough and bleeding in the face of tens of different creams, balms and oils. I wouldn't say my mental health is slipping, but I'm playing my 2000th hour of a video game I no longer want to play because it's easier than choosing a new one.

I am so thoroughly unenthusiastic in taking care of myself because that dopamine chase of newness has faded. Every single one of my products has become familiar. I work from home so no one sees my efforts except through a tiny laptop camera. I'm tired, boss.

I saw a therapist once and she asked me 'So, what do you like to do besides spending money on things?'

I don't know.

Welcome to the MuR Edition of Product Recommendations!

This thread is for anyone looking to purchase an item who needs some suggestions on what to try next. Please fill out the following survey in with your product recommendation request to help the sub better address your needs:

What are you looking for and why:

• Location/Budget Limitations:
• Similar Products Previously Destashed/Returned and why:
• Skin Type:
• Skin Undertone:
• Skin Shade:
• Sensitivities:
• Indie/Mainstream:
• Cruelty-free Important:
• Anything else we should know:

Please remember: while this thread is for recommending products, links to those products are not allowed on the sub.

Welcome to the 2nd update for 10 by Fall!!! 🍁🍂📅 We are halfway through the year, so let's set some goals, put in the work, and then celebrate successes with the people who really truly get it- your fellow panners! Because whats better than seeing that tiny sliver of silver pan? Or finally finishing that lotion the seemed immortal? Sharing that joy and cheering each other on 🥰.

This round will run from 21st June to 20th September, with updates fortnightly. The lovely u/LeCocoMar and I alternate hosting each round, and will be here to cheer you on. **I've update the tag list from the intro post, but if something is not quite right, let me know!**

If you are new to the "10 by" series, the project works like this: Choose any 10 items and pick a goal that you want to work towards by the end of the season. Anything beauty-related is fair game; makeup, haircare, skincare, fragrances, nail polish etc. Select your goals for each product: finishing an item (a.k.a panning), hitting pan, reaching a usage goal, or even just testing an item out. 10 items is just a suggestion, so feel free to add any number of items you like. Make it work for you!

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This thread is for open discussion about everything and anything though please abide by our sub's rules.

Have fun chatting!

MUR Weekly Empties Thread!

What did you use up this week? What are you trying to use up? What seems to never, ever, ever, empty, despite your best efforts?

Share your empties here!

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hello all, I’ve been a lurker for a while and I love this subreddit. anyway, four weeks ago I went on a trip to Ireland and London (for a wedding and vacay). while I was on the trip I packed up mini products and stuff I wanted to “use up” in hopes of whittling down my massive collection of makeup and skincare.

and it worked I used up every mini perfume I brought, every skincare item I brought, etc. I was gone for about 12 days.

another thing that happened is that towards the end of the trip I gave up makeup completely. I do love makeup I love a glittery eye, and I love a fun lip color however i feel like I’ve finally woken up from overconsumption. proud to say I haven’t bought any items since coming home. (about two weeks ago). i haven't had any desire to. I actually don’t really wear makeup anymore. sometimes I will get up before work and do something, but I have been keeping it very minimal.

so as I’ve been unpacking and stuff I have been decluttering a lot of items. mainly donating clothes to the charity my mom will call up sometimes, my mom also takes some of the items for herself (because she is on the opposite end of the spectrum as me as in she never buys herself ANYTHING - literally for the whole trip she only bought herself a pair of earrings - and my brother bought her some magnets).

a main part of why I got so over consumed with especially makeup was 1) my dad dying in 2020 and 2) just seeing it on YouTube and tiktok all the new products or people’s collections.

bow, even though I haven’t bought anything. it’s time to do the dreaded makeup declutter. I know I have a lot of things that are over 3-5 years old so I know they’re expired. there are many things I never wear. however even though I know this I am struggling actually getting rid of the items. I have some weird emotional attachment issues of it being “past me” if anyone has any advice on how to overcome that. I’ve tried taking photos in the past but then when I look back at them it makes me yearn to have that item back, so much so that I will go out of my way to repurchase it. so I don’t think having a digital archive is super helpful to me in at least the makeup department.

pls give advice it’s been overwhelming to look at and deal with in my room. thanks!

Welcome to MUR Daily Chat!

This thread is for open discussion about everything and anything though please abide by our sub's rules.

Have fun chatting!

Welcome to MUR Daily Chat!

This thread is for open discussion about everything and anything though please abide by our sub's rules.

Have fun chatting!

This thread is focused on helping each other perfect our makeup application. You can request help if you are having trouble using a certain product or executing a technique and the community can give you feedback. Also, if anyone has a technique or a makeup tip they would like to share, this is the place to do so!