Minimalist makeup kit
From Makeup Hoarder to Minimalist
Three years ago, I could’ve started a beauty supply store with all the makeup, tools and skincare products I owned. I was a big fan of Youtube’s beauty guru community, and often felt compelled to buy what was featured in the many reviews, favourites and “must-haves” videos. Over time, I accumulated more makeup and skincare products than one person could use in a life time.
My beauty stash was very organized. Makeup and skincare filled the 4 large drawers of my vanity, a shelf, and the cabinet under the sink in the bathroom. Everything was categorized and separated by product type, by colour, by bottle shape, etc… My beauty stash was very organized, but it was still a stash.
In an attempt to not be faced with that much choice every single morning, I would spend a lot of time and energy emptying the drawers of my vanity on the floor, re-categorizing everything, and then deciding what would be my “everyday” makeup for the next little while, to finally put the rest back in the drawers, to be untouched for months.
Hoard. Pile. Collection. Heap. Stash. Call it what you will, it was way too much.
Even before I discovered minimalism and Zero Waste, I started to feel a pang in my chest about the ridiculous amount of beauty related things I stashed away in my vanity. I felt guilty about how much money I spent on these products, and how many of them I would never finish. Some mornings, I forced myself to put on a full face a makeup even if I didn’t want to, or to use more products then I would otherwise have, just to try to put a dent in the massive collection. Makeup, at this extent, had become a chore. The over abundance gave me immense anxiety, but I was a beauty fan, so owning — *cough* hoarding — loads of makeup was what I was supposed to do, right?
Wrong.
Today, my entire makeup and skincare kit fits in a container smaller than the one that wouldn’t even hold all of my lipsticks once. I feel much happier with the products I buy and use, and I can afford to purchase high quality products because I am no longer spending $200 every few weeks at Sephora. Actually, my entire beauty routine is much less expensive then even one of those shopping trips.
Fun fact: I had the highest level of Sephora’s points card, which you only get if you consistently spend a minimum of $1000 a year in their stores.
The products
I stick to brands that are conscious of the ingredients and packaging they use. I avoid chemical ingredients and plastic (micro-beads or packaging), to stay inline with my Zero Waste efforts. I also do my best to steer clear of titanium dioxide and nano-particles. The former is a natural ingredient, but could be linked to lung issues; the latter are particles small enough to enter the body through the skin, which can be harmful depending on the ingredient.
I use a natural bar of soap from Meow Meow Tweet to wash my face, and avocado oil to remove my makeup (if I wear any that day). I make a serum with avocado, black cumin seed, and tea tree oil, to keep irritation and acne at bay, and a simple face cream from Fat and The Moon.
Fat and the Moon also do makeup; I use their eye coals as a brow pomade, eyeliner and mascara. For eye shadow, I’ve paired down to one I find appropriate for every occasion: an eye polish from RMS Beauty. I also use their “Un” Cover Up as a concealer and foundation.
I still own a couple of lipsticks, mostly from natural brands, that I can’t bring myself to get rid of. Although I don’t wear lipstick on a daily basis anymore, I know that some days, I just want that pop of red, or that vampy wine-stained lip. I don’t deprive myself of that just for the sake of having “the most minimalist of minimalist makeup kits”, but I do limit myself to only a few options, to not let it trickle out of control again.
Conclusion
Having fewer, better products, has truly changed how I view makeup. Something that started out as a creative outlet, quickly got out of hand and became a chore. I felt I had to put a full-face of makeup on everyday, or else I wasn’t living up to the standards of being a beauty fan. I no longer feel that way, and I am now more than comfortable leaving the house — even going to work — without a stitch of makeup on.
“Constraints breed creativity.” -The Minimalists
Also, having fewer products is a great way to get creative and use products for more than only their intended purposes. Creativity being the whole point of makeup for me, it is an added bonus of a minimalist kit.
Products mentioned
- Fat and the Moon All Cream
- Meow Meow Tweet Charcoal and Tea Tree Soap
- RMS Beauty Un Cover Up
- RMS Beauty Eye Polish in Utopia
- Fat and the Moon Eye Coal
- Fat and the Moon Earth Eye Coal
References
- About nano-particles
- About titanium dioxide
- The Minimalists’ Podcast, Collecting
- The Minimalists’ Podcast, Creating
