Whether you are a cosmetics queen or an occasional dolly bird, the majority of the female population own at least one cosmetics product. Anything deemed for the purpose of personal care is classified as cosmetics, and it is a billion dollar industry. Such is the growth and power of the cosmetics industry, that it is not only an American thing; the top 3 cosmetics buying countries are the United States, Japan and Germany. Even celebrities want a slice of the beauty pie; a great example of this is singer/actress Jennifer Lopez, who has recently announced her 18th fragrance.
It is arguable that the advertising output of the beauty industry has succeeded in persuading us to buy more and more make-up. Many of us (including me!) have collections that are so vast that we could open our own cosmetics boutiques.
However, if your beauty buying habits are landing you in hot water with whoever you share your home with, there are a couple of solutions to help you control the need for ever more make-up supplies. From experience, I find that hairdressing trolleys are a neat and tidy way to keep everything sorted and organised. Originally the storage secret of the salon professional, they are an untapped resource for crucial storage space in your bedroom or bathroom. A second solution is to be ruthless and restrict the amount of space you give to make-up storage. So how can you recognise when your make-up buying habits have gone too far?
1. Every time you go to the supermarket, you leave with at least one cosmetics item.
You only wanted a carton of milk and a loaf of bread, but you notice the local store now has a range of make-up. That brown eye shadow is a shade you don’t already have and is bound to come in useful one day. Sound familiar? You already have six shades of brown eye shadow, but you can’t resist adding one more. If you can’t step outside the door without adding to your collection, you may be addicted to buying make-up. One way of combating this is to have everything you already own neatly laid out in some sort of storage space, such as a salon trolley. When you can instantly see all that you own, you’re far less likely to feel as though you need to buy more.
2. Every time you see the latest beauty commercial, you can’t resist the urge to buy the new product.
Manufacturers are constantly coming up with new ways to sell their products, that’s the beauty of advertising, marketing and PR. Is each new advert an unbearable temptation to you? Do you feel as though you’re missing out if your mascara doesn’t promise to double the length of your lashes as the latest one does? Feeling as though your existing products need updating every time you see an advert for a new one is a sure sign your make-up buying is running amok.
3. Stockpiling make-up for each and every possible occasion like it’s some sort of nuclear alert.
Would you wear the same colour lipstick to meet a friend for coffee as you would to go for dinner with that same friend? Or how about wearing the same blusher and foundation to a job interview as on a day out with the kids? If you’re forever switching your style of make-up, including the colours you wear and the way you apply it, you may be in danger of giving it a little too much importance. There’s a world of difference between changing your office make-up for something more glamorous when you go out in the evening and insisting that what’s good for a day with the kids won’t do for coffee with a friend.
4. You tend to hoard make-up and can’t bear to part with any item.
When was the last time you threw away an item of make-up that was half-used? Very much like that New Kids on the Block cassette tape you treasured in high school, beauty products aren’t made to make the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Unlike that gorgeous dress from the Eighties you artfully saved, beauty products aren’t ‘vintage’. In fact, they could be quite dangerous. Beauty products typically have a lifespan of about a year or two, depending on the product. Anything that touches the eyes, mouth and fingers is prone to contamination and could actually do more harm than good. Powders and concealers can last for a couple of years, cleansers and moisturisers live for about six months, foundation can last for about a year but beware the flirty, lash-extending mascara wand. Mascaras only last for three months as they’re perfect bredding ground for bacteria; conjunctivitis is so not a good look. If you’ve got piles of cosmetics lurking in drawers or in long-forgotten make-up bags and handbags, it’s time for a clear-out and a fresh start. And if it really pains you to chuck it out, think of all the new stuff you could get if you had a spring clean!
This guest post was written by Leyla, a British blogger who is currently writing on behalf of Salons Direct, the leading stockist of professional hair and beauty supplies in the United Kingdom.
