This one is for the cosmetic junkies.
I don’t think I have ever finished a lipstick. I have finished a few lip glosses and eyeshadows (and a blush! Twice! And I just found out that my color was discontinued more than a year ago; I think I have a couple years left in the current pan), but I’ll usually decide I’m over the color and toss it before I’ll finish it. The exception is anything above drugstore level. I know you’re supposed to toss things after a certain amount of time, but if I paid $14+ for it, I have a problem doing this, even long after the expiration decade has come and gone. (Mom, if the idea of my ancient makeup is making you make that sound, trust me — this post is not going to get any better from here. Proceed with caution.)
Case in point: my first MAC lipstick, from 1995. Still smells normal, looks normal, goes on smooth. My internal monologue goes something like this: Will I wear this color again? Nah. Wait, maybe! I’ll just hang on to it, then. As a result, this lipstick has been with me through seven dorm rooms, two apartments, and three houses. Check the old-style tube. The silver tube is probably close to ten years old and it’s now a permanent color in a normal, black tube. Just for reference, the last tube is the last lipstick I bought (probably also technically past its expiration by now):
So, eyeshadows. There are only a couple colors I use quickly enough to have replaced more than once. As you can see by the packaging, the color on the left isn’t one (the one on the right is in current packaging, which has been around forever):
One of the other brands I like as much is Urban Decay. How long have I had the one on the left? Long enough that the color has been discontinued, for one. I’m sure I bought it in college, if not high school. You’d never know how often I use it by the amount left in the pan. Hopefully this one will last until I die since they don’t make it anymore. Just kidding, Mom & Dad!
I do think the old pans were cuter, if slightly less practical.
The last really old thing I have is an Urban Decay lipstick. Definitely bought this one in college. I don’t have any of their new lipsticks, so I stole a picture from their website to compare. I think the old packaging was cooler on this, too.
This has been a lesson in why you shouldn’t share makeup. Thanks for coming; Lysol wipes are by the door.







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I love seeing old, discontinued makeup. I don’t even know why. ;) I totally agree that the old Urban Decay lipstick case was so much better than the new one. I love it! Thanks for the great pictures. :)
Melissa W.´s last [type] ..Review- CARGO Essential Palette Bronze
Thanks for looking!
[...] MAC and Urban Decay packaging over the years — Eat, DINK and Be Merry [...]
I feel the exact same way! I’d never toss anything out – but this is the reason I only have five lipglosses (as opposed to 35 lipsticks) :)
Pinch´s last [type] ..Hello Navy
Glosses seem to multiply on their own, I don’t know how it happens. :)
I get a kick out of old makeup cases too. I recently unearthed some Chanel, YSL and Dior makeup I bought in college – in the 80′s. Some of the colors are definitely “of their era”, but some are still quite wearable! Chanel’s packaging isn’t much different today, surprisingly, but Dior and YSL are unrecognizable without the logos. I had to trash all the lipgloss and almost all the lipstick, but the blush and eyeshadow was all still in decent condition. Eye pencils smelled ok but were hard as rocks. :-(
I should photograph it all and post it somewhere.
Do it, that would be really interesting!
I’m doing it over time as a blog – 12 items swatched and photographed so far, tons more as I get time to do them!
Liz´s last [type] ..Chanel Ombre Contraste- Turquoise-Arctic
Oh, awesome!