Ever Feel Very Overwhelmed by Your MAC Collection?

[miss_primer]

I think that being on a forum dedicated to makeup more than anything drives us all to buy more than we would expect. I bought way more from hello kitty than i thought i would ever want because of all the chatter in the thread. I have been on other forums, all dedicated to other things. Once you get caught up in other people excitement for items or collections, you definitely find yourself buying more than you planned on. Example...i was on a forum dedicated to handbags then i got a little obsessed with handbags..then it was a forum dedicated to haircare and i got a little bit obsessed with my hair. I trying to have the perfect curl definition...lol...and the best conditioner. With mac i seem to be a little bit more tame. Even though i am new to makeup and collecting, i have a better idea of what works for me.

I guess all i am really trying to say is that its easy to get swept up in other people's excitement and their holy grail item...regardless if you really want or need that product/collection.

 

[miss_bailey]

I feel overwhelmed when I think about the things I am missing out on because of makeup. Like going out with my friends every weekend and buying nice outfits but to be honest it's a sacrafice im willing to make.

 

[coachkitten]

My collection is out of control and it has been for quite sometime now. I have been selling off quite a bit but I get really sad when I let something go. I don't know why though because I have eye shadows from collections in 2001 that I have never even touched. NOT ONCE!! If I haven't used it in 8 years I am not going to use it. I have a real problem letting go of my stuff though.

I don't go into debt because of my MAC habit but lately I have been feeling really guilty for spending so much on more of the what I already have too much of.

I love MAC but I do feel that I need a little break. Like Tish said MAC (and other makeup) fills a void. For me I can only guess that is because makeup is one size fits all. It is never is too small, too tight, etc. MAC always fits! I don't know if that makes sense at all.

I am trying really hard at the moment to focus my energy on my health. I am trying to get as obsessed with that as I do my MAC habit!

I am always going to love MAC regardless we just need to take a small break right now.

 

[GlamYOURUs]

ALL the time! lol

 

[abbyquack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by coachkitten I love MAC but I do feel that I need a little break. Like Tish said MAC (and other makeup) fills a void. For me I can only guess that is because makeup is one size fits all. It is never is too small, too tight, etc. MAC always fits! I don't know if that makes sense at all. I am trying really hard at the moment to focus my energy on my health. I am trying to get as obsessed with that as I do my MAC habit! I am always going to love MAC regardless we just need to take a small break right now.

Yea Katie, that definitely makes sense, I think that by wearing makeup I can be beautiful, and each product I buy, I imagine that it will make me the most beautiful woman in the world...well, it does make feel good when i wear it, but having stacks and stacks of it isn't gonna make sense!

And I am trying to focus on my physical health right now too. I figure if I spend as much time on it as on my makeup, it will be a great success. Probably not as exciting, but rewarding

 

[allThingsGirl]

Hi ladies!

I tend to go in phases with MAC. I'll go for months not caring about any new collections that come out and then come back to MAC and be like, omg, what did I miss? And then follow it for months and then cycle back. Right now, I'm in the "MSF" phase again...I guess perfect timing with Colour Craft coming out.

One of the things that I do every so often is list out the things that I want in my collection. For example:

- 1 perfect red lipstick
- 1 nude YLBB lipcolor
- 1 powder
- 1 or 2 bronzers
- 1 or 2 highlighters
- 1 peach blush, 1 pink blush, etc.

You get the idea...then, I set aside the product that fills that requirement. Then I look at the rest of my stash and think -- okay, what out of this is unique that I didn't account for and that I should keep?

The rest goes up for sale/swap.

It works really well with paring down my nail polish collection, handbags, clothese, whatever...and it works okay with my makeup...

Sometimes I just draw the line, like, since I started a family and about to have my 2nd kid in the next couple weeks -- I ask, "what am i going to realistically be wearing in the next year or so? do i really need 5 sparkly black glitter liners if i might be going clubbing 2x?".

Either way, I totally know how you guys feel though, and that's when I clean out my collection usually.

I'm horrible though, I can't pass up LE...I'll buy what I can and then decide later if I want to keep or sell/swap.

 

[TISH1124]

Quote:

Originally Posted by coachkitten My collection is out of control and it has been for quite sometime now. I have been selling off quite a bit but I get really sad when I let something go. I don't know why though because I have eye shadows from collections in 2001 that I have never even touched. NOT ONCE!! If I haven't used it in 8 years I am not going to use it. I have a real problem letting go of my stuff though. I don't go into debt because of my MAC habit but lately I have been feeling really guilty for spending so much on more of the what I already have too much of. I love MAC but I do feel that I need a little break. Like Tish said MAC (and other makeup) fills a void. For me I can only guess that is because makeup is one size fits all. It is never is too small, too tight, etc. MAC always fits! I don't know if that makes sense at all. I am trying really hard at the moment to focus my energy on my health. I am trying to get as obsessed with that as I do my MAC habit! I am always going to love MAC regardless we just need to take a small break right now.

So true Katie.....Makeup gives that instant Gratification....No wait for results...it's instant.
It covers for that moment...Weight Problems, Stress, Lonliness, Depression, Marital Wows, Job issues etc....Because all of those take time and commitment....makeup doesn't....
So true...One size fits all..and one size pleases most....
I open my train case and...all these wonderful colors are screaming Pick me Pick me....and I look right over them 85% of the time and go straight to my tried and trues...But I have to have every shade of red lipstick...I have to have every MSF because one has a slightly lighter gold shimmer than the other 20...I am by no means saying I am going to Stop buying...I am saying I am making wiser choices based on what I really think I will wear and what i really need in my collection...No buying because everyone thinks it's great and because everyone says Oh it's a must have. I will not buy another b/u ...I have never gotten to one b/u other than foundation and that is sold everyday....Why buy b/u's .. The mentality of ...I have to buy it now because what if I want it later...thats dead...if I don't want it now I don;t need it now...hell I may be dead later. makeup will always be around...diff shade, diff packaging...but available...My health which I need to concentrate more on will not...it's pretty time sensitive...so i have just made the conscious effort to care about ME as much as i care about MAC.

 

[L1LMAMAJ]

amen to that sister! great words, tish and many others.

well to me, i totally live by the MAC is one size fits all. i have gained weight in the past year so I can't fit my clothes anymore, heels hurt my feet even though i try to persuade myself that it's worth the pain, food just makes me gain weight. Of course, i always wanna look better and feel better about myself. that's when makeup comes in. i just keep convincing myself i need a 2352nd shade of medium brown or whatever when i know i have enough makeup for myself and any children i may bear. it's nuts. i tell ya.

i am currently tryin to sell some of the stuff from my stash that i know i won't use just so i can have a little extra money. which will probably go towards new makeup that i convince myself that i "need." and yes i do feel sad when one of my items sell and i have to let it go. it's bad, i tell ya.

edit: another thing I wanted to add is that, so many people have their HG this and HG that. I don't think I really have HG's. Honestly, sometimes I'll love a product and then a few weeks later, i'll think it's too brown or too red...just not absolutely perfect. I don't know if it's just my mind subconsciously telling me that there is gonna be something better out there. Then the bad part is that, I start believing that I could probably find something better so I'll go out and buy a bunch more stuff, hoping that I'll find my HG. at the end, i'm left with too many products and none of them i really love and none of them will ever become my HG

 

[romi79_2008]

I think the hype of the LE gets us all in trouble and than if U afford it you buy it.I gave up using/buying other brands because I don`t want n dupes and I`m satisfied with Mac quality.
Whenever the info of a new collection comes out I`m so caught with it but as times goes by I try to dupe the colors till it comes out and I usually buy 2-3 max(excluding brushes) items from some collections. I skip many of them-not a big deal( mac will repromote their biggest sellers quick )
I`m not overwhelmed because my collection is not that big- and I`m done buying dupes (highlighters-I have a full 15 palette no more- no matter how interesting it sounds or looks like-I have enough, or I have magnetic fields I don`t need the similars that comes with style warriors or naked honey, or more pink blushes, or any palette that has a black es or a es that i already have-skip). I really wanted a lot from rose romance, know I`m done to 3 items, probably I won`t get any -maybe a lipgloss. Never used up a sample pigm why would I need a full jar? So i`ll pick the samples
Conclusion - reason, be honest with yourself, because at the end of the day those 2,3 items makes me very happy and satisfied

 

[Blushbaby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by abbyquack I know you probably weren't addressing me directly, but it's kind of depressing, because I really do feel like I have a problem that needs to be curbed. It's getting a bit too much, what am I ever going to do with all this makeup of mine? I've sold the things I think I can live without, but most of it isn't going anywhere, because I can't bear to part with it. Add to it the fact that I have not permanently settled down in life (I am a college student and I work in Alaska in the summer), so the fact that I've got to move around, and schlepp this huge collection with me, is a little overwhelming. But why do I feel like I need every new item? I agree w/ Tish and PD... that I need to stop visiting the collection threads as much, because then I won't be swayed by what every one else is doing, and only get what I truly want. But I do love specktra, it keeps entertained through the monotonous parts of the day (school and work hehe).

No, I wasn't addressing you sweetie, it was just a general mention towards some threads I've seen lately where people have mentioned they have bills to pay, but the next min they're hauling ..only to sell it off in the sales forum 3 weeks later. The mind boggles ...

I try and work with the mantra "I've only got one face", when I get a lil' over-excited and try to buy in moderation, which I can appreciate can be really hard at times.

We've all overspent - myself included, but at the start of year I pulled myself into check and swore I wouldn't 'go crazy' anymore. I'm a typical girly girl, who loves makeup, fashion and accessories so like to spend my money on all three. I forced myself to sell backups I didn't need and made quite a bit of profit on Ebay which was quite satisfying.

You've made a start by staying away from the Collection threads as they can persuade you to sell your mother for MAC if you're not on the ball!

You have to be stern with yourself ..and you can break the habit. I think I have it under control now. There's no such word as can't. I'm back in NY at the end of the month and for the first time my makeup list isn't even that big. I just don't need itall. I deleted my Sephora basket down to $32 from $277 too. My boyf (the sweetie) said to me last night "Uh-oh I know you wanna christen your Pro card stateside, if you want anything, let me know". I turned him down (am I mad?!!

) cos I don't see the point in going mad and spending his hard earned money just for the sake of it. Besides he treats me enough as it is.

Lilmamaj mentioned about having enough makeup to passs onto her kids and that made me smile cos any daughter/s I have will have a friggin ball with "Mummy's make up and shoes" - it'll be dress-up all day, everyday in my house!

Those huge MAC warehouse sales you guys have - we don't have them in England. If one of those were to take place here, then hands up I'd go frickin mental ..but only cos it was all so cheap and I could buy enough for the rest of my make up wearing life!!

 

[LMD84]

some days i am overwhelmed by my collection and it annoys me that i can't wear all of it at once!!

sometimes i feel that because i have so many pigments (over 60 samples and full sized!) i never wear them as much as i should! but that's only because i have so many colours! i never use the same colours in one week because i have so many. i just feel bad for the colours i don't get round to using so much!

i'm not totally addicted to mac though. i love it and spend a reasonable amount on it each month. however realistically some items i just wouldn't use so just don't bother. blush for example... i have 8 blushers and that is more than enough for me. when i use one up then i may buy another but for the moment i'm fine. it is hard when i read about the new collections (colour craft!!) where the blush sounds great... but if i'm not going to use it then what is the point?!

same goes for glosses. i have quite a few and i'm trying not to buy many more because they go off the quickest. therefore it's a waste of money to just keep on buying. plus the fact i seem to have about 10 pinks that all look near enough the same!!

maybe i have good self control... but these days i would rather save my money for my holidays than buy something that i know i won't use.

 

[CoralBlast]

i understand every single one saying i have enough but i still want more. it's because you always think there is another shade of pink, purple,blue ....etc better or more special than the one you have but what worries me is that when i find the one i like i kind of hardly use it in fear of running out !!

i wear the glosses i am not so crazy about so i can throw them out and not feel guilty for buying something that didn't work for me but i did end up using, so weird i know.
i agree with LMD84 i wish i could wear it all at once!!

what bugs me the most is when i go on vacation i hide my make up stuff like it's my treasure and i worry about being away from it, when i am in the car going home i am thinking if it's all going to be there and how devasted i would be if i lost it!! i think i am more than addicted maybe a little obsessed.

 

[minni4bebe]

My collection has quadrupled over the last couple of months and at times I feel compulsive. I look at at it and I'm like OMG, I should get rid of some of this but then I can't. I need some sort of therapy, seriously!

 

[leenybeeny]

Yes and no... yes because sometimes I have a hard time choosing what to use.. but no because every morning when I walk into my closet and sit at my makeup desk I get a rush at all the possibilities.. lol.. my personal little high

 

[TISH1124]

I see alot of people say they worry about their makeup being stolen when they are away ..I can honestly say that is the one thing that has NEVER crossed my mind....I mean I really don't think of a burgular being a makeup addict....and if the burglar steps over all the studio equipment, flat screens, wii's, playstations, laptops and jewelry and goes for the makeup then I guess they need to have at it...I know I have limited edition stuff but I don't think I would go crazy I would just have to start over...It would suck...but my makeup is probably worth more now than it was when I paid for it so that is a battle I would deal with with my home owners insurance company...I do have pictures of all my stuff so I will be ready to hit send so they can see it all, thanks to photobucket!

 

[CoralBlast]

well it wouldn't have crossed my mind either if my cousin's place wasn't ...well raided in a way, a few years back, they took everything even her tampons and other girl stuff she had ... you can imagine what i am talking about!! my dad's house btw they went through my rooms window and they actually took frozen stuff from the freezer !!!! please do laugh at it because it's only make up but no insurance could ever help me get my stuff back.

 

[snowflakelashes]

I honestly go back and forth. I keep buying makeup when obviously I don't need anymore, well, I don't neeed any makeup, in truth I'd live without it to be sure. But you know what I mean? What normal person wonders repeatedly to themselves if they can get extra insurance on their luggage so that they can take their makeup with them with less worry?

Makeup is easy, it doesn't take time if you don't want it to. It can just sit there when you are busy and it will be there when you get back to it. It 'fits' whether you're a size 00 or 26. That's it's appeal it's easy, so really it comes down to me allowing myself to be lazy/overwhelmed in other area's of my life.

I think it's about finding balance, and addressing the root issues but until then there are coping strategies I think we can use. Budgets, and restrictions , to keep you in check. Reminders like sharing your thoughts with the people you trust or that can related (like this thread) to help you gain and get a hold of perspective.

I know its something I am working on, and struggling with... finding balance in all areas of my life.

- snowflake-sprinkled-love-n-kisses xoxo

 

[MissResha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TISH1127 I am overwhelmed everyday...I have over 250 l/s and l/g, 16 pro palettes, 5 blush palettes, 30 MSF's so imagine all the other items...I have stuff I can never or will never wear...yet I keep buying more....I ask people what color they are wearing and go buy it only to realize I already had it...but because my collection is out of control i forgot....I am really at times ashamed of myself...I truly know it is an addiction and I am pissed that I can't just say NO!! My friend and i have put ourselves on a restricted Buy for awhile because we are both just pretty fed up with ourselves and the MAC addiction.

HOLY.SHEEPSHIT!!!!!

 

[TISH1124]

^^^ Pretty Pathetic.....Agreed!

......

 

[GlamYOURUs]

I need to take pics of all the new stuff I have and sell them off.
My collection is getting no love b/c all I do is buy buy buy and not wear anything. *sigh*