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Makeup tea

Don’t Police My Face! | Collab with Reyna on Beauty Standards

Beauty, Makeup tea0

When in the creation of mankind did we get the idea that we were put on this earth to determine how others would live? Where did we get the idea that we needed to seek acceptance from anyone but ourselves? This is what beauty standards do to us.

But that’s the world we live in. We want to control others bodies and preferences and every detail down to what opportunities the other is worthy of.

I write, a lot. On an ongoing basis, I write blogs that encourage others to find inner peace, happiness, and self-love. I urge others to let go of all the negativity that comes with focusing on the wrong things. So that’s what this piece for yolauralikesbeauty will focus on. I’m no makeup expert by any means. I know the difference between fleek eyebrows and not so fleek eyebrows, and I know when makeup isn’t blended right but that’s about it. I’ll leave Laura to teach you all the good stuff ?

I am an artist and I respect art in all forms. I considered make-up artistry right up there with the rest. Though I wouldn’t spend more than 10 minutes of my own, I appreciate it and it pains me when other choose to tear it down rather than celebrate it or at the very least, focus on their own face.

Bye Alicia

I was annoyed when the Alicia Keys situation blew up. So she decided to stop wearing makeup, it seemed to bring the connotation that she was BETTER than other celebrities for choosing not to.  I wanted to respect it as a bold move for female empowerment and a positive change in beauty standards but the media found a way to spin it an ugly way. Of course, Alicia Keys with her smooth tan skin was an acceptable display of “natural beauty” and often I noticed light traces of “natural” make up on her and I wondered, how would the narrative change if she sported blemishes, dark circles, and barely-there eyebrows.

You are not the epitome of goodness for being natural. I have always been a firm believer that nothing should define the person you are beside the person you are. Not your skin tone, not your sexual orientation, not your body size, not your bank account and DEFINITELY not whether or not you wear makeup.

If I am good at doing makeup, and enjoy it why should anyone else have a say? If I’m not as talented at applying make-up as some of the gurus I see on Instagram, should I feel less beautiful?

Love the skin you’re in and don’t let anyone determine how you feel about the way you choose to live your life and express yourself.

My Face, My Rules

Sometimes we fall into this pattern with significant others. Most men will say they prefer their woman natural, most women would tell you we don’t wear it for the men! I don’t think there’s something wrong with a man loving the natural you and celebrating it, but attempting to police my image will only make me resent you.

I change my look a lot and it feels good when my significant other opens their eyes a little wider in awe at the switch up. I also appreciate when I look a mess and he tells me that is when I am at my best.

But I have been through situations where a guy would try to police my choices and my style based on their own ideals. I would feel guilty when putting on makeup and try to wear as little as possible to avoid the crude remarks. Or I feared what they’d think if I cut my hair or tried something new. It didn’t make me feel any more beautiful in my natural state; instead, it made me want to hide parts of myself from them.

Instead, when I am shown unconditional love, I am more inclined to feel good in my skin, with or without my winged liner.

It’s a tough habit to break through. Judgments sometimes seem to just roll out. “Why is she wearing so much makeup?” “It’s like a mask.” “She could use some concealer and eyeliner honestly” Unfortunately those words have come out of my mouth in the past and it took some self-reflection to break that habit. The habit of feeling superior to other women based on different choices we may make.

We have the right to self-expression however we please. So natural faces and makeup gurus alike, celebrate you, celebrate each other and lets uplift those around us, even if they aren’t the same.

Follow my girl Reyna! @reynanoriega_ on Instagram. Be sure to share your thoughts with her in the comments below or on Instagram. Tweet her, too! @reynasnoriega.

Thanks for reading! ?

Is Ipsy worth your bucks? | collab with Budgetgirl

Beauty, Makeup Product Reviews, Makeup tea0

Hello this is Budgetgirl and I am taking over yolauralikesbeauty’s blog to give you guys some info on Ipsy and my personal thoughts for including this on my monthly budget.

Well, what is exactly is Ipsy you may ask? Ipsy is a monthly makeup subscription box that is $10 a month. This box includes a make up bag with 4-5 different products. The items are mostly full size products, which is great! I am not much of a makeup girl so when I receive these items they are great for me because they hook me up for the month. All you really need is a good lipstick, mascara, eyeshadow and bronzer and you’re set!

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Benefits:

  • You get to try out new products
  • Products are small and travel size
  • You get the essentials; mascara, lipsticks, eye liner
  • You get more than what you pay for
  • Cute new makeup bag every month

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So is it worth the price?

Absolutely! You only pay $10 and you get 5 items! That is an amazing deal, and trust me you will use everything you have. I have not had to purchase a new Mascara for months! All the sample products I’ve received have lasted me for ever. I got a shimmer stick that I literally use every day.

I’ve received products from:

  • Smashbox
  • Tarte cosmetics
  • Benefit
  • Ciate
  • And so much more…….

Customizable:

You can include your skin tone, eye color, level of expertise with make up and so much more. Each Ipsy bag is catered to you! Do you like skin products? Well you can include that when you choose what products you are interested in.

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Thank you so much laura, for collaborating with me! Two budget girls with awesome taste just HAD to join forces. Keep doing you girl!

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Here is a review I did for my March 2017 glam bag;

https://www.budgetgirlife.com/single-post/2017/03/16/IPSY-March-2017-glam-bag-review

Check my out on in the interwebz:

Blog: https://www.budgetgirlife.com/

Instagram: @Budgetgirlife_blog

Racism in the Beauty Industry #1 | Kathleenlights is Racist

Beauty, Makeup tea0

There has been A LOT of drama in the beauty industry as of late. Most of it is tied to racism. These are conversations we need to have because YouTubers and beauty gurus think they’re devoid of criticism because they label it a mistake. They weren’t actually sorry; they’re just sorry they got caught. At this point, there’s no need for crocodile tears.

This is the case with esteemed Miami YouTuber Kathleenlights. She said the N word on Jaclyn Hill’s SnapChat. This is the reality: Jaclyn Hill is a snake. She claimed she didn’t hear Kathleen and her husband telling her to not post the SnapChat. If your “friend” is saying something risque or problematic, chances are you wouldn’t’ post them doing that, right? This isn’t slander; this is REALITY.

Kathleen went on Twitter to address the fiasco and as expected, fans weren’t happy. She apologized, BUT it was faulty ?‍♀️ This is why:

(1) She said that’s a word that’s not in her vocabulary and that she was just drunk ? Um, no lmao. You don’t say words that are not in your vocabulary when you’re drunk. Chances are, you’re very true to yourself when drunk. Your true colors come. Her colors point she’s racist. NEXT ?

1.png (2) She said she’s very sorry she did it, BUT she never said why it’s wrong. She was quick to beg for forgiveness, but not address the issue of the word at hand. White passing Hispanics can be racist, and I say that as a fellow Hispanic myself. YES, the N word makes you racist. It’s a derogatory term and it isn’t permissible ☝️

2 (3) A few days passed and she started saying that at the end of the day, she and her loved ones “know her heart”…so they know you’re racist? Congrats lmao ? NOT AN EXCUSE. We all have that one racist family member that we love dearly, but we know they’re in the wrong. They can be great, but they’re racist, and that makes them less great ?‍♀️

3.png However, her white fans came to the rescue to kiss her ass and shelter her. They also made it clear that they forgive her and that she’s amazing, even though that’s not their place and her “amazingness” is besides the point ?

4.png Having black family, being half-black or being fully black DOES NOT doesn’t give you permission to excuse people for saying the N word. YOU DO NOT SPEAK FOR AN ENTIRE GROUP ?

65 Other fans admired her too much to call her out, but wanted her to acknowledge what she did wasn’t okay:

7.png I was pissed and commented on her video that she needs to address this issue. And yes, you guessed it; more white fans came to her rescue! ?‍♀️?

910111213 Listen, Kathleen is a grown ass woman. I don’t care about what kind of anxiety she suffers. Mental illnesses are not excuses for racism. Hiding behind your fans and not directly discussing the matter on YouTube, which is her largest platform, proves she’s a coward and a racist. As seen in the comments from her fans above, they said she apologized on Twitter, but she made her account private…so much for an apology lol…

I couldn’t care less if it’s harsh; it’s the truth. She’s someone famous who had a massive slip-up and can’t even address it. PR students, this is a great example of what NOT to do in a crisis management situation lmao. Whoever manages her failed. She’s NOT a victim; don’t fall for her game of victimization. This extends beyond the beauty industry and has always existed within the makeup community; they’re capable of great damage and MUST be held accountable. Mark my words, this WILL happen again, and next time it won’t be as innocent as she’s playing it off right now.

Hold your favorites celebrities accountable. We all have problematic faves, but there’s a line. You choose who you support and watch, but remember this. If you keep watching a racist on YouTube, you’re making that racist richer. Use your time and dollars wisely ?

What do you think of Kathleenlights and what she did? How do you feel about this series so far? Who or what else needs to be addressed?! ??

Be sure to share your thoughts on my posts with me in the comments below or on my social media pages: yolauralikesbeauty on Instagram and Facebook; yolauraisfierce on Twitter. Thanks for reading! ? 

Beauty Influencers and the Power of their Platforms

Beauty, Makeup tea0

YouTube has grown and changed exponentially in the past 5 years. Many people are making a career out of YouTube videos and possibly online sponsorships. It’s increasingly becoming a career option for many people seeking to be their own boss. As a YouTuber, you are essentially a brand and manage yourself as a business. It’s also a dream or option for makeup enthusiasts and artists. However, only a select few get the opportunity to become a YouTube sensation.

With YouTube fame, there comes unsaid responsibility and power. Large platforms grant a pundit and an audience that’s most likely going to listen to you religiously. If you’re a budding or hot makeup guru, it’s guaranteed that products will sell out if they have your blessing. Your reviews are golden and consumers will sometimes not buy a product until you review and recommend it.

This clout and influence is powerful. It begs the question about how it should be used. Some beauty gurus boldly and unapologetically talk about other topics on their channel and platforms. A handful expressed negative sentiments towards Trump. Others chose a non-confrontational approach and encourage general action like voting. It’s a sticky subject because some audience members say it’s not a YouTuber’s place to discuss such topics. They claim that they’re not qualified enough to discuss it.

Others prefer no controversial topics to have a safe space. I have to disagree with those wanting a “safe space.” I want people to be awake and discuss uncomfortable issues. That makes me feel safe because it lets me know that the people I essentially support financially with my views aren’t complacent and care about regular people like me.

I’m not an influential member of the beauty community, so I can’t speak on behalf of the ones that are. However, even as a micro-blogger (barely) and a consumer, I feel like my opinion is valuable and worth mentioning. I wish I had a larger platform, so I can advocate for things like corporate responsibility, brands with questionable behavior and boycotting problematic brands. The only way to get to that larger platform is by discussing those issues NOW.

We, as the audience, have the power, believe it or not. The same way you choose who’s worthy enough to be your friend is the same way you should choose the media you consume or who you help become richer.

I had to say this and bring it to the forefront because I plan to discuss and dissect unsettling things taking place in the beauty industry. The beauty industry is too saturated with talent for us, as consumers, to be supporting the problematic ones. Remember, influencers are NOTHING without our support. Some people may think it’s not that deep, but anything involving money is complex. Are you really going to give money away to bad companies and people when you have choices?

I’m going to be using my voice to demand better from brands and influencers. Are you?

Stay tuned…

Be sure to share your thoughts on my posts with me in the comments below or on my social media pages: yolauralikesbeauty on Instagram and Facebook; yolauraisfierce on Twitter.

Thanks for reading! ?

Photo Editing: Harmless or Lying?

Makeup tea0

Even if you’re not involved in the makeup community online, you have surely heard about the stigma and controversy around retouching images. Well-done and flawless makeup is immediately labeled as Photoshopped. Any sort of adjustment is scorned online.

What people neglect to discuss is the degree of photo editing. Editing a picture to bring out its true colors is not a crime; it is something you must do as a digital photographer. Many photographers have told me that every picture NEEDS to be edited to some degree. Adjusting the picture’s aesthetic just crafts the image to the photographer’s vision.

However, there are beauty influencers that alter their pictures significantly and lie about products. You’ve seen it all if you’re interested in makeup — smoothed out pores and lips, no sights of pimples, altered colors, etc.

Bloggers will tell you that a product hides their pores when it’s actually the trusty clone stamp tool on Photoshop. They lie because they’re after coins like Pac-Man. Some brands convince bloggers to lie about product performance in exchange for money. They just want positive reviews and will do anything to obtain that. The guiltiest culprit of this is Gerard Cosmetics; we can discuss that another day 😉

Not all photo editing is this extreme or done with malign intentions, though. Sometimes you’re having a bad skin day and want to edit out a problem area. You’re can just be showcasing your work and not promoting the product to cover up your troublesome spots. You shouldn’t feel guilty for doing that; even event photographers do that for their clients.

I’ve actually done that myself. I edited the first picture below to remove a troublesome pimple. I was doubting myself when I did this, but all I did was show a look. I didn’t claim that a miracle product did this for me. I just wanted the picture to look nicer. I was feeling everything but that pimple.

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Editing out that pimple didn’t mean that I’m insecure with myself. Another assumption about the makeup community is that women wear makeup because they’re insecure or edit pictures to purposely deceive others. UM NO LOL. Sometimes we just want to feel and look flawless and that’s totally up to us ?

I liked how the edited picture came out and decided to edit another one. Mind you, my clone stamp tool skills are still very premature, but I’ll soon be a wizard ?

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I posted the first edited picture and not the second one because I don’t think I did a great job lol. It was interesting to see how the image would’ve looked if I wasn’t breaking out a bit and having trouble with my pores. These edited pictures honestly motivated me to uphold my skincare routine more religiously lol. I want my skin to look that good forever!

Editing pictures doesn’t make you a bad person if you’re not trying to fool your audience. We all know the problematic faves of the beauty community that edit their pictures to make their highlight pop even more, smooth away their pores when “truthfully” reviewing their products and denying it all. Maybe that’s a topic for another day ??☕️

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Illamasqua Refuses to Stay Silent | Controversial Brands

Makeup tea0

Beauty seemed to be the one of the few places unsoiled by politics. Illamasqua changed that forever when they announced their Anti-Facist Pledge.

Basically, in order to purchase Illamasqua products, you must pledge to their Human Fundamentalism values. They are advocating against discrimination and urging others to join the fight for human rights. They claimed to be realistic about this and urged consumers to not purchase from them if they disagree with their views or casted a vote for Donald Trump.

Illamasqua’s statement is very bold and can seem like a PR taboo for most companies. Picking a side in what seems like one of the most divisive elections of this nation can be very tricky. Our lovey ex Uber picked Trump’s side and is facing very serious repercussions from consumers. #DeleteUber was born and was easily the company’s worst nightmare.

Consumers want companies to take a political stance. Consumers seek for their favorite brands and companies to share and upload their same values. The brands that stay quiet are questioned and potentially boycotted. Brands and companies have no choice; either you’re standing with your consumers or you’re forced to find new ones.

Illamasqua’s stance was very unique. When Starbucks took a stance, they pledged to hire more refugees and offered legal assistance to their employees in response to the latest executive order on immigration. Apple openly criticized the executive order on immigration and the revocation of trans students’ bathroom rights. Illamasqua declared their views on Trump, but also declared that “they will never knowingly sell their products to people who support President Trump’s values.”

This statement was very striking and certainly garnered Illamasqua a lot of attention. It could’ve been a publicity stunt because no brand has gone as far as to bar Trump supporters. It could also be seen as hypocritical because Illamasqua clearly used Blackface in one of their campaigns and didn’t really give an apology, yet they’re criticizing Trump for his discriminatory policies and unjust actions.

I applaud a brand that proudly takes a stance against injustice, but I am forced to question the basis. For example, Starbucks openly supported immigrants, but they treat their coffee farmers very poorly. They claimed to have a system to help these farmers, but some of these farmers said otherwise. On a more local level, they also exploited their employees. I now know to take Starbucks’s statements as a grain of salt.

Apple also had their scandals, not limited to child labor and workers committing suicide because of the poor and extreme working conditions. Apple is a titan in the technology industry, so this is something to be wary of when lusting over their products.

Granted, brands can change, but as consumers, we must be aware of the brand’s behavior, past statements and their objectives. Illamasqua took a stance a against Trump, but stayed silent during the Brexit situation, which was also a very hot topic and apart of the brand’s reality. They are a British company and their headquarters are in London. Why did they stay quiet about Brexit, but not about Trump? Why pick and choose? Why not consistently fight for causes? Using social issues and controversial topics is only worthwhile as marketing and PR material if you consistently fight for those causes.

I am all for respecting others and guaranteeing everyone the rights they deserve. With that being said, I have to disagree with Illamasqua’s statement. The American two-party system has failed us all, led to a lot of pent up frustration and created the election we endured in November 2016. Everyone has their reasons to vote for certain candidates. People very dear and near to me have disagreed with me politically and it upset me at first, but then I put down my mental walls and heard them out.

I admit that I am very opposed to Trump, but I give others the benefit of the doubt to understand them. If we are going to progress as a nation, we must hear others out. Some of his supporters are wild and hateful, but they don’t represent all of them. The same goes for liberals being depicted as being thoughtless Millennials; they are just a slice of the cake.

I am not promoting the toleration of his policies; I am promoting the right we have to think freely and speak freely. Illamasqua is essentially undermining democracy and their human rights pledge by choosing to single out his supporters. Not all Trump supporters are radical KKK members. Not all liberals actually care about the causes they claim to devote themselves to. We are people, our ideas are diverse and we are allowed to act like people and have our own ideas. Nonetheless, it is a shame they didn’t care enough to speak about this in their own country because Brexit was also rooted in discrimination.

Everyone has a reason for believing what they do. People really thought that Trump would champion change and his actions are saying otherwise, but that’s a topic for another day ?  just remember that you vote with your wallet. Illamasqua is never getting my vote!

The majority of the brands we support have an ugly past and it’s up to us to pick and choose what aligns with our morals and value. Learn more about controversial brands in my past blog post. Feel free to give suggestions so that the list can grow!

Thank you for reading. Please subscribe to my blog and follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook ?

Avoid At ALL Costs Gurl | Controversial Brands

Makeup tea0

Branding is everything today, especially for me. As an advertising major, I can figure out what a brand’s goal is and what tactics they’re using to execute those goals. Being involved in advertising and the communications industry has helped me look beyond a brand’s strategies. I feel like I can’t be fooled by brands.

My major has also taught me that brands work somewhat like people because brands try to relate to consumers and create relationships with them. As with people, if someone is doing things you deem as unethical, toxic or problematic, you would ideally distance yourself from them. This is applicable to brands, even more so I think, because brands have the ultimate goal of profiting. Are you going to fund something problematic? Do you feel comfortable investing your money into unethical agendas?

Those questions led me to be very wary of the brands I support. I elaborated on this and shopping with a moral compass in a previous post. I compiled a list of controversial brands that you should consider avoiding on AirTable, a site where you can create spreadsheets online and share with others.

The brands I list are the ones I find to be controversial. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I’ll list why I find these brands to be problematic, my proof, whether or not I have bought from them and why, and anything else I think is relevant. I let you know whether or not I have supported them and will continue to do so. Some of these brands rectified their controversies and have gained my trust back for the time being. Brands are also capable of great things and that is something worth noting.

If you have any controversial brands to add to this list, not just makeup, let me know! Comment on this post or on any of my social media pages: Instagram Twitter Facebook. This list will automatically update itself as I add more content to it, so look for this in my Makeup Talk section on my blog or pinned as a top post on my Facebook and Twitter pages. If I ever unpin these posts from Twitter and Facebook, I can always tweet you a link or you can search “controversial brands” on my blog.

My list: https://airtable.com/embed/shrdQVvtV0DDLrv3g?backgroundColor=blue&layout=card&viewControls=on

Click on the box of a specific brand for all the important to show. If you feel like voting with your dollars isn’t enough, consider contacting these companies. Call them, email them and send them letters. We have to let them know what’s wrong with their actions. If enough people care and contact companies, there will be change. We have the power! Trust me, it may sound cheesy, but if we’re able to voice our opinions to brands, we will garner the confidence to voice out our opinions for bigger causes. We live in a capitalistic society, but we’re not obligated to uphold it or deal with its consequences.

My friend Rachel (she’s a blogger, too! Click her name for her blog link!) inspired me to start contacting brands. I will email them and post a transcript here on the blog. Don’t say quiet. Vote with your wallets!

Thank you for reading. Please subscribe and follow me! ?

Shopping with a Moral Compass | Culture of Overconsumption

Makeup tea0

Social media has really transformed the way information is spread, gathered and presented. This closely relates to everyone one of us. We’ve all seen public figures marked with shocking scandals. We’ve also witnessed candid and sometimes graphic recordings of violence and racist encounters in the streets. Social media has created a culture of exposing harsh realities. This has even been translated to permeate business practices, and marketing strategies and tactics.

Social media has radically transformed brand reputations and their customer service. Anytime that a brand slips, we will know. Someone will @ them on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. If it is controversial  enough, it’ll gain traction and spread like wildfire. Others will join in too to share their similar experiences with said brand and their product or service. After being bombarded with non-stop notifications, these brands will be forced to react. We no longer live in a world where we just have to deal with things, especially those that we pay for (Well, that’s how it should be and it’s not always the case, but that’s a conversation for another day).

I have become very aware of this in the makeup industry. Brands have totally transformed and attuned themselves to everything makeup aficionados say on social media. We even see drugstore brands kicking their products up a notch to look, feel and compete with high-end makeup. They’re really listening to us.

That realization led me to think about other ways makeup brands behave within this social media exposure culture. When makeup brands have a scandal or some sort of mishap, their actions following that incident really makes or breaks my relationship with them.

As a college student simultaneously working a part-time job, I have really taken into the account the value of money. As an advertising major, I have noticed that consumers truly vote with their dollars. Subsequently, the purchases I make with my hourly $9 wage must be worthwhile. Why use my limited income to support contentious brands? It’s like I’m working to support their impropriety.

At that point, I decided to not support controversial brands. I defined controversial as:

  • Brands with bad customer service and unethical practices.
  • Brands with over zealous and quite possibly paid support from top influencers. This always rubbed me the wrong way. I am all for paying people for any work that they do, but not when it’s falsely fabricated. These influencers will ignore the product’s faults and only regular consumers and smaller influencers will point them out.
  • Brands that blatantly steal ideas from others and give no proper credit are also a no-go for me. Art is my second major and I’m very passionate about giving proper credit. I’ve seen artists have their work stolen from them without any remorse.
  • Brands with consistent scandals and bad PR/ failure to address it with the public are also a no-go for me.
  • Brands that make gimmicky products are on my Avoid at ALL Costs Gurl List. I’m paying for makeup, not pretty packaging!!!! This one gets me the most because brands think a $50 palette with very poor eyeshadow quality is justified if the exterior looks real cute…and consumers fall into that trap. Sounds familiar? ?

Other things to consider when buying makeup is whether or not the brands are cruelty-free, vegan and if they donate to any questionable causes. I’m guilty of purchasing non-cruelty free brands because drugstore makeup isn’t totally cruelty-free. Luckily, my favorite drugstore brand, and actually favorite brand of all time, is Wet N Wild and they are cruelty-free. Vegan products are nice to have as well because I find these products to have the least harmful ingredients. Also, donating to questionable causes is a big thing for me because the money I spend is indirectly supporting those causes. Is it worth having a product if it supports a larger, darker picture?

It’s important to know the brands we purchase products and services from. This is not only about or relevant to makeup. If a brand’s morals don’t align with yours, they don’t deserve your money. However, brands are tactical and know that not everyone can afford to deviate from them. If it possible in your financial situation to shop ethically, I encourage you to do so. If enough people are voting with their dollars, brands will change. It’s not fair for consumers to receive subpar products and customer service or to just know that their money supports malicious activity.

Something to keep in mind when shopping ethically is that brands can change. Some brands take a while to own up to their mistakes, but when they do, it’s refreshing. Whether or not you give a brand a second chance is up to you. I have given brands the benefit of the doubt and I have not regretted my decisions. Brands are bound to make mistakes because nothing is perfect, but their response to those mistakes is what truly matters.

It’s up to all of us to decide what questionable brand behavior we can tolerate. We decide what’s aligned with our moral compass. If someone supports a brand you deem to be unethical, ask them why. Having a healthy discussion about brand behavior can broaden our horizons and help us make better purchasing decisions. We hold the power, so researching brands before we support them is our duty.

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I think compiling that Avoid at ALL Costs Gurl List would be a great idea. I want to add on to it as time passes and I’d like your feedback on it as well!

Also, what do you think of the new logo and site aesthetic? I’ve been on a creative kick lately! Please don’t hesitate to provide me with any feedback!

Thank you for reading. Please subscribe and follow me on Instagram and now Twitter and Facebook ?

 

Decluttering Makeup | Project Beauty Share

Makeup tea0

My mother got me into makeup. Aside from that, she got me to believe that everyone should give back to their communities. I kept this in mind when she told me that I should declutter my makeup collection about 2 weeks ago.

I took her advice and took out quite a few items. Decluttering made me think about how saturated the beauty industry is and how beauty influencers partner with companies to make us think that we need all the makeup being released into the market. I have nothing against these beauty influencers, but it’s important to note the nature of their careers. Granted, not all of them shove countless products down our throats, but the most popular ones usually do.

Something I feel that many top influencers forget to consider is that they get most of their makeup for free. Very few bloggers mention the cost of products sent to them coupled with the product’s quality and worthwhileness. That’s really important to mention and discuss because the people that will buy the makeup is us. We need to know if this is worth our money. We can’t afford everything that they mention. This failure to mention the price of products inadvertently leads to an obsession with buying products. They should help us pick and choose. I mean, isn’t that their job?

Last night, beauty influencer and blogger Jenny Ruiz (@jen_ny69 on Instagram) mentioned that she has so much makeup and only uses the same products every single day. She wants to become a minimalist beauty collector. That really clicked with me because bloggers don’t really mention that. All of them seek the latest makeup, use it once and I never see it on their channel again. Trying out new products and reviewing them is a part of their jobs, but no one really mentions that buying makeup is becoming extremely excessive and possibly addictive.

I feel like many of their followers and subscribers follow the same patterns. I sometimes sift through the comments of popular bloggers to see what people think of them and their content, and many of them try to buy everything that these bloggers mention. Many of those followers regret their purchases based off of influencer reviews. Many people also mention that most of their money goes to buying what these famous bloggers mention. I feel like this creates a culture of mass consumption and normalcy follows it without shame. Makeup is great, but we don’t need to buy everything in the market. Makeup is shifting from something to make people feel nice and confident to an expensive hobby and competition with others to have “what’s in.”

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The only blogger I’ve seen that declutters their makeup and frequently is Kathleen Fuentes (@Kathleenlights on Instagram). She films them on Snapchat and YouTube and mentions why. I decided to follow her pattern and style of decluttering when decluttering my own makeup.

I don’t own nearly as much makeup as these bloggers, but I do own quite a good amount of products. My vice is lipstick and I own nearly 80 or even more ?  I went by section (blush, bronzer, eyeshadow, etc.). I had a small bag full of makeup and showed it to my mother to see if she wanted to keep anything. She kept a few items and then decluttered her own makeup collection.


Once I had rounded up all of the products, I immediately knew that I wanted to donate it. Taylor (@thataylaa on Instagram) partnered with the non-profit Project Beauty Share and made a YouTube series to raise funds for them. She reviewed 15 foundations for 15 days, dubbing the series 15 Days of Foundation. (This was her second time executing this series, but the second time is when she donated funds to Project Beauty Share). Her mom made shirts to sell in relation to this series to fundraiser for this organization, and she donated more than half of the proceeds to this group.

Project Beauty Share collects new and used makeup, toiletries and hygiene products for women’s shelters. This is fantastic and unique because women’s shelters usually only accept new makeup because many of them lack the resources to sanitize makeup. Having an organization that helps facilitate more donations to women’s shelters is amazing because it helps them get more resources for these women.

I was really happy to donate small package full of makeup to Project Beauty Share! It made me consider my spending habits in regards to makeup. I like to buy makeup, but I buy what I could afford and what I will use. The products I passed along were things I only used a few times, but forgot to return, or things that I was gifted.

I encourage you to declutter your makeup! There is definitely something in each of our collections that we don’t use. Try to see if you can exchange it or pass it along to a family member or friend. If you can’t, consider donating it! It doesn’t have to be donated to Project Beauty Share. Check to see if there’s a similar organization in your area first.

If you’re interested in donating your makeup and giving back to women’s shelters, visit www.projectbeautyshare.org! They give specific instructions for donating. I shipped out my package to them via USPS. Giving back to our communities is important and can be done in a variety of ways!

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