10.2025

Declutter time, part 2!

I followed my whims and let momentum carry me away, and went through all the lip products I could find in the bathroom. I know I still have a small collection stored away with my other makeup but it will be a hassle to deal with it, and it's all pre-2020 makeup so I will just likely end up throwing all those out once I get around to dealing with it. So what is left from this purge is all the non-lip balm product I have (because I still have a small collection of lip masks and lip balms that I regularly use – I enjoy the holiday-only flavors!).

Most of my lip products were GWP or part of a set where I really wanted something else in it so it wasn't my primary focus. I did buy a few on my own (all those k-beauty lippies that I thought I would like because I hate bold color on my lips!). But I am generally a balm girlie – too much color just feels wrong, although I like some mild color for special occasions, either a lip gloss or something like a certain dark honey classic that's been rejuvenated for this era.

So I'm not too bothered by what I'm getting rid of, because most of them were useless clutter in the first place but I kept "just in case I might want to try this color" (no, I would not want to try it).

Here is the general list:

7 lip pencils

I don't use lip pencils. I understand the concept, but I don't do complicated lip looks. Or wear much color. Also, most of these lip colors were not ones that I would really ever wear – so much brown! Or coral! Half of them I think came from beauty boxes or mystery boxes, so they weren't ones most people would wear, either.

19 lip minis

Basically all GWP. I don't mind a mini since I don't use up much lip product that quickly, but these were all expired or a weird color or just felt "wrong."

29 full size lip

Mostly glosses and lip stains. Some I purchased independently (about a dozen were k-beauty products that I "hauled" with the idea I would find my perfect delicate lip – ha!), and a couple were some lip balms that I decided weren't worth it. But most were GWP or part of a set. Sets just aren't worth it for me, I guess, as nice as it seems to have the "whole collection" of something.

Total: 55 lippies

Yikes!

I honestly didn't realize I had so much lip product because I don't think of myself as a lippie girl. I have my balms and I always have a classic dark honey lip in my travel bag because it's an easy go-to that makes me look more put together. I enjoy some lip gloss for fun. But most of the time, lippies are a sensory nightmare and I like drinking water or tea too much to worry about them wearing off.

In the end, I kept more than I need, since I really don't need much, but there were some glosses that still smelled okay and a few samples that I actually might want to try because they felt nice. Now that each lippie has a home and isn't stuffed in a bag under the sink, I will know what I use throughout the year, and if I don't use them by this time next year, then it will be time to let them go.

There's still about dozen more lippies than can comfortably fit in the storage – ideally I'd like to have just have what fits the storage container (or less!), including balm sticks. But I decluttered 2/3 of what I have, and I have the plan to try out the "on the fence" lippies by the end of the year, so I count that as a success!