Like with any new hobby in my life, the initial point where I begin and really become passionate about that hobby leads to me finding what can be purchased for that hobby quite fascinating. I remember shopping the post-Christmas sales last year, so it’s been around a year since I began playing around with makeup. In the past year, I’ve certainly built my collection and had the opportunity to try MANY lovely things. And some not so lovely things. All of which were good lessons.

But now in this upcoming year, it’s time to start winding that down and using my stash. Just like with my yarn and fiber stash, I don’t want to feel overwhelmed by items. I want to have things I love and enjoy, and I want to be able to get enjoyment out of each item.

So in this new series, which may be more for me than it is for you dear reader, I am going to highlight one particular category in my stash and record what I have in it. This will be something I can look at and say “I don’t need more of this category because I already have all of this which is lovely and I want to enjoy using.” This is not a no buy. This is not a low buy. This is just a reminder to be mindful of what I have in my collection and to seriously consider what other products I bring in.

Now, it must be also mentioned (again) that I participate in a few subscription boxes. I quit sephora play last year. I paid for a year’s subscription to ipsy so I’ve got a few more of those bags coming. I believe I’ll receive a bag through April and after that, there will be no more ipsy.

I also paid for a year of boxy charm, but that won’t be finished until the summer, I believe I receive it through July. I think I’ll quit that one as well because I am just feeling too overwhelmed by full-size items showing up monthly. It’s one I would consider restarting someday in the future but not until my stash is less large.

Today’s category is powders.

These are my current powders.

Clinique-this is a very old powder as it was in my stash prior to me becoming interested in makeup. I think it’s 2.5 years old, I suspect I purchased it when I had an event I needed to be dressed up for and the salesperson at the makeup counter indicated that I really needed to set my cc cream I had just purchased. But, I can’t actually be sure, it may be older than that. Anyhow, it works just fine and it’s in my project pan. If I look at the last marking on it, I realize that I’ve now gotten through the halfway point so it’ll begin looking like progress is made a bit more quickly now.

I was hoping you’d be able to see the itty bitty ciate logo on that itty bitty sample powder. It isn’t meant to be. I’ll probably leave this one in stash until I finish up one of the smaller travel size powders because this one is really a pain to use in the tiny container it is currently housed in. I haven’t really tried this at all due to that.

Above that is a travel size of Laura Mercier translucent setting powder. I plan to use this more in the summer when oil production is a little higher, it’s a bit drying right now.

The Pretty Vulgar setting powder is truly lovely. I received this in boxy charm and it was by far the best item in the box. It sets the face but it does little to nothing to control oil so it’ll be a winter item for sure. However, I adore how it looks on my skin (and in the package!) and I am very pleased to have it in my collection.

The Bare Minerals Mineral Veil powder is one that came in a kit I purchased when I purchased my initial powder foundation. I use this to set my undereyes because it does seem to be a little lighter than other powders. Its color is more toward a peach/pink than a neutral, so that’s another good reason to relegate it to undereye work.

I have a cover FX setting powder I haven’t used at all, another travel/trial size. And I have my AOA studios one dollar setting powder which I like a lot and which Miss Butterfly uses regularly. It, too, is not great at controlling oil, but it works great for setting the face. I’ll probably use this absolutely last so that Miss Butterfly can work on using it up. It’s a dollar, if she needs another, I’ll get her one.

Not pictured here is my Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder that I keep at work. It’s great for touching up at work when needed, and so as for now, that’s where it’ll stay. I am not interested in using it up or trying to pan it at this point.

Have I found my perfect setting powder? I don’t know. What I do know is that for now, I need to give these a really good try before I bring more into my life. That is step one toward a logical collection.