Last year I had hoped to get my makeup stash down from 239 to under 200. I was unsuccessful. In part, I blame little sample sizes. I thought I had done way better than I did but then I had some time off and I really dug in on what little sample items had arrived in my collection and it turns out my collection currently stands at 228. I may still do a bit of eyeshadow decluttering in the upcoming week or so, but it’s clear that 228 was not at all where I wanted to be at this time this year.

Further, in an upcoming post I will be telling you about my project pan plan for 2023, but the spoiler is that it’s not to project pan basically. I know I will finish items during the duration of the year but that is not where my focus will be.

I’ve been around the block enough times now to realize that the vast majority of the really good sales are around black friday. Or rather, during the entire month of November. With a bit of a bonus in late December. I want to really dial in on that in 2023. So, I am going on a replacements only low buy for the majority of 2023. Basically, no makeup, bodycare, haircare, or fragrance at all unless I am replacing something in a category that is gone.

With a few caveats. The first being that I fully intend to purchase a beautylish lucky bag. And, I previously signed up for the lush kitchen subscription box and I want to see how that goes. If it’s good and fun I’ll stick to it, and if not, I’ll cancel and call it good. But I signed up in November and haven’t yet received my first box so I haven’t even remotely had an opportunity to see how it is.

For makeup, I’ve got more than enough in every single category that I will not have to purchase any at all. I’ll keep a running list as to what I find interesting during the year and see what deals can be had next November.

For skincare, haircare, and body care I should have enough to get me through the year but there are a few items I could run out of. The idea will be to see if I can use something else from another section of my collection before making a new purchase. But, I can purchase if nothing else can substitute in and I am completely out.

And for fragrance, an area of my collection that grew by leaps and bounds, I buy nothing. I can again keep an ongoing list of things I’d like to try but instead it’s all about using what I have.

Quite frankly I’ve done this over the years with my yarn stash and it has gone so well! My yarn stash is quite small, I purchase what I need when I need it now and knit it right away, and the stuff that sits in my stash is generally handspun yarn waiting for the perfect project. I want to do the same for my makeup, beauty, and fragrance stash.

Tomorrow I’ll post a few more details about the inventory for stuff other than makeup which will have clear goals in mind during the year. For today, it’s simply stating this important intention.