Makeup Madness: The Great Lipstick Destashing Project

Ever since the Lipstick Tag I've been meaning to do this post. I recently faced the daunting task of trimming down my lip color collection, and I talked about it a little bit in that entry.

How many lipsticks do you own?
I currently have 32 lip products (including balms, creams, scrubs, and gloss) in my makeup stash. I think it's a pretty well-rounded collection. I have enough to keep me from being bored, but I also don't have too many that I don't get around to using it all. I just let go of 32 though, so before yesterday, I had 64. I realized that it was too much for me, heh.

I've been a lippie addict for as long as I can remember, but after a while, I felt like I had too many products just sitting around not being used. I love lipstick for the pop of color it brings to my face and its ability to transform a look, but it's no good when they're just sitting in my makeup collection, looking pretty. I got rid of 32 tubes/tubs/palettes because I have either used them up, or they have expired, or they simply weren't good to begin with.

 Destashed!

I'm not going to let them go without talking about them though. Some of them were well-loved, while some have been languishing in my makeup box for a while, pitifully ignored. I figured I'd post a rundown of everything, and what I think of them. Check out lip stuff from Fresh and Lush to Etude House and Forever 21. I've included mini-reviews as well as some swatches.

The List

1. Lush Sweet Lips Lip Scrub - It was sent to me back in my beauty editor days and I got addicted to it. Best lip scrub ever! It's vanilla and chocolate-flavored, and it was so yummy -- truly sugar on your lips! Got rid of it because it expired on me (the tub has more than enough product to last until it expires), but I swear I'm going to get another Lush lip scrub because they're awesome.
2. Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Gloss in Hooked on Pink - This was another relic from my beauty editor days. It was a shiny pink gloss that had a liquid quality to it when worn. It felt great on my lips because of the honey nectar in it, and it didn't look too pink either. The only problem was that it didn't last very long on my lips and I had to re-apply it a lot. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. I kept it until it expired. 
3. Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Gloss in Wine All Mine - Same thoughts as Hooked on Pink. Loved this color though - it was a deep burgundy with a subtle, very pretty shimmer.
4. Forever 21 Love & Beauty Lip Gloss in Mango Iced Tea - When I saw this lip gloss I grabbed it immediately. The color, the tube, and the name looked super cute! What's not to like? The formula, that's what. It was thick and sticky and didn't taste like mango iced tea at all. I only used this once or twice methinks. 
5. Bobbi Brown Rouge A Levres Lipstick in Cocoa Berry - This was a present from a friend long ago, and though I loved its satiny smooth formula, it was way too brown for me. I didn't use it a lot, though I did try because it's from such a good brand and kept it until it expired.
6. Etude House Sweet Shower Lips in Miss Tangerine - It's no secret that I adore orange lipstick, and this was an unusual pale orange one when applied on the lips. I liked it a lot, but it expired just a little before I reached the end of the tube.
7. Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Nearly There - Another one from my beauty editor days. It was a wonderful, shimmery nude that looked kind of a cross between brown and rose gold. It expired before I reached the end of the tube, I haven't been able to find this anywhere, but I'll keep looking. 
8. Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Pink Please - Same thoughts as Nearly There. This is one of my favorite pinks of all time. I'm glad my friend found this in another country and gave it to me as a birthday gift though. When I reached the bottom of the tube, I had a replacement, yay.  
9. Fresh Sugar Honey Tinted Lip Treatment - I asked a friend to buy this for me in Singapore. It was yummy and gave my lips some sheer color. I loved it but it expired before I reached the bottom of the tube.
10.  Revlon Just Bitten Lipstain + Balm in Frenzy - I put this on my wishlist for one of my previous company's Christmas Party gift exchanges. It was the first iteration of the Just Bitten line, and I loved that it looked and applied like a pentel pen. I finished it to the last wine red drop.
11. Bench Lipstick in Warm Mocha - I like trying stuff from local brands, and I really like Bench cosmetics. This was a great, everyday my-lips-but-better lipstick that I used until I was all out.
12. Carmex Moisturising Lip Balm - This was all the rage some time ago, but though I loved the minty scent, it did nothing for me.
13. NYX Lipstick in Haute Melon - Sent to me when I was a beauty editor. I loved this color to pieces because it's a fun, neon but sheer orange (see my post on NYX brights), the problem is that it always melts on me! I swear the next tube I buy will stay in a very cool place -- even the fridge if it comes down to it.
14. NYX Lipstick in Pink Lyric - Same thoughts as Haute Melon, but a friend got me another tube of it as a birthday gift and it hasn't melted so far. Crossing my fingers that I get to finish an entire tube this time! It's a loud, blue-toned pink. 
15. Lip Ice Lip Balm in Orange Mandarin - I loved this lip balm because of its orange flavor, and it has SPF 15. I used it a lot in the summer, especially on swimming pool/beach days. The problem is, I had so many lip balms, I wasn't able to use this much.
16. Avon Simply Pretty Lipstick in Pampering Pink - My cousin came over once with an Avon brochure and I felt nostalgic for my early teenage years when I used Avon products a lot, so I ordered a lipstick. This is a girly pink. I don't know why I ended up not using it a lot, but I think it's because the color looks similar to my other lipsticks.
17. Avon Simply Pretty Lip Defining Pencil in Red Flush - This one came free with the lipstick if I remember correctly. I'm not a big lip liner person though. I'm too lazy for it.
18. NYX Brush On Gloss in Natural - I'm not sure if NYX still makes the Brush On Gloss, but you know what I'm going to say -- I got it during my beauty ed days. This one's a heavy nude that looks more beige on the lips. It looks extremely edgy, and not exactly natural, as its name implies. It was something I wouldn't wear everyday, so I didn't use it much.
19. NYX Brush On Gloss in Vineyard - Same thoughts as Natural. This was a super shimmery, dark purple that couldn't be used in broad daylight. It's perfect for Halloween though, and other costume-y events. 
20. Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti - I love this lip butter. I used it up, and I need to get myself another one.
21. Penshoppe Lip Gloss Palette in Berry Cherry Smackers - Got this on a whim during one of those occasions when I was wandering around bored in the mall. The colors were pretty, but they were really sticky.
22. H&M Hello Kitty Lip Balm in Love Peach - A pasalubong from a friend, this came in a very cute pink heart tin. It was a light, shimmery pink balm that tasted like cherry candy. 
23. Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Delicious Cherry - This was a lipstick from so many years ago that I somehow never got rid of. It's an old skool, dark pink. I used it until I got tired of it.
24. Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Delicate Pink - Same thoughts as Delicious Cherry, only this is a prettier, medium pink. I think I got tired of these regular pink lipsticks when I started liking unusual shades more.
25. Nat Robbins Everlasting Lipstick in Bouquet - This was a pasalubong from the States. The brand has since stopped existing, but I liked this old rose pink.
26. Fran Wilson Moodmatcher Lipstick in Orange - This was a random present from a relative. It expired.
27. Fran Wilson Moodmatcher Lipstick in Yellow and Blue - Same thoughts as Orange. 
28. Paul Frank Lipsmacker in Clancy's Cotton Candy - This was a gift from a friend. It tasted like candy from my childhood that I still can't quite place. I liked it, but it fell victim to the too-many-lip-balms problem.
29. The Body Shop Nutmeg and Vanilla Lip Balm - This was one of my favorite lip balms ever. It was a part of one of The Body Shop's holiday collections. It tasted so good, and gave my lips a wonderful shimmer.
30. The Body Shop Jolly Orange Lip Balm - Same thoughts as Nutmeg and Vanilla. I love the holiday lip balms from The Body Shop and I always end up getting at least one every year.
31. EOS Lip Balm in Medicated Tangerine -  I like these little balm spheres, but I hate that I have to keep them in the fridge because they melt. (See my post: EOS Lip Balm's Teeny Tiny Quirk). Medicated Tangerine is my favorite, and works best on my extremely dry lips.
32. EOS Lip Balm in Summer Fruit - This was a gift from a friend. Liked the taste, but I also had to keep it in the fridge. 

 Swatches

Pretty gunk!

What a mess!

That's it! Just looking at some of the wasted colors made me feel bad about acquiring so much but never getting around to using even half of the products. Some of these I will repurchase, but some I'd rather just forget about. I'm a lot pickier now about buying makeup at least. Goodbye lippies!