2018: Let's Get Real

It's been a full week into 2018, and to be honest... until tonight I hadn't had the urge to blog. Ironically, this was my first day back in the office; two full weeks at home would've given ample blogging opportunities.

But 2018 is about being real. With myself, and with this space. I find myself again at that impasse where I'm worrying about purchasing enough items to have new content, looking at a giant pile of makeup, facing some seriously rotten comments that I won't approve... and I lack motivation.

So, I'm going to share with you a bit of a ramble- and what I've resolved to do- what I've resolved not to do. So far, I've done well with not breaking any of these.



In 2018....

I will be kinder to myself.

I will use this space as a way to express myself. My product photos may not always be pristine because I will use products when I want, instead of creating a depressing mound of "to photograph/to swatch" items.

I won't be a daily blogger.

I won't allow people to come to my online home and insult me, my life choices, or generally talk down to me. Negativity has driven me away before, and I won't allow it to do it now.

I won't go on a low or no buy, but I will be more mindful of my spending. Example: I dropped tiers at Nordstrom this year, and I'm ok with it.  I'll make VIB Rouge, but the goal is for that to happen after the Spring sale, not in February or March like most other years. Inevitably, I'll also make Ulta's new Diamond level- but I'm not gonna stress about it.

I will identify a number of products that are use or lose... and I've already purged one from my collection.

I will search out new brands- at least one per month, and reflect on my experiences in this space.


On the sillier end, I'll share what my "beauty resolution" for this year is. Last year, it was purge 1000 items- which I totally did.  2016 was all about learning how to put on false lashes. In 2018, I've got two.


By the end of 2018, I want to use up all of those damn sample packets I have. I'm working hard on that already. The only exceptions are a couple I've put in my travel kit- and if I haven't traveled by December 15, I'll work on those, too.

By the end of 2018, I want to have used 365 sheet masks. Given that when I purchase, I buy at least 50 at a time and I have a drawer full (I should really count, right?), it seems a good way to figure out what I really like.  To be honest, I'm already behind. But I have ways of catching up... like using a HA mask before my AM skincare on a super cold day, etc. Eye masks totally count, too.

ETA: I've done the maths and I feel slightly sheepish. I'd like to reduce the size of my overall stash by about 80%, since I like to have specific types of masks on hand- HA, Red Wine, Tea Tree, a couple of primers, a couple of Vitamin Cs, a couple of Shea, a few eye masks, etc.  I knew my drawer was full.  I started 2018 with 262 masks on hand (none expired): 157 sheet- face, 11- lips, 3- foot, 1-hand, 86-eye. In theory, I could not buy a single mask and I'd finish what I own September 19th. I'll still get my staples, to be sure. Ay yi yi.

So, that's it for now... I've had so many false starts that I look forward to not burdening myself with deadlines.