Too many products? What’s a girl to do?
- Erin
- Dec 8, 2025
- 4 min read
Blog by Dawn Maloney
As the holiday season ramps up — parties, dinners, New Year celebrations coming into view — it’s natural to feel inspired for a fresh start. You open that overflowing makeup drawer (or several), and suddenly you’re staring at more lipsticks than you’ll ever use, dozens of eyeshadow palettes, foundations with half-used bottles, maybe even shades that no longer match your skin tone.
You ask yourself: Do I really need all this?
And maybe you’re tempted to declutter. To toss out what’s old, expired, or unused. But — before you toss that expensive highlighter or that pretty eyeshadow palette — what if you got a fresh perspective on what you own? What if you learned how to use it all effectively?
That’s where a private lesson session comes in.
Why decluttering feels so good — and why “use what you own” is better than mindless purging
Many experts in beauty organization recommend starting with a complete inventory: take everything out, see what you have, what’s expired, what’s duplicates, and what you never reach for.
From there, sort by category — face, eyes, lips, tools — and see how much you really use.
Throw away anything past its prime (expired foundation, mascaras, old creamy products), and seriously consider whether you’ll ever reach for palettes with colors that don’t flatter you.
Many women who declutter say they feel immediate relief. On Reddit one user wrote this about slimming down their stash:
“You are less likely to have bad makeup days, since your product routine is simplified... I’m not overwhelmed with all my products anymore!”
Another shared their journey to a pared-down, easier-to-manage collection:
“I now own a handful of items. That’s it... I feel amazing. I owe NOBODY beauty.”
But decluttering doesn’t have to mean losing everything. It should mean rediscovering your favorites — those shades that make you feel beautiful, and that you actually reach for.
That’s why a “use-what-you-own” approach often works better than a total purge.
Enter the private lesson: Because sometimes we just need a little guidance
The idea of decluttering — or rethinking your makeup — can feel overwhelming. What if you get rid of something you later regret? What if you discover shades or techniques you never knew existed?
That’s where a private lesson like those offered at The Makeup Studio (via MakeupClasses.com) can make the difference. Their private makeup class is designed around you — your skin tone, your face shape, your lifestyle, and yes, your current makeup collection.
What the private lesson includes
Facial anatomy, skin analysis & custom foundation matching. The artists evaluate your facial structure, skin tone and type — to help you understand what contour, highlight, and foundation shades truly flatter you. If needed, they’ll custom-blend a foundation for a perfect match.
Makeup for different lighting. Because what looks good in bathroom lighting might look harsh under party lights or dim evening light. The lesson shows you how different products and colors react under various lighting conditions — especially useful when you’re getting holiday-ready or planning a New Year’s look.
Hands-on application. The instructor does one side of your face, then guides you to do the other side — giving you practice and confidence to recreate the look on your own. It’s not just about what you have, but how to use it.
You bring your own makeup and tools — the goal is to help you use what you already own. If, during the lesson, you fall in love with a product from their own collection (like the “Dawn Til Dusk” line), those are available — but there’s no pressure.
A fresh-start approach: declutter with intention, but learn first
So here’s a holiday-season (and New Year) plan:
Take stock. Pull out all your makeup — lipsticks, palettes, tools, brushes — and lay them out so you can see everything.
Sort by category. Group face products together, eyeshadows together, lipsticks, tools, etc. This helps you spot duplicates, expired items, or colors you never use.
Set aside questionable items. If something’s expired, smells off, or you haven’t used it in a while — maybe that’s a candidate for decluttering. But don’t toss everything blindly.
Book a private lesson. Before saying goodbye to anything costly or sentimental — schedule a session with MakeupClasses.com. Let a pro help you rediscover shades that flatter you, show you techniques to make old products feel new, and teach you how to build looks for everyday, holiday, or evening lighting according to your anatomy.
Create a makeup “rotation” system. Once you know what works for you, keep the essentials within easy reach; store other items separately. Use an organizer, drawer dividers, or simple containers — whatever helps you see and access what you use most often.
Why this matters during the holiday season
The holidays are full of glam: parties, family gatherings, nights out — and we might feel like we need a whole runway-ready kit. But in the midst of the busy schedules, we rarely take the time to really see what we own.
Decluttering helps lighten the load. But even better: learning how to use what you have — and bringing out its full potential.
A private lesson gives you back the control: you decide what stays, what goes, and how to use it. Instead of buying more just because something is new or trendy, you rediscover the gems you already own.
This holiday season, consider it a gift to yourself or a bestie: a decluttered vanity, a streamlined collection, and renewed confidence to shine — with what’s already in your hands.
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