Since my last post here I have accumulated an absolute shit ton of makeup and as we know if you go to my TikTok, a pinnacle of my content has been shopping with me. I had pivoted away from the blog, opting to create fashion content and vlogs, however, a part of me misses the accountability that the blog had for my consumption and general productivity. When you see things written out it hits a lot harder than when you create a video and cast a product to the side.
I have thoughts about consumption as it relates to boycotts for Palestine, the boycotts of non BDS safe brands, and what that means for my content and the thing I enjoy: Beauty. Over the past 6 years of being on the internet and blogging about makeup, I have spent copious amounts of time and money on beauty products, for the one thing that did not pop off on my TikTok. In turn, the content frequently did not get made about these products and I was really using that as an excuse to try them, despite not creating content and going into fashion content for plus size/mid size people. Apparently, I’m a fashion girlie since the only brand that gave me any sort of deal was Reitmans.
The easiest thing an activist can do is participate in a boycott, I have not bought Starbucks, McDonald since October 7th, and further have been supporting Palestine since my late teens. That is neither here nor there, however, when it comes to my beauty consumption I want to reorient myself to the before times. I understand that not everyone can boycott L’Oreal, as there are some products that I have like deodorants etc that are owned by the brand, and that is one of the few brands that makes an extensive shade rage, however, I am pro getting 1 foundation from a brand that has your match, and using it up. What is the concern in the community is rampant consumerism (which I am guilty of).
I remember being in university and saving every penny for the newest Naked Palette or the newest Too Faced product. I then somehow became a person who would simply buy a product to try it and cast it aside, which resulted in consumer debt, and an overabundance of product collecting dust and barely getting used.
If you remember I had a Project Pan phase, and that was when my collection was a lot smaller and the ability to pan was more realistic. Now I have (don’t judge me) probably 64 blushes accumulated over the past 5 years that really need to be used up, and if I’m honest will expire soon. I don’t think that it’s bad to have a collection per se, and I think that we all collect something. If you were to go through your stamps, books, beads, etc you would likely find yourself with a similar amount of materials. I would certainly like to reduce my collection to a more manageable number, considering I moved TWICE in 2023, it would be great to not lug around all the crap I have. That being said, what I have makes me happy so I will rotate, and shop my stash at my own personal Sephora.
In terms of being a collector, I have always had this inkling, as a child it was Barbies, as a teenager it was stickers, as an adult it was and is makeup. Now I have moved on to collecting thrifted goods since I am back in my thrifty era (the debt).
For 2024, I have committed to buying no new makeup. At all. Skincare is fine since I will use the products and repurchase what I can that is as ethnically sound for me as I can. I think the most sustainable boycott you can do outside of what BDS tells you is to simply consume what you have, and slow your consumption on things like makeup and skincare.
I hope everyone is interested in this type of content! Happy 2024 to the girls, the gays and theys!
thegordonedit.com 
Recent Comments