Why I'm determined not to buy any new makeup in 2024

Insider's reporter has set rules for 2024: only buying makeup when she runs out of a product, and not watching as many makeup videos on TikTok.

• I'm a beauty fan who owns far too much makeup for my own good.
• In 2024, I'm determined to stop myself from buying unnecessary beauty products, even if I want them.
• I'll only purchase items that I've completely run out of, and I won't let TikTok influence me.

If you were to look at my collection of beauty products, you'd think I work as a makeup artist.

Of course, I don't. I'm a journalist who writes articles like this one.

And while beauty is one of the things I cover, it's far from the only one — and I don't need countless products to do my job.

Still, I find myself drowning in makeup. I have multiple foundations, dozens of blushes, a handful of mascaras, and more lip glosses than I will ever publicly admit.

And to be entirely honest, I'm ashamed of it. I'll never be able to use each one fully, I've spent money I could have saved, and it's extremely wasteful.

So I've set a goal for myself in 2024 not to buy any new makeup. And with a few exceptions, I think I can do it.

Confessions of a makeup shopaholic

When I started wearing makeup, it felt transformative and life-changing. I loved how concealer covered my acne and how blush gave my cheeks some life.

But I was really fascinated by colors and textures. There were so many products out there, and I wanted to try them all.

Makeup has always been art to me.

Even when I didn't know how to use a single product, I found myself drawn to editorial looks in Vogue, and the bold makeup worn by celebrities like Hayley Williams and Lady Gaga.

So as a result, I quickly felt the need to have one of every color blush, lipstick, and eyeliner in my collection. You know, just in case.

And my shopping habits have reflected my ever-growing kit.

Since those early days of my makeup obsession, my wallet has never been safe in the vicinity of an Ulta or Target. I'm more cautious at expensive stores like Sephora, but I still make a few trips every year.

And don't get me started on Marshall's and T.J. Maxx. How could I resist discounted products?

But in a lot of ways, I also blame social-media scrolling. I spend a good chunk of time watching beauty videos on TikTok and Instagram.

Whereas I used to watch tutorials to improve my skills, I now watch product rankings and reviews, which naturally makes me want to try items for myself.

But in 2023, I started to feel stressed. Makeup wasn't the outlet it always had been.

Instead of feeling creative when applying my eye shadow, I'd feel guilty for using the same palette two days in a row instead of the dozen others I have.

And those extra items became a burden. They cluttered my space and became reminders of money wasted.

But I couldn't discard them either. Then I'd feel bad about creating waste and harming the environment (lots of makeup packaging can't be recycled).

Then my sister would visit home and mention that she'd forgotten to pack any given beauty product.

"Don't worry, I have an unopened one you can keep," I'd say, no matter what she was missing.

That's when it hit me. I truly do own too much makeup.

My 2024 makeup rules

So I've set some ground rules for myself — the biggest one being that I won't be buying new products in 2024.

It doesn't matter if everyone online is talking about an item, or if one of my favorite brands releases something new. I won't buy it. If a product catches my eye at the store, it'll have to stay on the shelf.

I'll make an exception only if something necessary to my routine runs out — foundation or eyeliner, for example. While I like to experiment with new items, there are tried-and-true staples that remain in my routine.

But I won't buy most new products simply because I want it.

My second rule is to stop browsing entirely. No unnecessary trips to Ulta, and no detours through the makeup aisles of Target.

And finally, I'm going to scroll past product reviews on TikTok. I no longer care if a lip gloss is beloved online. I care more about clearing out my makeup bag that's full of ones I've already spent money on and using products that I know I really love.

Beauty is a big hobby of mine, and I don't want to deny myself from the fun of it completely.

But the reality is that my hobby evolved from the art of makeup to shopping for products, and I want that to change in 2024.