Lipsticks have always been my favourite makeup item and I’ve always had too many! Thankfully my collection is primarily drugstore so my lipstick problem was never a money problem but more of ‘omg I have way too many lipsticks problem’! 

What worked for me was a lipstick no buy year. In 2018 (before I found this sub) I decided my New Years resolution would be to buy no more lipsticks and amazingly I stuck to it. Even tho I had loads of lipsticks, I found not buying any made me really use all my lipsticks. I did a couple of declutters occasionally, nothing crazy. I got rid of colours I liked a few years ago (in 2016/17 I was in too super dark and plumy colours and I while I still like a bold lip those just aren’t my go to anymore - they were well used just not ones I really liked anymore).

I found it quite difficult in the first few months as I love browsing makeup but then I started to really loose the lipstick buying urge. While I’m no longer on the no buy, I’ve only bought two this year. I found that I fully finished around 7 lipsticks from when I started up until now. I also have another 7 that are starting to get really low. I only have 22 now and this an absolutely fine number for me. I have 24 spaces in my lipstick stand so as long as I don’t have more than that now I’m happy (it’s only been the last couple of weeks I’ve got down to being able to keep them all in there). 

I wear lipstick everyday and I love having choice so for me it’s never been about having a minimalist collection it’s just been about not having too many that I can’t get regular wear out of them all. Of course, I have colours I wear more than others but I wear all of them. 

I find that now I think more before I buy them, rather than just seeing something I like and then buying it.