2017 Color Cosmetics Inventory

Back in January 2015, I started an inventory of my color cosmetics to keep track of the number of items that I had.  There is no real purpose to it, I just wanted to have some type of data that was generated from all of the hoarding and to help quantify my obsession (not to mention practice my mad Excel skillz).  I do not keep track of dollars spent, though my Sephora Rouge and Ulta Platinum statuses may indicate waaayyyyy toooooo much money spent.  And I only track color cosmetics, not skincare or hair care which I could justify purchasing in that it is helping keep my skin and hair healthy.

I have updated the inventory for January 2017 and compared it to Jan 2016:

Cosmetics Inventory
Category	Jan-15	Jan-16	Jan-17	Diff
Lipsticks	82	89	66	23
Balm	19	21	17	4
Lip Glosses/stains	35	14	20	-6
Lip Crayons/Sticks	15	20	11	9
Lip Liners	14	19	16	3
Face primers	8	11	18	-7
Foundations/BB/CC	15	14	13	1
Face Powders	9	12	12	0
Concealers/correctors	11	14	12	2
Bronzer/contour	9	11	11	0
Blush	49	51	52	-1
Highlighters	27	21	20	1
Face palettes	3	9	8	1
Mascaras	10	23	11	12
Lash primers	6	7	5	2
Mixed (eye/face) palettes		4	1	3
Eyeshadow - singles	19	33	21	12
Eyeshadow - creams	13	17	7	10
Eyeshadow sticks	11	14	6	8
Eye duos		8	2	6
Eye trios		2	1	1
Eye quads		15	10	5
Eye quints		5	3	2
Eye palettes		29	24	5
Eyeliners - pencil	43	33	23	10
Eyeliners - gel/ink pot	5	7	1	6
Eyeliners - liquid	7	7	7	0
Totals	410	510	398	112

You may notice the different colors in the last column, red or green.  Green means that my "number" of those items has decreased.  I have either used them up or purged them out of my stash.  Red means that I increased the number and need to NEVER buy any more of them EVER!  Of course this does not reflect the items that I may have gotten rid of/used up and then REPLACED like the sneaky cheat that I am.

Success! Wait, what? Is having less than 400 color cosmetic items rated as a success? Well, relative to any normal 45 year old, working mother and wife, probably not.  BUT, for ME....yes this is a success.  Though I have not been blogging and communicating my thoughts (read: stress) about this, I have been completely aware that this is too much. 

I love variety and color and packaging, and scents, and all of the senses that are triggered by the perfect lipstick or blush.  I feel better when I think I look better.  We all want to feel great about how we look and frankly, cosmetics are what I use to make me feel not so dowdy, middle-aged mom-ish. Others may use fashion, art, food, drugs, or exercise to achieve the same and there are definitely arguments to be made that those may be better options (well except for the drugs.......), but for me, this is what I enjoy.

So where do I go from here, with the idea that 398 is still too much.  What is the "right" or "enough" number? Does this magic number even exist? Hell if I know, but I am going to try to figure it out.