Brilliant idea I’m stealing it.
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I found a group that recycles mobile phones and saved their “how to delete data” instructions. We’ve got several ready to be recycled, I just hadn’t gotten around to finding out the finer details yet. Goal is to get them dropped off this weekend.
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What’s the name of the group? I definitely have old mobiles hanging around.
How seriously should I take the expiries on makeup? I have the lip gloss and lip liner from my wedding three years ago. Given it’s applied directly to my face, it seems like it could be more risky than other kinds of makeup…?
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I, uh, have never once taken those dates seriously. I’ve had some makeup for incredibly long periods of time and haven’t had any problems with any sort of skin reaction, etc. My skin is relatively sensitive, although perhaps not as much as some, so the fact that my skin doesn’t react may be relatively heartening to some, at least. 
The only thing I do have any sort of problems with is mascara that’s too much more than six months old, because it becomes hellish when it dries out (flaky --> flakes into eyes --> ow).
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I’d worry about eye stuff but not lip stuff unless it starts to smell or taste bad.
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This has always been my approach. Eye stuff= big infection risk. Lip stuff= ehhhh, it’ll get waxy or weird tasting if it’s a problem. IMO.
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If you aren’t wearing it often, I’d pitch it. But if you were it often, you’re wearing down the top layer and you’ll notice it go bad
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Sooo, I have a lipstick that I just checked, and the part where it touches your lips looks fine, but if I push it up the sides have these pale spots on them, like the white spots chocolate gets when it is old. Safe?
Also, since it comes up, how exactly do you deal with only wearing makeup infrequently when makeup expires? If I want to wear lipstick and foundation every two years, do I have to buy new lipstick and foundation every time? That’s super wasteful.
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Probably dried out spots but could be mold, too. I don’t know. If it were me, I’d ditch it and then feel bad about being wasteful.
FWIW, I wear makeup at most every two years and I buy cheap stuff from the dollar store for each use case. It gets thrown out eventually, but I’d definitely throw out more makeup packaging if I wore it all the time, so winning?
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I know makeup counters used to have sample sizes. Maybe opt for those? But also, applying using q tips or other things that prevent bacterial transfer to the makeup should prolonged its life.
The white spots SOUND like bloom, which makes sense because there’s fats in lipstick just like in chocolate- similarly, it’s basically tempered in a similar way! You can see this by lipstick that has melted and reformed, it’ll sometimes have a bloom structure like chocolate gets. As for if yours is safe… I really don’t know! I’d probably sniff and decide, but I border on reckless 
I also suffer from “rare makeup wearing”. Easiest hack I’ve found? At the fancy events where I need it, just borrow lipstick from a relative. I wipe it off then use a qtip to apply. 
lol. Eye and skin stuff I just have to buy as needed though, alas. I’m not nearly as comfortable borrowing eye stuff, and my skin is so sensitive I can’t use the same stuff as most people.
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Huh, would it smell different? …I’ll have D smell it. My nose is crap.
I think my actual problem is that I went through a makeup phase a few years ago and acquired several gorgeous items of medium-to-high-end makeup, and now I never wear makeup, but I don’t want my fancy makeup to go to waste. I definitely should be throwing out the liquid lipstick. Maybe I should just accept that I am not a makeup person, too 
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I have a very sensitive nose, so I probably rely on that sense more than most!
As for the makeup, well… you did use it! You used it to explore your personality and your self expression, your gender norms and your artistic spirit. Just because you didn’t use ALL of it to do those things doesn’t mean it wasn’t used if it’s a weight, expired, taking up room you want for something else… Thank it for the services it provided and let it go no shame no blame!
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For products that are literally every two years, going to a makeup counter is probably the least wasteful. And ultra cheap makeup might be cheapest.
I wear makeup a few days a week and I still have never used up even a trial size mascara. I’m switching to a powder instead of foundation because I’ve never used up a liquid foundation… And the one from the ordinary is really cheap but I hate throwing it out.
My own issues. I’m working up the courage to declutter linens. I want more than 2 towels, but I might not need all the towels and they take up a lot of space
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I am down to 4 moderately fluffy bath towels, 1 smaller fluffy, 1 yoga towel and one cotton beach towel, plus a pike of handtowels and face cloths. I’m getting rid of 3 giant fluffy towels that take years to dry and are from my former in laws. Also a weird cotton blanket from school. Linens are so hard to get rid of because they are so potentially useful. And I’m not convinced that they will be bought and loved. But I love my thrift store sheet and want a thrift store comforter cover. So maybe?
I also unrolled my area rugs and got most of the tea stain out of one and replaced it. The other one is beyond my abilities, so it will go out too.
Then I organized my clothes and stored my sex toys more securely. For clothes I always need work tops and underwear, but everything else I have enough or too much right now, which is lovely.
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Details on sex toy storage pls.
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I’ve yet to hear of an animal shelter that didn’t want more linens.
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They were loose in my bottom drawer. Now they are collected in my ashram yellow satchel in my bottom drawer so that if anyone goes exploring they don’t see condoms, lube and implements unless they really really snoop.
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Yayay! And then I can visit kittens
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