Why I Don't Haul Make-up Anymore

You may or may not have noticed that I don't do make-up hauls anymore - and I was recently thinking why this should be so. It's obviously not that I no longer buy make-up (heavens forbid!). The gradual decrease in posting my beauty shopping sprees actually happened quite organically; I believe I last shared a make-up haul back in 2012, and there have been very few and far between skincare and nail polish rampages in 2013. So why have I stopped hauling? Everyone loves a good haul!

I think the most straightforward and practical answer is that since trying to curb my make-up consumption at the beginning of 2013 with the allowance of no more than 2 new products per month and challenging myself to avoid buying back-ups (click here for the original post!), I have mostly stopped buying beauty products in larger quantities at a time - so what I had been purchasing would have made for a pretty pitiful haul, don't you think? But you see, sometimes I break my rules and buy more than two products a month when there's a good sale, or receive beauty gifts I could be sharing with you; so there must be some other reasons not to haul, right?

The answer that I simply don't like hauls anymore may automatically come to mind, but I've decided that it is not the case - in fact, I still very much enjoy watching YouTube hauls or reading other bloggers' haul posts, or hearing what you've been buying on Twitter. It's like I'm living vicariously through other people's shopping, and it helps me to stay motivated and continue with my low-buy. What helps even further, and I know I'm not alone in this, is that sometimes after watching a popular YouTuber (sorry, I refuse to call anyone dabbling in make-up a 'guru') do a lot of beauty damage, I feel slightly sick to my stomach; maybe it's all that money spent on frivolous things, umpteenth back-ups, the excess, and so, so much waste. At any rate, I'm then convinced that this is NOT how I want to feel about my beauty shopping, and this is not how I want to make YOU feel about my haul posts; so as a result, no hauling.

Another related reason is that ultimately, hauling fosters the beauty shopping frenzy, increases the hype, winds up the marketing machine of big beauty retailers, makes us part with our hard-earned money often against our better judgment. Posting hauls further promotes impulse, indulgent spending. I'm not saying it's always a bad thing - it's nice to spoil oneself once in a while, especially when you have a budget for it. But for me personally, it's never sustainable, and it's not something I want to encourage on my blog anymore.

Last but not least, I've started to question how helpful and informative haul posts really are to you, aside from getting a glimpse of my crazy spending habits and seeing what I choose to purchase, the latter of which you'll see anyway by way of consecutive reviews. I know some regard hauls as inspiration for their own beauty wishlists and shopping, but I don't really want to recommend anything to you that I have yet to test and try in earnest - and then I also sometimes post seasonal beauty wishlists (like this Spring one!), so you can see where my interests lay, and we can all exchange experiences in the comments.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that Rocaille Writes is no longer partaking in 'the more the better' attitude towards beauty shopping, and consequently, beauty blogging. What I want Rocaille Writes to be about (yes yes, I know I'm repeating myself here... but it all ties in together, see?) is truly outstanding products and curating a more reasonable make-up collection that brings nothing but joy to its wearer; no regrets, ever!

Let me know in the comments your take on make-up hauling, and haul posts. Do they still interest you, do you hate them, or maybe prefer videos over blog posts, or only like quick snapshots on Instagram to satiate your curiosity? Comparing the response I've been getting to capsule collection/ stash reducing posts versus the old haulage posts, it seems like you guys are kinda over make-up hauls too... Are you?