OMG!! The Beauty Industry Is Downsizing!

By BR Kellie

Little is big right now. Super big. Massive in fact. Little homes - people are into them. The Kondo effect is still doing the rounds with people removing anything that doesn't bring them a spark of joy. Even the beauty world is downsizing. And by downsizing I mean they're releasing miniature versions of their products.

Yes. Here for it. Love it.

Why? Well... I'd love to say it's because I'm a traveller and it means I can do carry-on with ease, but really it's because I'm a beauty lover who is like a bee looking for pollen. I flit between products at a great rate, leaving behind massive pans of unused colour, mostly un-spritzed setting sprays, and barely touched bullets of lipstick. 

I want to try everything... but I kind of hate how much is left behind, and the dent it leaves in the bank account when I buy a standard size product. Mini makeup fixes that! You don't spend nearly as much, but you still get the rush of trying something new!

So which minis are we loving right now? Check these pretties out...

Benefit, you blessed brand of goodness. How much do we love your minis? SO much. You give us lovely little versions of your primer, bronzer, brow products and more. But what's really got our bling-loving hearts all aflutter is the Gold Rush Mini.  

Mini doesn't always mean cheap. Or budget-friendly. Or even affordable. Sometimes it can still be downright gulp-worthy. BUT, if you're a fan of high-end brands but don't want to splash the crazy cash on a product you're not 100% sure about, a mini is a great way to dip a toe in. In this case if you've ever wanted to try the well regarded Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer, you can get an itty bitty version of it for all of $29.

Orgasm. Laguna. Orgasm blush. Laguna bronze. For a while there it felt like you couldn't watch a YouTube tutorial without hearing those two names every single time. To buy them separately, or even in the duo compact you're looking at a pretty penny, but the littlest NARS Laguna Orgams Duo version is less than $40, and can give you a taste of what every beauty guru and their little designer dog has raved about. 

I recently bought the full size Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in 'Radiant Light' after panning the mini-size in a trio palette. It's beautiful. It's lovely. It also cost more than what I paid a week in rent when I first went flatting (many, many, many, many moons ago). My love of Hourglass' Ambient Lighting Powders has led me to want to try more. Thank goodness their Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder comes in a mini size! It's still $38, but being a highlighter you know it'll last the distance - while looking next level amazing.

So it's not the ittiest or the bittiest, but the Too Faced Matte Chocolate Chip Eyeshadow Collection is a bite-size version of their Chocolate Bar pallete. And at $41 for 11 pans of colour, we think it's a fab way to indulge in a little chocolatey goodness.

Mini mascaras - aka deluxe sample mascaras - are by far and away my favourite kind of mascara. Why? You get through them quicky, and you don't have to worry about chucking them out when they're still half-full because they've expired and you don't want to risk getting a gungy eye! Benefit do minis. Too Faced do 'em too. But the one on our to-try list? By Terry's Mini Mascara Terrybly. Sure, you can get a full size drugstore mascara for the same price - but will you use it up before it heads into that potential eye-infection stage? Possibly not. So why not treat yo'self?

Heading out for the night and don't want to load up your pocket or clutch? A mini lippy sits sweetly next to a bank card and mobile phone, leaving lots of room while giving you va-va-voom! Pop the Mini A-Lipster Liquid Lipstick from Mecca Max before you head out - then have this pint-size pretty at at the ready for touchups. 

MIniaturising your makeup bag for travel is made easy with the Eye Do Liquid Eye Liner by Eyeko London. It's also the perfect way to try your hand at a liquid liner without committing to the full size price!

Beloved by beauty gurus and spritzed with while abandon in their tutorials, Urban Decay All Nighter Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray is one setting spray that, while amazing, is pretty pricey. Thank goodness we can try it before we buy the big size of it for far less than the cost of an all nighter! 

So there you have it! Nine cosmetic cuties that pack a big punch! So, are you a fan of mini makeup? What are your faves? What's on your to-buy list? Or are these sweetie treaties are pass for you? And if so, why so? Chat away!