We often buy makeup that we'd never use or may use once. This could happen due to some reasons and many more like: -
• impulsive purchases due to limited editions
• just because the SA said it looks so good on you
• just because the SA pushed
• just because the SA had to do sales
• just because you had extra money and you didn't plan to buy anything before you went on a shopping spree..........
and even more..........
There is no way you could do anything of the above to get rid of the product.You have it and you have to find ways to make the best use of it. Here are some examples.....

a. You have bright blue or neon green or a fiery magenta pink eyeshadow that you got from one of the limited edition collections of a certain brand.It looked amazing in the store but after you came home you could not replicate what the artist did.You looked garish when you tried it first and now you are in a fix as it lies there in your stash waiting to be used and you dont know how. Isnt that a bit traumatic, when you see your money being involoved? If the color is very bright there are ways to tone it down. For e.g. bright blue eyeshadow that could make you look like a character from Cirque D'Soleil. "Black" is at your rescue. Btw blue and greens should be ideally used only for eyes and not anywhere otherwise you may end up looking like an acid-spitting human figured repltile. Black is an achromatic color which darkens or shades brighter colors and takes it on a different level. There are some ways of sporting these bright colors with black. Apply the bright blue or neon eyeshadow all over the eye lid over an eye primer. Use a matte beige eyeshadow to highlight the brow bones so that it does not go OTT. Concentrate the bright color at the lash line and then diffuse it onto the entire lid upto the crease. With a damp brush apply a matter black eyeshadow on the outer corners of the lid and into the crease to create the perfect almond eye. Trace the upper lids with a black eye pencil smudging it into the upper lash line for an appearance of fuller lashes and then trace a liquid liner from the inner corner to the outer corner flicking it a little upwards for an eye lift.
b. The bright neon magenta pink eyeshadow or an orange eyeshadow looks amazing like a blush on the apples of the cheeks. With a small blush brush pick some color and gently work on the apples of the cheeks for a healthy flush. Mix with a bronzer for a sun-kissed wind-swept glow and mix with a darker blush for a sophisticated flush of color. You can do the same with a bright magenta lipstick...........but remember to blend it on bare skin or foundation wet skin which is not powdered for a healthy flush.

c. Bright liquid liners with immense amount of glitter.These fairy-like eyeliners look very flattering but OTT as ususal. Trace a black pencil and smudge it in the lash line and use the glitter liner over it as near to lash line as possible to look beautiful.
d. A bright blush which does not go on your skin, for e.g a bright red blush like MAC's Frankly Scarlet. Use just a bit and you'd make your completely makeup clad friend envious. Holds true for garishly dark blush colors in plums and burgundies. Though one must learn to stay away from such colors. These darker than life blushes work as fantastic eyeshadow contours, shape up the contours of the face and sometimes even work as lipsticks....yes yes lipsticks too. Dab on some clear lip balm for shine and softening and then work this dark powder blush on lips for bolder yet modern color. You could also scratch some powder out of the blush, mix in with a watery hydrating moisturizer and apply as a liquid blusher on the cheeks. The moisturizer seeps into skin and diffusely spreads the pigment all over for a healthy glow.
e. Eye liners and lip liners are generally not an impulsive buy but foundations are sometimes the biggest mistakes a woman made. If your foundation is 3 shades lighter to your skin tone you could use it as a matte face highlighter to bring your best face forward. Dab a light foundation strategically over cheek bones, under a contouring blush or bronzer to make the cheeks stand out (ref. Eve Pearl), middle of forehead and even on the cupid's bow of the lips.
f. Bright powder pink colors need to be chucked out in the dustbin as you cannot do anything with it..Maybe politely and humbly you could gift them to someone.
There are many many ideas but I thought of beginning the new 2011 with some really easy ones.
Do try and let me know how it went.....We are always here to share your tale too...
Till then,
Ciao