May 3, 2010

Are You as Addicted to Beauty as Hillary Kosofsky?

Photo Credit: Plemen Petkov

Hillary who?

Hillary Kosofsky! A 54 year old nurse in New Jersey is the proud owner of a $30,000 beauty stash.

Geez….I wonder if mine is worth that much? Naaa, can’t be.

Jump!

Hillary has accumulated 200 makeup palettes and continues to purchase more in an every growing beauty stash that most of us would love to roll around in and sigh.

Hillary proclaims she can’t resist anything with bling or makeup items that are limited edition. Sound familiar? I know it makes me think of a special little someone, moi’.

Hillary, unlike me, is more of a color girl. Actually I used to be the same way but she claims that face creams fail to excite her and doesn’t even use foundation but color is her downfall for sure. Must admit I was never a skincare junkie until fairly recently so I can relate to her love of color! What she does however love is hair care products and has over 140 styling products to prove it.

She claims her morning routine consists of three different concealers (you got me beat Hillary), three or four eyeshadows, one mascara, eyeliner, and lipstick. Sounds pretty normal to this beauty addict.

She does have a great shop strategy which consists of ripping pages out of magazines to plot what she’ll purchase. She’s quoted as not being loyal to any specific brand and buys whatever catches her eye even if she has to hunt that sucker down. Indeed, we understand Hillary.

So how big is Hillary’s actual stash? Well check out these numbers:

Hairsprays (X9) $134.00
Deodorants (X4) $20.00
Shampoos (X29) $473.00
Conditioners (X24) $363.00
Styling Products (X140) $2,797.00
Brushes/Combs (X25) $242.00
Sunscreens (X4) $36.00
After sun products (X2) $12.00
Nail Polish Removers (X4) $10.00
Self-Tanners (X3) $90.00
Soaps (X19) $75.00
Eye MakeUp Remover (X1) $16.00
Blushes (X72) $1,758.00
Lipsticks (X31) $837.00
Single Eyeshadows (X94) $1,863.00
Eyeshadow Palettes (X137) $6,125.00
MakeUp Bags (X42) $840.00
Mascaras (X36) $952.00
Face Washes (X6) $150.00
Eye Creams (X22) $880.00
MakeUp Brush Sets (X7) $280.00
Face Lotions (X36) $2,160.00
MakeUp Removers (X7) $112.00
Bronzers (X29) $725.00
Makeup Palettes (X30) $1,650.00
Face Powders (X56) $1,960.00
Face Mists (X2) $34.00
Lip Glosses (X81) $1,458.00
Eyeliners (X68) $1,360.00
Concealers (X32) $800.00
Lip Balms (X5) $16.00
Lip Liners (X4) $68.00
Hair Straighteners (X2) $140.00
Hair Dryers (X2) $260.00
Curling Iron (X1) $17.00
AntiWrinkle Creams (X9) $167.00
Perfumes (X12) $600.00
Nail Polishes (X86) $688.00
Total Cost : $30,168.00

I gotta say she has me BEAT! My stash is fairly large but I don’t think I’ve spent $30k on it…but maybe I have, how horrifying! I do have more eyeshadow than her….but she has more palettes that’s for sure….hmmm maybe I need to go count out my stash.

How about you?

Got Hillary beat?

Share your beauty stash if you dare!

Source

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Mora

    i will never ever find out what my beauty stash costs. it would make me go crazy if i knew.

    but calculate yourself, im buying stash worth about 300$ every month.

    • the Muse

      mora thinking of it that way makes me scared LOL! as I prob shell out that too EEP!

  • Bora

    Terrifyingly, I think my stash is as big as hers, and if you count all the products I’ve sold/swapped/gifted away over the years from my stash, I might even have her beat! She has more skincare and hairstyling products than me but I have many more make-up brushes and nail varnishes than her. I also have a 100+ bottles in my perfume collection. Coming to Korea 2 years ago didn’t help as make-up is so cheap and gorgeous here.

    My only defence is that a lot of my stash was accumulated whilst I was a beauty writer at a mag so a lot of it was free and I also worked as a freelancer for Bobbi Brown and MAC years ago so I bought a lot at employee discount rates and at staff sales. Oh, and I’m 30 years old and have been beauty obsessed since I was 13 and buying and collecting since then.

    You can always tell a true addict when they rationalise their addiction….

    • the Muse

      bora are you kiddin? My stash would be a monster if I live in Japan or Korea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don’t think I’ve reached her heights since I rotate so much by gifting, swapping, selling…so yup def ALOT of stuff but since both of us are in the same situation with gifting/swapping we prob haven’t accumulated as much! Although you beat me in fragrance damn girl 😀

      Same here! age 😀 hahaha! So that accounts for some of our stash too! I didn’t know about you being a beauty writer though, VERY interesting 😀

      lol but you rationalized it so well!

      btw I may have to bug you soon! Baviphat is calling my name!

    • hillary

      interesting story…see there are ppl. that love thir cosmetics…BTW, since then I am now into skin products, and thinking a bout “fillers”

  • Kristina

    I saw this just this morning! I’m leaving it up for my hubby to see. She has me beat overall. I probably have that many soaps, face washes, lipsticks, balms, perfumes… But many things I don’t even have half of what she does. I don’t want to total up the dollar amount!
    At least you get alot of stuff for “free” because of your blog!

  • kelly

    This is horrifying. If you counted my stash that I still have from when I was MAC addicted 10 years ago and my lipstick collection that has survived the test of time, I would be afraid to find out what that actually costs. I would rather not think about it.

  • Sarah

    WOW. I would never be able to spend this much on make up.. I would be horrified xD

  • Jennifer

    You should count your stash! I just started getting into makeup in February, and I’ve already clocked in about $500 :/ For someone who only wears blush/lipstick on a daily basis (eye makeup on the weekend), that is a lot of money for me!

  • Comrade_Garlic

    I really don’t understand this. 29 shampoos? The shelf life of one is at most 3 years. Sunscreens one year. How much of her stash is rancid? I know I have a lot of stuff, but this is verging on an illness. I feel the need to go purge my stash now.

    • the Muse

      I gotta say comrade that shampoo is def not one of my weak points lol so I can’t picture myself with 29 shampoos however shower gels….*looks guilty*

  • LINDARRAGNAR

    I am so jealous I don’t even have a stash compared to her LOL 🙂

    Thankfully I don’t like colour but I love foundation its not even right how many I want……:) I use 3 because usually the colours are too light or yellow, I own like 7

    I have quite a lemming for illuminizers though I think I have 6 🙂 thats a start

    • the Muse

      linda def not my thing 😀

      I’m kinda an eyeshadow hoarder myself 😀

  • Marina

    I think this is really insane. I love beauty products, like…LOVE them, even if I only started using them religiously in the last 2-3 years…but this is kinda crazy.
    Oddly enough, I calculated mine the other day when I was reorganizing. $800, haha! Not nearly as much, but I get good use out of everything.
    In terms of makeup, I have:
    11 “palettes” (that includes trios and a NARS duo)
    32 single shadows
    2 mascaras
    4 blushes
    1 foundation
    16 liners
    15 lipglosses
    2 lipsticks (prefer glosses, obviously =) )
    Ranging from high-end to drug store.
    Yep :p Of course I’d like more…I know there’s tons more I’d want, but that much money seems EXTREME. What I keep gawking at it 29 shampoos and 36 mascaras. I can understand shadows, maybe liners…but 36 mascaras??? You’d think once you hit your HG it’d be enough!

    • the Muse

      LOL Marina about the mascara! True that is obscene. I have a few rotating mascaras myself to but NOT 36!!!!!!!!!!

  • Anitacska

    I don’t know how much mine is worth, but I’m afraid it’s probably around that amount. I’ve never dared to count, but I’ve been spending around $800 a month on make up (give or take) for the last 2.5 years, so that roughly adds up to $24,000. (Shh! Don’t tell my husband!) I’ve literally run out of space to store my stash. I have over 400 glosses and 150 lipsticks, over 1000 eyeshadows, about 30 MSFs, 50+ blushes, 16 Guerlain Meteorites and 7 Guerlain Voyage Powders (worth $170 each), and all those pretty shimmer powders… I am trully an addict, lol.

      • Anitacska

        There are some pictures in my blog (including a video as well). But it’s kinda hard to show it all off because I keep loads of stuff in boxes and bags tucked away under and in cupboards. 🙂 One day when I have time I will pull out all my make up and cover my double bed with it and take a picture. 🙂

  • helena

    Gosh i have only minimal facial and styling products but i sure have loads of base makeup (finding that HG foundation formula!) and loads of mineralized blushers. lipsticks, lipglosses which are mostly mac (damn their limited editions!). I daresay i have a disgusting amount of lippies, easily over 100 because i love collecting them! I have quite a number of eyeshadow palettes ( 36 lunasol and coffet d’or ones, because they have counters here, with a bunch of dior/guerlain and bobbi palettes!) I’m sure in terms of makeup you have loads more, musey!

    • the Muse

      helena try not to think about it SHHHHHHHHHHHHH! LOL

  • VampiressDoll

    Two words…..HELP ME!
    Nah I don’t really give a poop, I’ll never stop collecting makeup.

  • Marcy

    My stash sounds similar to marina’s (swap lipgloss with lipstick), but 36 mascaras… how many would be dried up? Everybody does only have 2 eyes, and 1 headful of hair. Unless if you wash other hairs on your body with shampoo XD

    I’m trying ot be on a no buy atm so we’ll see how that pans out. (I tell ya, my bf is ultra pleased about that…) Going to go all out in Hawaii in Oct XD

  • Lenna

    Meep, that’s a lot! However, in all that, I kind of giggle at the lonely curling iron for $17. Wonder what kind it is, since it’s apparently so good she only got one…or it sucks so much she got turned off curling irons forever….o__o;;

  • angela

    he, i’m just starting my stash ever since I came to America. Thank God that I don’t buy high-end products, only drugstore.. but would like to start buying some UD or Estee Lauder 🙂 I only have like 2 high end products 😛

    • the Muse

      angela don’t worry you’ll join our ranks soon LOL

  • blue

    lol sounds like she’s a compulsive shopper! I googled her name and her facebook photo is of her with two shopping bags lol 😛 i guess her stash should be a good reminder to me to keep things under control.

  • electronicfly

    O.O

    Ms (Mrs?) Kosofsky, may I call you mommy? *puppy dog eyes*

  • Vera

    I. Must. Not. Let. My. Husband. See. This.
    I have dedicated $100 a month to whatever I want to spend it on. Most of that goes toward makeup. I could imagine spending that ($30000) over a lifetime, but not keep it all. Where does she sleep at night?!

  • Resa

    I just calculated the net worth of my makeup. I’m about near $1500 and I’ve been collecting since 2008. EEP! My benefit stash alone is about a third of it. ACK.

  • KaylaK

    Yeah I would say I am an eyeshadow, blush, and makeup palette hoarder. That and lipstick and lipgloss in the top categories. But I only use like 2 kinds of shampoo and one conditioner. I do spend a lot of makeup each month but it’s all color. I think I will be doing some late spring/early summer cleaning in my stash lol.

  • Melissa

    ok so kinda sorta no joke I might come close to $30k. I don’t have time to actually inventory but i just might this weekend and I’ll come back when I have a “total.” I started my hoarding when I was 15 and my first jobs were in a CCO and a drugstore. I worked for EL for a bit after high school and never looked back. My brands and obsession dujour change all the time. Anyways I shall report back if I need to increase my insurance coverage to cover my stash?!

    • the Muse

      LOL def do melissa as I do insurance LMAO!

      I’m prob close to I just refuse to think about it tbh 😀

  • Gia

    Wow this lady sounds a little umm unbalanced. I mean I feel her on the if it has bling on it (nail files,lip glosses) i’m more likely to buy it!!
    But the fact that she buys things and has no clue what they are for is a little too crazy for me! And she went into debt $14,000! And that still didn’t stop her. I’m all for overspending, I do it ALOT lols, but I still pay my bills. The min I can’t pay my bills I’ll stop.

    But I think I have alot of stuff. It’s not my fault! My dad supports my habits! He likes Sephora (store full of women lols), he took me to my first Clinique counter at 14. Great now I sound as crazy as her!!!

    • the Muse

      gia I agree the minute I can’t pay my bills I’d have to step back and think about what the hell I am doing! I purchase ALOT as well but I know what I am buying and I’m not putting myself into debt by doing it. the second I did I’d def clip my own wings 😀

      LOL not at all I think it’s sweet your dad supports your habit haha!

  • monique r.

    I dont have her beat…but uhh, I’m 23 & mine is definitely worth a couple thousand.

    Her daily routine…is SO not crazy….nor really is her list of products. She just seems to have a lot of high dollar products. If you bought all the dior quints- that’s at least 1G there!

    • the Muse

      hi monique not crazy at all 🙂 although I don’t use three concealers tbh. 🙂

      I’m sure mine is worth a little bit of a crazy amount too just refuse to think about it lol!

  • puranki

    I’m kind of wondering about her sunscreens:
    Sunscreens (X4) $36.00

    sounds waaaay to cheap for sunscreen

      • Charmaine

        unless she buys really small containers. also, the sticks I buy for me n hubby’s pockets are only like 7 bucks [or something like that], so mebbe she uses those?
        – OR –
        mebbe she uses sunscreen only when she goes to the beach or pool, hmmm?

  • Katros

    She has me beat. Even though my Husband has proclaimed me the “product queen” hehe. Seriously, I have one of the large plastic standing drawer organizer (4 foot high, five deep drawers) and I need another soon. I also have in the cabinet under my sink, four large train makeup cases to hold the nail care products. Five drawers in my vanity that filled with different products too. My estimated stash? I’m afraid to calculate.

    • the Muse

      ahem excuse me that’s my title katros LOL I am too dude. can’t think of $$ scared!

  • Ashe

    Muse! I demand you do a count!

    I think it’d be fun 🙂

  • PJ

    Sigh, I am an eyeshadow palette junkie. Anything Urban Decay or Stila. My stash is probably up to around $5,000 and I’ve been collecting for 10 yrs.

    Wait, she only has one eye makeup remover???? How is she taking off all of that damn eyeshadow she owns? And I also read she went into debt but her husband bailed her out? So not fair. She should donate some of that makeup to a women’s shelter or Dress for Success (if they accept these kinds of things).

    • the Muse

      lol pj imagine she needs more than a single eye makeup remover haha!

  • Charmaine

    If I had put away the money from all the beauty stuff I’ve had in the past 12 years [since me n hubby started dating in 1998] I think it would come pretty close to this gal’s stash worth, but it wouldn’t have been very much fun, lol! But she’s into HE, and I’m a DS junkie, soooo…
    As far as amount goes I have WAAAAAY more stuff, it’s an accumulation over time [duh], and since it’s not a contest anyways I guess I will stop blabbering! lol
    [it’s past my bedtime]

    • Charmaine

      ps – I have about 500+ lippies alone, NOT counting balm, just colors, if that tells you a teeny bit [MU HOARDER]

    • the Muse

      dude, charmaine, no way am I counting I’d never be able to sleep at night if I knew!

  • Zang

    wow, i should have tuned you onto this article when i read it a month or two ago in oprah magazine. lol.

    she does have a crazy stash. she donated a bunch away. i wished she could give some to me. haahaa

  • Miss D

    OMG…I don’t even want to think about this; however, I do know I’m not at the 30k mark yet. But let us remember Muse, not only do I buy makeup and now skincare items ( addicted to BB creams and yes, Japanese face wash), but I totally splurge on Japanese mags- hello Vivi, Sweet and Glamorous! And I have a subscription with two of them!
    *petting on my Glamorous collection right now*
    Muse, you’ve got to get into spending a couple of hundred a year just on Japanese fashion magazines…then, when they finally fill up your room, you can sleep on them (I say give me one more year for this to happen).
    Hugs! 🙂

    • the Muse

      oh me too miss d….mags are my downfall. japanese ones, korean, plus vogue from various countries! eep! and doctor who and heavy metal..I tend to hoard them LOL!

      • Miss D

        Oh wow, I’m so glad to hear you’re on the bandwagon with the mags; I just picked up a new Vivi and Classy, btw!
        Dude, my weakness are fashion and music mags- especially foreign ones, which always equals more money.
        I don’t know about Heavy Metal (this is an artbook/fantasy right?), but I used to pick up Metal Edge (rock n’ roll) magazine…ah, can’t part with those oldies either.
        Yo, babes, you gotta let me know what Korean mags you own…I currently own 0.

        • Miss D

          Sorry, also wanted to say…can you please do a post on some of your fashion/makeup mags…I’d love to see those. Please, please? 🙂

          • the Muse

            ha maybe one day miss d 🙂 that would be a crazy big post!

  • lulubell13

    I reckon i’m not far off! My nail varnishes alone are �900 and that is just the tip of the iceburg… makes me want to go out and insure my make up just in case!

    • Charmaine

      WOW!!! *is very very VERY impressed*

      care to tally up the rest of your stash and share the results? pretty please? lol

  • Wendy

    I definately have more eyeshadow than her, but she’s got me beat. I would estimate my stash being worth about $12,000

  • SJG

    Someone up there said shampoo gets rancid after 3 years…not if you store it correctly. I have stuff older than that…it all depends on the “natural” content in it.

    She obvi buys all high end stuff…at least w/ my stash I can justify it by knowing a lot of it was on sale and 80% of it is drugstore. But some of those things…makeup bags? Who actually BUYS makeup bags when you can get them for free w/ GWPs?

  • Guida

    Ah, and she’s a nurse 😛 I hope to get the same salary and to have all the free time she does to take care of her every morning! Oh, and that I have some kind of open minded boss to allow me to wear colorful makeup.

    Hugs

    • the Muse

      aw guida I def have it awesome as I can wear most anything since I’m my own boss 😀 so def appreciate that!