In the Makeup World Limited Edition Becomes Less Meaningful
I think limited edition has become less meaningful in the makeup world in the last several years. I was discussing the Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow Palette earlier today and mentioned it being permanent but a few people said, “No, it’s limited edition!” and the only thing that crossed my mind upon hearing this was, “That doesn’t mean much!” I think this becomes particularly meaningful due to the fact there was great hype that surrounded the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Lipsticks and Gwen Stefani Palette which promoted very heavily as being available for a limited time yet all of the collection went on sale at 50% off (or even lower in some cases). Hey, I love a good sale but this also decreases the value of your limited edition product and also upsets fans who did pay full price for those items. I’m waiting on the Alice Through the Looking Glass Eyeshadow Palette to hit the $39 mark at some point!
Strangely enough, somehow, someway, the Too Faced Sweet Peach Eyeshadow Palette proved to be the most elusive palette I’ve seen the last several years. It sold out so quickly and so many times from so many stores it truly boggled the mind. On that note, I will say, it’ll be making a return very shortly and along with possibly new blushes or highlighters that are somehow peach inspired as well. And again, we’re kind of in the same situation of limited edition having less and less meaning.
Offering limited edition makeup pieces and collections can be a tricky business. You don’t want to piss off the masses by making something available for too limited a time nor do you want to have fans missing out on something that’s available for a shorter period of time. It does create a good deal of disgruntlement when you put out a makeup release that sells out quickly and never returns. However, I also think this is a double-edged sword because offering the item for too long a period will have fans wondering how limited is limited? I know I’ve swooped in and grabbed a palette mighty fast when hearing it would be available for a limited only to become rather angry when it was around for a year or even two year’s after the release. Let’s face it sometimes we’re staying up until 2 AM to grab a palette and later realizing we wasted time doing so because it’s around for ever after.
One of the biggest offenses of anything limited edition would be sales. It’s awful to pay full price for something only to have it go on sale. But what’s even worst is a limited edition piece that goes on sale. That really decreases the value tremulously in my opinion!
The makeup world is ever evolving with plenty of new releases daily. It think it was Lisa Eldridge who expressed how excited she is about being part of the beauty world at the moment since it is at such a peak with many, many new innovations that pop up daily. It’s also a time where makeup and the beauty industry is more popular than every before! I love the constant revolving door of product releases but I must admit I wish that limited edition had as much meaning and impact as it should and once did.
Sadly, it becomes less and less meaningful and more, and more about a marketing ploy to get you to buy something quickly only to be crushingly disappointed later when it goes on sale for 50% off.
What’s your stance on the limited edition makeup world at the moment?
Do share!