A simple collection of lip products

As far as makeup goes, and most things in life for that matter, the more you own, the more owns you.

Lip products and I have always had a strange history (although not really, because they're inanimate objects, and when it comes down to it they're just colors in plastic tubes); I always go to a point of minimalism with them, then to a point of excess. 

There was a point in my life (elementary school) where I had no lip products at all, but then I discovered book orders and ordered a shed load of Smackers at once (I think we all remember the Smackers phase). I then got obsessed. Months after, though, I realized all I was doing with the Smackers was eating them, putting it on to lick it off. But yes, I ate lip gloss. Totes not healthy. So once I had licked my way through my stash, I was back to no lip products land again. This was around the time of my "dress like a boy phase"in sixth grade, so it's safe to say I didn't replenish aside from the basic chapstick.

Then in ninth grade, after the boy phase of nothing on the lips and after my goth phase of sometimes black or red lipstick (which was thrown away pretty quickly after the phase ended), I had a complete reverse. I started getting super into makeup, and I basically collected it. I wore loads of makeup everyday, different eyeshadows, really into lipsticks, etc. I had (for a normal non-beauty-guru person) a ton of lipstick and lipgloss. 

After a boyfriend that hated makeup and would make nasty remarks every time I wore it, I basically stopped wearing makeup all together (except for mascara and powder, two things I will never be without), for even two years after we broke up. 

I then got to college with a ton of makeup, then realized how much I had and didn't use. I had a huge purge. I threw out all the makeup I considered crappy, gave away almost all of the rest I didn't use, and as you shouldn't share lip stuff, I threw away all my old lip products, save some chapstick again. The minimalist lived on.

Anyway, after knowing all of my phases, I do think I have the perfect amount of lip products now that I should have at any given time: 3. I have a balm (staple) for everyday, a tinted balm for when I want something more or want to layer on for something dramatic looking, and an almost matte classic red lipstick, because go big or go home, right?

I find that I actually use all of these, have whatever I want for every look I want (maybe I could alternate between berry and coral for the tinted balm), and go through them at a regular pace (not the red, of course, but I think everyone needs a red lipstick at almost all times). 

I think as long as I keep it definitely between 1-4(absolute max), I should never struggle with lip products again. Lesson learned.

Do you have a perfect amount of a certain product before it gets overwhelming?