Resolution LOW-BUY 2018

I can’t believe it’s year 5 already! Looking back on 2014 I feel like a completely different person..

I’ve really reformed my spending so I’m not too worried about making reasonable choices in 2018. I plan to spend $1,000 or less on cosmetics, hair care, toiletries, perfume, etc. This year my main focus is to pay off $40,000 of my student loan debt.

All the best to everyone joining in this year! Let’s knock it out of the park!

Happy New Year!!!

So what are my resolution this year ....
Clear out my credit card yet again!

The only thing I want to splurge on are
Brushes: Still looking at those Japanese brushes. I did purchased the Wayne Goss eye brushes kit earlier this year and do not regret it. Also purchased 2 Chikuhodo brushes. I want to add maybe a couple of brushes.

Perfume: In 2017 I only purchased 1 full bottle of perfume and purchased 1 deluxe sample set. which was a big improvement from 2016. This year I want to do the same thing I have a couple of contender but I will be happy to add 1 or 2 high end, Niche bottle in my collection.

Brand I want to try in 2018: Kate Von D palette (want to see what the fuss is all about but want to wait for the ''right'' palette). more indie brand like Devinah, Nabla, Dose of colors.

Misc: a new purse: I have 2 black purses purchased 10 and 4 years ago both on eBay. I need a new one. I want quality over name recognition so might go Local designer route on this one. Same with a pair of shoes I add 4 pair of shoes in my wardrobe this year which is quite unusual for me, i'm more utilitarian on this front. I discovered a local shoe designer and I want 1 pair from her.

This year I need to stop ordering from Colourpop all together, Lipsticks and eyeshadow palettes.

Skincare: Keep going thru what I have, I don't have many backup so I just need to keep purchasing what i'm using up

Foundation: Again i'm good using up what I have, I will purchased if need.

Bronzer/Highlighter/Blushes: Not problematic but I don't need more. This year I only add the ABH Sugar Glow kit, Kevin Auction Sculpting powder and Physician Formula Butter Bronzer in my collection. It is not a category of makeup that i'm hoarding so all good. Might purchased that MAC NEW Year blush.

Hope 2018 goes better then 2017 (which was a pretty crappy year in my book)
Best wishes

oooolala I found you guys super easily. Well as I mentioned on last years thread I have been unemployed for a majority of 2017 but start a job on Tuesday. Long story short my employer laid me off Nov 2016 and has since had 3 people in the position and wants me back. So back with my peeps.

My skincare does not fit into my 'back up' cosmetic case. I keep a cosmetic case with my in use toner, serums, etc under sink and not in use in another larger case which I can no longer zip up. I want to basically get rid of my back ups although the Asian Skincare scene is all about customizing routine for how your skin feels on the daily and masking. I have about 20 masks {relatively few considering some people mask 2 times/day} in the back up case and various other goodies which take time to ship from overseas. I do want to use up what I have, get a handle on how much I need in waiting, and streamline my skincare routine.

My helmers are filling up with polish. I want to pare down what I own to stuff I really wear. I once figured out it took a solid year of manis and pedis to get through a bottle of polish. A Helmer holds between 400 and 750 bottles, I have 2 helmers of which only 3 drawers are empty so lets say I have filled up 1 1/2 helmers. I need to destash my polishes.

My cosmetics case is also super full. Plus I have a back up cosmetic bag for a few MAC cosmetics like the Marilyn collection lipsticks/beauty powder. I need to seriously go through my cosmetics and destash most of them. Makeup is a funny thing because every week there is the newest hottest color/palette so not sure how hard they will be to re-home.

I thought I did well last year on my usual weaknesses-cosmetics and perfumes--but made up for those areas with the skin care and nail polish

My specific goal other than pare down, shop less, is to replenish the savings which was severely taxed this past year and pay down the CC which also got used more than I would have liked.

Happy New Year!

To summarize 2017, I did a very good job with being more conscious of what I brought into my collection. I decluttered quite a bit of items I no longer used, and used up close to 75 items. I made it to VIB Rouge at the end of 2017, and my last MAC order brought me up to the top tier (Obsessed). Given that I've fully transitioned my skincare, body moisturizers/shower gels and hair care to brands in Sephora, I wouldn't be surprised if I keep the Rouge status. I'd have to spend $500 to maintain the Obsessed status with MAC, but I'm pretty neutral on whether I want to do that. I only wanted to make Obsessed due to the Aaliyah collection coming out this summer.

Focus for 2018
1) Upgrade my brushes. I bought several from MAC in 2017 and plan to round out my collection throughout 2018 to replace my Real Techniques, ELF, and Sonia Kashuk brushes.
2) Pan an eyeshadow palette. I've done a great job at finishing up skincare, hair products, cream/liquid makeup, and face powders. I've never panned on an eyeshadow, so I've decided to pan the UD Naked palette. It's the oldest palette I have, and since it's permanent, I don't mind using it up and then repurchasing later.
3) Continue focusing on technique rather than buying products. I had so much fun practicing my winged liner and smokey eye. I will continue that, along with determining my best brow shape, under eye concealing techniques, and bronzing/contouring technique.
4) Determine if items are worth purchasing AND be realistic with whether they will get used. For example, I don't notice much of a difference when I use a face primer. Whether I use one or not, my makeup stays put when I use the UD All Nighter setting spray. Another example: Today I depotted two shadows from the UD Electric palette so I could declutter the rest of the palette. This palette was on the chopping block for most of 2017 and being honest with myself, I held onto it due to "what ifs" related to if I'll need a shade from the palette. I've had it for this long and never had any of those "what ifs" happen. I don't want to waste money anymore on a palette that I'm not going to be much use out of.
5) Refine my skincare routine. My skin is responding well to my current routine, but I'm interested in adding a retinol to my nighttime routine, as well as learning how certain products work and their benefits.

Current inventory

Cosmetics
Eyeshadow palettes - 6 premade (down from 7 in 2017)
Single eyeshadows- 1 Z Palette that contains 20 single shadows from MAC and UD (no change)
Bronzers - 1 (up from 0 in 2017)
Eyeliner Pencils - 2 (down from 3 in 2017)
Powders - 2 ( no change)
Concealer - 2 (no change)
Corrector - 1 (no change)
Foundation- 2 (no change)
Face Primers - 3 (1 full size, 2 deluxe samples; up from 1 in 2017)
Eyeshadow Primers - 1 (no change)
Lipsticks (bullet, liquid, pencil) - 5 (down from 11 in 2017)
Lipgloss- 2 (no change)
Contour powder- 0 (down from 2 in 2017)
Mascara- 2 (down from 5 in 2017)
Lipliners- 2 (down from 6 in 2017)
Lip Treatments- 2 (up from 0 in 2017)
Brows- 2 (no change)
Blush- 2 (no change)
Highlighters- 1 (down from 2 in 2017)
Nail Polish- 20 (no change); 2 base and top coats

I don't remember keeping up with the numbers of skincare, haircare and fragrances from 2017, but here's where I stand currently:

Hair
Shampoo- 1
Conditioner- 1
Gel-1
Moisturizers- 2
Oils- 2

Skin
Cleansers- 4
Exfoliators- 3 physical, 1 chemical
Masks- 5
Moisturizers- 4
Oils- 1
Eye Creams- 2
Serums- 2

Fragrances
Rollerballs- 6 mini rollerballs


Excited to cheer on everyone's progress!

Happy New Year! Happy Beautiful You!
I cannot believe how on top of 2018 y'all are! LOL! I still have to wrap up December. I'll catch up with you soon!
In the mean time, happy happy new year to you all!
x0x0x

I think I did quite well in 2017. Much more selective, IMO, than past years, especially as I've come to better understand what I'm into in regards to products. I'm happy with almost everything I bought that year.

On to my goals for the first half of 2018. For quite a few product categories the main objective is going to be "look for replacements because some of the products in your stash are very old!".

No Buy
Pre-made eyeshadow palettes -- I don't think I'll be breaking this again anytime soon!

Pigments -- I just don't use them.

Eyeshadow primer -- Don't need a new one just yet.

Face primers -- Not yet.

Mascara -- Just bought a full-size Clinique High Impact to replace my mini one which will be tossed. Don't need to purchase any more until June/July.

Proceed with Caution
Brow products -- At some point this year I have to replace my brow gel. I've also got my eye on a couple of brow pens.

Single eyeshadows -- Again, a category where I don't mind having a fairly broad selection. It's just a matter of paying attention/being selective.

Eyeliner pencils -- My Sephora eyeliner pencil in 5th Avenue is very old. Will be repurchasing.

Bronzers -- My Benefit Hoola is very, very old (more than five years!), so that'll be gone by the time you all read this. I'll be down to one afterwards, and I'm still kind of window-shopping online for a new one. (Or I may do the old trick of buying a pressed powder a few shades darker than my skintone.)

Lipsticks -- My NARS Lodhi is also pretty old. I may repurchase that or find a similar colour (orange-coral) in a different formula. I also think I've found a potential dupe for MAC Feed the Senses. (Though if by some miracle they repromote it in tube form... you know at least one tube is coming home to me! )

Setting powders -- I don't want a new loose powder; I'm fine with the ones I have. But I am on the hunt for a pressed one, now. (The one I wanted seems to be gone. Le sigh.)

Contour -- Still would like a cream contour product.

Lipliners -- Need to mull this one over more than anything else, I think, though I have one wishlisted (MAC Liptensity pencil in Ebloui).

Lipglosses -- Still a couple that I want that I haven't purchased yet.

Points of Focus
Foundation -- Oh, foundation. I'm pretty happy with the wet'n'wild one I impulse-purchased last year. MUFE Ultra HD is still one I like. But my Anastasia stick foundation... even though I used it quite a lot last year, I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with it. (It goes on well, blends well, but seems to cake up in certain spots.) I've got quite a few contenders. (I want something a bit more on the luminous side, I think.)

Concealers -- I also bought NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly. I anticipate this will replace MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer, which has been my main undereye concealer (currently layered over the top of my Bobbi Brown Corrector) for several years now. I still want to get Tarte Shape Tape as well, and I will do! I also want to see if either or both (NARS/Tarte) will do the job in regards to spot concealing. (At the beginning of last year, I thought I'd want a full-size Kevyn Aucoin SSE, but now? Not sure about that. It covers well, but it doesn't seem to hold up well throughout the day.) Otherwise, I'll be looking for a new one of those.

Blushes -- I've got at least one that'll be tossed once you read this (MAC Taupe). I also want/need to replace my beloved NARS Sex Appeal at some point this year.

Brushes -- Still intend to work on tightening this up.

Highlighters -- Still haven't gotten Becca SSP in Pearl. (Some other stuff took precedent, money-wise, for most of the second half of last year.)

If anyone has financial/low spending goals for 2018, you might be interested in this challenge!: Uber Frugal Month: The Ultimate Guide To Saving More Money Than You Ever Thought Possible - Frugalwoods I took it for the first time in 2017 and it was the start of my best year yet, being able to pay off $30,000 of student loan debt! Not all of it may apply to your goals with cosmetics specifically, but there are some great tips about delaying gratification and lowering impulse purchases which are definitely applicable.

I personally let a lot of years go by where I set vague resolutions and then was upset when I didn't achieve them! Since taking more intentional steps I'm happy to say I'm in the 8% of people who have stuck with a goal for the entire year. Let's pick that number up and really crush it this year team!

Hellooooooo!

Low Buy / No Buy Plan ~ 2018
I went back to my 2017 plan to get the lay of the land.
Here goes nothing!

Skincare ~ Replenish as needed: I use Kate Somerville Cleanser, a variety of Ordinary products both for day and night time, ELANR Serum & CerVe Eye Cream, and my prescription Retin A. I now also use the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask at bedtime. I usually wait until things are offered on sale and keep only one back up when I can.

Primer ~ Currently using NARS Pore & Shine Control Primer. I alternate use of the Becca Ever Matte Poreless with the MUFE Step I Smoothing Primer. I ditched the pricey Hourglass Veil Mineral for NYX Angel Veil, but rarely reach for it now.

Foundation ~ Estee Lauder Doublewear! Tried and true! I currently blend Soft Tan & Spiced Sand. I did much better this summer about not tanning my face, so did not have to add a darker shade. I may get samples of the new NARS but reviews are not favorable. I will replenish my ELDW when needed.

Concealer ~ Tarte Shape Tape in Tan & Tan Sand; NARS Radiant CC in Honey. I am good for at least half of the year.

Finishing Powders ~ All Set! Hahahaha!
The Laura Mercier Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder I purchased last year is still going strong! #4 Medium. I also have the MUFE Ultra HD Microfinishing Pressed Powder in Banana to set my concealer. At some point, I will purchase the MUFE Powder in Transparent too.

Bronzer ~ Still loving my Guerlain 4 Seasons! And still have plenty in both compacts. I also have an assortment of MAC powders and a Clarins palette. So no need on this front. The LE 2018 Terracotta looks very pretty and may be a special purchase.

Blush ~ I added several of the MAC ED blushes last year. I also decluttered several palettes and loose pans not getting used. Ben Nye, MAC & NARS are my primary brands. Still loving warmer neutrals, latte browns, caramels, corals & peaches. No need.

Highlighters ~ STILL a card holding member of HAA! BUT, my highlighter roll has slowed considerably. There are so many out now, I could not possibly keep up. It is time for me to focus on using what I have! No need.

Lipliner/Lipstick ~ I really like the selection I have and have no need. I may get a darker neutral liner.

NO PRE-MADE EYESHADOW PALETTES! LOL! @shellygrrl has heard this song from me before. And I learned my lesson in 2017. I tried the Tarte Toasted and it got returned.
I purchased the new KVD Light & Shade and barely use it I gave away several pre-made palettes I never reached for!

What did work for me was purchasing some cream shadows and single ABH eye shadows to fill some gaps! I have a nice selection now and honestly have no need for any more eye shadow whether singles, in palettes or in cream form. I have used up quite a bit of my MUFE Aqua XL Color Paint in Iridescent Copper Gold. I could see replenishing that. It makes for a nice primer. Speaking of which, I still have pretty full tubes of MAC Prep & Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base and UDPP in Fix.

Pigments ~ I still have some LE MAC, crushed metal I think...and every blue moon I do use them. I got rid of all the rest!

Eyeliner ~ The UD 24/7 collection is still my go too. I reach for the dark brown shades: Whiskey, Corrupt, Demolition & Bourbon. If any of those shades get down to nubs I will repurchase. No need at this time.

Eyebrow ~ I may replace my Benefit 24-HR Brow Setter Shaping & Setting Gel with the ABH gel. 2 reasons: I cannot see how much is left in the fancy packaging. And I am finding the formula of the Benefit gets funky…cloudy looking. So back to ABH. I still have and like my MAC Brow Set and Benefit Precisely My Brow Pencil.

Mascara ~ I still get sample/deluxe sizes of preferred brands (gwp, free samples, points exchange, etc.) And I still replace my mascara every 3 months or so. Tip! I mark the date I open a tube with either a black or silver sharpie marker. I also alternate using a couple L’Oreal and Cover Girl brand mascaras I really like.

Brushes ~ I am so good! If you read my 2017 review, you know I did a complete, unplanned overhaul. I love what I have! I did see that Real Techniques came out with an Artis style line…I am tempted to try one for foundation application.

Sponges ~ I continue to use the green Eco Tools sponge. I cannot bring myself to buy a Beauty Blender...

Points of Focus:
Nothing new here…Be super selective, wait for sales, don’t fall prey to the FOMO feels, use what I have, further declutter what I don’t use, etc. I think this will always be a part of my yearly plan.

Decluttering became easier and easier as 2017 went on! Let it go…let it go…

I mastered and avoided the pitfalls of purchasing drugstore brands last year. This shall continue. I also overcame my impulse buying by keeping a “lust/must” list. I now wait for feedback, reviews and swatches before purchasing something…

I will NOT Rouge at Sephora again! I think with decluttering and completely rebuilding my beauty wardrobe over the past two years, I have no reason to spend that much money. The other thing is I have a nice rotation going of what I have. I can clearly see what I have. I find it pleasurable to have options, but I do not feel overwhelmed.

I can see making Platinum at Ulta again. Not from sheer spending, but because they truly are great for the drugstore brand products I already use and they take manufacturer’s coupons. I will end up saving on things I use every day.

That being said, like @veronikawithak I am toying with actually setting an annual beauty budget (excluding essential staples and skin care). Has anyone else done this?

Okay lovely ladies! Here’s to another year all things beauty!

I'm off to a great start!

I refreshed my stash at the end of last year - tossed a bronzer, blush, and 4 lipsticks that were all at or near their expiration date. I know many don't follow product dates but I buy makeup with fewer ingredients and preservatives so I feel more comfortable when it's replaced regularly. I usually keep liquids and creams for 12-18 months and powders for 2 years (or the date on the packaging). I also finished testing all of my foundation samples and tossed those after I picked a new one.

In 2018 I've purchased:

• Sappho: lip gloss in Hazey, cc cream in Fair, mascara
• Bite: liquid lipstick in Chutney, lip balm, and a set: mini lipstick in Pepper/mini lip liner in 016
• Josie Maran: set with Whipped Argan Oil Face Butter, Pure Argan Oil, and Surreal Skin Argan Finishing Balm

That's $36.96 on skincare and $174.72 on cosmetics.

Total spent in 2018: $211.68/$1,000.00

With beauty I've found I prefer purchasing seasonally so I likely won't buy any skincare or cosmetics until April or so - the monthly average will be lower!

Inventory:

1 cc cream - Sappho Fair $38.08
1 powder - Sappho Fair $31.36
1 concealer - Sappho Light $35.84
1 blush - Sappho Emma's Blush $28.00
1 highlighter - Sappho Light Chiaroscuro Shimmer $35.84
1 mascara - Sappho $38.08
5 eyeshadows - Sappho Turtle, Beckitt, Norma, Patricia, Jono $117.54
3 lipsticks - Bite Cava, Chutney, Pepper $75.04
1 lipgloss - Sappho Hazey $24.64
1 lipliner - Bite 016 $10.08
1 lip balm - Bite $22.40

Total: $456.90 (in Canadian dollars and including tax)

Reflections on where I am and where I want to go in 2018:

Makeup takes a LOOOONG time to use up! There was a blog I read where someone measured the weight of a blush before and after application and it was something like 500 applications (the blog has been removed now but it was a significant number). Even with one blush in rotation I would struggle to use it up in two years because I don't wear makeup daily. All of the items I tossed (with the exception of foundation) still had quite a bit of product left.
Lesson: Only buy what I will absolutely love and wear often. Bring a makeup bag to work so I'll get in the habit of wearing it regularly.

I'm approaching 30 and my skin has changed drastically over the last couple of years. This year I need to work on skincare - from the inside out! I'm talking actually drinking enough water, eating more fruits and vegetables, and exercising! I really haven't taken care of myself lately, but especially through the holidays!
Lesson: Beauty comes from the inside out! Take better care of my body rather than relying on skincare and cosmetics so much.

Perfume.. I did include it in my $1,000 total last year, and spent $474.41 on 12 bottles (they're all 5mL essential oil bottles from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab). This is less than half of what I spent in 2016. Yikes. I have a cabinet that holds up to 150 bottles and it's just over half full. I work in a scent-free environment, which is actually great but that means I hardly wear it. I also don't really like to wear it when I'm going to be eating right away. When I am home and can wear it, I either forget about it entirely or feel overwhelmed with choice because there are so many options now. On the plus side, I have a lot of variety so new items that are released are less appealing to me because I generally have something similar. One of my favorite collections of the year is coming up soon though so I have to be strong and make good decisions!
Lesson: Only buy what I will absolutely love and wear often. Set out a few bottles each week to wear in the evenings and weekends. If I'm not loving something, put it up for sale!

fur4elise said:

View attachment 62822

Hellooooooo!

Low Buy / No Buy Plan ~ 2018
I went back to my 2017 plan to get the lay of the land.
Here goes nothing!

Skincare ~ Replenish as needed: I use Kate Somerville Cleanser, a variety of Ordinary products both for day and night time, ELANR Serum & CerVe Eye Cream, and my prescription Retin A. I now also use the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask at bedtime. I usually wait until things are offered on sale and keep only one back up when I can.

Primer ~ Currently using NARS Pore & Shine Control Primer. I alternate use of the Becca Ever Matte Poreless with the MUFE Step I Smoothing Primer. I ditched the pricey Hourglass Veil Mineral for NYX Angel Veil, but rarely reach for it now.

Foundation ~ Estee Lauder Doublewear! Tried and true! I currently blend Soft Tan & Spiced Sand. I did much better this summer about not tanning my face, so did not have to add a darker shade. I may get samples of the new NARS but reviews are not favorable. I will replenish my ELDW when needed.

Concealer ~ Tarte Shape Tape in Tan & Tan Sand; NARS Radiant CC in Honey. I am good for at least half of the year.

Finishing Powders ~ All Set! Hahahaha!
The Laura Mercier Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder I purchased last year is still going strong! #4 Medium. I also have the MUFE Ultra HD Microfinishing Pressed Powder in Banana to set my concealer. At some point, I will purchase the MUFE Powder in Transparent too.

Bronzer ~ Still loving my Guerlain 4 Seasons! And still have plenty in both compacts. I also have an assortment of MAC powders and a Clarins palette. So no need on this front. The LE 2018 Terracotta looks very pretty and may be a special purchase.

Blush ~ I added several of the MAC ED blushes last year. I also decluttered several palettes and loose pans not getting used. Ben Nye, MAC & NARS are my primary brands. Still loving warmer neutrals, latte browns, caramels, corals & peaches. No need.

Highlighters ~ STILL a card holding member of HAA! BUT, my highlighter roll has slowed considerably. There are so many out now, I could not possibly keep up. It is time for me to focus on using what I have! No need.

Lipliner/Lipstick ~ I really like the selection I have and have no need. I may get a darker neutral liner.

NO PRE-MADE EYESHADOW PALETTES! LOL! @shellygrrl has heard this song from me before. And I learned my lesson in 2017. I tried the Tarte Toasted and it got returned.
I purchased the new KVD Light & Shade and barely use it I gave away several pre-made palettes I never reached for!

What did work for me was purchasing some cream shadows and single ABH eye shadows to fill some gaps! I have a nice selection now and honestly have no need for any more eye shadow whether singles, in palettes or in cream form. I have used up quite a bit of my MUFE Aqua XL Color Paint in Iridescent Copper Gold. I could see replenishing that. It makes for a nice primer. Speaking of which, I still have pretty full tubes of MAC Prep & Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base and UDPP in Fix.

Pigments ~ I still have some LE MAC, crushed metal I think...and every blue moon I do use them. I got rid of all the rest!

Eyeliner ~ The UD 24/7 collection is still my go too. I reach for the dark brown shades: Whiskey, Corrupt, Demolition & Bourbon. If any of those shades get down to nubs I will repurchase. No need at this time.

Eyebrow ~ I may replace my Benefit 24-HR Brow Setter Shaping & Setting Gel with the ABH gel. 2 reasons: I cannot see how much is left in the fancy packaging. And I am finding the formula of the Benefit gets funky…cloudy looking. So back to ABH. I still have and like my MAC Brow Set and Benefit Precisely My Brow Pencil.

Mascara ~ I still get sample/deluxe sizes of preferred brands (gwp, free samples, points exchange, etc.) And I still replace my mascara every 3 months or so. Tip! I mark the date I open a tube with either a black or silver sharpie marker. I also alternate using a couple L’Oreal and Cover Girl brand mascaras I really like.

Brushes ~ I am so good! If you read my 2017 review, you know I did a complete, unplanned overhaul. I love what I have! I did see that Real Techniques came out with an Artis style line…I am tempted to try one for foundation application.

Sponges ~ I continue to use the green Eco Tools sponge. I cannot bring myself to buy a Beauty Blender...

Points of Focus:
Nothing new here…Be super selective, wait for sales, don’t fall prey to the FOMO feels, use what I have, further declutter what I don’t use, etc. I think this will always be a part of my yearly plan.

Decluttering became easier and easier as 2017 went on! Let it go…let it go…

I mastered and avoided the pitfalls of purchasing drugstore brands last year. This shall continue. I also overcame my impulse buying by keeping a “lust/must” list. I now wait for feedback, reviews and swatches before purchasing something…

I will NOT Rouge at Sephora again! I think with decluttering and completely rebuilding my beauty wardrobe over the past two years, I have no reason to spend that much money. The other thing is I have a nice rotation going of what I have. I can clearly see what I have. I find it pleasurable to have options, but I do not feel overwhelmed.

I can see making Platinum at Ulta again. Not from sheer spending, but because they truly are great for the drugstore brand products I already use and they take manufacturer’s coupons. I will end up saving on things I use every day.

That being said, like @veronikawithak I am toying with actually setting an annual beauty budget (excluding essential staples and skin care). Has anyone else done this?

Okay lovely ladies! Here’s to another year all things beauty!

Click to expand...

I have never set an annual beauty and clothing budget before, but @veronikawithak inspired me to do one this year. I started an excel spreadsheet to keep me honest, and I am joining the uber frugal month challenge, and I'll see how things go.

I somewhat kept a tally of how much I spent in 2017, but I noticed that I focused more on what I spent my money on as opposed to how much I spent in any give month, as well as shopping my stash. Slowing down and being more conscious of what I wanted to buy (along with getting samples of things if I could) curbed excessive shopping and spending.

Towards the end of 2017, I felt bad about how much I spent during the VIB sale and in December, but I had to remind myself that I also went months without buying anything in and purposely waited for the sale. I also waited for sales from MAC. The key for me is not buy something BECAUSE there is a sale. The longer I went without buying, the more used up what I already had (which was the primary focus for me in 2017), which in the end made me feel better about what I spent my money on.

[MENTION=57180]lenchen[/MENTION] Excited to do the Uber Frugal Month Challenge with you (and anyone else who wants to join us!).

For anyone else who is doing it, today’s email happened to be about imposing a waiting period of 72 hours before you purchase something.

From the email:

• Next time you feel the urge to buy something, write it down instead (or save it in your online shopping cart).
• Allow 72 hours to elapse.
• During this waiting period:
  • Consider whether or not you actually need the item.
  • Calculate what else you could do with that money.
  • Explore if you already own something that could suffice (get creative!).
  • Ask yourself if it’s something you could find used for a much cheaper price.
  • Consider if you could borrow the item from a friend.
• After 72 hours, reevaluate how you feel about the item. Do you still fervently want it? Or has the desire faded?

Some of these questions obviously wouldn’t apply to cosmetics but instead thinking about whether you really want it, what else you could do with the money, if you have a similar product already, etc. might be helpful.

I’ve done similar wish list type waiting periods in the past and it definitely helped me curb the impulses.

Sometimes I get shiny new thing fever and just need to take a cold shower and move on with my life.

Oh yes! I've already started off 2018 with some decluttering!

On New Years Day, I decluttered my UD Electric palette. I tried giving it to my sister, but she didn't want it. There were two shades in the palette that I absolutely loved, and depotted them to go in my Z palette. The Electric palette was definitely a "YouTuber made me buy it" purchase. It was on the chopping block last year and I kept it because I thought, "What if I'm in a situation where I need a neon orange or turquoise eyeshadow?" I don't remember when the palette came out, but I've never had a situation where I needed those neon shades, and I don't foresee needed those shades now. The shades I did keep were Urban (a deep purple) and thrash (a yellowish-green). I also decluttered 3 MAC shadows I didn't like anymore, along with two UD Smoked palette shadows I had originally depotted and added to my Z palette.

Also, today I did something I though I'd never do: I tossed out my Naked 2 palette. My plan was to completely use up the original Naked palette this year and then tackle the Naked 2 in 2019. Then I switched to wanting to pan the Naked 2 this year instead. I bought both around the same time several years back, and I've hardly used the Naked 2. Also, for a palette that was used less frequently compared to my others, it sure was the most banged up palette I had. The black eyeshadow fell out and stained my shelf, and several other shades have dropped to the floor and shattered. I created an eyeshadow look with the palette today to see if I would change my mind about it, and decided it wasn't worth keeping. Plus, I have several MAC shadows that look similar to the ones in the palette.

Another reason why I feel good about my decision was after watching a YouTube video today of a woman who started a pan that palette challenge in 2017 on the Naked palette and then stopped midway because she realized she hated the palette and it gave her anxiety trying to use it up. I even tried justifying keeping the Naked 2 because it would be weird to not have the 2nd one when I have the first, Naked 3, and the rest

So now, I only have 5 pre-made palettes (Naked, Naked 3/Rose, Naked Smoky, Naked Heat, Ultimate Naked Basics---each one I ) and a Z palette with 17 MAC and 3 UD shadows and 2 NARS blushes. It absolutely perfect--mattes, shimmers, neutrals, pops of color, warms and cools, and shadows that can double as highlighters or contour shades) and will be perfect for travel.

veronikawithak said:

@lenchen Excited to do the Uber Frugal Month Challenge with you (and anyone else who wants to join us!).

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I just signed up!

Well not quite...We will be on a very big boat come Saturday! @veronikawithak making more memories!

Hey! Where do I sign up for the "Uber Frugal" challenge!? I am totally onboard!

eta: I forgot one category in my plan, perfume. Truth is I am not a big scent gourmand. For 30+ years I have worn CK Eternity. My current bottle is running on fumes...lol, but I think I can make it until February. The upswing is I can always find a 3.4 oz bottle on eBay, for under $30.

fur4elise said:

View attachment 62838

Well not quite...We will be on a very big boat come Saturday! @veronikawithak making more memories!

Hey! Where do I sign up for the "Uber Frugal" challenge!? I am totally onboard!

eta: I forgot one category in my plan, perfume. Truth is I am not a big scent gourmand. For 30+ years I have worn CK Eternity. My current bottle is running on fumes...lol, but I think I can make it until February. The upswing is I can always find a 3.4 oz bottle on eBay, for under $30.

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Dont go on ebay go on fragrancenet instead. Their shipping sucks but you can have the bottle at the same price and be sure the perfume is legit. A little less then half of my collection (43 bottles) come from that website

fur4elise said:

View attachment 62838

Well not quite...We will be on a very big boat come Saturday! @veronikawithak making more memories!

Hey! Where do I sign up for the "Uber Frugal" challenge!? I am totally onboard!

eta: I forgot one category in my plan, perfume. Truth is I am not a big scent gourmand. For 30+ years I have worn CK Eternity. My current bottle is running on fumes...lol, but I think I can make it until February. The upswing is I can always find a 3.4 oz bottle on eBay, for under $30.

Click to expand...

I wish I wasn't a scent gourmand! ugh the good news is, I have enough perfume to last through 2018, and I usually hunt ebay for my perfumes when I did buy much cheaper!