First, my thanks to this group. You guys are wonderful at supporting each other. My hugs to those with losses and pains. My cheers to those who are staying in their limits. And no shame or blame to anyone.
As for me, I don't have a set limit of items i'm allowing myself for the month or the year. I just need to buy less.
All my stuff is inventoried - has been since before i joined Specktra - and organized by type of item and color.
I am a color fanatic. I love colors. I used to play with paint chips when i was a kid, organizing them into families that had different personalities, different voices, i played with them they way some kids play with dolls... I love just staring at certain colors.
Since getting back into makeup, I've always tried to keep my purchasing under control. I don't get drawn in by hype. When a new makeup collection comes out, i look over the list and eliminate colors and items i know i won't wear - bright blushes - bright pink, red, or orange lipsticks - certain eye colors - black liners. I make a list of items to test. I check photos of swatches - i know they're not 100% accurate, but they help me eliminate more from my list of possibles.
I print out the list and take it with me to the MAC store, that way i don't go... oh, shiney! I set myself a mental $$ limit, although i allow myself to go over a little. However, last year i went mad, MAD, i tell you, with the original Divine Night color collection (didn't buy any of the holiday stuff), spent about 3 times my usual limit. THIS YEAR I am going to be much stricter with myself after seeing those links for how long it takes to use up a lipstick or blush...
My stash of four boxes of lip liners, lip glosses, lipsticks, and liquid lipsticks (MAC Kissables & OCC) - and not counting the lip exfoliators, primers, and balms in one of the boxes - is:
55 - Red, Orange, Peach
77 - Gold, Nude, Taupe, Brown, Copper
32 - Green, Blue, Grey, Silver, Pearl, White
126 - Violet, Purple, Plum, Pink Lipsticks and Lip Liners (in their own box)
68 - Violet, Purple, Plum, Pink Lipgloss (in their own box)
355 - TOTAL (NOTE: this is about 25 years worth of lip product purchases - i have a few from the 90s i still love)
I'm not on a lipstick no-buy, but i really need to keep to colors i madly adore. I have only FOUR lipstick backups - Go For It - Aristo-Cat - Caliente - Firm Form - and i'm close to done with two of the originals.
I am on an almost no-buy for glosses. I rarely wear them. I did buy the glosses from Punk Couture, since they're basically for altering lipstick colors and i love mixing up lip stuff. So no more glosses for me unless they are very unusual and i have nothing like them already.
I am going to go through my stash and THROW AWAY old drugstore lipsticks. Many change on me, going too fuchsia or too orange. Some are just colors that i have better versions of now. And there are a few drugstore glosses with disgusting textures and revolting scents. Into the trash!
Then i will try on lipsticks and glosses i rarely wear, and Back 2 MAC those i can.
Blushes & Highlighters - I have approximately 45 warms, 45 neutrals, and 45 cools. So something will have to be absolutely AMAZE-balls for me to add to that. I don't have enough days left in my life to use them up. No, really. I'm almost 65 and it takes about a year to use up one blush... i definitely do NOT have another 135 years left in my life.
Eye products... i haven't counted them up yet off my inventory sheets, but i know i have too many. I have 6 boxes of stuff organized by color, plus a box of mascaras, false lashes, brow products, etc., plus an 8th box of palettes (Naked1, 2, & 3; 2 Limecrime palettes; and far far more). I have only ONE eye product backup, which i sought out after i began using the original item: Genuine Treasure Paint Pot. Man, i love that stuff.
Face powders, i have too many, but only one backup: Forever Marilyn Beauty Powder. I've got enough powders i like to last quite a few years, although when i finish my MSFN, i might repurchase (or maybe not...)
I continue to photograph my stash. I have now photographed HALF the lipsticks in the Violet-Purple Lipstick box. It's actually good, because i've revisiting what i have, reorganizing and retesting, and getting an idea of what colors i don't need more of and what i don't like and can throw away or B2M.
Stay strong, my sisters and brothers!