Resolution "LOW-BUY" 2014! Who wants to play?

[veronikawithak]

Thank you both. It is hard, and I still had my fantasy winnings. When the restock happened, I said I'd use a portion of the winnings to pay for the lipsticks and treat myself, since I don't know when I'd be able to haul like this again. But it's not an excuse. That's the end of it, point blank, period.

You seem like you have a good head on your shoulders and I think it's great that you've committed to facing your problems straight on.. It can be really hard to take a no excuses approach but sometimes that's the only option! It'll be a lot easier to pass knowing you have your husband and baby relying on you. Good luck!

 

[Rainbunny]

Hi everyone - I need some help from you guys. You're all doing so well, seriously good job! My visa bill is just way too high right now. In December/January, I knew I needed to go on a low-buy. I bought lots at Sephoras VIB sale, and just a lot all the time really. I spend hours thinking about make-up, looking at blogs/stores online, etc. I would say that I do use shopping as a coping mechanism/way to make me feel temporarily happy. Since I decided I needed to go on a low-buy, I have been SO unsuccessful. I didn't make any concrete rules or guidelines, but i thought I would give myself 100 dollars (In Canada, things add up fast here) to spend each month on beauty. The failure began when I had a $10 off coupon for Holt Renfew in the cosmetics section. I went there and ended up getting a Laura Mercier highlight, which I sort of had in the back of my mind as to what I was going to get. But then I saw the new LM Enlightenment palette and it was soo pretty. So I ended up spending like $120, including the $10 off, and it was at the very beginning of the month! Made 2 sephora online orders($80, $50). Went into sephora 2 times ($120, $12). Ordered from illasmasqua's sale ($55) not to mention I bought way too much stuff in Oct/Nov/December. I need to stop. I'm not in the position to be spending excessively. I feel guilty and anxious. But on the flip side, I'm going to be in Vancouver soon, and was planning on going to Holt Renfrew, and compared to the one in my city, they have way more brands and it's just magical in there haha. In my mind, I would buy Burberry Pale Barely E/S, maybe a Burberry lipstick, and I would be tempted by a Tom Ford Blush. That's big money right there. I know that I would rationalize buying it because I don't have access to these brands at home. If anyone has any ideas as to how I should deal with the Vancouver/Holt renfew temptation, that would be very helpful. And just any advice at all, I would be so grateful. Thanks

My Rule #1: No Tom Ford anything! Those prices are really just too much. Just don't go there. I won't even read any reviews of his stuff because I just refuse to get into that price point. And Burberry is really quite wan in real life. Yes, I live in Vancouver, yes, I've made the pilgrimage to the Burberry counter, and didn't buy anything because it's all pretty boring swatched. I would recommend just staying away from Holt's. You can go see it next time you're in TO or Montreal instead. It seems like a pity to spend money on makeup on a trip to Vancouver. Go to the Museum of Anthropology, go skiing, go to Granville Island, go clubbing, and spend it on memories instead. It will cost you enough in entertainment here that you don't need to add makeup to the expense, esp makeup you can get in any large Canadian city.

 

[lyseD]

Nadine and ma146rina both of you write excellent English, you should be proud. I am always envious of people who can speak more than one language.

March should be an easy skip month for MAC fans, not much going on.

 

[elkaknits]

Well I have had the Dior Nude Glow in my Sephora cart for close to 2 years now and when I went to pay for it it was no longer available. I talked my beloved one into taking me to the mall today and found a cache of them at my Sephora so grabbed one right off. No more dawdling for me! I missed the red nail polishes Nars recently had ... final cut... I think and am kicking myself. Not that I need any more red anything. At least I have my nude glow! Aaaand I asked one of the gals if she would recommend it over the Smokey Nude since I am close to 50 and you know glitz and wrinkles don't exactly go hand in hand. She was wearing it herself and very strongly recommended it. I am so happy for this purchase.

It is also my first make-up purchase since Riri the first. Ah okay I picked up Heaux and Riri-boy off specktra but that was what last summer? I am sad I didn't buy the hourglass ambient powder trio and some Nars but I have been very good for a long while now. ALSO I returned 4 items to Nordstrom today, sold 4 lipsticks from my low buy swap/sales post and sold 4 nail polishes all this year. Yes, 4 is the magic number. So one eyeshadow palette is definitely less and I do not feel the least bit guilty. I looked at it for a long time and the only reason I didn't purchase was the shimmer but I think it will work. Plus I haven't been able to get it off my mind so I am good with buying it.

I am curious about the back to mac thing you guys do. I almost always buy my MAC stuff online and the return policy states, and I quote:

If for any reason you are not happy with your purchase on maccosmetics.com, you may return the unused portion to us for a refund or exchange.


So why would you b2m instead of returning it? I have returned stuff that is over a year old. I am looking at some stuff that is oh jeesh over 3 yrs old that are still in box and thinking of returning them to Mac. They still smell fine but why not just get reimbursed instead of trading them in for something else? It is not like MAC is going to do anything other than destroy it regardless of if the SA ships it back or you ship it back.

Please note I am not one to take advantage of generous return policies in the sense that I would use something and then return it. I am talking about back ups of things that I realize I will never touch have been returned. I have also returned back ups for stuff when I realized I didn't even like the in use one. Tho that unused portion is making me think I might as well return stuff that is a miss on me as well despite having swatched/tried it on.

@ the gal going to Toronto: you have had a lot of good advice. I really like shopping so certainly can understand that. I am also a mom of 3 and we live on one income so for me to shop without thought means I am putting myself before my children and the family in general. Still I do shop quite a bit so there is nothing wrong with a little pick me up. I am just sharing my situation because you say you cannot afford to shop but you also are having troubles stopping. Truth is that if one is weighed down by feelings of deprivation that the urge becomes almost unbearable and resentment can build up. You can maybe budget a little something for yourself every month. Even if it is only $25/month that means a mid range lipstick or nail polish every month or a HE item every 2-3 months. A friend who was moving to LA I remember all our friends were telling her she would have to not spend any money and I was that is crazy! If you like the toothpaste that costs $3 then buying the toothpaste that costs $1 is too stringent. You need to find a middle ground. Strategies that have worked for me:

I avoid looking at beauty blogs

I avoid coming onto Specktra unless it is this thread~~ I pay NO ATTENTION to upcoming collections at all

I recently put in the batch number of my cosmetics online to the site listed on this thread and realized that even tho I haven't touched several items at all they are 7 or more years old.

I paid attention to what my husband likes... he likes RED. Red lipstick. Red nail polish. I love green nail polish or french manicures. I like plum or mauve or pink red lipsticks. But what I wear is stuff I know he will like. I realize this is old fashioned to put my husband's tastes above my own but it doesn't hurt me at all and makes him sooooo happy. I have listed Most of my green nail polishes and stopped purchasing them. The ones I kept are ones I really like and whenever I see new ones {for when I slip and peek at nail polish blogs} I think ooooh pretty but He doesn't like green nails so I don't wear green nails and the X number I have of green nail polish is enough. I do this with lipsticks as well.

I also looked at how many nail polishes and lip sticks and perfumes I have. I literally have over 500 different perfumes. I literally have over 200 nail polishes {40 full manicures per bottle one to two manicures per week. 2 bottles would last me a year and I have over 200! I am almost 50! Odds of my living to 150 are slim!!! Even slimmer are the odds of me not buying another bottle of nail polish during my lifetime.} I have over 200 lipsticks! At least 100 of them are red! I do not need another red lipstick. I will be buying the full complement of Glam when the By Request comes out and He Knows It. It is a planned well in advance purchase

I almost always think hard before I purchase something. I will almost always go into store and swatch and then walk out. If I am still wanting it a day or two later I will go back and pick it up. If you paid attention above I swatched the Dior Nude Glow at least a dozen times and had it in my Sephora cart for over a year... I think 2 years since it first came out. Most MACs I purchase online but for cosmetics that do not get the hype you usually have a few weeks if not months to pick something up. Yes even the LE stuff will last long enough for you to really think about it for other brands like Chanel or Nars or Tom Ford or whatever else you are coveting. Only MAC has this craziness associated with it. And I really don't understand it at all. It is far better to buy one thing you really want than to buy the dozen or so LE MAC lipsticks that get put out every month. 0.o PS I love MAC as much as the next person and I personally consider them inexpensive and good quality for the low $ they cost. Drugstore makeup is about 2/3rds the cost and nowhere near the quality in my humble opinion so $15 ish for a lipstick is acceptable. But to have to buy so many every month because of the hype train smh.

Remember you can always call the store and have them deliver it to you later. If you go to Toronto and try the Tom Ford or whatever goodies and then go home you can most likely have it delivered to your door should you not be able to get it out of your head. You might even have them delivered to your local Holts and pick them up there. I am not sure how things work in Canada but almost every department store here will order and deliver at no extra cost items not in their own branch but available at another. That is if I want a Dior item my local Macy's will mail order it and deliver it to my door gratis since they do not carry Dior items at all but it is carried in other city's Macy shops. Odds are that it will not haunt you however and in that case money saved. Today I went into Sephora and purchased something I have been thinking about for a long time. I also swatched some lipsticks that I have had my eye on for a long time but didn't buy them. My husband asked why I was trying them on 2 minutes after saying I didn't need another red lipstick and I said it doesn't hurt to look. And it is true~~ I have gotten to the point where it doesn't hurt me to look because I know I am not going to buy it right then and there.

RE LE stuff {MAC again} really red is red is red. Oh sure one is matte and another is a gloss and this one leans pink and that one leans orange but honestly if you like a certain shade odds are you have a half dozen of them already. The odds of anybody being able to look at your lipstick or nail polish and say oh is that this years hot color instead of last years hot color is slim. I went to the NARS counter in Nordstroms last year and I was wearing Revlon Cherries in the Snow mani/lips and the guy was trying to figure out which new color I was wearing {I think his first guess was Luxemburg which btw is a nice pinky red that with my natural lip pigment does look like CitS} CitS has been around since the 50's. I tend to almost always wear pink reds or chinese lacquer box reds for the husband so honestly they all look very similar. Yes they look slightly different on my arm but on my lips nope.

I hope some of this is a help to you

 

[katred]

OK, for some reason your quote isn't showing, Naynadine, but I can't see who's a moderator either. Weirdness.

 

[elkaknits]

PS I know I said I have hundreds of ____ and it is true but I also have stuff that is a decade or more old so it is not like I bought it all at once!!! I just don't discard stuff o.0

 

[Uptownbackinit]

I'm not apart of lowbuy, but I thought I would stop by and give you ladies a high five! I know first hand on how hard it can be to say no! You ladies all sound like you're doing so well, I've seen your restraine in other threads! Good work ladies! Remember materials are disposable! Surround your selfs with love it will never leave!

 

[shellygrrl]

I am not planning on buying anything this month, unless UD had their F&F sale (for staples, if anything).

I don't think their next F&F is until May? (IIRC, that's when it was last year.)

OK, for some reason your quote isn't showing, Naynadine, but I can't see who's a moderator either. Weirdness. 

I'll PM you. There is some weirdness going on.

 

[Naynadine]

to the ladies having friend problems... I have def had my share of bad friends. But realized I don't need their negativity in my life. Realize you are better than that and surround yourself with positive people. I've actually don't talk to my friends much anymore. Don't really have any close girlfriends anymore. I love my guy friends, but it's good to have close girlfriends. Feels pretty lonely. That's why I love it so much here. So thank you all for being so great.

Same here. I seem to get along better with guy friends too, but I really miss having a really close girlfriend who has the same interests, likes the same things, etc. like it used to have when I was younger. Building close friendships as an adult seems much more difficult.


Quote:
Originally Posted by shellygrrl


I don't think their next F&F is until May? (IIRC, that's when it was last year.)
I'll PM you. There is some weirdness going on.

Can I get a PM too?

 

[Kaori]

@elkaknit: Nicely said! So many colors can look different on arm swatch but so very similar once applied on! On your number of perfumes I was like:

XD they sure last forever!
I think many people don't return to mac online because they don't keep the receipts for so long and you need one to return things(but it indeed looks that you can return anytime if you have invoice ). And it says:
"Please note: Only products purchased on maccosmetics.com shipped to US addresses may be returned for refund or exchange. Products purchased at MACCosmetics.com are not accepted for return at M·A·C Retail Stores or department store locations."
So non-US and store-purchases are out of luck
But Nordstrom seems to have also very lenient return policy.

 

[Yazmin]

I appreciate stores that allow for the return of products purchased online. That is a huge factor in most of my online purchases, and why I jumped head first into buying three of new Hourglass blushes. Too bad they didn't work for me, but it was great that I could return them to a Sephora store in exchange for products that'll get used more.

 

[elkaknits]

@elkaknit: Nicely said! So many colors can look different on arm swatch but so very similar once applied on! On your number of perfumes I was like:

XD they sure last forever!
I think many people don't return to mac online because they don't keep the receipts for so long and you need one to return things(but it indeed looks that you can return anytime if you have invoice ). And it says:
"Please note: Only products purchased on maccosmetics.com shipped to US addresses may be returned for refund or exchange. Products purchased at MACCosmetics.com are not accepted for return at M·A·C Retail Stores or department store locations."
So non-US and store-purchases are out of luck
But Nordstrom seems to have also very lenient return policy.

I will mention that the last time I returned something it was over a year old and I definitely did not have the receipt. What I did was print the receipt from the Order Status page. That is what the CS rep told me to do. I threw them in with a new purchase that I was also returning. I asked her because I was already shipping something back and asked what if I want to return something without the invoice.

Nordstroms is incredibly lenient. As I mentioned earlier I returned 4 items today and the sad thing is that once she did that she put it on a card # I didn't recognize. Well in the past year I have had my cc #'s changed at least twice but definitely 3 times have had new cards {the third time they sent same card # but different expiry date/security code because of a security breach not because it had expired} We had a major security breach that went on for 6 months via my down the street grocery store {a local chain} then Neiman Marcus recently and I think I had unauthorized charges on one. They went ahead and put it on a card I had on hand. I was telling my husband that was almost too lenient for me. I mean I could theoretically buy something second hand or steal it from somebody and claim my card was lost and number changed so to please credit this one o.0 I am glad they did it and it did help that I knew where each item was purchased ... one from Seattle and the other 3 at the store I was in... but seriously that kinda gave me pause. Not at the time but like an hour later I was huh what if....

lol on perfumes. I wear stuff from an Indie company called BPAL. I have, according to my records, 290 5 ml bottles and 563 1 ml samples. Most of the samples were freebies. I also decanted them for a year so many of those are partial bottles. I can go through a sample in a couple of days if it is a faint scent. Having reached adulthood in the 80's I kinda like the big perfumes that precede me into a room. Like the shoulder pads

Boucheron, Opium, Youth Dew, Oscar, etc... heavy assed stuff back in the day. Of course most of the bottles I purchased for myself are florientals because that is what I like and they do tend to wear close to the skin being oils. Anyway I am trying to cut back on them. I do trade and sell from my perfumes quite often and send out samples for free. In fact today I just sent a gal a 5 ml bottle of a LE from hmmm 8 yrs ago gratis and another gal 4 samples along with a bottle I am trading for something else. I regularly gift my friends perfume if they comment favorably on something I am wearing. Even really old LE stuff that is hard to find. I think I have way more fun with my perfumes than I do with cosmetics.

 

[Kaori]

I will mention that the last time I returned something it was over a year old and I definitely did not have the receipt. What I did was print the receipt from the Order Status page. That is what the CS rep told me to do. I threw them in with a new purchase that I was also returning. I asked her because I was already shipping something back and asked what if I want to return something without the invoice.

Nordstroms is incredibly lenient. As I mentioned earlier I returned 4 items today and the sad thing is that once she did that she put it on a card # I didn't recognize. Well in the past year I have had my cc #'s changed at least twice but definitely 3 times have had new cards {the third time they sent same card # but different expiry date/security code because of a security breach not because it had expired} We had a major security breach that went on for 6 months via my down the street grocery store {a local chain} then Neiman Marcus recently and I think I had unauthorized charges on one. They went ahead and put it on a card I had on hand. I was telling my husband that was almost too lenient for me. I mean I could theoretically buy something second hand or steal it from somebody and claim my card was lost and number changed so to please credit this one o.0 I am glad they did it and it did help that I knew where each item was purchased ... one from Seattle and the other 3 at the store I was in... but seriously that kinda gave me pause. Not at the time but like an hour later I was huh what if....

lol on perfumes. I wear stuff from an Indie company called BPAL. I have, according to my records, 290 5 ml bottles and 563 1 ml samples. Most of the samples were freebies. I also decanted them for a year so many of those are partial bottles. I can go through a sample in a couple of days if it is a faint scent. Having reached adulthood in the 80's I kinda like the big perfumes that precede me into a room. Like the shoulder pads

Boucheron, Opium, Youth Dew, Oscar, etc... heavy assed stuff back in the day. Of course most of the bottles I purchased for myself are florientals because that is what I like and they do tend to wear close to the skin being oils. Anyway I am trying to cut back on them. I do trade and sell from my perfumes quite often and send out samples for free. In fact today I just sent a gal a 5 ml bottle of a LE from hmmm 8 yrs ago gratis and another gal 4 samples along with a bottle I am trading for something else. I regularly gift my friends perfume if they comment favorably on something I am wearing. Even really old LE stuff that is hard to find. I think I have way more fun with my perfumes than I do with cosmetics.

That's cool to know MAC accepts printed invoice I know some companies don't like it. Though amazon doesn't even bother sending me invoice with my order half the time nowadays, so I guess they expect me printing it <.<;
Wow, yeah, that's definitely even more lenient than Sephora o.o I heard some people were misusing the policy like that so they started tracking the IDs and cutting off anybody who overuses the policy But I would think they would instead give you store credit if you don't have receipt.
Oh, such small bottles xD I imagined 500 huge bottles! lol And that's nice how you keep gifting them, then you will never get bored with them =)

 

[Rainbunny]

I envy you being close to the Burberry counter, but I'm trying to learn to ignore anything from them, since they are so poorly distributed in Canada. No international retailers will ship to those areas outside where they have a counter, so I figure I'm better off walking away. I'm starting to take that attitude towards a lot of brands. If they're well-distributed in the US but have shown no interest in Canada, why should I bother? Tom Ford is one of those brands as well. We have a limited counter here in Montreal, but they truly don't seem interested in building any sort of fan base here. With so many other brands around, I don't know why I should bother with those who don't want my money... OK, for some reason your quote isn't showing, Naynadine, but I can't see who's a moderator either. Weirdness. 

I don't think you're missing much with Burberry, honestly. There is a lot of hype from the beauty bloggers, but I don't know why. I was really disappointed. The eye shadows didn't show up much if they were light (and I'm quite pale!), and the darker ones were kind of sludgy shades. Believe me, I was quite the spendthrift in the past year, and I went back a couple times to be sure and just couldn't bring myself to buy anything except one blush the whole year. It was nice, but not any better than Nars, for example, and Nars has MUCH more imaginative colours. Burberry colours really look like they were thought up by people who make raincoats! And as for Tom Ford, like I said, I won't even go there! At those prices, people would be better off investing in some good jewellery instead. How good could any makeup be, really?

 

[Kaori]

And as for Tom Ford, like I said, I won't even go there! At those prices, people would be better off investing in some good jewellery instead. How good could any makeup be, really?

I checked Tom Ford prices and

More expensive that Chanel or Dior? Who do they think they are? lol Then I checked upon the guy and sure enough he knows what's he doing, I mean he managed to make Gucci an 'IN' company, same with YSL, he knows how to sell overpriced goods really well, it's all about style =) But awesome marketing doesn't mean the products are any better than the rest All he did is great design, but the products itself are nothing better than what you can find for less $$ (was able to find some ingredients, so cheap cheap cheap! Eyeshadows and blush contain only talc, no mica, I mean even Dior contain some mica... And main oils in his lipstick are castor and lanolin, I mean for that price at least use argan oil or something expensive, because MAC has similar ingredients for fraction of the price) ;P
"The partnership will allow Ford to take advantage of Estee Lauder's expertise in the fragrance business, with its high costs and distinct idiosyncrasies. Estee Lauder will benefit from Ford's cachet, fame and provocative marketing sensibility."
"I am thrilled with the consumer response to this collection," said Tom Ford. "With these fragrance and makeup products, I've taken Estee Lauder's existing vocabulary and tried to reduce it to its purest, most iconic form, making it fresh, modern and contemporary. My goal was to take Estee Lauder's glamour, history, quality and spirit, and create a collection for today."

 

[ILoveMakeup84]

Speaking of Tom Ford how can anyone pay $49 for a lipstick is a mystery to me lol. Seriously that's like 3 MAC lipsticks!

 

[Kaori]

Speaking of Tom Ford how can anyone pay $49 for a lipstick is a mystery to me lol. Seriously that's like 3 MAC lipsticks!

Some people have too much money lol And/or want to have what most people wouldn't buy, makes one feel special Often it's a question of prestige, what brands you buy, for example what colleagues have or competing with neighbours who has better car etc

 

[Naynadine]

If you think Tom Ford is expensive look up the prices for Serge Lutens makeup.

(I almost placed an order, because you get 2 parfum minis with your order ATM, but the cheapest thing is a nail polish for 45€. Luckily I came to my senses.)

 

[Kaori]

If you think Tom Ford is expensive look up the prices for Serge Lutens makeup.

(I almost placed an order, because you get 2 parfum minis with your order ATM, but the cheapest thing is a nail polish for 45€. Luckily I came to my senses.)

haha wow, 65$ for nail polish and they have ONLY 2 colors? lol And 75$ for lipstick

And their design looks so boring, at least Tom Ford beats them in that aspect if not prices lol Good job on coming to your senses

I have to say though that companies can charge whatever they want for fragrances and I wont complain(much), after all fragrances are special and last long time and when you finally find THE ONE, it's like a match made in heaven and worth it.

 

[PixieDancer]

I'm not apart of lowbuy, but I thought I would stop by and give you ladies a high five! I know first hand on how hard it can be to say no! You ladies all sound like you're doing so well, I've seen your restraine in other threads! Good work ladies! Remember materials are disposable! Surround your selfs with love it will never leave!

Awwww you're so sweet to stop in and say hello!! We really love the support... You ROCK! And if you ever need a little makeup time out.... You know where to find us!!