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

[Alysse011]

Have you tried the Anastasia Lavish Palette? I've been interested for a while.

I have it and I am with Pixie. I like it quite a bit, but it's dupeable. With that being said, I prefer using palettes over singles so I really love Lavish!

 

[HppyLittleNinja]

Low Buy Mid-Year Update

I'm doing an evaluation of my progress at six months to see where I'm at.. how my collection numbers have shifted, how many items I've purchased in total, etc.

So I dusted off my Excel spreadsheet that I haven't looked at since March.. All I have to say is WOW.

I stopped updating it religiously because I didn't think I needed to. Well, I sure do!

I thought I'd been being reasonable other than a couple of slips here and there. But when I started filling in what I've purchased over the past 3 months (about 10 items per month) it's clear that it all adds up piece by piece.

Here's a snapshot of some of the problem areas, with the original and updated numbers as well as the amount I've tossed/used up and purchased:

- lipsticks (13 - 3 + 14) = 24 (+ 5 tinted lip balms and 4 patentpolishes)
- lipgloss (3 - 3 + 5) = 5 (+ 12 minis from a set)
- eyeshadows (31 - 8 + 8) = 31

I'm okay with the rest of it.. I've added 2 lip liners, 2 eyeliners, and 3 blushes which isn't too bad. Almost everything else is basics that get used up and replaced.

Lessons Learned:

1. Always look at the spreadsheet before a purchase.
2. ALWAYS record purchases in the spreadsheet right away.
3. Spend less time in collection threads until it's easier to ignore the enabling.

Hopefully the second half of this year I can pull it together..

Kudos for resurrecting the spreadsheet and reflecting on why it has changed. You could have easily stuck your head in the sand.
I've said this before: my makeup inventory/spreadsheet is the thingthat keeps me in check.
I'm titillated each time I delete a line -- i.e. when a product no longer deserves to be in my stash.
I'm loopy.


Quote: Originally Posted by veronikawithak

@HppyLittleNinja welcome back!! I remember reading that post and loved it! Lol. I had some pretty lofty goals this year too that didn't work out. I ended up loving my makeup again though and I'm happy about that. Plus I did learn a lot and now I can set better ones for the remainder of the year.

Glad to hear that you're doing well with your decluttering! Having a stash of only "loves" has been my ultimate goal too and I'm getting pretty close!

Sea Worship is probably the one from that collection I've worn the least, but I've still worn it enough that the imprint has rubbed off. It's an interesting shade.. I've worn it with Woodwinked and liked that combo. I think if it's not the main color it looks better on me. If you don't end up loving it, maybe you could return/sell/swap? Life is too short to wear makeup that doesn't make you feel stunning.

So glad to see you back!

Thanks for reminding me: "Life is too short to wear makeup that doesn't make you feel stunning". I am hard on myself and I was so bummed about Sea Worship that I forgot that my goal is to have only makeup I truly love. It's like your post "gave me permission" to return SW. I tried hard to make it work, too. Now I own Lorelei, a product that excites me.

 

[PixieDancer]

I have it and I am with Pixie. I like it quite a bit, but it's dupeable. With that being said, I prefer using palettes over singles so I really love Lavish!

I like palettes too for the ease of traveling with a full look (or looks) in one palette. But if I didn't travel as much... I probably would have a few well-edited palettes (if I liked 90% of the shades) and then additional singles to suppliment my variety. The thing about palettes when you have a larger collection is, most of the time the necessary "staple" shades needed to make a look work, you end up having over and over again across these palettes. So if you can encorporate the singles, you could probably let go of several repetitive palettes. When I stop traveling as much, I think I'll enjoy purging some of those palettes!

 

[NaomiH]

I'm currently on a no-buy until August and am going to use this time to finally get better organized. I've slowly been weeding through my rather large stash of pigments and making groups of ones I know I'm going to keep and press ones I'm iffy on and definite ditches. The pigment stash is my biggest issue and I am really looking forward to getting it down to a more useable size.

 

[HppyLittleNinja]

Update on my makeup inventory - eye products:

Makeup Inventory Totals
Product	Quantity
Eyeliners	16
Bases	26
Brows	2
Mascaras	4
Single Eyeshadows	108
Small Palettes	24
Eyeshadow Palettes	19
Total Eye Products	199

Things I want to decrease:
1) Eyeliners: I don't need five shades of brown. This also includes gel and liquid eye liners though, but I need to decrease my pencil liner stash.
2) Bases: There are some paint pots I just never use because they have glittery fallout, going to chuck those


While I was doing this, I put if it was Matte/Satin/Shimmer and a color description to the best of my ability in addition to all my other categories. I always forget if I have certain colors and I think this will really help if there's a limited edition shadow I want and I can easily search for a dupe. I plan to do the same with lipsticks and may revisit the blushes to do the same. I know this is taking longer than just simply counting them out - but I know myself. I want to be able to actually use this as an inventory and keep track of what I own.

I'm not super happy with the rest of my numbers but I'm not super surprised either. My boyfriend gifted me the Makeup Geek palette with all of the different colors so I know that's adding to my single eyeshadow stash. I really am loving those shadows too and have since purchased a few more. The rest are MAC shadows and a few NARS single shadows. Now that I've marked the colors and organized them more to my liking I think I'll be able to get some use out of them. Small palettes includes my NARS duos and quads - I might get rid of a few of my NARS duos that I don't use. But other than that this number will probably stay at 18-20. For the bigger palettes, this is something I need to work on. I definitely have favorites and not so favorites that I could toss.

Will probably start and finish the lip products sometime this week. In my head I keep telling myself there's not a lot but I never thought I'd hit over 100 blushes.

By the way... does anyone else have numbers like these? I know you guys are not judgmental and I appreciate all of the constructive criticism, but I can't help feeling a little nervous and stupid for posting this info on here.

I have numbers like yours AND I've felt weird about talking about them.

 

[Maris Crane]

Quote:Originally Posted by lyseD

Any suggestions for a drug store primer? I don't usually need one but this summer my face is melting.

Thank you.



Have you tried the original Hard Candy one? In the white tube. I find that works quite well during the Summer. Very 'coney though if that'll be an issue. I find the Color Correcting Green one is much less slippy BUT it only really plays well under my Tom Ford Traceless; terrible under both my Bb creams (skin79 Hot Pink & Missha Perfect Cover), Bobbi Brown Skin & Revlon CS Whipped. Others: Maybelline Baby Skin - very nice at covering pores but it does leave me still a little dewey. Crapshoot. Not quite drugstore price but available at the drugstore, so I'm including: GOSH Velvet Touch & Bioderma Sensibio AR Anti-Rougeurs cream. (Technically a moisturiser, but it's all silicones). I'm sure if redness/flushing isn't a problem, there'd be a similar option from the Sebium or Hydrabio lines!

 

[Jaymuhlee]

I'm currently on a no-buy until August and am going to use this time to finally get better organized. I've slowly been weeding through my rather large stash of pigments and making groups of ones I know I'm going to keep and press ones I'm iffy on and definite ditches. The pigment stash is my biggest issue and I am really looking forward to getting it down to a more useable size.

Good for you! I hope you bring it down and reach your pigment goals. I've had lofty dreams of pressing for years and never once did I try, so I finally let go and gave all but my NYX, Eye Kandy, and 2 MUG pigments away. It was such a relief! Organizing in your down time is a super great idea. I really, really need to finish my room. I keep putting it off!

Edited for all my typos!

 

[NaomiH]

I'm in a similar situation where I feel weird talking numbers. I think it's just because this thread is public (as others have noted) and I worry? I just hate the sense of needing to explain why/how I have what I hate, which I know we do here but in a very different way than it's usually asked outside. Like the barrage of "how can you afford all of this??" "what do you do??" etc that you see on older platforms.


Good for you! I hope you bring it down and reach your pigment goals. I've had lofty dreams of pressing for years and never once did I try, so I finally let go and gave all but my NYX, Eye Kandy, and 2 MUG pigments away. It was such a relief! Organizing in your downtown is a super great idea. I really, really need to finish my room. I keep putting it off!

I feel you on putting it off! I have had all the pressing stuff for like a year but always feel so overwhelmed at the task of going through them all that I just keep saying "maybe next weekend".

 

[mel33t]

I'm in a similar situation where I feel weird talking numbers. I think it's just because this thread is public (as others have noted) and I worry? I just hate the sense of needing to explain why/how I have what I have, which I know we do here but in a very different way than it's usually asked outside. Like the barrage of "how can you afford all of this??" "what do you do??" etc that you see on other platforms.

I have numbers like yours AND I've felt weird about talking about them.

Its nerve racking and I was nervous of the questions "how can you afford this?" Or "what were you thinking?". I'm proud that I opened up myself and I feel really warm that everyone was supportive thus far. No one knows our pasts except us and why we bought copious amounts of makeup. I'm sure that everyone has a story behind it. I felt like the support here would help me personally, but I also don't want to feel alone in my quest. Does that make sense lol?? For me, I went into a shopping spiral from working in the fashion industry because on a weekly basis I was made to feel unimportant and a " cost" to the company. (I worked in the finance dept. ) My direct manager would call me stupid and made well less than what i should have and I wasn't able to get out for two years. Couple that with hurricane Sandy and fights with friends for all the wrong reasons I was really unhappy and moved out of NYC back in with my parents at 25, prime quarter life crisis stage. I was trying to fill a void with blushes and its embarrassing to admit. But I think that I'm finally gaining my confidence back and my old self back. I have a new found love for makeup, which is awesome, but I don't want it to take over my life. And I'm in a much better position career wise and happy. Still at home but that's okay, everyone has different paths Everybody's awesome

 

[mel33t]

I'm currently on a no-buy until August and am going to use this time to finally get better organized. I've slowly been weeding through my rather large stash of pigments and making groups of ones I know I'm going to keep and press ones I'm iffy on and definite ditches. The pigment stash is my biggest issue and I am really looking forward to getting it down to a more useable size. 

That's great!! Weeding out products you really love can be tough! But you'll find the ones you love and you'll love your stash even more!!

 

[HppyLittleNinja]

I'm in a similar situation where I feel weird talking numbers. I think it's just because this thread is public (as others have noted) and I worry? I just hate the sense of needing to explain why/how I have what I hate, which I know we do here but in a very different way than it's usually asked outside. Like the barrage of "how can you afford all of this??" "what do you do??" etc that you see on older platforms.

You bring up good points.
It feels safer here.
About this thread being public -- are you concerned about judgement from other Specktra members or from non-Specktra people?

I'm a little on the other side of the numbers spectrum. I feel strange about sharing my numbers with you guys because my stash isn't so big. Like I'm not supposed to be posting on this thread.
But I'm here because feel like I belong because I own and buy more than I want to. I'm also a serial returner. Thankfully, I'm careful my returns don't produce waste if possible. I thoroughly research potential purchases. I try to get samples of products I'm unsure of just so I don't have to open a full-sized item that, if returned, will be destroyed.
I wrote a whole bunch of psychological buying/emotional void stuff but deleted it. Too heavy for a Tuesday afternoon.

ps I have no clue what that emoticon means. I included it because it makes me smile.
Here's another one:

<-- Kisses for EVERYONE!

 

[HppyLittleNinja]

I'm currently on a no-buy until August and am going to use this time to finally get better organized. I've slowly been weeding through my rather large stash of pigments and making groups of ones I know I'm going to keep and press ones I'm iffy on and definite ditches. The pigment stash is my biggest issue and I am really looking forward to getting it down to a more useable size.

Keep it up, @NaomiH!
If you want to minimize colour overlap, maybe you could compare pigments with pressed eyeshadows/other pigments and get rid of ones that are too similar.
That might help with the iffy ones.


Quote:
Originally Posted by mel33t


That's great!! Weeding out products you really love can be tough! But you'll find the ones you love and you'll love your stash even more!!

True dat.

 

[mel33t]

You bring up good points. It feels safer here. About this thread being public -- are you concerned about judgement from other Specktra members or from non-Specktra people? I'm a little on the other side of the numbers spectrum. I feel strange about sharing my numbers with you guys because my stash isn't so big. Like I'm not supposed to be posting on this thread. But I'm here because feel like I belong because I own and buy more than I want to. I'm also a serial returner. Thankfully, I'm careful my returns don't produce waste if possible. I thoroughly research potential purchases. I try to get samples of products I'm unsure of just so I don't have to open a full-sized item that, if returned, will be destroyed. I wrote a whole bunch of psychological buying/emotional void stuff but deleted it. Too heavy for a Tuesday afternoon. :encore: ps I have no clue what that emoticon means. I included it because it makes me smile.  Here's another one: :kiss:

 

[awickedshape]

Its nerve racking and I was nervous of the questions "how can you afford this?" Or "what were you thinking?". I'm proud that I opened up myself and I feel really warm that everyone was supportive thus far. No one knows our pasts except us and why we bought copious amounts of makeup. I'm sure that everyone has a story behind it. I felt like the support here would help me personally, but I also don't want to feel alone in my quest. Does that make sense lol?? For me, I went into a shopping spiral from working in the fashion industry because on a weekly basis I was made to feel unimportant and a " cost" to the company. (I worked in the finance dept. ) My direct manager would call me stupid and made well less than what i should have and I wasn't able to get out for two years. Couple that with hurricane Sandy and fights with friends for all the wrong reasons I was really unhappy and moved out of NYC back in with my parents at 25, prime quarter life crisis stage. I was trying to fill a void with blushes and its embarrassing to admit. But I think that I'm finally gaining my confidence back and my old self back. I have a new found love for makeup, which is awesome, but I don't want it to take over my life. And I'm in a much better position career wise and happy. Still at home but that's okay, everyone has different paths Everybody's awesome

I can relate to wanting to fill a void. Even though my situation is so much better now I still find myself wanting to buy something to fill that void inside, and I'm sure there are others who feel the same so how can we judge ;-) I don't understand how adults can call others "stupid" etc in the workplace! So glad you are regaining your confidence and are in a better position.

 

[Jaymuhlee]

You bring up good points.
It feels safer here.
About this thread being public -- are you concerned about judgement from other Specktra members or from non-Specktra people?

I'm a little on the other side of the numbers spectrum. I feel strange about sharing my numbers with you guys because my stash isn't so big. Like I'm not supposed to be posting on this thread.
But I'm here because feel like I belong because I own and buy more than I want to. I'm also a serial returner. Thankfully, I'm careful my returns don't produce waste if possible. I thoroughly research potential purchases. I try to get samples of products I'm unsure of just so I don't have to open a full-sized item that, if returned, will be destroyed.
I wrote a whole bunch of psychological buying/emotional void stuff but deleted it. Too heavy for a Tuesday afternoon.

ps I have no clue what that emoticon means. I included it because it makes me smile.
Here's another one:

<-- Kisses for EVERYONE!

Oh, totally! Everyone here is awesome and understanding, I'm talking about the ~outsiders~. Ha! I just know there are lurkers on the forum and obviously they care about the collection threads not our emotions, but it still makes me nervous. I don't know. Even when I blog I feel like I constantly need to explain myself/where my money goes, so I carefully curate what purchases I write about or even post on IG. I suppose I'm just weird like that.

On numbers, don't feel like you don't belong because yours are low! Like so many have said, we fall under all areas of the spectrum, it's about how your collection feels to you. I'm not fixated on my totals so much, just a sense of how am I going to use all of this, I'm only one person! and making sure that I make better decisions. I hate being wasteful, too.

Also, that bowing/blowing kisses guy with his 4 hairs totally makes me lol every time he pops up. Use him as often as you'd like!!

 

[veronikawithak]

You bring up good points.
It feels safer here.
About this thread being public -- are you concerned about judgement from other Specktra members or from non-Specktra people?

I'm a little on the other side of the numbers spectrum. I feel strange about sharing my numbers with you guys because my stash isn't so big. Like I'm not supposed to be posting on this thread.
But I'm here because feel like I belong because I own and buy more than I want to. I'm also a serial returner. Thankfully, I'm careful my returns don't produce waste if possible. I thoroughly research potential purchases. I try to get samples of products I'm unsure of just so I don't have to open a full-sized item that, if returned, will be destroyed.
I wrote a whole bunch of psychological buying/emotional void stuff but deleted it. Too heavy for a Tuesday afternoon.

ps I have no clue what that emoticon means. I included it because it makes me smile.
Here's another one:

<-- Kisses for EVERYONE!

I also might be on the low-ish side of the numbers spectrum now that I've downsized, but the way I look at it is if you're at all uncomfortable with how much you're purchasing or how large your stash is.. you're definitely meant to be here! Everyone has their own version of their ideal self so what matters is that we all support each other in getting to that point!!

 

[awickedshape]

And re: The Void I have been holding on to some makeup items like drugstore lipsticks (which are actually around $50 here) and some MAC lipglasses that I no longer use but I probably also keep because they were $130 and are MAC and I'd feel even guiltier for throwing them out than for keeping and not using them... I think it's time to get rid of some things. This was my first year of buying high-end makeup and I am thinking of just making those items last and just not getting anything new next year. Certain shipping restrictions will be hampering my purchases from certain sites so that cuts down what I can purchase so I'd rather not lust after something I can't have. I hardly use powder and want to keep it that way, I have every shade of lipstick I 'need' and I have been wearing less eyeshadow (which used to be the only makeup I wore) and am trying to organize my makeup in a particular way... So depending on the shelf life of certain items I want to be on a permanent low-buy, with whole months being makeup no-buys.

 

[CrimsonQuill157]

So many ladies sharing is making me feel better about sharing my numbers once I get home (I'm out of town until August so I don't have all my makeup with me).

I don't really know what happened to me. I had a decent makeup collection (especially for a 20 year old), everything I really needed besides blush (and I still don't have many of those), and I rarely wore makeup. I always felt weird in it. Then I saw swatches of the Punk Couture lipsticks and headed over here. Then my lipstick collection doubled, if not tripled. I'm a very "gotta have them all" type of person and I tend to collect something I really like - a bad mix with something like makeup, where there is ALWAYS something I don't have or something new coming out. Granted, I am glad I got into makeup because I've since found a couple of foundations that don't make me feel cakey and actually match my skin tone, and I'm now much more confident in myself. But I don't want to think about how much I have spent on makeup since last November. Nope. Oi.

 

[Glitteryvegas]

Hey Ladies!

I've been reading heaps of the posts - I find if I don't keep up with things here I get overwhelmed by wanting to read everything and being really behind, so I've been trying the last few days!

I love checking in with you guys.

In honour of @mel33t 's bravery, I've decided to count and post my numbers. Here we go!

Blushes = 11
Highlighters = 9
Powders = 3
Bronzers = 1
Eye Shadow Primers = 5
Mascaras, including samples = 4
Setting Sprays = one big bottle, one smaller one (2)
MAC Powder Shadows = 24
Other Brands Powder Shadows = 66
Mineralized ES = 12
Extra Dimension ES = 10
Cream shadows = 14
Pressed pigment shadows = 11
Pigments = 28
Palettes = 18
Gel Eye liner = 5
Liquid Eye Liner = 8
Glitter Eye Liner = 10
Eyeliner (Pencil) = 49
Lipsticks = 27
Lip Gloss = 42

For full disclosure, I haven't included backups in this total or loose glitters, or some new products that I'm trying to sell or stash until I need them. This is my basic, 'every day' stash. I am doing good at trying to get rid of/sell backups or other products that I don't need or want!

So, in summary:

Eye Shadows/Pigments: 165
Eye Liners: 67
Lip Glosses/Lip sticks: 69
Palettes: 18 (eye shadow palettes and combo palettes w/blushes, etc).
Blushes/Highlighers/Powders: 24
Primers/Setting Spray/Mascara: 11

WHEW! So, as you can see clearly, the issue is EYES. And LIPS!

I've really enjoyed reading through everyone's posts. I like how we are all coming together again. As @PixieDancer mentioned, shit got a little cray cray with Alluring Aquatics for many of us I think! I feel like we are re-forming our alliance to our goals & it really couldn't come at a better time for me - halfway through the year. I am in need of a major life/attitude overhaul. I have a great life and relationship and I've been squandering it by focusing on what I don't have/won't have. I've been listening to lots of sad music and getting weirdly emo about everything.

UGHHHH. I need hobbies and things to take my focus off all of the things that I can't change and focus on what I can. Changing perspectives is in order here!

How are ya'll doing this week? So glad that @PixieDancer is back in the saddle. Thanks for the heads up with the MIA - I ended up buying it from Sephora because I had gift cards, even though yours was the better deal. I'm enjoying it so far, but I've only been using it for a day. It definitely makes my skin feel cleaner! xoxo

@mel33t & other ladies speaking to filling the 'void' - Yep, feel ya. I've been doing this for years. Instead of getting hobbies and creating time for things that I love, I've been buying and buying. I feel like I could cry right now because I know exactly what you are talking about. Instead of finding things to do with my husband and creating memories, I look for faults and excuses and blaming. This summer I'm committing to figuring out my shit and making my life and relationships better. I've been working out like crazy because I've gained weight since our wedding last year and I need to lose it. I've also been following my dietary restrictions really, really well for over a week now, which is a big step for me.

Sorry for the swearing, I was a sailor in a past life

 

[Glitteryvegas]

PS - in retrospect, as I read over my words, I can see how I'm pretty unforgiving in regards to myself and the perception of who I am. Maybe instead of just hobbies, I need some self-love too!