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

[CrimsonQuill157]

Morning I found this article that I read on my commute. I know its going to help me with my stash and I thought it would help you guys too. http://www.sandraschair.com/articles/help-me-how-do-i-declutter-my-massive-makeup-stash My no buy completely backfired. So I have to think of a new plan on how to do this and get this makeup habit under control. I think I'm going to stay out of Enabler-ville for a while, lol

No buys usually don't work for me - I low buy. That way I don't go nuts. Or maybe have something in mind you're waiting for - I started to buy Flat Out Fabulous the other day and said wait, all these collections coming out, would I rather get this or one of those lipsticks? That helped me walk away.

 

[DarylandCarole]

Morning I found this article that I read on my commute. I know its going to help me with my stash and I thought it would help you guys too. http://www.sandraschair.com/articles/help-me-how-do-i-declutter-my-massive-makeup-stash My no buy completely backfired. So I have to think of a new plan on how to do this and get this makeup habit under control. I think I'm going to stay out of Enabler-ville for a while, lol

I wouldn't do well on a low-buy, either. The idea that I absolutely couldn't do something would make me so anxious I'd end up doing it. A low-buy is much easier. I smoked for many years and quit several times. I couldn't do it cold turkey, I would tell myself to see how long I could go before a bought a new pack (I only bought 1 pack at a time). That worked for me. Everyone is different. You'll find what works for you once you figure out what doesn't work. For me it's helping to figure out why I buy things so I can figure out what's a true need, what's a habit, and when it's something emotional. At least then it's an informed decision for me. Now I'm going to go read the article that you linked. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Maris Crane]

I found I could do a no-buy for that first four months, but I when I fell off the wagon, I really fell off the wagon. I think the low-buy is working a bit better for me (not as anxious as with a no-buy, as @burghchick, you mentioned!) and if I do buy something I don't have the sense of.... well, eff it and just continue to spend, spend, spend into oblivion. I'm also making an effort with the low-buy to use some of my stash before I pull the trigger - like I'm not allowing myself to buy the TF$ Nude Dip until I get more use out of my 3 Naked palettes (I've used a combo of 2 and 3 with other singles this past week or so), The Nudes by Maybelline (impulsive buy during a points promotion - still haven't even touched) and the Sonia Kashuk Eye on Neutral Matte (used once) palette. Luckily, Nude Dip hasn't become available yet on Nordstrom.

 

[shellygrrl]

My no buy completely backfired. So I have to think of a new plan on how to do this and get this makeup habit under control. I think I'm going to stay out of Enabler-ville for a while, lol

Whatever you have to do to get back on track, do it! We're here for you. :hug:

I failed no buy July....I feel a tad guilty as I haven't done my half year inventory yet either.

Don't feel guilty; you'll only make it worse, IMO. You had a moment; you can still bounce back. Just remember to actually use what you've purchased.

 

[veronikawithak]

@burghchick you are such a wonderful person and it breaks my heart that you don't have the relationship with your family that you want.. I think you're on the right track with trying to make friends to fill that space in your life rather than continuing to let yourself be frustrated and disappointed by your family. Please let us know when your birthday is so we can celebrate with you!

@Ajigglin it's great to see you! 40+ days is fantastic.. I feel so inspired hearing that!

There are way too many posts to quote.. but for those of you who have fallen off the wagon, I hope you find your strength and are able to get to where you'd like to be soon! And for those of you that are doing well, that's awesome!

I had a pretty good week overall. The only things I bought were a new set of yoga clothes and a towel (partially purchased with a gift card yay!) so I have 2 sets to alternate rather than trying to hand wash the one I had every day. My aerials classes are on a break until the fall so I started up my yoga membership again and I'm trying to see how many days I can go in a month.. So far I'm at 4/4. I haven't worn very much makeup this week and I also haven't been tracking anything on myfitnesspal.. which were part of my goals for the week so I didn't meet those. I feel like my emotional eating/shopping impulses were a lot less than last week though, partly because things in my personal life have been better and partly because I've been keeping busy with yoga and making plans with friends.

I was thinking about goals for the final week of July and I decided that I'm only going to have two: 1) Use that Peach Blossom lipstick up.. finally! I think I only have about a week left. 2) Wear eyes/cheeks/lips makeup every day. I'm going to let myself have kind of a freebie week and play around with my stash without any set goals.. It'll be a perfect last week of No Buy July!

Now.. There are about 10 items on my "wishlist" from Sephora.. I haven't decided what I want to do about it yet. I want to try some of the new things that have come out but I also don't want to do a huge haul.. and especially not with ANR and AW collections coming up. Also I know I'm probably going to want at least one of the holiday sets that usually come out! And the VIB sale is in November too.. Anyone have any thoughts? How are you dealing with the "wishlist bloat"? Lol..

 

[CrimsonQuill157]

I bought the first makeup I've bought in a while. I only brought one eyeshadow palette with me and it's my favorite shadow, so I didn't want to use it all up! I picked up two Wet n Wild eight pan palettes for $5 each. I don't feel too bad about it because (at least right now) I actually needed it. I was tired of using the same three colors.

 

[Bcteagirl]

I bought the first makeup I've bought in a while. I only brought one eyeshadow palette with me and it's my favorite shadow, so I didn't want to use it all up! I picked up two Wet n Wild eight pan palettes for $5 each. I don't feel too bad about it because (at least right now) I actually needed it. I was tired of using the same three colors.

Three eyeshadows would be hard! I am trying very hard to use up about 5-6 colours and even then it is hard to stick to them!

Anyway, it has been a while. Since about the end of April I have purchased a few nail polish (5?), one half sized lip gloss, one half price drug store lippie, and some skincare (100% pure and eminence) on a good discount in the USA for the winter. I was interested in the new Sephora lip set, but I bought both last year and with the repeats I just finally put it back.

 

[CrimsonQuill157]

Books! Now we are talking! The Life of Pi is a great book, as is the Eyre series by Jasper Fforde (Sort of an alternative reality England where books are very important, it is funny!, I am actually re-reading them). Any books by LM Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables). She also wrote a series of short stories, including ghost stories! I read A Year in Provence (P. Mayle) this year and LOVED it. Hilarious, light and uplifting. Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town by Stephen Leacock is very funny, and I believe free for e-readers on gutenberg. A friend lent this to me and it is sitting on my shelf now! I may have to watch it this weekend, thank you! Good job, way to commit! I don't have as much as most people here, but starting to feel like I should do an inventory myself. I hear ya! I was on a no buy May-June because of life. Since then, only a few nail polish and one drug store lipstick on half price. Even when I went in to get my Sephora birthday gift, I bought a purchase a friend wanted for her rather than something for myself. I did recently order a bunch of skincare to a parcel holding place for my trip down to the USA in august, but I will need those, especially come winter. I guess I did break down and put one half sized lip gloss from 100% pure in with that order Three eyeshadows would be hard! I am trying very hard to use up about 5-6 colours and even then it is hard to stick to them! Anyway, it has been a while. Since about the end of April I have purchased a few nail polish (5?), one half sized lip gloss, one half price drug store lippie, and some skincare (100% pure and eminence) on a good discount in the USA for the winter. I was interested in the new Sephora lip set, but I bought both last year and with the repeats I just finally put it back.

What made it worse was that they honestly sucked. It was a Lancome GWP palette and it was just bad. I have a Clinique one too but like I said, favorite shadow and I'm just not ready to let it go yet.

 

[Bcteagirl]

What made it worse was that they honestly sucked. It was a Lancome GWP palette and it was just bad. I have a Clinique one too but like I said, favorite shadow and I'm just not ready to let it go yet.

Lancome can do that sometimes! A lot of what I am trying to use up are the smaller GWP's. It is hard being torn between using them up and hoarding them I am still trying to hold myself to the use 2 up buy one, which pushes me a bit. Started working hard to use up my smaller liquid bronzers before fall/winter hits (e.g. I have a teeny tiny one from the Benefit advent calendar etc. So cute!)

 

[mel33t]

So I watched a few of Pinksofoxys videos last night. She was the one who started the whole "Make-out 2013" as far as I know and I know she had some good tips. She made a list that reduces her stash to her ideal numbers and I did the same. It looks like I've got my weekend cut out for me! I want to drastically cut foundations, eyeshadows, and lip products. I don't think the other things will be too bad, like cutting 18 eyeliners to five and going from 16 bronzers to 10 bronzers. Blushes are another story... How do you guys go about sorting your stash and committing to getting rid of things. I'm nervous I'm going to say "Oh but I'll use it" , when in reality, I won't.

 

[charlotte366]

How do you guys go about sorting your stash and committing to getting rid of things. I'm nervous I'm going to say "Oh but I'll use it" , when in reality, I won't.

If I never used it, it goes straight away, If I haven't reached for in 3 months it goes unless its because its a seasonal shade etc. I also where I have dupes compare formulas, deciding only to keep the best performing or most flattering.

I try to avoid making descisions based on the brand or the cost, if it works and gets used it stays. If it doesn't work or doesn't get enough love then it goes. The one area I really struggle to reduce is my blush stash - emotionally attached to those babies!

 

[NaomiH]

Books! Now we are talking! The Life of Pi is a great book, as is the Eyre series by Jasper Fforde (Sort of an alternative reality England where books are very important, it is funny!, I am actually re-reading them). Any books by LM Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables). She also wrote a series of short stories, including ghost stories! I read A Year in Provence (P. Mayle) this year and LOVED it. Hilarious, light and uplifting. Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town by Stephen Leacock is very funny, and I believe free for e-readers on gutenberg.
A friend lent this to me and it is sitting on my shelf now! I may have to watch it this weekend, thank you!

Good job, way to commit! I don't have as much as most people here, but starting to feel like I should do an inventory myself.


I hear ya! I was on a no buy May-June because of life. Since then, only a few nail polish and one drug store lipstick on half price. Even when I went in to get my Sephora birthday gift, I bought a purchase a friend wanted for her rather than something for myself. I did recently order a bunch of skincare to a parcel holding place for my trip down to the USA in august, but I will need those, especially come winter. I guess I did break down and put one half sized lip gloss from 100% pure in with that order

Three eyeshadows would be hard! I am trying very hard to use up about 5-6 colours and even then it is hard to stick to them!

Anyway, it has been a while. Since about the end of April I have purchased a few nail polish (5?), one half sized lip gloss, one half price drug store lippie, and some skincare (100% pure and eminence) on a good discount in the USA for the winter. I was interested in the new Sephora lip set, but I bought both last year and with the repeats I just finally put it back.

You so should, it's a wonderful film! I recently bought a new copy of Anne of Green Gables about 2 weeks ago since I hadn't read it since middle school and plan on starting that this weekend!

 

[boschicka]

So I watched a few of Pinksofoxys videos last night. She was the one who started the whole "Make-out 2013" as far as I know and I know she had some good tips. She made a list that reduces her stash to her ideal numbers and I did the same. It looks like I've got my weekend cut out for me! I want to drastically cut foundations, eyeshadows, and lip products. I don't think the other things will be too bad, like cutting 18 eyeliners to five and going from 16 bronzers to 10 bronzers. Blushes are another story... How do you guys go about sorting your stash and committing to getting rid of things. I'm nervous I'm going to say "Oh but I'll use it" , when in reality, I won't.

Does your inventory include drugstore items or is it just high end?

 

[mel33t]

Does your inventory include drugstore items or is it just high end?

I'd say its a healthy mix. I don't think that cost and quality are the same thing. For example, I don't like Chanel e/s quads and I think MAC or MUG makes better e/s. I do think its hard to find a good drugstore blush though, that's the only thing that doesn't have a bit of drugstore thrown in. Lip products are a lot of drugstore too.

 

[boschicka]

Does your inventory include drugstore items or is it just high end?

I'd say its a healthy mix. I don't think that cost and quality are the same thing. For example, I don't like Chanel e/s quads and I think MAC or MUG makes better e/s. I do think its hard to find a good drugstore blush though, that's the only thing that doesn't have a bit of drugstore thrown in. Lip products are a lot of drugstore too.

Couldn't agree more about cost/quality.

I could inventory my med-high end makeup and it would be ridiculous, but if I added in drugstore items too, forget it. I did go through my collection and sell some items. I was able to sell high end items that I have a cheaper dupe for b/c it's not important for me to have the name, just the color and staying power.

 

[Bcteagirl]

You so should, it's a wonderful film! I recently bought a new copy of Anne of Green Gables about 2 weeks ago since I hadn't read it since middle school and plan on starting that this weekend!

I will then! You will love the book! Do you have an e-reader?

 

[shellygrrl]

Books! Now we are talking! The Life of Pi is a great book, as is the Eyre series by Jasper Fforde (Sort of an alternative reality England where books are very important, it is funny!, I am actually re-reading them). Any books by LM Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables). She also wrote a series of short stories, including ghost stories! I read A Year in Provence (P. Mayle) this year and LOVED it. Hilarious, light and uplifting. Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town by Stephen Leacock is very funny, and I believe free for e-readers on gutenberg.

I'm pretty sure Anne of Green Gables was the first chapter book I ever read. I read it for the first time when I was around eight. Overall, I've read it three times and the other seven books in the series twice. Lucy Maud Montgomery will always be one of my favourite authors.

How do you guys go about sorting your stash and committing to getting rid of things. I'm nervous I'm going to say "Oh but I'll use it" , when in reality, I won't.

Most things were easy for me. Either the quality sucked, or I didn't love the product, or a particular colour didn't suit me. When I set aside my Sleek palettes to be swapped or sold, I had to come to terms with the fact that with my Ultra Mattes Darks palette, the quality wasn't always there, despite the fact I like many of the colours in it, and that although I love the colours in the Bad Girl palette, I just don't use it enough to keep in my stash. With those I had to be even more brutally honest than usual. With UD Smoked and Naked 1, I had to use those exclusively for a month each to decide. With Smoked, I chose to keep it because I fell back in love with it and remembered why I bought it in the first place (loads of neutrals with pops of colour, travel-friendly). With Naked 1, it was a little harder, and now that I'm typing this out, I'm beginning to question if listing it for swap or sale was a good idea. I do like some of the colours in it but at the same time, there are those in it I would never use (namely Half Baked, Gunmetal, Creep, and Toasted (pretty in the pan but doesn't suit my skintone, IMO). Argh!

 

[NaomiH]

I will then! You will love the book! Do you have an e-reader?

I remember enjoying it when I was younger! I don't, I've thought about it but I guess I'm just a little old school in the book department because almost nothing makes me happier than the smell of a new book or the sound the spine makes when you open it for the first time. I do use the Kindle app on my phone from time to time when I'm in a situation where I have to be waiting for something and really like that, but I don't think I'm ready to make the e-reader jump just yet. lol

 

[Bcteagirl]

I remember enjoying it when I was younger! I don't, I've thought about it but I guess I'm just a little old school in the book department because almost nothing makes me happier than the smell of a new book or the sound the spine makes when you open it for the first time. I do use the Kindle app on my phone from time to time when I'm in a situation where I have to be waiting for something and really like that, but I don't think I'm ready to make the e-reader jump just yet. lol

I hear you, I love books especially older ones! I use my reader for travelling, was just going to say there is a lot of her writing free online. Paper books are fabulous I agree.

 

[NaomiH]

I hear you, I love books especially older ones! I use my reader for travelling, was just going to say there is a lot of her writing free online. Paper books are fabulous I agree.

I might download one or two to that phone app and start one while I'm waiting on my car to be repaired on Saturday.