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

[hippychic823]

Well, I've been kinda MIA from the forums for awhile cause I was doing pretty darn good with my low buy....totally skipped FoF (even though I wanted Dreaming Dahlia; Heavenly Hybrid and both blushes and MSF's...and I'm still realllllllllly wanting Stereo Rose sooooo bad I stalk it on Nordies daily ); February was a complete NO BUY for me (pretty big accomplishment!!! ); stuck with my low buy for March and resisted buying the TooFaced Chocolate Bar palette and the TooFaced Bonjour bronzing palette but did buy 2 NYX round lippies and 2 NYX soft matte lip creams and a set of Real Techniques brushes and a Maybelline Highlighter Blush in Coral at Ulta (with a coupon though ) I'm justifying these buys as part of my low buy cause the lippies are drugstore brand and the brushes were an investment.....which brings me to noooowwww.....been lurking on Playland and Alluring Aquatic forums and also the Proenza as well and the enabling is strong over there!!! I initially wanted ALLLLL the Proenza lippies (just cause they're LE and LE cosmetics, esp lippies are my weakness) but after serious consideration I decided all I want from Proenza is an ombré powder and maybe, just maaayyyybe Mangrove l/s cause I love red orange lippies, but the Proenza packaging is soooooo fugly it helps deter me from wanting more.....but Playland has me wanting all the lip glasses and at least the Toying Around l/s and possibly a BU for it....Alluring Aquatic on the other hand....OOOOHHHHH LAAAWWWD, I want EVERY lippie, all the lip glasses except one, both ED blushes and an EDSF.....I came here to get back to "low buy" reality and get some "un-abling".....ladies, heeellllp a sistah out....my will is weak...I almost bought Hoop this AM just cause it's LE and it's getting hyped up on the forum and the crazy thing is, I honestly think Hoop looks very boring but I came this close to ordering it just because.....team low buy, be my voice of reason while all these awesome collections are dropping left and right

 

[kerry-jane88]

Eyemazing April Tues 1st Illamasqua Reflection Palette: used all shades, shame the yellow colour is too glittery for an everyday highlight. Never used this quad before it's nice and subtle for a Smokey look Mac rosemary & thyme pencil on lower waterline Mac industry pencil on upper rim 17 doll eyes mascara brown Didn't apply too much of anything incase hayfever strikes!

 

[Audrey C]

Well, I've been kinda MIA from the forums for awhile cause I was doing pretty darn good with my low buy....totally skipped FoF (even though I wanted Dreaming Dahlia; Heavenly Hybrid and both blushes and MSF's...and I'm still realllllllllly wanting Stereo Rose sooooo bad I stalk it on Nordies daily ); February was a complete NO BUY for me (pretty big accomplishment!!! ); stuck with my low buy for March and resisted buying the TooFaced Chocolate Bar palette and the TooFaced Bonjour bronzing palette but did buy 2 NYX round lippies and 2 NYX soft matte lip creams and a set of Real Techniques brushes and a Maybelline Highlighter Blush in Coral at Ulta (with a coupon though ) I'm justifying these buys as part of my low buy cause the lippies are drugstore brand and the brushes were an investment.....which brings me to noooowwww.....been lurking on Playland and Alluring Aquatic forums and also the Proenza as well and the enabling is strong over there!!! I initially wanted ALLLLL the Proenza lippies (just cause they're LE and LE cosmetics, esp lippies are my weakness) but after serious consideration I decided all I want from Proenza is an ombré powder and maybe, just maaayyyybe Mangrove l/s cause I love red orange lippies, but the Proenza packaging is soooooo fugly it helps deter me from wanting more.....but Playland has me wanting all the lip glasses and at least the Toying Around l/s and possibly a BU for it....Alluring Aquatic on the other hand....OOOOHHHHH LAAAWWWD, I want EVERY lippie, all the lip glasses except one, both ED blushes and an EDSF.....I came here to get back to "low buy" reality and get some "un-abling".....ladies, heeellllp a sistah out....my will is weak...I almost bought Hoop this AM just cause it's LE and it's getting hyped up on the forum and the crazy thing is, I honestly think Hoop looks very boring but I came this close to ordering it just because.....team low buy, be my voice of reason while all these awesome collections are dropping left and right

Wow, I can almost feel your frenzy. Ok, take a deep breath.

I don't know how much makeup you currently have, but I'm assuming that you're not starting from scratch. You have all the Playland l/g and almost all the AA ones on your list. How quickly do you get through gloss? How many do you already have? Really, are these colours so unique that you don't already have similar ones? Lipglass are the only MAC items I've ever had go off on me, and it's happened in well under two years for some of them. How about just picking one from each collection?

I'm sure you already know that buying a lipstick just because it's LE doesn't make sense. There is often a very similar perm version of it, either from MAC or someone else. How many lippies do you already have? We don't yet know what the finish will be for the AA lipsticks and there have been no swatches yet. How can you really know that you'd even like them?

I would suggest stepping back and doing an inventory of the makeup you already have (assuming you haven't already). Do you use all the ones you have, or do you have a bunch you either never reach for or haven't even tried yet? When you have it all down in black and white, you'll be in a better position to decide what it makes sense to add to your stash. Obviously, you'll also need to figure out what you can actually afford as well.

Without even knowing what you have or wear, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I'm confident you don't need a lot of what's on your list, and I'm betting at least some of it wouldn't get used much. Make sure you're not just succumbing to the thrill of acquisition rather than the pleasure of carefully and thoughtfully adding to your stash. Don't forget that makeup is a consumable and not a collectable and that it can and does expire.

Hope that helps.

 

[Ajigglin]

ok, so here is the first part of my "secret": I have been in negotiations for months to sell my business.. and about 3 weeks ago, I was finally given word from a bank that the person interested would be elegible for a loan and it would go through.  So, effective 6 months from now, at the latest Dec. 2014.. I will be FREE .. to do as I want, any ol time.. (Mick Jagger).,:yahoo: nothing as glamourous as what you guys all suspected would happen, and nothing that I was not prepared for.. I am just very very happy! I did not buy an island, adopt a puppy, or get married... much less conceive a kid.. lol. you ladies have fertile imaginations!  I did receive a surprise from my mother and it is that she is "seeing" a little old gentleman from the Senior Center.. lol.  She is in love or lust:haha:   more news to follow. xoxox

That's a pretty damn good secret. Congrats!!!

 

[mosha010]

Listen up New York team low buyers: There's a chance to go to ImATs NYC for free. I posted a thread just now on a small giveaway I'm doing: pretty much be my guest for imats. Tickets are sold out and going for insane prices online... Giving priority to my low buy ladies that want to attent gratis details on the post

 

[elkaknits]

looking at pictures of hoop it looks like a coraly pink which I guess is popular. On Karen it looked kinda nice and not coral leaning but I can't do those colors so it was an easy skip. Plus she says it looks very similar to flavor on the lips which might be awesome if you were voting that way but flavor looks like somebody was Moshing powdered donuts to me {Im sorry I know people like those colors so no offense…. I am sure there are those that think reds look like red light district clown wear and I accept to each their own}

I haven't even looked at the other collections but a while back our fabulous her grayness wrote {I copied and pasted it into my notebook so am not looking for post}:


Quote: Actually, if one does a deep review of the habits of women, one blush might be all that we need for every 18 months or so... One lipstick a year. 3 tubes of mascara. 1 Bottle of foundation if we chose to use it, one powder per annum.
again, we get into the conundrum of needs - what do we need? very little in cosmetics. What do we want and why do we want it?... that is the critical difference.
it's not the price of an item -- it can be pennies or hundreds -- it's what motivates our spending patterns which must be controlled.






I will say that I believe we need at least 2 lipsticks… one that is for daytime and one that is more dramatic for evening/going out. Or one awesome red if you are me and some lip balm to sheer it out so it isn't as brazen. OR one fashion shade aka the color du jour be it orange, coral, pink, lavender, purple what not and one classic shade. I like to wear plum or berry colors during the daytime and red for dressing up myself but you know what you actually wear. Odds are you have a dozen of them {I have tons of plum/berry shades and tons of reds} I am a believer in picking up a fun fashion shade once a year and sticking with neutrals otherwise. Yes RED is a neutral. So is pink for that matter. IF you can imagine somebody wearing it in a 50s classic movie then it is classic even if it has a modern twist to it.

 

[elkaknits]

instead of editing my above I will admit my fashion-y bit tends to be something like nail color or maybe eyeliner color otherwise I am into classic shades for eyes and lips… Even nail polish I almost always do red or french-y

I have to confess I have little business hanging out on a makeup forum

 

[Ajigglin]

Listen up New York team low buyers: There's a chance to go to ImATs NYC for free. I posted a thread just now on a small giveaway I'm doing: pretty much be my guest for imats. Tickets are sold out and going for insane prices online... Giving priority to my low buy ladies that want to attent gratis details on the post

I'd love to go! Wish I could.

 

[mosha010]

Aw man where r u?

 

[Ajigglin]

Philly. :/ I will be home in two weekends, though. I'm running a race.

 

[mosha010]

Waahhhhh okay

 

[Audrey C]

looking at pictures of hoop it looks like a coraly pink which I guess is popular. On Karen it looked kinda nice and not coral leaning but I can't do those colors so it was an easy skip. Plus she says it looks very similar to flavor on the lips which might be awesome if you were voting that way but flavor looks like somebody was Moshing powdered donuts to me {Im sorry I know people like those colors so no offense…. I am sure there are those that think reds look like red light district clown wear and I accept to each their own}

I haven't even looked at the other collections but a while back our fabulous her grayness wrote {I copied and pasted it into my notebook so am not looking for post}:




I will say that I believe we need at least 2 lipsticks… one that is for daytime and one that is more dramatic for evening/going out. Or one awesome red if you are me and some lip balm to sheer it out so it isn't as brazen. OR one fashion shade aka the color du jour be it orange, coral, pink, lavender, purple what not and one classic shade. I like to wear plum or berry colors during the daytime and red for dressing up myself but you know what you actually wear. Odds are you have a dozen of them {I have tons of plum/berry shades and tons of reds} I am a believer in picking up a fun fashion shade once a year and sticking with neutrals otherwise. Yes RED is a neutral. So is pink for that matter. IF you can imagine somebody wearing it in a 50s classic movie then it is classic even if it has a modern twist to it.

Back in the days when I only had a handful of lipsticks, I finished at least a half dozen a year. I don't cake it on, but I reapply throughout the day (at least 6-8 times). Now that I favour glossier/more sheer finishes, I probably go through more than that. I'm going to finish at least six this year (Out For Passion is already about half gone) and I have almost 30 lipsticks (although I don't wear them evenly).

I have combination/oily skin and go through 2-3 blot powders and a setting powder (as well as a HUGE number of blotting papers). I go through 2-3 foundation type products (tinted moisturizer, BB cream, foundation), a couple of concealers, a couple each of eye/face primers, 4 mascara. Eyeshadow and blush are harder to measure since I have a lot, but I do make a dent in them (particularly NARS blush and softer eyeshadow like LM). I'm about to hit pan on African Violet from the Artist Palette and I just got that in November. I use lip liners with everything except balm like lippies, so I use up at least a couple of those a year. Same with eyeliner/fluidlines. Highlighters last the longest for me, because I use so little of them.

I wear makeup virtually every day but I don't think I'm heavy handed; I still finish lots of products throughout the year.

 

[elkaknits]

Back in the days when I only had a handful of lipsticks, I finished at least a half dozen a year. I don't cake it on, but I reapply throughout the day (at least 6-8 times). Now that I favour glossier/more sheer finishes, I probably go through more than that. I'm going to finish at least six this year (Out For Passion is already about half gone) and I have almost 30 lipsticks (although I don't wear them evenly).

I have combination/oily skin and go through 2-3 blot powders and a setting powder (as well as a HUGE number of blotting papers). I go through 2-3 foundation type products (tinted moisturizer, BB cream, foundation), a couple of concealers, a couple each of eye/face primers, 4 mascara. Eyeshadow and blush are harder to measure since I have a lot, but I do make a dent in them (particularly NARS blush and softer eyeshadow like LM). I'm about to hit pan on African Violet from the Artist Palette and I just got that in November. I use lip liners with everything except balm like lippies, so I use up at least a couple of those a year. Same with eyeliner/fluidlines. Highlighters last the longest for me, because I use so little of them.

I wear makeup virtually every day but I don't think I'm heavy handed; I still finish lots of products throughout the year.

yeah I am not sure exactly how she arrived by those numbers. I own one foundation but am antsy to move onto a different one {I use MAC match master or something like that in 1.5 and actually I had a horrible chemical burn over an eczema spot on upper lip and it covered it well so maybe not} and 2 concealers and 2 powders {MM beauty powder and Nars} I am happy with 1 blush {Nars Sin but have branched out to many more in past 2 yrs} and 2-3 eyeshadows. Lipsticks and nail polishes I am getting to I can replace when I get rid of… I mean I really really wanted the Nars nail polishes that came out recently but said ummm girl you have over 100 red polishes why don't you finish one before you buy another …. I hate it when I talk to myself like that. But I haven't purchased more than a handful of products since last summer and when I joined Team Low Buy I specifically said I will be buying my lipstick and staying Low to No buy until then so I can justify stocking up like a metric ton of this one color.

Everytime I saw something that looked pretty I was ummm Glam vs this and glam always won.

 

[LinenWhite7]

Today is my first day of Love It or Leave it April! Foundation: CoverGirl outlast stay fabulous 3-in-1 in 810 classic ivory Concealer: maybelline instant age rewind eraser dark circles in Neutralizer Blush: Julep glow blush in peach Bellini Bronzer: Revlon PhotoReady bronzed & chic Highlight: physicians forums shimmer strips Vegas strip Lip: Milani Nude Creme l/s with Revlon SL l/g in Nude Lustre Eye: Too Faced A la Mode eyes palette Mascara: CoverGirl Clump Crusher

 

[Audrey C]

yeah I am not sure exactly how she arrived by those numbers. I own one foundation but am antsy to move onto a different one {I use MAC match master or something like that in 1.5 and actually I had a horrible chemical burn over an eczema spot on upper lip and it covered it well so maybe not} and 2 concealers and 2 powders {MM beauty powder and Nars} I am happy with 1 blush {Nars Sin but have branched out to many more in past 2 yrs} and 2-3 eyeshadows. Lipsticks and nail polishes I am getting to I can replace when I get rid of… I mean I really really wanted the Nars nail polishes that came out recently but said ummm girl you have over 100 red polishes why don't you finish one before you buy another …. I hate it when I talk to myself like that. But I haven't purchased more than a handful of products since last summer and when I joined Team Low Buy I specifically said I will be buying my lipstick and staying Low to No buy until then so I can justify stocking up like a metric ton of this one color.

Everytime I saw something that looked pretty I was ummm Glam vs this and glam always won.

I'm sure those numbers are accurate for many women; most don't wear makeup daily and not everyone has oilier skin that eats up powder regardless of the effort spent on skin care, primers, foundation choice, etc.

Nail polish is something I don't go through much of. I have about 60 bottles currently, but I can't remember ever finishing a bottle. I've stopped myself from buying anymore because I get busy and just don't do regular pedis in the winter and I'm unable to grow my fingernails without them splitting/breaking no matter what I do.

 

[PixieDancer]

HI EVERYONE!!!! I HAVEN'T HAD ANY TIME TO READ THROUGH THIS THREAD YET (my 2 year old is howling from upstairs as we speak) BUT I JUST WANT TO DIVE RIGHT IN HERE AND BE A PART OF TEAM LOW-BUY!!!!! I haven't posted on Specktra pretty much since having my baby so I figured this is the right place to come back to. I have missed you all and am looking forward to being part of Specktra in the least financially damaging way, GO TEAM LOW-BUY!!!!!

Oh this is a GREAT way to be on Specktra without having to deal with a lot of temptation! And we talk about EVERYTHING here... not just low-buying and makeup!!
SOOOOoooooo happy to have you join us! YAY!

Quote: Originally Posted by LinenWhite7

Today is my first day of Love It or Leave it April!

Foundation: CoverGirl outlast stay fabulous 3-in-1 in 810 classic ivory
Concealer: maybelline instant age rewind eraser dark circles in Neutralizer
Blush: Julep glow blush in peach Bellini
Bronzer: Revlon PhotoReady bronzed & chic
Highlight: physicians forums shimmer strips Vegas strip
Lip: Milani Nude Creme l/s with Revlon SL l/g in Nude Lustre
Eye: Too Faced A la Mode eyes palette
Mascara: CoverGirl Clump Crusher

I LOVE the name.... "Love It or Leave It April!" VERY creative!
I need to choose a challenge myself for after my Lipppie challenge!

 

[Starlight77]

Today is my first day of Love It or Leave it April! Foundation: CoverGirl outlast stay fabulous 3-in-1 in 810 classic ivory Concealer: maybelline instant age rewind eraser dark circles in Neutralizer Blush: Julep glow blush in peach Bellini Bronzer: Revlon PhotoReady bronzed & chic Highlight: physicians forums shimmer strips Vegas strip Lip: Milani Nude Creme l/s with Revlon SL l/g in Nude Lustre Eye: Too Faced A la Mode eyes palette Mascara: CoverGirl Clump Crusher

Love the name!! I will join you even though I have 8 days left.

 

[Starlight77]

I tried to do MAC lipsticks only and I upped it for my challenge as I wanted to do 30 days of not repeating a lipstick, blush or palette. I normally just post my lipsticks but too lazy to edit my list LOL Here is my 2 week review... Day 1: Urban Decay Native Lipstick Naked Basics Palette MAC The Perfect Cheek LOVED everything Day 2: MAC Feed The Senses Lipstick Naked 3 Palette Tarina Tarentino Neapolitan Lane Blush LOVED everything Day 3: MAC Plumful Lipstick Chanel Harmonie Du Soir Palette MAC Vintage Grape Blush LOVED everything- my favorites Day 4: MAC Betty Bright w/kiss & tell lipglass MAC Caramel Sundae Quad MAC Cream Soda Blush LOVED everything- my spring favorite for spring but needed to add MAC flatter me pearlmate over cream soda after a few hours to liven it up Day 5: Rose Lily Lipstick Tarte Mattenificent Palette Mac Pink Buttercream Pearlmatte as blush LOVED palette and lipstick didn't 'love' the pearlmate but It's ok. I'd sell or swap it if someone wanted it. Day 6: Flair for finery w/you've got it c/s MAC Vintage Coin e/s Tarte Exposed Blush LOVED everything- first time I've worn vintage coin. I have swatches it 20x but never wore it. I really like it. It's my only cream shadow that's not used only as a base. Day 7: MAC Marcel Wanders Annemiek Lipstick Clinique Spruced Up Duo Nars Dolce Vita Blush LOVED THE DUO- i forgot how I like this duo. It's more for fall in my opinion so I will be sure to give it some love then. Not a fan of the Annemiek. It washed me out and is in giveaway bin. Nars Dolce Vita is soooo pretty but it's frustrating on how light a hand I have to use. It's so pigmented which is awesome but for me it's more work so I may be giving this to a friend. Day 8: MAC Syrup Lipstick MAC Interior Life Quad MAC Petticoat MSF LOVED everything- this quad got bad reviews but I really like it. I call it my mommy look. It's quiet and subtle. My most used MAC quad.[/b] Day 9: MAC Pure Zen Lipstick Dior Bleu de Paris Palette MAC Legendary Blush LOVED everything Day 10: MAC Snapdragon Lipstick- happy spring! Clinique Pink Chocolate Quad Clinique Cheek Pop Plum Pop LOVED everything- seriously loving these pop cheek blushes. Going to get a 3rd during chic week. Day 11: MAC Venus Lipstick YSL Chromatic #9 Palette MAC At Dusk Blush LOVED everything Saturday Day 12: MAC Lustering Lipstick Urban Decay Theodora Palette Hourglass Radient Magenta Blush LOVED everything- my new found love for Lustering. Wish it stayed on longer. I will try lip liner on under it. Day 13: MAC Glamourdaze Lipstick Sephora + Pantone Orange Quad MAC My Paradise Blush LOVED everything Day 14: staying in bed with my baby girl. I'll update later

My 3 week recap: Day 14: this was day after, i seriously didn't leave the bed that day. we ordered pizza LOL MAC Viva Glam Gaga Lipstick Dior Rosy Tan Palette TheBalm Down Boy Blush LOVED everything Day 15: MAC Sheen Supreme Impressive Lipstick Kat Von D LadyBird Palette TheBalm Frat Boy Blush LOVED everything- i do notice a weird smell with the sheen supremes, not bad but more like a chalky candy kinda smell. forgot how much i love this formula and color. Day 16: MAC Daddy's Little Girl Lipstick w/Mall Madness on top Dior Grege Palette Nars Gaiety Blush LOVED everything Day 17: MAC Kittenish Patentpolish TheBalm NudeTude Palette Nars Mata Hari Blush LOVED everything- i like kittenish but don't love it. it did stay on longer with a matte under it but I'm up to the point with MAC that I don't want anymore products that need work. I want it to work from tube or it's not for me. I am keeping it and am willing to try another color, possibly fearless since i love crayons in the summer. they don't melt in heat as bad. Day 18: MAC Dreaminess Lipstick Ready To Party, Stolen Moment, Peachy Keen Shadows MAC Gentle Blush LOVED everything- LOOOOOOVVVVVVEEEEEEEE Gentle. so glad i bought it and can't wait to wear it again. First time for EDES as I got them in a swap and I really liked them. I will definitely peek at the new ones coming out but i'd probably only get one more. I'm a palette girl (as you see no repeats yet and i'm about half done geez) :shock: Day 19: MAC Girl Next Door Urban Decay Shattered Face Kit liked everything- ok i found a way to wear girl next door. I put MAC Splashing Lipglass on top and really liked the look. took a few trial and errors and was about to toss in bin but i'm glad i kept. Day 20: MAC Flamingo Lipstick TheBalm Meet Matte Palette MAC Legendary Blush LOVED everything- I wore MAC Legendary again In honor of HIMYM last episode, get it??? haha ok well it entertained me and made me laugh LOL i need to wear my Balm Palettes more, they get pushed to the back to often. Day 21: April 1 MAC Lavendar Whip Lipstick Laura Mercier Artist Palette 2 MAC Sakura LOVED everything- Thinking about getting pure silliness lipglass to put on top. why am i liking lipglasses now that I just got rid of all mine nooooooooo this can't happen, LOL. anyways i used stay sweet lipglass on top but made it too pink. ok so that's my 21 days of lipsticks. I have 9 more to go and i counted only 4 more MAC i was wanting to wear (not good) what to do with the other 11 or so left. Some I will throw in giveaway bin without even trying again like (crosswires, blankety) but others i like to keep just to keep. ya know for that one random day in your life you may need that specific color, right? ohhhhh bad bad bad. i can NOT wait to wear my Dior and Chanel again. ohhhhh how i miss thee but i'm proud of myself for making it through this far all MAC lipsticks, YAY!

 

[CrimsonQuill157]

Yesterday was MAC Till Tomorrow, today Lady Danger. I am determined to wear at least one of my reds and at least two or three non-MAC lipsticks this week!

 

[Audrey C]

Inspired by Pixie's spring look (and since I'm working from home today), I created one of my own:

Bobbi Brown BB Cream
Lips: MAC Chicory liner, Fresh & Frisky Huggable
Cheeks: MAC Matte Bronze bronzer, HG Dim Infusion blush, MAC Adored MSF as highlight
NARS Light Reflecting Loose Powder
Eyes: Electric Palette (upper lid sheered out)
Inner lid - Thrash
Middle lid - Freak
Outer lid/corner - Fringe
Transition: MAC Free to Be
Blending: MAC Orb
Lower lash line: Fringe
Upper lash line: UD Crave (closest thing I have to black)
Black mascara