Your rules for ballin on a MAC budget?

[FemmeNoir]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpohrer As soon as photos of a new collection come out, I like to see what colors I already own are similar to the new shades. Then, I make my own substitute collection. For example, the Sweetie Cake quad reminds me of Zinc Bar/Forgery, Pale Out/Pinkling, Tease 'N' Teal/Meadowland/Blue Absinthye, and Plum/Mystical Mist/Stila's Mambo. The lipglasses remind me of Crystal Beach/Fool for You, Flashmode/Pink Poodle, Wonderstruck/Tartlette and Rayothon/Flusterose. Next, I gather my substitutes and start playing! If I do not have a substitute, I know that the color is either a) unique and I must look at it, or b) one I have avoided in the past because it did not look good on me. I look at the new collection for inspiration--how to use what I already have in new combinations! Try it! It's super fun!

OMG, I do that too! I thought I was the only one. Normaly I put out my "own collection" out on my bathroom counter and play with those until the next collection.

I already matched enough stuff for Sweetie Cake that I won't buy anything. I'm still working on Lingerie matches...any suggestions??


Thanks!

 

[aznsmurfy]

Wow. I am so floored at how helpful this thread is!!!!!! I am totally grateful for you girls and your super tips and not doing the MAC thing w/o throwing a monkey wrench in a budget. Yeah, with all the new collections and stuff it makes me kind of crazy. . .I give myself excuses like, if I don't buy it now I'll have to pay double on eBay so buying one of each now is a deal! hahaa Yeah. . .no more of that! wooo

I am doing to only spend money I have. No more MAC until no more debt.

 

[Isis]

Here's mine:

1. I never buy anything that I KNOW I'll never use, won't work for me, or doesn't thrill me to begin with (even if it is LE).

2. I buy all the regular colors in pro-pan.

3. Invest in several x15 palettes for the pro-pans.

4. B2M for all my lipsticks

(so stockpile your empties! and if you swap on MUA, as for empties as extras.)

5. PRO CARD! ok that's actually more bad than good....

 

[lovejam]

I know what you mean about the lipglasses. I hate the way they feel. They're so sticky and blech.

However, chromeglasses? *Awesome*. I wish those were permanent, because then maybe I'd actually buy lipgloss from MAC.

As it is, when I am on a budget, I go by this rule: Never buy anything unless you can come up with at least two looks for it. That way, instead of just going by "ooo, pretty sparkly color," I'm thinking more carefully about how useful a product would actually be for me.

Most of the time, I also ask myself "can this be used by itself, or do I need other colors to make it work?" If it doesn't look good on it's own, I usually pass on it.

There are always exceptions, but I am pretty good about sticking to my rules most of the time.

 

[caramelhunie]

I'm trying to make rules for myself because I'm starting to feel guilty with how much I own and how much I barely get a chance to use. We'll see how long this lasts but here they are:

1. Limit myself to 1-2 lipglasses from each collection and make sure that they're not similar to any that I own because I have waaay too much.

2. Same thing goes for lipsticks too. I have too many nudes and I keep buying more because of the raves on the boards. (I did good with Lingerie because I completely ignored all the Body Suit raves, yay for me!) So I'm only gonna buy a lipstick if it's really unique.

3. As for eyeshadows, I'm gonna have to stop getting so excited when a new collection comes out because I always end up picking up all the LE's without thinking about what I already have that's similar.

4. My last rule is ignore the boards! After I do my haul for each collection I always read what the boards are buzzing about and then I go back and buy it when I should have followed my first instinct which was to pass it up in the first place because it doesn't suit me.

Well that's all the rules I can try to stick by for now because pigments, MSFs, and any new products that MAC comes out with such as: glimmershimmers, bronzing sticks, glitz glosses, etc..I'm always gonna by it because it's something new even though sometimes I end up hating it (glimmershimmers, glitz glosses).

 

[mspixieears]

I generally try to avoid colours I've already got, and with special items, I only get it if I think I really will use it.

My self-control is admittedly coinciding with the start of the new year - I need to save for a musical instrument and so I'm going to be really choosy and try not to get caught up in the hype! It's a bit infectious though

 

[Pink_minx]

*try not to buy colors that I know I wont use a lot like pink, blue, and green. I have a lot of those colors but I dont use it (the only colors I use are black, purple, brown, and creamy beige off white colors like shroom)
*Dont buy lipstick that looks good on someone else but when I use it, it looks totally different and horrible, next time I will test them out before I buy it duhh
*stop buying eyeliners that have somewhat the same color but maybe one shade lighter or darker

 

[unalicious]

* See everything in person and try to swatch and test as many colours as possible. I didn't test with Cockatease l/s, bought it, hated it, then swapped it away. I did that with Expensivo l/s, too. I bought it without testing it, and then realised that it's just a more shimmery version of High Tea l/s (which I have and love).

* Absolutely NO lustres, no matter how pretty and sparkley they look. I have 2 and I never use them. Even now, they sit in a 4-pan, isolated from my other eye shadows and I scowl at them when I see them.

* Anything I buy has to work with everything else that I own. LE eye shadows are a priority, as they sell out quickly, so anything that's in the regular collection can wait. Whenever I consider any new colours, I think to myself, "What will this work with?"

* If I think I have something similar to it at home, I swatch it on my hand (either at home or at the counter) and test it against the new product. I did that with Say Yeah! e/s and Melon pigment, as well as Shimpagne and Naked You MSF. I'm pleased to say that I didn't get Say Yeah! or Naked You, and I remain happy in my decision.

* If I'm broke, or trying to save money, I stay away from the counter until a new colour story comes out and I'm interested in it. It's easier to resist temptation that way.

* Most importantly, I'm not terribly heartbroken if I don't get something from a new collection. I don't buy off of eBay, and I won't swap/buy for more than the current retail price. I love MAC, but it's only make-up. It won't kill me if I don't have that new colour, and MAC will release something later on that I will love. I might be disappointed, but it won't change the quality of my life. Some people might not agree with this, but it's practical and pragmatic.

 

[user2]

For me I can say:

* Don't buy stuff, if you're not 100% convinced that you love and use it
* Start looking out for colors in the permanent collection that are close to the things you wanna buy!
* Take your e/s-palette with you to make sure that you don't have the same e/s... (Yes, I do that!)
* Lipsticks don't work for you
* Think twice if you will use it often!

 

[Joke]

My only rule is: Do I have sth similar?
You would be surprised by how much is actually almost the same ...

 

[2_pink]

Dont really have many rules for myself, other than:

-Only buy from the permanent collection when i have enough money to get what i want/need & still have enough to last me until i get paid.

-Avoid ordering online cuz of tempting online swatches & swatch them in person.

-Only order online when i am sure of what i want & have a free shipping code.

-Get pigment samples rather than buying the full jar at first, if i love it then i can get it when i run out, or if its LE then i'll try to get it asap.

 

[veilchen]

I'm a total sucker when it comes to saying no to myself ;-)

I can understand you all so well - I just love to get something new, although I know that in many cases, if not even in most, I already own something very similar ... Do you know this feeling that you just want something, no matter what? That's my problem. Of course I will never be able to use everything I own up, but I don't mind - I just like to collect (isn't this something genetic that we retained from the times we lived in caves and had to collect food to survive? *lol*).

There are only few rules I stick to and they coincide with things already mentioned:
* I don't buy lustres, I can't get them to work (except D'Bohemia)
* I steer clear of very dark browns and purples on my lips because I'm so pale, same holds true for eyes & cheeks
* No bronzers for me either because it makes me look weird

Unfortunately, this isn't enough to save me money ;-)

 

[PrettyKitty]

I have some rules too:

- I never, never never never (Did I said never?) spend more than a certain amount. This year it's 300$ each month. That's a good thing because I used to spend 350$ each month in 2005, and 500$ each month in 2004!

- If it's a glittery product (Like Naked You) for the face, it's not for me.

- If it's very similar to another shade I already have, I try to skip it.

- I sell everything I rarely use.

- I almost never buy Lustre e/s.

- I read reviews and look at swatches.

 

[Sushi_Flower]

I have to live by rules permenantly as i just can't afford anywhere near as much MAC as most of you guys as i am jobless 20yr old student.

Some of my rules are

1. Test and research every single product insanely in every way possible before buying, such as reading reviews, looking at swatches, asking people's opinions, looking at FOTDs, looking at products photos etc and only buy if i know i'll really love it and use it alot and that it will really suit me - i let myself break this rule now and again for when i'm feeling like treating myself for the hell of it and just want to buy anything that catches my eye, funnily enough these turn out to be my best purchases! Eg. I got Mythology e/s on a whim and it's beautifull on me and i got Love Nectar l/g yesterday on a whim as it looked pretty and i had to ease the pain of the exam i had afterwards!

2. Never buy LE stuff unless it's something very special that i love and something that will last for ages such as MSFs or pigments, and e/s and lip stuff ONLY if i can accept that this is a LE product just to enjoy while it lasts and i shouldn't fall in love with it and then stress with finding replicas of it.

3. Never buy a smokey, dark, or dirty e/s, i can't even wear a little black eyeliner due to my eye circles and if i try to wear these types of colours then i have to cake on the concealer which i'd rather not do.

4. Only spend leftover money after important things have been bought first.

5. Right now - build up must needs for me from the permenant collection slowly first - proving very hard as money seems to be taken away constantly by all the tempting LE collections.

6. Never buy anything just because everyone else says it's great.

7. Never buy anything that requires alot of time and effort for it to 'work' for myself - such as Naked You skinfinish, pretty but too light and what's with all the large sparkles? I know there's a 'tehnique' to get rid of those insane silver sparkles but who wants to spend time taking off what they provide? Not worth getting for me. Same to Goldenaire - everyone loves it and i love the colour in the pot and wanted it to be my first full size pigment just because i want one but it's clearly too light for my taste, i decided NO and i'm glad i did!

8. Never buy a dark lipstick again - I used to only wear dark browny red lipsticks, all Indians did as it seems the obvious choice with our colouring but it makes my makeup look dated unless i soften it up a little. Sheer Plum was my first lipstick - never use it!

 

[mandirigma]

Reading all of your rules is getting to be really helpful in narrowing down my wishlist, guys (except for the Chromeglass comment cause that just makes me want to go out and get one... LOL). Some of the rules that sort of seemed like no-brainers are things I actually hadn't even thought of.

I think I'm going to draft up a list of rules to post up on my fridge to stop me from getting tempted. lol.

 

[a914butterfly]

i usually try the item on before i decide if i want to buy. if im not thrilled by it or unsure, then i dont buy. on the collections (like lingerie) when i am so happy with everything, i just budget my self for the next collection and do my research here on specktra (to see if i think the next one is better or if the next is something im not too interested). so i only bought the pinkocrassy chromglass cause that is all that interested me. so now the lingerie collection didn't hurt me and i'm not that thriled with catherine d collection comming up, so now i know i can buy a few things if anything does interest me. but i'm really saving for the sweetie cake collection cause after seeing the pics here- i want it all!!!!

 

[princess]

I don't really have rules, since I normally only buy their lipglass/blusher/msf.

It helps that my country get new color stories slower (about a week or two, but sometimes it can really kill!) than in the States, so by that time I would have seen many real life pictures of the products, comparisions to existing colours and reviews.

Anyway I will definately drop by the counter to try out the stuff I lem to see whether I really like it or not. When I test it out and it's instant love, I will buy straightaway. If I don't, I just walk away. I also won't buy anything if I find it close to something that I already have.
There is always another new collection to drool over. As for the LE thing, I don't care since I don't do backups or what.

Since I'm not lemming anything from Icon or Culturebloom, I'm saving my moolahs for Sweetie Cake. Oh the petit glosses!

 

[asnbrb]

Erin's Rules

1. Pigments-- see if i can get a sample if anything. samples last really long

2. No LUSTRES. They look pretty in the pot/pan, but like crap on me

3. If I lemming it, I need to be able to wear it with at least 25% of my collection.

4. Use my B2M as much as possible.

5. Ask for all gifts to be MAC or Macy's (which carry MAC) giftcards. This includes omiyage from the Vegas Pro Store(gifts when you travel). Guilt trip them if possible

6. If all five above fail, make sad sad puppy dog eyes at my boyfriend until he gives in.

 

[Becki]

Hehe I dont have a budget if I see something I like I buy it!! Hehhee opps!

 

[jmvuitton]

hahaha i feel horrible.. i honestly dont have any "rules" when it comes to MAC. Instead of trying to limit myself on what I want, I just play smart with money. For an entire month, after bills and such, I put 2/3 of leftovers to savings and use the rest on shopping. It's normally around $700-1000 I get to spend so it's usually MAC or Louis Vuitton. And of course, most of it goes to LE items. I also use lipgloss 90% of the time so I tend to only get lipsticks with B2M. I also sell things I don't ever use if it's just sitting there for 3 or more months.