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

Glitteryvegas said:

UGHHHHH What a terrible day for my impulses. I bought 3 Lit Cosmetics glitters online and hopefully they are still running the fourth glitter free promo (if not, I just get the three and were charged for three). I can't believe their shipping is $10 when I live in the province next to them. *Sigh*

<--------- ME

Tomorrow I can start all over again. In a good way.

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Aww...don't worry they're always running the 4th free glitter of the moment(which is rhinestone cowboy right now I believe) Also, anytime you order, if you type LIT CHICK in the notes and then type a glitter you want, you get another free one. So any time I order I always get two free glitters, which makes the shipping more bearable. It actually used to be order two glitters and get the free color of the season, but it changed this fall. I generally order either black friday from them (Buy one get one free) or when they are at a convention, b/c they often offer a second free color on top of the one already available. Just a little saving money tip.

LinenWhite7 said:

I got a $25 credit for Kohl's in my email and my first thought was to get makeup. We don't really need anything, but I'm sure that $25 would be better spent on clothes for my growing kids or a household item. Lorac Unzipped and theBalm Instain blushes can definitely wait. But in the past I wouldn't have hesitated to use that credit for makeup.

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:cheer: Spoil your kids! The palette and blushes can wait.

HerGreyness said:

oh dear!  this is one thread where I belong -- at least my heart and soul do. There was a time I was buying more makeup as a dose of happiness for my soul.  In 3 years I have lost my husband, my only sister, my two dogs and many friends.  It seemed like makeup was my solution to easing that pain.  I don't drink, do drugs, or many other vices -- but if I had, I would have the same regrets. In the 3 years I have lived on 3 continents.. lost and seeking home.  A few months ago, I hit bottom and realized that my home was where my heart was and that was back home with my mother who is aging and who needs my love and attention.  This is not to say I have not traveled extensively for work -- I try to stay away from DF shops. lol. as for my stash -- I realized that what I had left behind in Miami was still in great condition, some things were damaged (watch out for too many lipglosses/lipsticks).  I threw these away with a happy heart because I realized that I was getting to that point in my life where happiness is not comprised of me looking any particular way, but how happy my heart was.  I gave much away to young MUAs who need to build up their stash.  I have kept some which is still considerable.  My work put me in the epicenter of this hurricane of buying for all my looks -- real or imagined.

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So sorry for your losses. :hug: I love that you gave a lot of your stash to young MUAs.

there are so many issues with this low buy, or no buy for a while -- in my case I did a cold turkey and now have eased back into a more comfortable pace. I no longer feel I have to "treat" myself, and prefer to treat others to other things - books, trips, necessary things. Cosmetics is still my world.. my metier and my bette noir.. but will I let that rule my life. Not anymore. will hang in and hang tough.. and one of these days post pics of my still ginormous stash.

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:cheer:

All this talk about joining this thread and I'm only now popping in here. Tsk. Hope I'm not too late. Thanks @PixieDancer and @Serenityy for coming up with this thread!

@HerGreyness, I am so sorry to hear about your losses. Your post is truly an inspiration and the wake-up call I think a lot of us try to avoid at times. Very glad to hear that you're managing to take your experiences and attribute them to positive changes and growth.

@Audrey C, I need you to stay in this thread! Hopefully that doesn't sound as weird as I think it does o_o But all of your posts have hit it exactly on the head, especially about unthinking purchases messing up future goals. My makeup and food shopping habits really add up over time, but when I'm spending $3 here and $8 there and buying a $18 lipstick every so often, it really does snowball. I really want to change that this coming year, and I'm hoping that like everyone's been saying, my reformed makeup shopping habits will bleed into all my other shopping habits. I used to be so much better at saving money before I had a job... I feel like I want too much now and I'm losing sight of the bigger picture. /:

That being said, my goal for 2014 is to be strict and hold myself accountable. I'm going to do a low-buy because I know myself, and a no-buy would just send me in the complete opposite direction. At least a "low-buy" makes my brain think there's a chance of me actually getting new stuff without the guilt, shame, and disappointment that would lead to me completely scrapping the whole thing. So first up, trick myself into thinking I have the option, and then talk myself out of whatever it is I'm considering. Make sense?

Some specifics:
- No more lipgloss. I have 22, 3 of which are unopened. I don't even really like lipgloss because I talk a lot (LOL, can you tell?) and I'm always drinking water so it transfers everywhere. If I can stick to this, I'll reward myself with BUXOM Dolly at the end of the year, because I got a mini (slightly smaller than a CSG) from a Sephora bag thing and I have like 1-3 uses left.
- Stay away from MAC quads. I just can't justify these for the price. Maybe it's because I know MAC never has sales, but I can't reconcile that I'll drop $40-44 on four shadows I've used 1-2x since, but then wait seven months for 20% off on LORAC Unzipped, which I did last year. Even though it's $40 too with six more shadows and my HG eye primer and I actually use it all the time. Gotta stop that.
- Actually, stay away from palettes in general. Always getting sucked into the "value" of things, but what value is it if I don't even use them enough to make it worth buying? Been doing pretty good with this for HE palettes, but I have to stop buying WNW trios and 8-pans that sit in my drawer untouched.
- Blush has got to be super-duper-out-of-this-world-special. Totally failed on not buying blush after NARS Pierre Hardy collection, both of which I haven't even used yet. >_> Really, I'm giving myself an "option" here in case NARS comes out with any LE blushes that catch my eye.
- No more eyeliner, especially black, brown, or anything that resembles MAC Undercurrent.
- No mascaras. Easy, because I don't like mascara that much and I have enough minis from Sephora to last the year.

And the two hardest...
- Lipstick: I need help!!! This is the most out-of-control portion of my collection. I have three problems: 1) I just love lippies too much in general, 2) I'm always interested in trying out new formulas, and 3) I always willfully dupe myself, esp. if it's a new formula. I can't count the number of times I'll pick up a lipstick, go "Oh, this reminds me of such-and-such, which I love!" and buy it for that very reason. -_________- Messed-up logic. I don't want to say no lipsticks because I know I'll fail, but I do need to place some sort of limit otherwise I'll just keep buying too many. Any suggestions? /:
- Back-ups: This mainly has to do with the lipsticks, too. I don't do it often, but once I do I have a hard time letting them go. Lbr, I have so many lipsticks that I probably won't even finish all of them, let alone get to the couple of back-ups I have. Should I be strict and say no back-ups whatsoever? I should, right?

Oh dear. I am sorrying to talking (posting?) your ears off, but I am wishing upon stars that posting this where other people can help me stay accountable will allow me to stick to these goals. -sigh-

Glitteryvegas said:

UGHHHHH What a terrible day for my impulses. I bought 3 Lit Cosmetics glitters online and hopefully they are still running the fourth glitter free promo (if not, I just get the three and were charged for three). I can't believe their shipping is $10 when I live in the province next to them. *Sigh*

<--------- ME

Tomorrow I can start all over again. In a good way.

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Just regroup. Clear your mind. Just look at it this way, now you don't need any more glitters for awhile. Just promise you will use the ones you bought! Good Girl!

"Tomorrow is a new day, with no mistakes in it." (from Anne of Green Gables....a fav quote)

Spikesmom said:

I got the Sephora email after I had used my coupon too. I don't think it was a sinister plot though, just bad timing. On the subject of the coupon, I finally got my order yesterday. I bought two new palettes and they are gorgeous, but I didn't need them!! I used one of them this morning and felt so guilty and sick about it. I'm going to force myself to go through older products and purge so I don't feel so bad.

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Awwww... don't feel sick hun, just the fact that you recognize the issue is all that matters and will help you take that step forward. Enjoy your new palettes. Enjoy your old palettes. Just realize you need a "palette break!" HeeHee

PS I'm on a "palette break" too... so we're in that one together!

novocainedreams said:

Aww...don't worry they're always running the 4th free glitter of the moment(which is rhinestone cowboy right now I believe) Also, anytime you order, if you type LIT CHICK in the notes and then type a glitter you want, you get another free one. So any time I order I always get two free glitters, which makes the shipping more bearable. It actually used to be order two glitters and get the free color of the season, but it changed this fall. I generally order either black friday from them (Buy one get one free) or when they are at a convention, b/c they often offer a second free color on top of the one already available. Just a little saving money tip.

Thank you so much for this! I emailed Jodie to see what she can do for me. Hopefully she'll be able to give me another glitter.

If not, next time! Errr....what am I saying? Nope!

Quote: Originally Posted by PixieDancer
Just regroup. Clear your mind. Just look at it this way, now you don't need any more glitters for awhile. Just promise you will use the ones you bought! Good Girl!

"Tomorrow is a new day, with no mistakes in it." (from Anne of Green Gables....a fav quote)

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Thank you PixieDancer - your encouragement means a lot! You're right, no more glitter needed for a long, long time. It takes ages to use it up anyways! Also, I LOVE Anne of Green Gables. She's such a literary icon!

I'm feeling the love here. Let's use the rainbow squishy people!

LavenderPearl said:

All this talk about joining this thread and I'm only now popping in here. Tsk. Hope I'm not too late. Thanks @PixieDancer  and @Serenityy  for coming up with this thread! :kiss: @HerGreyness , I am so sorry to hear about your losses. Your post is truly an inspiration and the wake-up call I think a lot of us try to avoid at times. Very glad to hear that you're managing to take your experiences and attribute them to positive changes and growth. :bouquet:    @Audrey C , I need you to stay in this thread! Hopefully that doesn't sound as weird as I think it does o_o But all of your posts have hit it exactly on the head, especially about unthinking purchases messing up future goals. My makeup and food shopping habits really add up over time, but when I'm spending $3 here and $8 there and buying a $18 lipstick every so often, it really does snowball. I really want to change that this coming year, and I'm hoping that like everyone's been saying, my reformed makeup shopping habits will bleed into all my other shopping habits. I used to be so much better at saving money before I had a job... I feel like I want too much now and I'm losing sight of the bigger picture. /: That being said, my goal for 2014 is to be strict and hold myself accountable. I'm going to do a low-buy because I know myself, and a no-buy would just send me in the complete opposite direction. At least a "low-buy" makes my brain think there's a chance of me actually getting new stuff without the guilt, shame, and disappointment that would lead to me completely scrapping the whole thing. So first up, trick myself into thinking I have the option, and then talk myself out of whatever it is I'm considering. Make sense? Some specifics: - No more lipgloss. I have 22, 3 of which are unopened. I don't even really like lipgloss because I talk a lot (LOL, can you tell?) and I'm always drinking water so it transfers everywhere. If I can stick to this, I'll reward myself with BUXOM Dolly at the end of the year, because I got a mini (slightly smaller than a CSG) from a Sephora bag thing and I have like 1-3 uses left. - Stay away from MAC quads. I just can't justify these for the price. Maybe it's because I know MAC never has sales, but I can't reconcile that I'll drop $40-44 on four shadows I've used 1-2x since, but then wait seven months for 20% off on LORAC Unzipped, which I did last year. Even though it's $40 too with six more shadows and my HG eye primer and I actually use it all the time. Gotta stop that. - Actually, stay away from palettes in general. Always getting sucked into the "value" of things, but what value is it if I don't even use them enough to make it worth buying? Been doing pretty good with this for HE palettes, but I have to stop buying WNW trios and 8-pans that sit in my drawer untouched. - Blush has got to be super-duper-out-of-this-world-special. Totally failed on not buying blush after NARS Pierre Hardy collection, both of which I haven't even used yet. >_> Really, I'm giving myself an "option" here in case NARS comes out with any LE blushes that catch my eye. - No more eyeliner, especially black, brown, or anything that resembles MAC Undercurrent. - No mascaras. Easy, because I don't like mascara that much and I have enough minis from Sephora to last the year. And the two hardest... - Lipstick: I need help!!! This is the most out-of-control portion of my collection. I have three problems: 1) I just love lippies too much in general, 2) I'm always interested in trying out new formulas, and 3) I always willfully dupe myself, esp. if it's a new formula. I can't count the number of times I'll pick up a lipstick, go "Oh, this reminds me of such-and-such, which I love!" and buy it for that very reason. -_________- Messed-up logic. I don't want to say no lipsticks because I know I'll fail, but I do need to place some sort of limit otherwise I'll just keep buying too many. Any suggestions? /: - Back-ups: This mainly has to do with the lipsticks, too. I don't do it often, but once I do I have a hard time letting them go. Lbr, I have so many lipsticks that I probably won't even finish all of them, let alone get to the couple of back-ups I have. Should I be strict and say no back-ups whatsoever? I should, right? hboy: Oh dear. I am sorrying to talking (posting?) your ears off, but I am wishing upon stars that posting this where other people can help me stay accountable will allow me to stick to these goals. -sigh-

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You sound a lot like me, I relate to most of what you're saying. Backups - have you ever actually used one before? If not, then yes, be strict and rule them out completely. Especially if you have lots of very similar shades, they are your backups, just because they're not identical doesn't mean they don't count. Lipstick - have you got any particular gaps in your collection that you can focus on? Or too much of any one colour in particular that you can say definitely no more of, for example? How many do you have in total / normally buy? Thinking about those things might help you come up with your limit. I think a few of us are doing a max of one a month.

*runs over to this thread, totally out of breath and just drops*
Okay, I need someone to talk me off the ledge before I jump head first into the pit that is the Magnetic Nude Collection. After seeing swatches, I feel like I want about 10 things but I think I can limit myself to 2 and just wait patiently (more like hurry up and use things I already have so I can feel better about another purchase) for a few other things to arrive at the CCO in a few months. I think my power of reason is winning because I really did talk myself out of the EDES because I can't make myself purchase at full price an eyeshadow that I paid the same amount for but got almost double the product before. The lipglasses definitely have my attention but I think I can wait for the CCO. What I'm thinking is that I'll just allow myself one EDSF and one EDB. That is all. Now that I've given voice to it, I need my fellow low-buyers to help me stay focused

2browneyes said:

*runs over to this thread, totally out of breath and just drops*
Okay, I need someone to talk me off the ledge before I jump head first into the pit that is the Magnetic Nude Collection. After seeing swatches, I feel like I want about 10 things but I think I can limit myself to 2 and just wait patiently (more like hurry up and use things I already have so I can feel better about another purchase) for a few other things to arrive at the CCO in a few months. I think my power of reason is winning because I really did talk myself out of the EDES because I can't make myself purchase at full price an eyeshadow that I paid the same amount for but got almost double the product before. The lipglasses definitely have my attention but I think I can wait for the CCO. What I'm thinking is that I'll just allow myself one EDSF and one EDB. That is all. Now that I've given voice to it, I need my fellow low-buyers to help me stay focused

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Focus!

Nudes are nice, but there is no need to rush into everything all at once. Remind yourself just how many sets they have, and how many sets other brands have. If you go full hog on this one, what will happen with any of the others?

Focus!

Nudes are nice, but there is no need to rush into everything all at once. Remind yourself just how many sets they have, and how many sets other brands have. If you go full hog on this one, what will happen with any of the others?


You are absolutely right!

I am joining in too if thats ok! I have bought significantly less mac in 2013 and slowed my purchasing down a lot until November when I went a little MAD again. I have been trying to improve my life but not withdrawing into a totally make up orientated world, but expanding my horizons and trying to do other things. I am planning on restricting myself to 12 items over the year as I really don't need anything. My collection is out of control and I have made a spreadsheet which really brought it home to me. A lot of things are BNIB and can be rehomed via the collection bin and ebay. I am planning on spending part of my christmas break from work to assess my collection with cold hard eyes, I really only want to keep what works for me and what I will use lots and enjoy. At the moment I am not enjoying my collection as it overwhelms me. I want to create a smaller collection that fulfills my need for variety and pretties but doesn't leave me running scared! Instead of focusing on make up I have booked a holiday, therefore this should help me focus on creating memories that last a lifetime rather than making the make up companies profit from my addictive shopping habits! i did this in 2013 and it was the best thing I could have done as I actually questioned all of my spending up until the point I got back. I even managed to go through duty free without buying anything! I also plan on creating a little box where I can put my empties...hopefully this will encourage me to use things up and identify the items, colours, textures and formulas that really work for me. This should hopefully educate me when it comes to purchasing stuff so I make fewer mistakes. I also want to expand this to my skincare, bodycare and clothes. I have so many clothes lying around that i just don't wear so I hope to go through this properly over christmas and give the unwanted stuff to charity. I am hoping to start 2014 with an uncluttered life, and work hard to improving my situation. I have loved reading everyones comments and I am feeling far more positive about 2014 knowing there is support for treating my addiction with a low buy and I don't have to ban myself from spectra. I am now subscribed to this threat and will be back reguarly to keep me on the right track!

Down to two items from Magnetic Nude.

lyseD said:

Down to two items from Magnetic Nude.

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Lucky! I'm still waiting for the EDSFs, lipsticks, and glosses to be reviewed. So far I'm skipping the blushes and eyeshadows!

charlotte366 said:

I am now subscribed to this threat and will be back reguarly to keep me on the right track!

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Sounds like a good plan. It's funny how many other things we can find to do with our funds once we take a bit of makeup out of the equation lol

charlotte366 said:

I am now subscribed to this threat and will be back reguarly to keep me on the right track!

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Yes, I have a couple weeks off starting tomorrow (Yea!) and I plan to sort through my stash and reorganize over my break. It will be nice to get rid of things that I don't need and make things a little neater, but also great to really come face to face with this makeup addiction and see how unnecessary it is to keep things I don't even use.

I love that this is a "low-buy" rather than a "no-buy" because I don't think I could really cut myself off completely. At least not yet

Great idea! I'm in. But I'm pretty sure that the Maleficent collection will do me in! Maybe I'll skip a few other collections to make up for it!

PixieDancer said:

Awwww... don't feel sick hun, just the fact that you recognize the issue is all that matters and will help you take that step forward. Enjoy your new palettes. Enjoy your old palettes. Just realize you need a "palette break!" HeeHee

PS I'm on a "palette break" too... so we're in that one together!

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I went crazy on palettes this fall/winter so I really, really need a break. I'm just proud of myself for holding out on Naked 3.

The good news is that I LOVE my newest palette. I got that Clinique palette with the 8 nudes and omg it's gorgeous. Their new e/s formulation is perfection. It has a really nice taupy color and the Black Honey e/s that is to die for. I think this palette will keep me happy and satisfied for a good while.

charlotte366 said:

I am hoping to start 2014 with an uncluttered life, and work hard to improving my situation. I am now subscribed to this threat and will be back reguarly to keep me on the right track!

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Welcome! Hooray for working towards an uncluttered life!

lyseD said:

Down to two items from Magnetic Nude.

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Good for you! I am knocking things off my list too. I'm trying to keep it to 3 things. I was sure I wanted Morning Rose lipstick but I've crossed it off the list based on T's review. It will pull brown on me, skip! I haven't ever tried an Extra Dimension product so I do want to try and SF or blush. But I do not need do shell out $20 for an eyeshadow unless it is the most incredible thing i have ever worn.

I did not read all the posts to this thread just a few. I restarted makeup from 0 products in mid 2008. I like to buy 7 products or less per season. So spring 7 summer 7 fall 7 and winter 7 to a total of 28 sometimes less. I have not counted but I am over a 100. For the way I use it is more than enough. So far this winter I bought a makeup palette 1 lippencil 1 single eyeshadow in a christmasy gold so still 4 items to buy. This works for me. I see lots of beautiful things online but I refrain from buying.

Spikesmom said:

I went crazy on palettes this fall/winter so I really, really need a break.  I'm just proud of myself for holding out on Naked 3. The good news is that I LOVE my newest palette.  I got that Clinique palette with the 8 nudes and omg it's gorgeous.  Their new e/s formulation is perfection.  It has a really nice taupy color and the Black Honey e/s that is to die for.  I think this palette will keep me happy and satisfied for a good while.

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I also went palette crazy! But I really do think they are the best values, so I want to really limit myself all year so that I can pick a few holiday palettes next year. To me it makes sense to hold out for high-end products at drugstore prices.