Resolution "LOW-BUY" 2015

nt234

Well-known member
Right now, my biggest challenge is trying not to not buy palettes and bundles on an impulse. I almost bought a palette with my $20 off Sephora VIB card, but I decided to be more practical and get an Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, my HG foundation.

For the end of the year, I need to get rid of anything I haven't even touched this year, and really focus on my organization rather than buying more makeup. The only exception is some more ABH single shadows.
 

MzBrownBeauty

Well-known member
I really hope this board continues into 2016...I have a ton of things going on and really need to save money. I honestly, don't need a thing like most of here but the struggle for a new, shiny, makeup item is real! Happy Holidays to everyone! Here's to buying less and saving more in 2016!
 

shellygrrl

Moderator
Staff member
We'll be rolling this thread over in the new year. :catdance:

Party FOTD (I went to a Christmas party tonight)...
* MUFE Step 1 - Mattifying Primer
* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* OCC Creme Colour Concentrate - John Doe (initial contour)
* MUFE Ultra HD - mix of Y205 and Y225
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Rimmel Stay Matte Powder - Transparent
* Anastasia Brow Powder Duo - Ash Brown
* Benefit Gimme Brow - Medium Deep
* NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Eyeshadow - Malt (transitionish shade)
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Moondust (lid)
* MAC Eyeshadow - Omega (crease)
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Corrupt (outer corner and faded into crease)
* Prestige True Khol Kajal - Matte Black (upper and lower lashlines, smudged)
* Sephora Contour Eyeliner Pencil - 01 Black Lace (lower waterline; held up really well!)
* BareMinerals Flawless Definition Mascara - Black
* Kiss Short Trio Lashes (four short clusters from the outer corners to the middle, two extra shorts near the inner corner; I did better with my right eye than the left)
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin (contour)
* NARS Blush - Sex Appeal
* MAC Lipstick - Viva Glam II
 

shellygrrl

Moderator
Staff member
Okay, I don't anticipate buying any more makeupy bits until the new year, so here's my final "what I bought in 2015" list...

January
* Bare Minerals Flawless Definition Mascara - Black (repurchase)
* free sample of Laura Mercier Smooth Flawless Finish Fluide - Vanille
* Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara - Clear

February
none

March
* Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer (mini size)
* 100 pt mini Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant Mascara - Black
* NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (repurchase)

April
none

May
none

June
* Hakuhodo J142
* Hakuhodo J146
* Hakuhodo J5529
* Bare Minerals Flawless Definition Mascara - Black (repurchase)
* MAC Paint Pot - Tailor Grey
* Prestige True Kohl Kajal Waterproof - Matte Black

July
* MAC Eyeshadow - Malt
* MAC Eyeshadow - Omega
* Sephora Pro Pointed Brow #35
* beautyblender (purple)

August
* Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation - Y205 Alabaster
* NARS Beauty Insider Birthday Perk - Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella + Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien

September
* Kiss False Lash Adhesive
* Kiss Short Trio Combo Lashes
* Orly - Sky Blue
* MAC Paint Pot - Nice Composure
* MAC Mattene Lipstick - Personal Pick
* MAC Eyeshadow - Typographic

October
none

November
* mini Make Up For Ever Step 1 - Mattifying Primer
* mini Make Up For Ever Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* deluxe sample of Benefit Gimme Brow - Medium/Deep

December
* Chikuhodo T4
* Sephora Contour Eyepencil 12hr Waterproof - Black Lace

And to see where I ended up, goal-wise (original comments in italics)...

Where To Stop (No Buy)
Pre-Made Eyeshadow Palettes - Don't want or need any more. - None purchased! UD Smoky was tempting, but I have resisted.

Bronzers - Need to work through the two I have, not to mention I've got one blush that practically is a bronzer on me! - None purchased! And I did use what I had. (I ended up using my Body Shop bronzer a bit more than my Benefit Hoola, though.)

Concealer - I'm okay with the ones I have at the moment. - I'm... so-so on my face concealers at the moment. I dunno. I almost wonder if I'm a bit picky in this regard? That said, no new ones were purchased!

Eye Liners - The ones I have need to be used more. - I ended up tossing eight (!) eyeliners due to age and bought a couple of black eyeliner pencils as replacements (the second one I bought mainly for waterline purposes).

Blushes - Going to focus on the ones I have. - None purchased! I actually purged two of my MAC blush pans. And I hit pan on NARS Sex Appeal.

Setting and Finishing Powders - Don't need either/or right now. - None purchased! That said, I'm kind of missing having a loose powder, and my current setting powder (Rimmel Stay Matte) isn't doing it for me. (That also said, I hit pan on one of the ones I have.) So I'll be eyeing loose powders for 2016.

Where To Slow Down (Proceed with Caution)
Single Eyeshadows - Although I added several shades to my stash in 2014, I did notice a gap (this includes within pre-made palettes): matte transition(ish) shades. Even with my eye shape I think I can do with some. So I'd like to focus primarily on those sorts of colours. That said, I won't smack myself (much) if I buy a shade I'm lemming. And I'd like to complete the eyeshadow side of my MAC palette; I have five spots remaining. (I'm still wanting to separate it, and the blush side, into two singles.) - All my MAC stuff is in one single palette. I did add three shadows to my stash this year -- two in the matte transition(ish) category (MAC Malt and Omega) and one that was a long-time lemming (Typographic), and they've all been used quite a bit. And I got rid of four of my Makeup Geek shadows, mainly bright colours that I was sent years ago that didn't get much use. I also tossed a few MAC ones that I wasn't into.

Lipliner - I spotted a gap here, too (I don't have a true purple lipliner). I can fill that. - I ended up buying no lip liners this year! Heh.

Brow Products - I did pick up a deluxe sample of Benefit Gimme Brow toward the end of the year, as I no longer had a proper brow gel after I got rid of the Maybelline one (tossed it after six months, didn't and won't repurchase, did the hairspray-on-a-spoolie technique for a time).

Eyeshadow Primer - Replace/repurchase my NARS primer. - Did that!

Lipgloss - If I run out of a colour I have, or if it goes bad, I can replace it. But I don't think I'll be adding any more. - And I end the year with NO lipglosses! They all went bad. And I never bought any, not to replace or to add to the stash. There are a couple that I want, but I'm still not in much of a rush to buy them.

Mascara - Two is a good number for me, and the ones I have are loves. Just repurchase when the time comes. - The two I was referring to at the time were BareMinerals Flawless Definition and the Marc Jacobs O!Mega Volume (I had a deluxe sample of the latter that I tossed at some point toward the start of the year). I liked the formula of the MUFE Smoky Extravagant, but not the wand.

Cream Eyeshadows/Paint Pots - I'm looking at Tailor Grey to round out this part of my stash. - Did that! I also added Nice Composure.

Lipstick - There are some shades I need to use a bit more (namely my reds!), and I still want to come up with additional lipliner/lipstick combos. I still want a few NARS Audacious lippies, but I'm not in much of a hurry to buy them. - The lipliner/lipstick combo didn't quite happen this year, and I ended up tossing six of my lippies while adding three (two were the NARS/Sephora Beauty Insider birthday perk for the year). But I did discover a new shade I like (NARS Rikugien), as well as another matte formula that feels comfortable on my lips (NARS' Velvet Matte Lip Pencil formulation).

Points of Focus
Pigments - Use the ones I have even more. I likely won't add to the number I have, but I'm not going to restrict myself from buying more, either. - I ended up getting rid of one -- or, rather, I spilled it while applying my makeup one day, and it got sucked up by the vacuum cleaner. The others didn't get a whole lot of use, and I didn't add to my stash. I wonder if I'm not a loose pigment person?

Highlighter/Luminizer - I've got two (one liquid, one powder) I've been looking at. - Bought none.

Foundation Primer - There is one I have my eye on: Hourglass Veil Mineral. I'll get the little one to try out and see if I like it. Then I'll go from there. - Bought a mini version, tried it, liked it quite a bit. Then I tried a sachet of MUFE's Hydrating Primer (came with my Ultra HD Foundation... more on that momentarily) and liked that. Bought the Mattifying and Smoothing ones later on, and I think I prefer them to the Hourglass.

Foundation - I'll likely be in the market for at least one new one next year. My CC cream has got to be nearing its end; my NARS one is aging; and the less said about my Maybelline, the better. I've got a few that I'm looking at, and at least one in particular that my radar is on. - Indeed, I finished my CC cream this year, and I got a sample of -- and later bought -- MUFE Ultra HD (two different shades that I've ended up mixing because -- OMG! -- the one I bought is actually too light for me. That rarely happens.). I also sampled the Laura Mercier SFFF, which was okay.

Brushes - There is at least one gap I want to fill. Otherwise it's to look for better shapes to serve various purposes, or to supplement existing brushes, so I have a collection I love. - I bought five new brushes this year. I'm carrying this little project, of sorts, into 2016.

Miscellaneous
False Lashes - I don't wear them much, but they're something I'd like to delve into/play with a little bit more. - Finally got to play with falsies a little more and ZOMG. Much fun. I'll have to practice applying them some more, but... yeah. I don't think I'll turn into someone who wears false lashes every day, but I can definitely see the appeal and how they can enhance or alter a look.

As for whether or not I'll participate in 2016, I likely will.
 
Last edited:
B

Buffy89

Guest
@shellygrrl: oh wow, I really admire your achievements! Truly an inspiration.
(And I wish the thanks button might show up again one day)
 
Goals for the next year are to buy only Urban Decay naked 2 basics for natural daytime looks, Mac Spite lipglass, and replace what I run out of and can't be without... I have so much unused makeup it makes me upset...but I have a couple of looks I gravitate towards generally so I have no use for bright colours most of the time
 

shellygrrl

Moderator
Staff member
@shellygrrl: oh wow, I really admire your achievements! Truly an inspiration.
(And I wish the thanks button might show up again one day)

Thanks! :) One day, we'll have something similar to the Thanks button. Priorities, y'know. :yes:

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Mattifying Primer (nose and forehead only)
* MUFE Ultra HD - mix of Y205 and Y225
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Anastasia Brow Powder Duo - Ash Brown
* Benefit Gimme Brow - Medium/Deep
* MAC Mattene - Personal Pick

Yeah, nothing on the eyes or cheeks today.
 

MzBrownBeauty

Well-known member
Goals for the next year are to buy only Urban Decay naked 2 basics for natural daytime looks, Mac Spite lipglass, and replace what I run out of and can't be without... I have so much unused makeup it makes me upset...but I have a couple of looks I gravitate towards generally so I have no use for bright colours most of the time

Spite is one of my favorite lipglasses! I've gotten away from buying them but always keep Spite & Viva Glam 4 in my stash :rolleyes:
 

Glitteryvegas

Well-known member
Hey Ladies!

It's good to be back! I've been checking in a bit and poking around, but I haven't really had anything to add for a while! I miss the like button too! haha!

As per my goals, I haven't purchased one item of makeup in 2015! Any items I rec'd were gifted to me. I purchased a brush (Real Techniques Silicone liner brush) at TJ Maxx or something like that for $6 I think. I don't count that as a 'makeup' purchase, but I acknowledge that it is makeup related!

Items I rec'd as gifts this year or got from Sephora for free (Bday gift, points):

15 Pan MAC palette - Browns/Golds
Naked Lip Pencil - UD (Xmas gift from Hubby - got him to purchase for me from Nordstrom Rack....as it is discontinued now....sadface).
Milani Brow Shadow in "Light"
Becca Highlighter - Champagne Pop
Lancome Sample Mascara (got with Sephora Points)
MAC Miley Cyrus Viva Glam Gloss
Sephora Bday Present - NARS lip pencils x2 (gave one away)
UD Naked Gloss - Sesso (given to me by my SIL who has the UD palette set, didn't want the gloss)

I don't think I'm missing anything! :):) To be honest, I'm pretty happy with how everything went. I resisted collection after collection, trips to Sephora to get things for other people, etc. One area that I added to is fragrance: I bought two Sage rollerballs, Bronze Goddess Rollerball, and the trio of Clean rollerballs from the Black Friday sales. Those weren't needed purchases, but I've been enjoying having new scents around to put on in the morning.

I've loved reading the updates from you guys, I can't tell you how much you've motivated me! It looks to me like we've made some fantastic progress this year in all different areas of our lives.

I recently got a full time teaching contract until June, so I'll be super busy with that. I find that the more I look at things, the more I think about how much effort it takes to look after them. I think I'm going to do another purge of my makeup to get rid of dupes, etc. that are unnecessary. I still have BUs of items waiting to go when I run out of the current thing. YES. EVEN AFTER ONE YEAR OF NO BUYING. That tells you something, eh? We need so much less than we think.

I've been watching PinksoFoxy aka Christine over and over - I love her decluttering series. Absolute gold.

Where do I go from here? NOT BACKWARDS. I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do next. I think next year, I'll allow myself the ability to replace necessary items (mascara, powder, etc.) but no more coloured shadows, liners, or things like that. I may want an item from the Selena collection, but that depends on what things are released. I am a big fan of her music and have been for years, so I'm looking forward to that. Basically I want to afford myself some freedom in 2016 but I find that I work best with restrictions. I'm an 'all or nothing' person and I've found that that works for me, at least for right now. When Jan 1st hits I'm not going out to buy something makeup related. I have a debt repayment goal of Oct 2016 and hubs and I are running a half marathon that we are travelling for so we have some big plans. Over Xmas and boxing day I did go a little crazy with clothing - I bought boots, leggings, etc. Since I'm transitioning into 'work clothing' I did need some things, but probably not as much as I purchased. Some areas for improvement for 2016 would be: focusing on minimizing household purchases (candles, books, etc) and continue working on my makeup 'collection' (downsizing, streamlining, etc.). I'm finding that pigments are not easy to work with but they are so pretty. I don't think that's enough of a reason to keep all of them. I may 'depot' them for a B2M and give away the product or some of it while keeping the container.

Anyways, I'm so thrilled to read of our successes! Keep up the great work ladies, we've come so far! Would love to stay in touch in 2016! xo
 
Top