January 2013 No-Buy/Low-Buy Thread!

Hi ladies, I'm actually new to the makeuptalk forums but I seriously need help with my no-buy resolution!  I'm so glad you have this support group thing going.

 

I was telling my sister that years ago when I first started, I purchased maybe one item a year at Sephora.  Then it became three items every six months, then five every two months, then....oh I'm embarrassed to go on.  Think logarithmic scale.  Anyways I was increasingly dismayed at how much I was spending and started raiding drugstores for makeup instead of Sephora, which is totally irrational because I don't actually NEED any more stuff but helps my guilty conscience that it costs so much less.  My sister doesn't use makeup at all and was totally mystified at my pain.  

 

So i'm soooooo glad you guys are here!  Finally, someone who understands!

 

Anyways, in January I absolutely must NOT buy anymore eyeshadow!  (Why are those gorgeous new palettes so damn tempting, boohoo)

 

Also no more cosmetics or skin-care products since I am fully stocked (and then some) on most stuff!

 

The only exception would be something that is not currently in my routine, like a good concealer for dry under eye skin (see? I'm already building in loopholes....)

 

ok, I must confess, I did buy a $9 NYX contouring kit at Nordstrom Rack today..... :(  But I didn't have one before!

I'm on board !!! I have such a ridiculous amout of products samples etc I am on a strict no buy . I really don't need anything ! I am staying subscribed to bb, ss and might keep the natural beauty box but no other purchases!!! Might be a contender for hoarders lol!

I say all the time that I'm not buying anything, so I'm hoping that if I go on the record, it might work.

I'm still on vacation until the weekend, and when I get back home I'm buying some Lush shampoo and conditioner. And then no products at all until the end of the month. Nothing but food! And "beverages" of course.

I'm on a low buy this month, with a goal of only buying something from beauty.com in order to use up my "bonus" money before it expires at the end of January.  Since free shipping starts at $25, I'm hoping to not exceed that range.

I'm on a necessity only buy. It's hard and I am struggling. Stupid nail polish I want

I was planning to do a strict no buy unless absolutely neccessary (which means no make up at all and very little skincare) but I don't think I'll make it and would just be setting myself up for failure. I'm going to try to restrain, but I don't think I can declare a no buy yet. I wanted to do a year long one but seeing as I've struggled to make it through a month long no buy I don't think that is in the works for me.

 

 

And I just realized I bought make up yesterday at the grocery store so I already broke my year long no buy on day 1. lol welp.

Hopefully going on a strict no buy for a few months. At least until the end of February so that I can get a big ticket item on my wishlist (non beauty). Plus I might be going to IMATS in April so in preparation, I should probably not buy anything new. Good luck everyone. The new year is a time for new beginnings. If you didn't do your best last year, this is the time to change. :) We can do it. :D

I'm on a NO-BUY for January. I got wayyyyy too much makeup for my birthday and Christmas. I'm always tempted to make an online purchase since there are always great deals but, do I need anymore makeup? NOPE! Do I want to make an impulse purchase just because I want (don't need) makeup!? Psssh ALL THE TIME! ;p This month I'm staying clear from buying any cosmetics! :) 

I'm SO on board.  If I run out of something very important - like the only exfoliant I found that doesn't send my skin into rosaceahell - I'll replace it.  Otherwise, no beauty stuff for at least three months.

 

Good luck to us! 

 

 

 

 

Edit ~ Erhm...  maybe I should just focus on ONE month to begin with, huh?

LOL!  yes, one month ahead is all I can handle at this point!

 

Jackiee21 love the attitude!  That's exactly what I have to say to myself when temptation strikes....Do I need it? NOPE!!!

 

Today I already resisted the temptation to :

 

1. order Laura Mercier Flawless Face Kit online (everything was 20% off today!)

2. make myself feel better for not ordering the LM Kit by purchasing a bunch of Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo cream shadows

3. order a bunch of random stuff off Sephora just to get their free deluxe samples

 

this is exhausting....it's only Jan 2....

Ladies, I am NOT on a low buy/no buy this month!  I will support you all, and probably read this board from time to time, but this is my birthday month, and I am giving myself permission to buy something if I want it.  Back to no buy next month. :)  Although I am going to continue to try and use up samples and full size products this month.  Ideally, I'll go through 7 samples and 2 full size.

ladygrey, i take great pleasure in collecting my empties (and also just lazy so they tend to hang around for a while before going in the trash).  nothing wrong with gloating over the accomplishment of finishing some product or other!

 

maybe this year I should make it a point to only get travel- or sample-size stuff...

 

I can relate...!

I officially declare myself on a no buy until April or May. (I can hear some of you laughing right now.) I went to Sephora yesterday to buy a couple of things and to use my VIB 10% of coupon and to cash in 500 points. I have been waiting to cash my points because the stores near me haven't had any good points perks sets lately. But yesterday I got the Buxom shimmer shine and smoke set with my points. Now that I have used my coupon and points I am hoping this takes away any urges to buy for a while. But I have Birchbox and ipsy so hoping these will curb my craving.

I'm on a year-long no buy. I kept contemplating doing one since last October and plan to go through with it. I've let my best gals know about this too, since our shopping sessions are never complete without a stop at some sort of makeup counter . I'm going to need all the support I can get, so here's to a happy and healthy 2013!

I was on a strict no buy for the month of December. Christmas and all ya know....But I couldn't help myself- I had to use the Urban Decay code that came in the December Ipsy bag...I put it off for a week until UD announced the three Deluxe samples while they were on a shipping vacation...plus they had the mystery grab bag for $16??? I did some searching and found out it came with a full size naked gloss and three deluxe samples...and free shipping at $35??? How was I possibly supposed to say no to all this????? So I got a $36 shadow box on sale for $19 and the mystery sample bag for $16...$35 on the nose. With the samples they threw in and the ipsy code that totals TEN DELUXE SAMPLES, A shadow box, and a naked lip gloss all for only $35!!!! Tell me no one else is drooling!!!! In other news, I'm back to no buy until taxes come in...unless I really fall in love with something that comes in my birchbox I can get free shipping and use my points on or I run out of porefessional...I have a couple sephora-made samples of it and like three minis so I think I make use them up so I think I'll make it...January is "foil pack use up month!"

I think I'm going to be on a low buy although I was already planning to buy some more nail polish but i am convincing myself I dont need it.

You ladies that are going to do a no buy for over a month are brave! I hope you get through it and you guys will be an inspiration for me to be on a no buy soon :)

Ok ok I got a sephora order today but I ordered it before January. So technically I have maintained my no buy. Only 3 months to go.... Hehe

trying to resist subscribing the for January Glossy box.    trying to hold strong.....

The loopholes are what really get me -- "Oh, but I don't have an *illuminating* under-eye concealer. That's practically a different product."

 

I think I just have to set a firm no buy policy for at least three months because there isn't a single thing that I'm literally going to run out of by that time.

The loopholes get me too! I am also on a strict no-buy this month (except stuff I run out of), and hopefully I can keep it up longer than that too. I'm very impressed some of you have decided on 3 months. Oh, so many things have tempted me; various e.l.f products, nail polish... even to the point of putting it in my shopping basket but I always put it back! Today I went to the drug store and ONLY bought what I needed, a night cream and liners ;) proud of myself. I just take it day by day, instead of thinking about not buying anything for the whole month, I just concentrate on making it through the day, then rinse and repeat the day after... I hope it gets easier as time goes on!

The funny thing is that when I really think about it, I was happier with my products when I bought the higher-end, luxury stuff. I could try it on, test it out, get some information on them from the sales people... the colors and wear and texture and quality was usually better as well.

 

But when makeup became a compulsive thing, or an addiction, I found myself buying lots of lower-end stuff that I didn't really like, and I'd keep re-purchasing until I found *the* color because I couldn't try it on as completely as I could at a department store counter or Sephora.

 

Then there are sales -- I saw 25% off Bioderma at Shoppers today and almost gave in, but I have TWO makeup removers I still need to deplete. Yet I could feel the wheels turning in my head, "Oh, just buy it and store it for when you *do* run out."

 

Either way, I think what this experience is teaching me is that drug store makeup really knows what it's doing when it comes to turning makeup junkies into makeup addicts.

So far, I'm doing well.  Other than a pack of cotton rounds, I haven't bought anything beauty-related.  I've decided, too, that as I run out of things, I'm going to try some natural diy options.  I've had lots of fun looking up recipes for moisturizer and facial mists and cleansers and primers and... and...!  =)

I'm gonna join you ladies. I am new here. Over the past few months, thanks to the holidays and all crazy awesome sales, I went a little overboard. I attained Sephora VIB for the first time this year, that's $350 right there. Plus I shopped at drugstores sometimes, lets assume $100 on drugstore products. Then I got some stuff at The Body Shop, BBW, and a few things at MAC. Ouch I might have spent well over $500 on beauty products in 2012. Don't know about you ladies but for me that's CRAZY. On the brighter side, I'm pretty much happy with all my purchases. I usually research and read 10,000 reviews before I went and purchased something. A few impulse buys turned out to be my favorites. Only a few items did not work out, so I returned. Pretty happy with my collection.

I really need to use up some of my stuff. I have products that are half used or 75% used laying around, taking up so much space. I'm going to try going on a no buy for the next 3 months. Cross my fingers... Sighzzzz.

it's interesting, as time rolls on and i browse around stores and online shopping sites trying not to buy anything, i find that I sort of value what I already have a lot more.  Or at least I find myself incorporating a bunch of older eyeshadow palettes, etc, into my daily routines.  What's cool is I've been experimenting with colors a lot more lately and it's so nice to discover that I have a pretty good collection!  A really nice variety of colors, textures, and finishes (just no neons, lol).  For skincare products I've become more determined to use things up before buying more so I'm racing through a bunch of samples first then tackling the fullsize items.

 

It hasn't exactly been _fun_ but not as bad as I was expecting.

 

*looks at date* it's ONLY JAN 9???? feels like it's been forever!!! :(

Ugggh. I caved and bought the Bioderma today because they'd re-stocked it. I'm still going to force myself to use up my other products first, though.

 

I like what you're saying about valuing the products you already have, nishino, but this past year I went through and tossed all of my really high-end stuff that was past its expiry and then raided all these drug stores because of my compulsive shopping issue, so I actually find that I'm annoyed with all of the not-so-great products I bought which, when added up, could've just been a handful of great products I knew I would love.

I decided I really, really need to go no-buy for a while. Not sure how long it will last, but I'm shooting for a minimum of 6 months. I have so much makeup, I could seriously go the rest of my life (if expiration wasn't an issue) without ever running out. It's ridiculous! I buy stuff and never use it but am so drawn to the sparkly, colorful stuff, I'm like a little kid wanting the big box of crayons and a ton of coloring books. LOL! I think that's why makeup appeals to me so much...it's like coloring for big kids . Anyhow, the strategy that seems to be working best is to leave my purse in the trunk when my husband and I go to the store. I tend to impulse buy, so it has definitely helped.