JFC. I'm not stressing the roughly $300 I've spent on subs, but I just made the mistake of calculating the cost of my nail polishes--Yes, I get a lot of them free or cheap, but I have a few that are more expensive, so I'll say $3/bottle. That's $900 in nail polish, all purchased in the past year--which works out to $17/week--or $70/month. I won't even TRY to do that for the rest of my makeup collection, but that, right there, was a total wake up call. It's so easy to fritter away just a couple bucks on polisI think h when I need a little pick me up, or to go nuts when there is an amazing sale, but this is just INSANE.
Therefore, I think my "only buy it if it's something totally NEW to you" isn't gonna cut it anymore (which is what I HAD been doing with nail polishes, since I had a few duplicates). This weekend, I'm going through it, culling the dupes, and trying to get it down below 200. And while I had set some goals for curbing my spending before, I think I'm gonna modify them.
These were my old rules for once my stash is winnowed:
1. No more than 2 travel size and 2 full-size mascaras. 2. No more than 3 full size shampoos/conditioners. 3. No more than 2 full size body washes/scrubs (this does NOT include Philosophy 3in1, which I use as a bubble bath, anyway). 4. No color cosmetics that are in a shade that I already have, even if it is a different company (Seriously, HOW many purple eyeshadows does one woman need?). 5. No purchases of full size or deluxe size perfumes if I have ANY vial samples. 6. If I have found a HG of an item (such as my L'Oreal Elnett), I am NOT to PURCHASE any other brand. THAT is what samples are for. (I will make an exception for nail polish remover, though, since my HG remover is wicked expensive, in my book, and I change my manicure WAY too frequently.) 7. No purchasing something just because it is "the new hotness". If I already KNOW that I won't wear brown-based neutrals, there is NO point in buying the Naked 2 palette or one of its many duplicates. 8. Items from samplers take first priority of use, unless they are specifically being set aside for gifts for other people. If I have not used a sample within a month of receiving it, it must go into a goodie bag for someone else. 9. NO store brands, no matter how cheap they are--I don't mind drugstore stuff, but I've found that I NEVER get around to using ULTA or SEPHORA branded makeup, so I need to stop buying it, even as a filler to bump something up to free shipping. 10. IT DOES NOT MATTER IF I AM GETTING IT FOR FREE; if I won't use it, it's clutter, so I need to chill out (MAJORLY) on shopping full-size bargains. But....I need to cull it down even harsher than that, I think. This part is going to be a little bit heart-wrenching, so (other than the 6 month rule), what other rules are you guys using when winnowing down your stashes? (And, yes, I already have a couple of goodie boxes made up for folks, but I have a feeling there's gonna be some big ole carrier bags filling up, too)
/emoticons/
