2018 - THE NO-BUY, LOW-BUY, BUDGET-BUY ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUPPORT THREAD

[ElleElleG]

*updated 11/25/18*

The 2019 thread is now available here: 

Spoiler

https://community.sephora.com/t5/Beauty-Confidential/2019-THE-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACCOUNTABILI...#M342753

Hey all!  For the last few years the lovely @lnum has hosted this thread to help us stay motivated on our no-buys and low-buys. In an effort to keep her work alive, here is the 2018 edition.

The purpose of this thread (from lnum):

This thread is a support system for all of us who are trying to maintain a budget and keep our beauty spending limited. Post here when you have a weak moment, post here to hold yourself accountable, post here when you just need someone to talk to, post here when you have advice for all of us, and post here when you make mistakes but also make gains! Many of us post here to keep track of our monthly purchases. Anything you need to say, we are all here for each other. There's no judgement here.

Feel free to share your goals, items that tempt you, missteps (we don't believe in failures), and any successes.  Above all else, encourage and support one another.

Here's the OP from 2017 as well as the link for those interested: 

Spoiler

lnum wrote:

Welcome to Year 3!

My motto for this thread is that I strongly believe, even on a budget, you can have the things you want that make you happy without feeling like you're limiting yourself. 

This thread is a support system for all of us who are trying to maintain a budget and keep our beauty spending limited. Post here when you have a weak moment, post here to hold yourself accountable, post here when you just need someone to talk to, post here when you have advice for all of us, and post here when you make mistakes but also make gains! Many of us post here to keep track of our monthly purchases. Anything you need to say, we are all here for each other. There's no judgement here.

I am so excited to spend another year with you all. If it wasn't for the first two years of this thread, I would never have been able to cut down my beauty spending. My goal for this year is to maintain low spending on beauty, and cut down my clothing purchases. I will be funneling that money into traveling, which is what I have done in the past and it's a great goal that truly motivates me. 

I'm still so proud of everyone for making it through 2015 and 2016, limiting ourselves in the beauty product area in order to improve our lives in other areas. We all did great and here's to another year of learning and saving!

Here is a link to the 2015 thread: http://community.sephora.com/t5/VIB-ROUGE/2015-The-No-Buy-Low-Buy-Budget-Buy-Accountability-and-Supp...

2016 thread: 

http://community.sephora.com/t5/VIB/2016-The-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACCOUNTABILITY-AND-SUPPORT/td...

 2017 thread: https://community.sephora.com/t5/VIB/2017-THE-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACCOUNTABILITY-AND-SUPPORT/m...

Interested in Some Challenges to Help You Use Your Stash?  Check Out These Threads:

Spoiler

Pan It! 2018 Challenge: https://community.sephora.com/t5/Beauty-Confidential/Pan-It-2018-Challenge/m-p/3604337#M317498

Use Your Foil Samples Challenge: https://community.sephora.com/t5/Beauty-Confidential/Use-Your-Foil-Samples-Challenge-January-2018/m-...

The Perfume Challenge: https://community.sephora.com/t5/Perfume-Posse/The-Perfume-Challenge/m-p/2633976#M18939

Mask of the Week Challenge: https://community.sephora.com/t5/Skincare-Aware/Mask-of-the-Week-Challenge/m-p/3615125#M44343

**are you participating in a challenge that I failed to mention?  if so please let me know I can link it here**

💜💜💜

[curlychiquita]

Investing in skincare is very important to me - if I find something that works I will always repurchase it.  I'm glad your found OleHenricksen is your one - you'll save more money in the long run as you're not constantly buying new things to experiment with.

[meghanneshea]

I completely agree with this! The purchase isn’t frivolous if it’s part of a skincare regimen that you know works great for you. It’s worth it to put the money in to what you know you need rather than impulse buy things you might try out and end up not liking at all. 

[fantaji]

I should really work on repurchasing / sticking to things that work for me - this will save me a ton of money. I'm in this constant vicious circle of trying new products, having a bad reaction, healing, then trying more new products, etc. 

[Susubee]

Definitely! Since this was the first time I'd tried any Ole products, I don't think I fully registered the effect they were having (or that they were the cause) until I stopped them. I'd been trying to cut out dimethicone from skincare, and the truth serum unfortunately has some (although it's near the very very end of the ingredient list). I may still experiment with other VitC/Collagen Serums at some point, but I'm willing to say "close enough" for now! (Now if I could just find a dimethicone-free moisturizer!)

[Aaliaa]

Check out the Kate Somerville Goats Milk Moisturizer. Great packaging and silicone free (do double check). I've used a sample of it and love it; I currently have enough moisturizer to get me through the year, but will probably buy it next time I need moisturizer. @Susubee @fieldsofclover

[fieldsofclover]

Kate's prepping to start selling in mainland China so it's off my personal list now 😞

[fieldsofclover]

@Susubee I've been working on a list of them... if you want, I can tag you when I get around to putting it in Ingredient Sticklers.

[snoflakefaerie]

I realize this isn't helpful for a low/no buy thread, but if you can tolerate fragrance, Korres has some nice 'cone-free moisturizers. 

[alexasteph]

We're one week of February down and the only shopping I've done is for groceries. I've been working up to a food low buy as well, I tend to eat out waaaaay too much. I'm motivated to keep my eating habits a bit better by eating at home since I've been working out a bit harder lately. As tempting as it is to hit the drive though after hitting the gym, I've been able to avoid it really well. In fact, I haven't eaten out in at least two weeks, with the exception of lunch with some coworkers last week and a couple of Starbucks runs. Starbucks! That is one place I've also really cut back on. I used to grab a latte every single morning before work. I was spending $70 a month at Starbucks alone! Now I make coffee at work and home. I appreciate lattes so much more now too haha. 

February beauty spending: $0

Feb. 2017 total: $190

[meghanneshea]

You’re doing an amazing job!! I still make a Timmies run for coffee on a few mornings a week but I also switched to making most/all of my meals and eating at home as opposed to eating out. I now look forward to making dinner and even if I have something from the drive-thru now I feel like it’s not worth it and doesn’t give me the same satisfied energy that a home cooked meal does. Keep up the great work! 🙂

[snoflakefaerie]

That's really impressive! I'm so bad at going grocery shopping, I usually eat out more often than not and it really takes a lot out of my discretionary spending money! 

[Susubee]

Awesome!

Starbucks and lunch at work were two of the first areas I focused on cutting out when I started my low-buy, too. It's crazy how fast it adds up! (And starbucks stupid star dashes were the WORST.)

[makeitup305]

So I did this at the end of last year to fight off buying more eyeshadow palettes and it really helped. Hopefully it inspires somebody else. I rearranged all my singles that weren’t getting any love into configurations inspired by palettes I wanted. And lo and behold, I had almost identical shades or very similar tones to palettes I've been eyeing for a while. Here are the results!

Marc Jacobs inspired these: Edgitorial, Provocouture, Frivoluxe, SmartorialInspired by TF Peachy mattesTop part is inspired by Huda Beauty Desert Dusk, Boston just went togetherAll my single(s) ladies!So as you can see some of my extra ones I've grouped in ways that allow me to have at least one highlight, crease, lid, and deepening shade with the occasional pop of colour/finish. Sorry the palettes are so dirty!

[ElleElleG]

This looks great @makeitup305 !!  I'm drawing a blank on the name at the moment but there's someone on YouTube who frequently rearranges her singles to mimic new releases to prevent her from making another purchase.  Thanks for sharing yours!

[Stassea]

This is genius! I want to start investing in individual shadows. I love this idea

[m3rc3d3s]

this is such a great idea!!!!

[Tamara76]

Brilliant idea!  These are so beautiful - You should design makeup palettes for a living, @makeitup305!😍😍😍

[makeitup305]

@Tamara76 I think I can't take the credit for these, most of them are attempted dupes for palettes I wanted. Did you see the palette designs that Temptalia did on her site? They were so cool.

[Tamara76]

No!  I’ll have to see if I can find them on her site - I can’t keep up - lol!🤣   Thanks for the heads up!  @makeitup305💗

[makeitup305]

@Tamara76 I found her post on IG. She goes into the color stories in her blog though. Idk how someone hasn't collabed with her yet. She’s one of the people I think is most qualified to design and create a palette.

[GingerMelody]

Love them!  If only I could get the In the Woods one...