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**

💜💜💜

[illucescit]

@deathkitty good luck with your goals! & i hope your new skincare regime works well for you! it look me forever to develop mine ha 

[sprocketta]

@illucescit Looks like you've got a great mindset and reasonable goals.  I also did a big cleanout of make-up that I don't use.  There was some really old stuff in there that I didn't even realize I had.  It was a relief to get rid of that old stuff, but it was hard to let go.  Nice work!

[illucescit]

@sprocketta i agree it was so difficult to get rid of stuff. I kept going back into the "throw" pile thinking "oh but i could use it for . . ." but I'm glad to hear you were successful in decluttering too! 

[curlychiquita]

It's great that you have your new system, @illucescit!  I keep looking at all of the great new eyeshadow palette releases, but I'm set for the year, really, unless I need to replace my primer.  Like you, I've got a good system in place and am trying to reduce waste.  At this point, most of my funds are going to go into replacing my skincare as I run out, as well.

[fieldsofclover]

I totted up everything I've used so far in 2018, and I'm actually doing better than I thought. 171 products used; 94 of them were FS/things that cost actual money.

Some things I noticed:

• $850.31 used so far. I re-rouged during the sale, but before that my spending was about equal to my usage. So I'm motivated to stick to my low-buy until I'm firmly ahead on the "using more than I've bought" ratio again.
• The vast majority of my empties (93.6%!) are skincare/bath, but a huge chunk of the money I've spent so far the year has been on makeup. Definitely time to just use what I have for a while.
• I didn't break it out separately but a lot of my 2018 usage has been sheet masks. So it looks like the mask vault reward was a good use of points, since I'm steadily working through those.
• Related: I'm re-inspired to test more DIY sheet mask recipes, since I stand to save a lot of money this way. I'm already good about mostly getting sheet masks on sale, but there's room to significantly reduce my spending in that category.
• My spending on haircare will be almost zero this year, which is a *huge* change from previous years.

[curlychiquita]

@fieldsofclover, I have about 7 sheet masks left that I purchased through December last year.  I went on a real spree last year!  But I've been good this year, I'm using up what I have before I purchase any more.  I even skipped buying them during the sale!  Unfortunately my spending has gone into other skincare items (e.g., serums), but on the plus side, I do use them all up, since I use them everyday.

[KNC24]

@fieldsofclover I like your approach. I should really evaluate what I actually use. It I know I’m a skincare junkie so for the month of May I’m going to actually look at what I use vs what I buy. I’ve been doing better with my empties. Before I would keep certain promos like were trophies.

[sparklekai]

april month end update

my plan for this month was to pick up the too faced glitter glue and then allow myself something else because of the vibe sale - the goal was a $50ish dollar total purchase.  instead i ended up at the mall which now has a nyx store.  i bought a glitter glue ($9.04) and nothing else! i did look through the sephora website and my loves list but nothing jumped out at me that i really wanted.  i’ve also been really focused on using stuff up so new purchases don’t necessarily make sense.  anything new that i get ends up going away while i work on things i’ve had forever - some for like 4-5 years.  i think i need to stick to picking up things i actually need.  i may end up picking up things that really call to me - but there needs to be a reason i’m purchasing.  its cute just isn’t cutting it anymore. 

i think my financial goals are also really motivating me here.  i have a google doc (shocker i know) with tabs for my financial plans.  i’ve divided it up into 3 parts.  goal 1 should be achieved by the end of july.  getting there has become more important that having the newest eyeshadow palette - particularly when i have hundreds of eyeshadows - and barely wear eyeshadow!

so goals for next month:

baby:

• items already purchased - the items that were on my list last month still haven’t gotten to me - thanks canada post! so these remain on the list
• summer clothes - putting this on here - may be here for a while - i’m watching for a sale 🙂 i thought i had picked up enough that i wouldn’t need to buy my daughter anything else to cover her for the summer.  problem - i didn’t take into account how different the sizing is at different stores! so now i need to buy her a summer wardrobe!

beauty:

• face moisturizer - i had this on my list last month and didn’t pick anything up.  i am on my last one so i will need to grab something next month.   i’ve been liking my moisturizer from the ordinary so the plan is to pick up a couple this month and then i’ll be good for a while.

[Aaliaa]

I like the thorough planning @sparklekai. Good luck on your goals, sounds like you are on your way to achieving them!

[sparklekai]

@Aaliaa i love that you call it thorough planning as opposed to obsession like folks in my life 😛

[Aaliaa]

This landed in my mailbox a few days ago and thought of it when I saw your post @sparklekai

(For anyone thats interested, its from 'marketoonist' and he deserves all the credit)

[Alexmarya]

Hey, guys, I decided to share some stats with you.

I have been tracking carefully all my beauty purchases, all the GWPs and all my empties. I have a special spreadsheet dedicated to it.

So, in 1.5 year (since January 2017) I have used up a total of 675 products! That's a total of $5900 value! However, only 94 of them were full-size, meaning majority of the products that I used up were acquired free.  Out of 94 full-size products, 8 were foundations, 7 were powders, 6 makeup setting sprays, 8 were cleansing balms (I didn't realize I go through so many makeup removers), and there was a huge amount of dry shampoos (7) and hair texturing sprays (5). It was strange, but I didn't use up a single full-size moisturizer or a lipstick! That makes me think about how many of my purchases due to deals/promo codes were so unnecessary! I decided that from now on I will be much more sustainable, and will not buy things that are on sale just because its a great deal! Come on, not a single used up full size lipstick in 1.5 year time period makes me really think about not buying lip products in the next 2 years. The good news is that I realized things I should be investing into when there is a sale: hair products, cleansing balms, foundation and powder. Now I know my beauty habits better 🙂

I really recommend everybody to analyze their usage of makeup and think about buying which products during sale may really benefit you and when placing an order for another cute mini-lip gloss at Sephora is really a bad idea.

[annekevdb]

This is super interesting to me. I've never tracked my specific useage. I have taken myself down to just one of certain items (e.g. I use only a specific foundation - I buy a new one when the current one runs out). Same with shampoo - there is only one I use (well, one shampoo, one conditioner, and one co-wash). Same with facewash, etc. Only one serum (although I will use samples)

Totally agree about the lipstick. I don't think I've ever used up an entire tube and I am almost  50 years old. I just end up tossing it after a while because I need space. That said, I rarely buy lipstick - most of what I have came with GWP. I try to only purchase my standard items when there is a good GWP so that I can get mascara or eyeliner or whatever - for which I have no strong brand preference. Other things that seem to last forever are eyeshadows and blushes - I mean, I have some that have lingered around for ages. 

How did you go through 8 bottles of foundation? I am curious because I feel like one bottle/tube (which is like 1 or 1.5 oz) lasts me for 5 or 6 months or something. On the other hand, I use up face serum and moisturizer at a really steady pace (this may say more about getting old than it does about anything else. )   🙂    🙂

[deathkitty]

Hloy crap @Alexmarya, I LOVE that idea!  I have been putting all my empties into a shopping bag in my bathroom to keep track and did notice some patterns, but I think I should follow your example & make a more detailed study of this.

[mermadelove]

@Alexmarya. Just reading your post is helping me to stick to my guns. During the sale, I bought only restocks of staples like skin care and hair care. I did buy two different lippies to replace one Too Faced peach lippie that broke. Other than that, I am no buy for May and low buy for June, my birthday month, then back to no buy until the fall sales!!! I have lots of samples and full sized items to use up. I do NOT need anything else. 

[sparklekai]

its really eye opening when you look at the numbers.  really can change how you look at things and make decisions! my google doc has become my best friend!

[fieldsofclover]

@Alexmarya Great stats! I've been photographing my empties but reading your post was the prod I needed to actually start plugging them into a spreadsheet to track the same details.

I like that you were able to work out future buying strategies for yourself based on your numbers, too. 

[howconnie]

Makeup inventory is very helpful I saved all my Empties last year then did a roundup at the end of the year. I was shocked at the amount of highlighter, bronzer, powder and foundation I used. Only used up two deluxe size blush, so this year I haven’t purchase any new blush colors. I also decided to use more lipstick, perfume and eyeshadow instead of saving them because I enjoy those items so, It helps to be mine full of our habits. 

[curlychiquita]

@Alexmarya, it is great that you know your habits and that you used up so many products!  I purchase a lot of hair products, but because i have so much hair I use them all up.  I use lipsticks and bronzers up, but not foundations or blushes.  I keep buying foundations thinking that I haven't found my holy grail, but I'm starting to think I just don't like foundation.

[greeneyedgirl107]

Way to go tracking your usage, @Alexmarya!  I'm actually thinking of tracking my usage for hair care products b/c I want to make sure I always have a stash in the event that a product is changed or discontinued.

It's so interesting to see how long things last.  For example, I've been using the sample bottle of Lancome's Bi-Facil makeup remover for months without much of a dent.  Then, I switched from cotton balls to Shishiedo Facial Cotton and it's going to much quicker now.

[SAlyFitz]

April has been difficult! I’m so glad I joined this thread bc I think even posting is a good way to remind myself of my goals. I made 2 extra purchases after I had told myself I was good except for using my play passes til July... I’m focusing this weekend on my inventory and making a spreadsheet to remind myself of the beautiful products awaiting use! I’m also going to start telling my boyfriend I have items in my cart to seek support before just clicking to purchase and then feeling half remorse half pure joy lol... always a balance right?! #gettingusedtotheideaofnobuy