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: 

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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**

💜💜💜

[BrwnSugaG]

@sprocketta

sorry to hear that too 😞  something will come along that you and only you are perfectly qualified for!! and whether or not it's a gratis, i hope you'll be able to get some of those "nonessentials" soon!

[greeneyedgirl107]

I'm sorry that the company changed their mind @sprocketta.  Companies can be frustrating like that!  I hope that at least the whole thing gave you experience interviewing and maybe some networking.  Best of luck for the future 🙂

[Kay522]

June/July Update!

I completed forgot to post for June, so this one is for June and July together. And June there was actually no beauty purchases so yay! And not tons with July, though the foundation was pricey. Trying to find a powder foundation to replace my UD Naked Skin foundation.

January 2018:

-KVD Basket Case eyeliner

-Sephora gel concealer

-Fenty Stunna Lip Paint (gift)

-Matrix Shampoo & Conditioner (jumbos)

-Neutrogena Makeup remover

-Babyfoot foot peel

February 2018:

None!

March 2018:

-UDAll-Nighter Spray

-Bikini wax strips

April 2018:

-Sephora powder foundation

-Sephora radiant luminizer

-D&G Rosa Excelsa roller ball

-ABH Soft Glam palette

-Stila Glitter & Glow liquid eyeshadow

-Nyx tinted brow mascara

-Maybelline Full & Soft waterproof mascara

-6 morphe eyeshadow brushes

-Memebox Nooni appleberry lip oil

-Becca hydramist powder

-ABH liquid lipstick

(Note: Only ~$72 spent in April, thank you Ulta Rewards points!)

May 2018:

-Bumble & Bumble Pret-a-Powder

-Bumble & Bumble Don't Blow It Fine (H)air Styler

June 2018:

None!

July 2018:

-Various Tony Moly Sheet Masks

-Hask Coconut Oil Shampoo/Conditioner Jumbos

-Lancome Dual Finish Powder Foundation

[Kay522]

Update! I wasn't anticipating any extra purchases for July, but I managed to find two of my discontinued UD foundation last night! So I bought those and I'll be returning the Lancome foundation this weekend.

[eshoe]

That’s impressive, @Kay522! You give me hope☺️

[fieldsofclover]

All the Influenster threadjacking here on BIC has been kind of bumming me out, so I started taking photos for my Instagram instead... that's been surprisingly entertaining so I'm glad to have another creative outlet.

Nearing the end of my no-buy July, and I've mostly lost the itch to get new things for no good reason. Had a couple close calls (I was in a Ross and they had Crème Shop masks) but still have bought nothing, not even this month's Bite LE. The only thing I'm truly waiting to buy on August 1 is a new cleansing balm since I've decided that micellar water as a first cleanse just isn't for me. But that's so basic that it still feels like kind of a victory over blindly wanting the new hotness.

I'll probably treat myself to a few things when I get my first paycheck from New Job, but aside from replacing a couple things I've almost panned, there's really nothing out there that I'm burning to buy before November. 💪

July totals:

Makeup: $0

Skincare: $0

[Shelbstirr]

@fieldsofclover what is in November? A sale? Nice job resisting the urge to get all the things! Glad to hear it is subsiding.

[fieldsofclover]

@Shelbstirr@ Thanks! Sephora historically does sales twice a year, the one in April and a big one before the holidays

[bakeamuffin]

@fieldsofclover I was wondering where you were! Nice to see you around ☺️ I hope the Influenster reviewers won’t keep you away for too long ❤️ Great job on the no buy 👍🏻

[Aaliaa]

Lucky instagram followers but I've missed you around here. I do get how irritating the influencer reviews are though to the point where I no longer really read any of the reviews unless its from someone I know/trust on BIC. Glad you've found an outlet for your creativity though!

[fieldsofclover]

@Aaliaa@ I'm not gone from BIC, just hunkering down until the storm passes ⚠️🌀

[sprocketta]

Great work @fieldsofclover  I was wondering why I haven't seen you as much on here lately.  I think those hijacked threads are driving anyone crazy.  Your determination and adherence to your no buy is impressive!  I would definitely recommend the Clinique Take the Day Off cleansing balm.  It's really effective and feels nice on your face as you use it.  Can't wait to see what you splurge on in the hauls thread once you get that paycheck.

[fieldsofclover]

@sprocketta@ And to think I started this project because the cute rhyme made for better self-coaching... "no-buy July" is a better mantra for me than "no-buy August" 😂 But hey, whatever it takes, I guess...

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I've narrowed down to either getting the TTDO or the Farmacy balm, so we'll see what's in stock when I eventually get to a Sephora. Since there haven't been many exciting-to-me online promos in the last couple of months I've started waiting and cashing in the free Perk facial $75 GWP that one of the local stores here does... oddly, I still spend less overall when I do that. I also learned I can order online-only items at the register and it still counts as an in-store purchase 🉐

There will definitely be a lipstick-centric haul too, though probably not until later in August 💄💄💄

[sprocketta]

@fieldsofclover I was able to get a mini of the Clinique balm at my local store, but not sure about the store by you.  I know displays change a lot anyway.  Let me know which you pick.  I would love to hear your thoughts on it.  I've seen the farmacy balm and was wondering about it.  What's involved in the perk facial?

[fieldsofclover]

I don't know how to describe the Perk very well yet, but it's basically a big machine with a handheld pen attachment that vacuums out your pores and leaves a hydrating serum behind. It's not life-changing, but it's weird/cool and a big enough "carrot" to keep me from shopping online. @sprocketta

[sprocketta]

@fieldsofclover I do now recall hearing something about vacuuming pores.  Maybe if I ever break my no buy I will get one.

[curlychiquita]

Hooray! 

P.S. Micellar water does nothing for removing my foundation.

@fieldsofclover

[fieldsofclover]

@curlychiquita@ Exactly, there always seems to be one incompatible thing on my face. One day it's a certain eyeliner, another day it's a foundation sample... forget it. 👩‍🔬⚗️🚮

[RachFace2921]

Spoiler

Way to go!!! For once this is money flying into your wallet 💸💸💸 @fieldsofclover

[fieldsofclover]

Spoiler

@RachFace2921@

[Annalily11]

So I decided a few weeks ago to go on my first ever no-buy (not counting my two subscription services) when I bought my NYC Gen Beauty tickets until October after the event itself. I figured I just spent a bunch of money, am in the process of finding a new job now that I graduated college, don't want to buy things I might end up getting at Gen Beauty, etc. Plus, I survived the summer releases, even the Urban Decay Born to Run, and I still have ipsy and Boxycharm giving me new makeup every month, so how hard can it be?

So of course ABH has to the Norvina palette, and then a bunch of Zodiac releases come out (I'm a sucker for Zodiac aesthetic). I swear these companies are trying to kill me.