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What are your tips for resisting new beauty products?
What are your tips for resisting new beauty products? Share! (Question is inspired by how many of you are looking to reduce your spending!)
Go back and shop your stash. When you see XYZ product and a swatch, try to mix and match shades you already have to come up with something similar (assuming you don’t have a similar shade/dupe already!). Think about shades you have that may not be 100% the same but are in the same family and whether you wear what you already have or not. If it’s not something you’ll wear often, you probably don’t need it!
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Just talk smack about it until you can convince yourself it’s not worth it LOL
Haha, I love this. I totally do it, too. For example the MAC items that sell out I swear somehow an hour before they’re released. I just gripe about how I’m over dealing with that kind of thing and I convince myself I didn’t even want the item(s) anyway.
If it’s something that I’ll use all the time, I usually can’t resist! But if it’s like something I already own, I’ll wait a bit. But for some items (like highlighters!) that I fall for no matter how many I have at home, I use a little trick to stop the temptation: I read positive reviews about the products I already own. Reading someone else get excited about a product naturally gets me excited, and even more so when I know I already have it in my makeup kit!
This is a good trick and I’m taking notes of Christine’s as well! What I try and do is go through my stash regularly (sometimes simply looking at it) to remember what I already own…and hardly ever wear. It prevents me from buying more products or shades I don’t reach for but I’m often tempted to get. But honestly I know I’m a bit of an addict as the only sure-fire way to resist is to not have the money to spend on it.
I do the same – I go watch youtube tutorials on the eyeshadows etc that I already own, but am bored of and uninspired by. Seeing someone do something new with it generally makes me dig it out all over again.
Just don’t see them or go near them lol
I used to come to your website every so often… and I used to buy too many things… my strategy now is to only come when I need something lol!!
Lately, I’ve been trying to be better about what ingredients I’m using in my makeup/skincare so before buying anything new I’ll look up the product on cosdna.com or find the ingredient list from Ulta/Sephora and run it trough cosdna’s ingredient analyzer. If the product has some ingredient that comes up red (red is bad) then I won’t get it unless I know what the ingredient exactly does and why it’s marked red. For example, many skincare products have “red” ingredients because of the acne fighting acids that, technically, are skin irritants but they’re not carcinogenic in the least so I’m okay with that.
Try a sample of it and test it out. Then compare the sample to your stash of other beauty products. Also wait for in-depth reviews about the product/s, which you can find on here.
My plan is to go through my collection, and see where I have any holes (for instance I still need a highlighter) and make a list of those as approved purchases to spread throughout the year. And then allow myself one new purchase a month, so that there is still some variety and possibility of trend following should I wish it. (Exempted are situations where I run out of my favourite concealer, foundation, mascara etc).
At the moment what’s working for me is remembering that there’s a Maleficent collection from MAC coming out in the summer. When I see something tempting I think to myself, would I rather have this product now or would I rather have that money later to drop on Maleficent products? In recent months since there had been so many rumors about the Naked 3 palette, I was also able to use that as my motivation. I didn’t even end up buying the Naked 3, but I do think the excitement over its arrival saved me some money when it came to other temptations.
What helps me is to 1. Find a review where they say some negatives about the product 2. Find review where they compare it to something I already have 3. Swatch it in store and compare it there to something I already own =)
By staying away from *mainstream* beauty blogs in general, because they are usually the ones that feature newest and latest stuff
My solution is to have an Excel file with a detailed list of every makeup product I own, sorted into palettes, mascara, lippies and so on. And I have columns for sell, swap and bin. I find it really helps me limit my purchases, especially because it’s colour-coded and attractive.
I stay away from the makeup aisles! It’s easy to avoid high end stores (just don’t go into Sephora or the cosmetic section of a department store), but I also try to avoid the makeup aisles at Walmart so I don’t get sucked in by all the new products on the displays. I make lists of products I want to try so I don’t go into a store blindly and spend more than anticipated. I try to stick to my lists! I also use my credit card points to get Sephora giftcards so that even if I can’t afford makeup (like now, I’m in grad school) I can still get a new Urban Decay palette or a refill on my MUFE foundation. It allows me to “splurge” a couple times a year without spending any “real” money.
Going home to swatch and mix-match what I have until I come up with something similar – or shop my stash to discover a dupe! This is mainly eyeshadow (but eyeshadow is the thing I’ve the hardest time resisting…)
I usually have a look at my bank account, my stash and my bank account again.
this
I try to stay away from limited collection items so there isn’t a time pressure to buy. If I like an item I save it to my wish list or bookmark it and then review them every so often. I do the same with clothes and other items. If I still want it on the second or third view then I will put it on a shopping list to try in person and if I still like it and I have the money then I will buy it. If I don’t have the money then it can stay in the folder until I do! I also go through what I have and pick out a random item or two or maybe a palette and play around with them. Rediscovering can be just as good as buying new make up!
First of all, figure out what you actually really reach for in your stash. For example, I already know that I almost never use my big palettes, so I stopped buying them, however tempting they may look. I have also noticed another tendency recently: despite the fact that I am all about pigment, I don’t really wear the flashiest lipsticks in my stash often. For my everyday looks, I prefer the moderate pigment level of for example Guerlain Rouge Automatiques.
Second of all, I always tell myself to skip certain stuff to save up for the new stuff that’s coming out (then I could end up buying none of the things I have wished for). There are so many distractions on the cosmetics market all the time, so this is really easy to do!
This is the ticket. This is the tactic I’ve employed recently only purchasing items I know I will use on a daily basis. Also you are so right if I can resist the initial impulse purchase then I most likely forget about it, it sells out (MAC LE items) or I just get distracted and googly-eyed about something else and most likely not end up buying anything.
Definitely shop your stash and look for dupes! Although it could be a double-edged sword if you don’t have a similar product in your stash.
I force myself to test them in various lighting, which can result in 1-2 returns to a store before purchase.
Og course, that only works on items AI haven’t heavily researched. If I fall for a product with a ton of outstanding reviews, I typically just test it once at the counter.
“DISCONNECT INTERNET”
as simple as that
and i will be dead next day if this happens but honestly this is the only cure i can find or tips i can share
no internet and you will happily live after
I try to put any products I want to buy (and a link to reviews/swatches) in a wishlist, that way I don’t feel like I’ll forget about something great but there’s less pressure to get it right now. Often I’ll completely lose interest in it anyway! I regularly delete half the list – all items that would’ve been a waste of money.
To be honest, if it’s a limited edition product, I’ll just stay out of the stores til it’s likely to be GONE! It also helps reading less than glowing reviews! However, if it’s something I think I’ll really enjoy and get some use of, and if it’s readily available (meaning I don’t have to drive to Toronto to get it), I’ll just buy it.
I took the time to make a simple spreadsheet of everything I own, sorted by category/brand/group of color/product/product name. I realized that there were A LOT of things I didn’t use nearly enough (most were impulse buys, of course), and am now enjoying “shopping my stash” for those products!
I think the spreadsheet also helps a lot – for me, it was “ok, you have X red lipsticks, you don’t really need that one just because it’s LE”.
It’s kind of one of the good things about living in a country that gets the new stuff a few months after everyone else (or, more specifically, after the US, where all the beauty news/blogs I read come from!). You get a chace to let the excitement cool off a bit, or save up for something you really want rather than feeling ‘on the spot’ about making a purchase from a new LE collection!
It’s also difficult to get a lot of brands here, so that kind of helps in its own way, I guess!
Im becoming pickier as I get older. I used to purchase 3/4 of the holiday lines of my favorite brands on impulse. No more! Now I read your reviews and a few others for good measure. If reviews are favorable and Im afraid a product may sell out, I get around to visiting new products at the counter and sampling. But I still get excited seeking out brands not available in my area and ordering them online without trying on.
I usually try to see how unique the product or shade is. For the most part, I probably already own something similar. And I try to be wary of gimmicks.
Also (should have put this in my first comment), checking out the dupe suggestions/swatches here at Temptalia, “dupe lists” or youtube dupe videos can be a huge help if you can find that you have something amazingly similar to the new product.
What is this “resistence” of which you speak.
To avoid temptation, don’t read Temptalia!!! I kid Christine :). As a daily reader, I just sit on my hands when I read your blog. Then I can’t open another web page and start ordering stuff.
Sometimes I sit on my hands, too, Deb 😉
You would be surprised what running a beauty blog does for one’s control. “But… but readers would want to see this, right??? YES, of course. BUYYYYYYYYYY all the colors.”
I used to buy everything, including complete collections, so I probably have every color out there.
Now, I look in my stash to see if I already have something similar, and if I find something, I try to live with that. I also only buy colors that I know I will love and that will look good on me, such as dark green eye shadows or some shades of coral lipstick.
The only thing working for me is thinking about the fact that I alread have a collection wirth enoug money to buy a brand new car. I shouldn’t waste more money on such meaningless unimportant stuff.
I don’t really have the problem that i need to buy a new shade because I don’ have a similar shade. I keep buying dupes of what I already have hoping to find a product with better quality (longer lasting eyeshadow, less drying lipstick and more blendable blush). Any tips on how to resist that? I keep telling myself that better performing products will save me time in the morning and during the day (fewer touch-ups).
Here are things I would do:
1.) Rank what I have, say on a scale of 1-10. How BAD is what you have? Is it really just a minor improvement? If you already have a pretty good product, is it really worth $30 for the “better” version?
2.) If you DO buy it, and it’s not better, return it, swap it, etc.
3.) Do you really need that improvement? e.g. a super pigmented blush isn’t always necessary if you wear what you have as a barely-there color – they’ll both look the same on!
4.) Do you have other products that you could use to improve wear time – like a primer? How much time does it really take to add a base or primer? And that would save you time during the day.
5.) Prioritize what products you have that you’re really unhappy with vs. ones you’re fairly happy with. Better to “cave” on ones where you’ll see a more noticeable improvement in quality. Like if all you had were lipsticks that made your lips look like raisins and you never wore lipstick, then getting a lipstick formula that does work well is worthwhile.
Thank you! Those are great tips, I should copy+paste to a post-it on my desktop and make sure to take a look at it every time I’m about to order someting, lol.
These are nice tips.
I just plan to keep doing the good practices from last year, taking care of my skin, reading about ingredients, buying the things I would like to try but to avoid too many impulse purchases.
I keep reading reviews till I tire of a product or buy it! In any case, I’m going to buy very limited colour cosmetics since a few flattering shades are enough to get me through occasions.
I have finally started taking back the high end purchases that I don’t like. In the past, I was afraid to. Now I figure, “Hey, I paid a lot for that stuff and it is not working.” I feel soo much better when I stick to my guns and get my money back!
Ooooh, thank you for the tips! They certainly will come in handy. 😀
I wish I had some tips…then I could apply them. 🙂
The first thing is to not know about it… LOL But if it strikes my fancy I do a lot of research and try to talk myself out of needing it. Having a weekly ‘beauty basket’ also helps, as I rediscover forgotten products in my collection all the time.
I love this question! Thanks, Christine! These are the tips I wrote in my latest blog post (some of them are ideas I got from Temptalia comments) and I’ll give a quick update on how they’re working for me:
1) Create a spreadsheet for your stash and wishlist.
2) Make a blacklist and a favourite brands-to-focus-on list.
This is going great. I have several sheets on my spreadsheet now – (a) my stash, with my entire collection of around 300 items – brands on different rows and types of products in different columns; (b) “wantlist” where I list everything I want; (c) “wishlist” – a much, MUCH smaller list of things I’ll actually allow myself to buy (no impulse purchases allowed!); (d) list of purchases, with dates and amount of money spent; (e) “blacklist” – brands/types of products I won’t touch and the reasons why; (f) products thrown away, as I’m trying to reduce my collection at the same time as limiting further spending. In the last two lists I also calculate the money I’ve saved / wasted. I have a goal of getting down to 150 products and maintaining my collection there. It’s ambitious! (This is almost as fun as acquiring new products, honestly…)
As for brands-to-focus-on, I’ve got it down to two brands, really – my favourite, Sleek, and one I’ve been lusting after for a long time, IMAN.
3) Budget expenses, create savings goals, and cap unnecessary spending.
I’ve also got a spreadsheet for this. I’m really getting organised!
4) Shop your stash!
I’m definitely making use of the things I have. It reminds you what a makeup hobby is about – not about getting more stuff, but enjoying the products you have.
5) Limit the amount of space you dedicate to makeup.
I’ve decided to buy a smaller-than-medium-size train case… but I’m waiting till March to buy that, or that will just be another purchase that contributes to my shopping addiction. It’s good to set yourself a waiting period for buying anything.
6) Educate yourself on media and marketing strategies! Whenever you hear marketing language, have alarm bells go off in your head.
The biggest marketing phrase that even bloggers and youtubers (and I) use unconsciously is “must-have”. E.g. “You must have it”, “you need this in your life”, “go out and get it now”. Limited edition releases play upon this anxiety – that if you don’t get it now, you might never be able to. And if you lose out on this one product, it’s a disaster. Whenever I feel like I “need” a lipstick, for example, that’s when the alarm bells go off. I ask myself, “Do I really need it?” and go look at my stash with my 100+ lip products and all the other lists to remind myself of the reasons NOT to buy it… and usually after that, I feel much calmer and more rational about it. I call the process “surfing the wave of desire and coming back down onto the calm seas of inner peace”. :))
Ultimately, it’s not about the makeup addiction or the shopping addiction. Those are just symptoms of some deeper lack, some deeper problem that makes you unhappy. Ultimately that is what we have to treat. But obviously when we don’t have the money to sustain this addiction, we have to start treating the symptoms first!
You know on #6, that’s actually something I’ve consciously tried to avoid saying in reviews – obviously a high rating is going to speak volumes no matter what, but I try to avoid really, really specific, you-must-have-it-or-else endorsements unless a product really impresses me (hence the “Temptalia Recommends” indication, which I don’t use often), or in some cases, it has generated so much hype/desire/want that it really will sell out (e.g. Hourglass’ Ambient Lighting Palette, or certain MAC collections).
I’ve noticed, Christine! Your objectivity in reviewing products is the reason I follow you. 🙂
This is a great post, Plurabelle. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
I like the idea of creating a spreadsheet, wishlist, blacklist etc. I guess I will create some lists and colour sheets of my collection.
I personally try to avoid online shopping for makeup, except for repurchasing loves products with a discount. I prefere going to a counter and have a look at the product / colour and test it.
“Online shopping” is on my blacklist too, mainly because it’s such a hassle – you have to spend the day at home to wait for the post… I always miss it and end up having to walk to the post office. I do have a column on my blacklist where I list any exceptions I’m willing to allow myself, as well (like the discounted “love” products you mentioned).
Good luck! 🙂
Experiment with the make up in your stash. Once you’ve found new ways of wearing, it feels like brand new all over again 🙂 x
I’m currently cleaning out and organizing my stash. Aside from overhauling my skincare, I’m restricting myself to only the most desired things, really impressive finishes, formulas, etc. So I’m asking myself always, “Pretty, but has it been done?”
Also, comparing the item in question against adding to the fund for several larger ticket items I’m saving for. A pair of a Loubous, trip to NY in September. Which do I really want more?
Lastly, my Ipsy bag keeps me out of the drugstore makeup unless I find a standout item. Infallibles or Color Tattoo level fab.
I don’t have any tips. I’m out of control. I’ll be watching for suggestions.
I figure out how much I have to spend in a specified time frame, the pull out my list. For example, there are a few NARS products I’ve been lemming for a while, and I know how much I can spend right now. I have those items in by “bag”, but when I go to order, I know I’ll have to whittle it down. I plan on actually buying only those items which are available only online, and those that have been DCd. Once I have those, I’ll likely bump a few more things off the list.
I also credit “brand loyalty”. There are a few brands I’ve been using over the last few years that have been consistent, and while other brands release prettu colors, there’s a chance I have ot in one of the brands I use, or something similar will come around at some point. Not much is so unique that I feel a need to venture out of my “bubb
e”.
I have 2 personal guidelines.
1. Prioritize what you need. For example, I have yet to find a mineral foundation that I like so I should be looking into that rather than spending money on a new lipstick that I probably already have a dupe of.
2. Give yourself a time frame. If I’m still lemming a product after a month goes by (and no less than that), then I’ll let myself purchase it.
I’ll need to shop my stash this year! I don’t usually make New Years Resolutions, but this year I’m putting myself on a make-up no buy! I just have way too much make-up to go through & I def own some quality products that I love – and should actually use instead of just buying more stuff :|!
I don’t live in a place with a lot of counters so that’s good, but I’m also unsubscribing from a bunch of different beauty places that I get emails from. I like getting a deal, so if I don’t know about the sales I’m less likely to buy something.
Other than that I’m going to rely on sheer will power! Doesn’t mean I can’t add to wish lists for 2015 though! Wish me luck 😉
Good luck! I went cold turkey on makeup shopping for a few months and it was the only thing that helped. Doing it for a year sounds like a great resolution!
I make sure I try and find a swatch of it first (If it’s make-up.) I’ve saved a lot of $ that way! Recently found some swatches of some new Mac luminizers, and I disliked all 3 of them. Money saved!
Looking for all kinds of reviews to find a bad one to justify steering away from it, LOL :D.
I love this post, and will definitely be using some of the tips out there! 🙂
Well, as for me, I usually control my temptation to purchase new makeup products quite well… But that’s not the case when I see the word SALE. I will rationalize to myself that it’s definitely worth the price. Not good!! To stop myself from buying, I usually ask my sisters if it’s worth it (and they usually say NO hahah they know I have too many…). & My sisters will tell me how the ingredients are not good, and that it’s totally a rip off (well, it’s their tactic to make me not buy). I guess one good tip is not to buy on impulse, and make it a point to ask your good friends/family members 🙂 (At least that works for me.. sometimes :P)
Your sisters are awesome! My little sister also helps me, because I’m trying to save money for her. I think – would I rather spend this on makeup or contribute to my savings fund for her and my nephew? The answer is obvious.