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For me, I look at the likelihood of me reviewing it, which is often a consideration between what else I’m reviewing, whether that product/brand is a higher or lower priority (relative to what I normally cover), and whether I anticipate a lot of additional launches in the short-term. If I don’t feel like I will review it, I try to push the purchase until that changes.
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Limited edition items used to have a hold on me! Something you said really struck me: I’ve found through the years something very similar or even better will come along. It’s changed how I view them and don’t really purchase them anymore unless I know I’ll love it.
And that’s the other side. I’ve gotten really practical and honest with myself—
1. How often will you use it?
2. How many of the shades in the palette will I use?
3. Would I be happier using that monies elsewhere?
I LOVE eyeshadow palettes but I know the shades I gravitate towards. If I’ll only use less than half, definite pass. I also LOVE bright, bold lip colors but with 3 small kids I kiss all the time, I’m not wearing anything lol so they’re almost always a pass also.
I decide if it is limited edition or something will be restocked and around for a min
I wait til you review it and by then the GOTTA HAVE IT urge has abated. That way I can make an informed decision.
What works best for me when it comes to lipsticks and eye shadow palettes is identifying what is already in my stash that most closely resembles my potential purchase and then wearing it for three days straight to see if I still like it. If it turns out to be close enough, and it is still in good shape, I remove the potential purchase from my virtual cart. That works for me about 95% of the time. The other times, I cave into a deep discount.
“We live and learn” but I’m still a work in progress! However I have some rules in my head for beauty stuff in general and makeup in particular (though I’m safe from getting any more skincare after seeing a dermatologist at least for now):
1) Avoid pharmacies at all costs, if I need to go in: stare at my feet, never ever look at shelves.
2) Never ever open the door to “unsolicited professional advice” anywhere but particularly in pharmacies and Sephora – ask for sth similar to Studio Fix or a concealer better than BB (rule of thumb for knowing whether they’re a pro, if need be).
3) Sth in promotion I’m not going to use regularly is not that big a promotion (this one is a work in progress…).
4) Shop online – more time to think and hopefully get less worthless tat.
5) Research properly, read reviews, check shades in different people online. “It’s such a pretty colour” does not qualify as advice!
6) Pretty beauty bags are not a necessity but a bonus. I shall not buy “stuff” I don’t know because it comes with a pretty bag as a gift. Look away! Avert gaze! Turn around and walk away! Never ever go to the Estee Lauder counter ANYWHERE. Avoid at all costs! Avoid! Avoid! Avoid!
7) If, by accident, I end up in a makeup shop. Recite mantra: what it looks like live & in the package is NOT the way it will look on me- I’m vulnerable to this one! All the *shiny* *glitter* *shimmer* *satin* *pretty colours* dazzle me, give me cold sweats, make my fingers twitch and I just got for the wallet… the lights confuse me, my knees give in, I get tachicardic… and I buy. So not going in works the best though it’s gotten a bit better with Temptalia as I can look for it here and read what Christine says. I hate testing stuff in shops under normal conditions and seeing it swatched on sb else’s hand (from a bloody mile away through foggy lenses) tells me little. Temptalia’s saved me quite a bit of money on this one but it would be easier with a phone App though (just saying…).
8) Avoid people’s posts about what they’ve just bought. Sorry about that one!
I’ll look carefully at the colors, the finish, the type of product, and the price. If it’s something cheap that I’m just wanting to buy because it’s cheap and cute, then no. If it’s so expensive that it would feel wasteful to buy, no. If the color wouldn’t suit me, then no. If the finish is too glittery, shiny, metallic, etc., depending on the product: I know I don’t wear glitter or metallic lips, and a palette with too many metallics or glitters won’t get proper use. Not buying anything for a fantasy version of myself is important, which is something I fell into in previous years. I talk myself out of most everything. 🤣
I’m taking your very wise -short and to the point- words and having them embroyered in a pillow so I can get it into my head: I shall not buy anything for a fantasy version of myself!
Looking at my makeup collection, I seem to live by the Oscar Wilde aphorism that the only thing to do with temptation is to give in to it. In all honesty, if it’s something I can purchase in store, if it gets really good reviews here and if it’s in a colour/finish that I like and will suit me, I’m probably not going to resist, assuming the price isn’t outrageously outrageous.
I don’t go to the store or look online at things (and I even limit how often I come here. But one of the best ways is to see if I have dupes. At this point, it’ just seems a shame to purchase palettes or products of which I already have dupes.
I only buy makeup on sale. So that automatically helps quite a bit. I’ve been burned too many times with products that were underwhelming at full price (omg the Melt Shapeshift stack STILL stings…it was like 60-70 bucks shipped for three shitty and one basic shadow and it wasn’t even LE!! Liars!!).
Is it an eyeshadow palette? How many shades will you NOT use in there? Is that more than three? Nope, can’t come in to the house. Is it a single? Is it amazing or in a color/formula you don’t have? Ok, maybe…but wait for a sale (usually by that time I’ve forgotten). I’m a sucker for lipsticks and highlighters, but I have so many at this point and I’m VERY particular in the shades, formulas, packaging, and fragrance that I’d use…honestly, if the product comes along that meets my narrow requirements and it’s not crazy expensive? Why resist? I love makeup and because of skin issues I can’t use 95% of what’s out there.
So…yeah, I don’t have to try that hard to resist because at this point in my life I’ve got a bunch already and don’t fit the market for what’s being pumped out on a weekly basis these days.
Resistance is futile!
No, just kidding, it only seems that way. I am going on a no or at least low buy in the new year and I’m going to try to dupe any products I really want. Because my lipstick and eyeshadow palette has become so vast I almost always have dupes, so it’s a matter of identifying them and resisting pretty packaging. I basically stopped saying “no” to myself in the pandemic when it comes to makeup and I really need to use the stuff I have for awhile. I got some really great new palettes and lipsticks I’m excited about. I can’t stand throwing something out because it’s gone bad yet I haven’t used it that much, so my desire to actually use my stuff before it expires helps motivate me.
Another thing that helps me stay excited about the things I have is to look at old reviews and tutorials for them! They give me new ideas on how to appreciate items I may have forgotten about.
I’m immune to pretty packaging but if we extend the concept to a *shiny* gift beauty bag… I’m a gonner!
I love looking up old reviews and tutorials of stuff in my collection! It’s so inspiring!
I often find it easy to resist new products as so many aren’t really geared to my skin tones or personal preferences. I do check the dupes, using the dupe list to see if the majority of the shades are ones I have. And then there is the issue of accessibility and price.
But when something I fall in love with, like the Lorac Fairytale palette comes along, then that’s it.
I have impulse bought and products will again, but to be honest it was YouTube that changed me. I started watching ‘shop my stash’ videos about makeup, clothes and household items and it forced me to stop, look around if I already had it or a near product. Also, I never shop for groceries when I’m hungry and I never shop for makeup (my weakness) when I’m on edge or feeling I want to ‘fill’ a void.
Two of the main deterrents are: 1.) If I own dupes, and 2.) Is it in my current budget.
Otherwise, it will take a lot for me to talk myself out of getting a beautiful, well-performing, high quality item!
Someone said in her YouTube video: “if I buy X, it means I won’t be using Y, that I have and love.” It sounds so simple, even stupid to even have to point this out, but it is so true! And it works!
So many good answers already.
I tend to forget about the new shiny whatever it can be when I see the next new sparkly and so on and so on.
I do avoid a lot of purchases thanks to the wonderful feature here, the Dupe Lists. If I have a good dupe I don’t need to think anymore about whatever it was that caught my eye. However if I don’t have a dupe I have a hard time resisting red lipsticks and I have a lot of them, so may reds, they are my true weakness.
When it comes to eyeshadow palettes, I count the colours I know I’ll love and use a lot, and the ones I don’t think I’ll use at all, or very little. If there are more than 30% not use, I don’t buy the palette, but search for dupes for the shades I love the most, if I don’t have any or can’t find ones at a reasonable cost, I move on.
I’m almost 21 years of age and since I don’t wear makeup that often, I don’t feel the need to buy makeup products either. When I am in the mood for makeup shopping, I kind of go with the flow. I am consistent though. For example, I’m not gonna buy a bronzer palette from brand X when brand Y offers the same shades but for a better price.
When it comes to limited edition products, I’ll probably use them with pain in my heart because I know it was a “temporary” release. In addition, more releases will come out in the future anyway.
Lastly, I read your reviews on a regular basis. They’re a great way to get a hold of myself. Only if I feel the same satisfaction after reading your review as when I saw the title, I will buy the product.