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What works for me is keeping tabs on what type of things go on sale in different stores, rather than being dedicated to one store.
I try to dupe new stuff that comes out with what I have at home, but I cannot help it, I still buy A LOT…
to me, i think it’s all about the mentality. so whenever i WANT to buy something else, i’ll take a look at what i have already and remind myself that i’ll never be able to use them up before their expiry date if i keep buying stuff, which will just waste my money. this also encourages me to use more of my stuff so it isn’t just sitting in my drawers – although quite a few products are doing that right now 😀
Eyeshadows for example if I have a colour I already have, I do not get a colour one or two shades lighter than that. I usually have like 3 shades of one colour, light purple, purple and dark purple. I just need a good dark green and dark blue eyeshadow and I am pretty much done! – It saves me alot!
Same goes for lipglosses & lipstick. I am pretty neutral when it comes to lip colours so I have like 4 lipglosses and two lipsticks, I need to get another one though.
I don’t use any face make-up so that’s nothing, for now!
1. Invest in a few things that you know work for you and are worth the money, so you aren’t wasting money trying out a lot of different stuff
2. Buy less expensive brands when it’s something not as important. Buy a Coastal Scents palette instead of one single eyeshadow in a wild color. You get a lot more from your money doing stuff like that.
i am the same as well, look at what you’ve got before making a decision. and with a bit of research, i find i am very satisfied with low end l/s and mascaras and i often wait till there’s a sale at the drugstores. for high end, it helps when you research on upcoming collections and read reviews before you buy. cco is a great place to buy high end makeup and there are often sales going around these days but again, research what really works for you and sample them at the store before you buy them.
I agree with Archelle. I think Coastal Scents is the BEST company. They really have so much stuff that can dupe most MAC/other expensive shadows/blushes/brushes etc.
For me, especially when it comes to MAC(my obsession) i try not to buy permanent items.
When a new collection comes out, if i dont truly LOVE it, i just pass on it. Like Dame Edna, i liked some of the stuff, but i only really wanted Hot Frost l/g. So thats all i got. I didnt get anything form Chill etc etc because i didnt LOVE the collection.
Like, i really want quite abit from BBR, so im saving on other items/collections so i can get more from BBR. For me, i used to buy SO much, because i loved the collection, but now alot of stuff sits around because i realize i liked the collection idea more than the actual makeup in the collection.
1.Stop seeing a lot of HAUL videos…and seeing lovely product pics on blogs…lol!!! its really tempting, no matter whatever amount of makeup u have….
2.Reduce the FREQUENCY of goin to Sephoras n Ultas n similar stores.
3.RE-ARRANGE your make-up storage once in 15days..so you know what exactly you have..
4.U seriously need to THINK what exactly you gonna use. i mean if u are not partying or clubbing a lot..no need to buy many glitter liners, eventually every type of glitter is gonna shine…right??
5.l/s, l/g, cream based products have a EXPIRY date..so use up whatever u have n then go ahead for new ones. 2 to 3 shades of nudes are more than enough..at the end it will have same effect on lips…NUDE!!!
6.Mascaras n nail polishes tend to DRY…so stocking up makes no sense…
ok, the reply is geting longer..i need to stop…one thing to remember is its the BUSINESS of Beauty companies to bring out products…no need to buy everything!!!!
Nail polishes have no expiry date, they’re one thing I *do* stock up on! If you buy a good thinner nail polish will last FORVER. There are great blogs about saving old nail polishes and they literally come up BRAND NEW! No matter how guilty I feel about my careless makeup spending habits I’ve never felt guilty about nail polish for that reason. 🙂
Oh yeah, i missed one…don’t buy colors that u are gona use very very less..i mean no need to buy NARS mediteranee orange shade or RED from danger zone, if u gona use orange or red once in a year…u can get something cheaper…
i agree!! i stopped myself from buying the colored paints and paintpots even though they look so nice, but really, how often am I going to use a red paint, or a purple paint.
I just stick to the nude paints or my TFSI, UDPP etc and for darker smokey looks I can use my cream liner as a base..
think of making your current products work multipurpose, and you don’t need to buy so much…. or so I say…….
Unfortunately I’m still in the ‘trying to grow my stash’ phase since I’ve only been collecting hardcore since about May. I’m getting to the stage (now that I’ve spent about $4000AUD! Yikes!) that I can start slowing down by using the theory that if I have a similar colour then I won’t buy it unless I’ve swatched it in person and absolutely can’t stop thinking about it. I find I’m starting to slow down on purchases like my 10th light pink lipglass and my 20th medium-light tapue crease colour etc. I already have stuff I don’t use and colours which I don’t absolutely adore just because I was ‘collecting’, I’m starting to think more about how much daily use I’ll get out of what I buy. Plus my husband and I just bought our very first house today, so I’m pretty sure once reality hits I’ll be slowing RIGHT down! It’s a hard habit to kick though!
I also try to avoid LE items in general. Then I don’t have that ‘if I don’t buy it right now I will miss out forever’ feeling. Also quality over quantity, I only buy MAC brushes. I’d rather buy one nice brush to last me ten years than ten that will last me six months. In the long run it works out cheaper and I’ve got better tools to use.
1. I try to split up big items like pigments, and kits with a close friend or my sister-n-laws. This way we all get a little of something cool.
2.Limit the amount of times you shop at Sephora, or breeze by a make-up counter you are more likely to get sucked in by splurge items the more frequently you visit these places.
3. KNOW what you already have, there are so many possible dupes out there, I know I have been stuck before with something excactly the same as what I already have. What a waste!
1. find a classic look you like and stick to it.
2. ask for samples of foundation to find the right one, if you haven’t already found it (same goes with concealer).
3. use the web to find good replacement products – I found the perfect primer (monistat chafing relief gel) to replace expensive Smashbox. When I wanted to try MUFE HD Powder, a little bit of research led me to coastalscents.com, where I got a 1 ounce container of 100% silica for $4 – and some great brush deals too.
4. Pay attention to what you have on hand. I mean how many red lippies do I REALLY need.
On that note, I went to Sephora this weekend to restock some Philosophy body wash and walked out with NO new makeup! I was really proud of myself (ok, one little bottle of nail polish didn’t count, haha!)
if you have a pricey moisturizer, spray on some of Lush’s toners just before you slather it on. their toners are non-alcoholic and very moisturizing (i use the “breath of fresh air” with rose and lavender extract), and it really makes your moisturizer go a long way.
i’ve also found that buying a good primer will keep you from needing too much concealer, foundation, and powder. you hardly need to touch up your face all day, maybe aside from mascara.
I stick to one brand. And I keep a list of all the items I want, and I go through the list often to get rid of any similar colors or ones that I don’t absolutely need. I try to get all of the limited edition items first and save the permanent items for later, and I always check to see if I can find them cheaper on Ebay.
Swatch it/try it on, then leave the store and think about the purchase. Do you feel comfortable wearing it? Is it something you will get a lot of use out of it? I also keep a lemming list that I regularly go through and kill items off. And ask yourself if you have something comparable already!!!
I finally found a place that sells NYX, so I’ll be forgoing Sephora and MAC for a while, woo-hoo!!!
I went a little crazy with their sales, so I have everything I could ask for. Scratch that, I have everything I NEED (plus some). I also have been lucky with Neutrogena for my sensitive skin and thank God for the mint julip mask, my skin saviors!!
Like a couple of you gals stated, I need to know what I already have so I don’t buy it over and over. Good idea on the re-organizing, Samaya, it’ll remind me of how much I have and need to use before I buy more. =)
Thanks for the tips, addicts!!
if u have a big stash alrdy, just go through whatever you already own, and chances are you will discover new stuff to play with, and therefore don’t need to buy another blusher, eyeshadow, liner or lipgloss etc etc…
I try as hard as possible not to buy into the whole LE hysteria. I have a huge stash of makeup from all different brands & I’m a “collector” so its hard to resist the urge to get more…I find if I only buy what I’m really attracted to the first time a collection comes out & then wait on the other “maybe” items for a few weeks I tend to buy a bit less. But its a struggle for certain.
I mostly stick to inexpensive makeup (like from drug stores) and then complement it with the professional stuff when I can. That means most of my collection is drug store stuff, but that’s alright with me.
I check Ebay every day for things I have on my wish list, but it tends to result in me getting things that aren’t on my list, so it works out more expensive in the end, rather than cheaper, lol. Although I have found some really good deals, as much as 50% cheaper than shop prices. Unfortunately I’m not very good with sticking to budget/wish list, etc. and for example have just ordered
I tend to not buy drugstore makeup because it’s so cheap, so I feel that I can buy more. Then when I take it home, I find that the pigmentation is not that great and I wasted my money on bad makeup. So I stick to a few wild colors and the classics from MAC. Yes, it’s more expensive, but they quality is so good that you don’t have to cake it on. I find that MAC costs about the same as drugstores when you compare to how much usage you get out of the items. I also save my containers from MAC. I love recycling them to get a new eyeshadow or lipglass! 🙂
I like to preview collections on beauty blogs, so I can plan ahead what I’m interested in. Then I wait til it comes out and look at swatches online, if I still want it I go to the store and test it myself. Then if I still really want it I’ll buy it. I found I have to limit myself, like only one or two items from a collection. Also I re evaluate why I’m buying the item, do I NEED it? do I have tons of this color have home? is it different in any way? or do I just like the packaging? or do I like the look of the collection? or the model in the print ads? I recently returned my mac kanga rouge lipstick from dame edna because i have tons of red lipsticks! I wanted it real bad, and its gorgeous, but like that other girl said, how many red lipsticks do I really NEED? I don’t need 10! You can’t wear 10 at a time, and will probably only get through one whole tube in the next year!
I just tell myself I really don’t need it. When LE collections come out I look for dupes. I don’t buy lustre, or velvet shadows as those tend to be gross. Buy only what you will use! Don’t get sucked into cute LE packaging. Buy pan shadows instead of pot shadows.
For every collection I’m interested in I go through my stash and look for dupes. Then if there are none, I ask myself if I’m REALLY going to use the product if I buy it and how much. How unique is it for me? This has really helped me cut down loads! I’m spending less money in general these days and this has helped me adhere to my budget beautifully!
Well, I think you ladies mentioned all tips.
I think a good research before you enter the store is essential. So thanks to all the people out there, who write reviews and keep their blogs up to date.
So my New Year’s resulution for 2009 is to buy only 12 colored products like glosses, lippies and eyeshadow. That won’t include: mascara, foundation and cleanser, toner & moisturiser.
Yeah I get really sucked into LE and new releases! So I’ve decided that I’m going to get BBR stuff and maybe one or two things from Hello Kitty, but nothing else from any other brand for at least 3 months!! I gotta pay off some of those horrible December credit card bills! 🙂
1) dont get hypnotized by the cute packaging like i do. think about this, would u buy the product if it didn’t hav such extravagent packaging
2) give urself a limit of how much u spend wen u go to a makeup store
3) try not to buy colors that are very similar with each other. (c’mon, u guys dont need a pallette filled with different shades of beige or 16 bright pink lip glosses!)
4) keep in mind that ur products do expire and if u hav too much, u wont be able to finish them all in time.
I have graduated from drugstore to full dept brands on cosmetics. I now use YSL, Christian Dior, Estee Lauder and Elizabeth Arden. I have been using drugstore for 30 years and it is more than enough. Revlon, Loreal, maybeline and wet and wild….goodbye to you all.
The reason? I just discovered I got another 4 years of reasonable smooth canvas left before I fall into the wrinkled lady has been. So, from now on, I will splurge on my makeup.
And…I discovered something else. These dept store brands are NOT expensive at all! I used to pay USD10 for 2-3 colors loreal eyeshadow (yes, it is expensive in my country) sometimes the color payoff are bad too. The cheaper lipsticks are not cheap at all when I realised that I dont use them because they are drying.
So, all the mistakes are costing me a neat bundle of cash. From now on, I will only add foundations and concealers as I have bought a lot of colors already. Just checked the 2009 colors… nothing I couldnt dupe from my loot.