We earn commission on sales tracked from our links and codes. Thank you for your support! We earn commission from affiliate links/codes. Thank you!
1.) Figure out if you can dupe it, whether that’s very similar shades that you already own or by layering two or three products together or just recreating a theme/vibe with what you own. 2.) Be aware of your goals and how giving in might make those harder to achieve. 3.) Push pause and give yourself more time to think about it to see if it’s something that still tempts you later on.
Our collaboration is now available! Get the details! Read now.
We're here to help you make better beauty purchases that you'll enjoy and love! We recommend signing up to take advantage of personalized features like tracking products you own, viewing dupes that you already have, and more!
Here are some useful resources for you:
Curious how two shades compare to each other? Type in the shades below to get instant side-by-side swatches!
Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!
Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).
We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!
We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!
Sometimes I think about how long I have to work to earn the money to spend on the product in question. If it feels reasonable, I will make the purchase. But if I dread doing the “extra” work, I will not make the buy.
I also sometimes consider what else I could purchase for the same money to see which I would rather have.
Lastly, I try to figure out where I would store it. With my ever enlarging stash, I have minimal space left for add ons. Each new addition needs to be worthy.
For me, I just got to a point where I actually have practically anything I need to have fun with my makeup: I did some sort of overhaul over the last few years, switching from mainly drugstore products to mainly high-end products, and now I have more than enough to keep me contented and interested, so when I purchase something it’s because I’ve finished the one I’m using or it’s something truly out of this world. Also, if I may end on a slightly cheeky note, the way beauty brands have been acting lately (way too many and too blatantly “in-your-face” cash grabs – glaring at you, ABH and PMG) has really helped me keep my money in my pocket 😉
Don’t look! LOL!
No, but really, if “new-new” stuff is just too tempting for you personally, then perhaps it’s time to disengage from most of whatever scene it is that proves to be to much temptation for you. This is something that I know I need to work on. I need to quit following certain IG sites that stream constant previews, ie; Trendmood, Hotfire.
Another thing I always try to do, in fact, very actively, is check for dupes on your Dupe List. That feature has probably saved me many Benjamin’s!
Lastly, I really have to be honest with myself. I am 60. How much of this can I or will I get to use up before I eventually go with simpler, less convoluted makeup looks? Especially eye looks? For now, I do still enjoy putting together some very edgy eye looks, but I have very hooded eyes that time and aging are beginning to make look even more hooded, so how much longer before I give up on winged liner and 5-8 shades of shadow on my eyes?
Pushing pause is important. Mainly I just assess how often I’m likely to use it. I want to be willing to use every shade!
I do step 1 often, I hate owning the same colors or similar color stories. I have to get rid of the similar item ie. Colourpop Yes, Please for the ND Sunset palette. I have Mothership V and I am thinking to skip the Iconic Illumination quad, although I really want it. I have a feeling it will go on sale at some point, but I am thinking even then should I buy it? I am going to go with a no. I bought Ritualistic Rose, since I liked how it will pair with palettes I already own. I am realizing now I am okay with buying RR at full price, but there is no “urgency” for IC so that also speaks to things.
I’m going on a no-buy for 2020 and trying to avoid temptation, so I’m unsubscribing myself from everything beauty related (which as it turns out, is a lot). Thank you for all hard work and see you in 2021, Christine!
1. STAY AWAY from Temptalia! (just joking, sort of….)
2. Wait for reviews from Temptalia
3. Check out dupes at Temptalia
So basically, the answer to all the burning questions in my life is “Temptalia”.
Pushing “pause” is something I try to do more now than I did, say, 5 years ago. I’ve got so much makeup that it’s a bit easier to do though I still get antsy at the thought of missing out on something great that is LE.
?
If I have HGs I won’t buy more, save lipstick.
If I’m serious (or want to be serious) about a “no buy” period of time or know that I have all I need, I unsubscribe and block websites on my phone and computer. If I don’t see it, I can’t be tempted. It may be hard for a very short time, but after that, it’s remarkably freeing.
I also tell my daughter that when she’s thinking about purchasing something that she’s on the fence about, pause for at least a week and if you are still thinking about it after that, then it’s probably worthwhile.
Pause. I will pretty much wait a month now on any purchases where that’s possible. If it’s makeup from Ulta or Sephora, I decide to wait till I can use their 20% off coupon. I found time is enough for me lose interest; I’ve only gotten 2 palettes, a foundation, and a setting powder for myself this year.
A little time spent in my makeup drawers. playing or just looking at all the stuff I hardly use will usually do the trick.
One thing that I started doing at the beginning of 2019 was put a hard rule that I do not buy “Limited Edition” makeup. I have done a lot of reading on forced scarcity and how it’s used as a marketing tactic and that really helped pump the breaks on FOMO and buying makeup because it’s Limited Edition.
I also depotted ALL of my powder products (eyeshadow, blushes, highlighters etc) and put them into a big magnetic palette. Usually I’ll pull what I want to use through the week into a smaller palette. But I use the big palette as my ‘forced scarcity’ as any powder product I buy has to fit in that palette. Right now there is room so I’m also using a budget to limit impulse purchases but I really like having all my makeup in one big mosaic that I can pull from however I want.
When I did the initial depotting I realized how similar SO many palettes actually are, so now whenever a new (non-LE) product comes out I try to look at just the pans instead of the packaging. As I’ve become more aware of how I do my makeup and what I like, I’ve become much more critical of new launches.
There are some great tips in the comments as well as the ones you’ve put on here, Christine.
I plan on doing a no-buy for 2020. I’ve found myself losing interest in makeup recently, so I usually just buy things for the sake of buying things. My husband and I are moving to Europe for 2 years (leaving in April from Canada!) and we’re each only bringing 2 suitcases full of stuff so I really can’t pack a suitcase of just makeup LOL.
Wish me luck!!
For me, it’s about whether or not I already have the shades in question in my stash – thank goodness for the dupe list.
Another aspect is the price (horrendous here in Aus) and accessibility (usually not). So that can be a brake on any purchase.
As most eye palettes are still in love with the shades of red, pink, orange, mauve and purples – these are not shades I use, so I am pretty safe from purchasing more eye palettes.
Now lipsticks – hmmm…..
1. I look through what I already have.
2. Do I really need it?
3. I put it in my cart and let it sit there for a while and if I just really can’t get it out of my mind then I will pull the trigger.
3. I know what I like and what works on me so I don’t purchase anything without researching it first and seeing what kind of review Christine gives it. I have cut way back on all my spending this way and it feels good.
*Look at your budget: Can you really afford it? Is there something you’d rather have? Something else not beauty related you’d rather save long-term for? Think about how likely an item is to go on sale later, and resolve to at least wait for the sale. You might decide you don’t want it by then!
*Look at your stash. Think about whether the item fills a need or hole in your collection.
*Read reviews before you buy. Become more discerning.
*Unsubscribe from brand emails and avoid YouTube beauty channels, if resisting is really hard for you. Lessen temptation, in other words.
*I’m a huge fan of “window shopping:” Adding things to my cart, but letting them sit a few days before buying. Most of the time I never end up buying.
Actually a funny question for me. I am limited only by my disposable income demands. My income is considerably less than when I was working.
I love colors and love makeup but only feel somewhat limited by my age (70). I try not to look ridiculous but rarely err on the side of sedate.
Sometimes I look the rich lives that enjoy the owners of the companies, on social media, and I say no! LOL!
If I get the itch to buy something new (looking at you, new Chanel liquid shadow) I check for dupes here and then I go clean and organize my collection. Having to handle everything and put it back in it’s place reminds me of what I already own, what I actually use, and what my goals are. It’s not fool-proof but I’ve had better success since I started doing this.