What has your beauty purchasing looked like so far this year?

A steady stream of purchases (I’m around $6,000 year-to-date) but a feeling that there’s been a bit of slowdown in color releases (particularly eyeshadow) — in a good way — though lip products continue to release relentlessly!

— Christine

36 Comments

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KK Avatar

I haven’t bought anything yet this year. I’m not on a no buy or low buy, but I have been more aware of my spending in general. I’ve just been enjoying the items I already own. I’ve come close to buying the Clinique chubby highlighter stick, but I figured I may as well wait another month or so for it to go on sale somewhere.

Celesta Avatar

Much less than normal, and I’m happy with that. I’ve been trying to be much more critical and conscious of what I have and what I need to use up before purchasing more product. And I’m also realizing just how long a product lasts and how similar some things, like blushes, can look on my skin, thereby justifying less product purchases. I love seeing the mindset behind beauty purchases shift to a more conscientious mindset.

Seraphine Avatar

I love this question because I’m so proud of myself for sticking to my “no-buy-except-out-of-necessity” New Year’s resolution. So far, in 2019, I’ve bought one eyebrow pencil. That’s it. And only because the previous pencil was used up. This is my first New Year’s resolution that has made it through two months. (I’m confident that I won’t be buying any makeup for the next two days.)

Jessica Avatar

I’m on a low-buy, which for me means that what comes out of my bank account has to be low. So I’ve really been utilizing gift cards and I recently used my Sephora gift code of $100 (cashed in 2500 points for it) to purchase a few items. In total I’ve spent $64.49 out of my bank account, but between gift cards, gift codes, and exchanges, I’ve gotten $384 worth of products. I am being very careful about slowing down on everything. Whatever I buy does have to be special.

Ziwei Avatar

I’m at 40 dollars right now. I’m trying very hard to stick to my 50 dollars/month budget for makeup and skincare, and I’m doing great! Trying to scout out stuff from the drugstore instead of sticking mindlessly to high end products.

Sherri Avatar

I’m very conscientious about how much I spend on beauty, and ever since I bought acrylic makeup organizers, I have found I really don’t need to buy much. I think all I’ve bought this year is the MUG Stroke of Midnight palette (which I love, btw) a MUG foiled shadow, a MUG blush, and 2 replacement black eyeliners. I pretty much only see myself buying essentials and replacements this year (I say that now, but there will probably be more purchases than that).

AB Avatar

What is for me about an average level of spend, but just about all focused on skincare. One eyeshadow and a replacement mascara is all I can think of makeup-wise, and a couple of replacement hair products.

I don’t specifically track how much I spend on beauty items, but I’d say it’s about average rate; I’m staying within my lines.

Emily Avatar

Trying to low-buy here (and I think I’m going to no-buy for Lent) and shop my stash more. I discovered and fell in love with the Maybelline Matte Ink formula, so I’ve been letting myself pick up a different color every time I go to Target, but those are cheap and quickly becoming my go-to, so I don’t feel terribly guilty about that. I did pick up a couple of half-price palettes from BH early in the year, but I’m going to try to avoid any more palettes until I use up/destash some others.

Jess Avatar

I’ve never spent a lot on make up (stay at home mom to 4 kids) I bought a few colourpop single shadows and 2 CP palettes, a wet n wild lipstick, and a Maybelline mascara. I definitely don’t don’t have the means to spend the kind of money that most do but I still love makeup all the same.

Laurie Avatar

This is “the year of using up” in our house, so I have tried only to replace rather than buy new. I did buy the new Marc Jacobs Steeletto palette because it was too gorgeous [and well reviewed] to pass by.

Laurie Avatar

It’s really beautiful and truth to tell, I have these colors. The difference? How they feel when being applied or blended. Of course, I bought it on sale through NM, but I might have bought it at the full price

Nancy T Avatar

Considerably less spent this year compared to the previous 5 or 6 years. I’m trying to get it even leaner, if possible. The only downside? I’ve been noticing that in this much more restrained year spending wise, I’ve felt a peculiar “letdown” effect. As in, just not feeling as excited or motivated to do as much with my makeup looks as before. Although, yesterday was truly the exception! Went all out using PMG Bronze Seduction Mothership palette with a few shades from La Vie En Rose MTHRSHP, too.

Deborah S. Avatar

Ditto on the let down feeling. I mentioned it to you earlier and the more I have thought about it the more I think that is what has been part of the reason for my depression. I mean I have other reasons to be a little down but no buy for the first almost 2 months is definitely having an affect. I promised myself that I was only going to buy two palettes this year and the Huda Emerald is one of them but I think that playing with that and then hopefully another month of winter and then spring will be here and I think things will look up. I hope so anyway.

MacKenzie G. Avatar

Virtually nonexistent!! I haven’t really been wearing makeup much in the last few months, and it finally got through my head that I need to stop purchasing makeup if I’m not using it. I already have more than I can ever reasonably use – I don’t need to add to it. I believe that since the start of 2019, I have made one Colourpop order (Kathleen Lights pigments and some lipsticks), and that is it. I have a wedding, my last few semesters of undergrad, and an apartment to save up for!

Mariella Avatar

Much more subdued compared to last year. Mostly, it’s just been skin care or replacements for colour products I’m close to finishing up (another Craving lipstick, another Sephora Cappuccino pencil, another UDPP…that sort of stuff). I have really reigned myself in but also, as I’ve said here before (and several others, I think, share this feeling) there is very little that excites me any more – I have reached that point that is even beyond “saturation” – where there is little that is so new or innovative but still wearable and so I just don’t get as enthused. When I do see something new and nice and appealing, invariably I’ve got 4 dupes already in my vanity!

CeeBee Avatar

Expensive, LOL.

I bought probably half of Sydney Grace’s catalogue, had multiple orders from BeautyBay and Beautylish (like I had a box arrive every 2 – 3 days for about 3 weeks), discovered a new favourite skincare range in Natio Rosewater (and since they had 30% off, I got backups) and also bought 7 or 8 of their reformulated lipsticks, got about 30 different Korean sheet masks, all the Colourpop lippie balms and a whole bunch of other stuff including Karity’s Picante palette, a new brush set and the Becca Malika blush quad.

I’d estimate I’ve spent at least half of my income on beauty products in the last 2 months…. but I don’t have a lot of other outgoings or financial obligations and I’ve hit saturation point now, so the last week has been pretty quiet…

Congrats to everyone maintaining their no/low buys!!!! 😀

Wednesday Avatar

I’ve been on a e/s palette thing since last fall, but slowing down (recents are MJ Steeletto, Viseart Liason). I have also been picking up new brushes as many of my older brushes have done their time. I’m also replacing used-up products in my skincare. Always an expensive endeavour and it seems to happen all at once. I’m less likely to buy h/l or lipsticks or cheek right now. I grabbed PMG glosses for ‘free’ using big S points. I have to say the 2,500 points for $100 is a welcome addition to the loyalty program.

Kelvene Avatar

I happy to say I have not made any beauty related purchases for the year. I’m super proud of myself and I am very happy with all the extra money I’ve saved. I am however putting aside money each month for a hakuhodo purchase I plan to do in August. There has been releases that have caught my eye and luckily they are mostly permanent so i am going to give it some time as well as waiting for eventual sales. For the limited editions,, my collection is to the point where I can more less dupe the colors that catch my interest.

Anne Avatar

Aside from a trip to my closest CCO (very successful one though!) I’ve bought nothing as I had the big medical procedure (big as in life-changing, but a quick and not super invasive procedure) so I wanted to make sure the money was used for that as it’s been a long fight with the insurance to get it. The treatment was successful (well, this first round, now it’s PT and OT and a lot of other hard work and the same treatment every 3 months for a while) so the CCO trip was kind of a “hooray it worked and now I’ve gotta work my butt off too” kind of a reward trip. Mostly skincare was bought but they had some amazing Tom Ford stuff for SUPER cheap so I got a cream eyeshadow and a lipstick from them (now wishing I got another lipstick I was looking at in hindsight but oh well).

Deborah S. Avatar

It depends on whether I have to count purchases that were for my daughter but since I paid for them, I guess that counts!! I am doing well. I was Rouge at Sephora by the second week in January last year and I am no where near it this year. I picked up the ColourPop lipstick and two SSS for my daughter and then today in Spokane she needed some skin care so I purchased that and also a Huda Emerald palette. I have been going back and forth about it but since I love green shadows I thought I would splurge and pick it up. That is all this year so far so I am happy with that. I also think that it is helping that I am trying to make myself wait and view the product in front of me, regardless of review. I don’t have access close at hand so usually I would run to my PC and place an order but by forcing myself to wait and actually look at it I have found that I am not as anxious to have it. Of course, that only works if I make myself wait and since I know that certain brands are not carried at my closest Sephora, Ulta or Nordstrom’s I do feel sometimes like I should just order it because I won’t be able to find it. So far, I have resisted that temptation.

I think being on a low buy/no buy is sort of like dieting. Once you fall off your diet then you figure all is lost and you might as well just return to eating the way you did. I felt similarly when I ordered the ColourPop but having been to Sephora and Ulta today and managing to get out only buying the Huda palette, I feel like I jumped the hurdle.

Katy Avatar

I’ve spent a few hundred since the new year, a lot on skincare (my addiction), and some on makeup (esp. lipstick, my obsession.) This is about the same as I’ve spent for the last few years.

I always use what I buy, and I only buy what I genuinely want. Just MHO, but I think this whole “no buy” thing is such a gimmick. Where these the same people who just a year or two ago were telling everyone we had to color correct? Or buy Artis brushes? As usual, it’s a gimmick to get you to go along with a trend.

And “no buy” is another such fad. When it’s over, it’ll be like color correcting or Artis brushes – like it never even happened. Do the people who come up with this crap have memories longer than four minutes?

Mary Avatar

I’m. making my makeup earn its keep or out it goes…lol…
I’ve bought a few things .that replaced products that were under performing ,
Iike my eye liner pencils that no matter what I do melt under pressure.
I’ve tossed those and replaced them with the Marc Jacobs matte gel liners , that actually stay put .
I’ve tossed eye shadows that fade and crease no matter what primer I use and replaced them with Pat McGrath Bronze Sublime mini palette. That wears like a champ and just gets better with time .
And I’ve added a couple of skin care products like Murads Age Reform Invisiblur Perfecting Shield SPF 30 , which creates the most beautiful smooth base and makes my usual foundation go on smoother .
I have reduced the amount of makeup I have but what I do have works for me.

Nicole D Avatar

When it comes to the beauty products, significantly less than last year. It’s true that I get excited with the new lunches but then the reason kicks in (thankfully!). I already have so much, at least according to my standards. I purchased however several items:

– Clinique Get Cheeky palette (it’s a miracle that two of this palette showed up at my Sephora store)
– Smashbox Primerizer in travel size (a true miracle during the harsh winter we have here in Eastern Canada)
– Sugar High lip trio from MJ (epic failure as the shades pool brown on me; I was in store when I purchased them and they looked rosy and not brownish under artificial lighting)
– the mini gloss trio from PMG in Skin Show Nudes (happy with this one)
– Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lipstick in Main Squeeze (it was 25% off and free shipping, no minimum)
– the CoverFX Custom Cover Drops in PG20, that have been on sale for the past week @50% off (I intend to mix them with my sunscreen and thus to cut one layer in my beauty routine – the foundation, which can become too much for me, especially during summer)

And I’ve used my 2500 Sephora points (CAD100 reward) to order Viseart Paris Nude palette which is exactly CAD 100. I love the shades on me. I already have the Neutral Matte, so Paris Nude is a perfect addition for me. Sephora’s $100 reward in exchange for 2500 pts is really a nice extension of their reward program. I already had so many points last year when they launched their new program and last fall I chose the Hourglass Ambient Edit Vol. 4. It’s also nice that as birthday gift, I can choose this year 750 points instead of the usual mini sets.

Alison Avatar

I’ve been pretty good, though not perfect. I’m basically using up skin care items, which has been going well. I’m not allowed to buy skin care, blush, lipstick, concealer, or brow products– so no Chanel Tweed (Sorry, Chanel!) I’ve got enough of all those items to last until forever. I got Viseart Coy, Chanel Quintessence and the Sonia G eye set. Pricey but only three products in 2 months which is good– so to speak. I love all three. For the Coy, it was love at first sight. Your good review sold me on the Chanel, which I had liked but was concerned it was too subtle. But am really enjoying it, wear it a lot. One of my weaknesses is eyeliners, but I have not succumbed to either the Marc Jacobs or Suqqu eyeliners. I’ve talked myself out of the recent Visearts, which was not hard at all. And am waiting for Anastasia’s Green palette. And doubting there will be much to tempt me unless the indies hold some surprises.

Terri Avatar

I’m supposed to be on a low/no buy this year as I have enough makeup to last the next couple of lifetimes, however, Shop Hush has been having a huge sale on their website as well as a coupon code of spring50 for an additional 50% off, so I’ve fallen a bit off the wagon. Waiting for my purchases of 4 e/s palettes & 2 highlighter palettes for a total of 30 dollars spent.
Other than that I only cashed in a gift card for a Juvias Place palette.
The only things I should contemplate buying should be skincare since I’m getting low.

Mariele Storm Avatar

Trying to think… don’t think I’ve bought anything this year, except to buy more face wash, toner, makeup removing wipes, etc, as I run out.

Jill Avatar

Going through my receipts I almost had a heart attack but then I remembered: I had gift cards. WHEW, I was worried I was doing sleep-internet-buying or something! So I acquired about $100 of new products and haven’t spent any money on any of it. Yesterday (3/2) I did place an order for three of the newest LM caviar sticks so that brings me to under $100 spent and I’m good to go for about another 2 months when my current mascara should be replaced.

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