# Resolution LOW-BUY 2017



## shellygrrl (Dec 31, 2016)

It's the fourth year of Low-Buy! Holy 

Previously: 2014 | 2015 | 2016


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## fur4elise (Jan 1, 2017)

*Happy New Years Ladies!!!*


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## Alysse011 (Jan 1, 2017)

Woohoo! Happy New Year. I'm going to evaluate my stash and come back with some goals. Still sticking to the $250 though...holy  is right


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## LadyBug13 (Jan 1, 2017)

Hi everyone!

I'm a new member, and after lurking for a bit, I've decided to be more active! I read through the 2016 thread and I'd love to participate for 2017.

I did some decluttering before 2016 came to an end (13-ish nail polishes, the Clinique Chubby highlighter, a Wet n Wild lipstick, and the UD Naked Basics and Naked 2 Basics palettes), and looking back on 2016 as a whole, I spent more money on skincare than I did on makeup (mostly Origins and Fresh). The makeup I did purchase I consider essentials and bought them again. My only makeup splurge was the UD Naked Ultimate Basics palette. I also noticed that the majority of my 2016 makeup purchases were from MAC and my skincare care was bought at Sephora. 

I did I placed two MAC orders in December (my sister bought me 8 eyeshadows for Christmas and I purchased 12 during the 25% off sale to begin my MAC eyeshadow collection, along with the Spiked brow pencil, a Pro Longwear concealer, and MSFN), and I took advantage of the Sephora VIB sale in November. I also used the $20 off coupon and a 10% coupon for when my VIB status renewed in November.

I'm putting myself on a replacement only low-buy for 2017. I feel I was more thoughtful with my purchases in 2016, and I want to remain that way. I'm become more fascinated with MAC in recent months and I'm interested in trying out some MAC products I've heard of but never got around to buying. I have a MAC wishlist, but I don't need anything from the list for a while. I do want to get another Fix+ but I'm waiting until I run out of MUFE Mist & Fix. 

Looking forward to reading about everyone's progress!


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## lenchen (Jan 2, 2017)

Happy New Year everyone! 
 I did really well in 2016 by just buying items that needed to be replaced such as mascara, NARS eyeshadow base, etc..The only make-up items I purchased last year were 3 color pop high liters, a Lancome high liter and I replaced my Chanel rouge allure lip laquer in dragon with the 2016 fall release. As for brushes, I made my final purchase of the remaining brushes on my wish list last month, and I'm happy to say done with purchasing brushes. I'm content with what I have. I did a count of how much I spent on brushes within the last 6 years (yikes!) talk about a small fortune! for 2017, I want to continue using what I have, purging items that I find rarely gets using, and replacing items that I have used. As far as skincare, I will only replace what I've used up. my budget for my skincare replenishment is 425.00 for the year. There's a cream I use from Shulwasoo, I've used it for 2 years and I'll need to replace soon.


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## JulieDiva (Jan 2, 2017)

I failed last year with my makeup spending.  I am going to try to make 2017 the year of restraint.  Love reading everyones goals and accomplishments!


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## shellygrrl (Jan 2, 2017)

LadyBug13 said:


> Hi everyone!
> 
> I'm a new member, and after lurking for a bit, I've decided to be more active! I read through the 2016 thread and I'd love to participate for 2017.



 Welcome!



lenchen said:


> Happy New Year everyone!
> I did really well in 2016 by just buying items that needed to be replaced such as mascara, NARS eyeshadow base, etc..The only make-up items I purchased last year were 3 color pop high liters, a Lancome high liter and I replaced my Chanel rouge allure lip laquer in dragon with the 2016 fall release. As for brushes, I made my final purchase of the remaining brushes on my wish list last month, and I'm happy to say done with purchasing brushes. I'm content with what I have. I did a count of how much I spent on brushes within the last 6 years (yikes!) talk about a small fortune! for 2017, I want to continue using what I have, purging items that I find rarely gets using, and replacing items that I have used. As far as skincare, I will only replace what I've used up. my budget for my skincare replenishment is 425.00 for the year. There's a cream I use from Shulwasoo, I've used it for 2 years and I'll need to replace soon.



Whoa, that's super low-buy, makeup-wise! And yay for completing your brush collection!

* * *

FOTD from yesterday...

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer (across nose)
* MUFE Step 1 - Hydrating Primer (lower half of face)
* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil - Ash
* NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Paint Pot - Nice Composure
* Prestige True Khol Kajal - Matte Black (smudged out on upper lashline)
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* NARS Blush - Sex Fantasy
* NARS Velvet Lip Glide - Unlaced


I think I'm going to set Nice Composure aside for Back 2 MAC. I've noticed the last couple of times I've used it that it's not applying as well as I'd like -- not with a brush (RT Shading) or with my finger.

(For newcomers, I post FOTDs here as a way to track usage.)

I put in a Beautylish order earlier today and, in regards to makeup, stuck with the Makeup Atelier foundation and the Inglot brow gel liner. I also got a nail polish: OCC Femme. (Toward the end of the year I also got rid of a few older nail polishes in my stash. Nail polish is not a category where I limit myself.)

Goals coming up in the next post.


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## shellygrrl (Jan 2, 2017)

Goals! (As usual, I'll be re-evaulating in July and adjusting accordingly.)

*No Buy*
Pre-made eyeshadow palettes - In general, I never use all the colours in them. Don't need or want any more.

Bronzers - While I have wishlisted one bronzer, I'm not in a hurry to buy it, and I've still got some to use.

Eyeliner Pencils - I'm good with what I've got right now.

Pigments - I had several pigments in the past, and the times I used them were few and far between. So back in the fall, I finally got rid of them. Not for me.

Setting Powders - I'm good.

Spot Concealer - I'm still working through a sample size of Kevyn Aucoin SSE. (That's how little of this product you need to use.) I'm putting it here for now, but if I run out of that sample during the year, I will get a full size.

Foundation - I just bought one.

Face Primers - I'm good, I think.

*Proceed with Caution*
Eyeshadow Primer - A little later this year (around March or so, I'm thinking?), I'll have to replace mine. But I won't be repurchasing the NARS one (although it works great for me), because there's another one I want to try.

Single Eyeshadows - Long wishlist is long, and I'm going through a little bit of a matte phase in regards to powder eyeshadows. The key here will be prioritization. (It's also a category of makeup where I'm okay with having a sizeable number of options at hand.)

Lipstick - I reduced this a little bit during the last year. There's at least one shade on my main radar, and some others I'd like to have, but they're not must-haves right now. (Also want to find a similar colour to MAC Feed the Senses.)

Lipgloss - There are still a couple of gloses I want. Whether I buy them or not...

Contour - I don't have a cream contour in my stash, and this is a gap I'm considering filling.

Mascara - Two tubes in rotation is okay, but no more than that.

Lipliner - I could go either way here.

Brow Products - I still need a brow gel to set the brows.

Undereye Concealer - While I'm still working through my MAC Studio Sculpt (I have a love-hate relationship with this), I'm still "window shopping" for a replacement.

*Points of Focus*
Blush - I noted in the 2016 thread that I wanted to expand this part of my stash this year.

Brushes - My collection isn't to the point where I'd call it complete just yet.

Highlighter/Luminizer - I have my sample of MAC Strobe Cream, but I think this is the year I get Becca SSP in Pearl.

*Miscellaneous*
False Lashes - It's fun.

I also, at some point, need to photograph my current makeup stash. I haven't done so since 2014, shortly after I started on Low-Buy.


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## CCKK (Jan 3, 2017)

Well, I just saw MAC in TJ Maxx today. I saw the brush kit but someone decided to take the brushes and leave the bag. They were going to charge me 30 dollars for the bag.  Now, the bag with the brushes was 39.99; so of course I said NO.  They she tried 9 dollars.  I again said NO but she then informed me that before the holiday they had more. Crazy..
I too am going for a low buy for 2017.


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## Marsha Pomells (Jan 3, 2017)

Think I may need to join this thread, spent too much last year. I need to save up for a new place... So... Hi team low buy...


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## Marsha Pomells (Jan 3, 2017)

[MENTION=51593]fur4elise[/MENTION]... still haven't checked out highlighter anonymous... I'm denying the fact that I have a new found addiction.


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## jennyap (Jan 3, 2017)

Happy New Year! 

Welcome to new low-buyers. It's like a whole different world in here  Don't forget, we all have different priorities and perspectives, and what is low-buy to one person may still be high to another (or vice versa). You get to decide what is right for you, no judgement - but once you've decided, we're more than happy to help hold your feet to the fire! 

I just posted a long screed on the old thread, ended up being a bit of a review and goal setting all in one. Only then did I remember to check if we had a new thread yet, oops! I won't repost it all, but long story short...

Overall I'm aiming for a ~15% (or more) reduction in my total stash. Only permitted purchases are 
1) replacements if I go below my target number for an item. Eg mascara I'm ok with having 3, so I can purchase if I get down to 2 (not likely any time soon!)
2) maybe one or two - literally - fun new items just to keep things fresh and stop me feeling 'deprived'. Perhaps to try a new formula in something. 

It will be my lowest low-buy ever, so I'm relying on you all to talk me down when I'm feeling weak!


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## Naynadine (Jan 3, 2017)

Happy New Year, everyone! I can't believe it's the 4th year of Low-Buy already! 
I have been pretty good with my makeup purchases last year. I've been buying a lot less, especially MAC products, compared to previous years where I used to buy from almost every collection. For the most part I've been sticking to a very natural look with neutral lipstick and barely any eye makeup, which made it easy to skip a lot of products. I also think I've gotten over my highlighter addiction, I only buy one if it's unique to my collection. All those pretty Chanel powders that were released latey are still a temptation but I've resisted so far.  
I tend to spend a bit more on skincare and fragrance now instead, which is okay, I'm still buying less beauty products overall. What I have been doing is trying to resist random sales and save up for one thing that I really want, e.g. a pricier fragrance. I've been keeping a wishlist which helps me plan out purchases. I've also been selling some more of my stash and I'm aiming to reduce it even more.


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## Alysse011 (Jan 3, 2017)

Okay, I have my goals situated now. I'm excited to post this and check in on how I'm doing periodically!

As mentioned in the previous thread, I have given myself a $250 budget for new items that are not replenishment/replacing used up products.  If I finish a serum/foundation/etc and repurchase or purchase something to replace that category, it does not count toward the $250 I've set for the year. However, if I purchase a new foundation for the fun of it, that will count.  I anticipate this being hardest for me when it comes to foundation and lip products.  I have a real penchant for both categories, so I'll need to really control myself haha. Highlighters could also be difficult simply because it takes absolute ages to use those up.

I've also given myself some parameters within the $250 just so I can remind myself of what I really want and to help keep myself on track.  I'm using the same breakdown as [MENTION=65477]shellygrrl[/MENTION]

Pre-made eyeshadow palettes - I firmly do not want to add any pre-made palettes to my stash this year, so this is a *no* area for me.

Bronzers - Another *no*.  I have two bronzers right now that I love. I don't want to add here and will only replace as necessary.

Eyeliner Pencils - *Maybe*. I may want something colorful in the summer.  This isn't an area I really struggle in, so I don't feel the need to have a firm no here.

Powders - *Maybe*. I may buy a meteorites if I love any of them this year.  Other than that, I'm good here.

Concealer - *No*. I have undereye and face covered, so unless I run out I don't need anything.

Foundation - *Maybe*. This is one of my pain points! I love foundations, so I don't want to be unrealistic.  I'm going to try to keep it at just one non-replacement.  I don't really need to add to my current line-up, but I will allow myself some flexibility to if I *really* want it lol.

Face Primers - *No*. I have the Becca Backlight primer and J. One Jelly Pack (this stuff is amazing). I'm not big into primers anyway, so this shouldn't be terribly difficult.

Eyeshadow Primer - *Maybe*. I use UD Primer Potion and have for years.  However, I'm very curious about Edward Bess eyeshadow primers. I may give those a try this year.

Single Eyeshadows - *Yes.* I want ABH Pink Champagne. If it ever comes back in stock anywhere, I'll buy it.  I also would like to try some of the Armani Eye Tints, but I'll wait for a sale.  Other than that, I should be good here.

Lipstick - *Yes. *This is where I hoard the most! I'll allow myself wiggle room here, but I really don't want to expand too far beyond what I already have.  I'm hoping my budget mentioned earlier will make me think a lot harder before adding more lippies to my collection.

Lipgloss - I really would like to try the new Lancome metallic glosses, and I may purchase one of those soon. I have always been a huge fan of metallic lips, so I love that they're on trend again. Because of the Lancôme, this is a *Yes*. However, other than the Lancôme, I don't want to spend here unless it's a replacement. 

Contour - *No.* I have and love Kevyn Aucoin powder and cream contour. They're the best I have tried, no contest, so this category should be an easy pass 

Mascara - *No*. I will only purchase more when I need replacements.

Lipliner - *Maybe. *This is similar to eyeliner. I don't really struggle here, so I don't feel the need to give a hard parameter.  If I feel like I have a gap, then I'll fill it.

Brow Products - *Yes*. I really want to try Surratt Brow Pomade (again, if it ever comes back in stock). Other than that, I'm good here and will only replace as needed. Again, this is another category I don't struggle in.

Blush - *Yes. *I don't own many blushes, and I would like to add at least  two to what I currently have. My eye is on Marc Jacobs Flesh & Fantasy for sure.  The second is a MUFE cream blush in 210.  

Brushes - I'll add here as necessary. I have some great brushes currently, but like Shelly my line up isn't complete.

Highlighter/Luminizer - *Yes*. This is my third struggle area after foundation and lipstick.  It's unrealistic for me to think I won't add here. Truth be told, I'm already highly interested in the new MUFE highlighting powders that were just released. 

Miscellaneous - SimpleHuman mirror. This is a maybe.  It also won't be included in the $250 I set for myself since it would wipe that fund completely. I also could use a vanity but tbd on it that happens this year. If I get a vanity I won't get the SimpleHuman mirror and vice versa. 

As for skincare and hair care - I'm extremely happy with my current skincare and will only replenish as needed. I do plan to purchase some Oribe products soon, but I would like to use up another shampoo and conditioner first. This category should be repurchases only, otherwise it will count toward the $250.  

Nails - I don't anticipate any issues here. I would like to try some of the newer Essie gel polishes. Will wait for a coupon from Ulta to do that. In the mean time, I'm good with what I have. 

I have also set some limits for myself with clothes/shoes/accessories, but they're a little looser. At the end of the season, I would like to get some sweaters on sale. I used to live in Florida, so I still am really lacking cold weather clothes. I also have a pretty good grasp of when sales are at my favorite places, so I will try to plan around those times.


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## LadyBug13 (Jan 3, 2017)

Here's my breakdown:

Eyeshadow palettes - *NO.* I have 7 palettes (UD Naked, Naked 2, Naked 3, Naked Smoky, Ultimate Basics, UD Electric, and UD Smoked). I'm low key embarrassed to admit I have all Naked palettes except for the smaller Basics palettes, but these are the only eyeshadow palettes that speak the loudest to me. Unless UD comes out with another Naked palette in 2017, I will not buy any other palettes. 

Bronzers - *No. *I don't have a bronzer, and haven't purchased one in a long time. This isn't a priority for me at the moment. 

Eyeliner Pencils - *No. *The product inside the UD Perversion pencil that came with my Smoked palette fell out a few weeks ago. I rarely buy eyeliner pencils but I was looking forward to finally using it. I'm thinking of replacing it with another pencil at some point but it's not a priority right now. I've seen a few YouTube videos of people using the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils as liners, and I have two (Black Bean and Milk) that may suffice. I also have one brown liner pencil from Sephora.

Powders - *Maybe *I've hit pan on my MAC Studio Careblend pressed power, and bought a MSFN as a replacement. It took me about 6 months to hit pan on the MAC powder, and I probably have another month or two left of the Careblend before I get started on the MSFN, so there's no need for me to purchase another pressed power until later in 2017. I also have the smaller size of the Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder and I'm not sure where I am in finishing it. I may replace it once I'm done. 

Concealer - *No.* I have one for under the eyes and one for the face. Unless I finish them up, I don't need any.
Corrector- *Yes*. I'm currently using MAC's Prep + Prime highlighter in Peach Lustre as a under eye and dark spot corrector, and I really enjoy it. I bought it towards the end of June last year and it's still going strong. Once it's out, I plan to repurchase. 

Foundation - *Yes.* I have 2 liquid foundations (both at the halfway mark) that I need to use up as they're both coming up on their 24 month expiration. Once they're done, I'll buy a new liquid foundation and maybe a powder foundation. 

Face Primers - *Maybe. *I have the BECCA Backlight Priming Filter, and I love the texture of it. Once it's done, I'm thinking of replacing it. I'm still debating whether primers actually do anything, but if I decide to buy a new one it will either be another Backlight Priming Filter, BECCA's newest primer (First Light Priming Filter) or MAC's Prep + Prime Skin Base Visage.

Eyeshadow Primer - *Yes.* I have 5 samples of the UD Primer Potion as well as a full size. I thought I would be ok with this not buying any for 2017, but one of my 2017 makeup goals is to play more with eyeshadow looks, so Iplan to buy another primer at some point. Instead of repurchasing the Primer Potion, I want to try MAC's Pro Longwear Paint Pot. 

Single Eyeshadows - *Maybe.* I have 20 single eyeshadows. Between them and all the palettes I have, I shouldn't buy more...but I might with MAC's $6 eyeshadow pans. 

Lipstick - *No**.*​ I have 8 bullet lipsticks, 2 liquid lipsticks, and 1 lip pencil. I have no desire to buy more...but I'm planning to get MAC's Stone when I Back to MAC some stuff later this year. 

Lipgloss - *No*. I have a clear gloss and a nudish gloss, both I want to finish both up in 2017. Not sure if I'll repurchase. 

Contour - *No.* I have two Black Radiance palettes that each contain a contour power, sculpting powder, and a power highlighter. They're pretty brand new, so I'm good for now. 

Mascara - *No*. I have one full size mascara, one deluxe size mascara, and 3 smaller unopened MAC mascara samples. I'm hope to go as long as possible without buying more, and throwing these out when needed. 

Lipliner - *No. *I have 6. No need to buy any in 2017.

Brow Products - *Yes. *The MAC brow pencil I bought towards the end of June is still going strong, but I bought a new one at the end of December to use once this opened one is done. Once the replacement is finished, I plan to buy a new one. 

Blush - *No. *I only have 2, and rarely wear those. 

Brushes - *Maybe. *I currently use Real Techniques and the ELF brushes. I recently decluttered my brushes and I have a pretty good collection. I've been eyeing some MAC brushes, but they're not a priority right now. 

Highlighter/Luminizer - *No. *I'm halfway through 2 BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfectors (liquid) in Opal and Topaz, and *i*t's taken forever to finish them. I have a almost full size of the liquid perfector in Rose Gold, that I'm thinking I'll start using it more as a blush.

Skincare- *Yes. *My focus has shifted more towards skincare in the past year, and I know I plan to buy some new masks and such during the April and November VIB sales. Buying a new cleanser and daytime/nighttime moisturizers are a given, but the only way I will buy anything additional (masks, serums, toners, etc.) is if I use up what I have now.
Haircare: *Yes. *The haircare line I use is now at Sephora, and that's more incentive to restock up during one of the VIB sales.I plan to use up what I have now before I buy anything. Replacing my shampoo and conditioner (both from Trader Joe's) and my hair gel are a given. 


Nail Polish - *No*. I recently decluttered my polishes from 32 to 20, and I've never finish polishes. Most of what I own is Essie, but I really like the formulas of the OPIs I have and might explore the brand more.


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## Marsha Pomells (Jan 4, 2017)

This year is the year of the staple purchases and replacements. I tend to hoard lipsticks (last MAC lipstick count was at 160 or something - I have 240 lipsticks altogether or something). I want someone to quote me on a lipstick that tickles my fancy, and ask me 'don't you have shade already?' or 'stay away from the tube.' Or something along those lines.

I don't own that many blush, so I'll stick to my 3 blush limit.

I've grown fond of highlighter... So 2 highlighters... Make it 3, just in case.

Mascara and shadow I don't really purchase, unless it's extremely unusual (dazzleshadows, I'm looking at you) and plus I have a lot of eyeshadow... And mascara.

I'm still gonna go back to the 90s with a few of the brown RMLLs, so that's 3-5 of those.

I need to look at the draws of colour and fun to see what actually does need to be replaced... Oh, and no more nail polish for me... I need to leave that habit behind.


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## lenchen (Jan 4, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> Goals! (As usual, I'll be re-evaulating in July and adjusting accordingly.)
> 
> *No Buy*
> Pre-made eyeshadow palettes - In general, I never use all the colours in them. Don't need or want any more.
> ...



You have some great goals for 2017, I'm curious to see what brushes you explore!


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## VAL4M (Jan 4, 2017)

LadyBug13 said:


> Here's my breakdown:
> 
> Eyeshadow palettes - *NO.* I have 7 palettes (UD Naked, Naked 2, Naked 3, Naked Smoky, Ultimate Basics, UD Electric, and UD Smoked). I'm low key embarrassed to admit I have all Naked palettes except for the smaller Basics palettes, but these are the only eyeshadow palettes that speak the loudest to me. Unless UD comes out with another Naked palette in 2017, I will not buy any other palettes.
> 
> ...


Wow i like!!!
if i do the same my list would be

eyeshadow- none zip, zero it will be the hardest category with the pre-made palette
pre-made palette- i want the TooFaced peanut and honey and that it..... Do i need it? Nope with over 30 palettes i dont but i want it!!!
bronzer- no i have 4 bronzer that i do not use it is enough
face powder- no I have 2 loose powder that Will last forever, one press that is almost done and a new one that i just started.
foundation- maybe but might be at the end of the year, i just found my foundation i forgot it last summer at my in-laws so i' m good
eyeliner- no
lippencil - one if i finish Lize Waltier lippencil in Sangria i will repurchase
face primer- no, i just purchase one this december and got one as a freebee at a event
Lipstick and lipgloss - no because i have over 80 lipsticks and even if i managed to finish 4-5 lipsticks in 2016 i still have enough to last a life time. Lipgloss no because i just do not care about glosses i owned less then 10 and i'm satisfied with that number. 
Contour- no i have 5 powders i have what i need
highlighter-no another hard category in the no-buy they are so pretty but i have over 20 of the ( guerlain meteorite, nars, becca, thebalm, Chanel, Bobby Brown) 
Blush- no again i have a crazy number (in the high 40) and they take years to pan 
nail polish- maybe i should stop my subscription to my julep membership i'm too lazy i just skip months. Last year i only took 4 months. I have maybe 20 nail polish not bad but not the best either. 

Skincare - this is a tricky one. If i find something that work i'm usually staying with the receipy, but lately is has been pretty expensive, but it is working!!  I never had such good skin since my teens!!! So if i need to re-purchase because i finish a product i will, so tata Harper cleanser, darfin oil and balm, sheet mask, and clarins makeup  remover are not off limit.

perfume- IF i'm good i will allowed myself a bottle of Armand privé figuier édens (only if i'm good) i have over 40 bottles, mostly Annick goutal, Serge lutens, l'Atelier parfumeur, Tom Ford, Guerlain l'art de la matière collection, but i'm still lemming for figuier Édens, it was a tough choice this year between that and Myrrh impérial from Armani privé and Myrrh came home this year.

brushes- Again IF i'm good i want to expend my brushes collection but i'm aiming at the  japaneese brushes- brand. I have mac, mufe, sephora, wayne goss, Lancôme, Real technique, guerlain, clarins etc, Now i'm ready for the good Stuff!!!! 
Good luck everyone


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## Marsha Pomells (Jan 6, 2017)

Hi Team Low Buy. I've got a problem...

Now, I subbed this thread because I want to cut down on my spending and use what I already have, plus I just want to concentrate to getting staple products.

Yesterday, Illamasqua launched their new lipstick collection and 3 of their new lipsticks caught my eye. Do I need these or resist temptation???? HELP...


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## jennyap (Jan 6, 2017)

Ok, what is it about them specifically that makes you think that you might need them, other than that they're new? Will they fill a particular gap in your stash, or will they just mean you use other things less meaning everything takes longer to use up? They're permanent, right? so you don't need to rush to buy them. Make a list of things you want, if you still want them in say 3 or 6 months and are your first priority for your money, go ahead then. 

(Also, unsubscribe from brand emails, what you don't know about won't tempt you!)


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## Marsha Pomells (Jan 6, 2017)

jennyap said:


> Ok, what is it about them specifically that makes you think that you might need them, other than that they're new? Will they fill a particular gap in your stash, or will they just mean you use other things less meaning everything takes longer to use up? They're permanent, right? so you don't need to rush to buy them. Make a list of things you want, if you still want them in say 3 or 6 months and are your first priority for your money, go ahead then.
> 
> (Also, unsubscribe from brand emails, what you don't know about won't tempt you!)



One of them has a very interesting name, but I have to go into the stash to see if I have a dupe for it. Think I would've bought it, just for name. I would use it too. One of them looks like Lavender Jade/Strutting Fabulous, so I could happily miss that one. The other one, I'm not sure if it's ESP but under a different name and different formula. I have no idea at all if they're permanent either, their website doesn't have any symbols like MAC if it's LE or not.

Plus, I very rarely shop at Illamasqua... Unless I'm replacing Kontrol and Disciple, or picking up a bottle of nail polish... Yep... I think I need to leave their mailing list for a bit.


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## LadyBug13 (Jan 6, 2017)

I made my first makeup purchase for the year: a black Sephora Eye Pencil to Go. The product inside the UD Perversion pencil that came with my Smoked palette fell out a few weeks ago, and I had planned on waiting to buy it but didn't realize I needed to make a purchase in order to get some of the perks. I thought if you had over 700 points you could get the perks without having to buy something. Oh well. 

I'm actually more excited about the perks I picked out:

Fresh Vitamin Nectar Vibrancy-Boosting Face Mask
Sunday Riley Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water Cream 
Dior Diorshow Mascara (not a perk, but one of the samples)
Josie Maran 500 perk with the two argan oils, the Whipped Argan Oil Face Butter, the Surreal Skin Argan Finishing Balm (the reason I chose this perk), and a one-time use of the Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter in Vanilla Apricot

My VIB status renewed back in November, and I was able to use the free shipping promo code I got when my status renewed. I sent a whopping $6.53. Since the eye pencil was a replacement for the Perversion pencil, and I got free shipping, I don't feel so bad. I've been a little hesitant to buy some of the items listed above but since they were available in perks, I decided to jump on it. I missed out on the Josie Maran point perk last month.

Edit: I also managed to somehow break a full bottle of one of my Essie polishes...on my bed! I had all of my polishes on my bed to see which one I want to use this weekend. I guess there must have already been a crack or something on the bottle and I didn't realize it. All I know was that I looked down at my comforter (which is white, olive, and gray) and saw a huge mauve stain spreading on my bed.  That makes 19 polishes now. I'm tempted to buy a replacement (I was looking at some of the OPI Washington DC shades) but it's not a big deal.


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## LadyBug13 (Jan 6, 2017)

Marsha Pomells said:


> Hi Team Low Buy. I've got a problem...
> 
> Now, I subbed this thread because I want to cut down on my spending and use what I already have, plus I just want to concentrate to getting staple products.
> 
> Yesterday, Illamasqua launched their new lipstick collection and 3 of their new lipsticks caught my eye. Do I need these or resist temptation???? HELP...




One thing I did in 2016 (and maybe even sometime before that) was take an "one in, one out" approach to my makeup and skincare. If I wanted to bring something in that wasn't a replacement for something I had already used up, I had to get rid of something else. I Backed to MAC some items, and since I chose a new lipstick, I destashed a Wet n Wild lipstick I bought several years back but hardly wore. This could be one way to approach temptation.


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## lenchen (Jan 7, 2017)

LadyBug13 said:


> One thing I did in 2016 (and maybe even sometime before that) was take an "one in, one out" approach to my makeup and skincare. If I wanted to bring something in that wasn't a replacement for something I had already used up, I had to get rid of something else. I Backed to MAC some items, and since I chose a new lipstick, I destashed a Wet n Wild lipstick I bought several years back but hardly wore. This could be one way to approach temptation.



I agree, the one in one out is a really great approach. I'm also going to follow everyone and include my breakdown.
*
No Buy*
Pre-made eyeshadow palettes - In general, I never use all the colours in them. Don't need or want any more.

Bronzers – I own one the guerlain works for me!

Eyeliner Pencils - I'm good I have a good bit to list me, same with lip pencils

Pigments – I had over 30 pigments when I started with my low buy journey in 2013, I now have 12 pigments, after selling the rest I used 2 colors once or twice year, I may get 5 gram jars and put some in them, and sell the rest or  get rid of them completely if the trend very low use  continues

Setting Powders - I'm all set (no pun intended)

Spot Concealer-still using my make up forever one. Also works great under the eyes, and I have my BECCA under eye concealer.

Foundation - I use Estee lauder double wear in the summer, and I alternate between  Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizer  and black up tinted moisturizer in the winter

Face Primers – I have the Smashbox oil free I won’t need to replace
Eyeshadows- after creating my own 15 pro pan palettes with the MAC / Makeupgeek eyeshadows I own.  I have 3 15 pro pan palettes  total 2 neutrals (which is what I mainly wear these days ) and  a 15 pro pan palette with blues can ypu tell I like blue? In addition, I have 4 MAC quads I made myself  1 neutral colors 1 smoky eye, and 2 color palette 1 blue and one green. So enough eye shadows! I also have a backup of mac smoke and diamonds eyeshadow, and I was gifted a Dior palette for Christmas. I also have some MAC mineralize eyeshadows as well about 6 of them so 60 eyeshadows+ 6 eyeshadows ifrom MAC Liquid metals collection and  2 MAC mineralize eyeshadows is enough.

Blusher-I have 16 NARS blushes and 1 backup of catus flower, 3 MAC mineralize eyeshadows 2 merrily and 1 love thing.
Highliters- I have 3 from colour pop purchased in late 2016, 1 from Guerlain, 2 from the german brand beauty is life, and 3 MAC mineralize skin finishes warm blend, earthshine, and a second from the same collection, can’t remember the name at the moment.
Lipstick- I currently have 16 MAC lipsticks in rotation, 2 chanel lipsticks, and 1 MUFE lipstick in #46.

Brushes-I always believe in buying the best makeup tools one can afford,  I purchased the remaining few brushes from Japenese brands that was on my wishlist, last week, I also have 3 back-ups of my absolute faves, I truly do not need any more brushes. I’m content (I never thought I’d say that)
False lashes- I have a nice stash, i’m good. 


*Proceed with Caution*
Eyeshadow Primer – NARS absolute favorite I will only replenish when I run out.

Lipgloss – MAC discontinued my favorite, it was a really great nude, so I’m on the hunt for a replacement, so far no luck.

Mascara – 1 tube per 3 months for me.

Lipliner - I  need a red one to go with my chanel red liplaquer I purchased back in October may explore a drugstore option.

Brow Products – Once my brow gel runs out I’ll repurchase.


*Points of Focus*
Skincare-I’m really into Korean skincare products and I do a Korean skin care routine. This can be expensive as theres so many products on the market , but after getting into skincare finally found a routine that works for me and it’s a matter of replenishing items as I run out. Most of the products I use are not too expensive per say, but this year I gave myself  a budget of $425.00 as my night cream after lasting me 2 years costs 220.00 normally my skincare budget is half of the amount I allotted this year. 

*Miscellaneous
*nail polish- I have 13 bottles 6 Chanels I use often, 2 OPIs, this year I will get rid of 5 Chanel polishes I haven't used at all last year.


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## Alysse011 (Jan 7, 2017)

I think I need to throw away my GA Luminous Silk foundation. It's nearing its expiration date, but it just does not work for me. I always struggle with throwing stuff out. It's worse with this because I have a bizarre sentimental attachment to it haha. It's the first foundation I used years ago that made me feel really great, but it just looks flat on me now. I repurchased it about a year ago because it was love at first sight back then, but every time I wear it I'm unhappy with my makeup now. I've tried it off and on over the past few months and tried mixing it etc. 

Also, besides that weird sentimental attachment, this is the HG foundation for SO many people. That's another reason I keep it and keep trying it. I feel like it SHOULD be working. I should probably just toss it I suppose. If anyone else has used this and disliked it or used to use any other product and now they can no longer make it work please tell me so I know I'm not alone


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## lenchen (Jan 7, 2017)

Alysse011 said:


> I think I need to throw away my GA Luminous Silk foundation. It's nearing its expiration date, but it just does not work for me. I always struggle with throwing stuff out. It's worse with this because I have a bizarre sentimental attachment to it haha. It's the first foundation I used years ago that made me feel really great, but it just looks flat on me now. I repurchased it about a year ago because it was love at first sight back then, but every time I wear it I'm unhappy with my makeup now. I've tried it off and on over the past few months and tried mixing it etc.
> 
> Also, besides that weird sentimental attachment, this is the HG foundation for SO many people. That's another reason I keep it and keep trying it. I feel like it SHOULD be working. I should probably just toss it I suppose. If anyone else has used this and disliked it or used to use any other product and now they can no longer make it work please tell me so I know I'm not alone



I can relate, I was like that with NARS Sheer glow, I tried a sample of it a while back, and I just can't do it.


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## LadyBug13 (Jan 7, 2017)

LadyBug13 said:


> I also managed to somehow break a full bottle of one of my Essie polishes...on my bed! I had all of my polishes on my bed to see which one I want to use this weekend. I guess there must have already been a crack or something on the bottle and I didn't realize it. All I know was that I looked down at my comforter (which is white, olive, and gray) and saw a huge mauve stain spreading on my bed.  That makes 19 polishes now. I'm tempted to buy a replacement (I was looking at some of the OPI Washington DC shades) but it's not a big deal.



I decluttered more of my nail polish. I now have 13 shades I really like (5 OPI, 8 Essie) plus a base/top coat. I like having 13 polishes. Maybe because my favorite number is 13, and 13 feels more manageable.


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## LadyBug13 (Jan 7, 2017)

Alysse011 said:


> Also, besides that weird sentimental attachment, this is the HG foundation for SO many people. That's another reason I keep it and keep trying it. I feel like it SHOULD be working. I should probably just toss it I suppose. If anyone else has used this and disliked it or used to use any other product and now they can no longer make it work please tell me so I know I'm not alone




I felt the same with the Nivea Post Shave Balm. Everyone on YouTube (that I watch) was using it as their primer. It worked, but it messed with the feeling I normally have when putting on makeup. So I went back to BECCA Backlight Priming Filter and I couldn't be happier.


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## shellygrrl (Jan 7, 2017)

Alysse011 said:


> I think I need to throw away my GA Luminous Silk foundation. It's nearing its expiration date, but it just does not work for me. I always struggle with throwing stuff out. It's worse with this because I have a bizarre sentimental attachment to it haha. It's the first foundation I used years ago that made me feel really great, but it just looks flat on me now. I repurchased it about a year ago because it was love at first sight back then, but every time I wear it I'm unhappy with my makeup now. I've tried it off and on over the past few months and tried mixing it etc.
> 
> Also, besides that weird sentimental attachment, this is the HG foundation for SO many people. That's another reason I keep it and keep trying it. I feel like it SHOULD be working. I should probably just toss it I suppose. If anyone else has used this and disliked it or used to use any other product and now they can no longer make it work please tell me so I know I'm not alone



Before I tossed my NARS Sheer Glow a while back, I was developing a love-hate relationship with it. It's another one of those uber well-liked/loved foundations. But yeah.

It's currently like that with me and my MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer. Loved it at first, now it's yet another love-hate relationship, which is why I want to get a new undereye concealer this year.


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## shellygrrl (Jan 8, 2017)

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer (across nose area)
* MUFE Step 1 - Hydrating Primer (between the brows)
* MUFE Ultra HD - Y205 (middle portions of face)
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpt Pencil - Ash
* MAC Eyeshadow - Copperplate (to make the brow pencil a little more ashy-looking)
* hairspray + spoolie
* NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Eyeshadow - Satin Taupe
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* MAC Blush - Taupe (as a bronzer)
* NARS Blush - mix of Sex Fantasy and Sex Appeal
* NARS Satin Lip Pencil - Rikugien


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## Alysse011 (Jan 9, 2017)

lenchen said:


> I can relate, I was like that with NARS Sheer glow, I tried a sample of it a while back, and I just can't do it.





LadyBug13 said:


> I felt the same with the Nivea Post Shave Balm. Everyone on YouTube (that I watch) was using it as their primer. It worked, but it messed with the feeling I normally have when putting on makeup. So I went back to BECCA Backlight Priming Filter and I couldn't be happier.





shellygrrl said:


> Before I tossed my NARS Sheer Glow a while back, I was developing a love-hate relationship with it. It's another one of those uber well-liked/loved foundations. But yeah.
> 
> It's currently like that with me and my MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer. Loved it at first, now it's yet another love-hate relationship, which is why I want to get a new undereye concealer this year.



ok good, then it's not just me! I am going to toss it.


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## shellygrrl (Jan 13, 2017)

Minimal bonus FOTD to try a new thing from my Beautylish order...

* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain (around the nose and under the eyes)
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18 (very ashy! A little goes a long way. Also: the pot is tiny!)

I'm also wearing the OCC nail polish I got (Femme). On my pale skin it almost reads more like a light pinky-coral than a baby warm pink. Still a great colour, though!

Unfortunately, the Makeup Atelier foundation I ordered had to go back. The texture is great, but the shade (FLW1B) wasn't. A bit too dark, and the undertone was off.


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## lenchen (Jan 14, 2017)

So, I went into Sephora today and I saw 2 blush items from NARS  i'd like to buy. NARS released a beautiful blush from their Holiday collection called impudique, and a blush palette that actually suits deeper skin tones! I've always wanted a blush palette I can use for travel, so I will be go through my blush stash to get rid of some blushes I haven't reached for in a while. Thoughts?


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## Alysse011 (Jan 14, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> Minimal bonus FOTD to try a new thing from my Beautylish order...
> 
> * ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain (around the nose and under the eyes)
> * Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
> ...



Too bad about the foundation. Do you plan to try a different shade?


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## Alysse011 (Jan 14, 2017)

lenchen said:


> So, I went into Sephora today and I saw 2 blush items from NARS  i'd like to buy. NARS released a beautiful blush from their Holiday collection called impudique, and a blush palette that actually suits deeper skin tones! I've always wanted a blush palette I can use for travel, so I will be go through my blush stash to get rid of some blushes I haven't reached for in a while. Thoughts?



Do you need any new blushes (I use need very loosely here)? If you end up getting one, I would get the single and I would only get it if it is unique and something that would be well loved. I personally don't use blush palettes, so that's my own bias coming through. I feel like you're more likely to have dupes of blushes in a palette, and it's just the convenience and difference that they are all in one place that makes it appealing. Of course, you very well could feel differently! However, if the majority of the shades are not unique and/or you aren't crazy about one or more shade, I say pass.


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## mango13 (Jan 14, 2017)

I'm going on a no-buy for the month of January since I got a lot of make-up in December. I'm not really planning on limiting myself for the rest of the year, except I kind need to take it easy with lip products since I bought 28 MAC lip products in 2016.

I went through the make-up I bought in 2016 I realized that I only bought LE MAC in special packaging, aside from the LE MAC I bought I also got a few LE MAC lipsticks in special packaging plus the holiday plum lip kit and a UD lip palette as gifts. The only other items I bought from MAC were cleanse off oil, foundation and eye primer. I also bought the NARS eye prime, which was way too drying and I thankfully just finished, mufe stick foundation which was way too tacky, a Tom Ford Nail Polish, Anastasia brow pencil, Origins and Kiehl's skincare and shampoo and conditioner from Sephora(about $50 every four months).

This year I plan to keep it about the same since I feel I need the LE MAC products so I don't feel like I missed out later on and maybe some Tom Ford products if they are amazing.

MAC had some amazing sales this year, so I at least got some of the items on sale. I really hope MAC has the same sales this year.


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## mango13 (Jan 14, 2017)

I forgot to mention that I also bought the MAC 137 brush why they had the 25% discount.


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## lenchen (Jan 14, 2017)

Thanks! Alysseo11, you have a point, i'm going to pass on that palette, but I am going to get that _impudique blush, i don't have anything similar, in my collection and I've always wanted Orgasm, but because of my deep skin tone it just didn't work for me more like a highlighter. I'm going to give up mata __hari for it though as it rarely gets used._


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## fur4elise (Jan 15, 2017)

lenchen said:


> So, I went into Sephora today and I saw 2 blush items from NARS  i'd like to buy. NARS released a beautiful blush from their Holiday collection called impudique, and a blush palette that actually suits deeper skin tones! I've always wanted a blush palette I can use for travel, so I will be go through my blush stash to get rid of some blushes I haven't reached for in a while. Thoughts?



*I was tempted by both of the NARS LE Unfiltered palettes until I realized I am hardly using the LE NARSissist palette I purchased last January! However,  I did go for the Sarah Moon Impudique blush. I love it! It is unique and works with blushes/highlighters I already have.  

Sorry I have been MIA ladies! I just got back from Mexico Thursday...let's just say re-entry to winter has been hard! Brrrrrr! After 3 full weeks of vacation (just 11 days in Mexico) I go back to work tomorrow. So, I see being MIA for just a bit more until I get back into the swing of things and catch up at work...but I promise a recap under the 2016 thread and a 2017 plan of action in this thread very soon! Everyone is off to a great start! Keep it up! *


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## Alysse011 (Jan 15, 2017)

Well, Hourglass has their Girl lip stylos out, and here comes Chanel with their gorgeous glossy crayons.  Jesus take the wheel


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## fur4elise (Jan 15, 2017)

Alysse011 said:


> Well,* Hourglass has their Girl lip stylos *out, and here comes Chanel with their gorgeous glossy crayons.  Jesus take the wheel


*LOL! I saw those a few days ago and just posted in the Hourglass thread...I would consider one...after I see more swatches and some reviews...IF they are positive. By the by I am loving the Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer...I am feeling it is holy grail...but that is off topic
*


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## Alysse011 (Jan 15, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *LOL! I saw those a few days ago and just posted in the Hourglass thread...I would consider one...after I see more swatches and some reviews...IF they are positive. By the by I am loving the Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer...I am feeling it is holy grail...but that is off topic
> *



Temptalia also has swatches up, and I'm looking forward to seeing the reviews. i will make myself wait until they're in store lol. Tell me more about why you love the primer please. I have a delux sample I haven't cracked into yet and would love to know why you love it so much. Also, how was your vacay!?


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## JerseyGirl (Jan 15, 2017)

Alysse011 said:


> Well, Hourglass has their Girl lip stylos out, and here comes Chanel with their gorgeous glossy crayons.  Jesus take the wheel



Lol!!


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## shellygrrl (Jan 15, 2017)

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer (across nose)
* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain (mainly down the central portions of my face)
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base
* Prestige True Khol Kajal - Matte Black (as a coloured base)
* MAC Eyeshadow - Sumptuous Olive
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* NARS Blush - Sex Fantasy
* NARS Velvet Lip Glide - Unlaced


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## LadyBug13 (Jan 16, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *By the by I am loving the Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer...I am feeling it is holy grail...but that is off topic *



I've been curious about this primer, as well as the YSL Touche Eclat Blu Primer, and the Becca First Light priming Filter. I'm still working through my Becca Backlight Priming Filter and love, but I'm always up for trying something new (though I always find myself going back to the Backlight Priming Filter LOL).

FOTD:
* Becca Backlight Priming Filter
* MAC Face & Body- C7
* MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NC45 (for more coverage on dark spots...I forgot to use my peach corrector)
* MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NW35 (under eye)
* Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder (under eye)
* Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette (used the contour shade and powder highlighter)
* MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder- Dark
* MAC Brow Pencil - Spiked 
* Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion- Anti-Aging (sample..doesn't feel any different from the original) 
* MAC Eyeshadow- Saddle (crease)
* MAC Eyeshadow - Amber Lights (lid)
* MAC Eyeshadow- Ricepaper (brow highlight)
* MUFE Excessive Lash Mascara - Black
* MAC Lip Liner- Cork 
* MAC Lipstick- Ruby Woo 
* MUFE Mist & Fix Setting Spray

Fragrance: Nirvana Black rollerball 
Nails for the week: OPI A-Taupe the Space Needle 

I work from home, and I typically change into loungewear and work in that getup until I change to go to the gym. I thought that getting dressed and putting on makeup would feel counterproductive, but I feel very productive with no desire to get back into bed, especially with Ruby Woo on my lips.


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## fur4elise (Jan 18, 2017)

*Hello 2017 ~
*

*
Well, here is my second novel…the first one lives in the 2016 thread. If you feel like a good read you can see it here.  I really did try to be less wordy here…LOL! Here goes!

Canvas = Skincare ~ I am pretty happy with what I currently use, primarily Deciem Hylamide & the Ordinary products. I will purchase products I use up. I am on the lookout for a peel and/or manual exfoliant product. I have samples of the boscia Exfoliating Peel Gel and the Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment to try out.

  Primer ~ I am golden! Hourglass Veil Mineral & Becca Ever Matte Poreless. I think what I currently have will last me well into the year. I would repurchase if needed.

Foundation ~ Estee Lauder Doublewear!  it!!! Right now though, I have a seriously out of place TAN from my Mexico vacation, so I have been mixing sample bottles of darker shades from the summer. Once it fades I will go back to my blend of Soft Tan & Spiced Sand.

Concealer ~ I was working with the EL Doublewear. However, I am still game to try out the tarte Shape Tape…whenever the shades that will work for me are back in stock…on sale…and my tan has faded…I am curious about the new NARS pot concealer…will wait for more real world reviews.

Finishing Powders ~ I am golden here too! I use: Ben Nye Banana, Mehron Colorless Setting & Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder (Radiant Light). For at work touch-ups, I keep my MAC x Chris Chang Prep & Prime Pressed Transparent Powder on hand. Knowing I would get tan on my trip and after reading* *reviews @Marsha Pomells , I purchased the Laura Mercier Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder #4 Medium and I love it. I plan get #3 Light to Medium, again when for when my tan fades.

I still have several MAC Natural MSF powders I have been seriously working down…but I may B2M  those very soon (kind of reaching past date). Other than that I do not need anything.

Bronzer ~ I love all my Guerlain! I also use MAC Natural MSF. I also have several Physicians Formula…I try to reach for those now & again…but will probably dispose of a few just to further declutter. But you know if Guerlain releases something LE that has the glow of the heavens…

Blush ~ I am pretty happy with my eclectic selection: MAC, Ben Nye (These are all matte shades that work well with my shimmery colors and are at a great price point!), Benefit, & Becca. I am a lover of warmer neutrals, latte browns, caramels, corals & peaches for the cheeks. Not so much pinks, purples, or even reds. So if something unique is released, it gets top marks and will work with what I already have I might splurge. I do have 2 Hourglass blush singles in my  list, so those are a maybe come the spring Sephora sale. Benefit also has a new shade Galifornia coming out soon too and** that lands in my preferred colors.**

Highlighters ~ A card holding member of HA! I purchased too many in 2016! I am completely happy with all that I have. I have absolutely no need!

Lipliner/Lipstick ~ Prior to 2016, I completely disposed of my entire lipstick, lipgloss, lip balm collection. So, it became a 2016 point of focus. My go-to brands : Urban Decay, Guerlain Rouge G, NARS & KVD liquid lippies! I am excited about the new UD Vice liquid lip formula release and can see buying a couple of these, if they swatch well and get good reviews. If Tatcha re-releases A Plum Blossom, I will splurge on it! I love my Kyoto Red! LE Guerlain…sigh…be still my beating heart!

NO PRE-MADE EYESHADOW PALETTES! 

One exception may be the new Viseart Petit PRO. I love the color selection and the pans can be put into my custom palette, in essence becoming singles. Which is the way I will go if I decide I must have anything new.

Eyeliner ~ I am making a good dent in my existing UD 24/7 collection. Hands down these are my favorite pencil eyeliners. I reach for the dark brown shades: Whiskey, Corrupt, Demolition & Bourbon. If any of those shades get down to nubs I will repurchase.

Mascara ~ I will continue to, when I can, get sample/deluxe sizes of preferred brands (gwp/free samples/points exchange), as I replace my mascara every 3 months or so.  I made one high end purchase last year, the Diorshow Iconic Overcurl…I really enjoyed it but do not feel the need to repurchase it. 

Brushes ~ Overall, I am not feeling the need to jump fully into the high end brush market right now. My goal is to declutter first. Which means using what I have and letting go of sub-par performing tools. e.g. Scratchy, poor quality, losing bristles/hair, etc. Maybe someday I’ll go crazy some and order a HG brush set…if it exists…seems to me many of you have put your collections together from various brands. 

Points of Focus:I indicated in the various categories some of my “lust/must” items…So, I think my one solid point of focus is to stick with the plan I outlined!  Yeah! Be super selective, wait for sales but don’t fall prey to the FOMO feels, use what I have, further declutter what I don’t use, etc. 

Another focus I touched on in my 2016 post…is to avoid the pitfalls of purchasing drugstore brands…I think of them as the “candy shelves in the checkout lane!” Cheap, plentiful, new stuff all the time, easy to justify purchases…but in reality, you can spend just as much if not more on those purchases! Hypothetical math: 3-7 Revlon/L’oreal/Maybelline/NYX/Colour Pop lipsticks = 1-3 really great high-end lipsticks!

Avoid Mid-Range Madness ~ I am finding the mid-range brands (Mid-range to me = MAC, UD, tarte, etc.) are offering more sales and coupons, so it easier to go in on products I might not normally splurge on full price. This could be a downfall too…so I will proceed with caution.

I think that’s about it. I am still very much loving makeup…so much fun and fun to talk about! And it is definitely fun to get new stuff…However, I am in a great place now where I can to focus more playing and experimenting with what I have and not necessarily adding more. Alright fellow makeup junkies/connoisseurs! Here’s to another year all things beauty!
*


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## LadyBug13 (Jan 18, 2017)

FOTD:
* Becca Backlight Priming Filter
* MAC Prep+Prime Highlighter- Peach Lustre (as corrector for hyper pigmentation and under eye)
* MAC Face & Body- C7
* MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NW35 (under eye)
* Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder (under eye)
* MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder- Dark
* MAC Brow Pencil - Spiked 
* MAC Lip Liner- Cork 
* NYC Liquid Lip Shine- City Clear
* MUFE Mist & Fix Setting Spray


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## shellygrrl (Jan 18, 2017)

Alysse011 said:


> Too bad about the foundation. Do you plan to try a different shade?



I may try FLW1Y (lightest yellow shade).


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## PrincessPresto (Jan 18, 2017)

Joining the Low-Buy! I've spent more on makeup & skincare in the last 2 years than in the 10 years preceding. (I blame the internet! LOL) Just got the Viseart Warm Matte palette from Sephora after getting the Dark Mattes as a holiday gift. I thought I wanted the Neutral too but I got that cheapie Beauty Treats copy instead because I wasn't 100% in love with the colors like with Dark & Warm. I might get the real one towards the end of this year as I have been reaching for the dupe. Also recently bought several Dr. Gross & Philosophy skincare items.

We're moving to Europe this year so I should be streamlining & decluttering instead of accumulating. I have a perfume collection that I've always fretted over how I'd move safely one day... and now I've got a bunch of makeup & skin stuff to worry about transporting too. arrgh! (What to Fedex to in-laws, What should be okay in freight, What to carry-on etc...I don't have much trust in checked luggage anymore.)

My goal is to only buy like 7 items all year. 5 would be even better. I literally don't need another thing. Well, maybe brow pencils. lolz I hope that reading and checking-in here will keep me honest. Best of luck to everyone!


----------



## lenchen (Jan 18, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *I was tempted by both of the NARS LE Unfiltered palettes until I realized I am hardly using the LE NARSissist palette I purchased last January! However,  I did go for the Sarah Moon Impudique blush. I love it! It is unique and works with blushes/highlighters I already have.
> 
> Sorry I have been MIA ladies! I just got back from Mexico Thursday...let's just say re-entry to winter has been hard! Brrrrrr! After 3 full weeks of vacation (just 11 days in Mexico) I go back to work tomorrow. So, I see being MIA for just a bit more until I get back into the swing of things and catch up at work...but I promise a recap under the 2016 thread and a 2017 plan of action in this thread very soon! Everyone is off to a great start! Keep it up! *



I'm glad to hear about Impudique! i'm definitely going to get it! and welcome back from Mexico, sounds great!


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## lenchen (Jan 18, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> View attachment 58225
> 
> 
> *Hello 2017 ~
> ...


I love love love Estee lauder Doublewear! it's the only foundation I have in addition to 2 tinted moisturizers. I like your goals for 2017!


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## LadyBug13 (Jan 19, 2017)

I've been playing around in my makeup this week, and it's been so much fun! Last night I tried my first smokey eye using the UD Smoked Palette . The palette comes with a guide that has several shadow looks, and I tried the "Iconic" look. Wasn't bad but could be better. 

As a makeup goal for 2017, I want to find my preferred technique for:

The smokey eye
Perfect red lip
Perfect nude lip
Perfect vampy lip
Cat eye
Colorful eyeshadow look 
No-makeup makeup look 

I want to play around with each look to practice my technique. My smokey eye was a good first try, and I LOVED wearing my Ruby Woo and Cyber lippies. I also discovered that I need to try a cat eye with a liquid liner as opposed to a pencil, though pencil is better for the smokey eye. I think I've nailed the no-makeup makeup look, but I'm always up for trying new techniques with less product.

Today's FOTD is a colorful eyeshadow look with a nude lip:

* Becca Backlight Priming Filter
* MAC Face & Body- C7
* MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NC45 (for more coverage on dark spots)
* MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NW35 (under eye)
* Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder (under eye)
* Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette (used the contour shade)
* MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder- Dark
* MAC Brow Pencil - Spiked 
* Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion- Anti-Aging 
* MAC Eyeshadow- Brown Down (crease)
* MAC Eyeshadow - Sumptuous Olive (lid) *(LOVE!!!!!)*
* MAC Eyeshadow- Bottle Green (outer V/corner)
* MUFE Excessive Lash Mascara - Black
* Milani Color Statement Lipstick- Teddy Bare (my lips are pretty pigmented, so I dabbed on a little of the Face and Body, and it works wonders)
* MUFE Mist & Fix Setting Spray
*Fragrance: Nirvana Black rollerball 
*Nails for the week: OPI A-Taupe the Space Needle*Save**Save*
*Save**Save*​


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## fur4elise (Jan 19, 2017)

PrincessPresto said:


> Joining the Low-Buy! I've spent more on makeup & skincare in the last 2 years than in the 10 years preceding. (I blame the internet! LOL) Just got the Viseart Warm Matte palette from Sephora after getting the Dark Mattes as a holiday gift. I thought I wanted the Neutral too but I got that cheapie Beauty Treats copy instead because I wasn't 100% in love with the colors like with Dark & Warm. I might get the real one towards the end of this year as I have been reaching for the dupe. Also recently bought several Dr. Gross & Philosophy skincare items.
> We're moving to Europe this year so I should be streamlining & decluttering instead of accumulating. I have a perfume collection that I've always fretted over how I'd move safely one day... and now I've got a bunch of makeup & skin stuff to worry about transporting too. arrgh! (What to Fedex to in-laws, What should be okay in freight, What to carry-on etc...I don't have much trust in checked luggage anymore.)
> *My goal is to only buy like 7 items all year. 5 would be even better. I literally don't need another thing. Well, maybe brow pencils. lolz* I hope that reading and checking-in here will keep me honest. Best of luck to everyone!


* WOW! 5 - 7 items only...That is admirable! And after my current review and reflections I think could totally be doable! Good luck lady! AND good luck with prepping to move! Are you excited about it? Do tell more...

Speaking of brows...I completely forgot that part in both posts. 2016 was the year I upped my brow game...meaning I actually made more of an effort to groom them. I have pretty full, dark shaped brows so it takes very little...I purchased the Benefit Precisely My Brow Pencil and Ready Set Brow Gel when they were released and both products are great. When my Ready Set Brow is used up, I may switch to ABH Brow Gel. I got a deluxe sample of it and find it holds my thicker brows a tad better than the Benefit. When I am feeling more ambitious and want a more dramatic brow, I use MUFE Aqua Brow and an angled brush. *


lenchen said:


> I'm glad to hear about* Impudique*! i'm definitely going to get it! and welcome back from Mexico, sounds great!


* it!!!*


lenchen said:


> I love love love Estee lauder Doublewear! it's the only foundation I have in addition to 2 tinted moisturizers. I like your goals for 2017!



*I swear that stuff stays in place, does not oxidize and now that I have found the right primers, does not look like a messy oilslick by the end of the day! Thumbs Up!*


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## Marsha Pomells (Jan 19, 2017)

I've decided to amend my low buy resolution, because of a certain lipstick collection (why you screw me over like that MAC?). So I came up with a plan...

Limited edition collections: 5 products or less. If the collection does not pique my interest, straight forward skip.

Staples: I have a number of items that need to be replaced, so concealers, liners, foundation and mascara (not the LE ones by the way), brow wand and my standard blush (Peachtwist) will be replaced when the time comes.

Nail polish: I have too many of those and is giving over 20 bottles away to a few friends.

I don't know if I need to add anything else on my resolution. But I hope there are items that won't want to buy.


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## fur4elise (Jan 19, 2017)

Marsha Pomells said:


> I've decided to amend my low buy resolution, because of a certain lipstick collection (why you screw me over like that MAC?). So I came up with a plan...
> Limited edition collections: 5 products or less. If the collection does not pique my interest, straight forward skip.
> Staples: I have a number of items that need to be replaced, so concealers, liners, foundation and mascara (not the LE ones by the way), brow wand and my standard blush (Peachtwist) will be replaced when the time comes.
> 
> ...


*Solid plan lady!!! I'm with you on the staples...by the by, I love my Peachtwist...my current pan is on it's last legss!  ~ Yup I am straight forward skipping the latest Makeup Masters! And I have to say with the 2016 LE stuffs I did really well...kept it well under 5 items...heck with Mariah I only purchased the powder...You got this!!!*


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## Marsha Pomells (Jan 19, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *Solid plan lady!!! I'm with you on the staples...by the by, I love my Peachtwist...my current pan is on it's last legss!  ~ Yup I am straight forward skipping the latest Makeup Masters! And I have to say with the 2016 LE stuffs I did really well...kept it well under 5 items...heck with Mariah I only purchased the powder...You got this!!!*



I am going back and forth on The Shining Hour, because of conflicting name of the shades in that palette. Makeup Masters is slowly becoming a one item only collection, Moons of Jupiter is calling me and is WOC friendly (I will not enable in this thread).

If I do have an enabler moment on this thread, post an emoji and I'll get the message. This goes for everyone on this thread, I want to do this low buy.


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## Prettypackages (Jan 19, 2017)

I sign up every single year, and fail. LOL I just have to buy things to try!! LOL I'll definitely be joining. A lot of your goals make sense. I'll be thinking about what I need and creating some goals. 
I'd love to know what a complete brush set looks like and includes. Seriously. I used to buy whatever limited edition brush MAC had (missed a few the last two years because, money) and I want to eventually start collecting Hakuhodo, but that's definitely on the wait list. I'm just happy I finally understand what types of brushes work for my hood.
I'd love to know what brands and stuff you actually had on your wishlist (probably not good for a low buy thread huh), not just to be nosey but I'm assuming it is a well curated list of items that really work. 
I recently went through a huge purge, depotted items, sold some prized LE stuff and finally threw away some old items.  I became a certified makeup artist and lately, I've been looking at products for practical and multipurpose and not just snapping up every LE or new craze.


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## Marsha Pomells (Jan 20, 2017)

I have a set of 7 at home. That's my go to brush kit, I'll take a photo of them when I'm back from work. I've only used 5 of the 7, and tend to replace my brushes when they start to fall apart. I think you'll consider the 7 piece as a standard brush set... Unlike the 36.


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## drien227 (Jan 21, 2017)

I'm in as well. My main weaknesses are lippies and nail polish. I'm going to try and limit my lippie intake to four or fewer for the year. (Back2Mac and chapstick might be another story.) And no more than ten bottles of polish, and only at a discount. Also, no perfume, foundations, shadows, blushes, or brushes for me.


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## shellygrrl (Jan 22, 2017)

FOTD...

* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain (only across the nose and surrounding it, plus a little on the chin. Really enjoying not applying foundation to my entire face.)
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18 (really loving this!)
* NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Paint Pot - Tailor Grey
* UD Eyeshadow - Tease (from Naked 2; in and above the crease. Also took a little bit of what was left on my brush and did some contouring with it.)
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* NARS Blush - Sex Fantasy
* MAC Lipstick - Blankety


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## thefbomb (Jan 23, 2017)

I'm definitely up for a no buy. It's hard when there's so many new releases constantly. As a student I think I'll just hold off until IMATS, Gen Beauty and that sort of thing (b2m even).

i love getting new blushes, lipsticks and nail polishes but at this point I feel overwhelmed. I don't want things to sit and go bad or just not get any love. I need to concentrate on what I have so I think a low buy is perfect


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## shellygrrl (Jan 23, 2017)

Finally scored the brow gel I wanted -- Surratt Expressioniste Brow Pomade -- so I'm pretty set on brow stuff for now.


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## fur4elise (Jan 24, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> Finally scored the brow gel I wanted -- Surratt Expressioniste Brow Pomade -- so I'm pretty set on brow stuff for now.



*NICE!  ~ Keep those FOTDs coming! I wish I had more time in the am to make note of what I'm reaching for...

On the pre-made palette front...I de-potted a few more tarte shades from several pre-made and have incorporated some into my custom palettes. Not all are making the cut! If the color is patchy, dusty, not pigmented, etc. Or if it is something I will never use, it gets pitched!*

*On the mindful spending front, my half asleep brain came up with a great idea this morning...well a great one for us crazy organized people (aka Virgos #VirgoNation  ) 

In all things health and fitness I have kept a food journal and currently a training journal (I've had the training journal for +6 years). Record keeping keeps me mindful, keeps me on track and keeps me accountable...so why not some type of journal for health, hair & beauty spending?! Most likely I will construct some type of Excel document. I think this would be a great way to be accountable for my spending and help me stick to my low-buy commitment. *


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## Alysse011 (Jan 24, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> Finally scored the brow gel I wanted -- Surratt Expressioniste Brow Pomade -- so I'm pretty set on brow stuff for now.



I was able to get it too! I Really have been enjoying it.


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## Alysse011 (Jan 24, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *NICE!  ~ Keep those FOTDs coming! I wish I had more time in the am to make note of what I'm reaching for...
> 
> On the pre-made palette front...I de-potted a few more tarte shades from several pre-made and have incorporated some into my custom palettes. Not all are making the cut! If the color is patchy, dusty, not pigmented, etc. Or if it is something I will never use, it gets pitched!*
> 
> ...



I have been keeping track of things on my phone in a note, but I want to do a spending spreadsheet too.


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## lenchen (Jan 24, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> Finally scored the brow gel I wanted -- Surratt Expressioniste Brow Pomade -- so I'm pretty set on brow stuff for now.



Very nice! let me know how you like it, I may explore once I run out of my NAC brow gel.


fur4elise said:


> *NICE!  ~ Keep those FOTDs coming! I wish I had more time in the am to make note of what I'm reaching for...
> 
> On the pre-made palette front...I de-potted a few more tarte shades from several pre-made and have incorporated some into my custom palettes. Not all are making the cut! If the color is patchy, dusty, not pigmented, etc. Or if it is something I will never use, it gets pitched!*
> 
> ...



Good idea, I Do this on the clothing front, I actually have a spreadsheet of items I want to buy for 2017, and it keeps me very much accountable.


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## VAL4M (Jan 24, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *NICE!  ~ Keep those FOTDs coming! I wish I had more time in the am to make note of what I'm reaching for...
> 
> On the pre-made palette front...I de-potted a few more tarte shades from several pre-made and have incorporated some into my custom palettes. Not all are making the cut! If the color is patchy, dusty, not pigmented, etc. Or if it is something I will never use, it gets pitched!*
> 
> ...



A list of my purchase??? I only need to go into my sephora-my beauty bag-purchases, no???   
I'm so happy to never got into the Tarte bandwagon still mad at myself to hop in the Toofaced one, now I really want to add fuel to the fire in trying Viseart.... must keep my resolution till April.
Am I the only one to already be thinking of the next Sephora sale?


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## shellygrrl (Jan 24, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *On the mindful spending front, my half asleep brain came up with a great idea this morning...well a great one for us crazy organized people (aka Virgos #VirgoNation  )
> 
> In all things health and fitness I have kept a food journal and currently a training journal (I've had the training journal for +6 years). Record keeping keeps me mindful, keeps me on track and keeps me accountable...so why not some type of journal for health, hair & beauty spending?! Most likely I will construct some type of Excel document. I think this would be a great way to be accountable for my spending and help me stick to my low-buy commitment. *



I've been keeping track of makeup purchases in Evernote docs for the last few years. (I make a new one every year.)


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## fur4elise (Jan 25, 2017)

Alysse011 said:


> *I have been keeping track of things on my phone* in a note, but I want to do a spending spreadsheet too.





lenchen said:


> ...Good idea, I Do this on the clothing front,* I actually have a spreadsheet of items I want to buy for 2017*, and it keeps me very much accountable.





VAL4M said:


> A list of my purchase??? I only need to go into my sephora-my beauty bag-purchases, no???
> *I'm so happy to never got into the Tarte bandwagon *still mad at myself to hop in the Toofaced one, now I really want to add fuel to the fire in trying Viseart.... must keep my resolution till April.
> *Am I the only one to already be thinking of the next Sephora sale? *





shellygrrl said:


> I've been keeping track of makeup purchases in *Evernote docs for the last few years. (I make a new one every year.)*



*LOL! I kind of thought I would not be alone in my wanting to better track my purchases and expenditures! I did not really keep track last year and clearly spent too much/more than I wanted. I was also thinking it would have been/would be good to have an actual "inventory" of my stuffs. OCD? Nah...just realizing if I know what I have, I will use it and it will def curb me from purchasing duplicates/overlapping products. 

I am back and forth on keeping an electronic document vs. a paper type ledger. In the past I have lost too many electronic calendars and agendas so it has left a bad taste in my mouth. My only fail with a bound paper book was spilling coffee on it...lol I always keep my annual weekly calendar/planner book with me for easy access. Also, if I write stuff down it ingrains it better in my memory.
*
* @VAL4M ~ LOL! No lady...you are not alone!  I have a nice  list at Sephora too! I mentioned a few items in my 2017 goals post and so the list is pretty much made of of those items. I am keeping my spending to a minimum to save funds specifically for the spring sale. 
*


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## jennyap (Jan 25, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *LOL! I kind of thought I would not be alone in my wanting to better track my purchases and expenditures! I did not really keep track last year and clearly spent too much/more than I wanted. I was also thinking it would have been/would be good to have an actual "inventory" of my stuffs. OCD? Nah...just realizing if I know what I have, I will use it and it will def curb me from purchasing duplicates/overlapping products.
> 
> I am back and forth on keeping an electronic document vs. a paper type ledger. In the past I have lost too many electronic calendars and agendas so it has left a bad taste in my mouth. My only fail with a bound paper book was spilling coffee on it...lol I always keep my annual weekly calendar/planner book with me for easy access. Also, if I write stuff down it ingrains it better in my memory.
> *
> ...



I don't know if I've shared before about my Excel tracker / inventory - it could definitely be classed as a bit OTT! Happy to go into (a bit of) detail if it would be helpful


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## fur4elise (Jan 25, 2017)

jennyap said:


> I don't know if I've shared before about my Excel tracker / inventory - it could definitely be classed as a bit OTT! Happy to go into (a bit of) detail if it would be helpful



*Absolutely! I was trying to reconfigure a template and grrr arrrggghh! frustration! I am by no means an Excel expert so any instruction / tips would be great! I look at it this way...If I learn to use it for something fun/personal...it will make it easier to use it for anything work related!*


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## Alysse011 (Jan 25, 2017)

My FOTD almost every work day this January:

-Becca Backlight Priming Filter (I also have two samples of Burberry Fresh Glow that I use every once in a while. I like it a lot.)
-Decorte Soft Creme foundation in 301
-YSL Touché Éclat under the eyes and around the nose
-Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage on blemishes and hyperpigmentation
-L'Oréal Brow Stylist Definer and Surratt Brow Pomade. Love the Surratt much more than ABH brow gel. 
-UD Primer Potion to prime eyes and Bobbi Brown chocolate shimmer ink potter gel liner. No eyeshadow (I have been "over" eyeshadow for the past couple weeks...we will see how long that lasts)
-Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel
-Marc Jacobs Flesh and Fantasy blush
-highlighter (I have a lot I rotate. The Balm Mary Loumanizer or Becca Moonstone or Cover FX drops in Moonlight or MUFE #1...realizing I probably should rethink allowing any other highlight into my life)
-Lips have been either MUFE 3C or Charlotte Tilbury Pink Venus for liner. Usually either MJ Moonglow gloss or a mix of CT Kim KW and Liv It Up. I love those two lipsticks alone, and I also love them mixed. 

I'm going to do another post soon with how January panned out for me.


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## Alysse011 (Jan 25, 2017)

Ok, here is how January went for me...
I had a Sephora gift card that I partially used this month, and I also used Nordies notes to purchase one of the new Chanel crayons. So, I didn't have any makeup spending.  I also replenished brow gel - I got the Surratt Brow Pomade to replace my used up ABH Clear Brow Gel.

I am still wanting to purchase Oribe Gold Lust shampoo and conditioner, but I won't until i finish one of my current shampoo and conditioner first. 

Having a gift card + my new budget made me really consider what I want to purchase. In the past I would have spent that gift card probably within the first week of having it lol. Instead I was much more thoughtful. 

I thought I wanted a couple Armani Eye Tints, but the colors I had my eye on are incredibly similar to two of my Tom Ford cream shadows, so I skipped those. I also thought I might want one of the new Stila Glitter and Glow shadow, but glitter isn't super practical for my every day life. Also, like I mentioned in my previous post, I haven't really been wearing much eyeshadow to work. I also thought about using the GC on one of the new Hourglass Girl Lip Stylos, but they aren't in stores near me yet and I just got the Chanel crayon. I shopped what I already have instead and rediscovered my love for my CT hot lips lippies. 

I also was initially very into the new MUFE Star Lit powders, but after mulling it over I decided that I already have a lot of highlighters that I like and it wasn't unique enough. Lastly, I have an interest in the brand new Shiseido Synchro Skin Glow foundation. It's not at Sephora yet and it is only online at Nordies. I'll wait until it's in store at Nordstrom to get a sample. I'm curious because more oily skinned women seemed to love the original Synchro Skin. However, I am very happy with my current foundations so there's no need to rush. Once I get samples, if I really love it, then I will perhaps purchase after using one of my current foundations up or during the spring Sephora sale. 

So, overall, this month was a success. However, I was still able to get some items with gift cards/notes. I have very little of the Sephora GC left and no more Nordstrom notes, so anything in February will be out of pocket. I'm thinking of doing a total no buy in February. Ok, I just talked myself into it. February is officially a no-buy month for me.


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## lenchen (Jan 25, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *LOL! I kind of thought I would not be alone in my wanting to better track my purchases and expenditures! I did not really keep track last year and clearly spent too much/more than I wanted. I was also thinking it would have been/would be good to have an actual "inventory" of my stuffs. OCD? Nah...just realizing if I know what I have, I will use it and it will def curb me from purchasing duplicates/overlapping products.
> 
> I am back and forth on keeping an electronic document vs. a paper type ledger. In the past I have lost too many electronic calendars and agendas so it has left a bad taste in my mouth. My only fail with a bound paper book was spilling coffee on it...lol I always keep my annual weekly calendar/planner book with me for easy access. Also, if I write stuff down it ingrains it better in my memory.
> *
> ...



Sephora has a spring sale?  have been so out of the loop since I lost my VIB status last year.


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## fur4elise (Jan 26, 2017)

lenchen said:


> Sephora has a spring sale?  have been so out of the loop since I lost my VIB status last year.


*It's the annual spring coupon offering for VIBR, VIB & BI. 

Low Buy Check-In ~ **January
**I think I can do my check in too. As I do not see myself making any purchases between now and the 1st…lol, lord willing nothing absolutely must-have pops into the horizon!

High-End ~ I made one high end purchase right out of pocket at the beginning of the month, the Estee Edit Gritty Glow Palette…lol. I had purchased it back during the VIBR sale and promptly returned it (impulse). This time after reading a few more reviews and swatching it again, I considered it a “sleeper” must, for use on both face & eyes. I am happy to say I am really enjoying it.

Using a leftover PayPal balance from eBay & eBates, I purchased two skin care items. A refill of my Estee Lauder ANR serum. 

The other purchase I made after a December Sephora consultation on manual exfoliators. I ended up really liking the Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment samples I got. So, I purchased the .50 oz. tube…a little bit of that stuff goes a long way. I have to say I also enjoyed the Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Cleanser Daily Foaming Wash samples I got. I think I like it more than my Neutrogena cleanser. I have added that to my spring shopping list…I may purchase it next month if my budget will allow.

Speaking of Sephora on a mini rant…Is anyone else just as sick as I am of the “Points Rewards Hunger Games!?!” Nothing is ever available and what is…I do not want! I am seeing that Ulta is offering more of the brands I do like, so I am tempted to through my money more in their direction…In fact I just ordered (2) Ulta gift cards using another points program. The only thing I do not appreciate is Ulta’s shipping charge for orders under $50. Anywho, I do not intend to spend enough money to be VIBR again! End mini rant.

Drugstore ~ I purchased on a bogo 50% off sale with coupons:  2 L’Oréal mascaras both of which I regularly return to and replace. 

Also, because of my out of season tan situation, I purchased 2 shades of the new Infallible Total Coverage foundation. This was a more economical solution ($10.50 total) as opposed to purchasing 1 or 2 full bottles of ELDW. And I did not want to go to a counter and beg for samples to ride it out…time is money too!  Come summer, I would/will get matched and invest in full size bottles, knowing it will get used at time of need. 

The last bogo purchase was for 2 of the new L’Oreal clay masks, the Detox/Brighten & Exfoliate/Refining. I have yet to find a clay mask that does not irritate me somehow…itch, burn, redness…etc. So for $12 I thought affordable to give them a try.

Haircare ~ 1 purchase made during Ulta’s annual liter/jumbo haircare sale. I love the Nexxus Therappe Poo & Humectress Conditioner. If you can believe it, I only wash my hair once a week (lots of fine hair, that just limps down & does nothing unless I let it get “dirty.”  )! So a jumbo of each lasts me a year!

That’s it! I’m pretty happy and most definitely did not overdo it for January. For me it is a quiet time in all things beauty...not a lot on the horizon catching my interest right now.


*


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## Marsha Pomells (Jan 26, 2017)

I've done pretty well in January (I know it's still January, but still). I have a few bits in my MAC US basket, but do I need them????


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## fur4elise (Jan 26, 2017)

Marsha Pomells said:


> I've done pretty well in January (I know it's still January, but still). I have a few bits in my MAC US basket, but do I need them????



*Nope! LOL  *


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## Marsha Pomells (Jan 26, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *Nope! LOL  *



Ok... I'll just stare at Trophy, because bowling pins. But seriously, thanks for guiding me away from my MAC basket... 

Which reminds me to replace all my LE stuff from my makeup bag with regular perm items. Read a story online about a woman who had her car broken into... And they stole her makeup bag.


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## fur4elise (Jan 26, 2017)

Marsha Pomells said:


> Ok... I'll just stare at Trophy, because bowling pins. But seriously, thanks for guiding me away from my MAC basket...
> 
> Which reminds me to replace all my LE stuff from my makeup bag with regular perm items. *Read a story online about a woman who had her car broken into... And they stole her makeup bag.*


*
YIKES! But I believe it...we spend a ton of money on some pretty pricey/hard to replace/limited edition beauty stuffs! I know I would be more upset about my makeup bag being stolen than other things in my purse!*


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## Marsha Pomells (Jan 26, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *
> YIKES! But I believe it...we spend a ton of money on some pretty pricey/hard to replace/limited edition beauty stuffs! I know I would be more upset about my makeup bag being stolen than other things in my purse!*


I can cancel my cards and so forth. But when it comes to LE products, different story altogether.


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## shellygrrl (Jan 26, 2017)

My January was pretty good. Four things total (OCC nail polish in Femme, Inglot brow liner gel in #18, Make-Up Atelier foundation, Surratt Brow Pomade), and the foundation got returned.


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## lenchen (Jan 26, 2017)

My FOTD for most of January
Smashbox oil free primer
Laura Mercier oil free tinted moisturizer
NARS Cactus flower cream blush
NARS Fez eyeshadow all over the lids
Covergirl mascara  lash blast very black
MAC eyeliner in Feline
MAC Jubilee on lips

I made one purchase which was the NARS impurdique blush
I purged 4 MAC eyeliners from older collections, NARS Mata Hari blush, MAC jewel palette, i hit pan on that but kept the packaging, 4 eyeshadows from the mega teals collection, 4 chanel polishes and the Dior palette I got for Christmas last month.
Overall, pretty good, and I did not buy any brushes whatsoever! I didn't pick up any skincare items for the month.


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## lenchen (Jan 26, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *It's the annual spring coupon offering for VIBR, VIB & BI.
> 
> Low Buy Check-In ~ **January
> **I think I can do my check in too. As I do not see myself making any purchases between now and the 1st…lol, lord willing nothing absolutely must-have pops into the horizon!
> ...



Interesting on the Sephora sale, i've out of the loop for a while! lol thanks for the explanation.


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## fur4elise (Jan 27, 2017)

lenchen said:


> Interesting on the Sephora sale, i've out of the loop for a while! lol thanks for the explanation.


*Great job! And you are very welcome! As we get closer to the code release date the Sephora thread will blow up with chatter & info!  We post our shopping lists...*


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## jennyap (Jan 27, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *Absolutely! I was trying to reconfigure a template and grrr arrrggghh! frustration! I am by no means an Excel expert so any instruction / tips would be great! I look at it this way...If I learn to use it for something fun/personal...it will make it easier to use it for anything work related!*



Sorry this took a while to get back to! You might regret asking, this will be long LOL!

First of all I have one tab for each broad category. Several for makeup - Lips, Face, Cheeks, Eyes, Nails - then Skin, Body, Hair, Fragrance and Tools. That's 9 tabs straight out of the box!

Each of those is structured in the same way, with columns for all the info I want to capture:
Product Type - for each overall category I came up with a list of product types that fit, eg for Lips I have balm, lipstick, gloss, liner, primer. 
Then columns for brand, product name, additional details eg shade name, price paid, purchase date, collection (mainly used for MAC), LE or perm, any other comments.

Then I have a summary tab, which has 2 sections. First is a list of all my product types with the number of each in my collection (using a countif formula to pull that data from the category tabs). Then there is the money bit, which shows the number of items and total cost of them for each year. That means for example that I can see at a glance that 2016 was my lowest year since I've been tracking, both in number of items and cost. 

Then (told you this would be long!) I have another tab for each year. I set it up right at the start of the year. For each product type (makeup only, as that's my main focus) I pull out how many items I had at the start of the year, then decide what my target figure is, in most cases for me that is lower than the starting figure as I'm trying to streamline my stash a bit. Then I have another column where it pulls out the 'live' figure for each product from the summary, and one which calculates how many more I need to use up etc. 

Every time I get something I add it to the relevant category tab, and the summary and year trackers automatically update. 

Two more tabs and I'm done...

Next every time I finish / donate / sell something I move it to a 'Finished' tab - everything goes on here, no more segregation - and add the date I finished it and any comments eg hated it, did nothing, loved it etc. Once something is moved to this tab it is no longer counted in the product numbers on the summary.

Finally I have a wishlist tab. That one is self-explanatory, I hope. 

Phew. Don't say I didn't warn you! Definitely could be seen as OTT, but it works for me.


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## jennyap (Jan 27, 2017)

And my January check-in - zero purchases. A friend gifted me a couple of different sheet masks to try. Binned a couple of dead mascaras. 

Success!


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## Marsha Pomells (Jan 27, 2017)

jennyap said:


> And my January check-in - zero purchases. A friend gifted me a couple of different sheet masks to try. Binned a couple of dead mascaras.
> 
> Success!



I'm in zero purchase land. My list for Colour Rocker has decreased, from 23 to around 15. The swatch photos are doing wonders on my list. Because I won't be at home tomorrow, I'm gonna do a scratch and sniff test on some of my items on Sunday, plus I'm moving homes in the next 2 months, I don't want to carry old things.


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## VAL4M (Jan 27, 2017)

I buy 2 thing the physician's formula Butter Bronzer (Love it) and Mabelline eraser eye concealer (only my second time using it but so far so good) did I need them NOPE, maybe the maybelline concealer because my two others are a little to dark now for my winter white skin,  but everyone raved so much about those two products that I finally purchased them.


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## fur4elise (Jan 27, 2017)

VAL4M said:


> I buy 2 thing the physician's formula Butter Bronzer (Love it) and Mabelline eraser eye concealer (only my second time using it but so far so good) did I need them NOPE, maybe the maybelline concealer because my two others are a little to dark now for my winter white skin,  but everyone raved so much about those two products that I finally purchased them.



*Both things you listed were items I purchased last year.  I do like the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Erase Concearler BUT...the shade range is sketchy! I have to combine Honey & Medium...AND I can only use it when I am "winter white," meaning no sign of a tan because it is too light. I wish they would release more real world shades! The PF Butter Bronzer smells great but I found it to be a little too light for me...

Congrats to all the no-buy ladies! What a great way to get the year going! *


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## lenchen (Jan 29, 2017)

Good morning everyone as promised photos of my current collection as of Jan 2017. While purging, I found 6 additional pigments  in a basket in my closet, I stored a bunch of empty unused palettes in there and forgot all about them.


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## lenchen (Jan 29, 2017)

last set of photos. I'm waiting for the last set of bruises I ordered from CD japan. They now carry Suqqu, and the Suqqu cheek brush I ordered  has been back ordered. So, waiting patiently for the order to be shipped; hopefully the package comes in soon.


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## fur4elise (Jan 29, 2017)

lenchen said:


> Good morning everyone as promised photos of my current collection as of Jan 2017...
> View attachment 58363



*Wow wow! Everything looks fantastic! I am in love with your Hakuhodo brushes!   If you are up for it, could you tell us about the brushes you have and what you love about them? I know not a thing about Hakuhodo and refuse to jump into the high-end brush pool without solid feedback and recommendations. For example what 3-5 are must have?*


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## lenchen (Jan 29, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *Wow wow! Everything looks fantastic! I am in love with your Hakuhodo brushes!   If you are up for it, could you tell us about the brushes you have and what you love about them? I know not a thing about Hakuhodo and refuse to jump into the high-end brush pool without solid feedback and recommendations. Like what 3-5 are must have?*


Thank you! I'm inspired by all of the cool storage ideas on here actually! I've been purchasing Hakuhodo brushes since 2010. At that time there was only 2 bloggers (Glossed in translation and delicate humming bird) both no longer blog, and a you tuber by the name of Julia Graf. I never had the opportunity to see the brushes in person, so I ordered based on their recommendations. However, when my orders arrived, I loved them,put them to good use,and as the years went by, a lot of folks were talking, blogging, and doing reviews on them. If I was starting over today, I probably would only buy 5 brushes from Hakuhodo and continue to explore other Japanses brands for pure squirrel or a mix of goat/squirrel on the website CDJapan : Japanese Anime, Jpop, Japanese music, Game music, Japanese movie, CD, DVD. Koyudo has excellent quality just as good as Hakuhodo but cheaper in price. In my opinion while Hakuhodo have great brushes of superb quality and craftamship, the prices have gone up quite a bit since I first started buying Hakuhodo in 2010, back the they were much more affordable. For example I own the B509 Powder brush a mix of squirrel/goat I purchased the brush for $60 in 2010, there was a price increase across the board in 2012, bring the price to $75, and it seems as though Hakuhodo stopped dying the goat hair of their brushes, and have discontinued all the ones I own, to re-introduce them with the new un-dyed goat/squirrel mix. I checked the price of  the B509, and the price is now a cool $119.00. The Hakuhodo brushes you see in the drawers are pure blue/gray Squirrel=very very soft on the skin or the older un-dyed version  mixture of goat/squirrel which also equals soft on the skin, but not as delicate as say the pure squirrel brushes. The pure squirrel brushes(some of them much more expensive) are so delicate it's recommended not to wash very often. If you have sensitive skin a mix of goat/squirrel is great, and if you''re more on the combo/oily side which I am in the summer months (combo) I use my Goat hair brushes. The 4 brushes I would purchase from Hakuhodo would be the 
G5557- foundation brush Blends like a dream gives me that flawless look I love
G5554- smaller brush to the G5557 I use this for a lot of my cream products including my cream blush
The B104 black hair version(discontinued) now called the J104 white hair version big fluffy soft goat hair powder brush much better than the MAC 150
The B110 black hair version(discontinued) now called the j110 white hair version cheek brush also made of goat hair very soft and is comparable to the MAC 116, but much softer. butThat's it, for the rest I'd recommend Wayne Goss brushes, and Koyudo, which can be found on CD Japan. CD Japan also carry other japanese brands such as Chikuhodo which retail much cheaper than US retailers like Beautylish. When I got towards the end stage of my brush collection, I found Sonia of Sweet make up temptations, a  blog all about brushes, a great resource! The brushes that I do own from Hakuhodo, were great (at the time I bought them) bang for the buck in terms of quality/price. the brushes in the drawers in the first posting to the right are a mix of blue squirrel/goat I use them  and wash  them often, I have enough to rotate, I get lazy when it's time to wash my brushes. By the way the B509 I referenced is in the first set of pics I posted 4th brush from the right great powder brush, I love it so much that back in 2010 when I ordered, I ordered a back up a few weeks later.


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## LadyBug13 (Jan 29, 2017)

My January:

In January, I bought one eyeliner (a Sephora one as a replacement for the UD 24/7 liner that stopped working), 7 polishes (which brings me up to 20 after decluterring down to 13 this month ) and 1 gel top coat). The polishes I decluttered were shades I didn't really reach for and I replaced them with shades I really like and had been looking for for a while. The majority of my polishes were also Essie with a few OPI here and there, and now I have 10 Essies and 10 OPIs. My largest collection of polishes was around 32-33 at one point, and a few of the ones I bought this month were on sale. Tonight I'm going to give myself a mani/pedi using OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark.  Also, I got the 500 Josie Maran point perk from Sephora before it went out of stock. 

I used up some items as well (A mouthwash, a travel size toothpaste, samples of the Josie Maran whipped body butter and whipped face butter, a sample of the Sunday Riley Tidal Brightening Enzyme moisturizer, a sample of the UD Eyeshadow Primer Potion- Anti-Aging, Simple Cleansing Micellar Water, and Origins Modern Friction Nature's Gentle Dermabrasion.) Out of these items, I've repurchased the micellar water. The anti-aging primer potion felt a little weird going on my eyelids, I can't really explain it. The sample was unopened but I've had it for a few years. I have a travel size version of the original primer option and samples of the primer options in Original, Sin, and Eden (one of each...I opened Sin this week to try out). Once I'm done with these primer potions I want to try one of the MAC paint pots. The Sunday Riley and Josie Maran face moisturizers were really nice, but I have one of the Fresh moisturizers on my wish list for when I use up my full size moisturizers. I actually have a list of items I want to use up before the start of April. 

I had a lot of fun playing in my makeup this month, particularly eyeshadow looks, and I've been consistent with giving myself mani/pedis. Also, I use the native notes app on my phone, and I created a Beauty Inventory note to keep track of everything I own related to makeup, skincare, body care, and haircare. I also have a wish list on my phone (mainly MAC items because I'm interested in exploring the brand more in 2017) and a Loves list on Sephora (mainly Fresh products).

I don't foresee any major makeup/skincare/hair care spending in February. I believe my MAC Select anniversary is next month, and I know you have to buy something in order to get your gift (Which is wack. Why can't you just pick up your anniversary gift the way you can pick up your birthday gift at Sephora?) I know I want to repurchase the Fix+ or (maybe) buy my first MAC brush. 

My biggest goals for February are to continue using up my products listed on my Use Up By April 1st list, and to continue focusing on developing my techniques for a smokey eye, winged liner, red lip, vampy lip, nude lip, "No makeup- makeup look, and colorful eyeshadow look.


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## shellygrrl (Jan 29, 2017)

FOTD...

* mix of MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing + Mattifying primers (across very porous areas -- i.e., across my nose)
* MUFE Ultra HD - Y205
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt beauty Expressionist Brow Pomade (applied this ~14 hours ago... and it's still a tiny bit tacky toward the front of my brows, but not crusty. It's held them in place quite well, though!)
* NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base
* Victoria's Secret eyeshadow - Bunny (to even out lids)
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Prom Night (all over lids)
* MAC Eyeshadows - mix of Typographic and Copperplate (outer corners of lashlines. I did a small flick on one eye but didn't like it so wiped it off.)
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder - 02
* NYX Slim Lip Pencil - Pale Pink
* NARS Velvet Lip Glide - Unlaced


----------



## fur4elise (Jan 30, 2017)

lenchen said:


> Thank you! I'm inspired by all of the cool storage ideas on here actually! I've been purchasing Hakuhodo brushes since 2010. At that time there was only 2 bloggers (Glossed in translation and delicate humming bird) both no longer blog, and a you tuber by the name of Julia Graf. I never had the opportunity to see the brushes in person, so I ordered based on their recommendations. However, when my orders arrived, I loved them,put them to good use,and as the years went by, a lot of folks were talking, blogging, and doing reviews on them. If I was starting over today, I probably would only buy 5 brushes from Hakuhodo and continue to explore other Japanses brands for pure squirrel or a mix of goat/squirrel on the website CDJapan : Japanese Anime, Jpop, Japanese music, Game music, Japanese movie, CD, DVD. *Koyudo* has excellent quality just as good as Hakuhodo but cheaper in price. In my opinion while Hakuhodo have great brushes of superb quality and craftamship, the prices have gone up quite a bit since I first started buying Hakuhodo in 2010, back the they were much more affordable. For example I own the B509 Powder brush a mix of squirrel/goat I purchased the brush for $60 in 2010, there was a price increase across the board in 2012, bring the price to $75, and it seems as though Hakuhodo stopped dying the goat hair of their brushes, and have discontinued all the ones I own, to re-introduce them with the new un-dyed goat/squirrel mix. I checked the price of  the B509, and the price is now a cool $119.00. The Hakuhodo brushes you see in the drawers are pure blue/gray Squirrel=very very soft on the skin or the older un-dyed version  mixture of goat/squirrel which also equals soft on the skin, but not as delicate as say the pure squirrel brushes. The pure squirrel brushes(some of them much more expensive) are so delicate it's recommended not to wash very often. If you have sensitive skin a mix of goat/squirrel is great, and if you''re more on the combo/oily side which I am in the summer months (combo) I use my Goat hair brushes. The 4 brushes I would purchase from Hakuhodo would be the
> G5557- foundation brush Blends like a dream gives me that flawless look I love
> G5554- smaller brush to the G5557 I use this for a lot of my cream products including my cream blush
> The B104 black hair version(discontinued) now called the *J104 white* hair version big fluffy soft goat hair powder brush much better than the MAC 150
> The B110 black hair version(discontinued) now called the *J110 white* hair version cheek brush also made of goat hair very soft and is comparable to the MAC 116, but much softer. but That's it, for the rest *I'd recommend Wayne Goss brushes, and Koyudo,* which can be found on CD Japan. CD Japan also carry other japanese brands such as *Chikuhodo* which retail much cheaper than US retailers like Beautylish. When I got towards the end stage of my brush collection, I found *Sonia of Sweet make up temptations, a  blog all about brushes*, a great resource! The brushes that I do own from Hakuhodo, were great (at the time I bought them) bang for the buck in terms of quality/price. the brushes in the drawers in the first posting to the right are a mix of blue squirrel/goat I use them  and wash  them often, I have enough to rotate, I get lazy when it's time to wash my brushes. By the way the B509 I referenced is in the first set of pics I posted 4th brush from the right great powder brush, I love it so much that back in 2010 when I ordered, I ordered a back up a few weeks later.


*
WOW! Thank you so much for the full run down and so much detail! Not only helpful to me, but to anyone else contemplating Hakuhodo brushes. I had no idea there were other brands...Chikuhodo, Koyudo. I do know many ladies on here love some of the Wayne Goss brushes. My real interest is** in face and eye brushes. **I am a sponge girl when it comes to my foundation application...but I really should give a good foundation brush a try. 

@shellygrrl  ~ She knows her brushes...would love your feedback too mama!

p.s. I hope I have not triggered anyone with this conversation...Shelly please feel free if you think it necessary to move it to a more appropriate thread. 
**
 @LadyBug13 ~ Great job mama!*


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## shellygrrl (Jan 31, 2017)

We have a Hakuhodo thread and a general Japanese brush thread you can check out! 

Hakuhodo - makers of MAC brushes

Japanese brushes - Chikuhodo, Koyudo, Hakuhodo, Suqqu, etc


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## fur4elise (Feb 1, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> We have a Hakuhodo thread and a general Japanese brush thread you can check out!
> Hakuhodo - makers of MAC brushes
> Japanese brushes - Chikuhodo, Koyudo, Hakuhodo, Suqqu, etc



*Thank you! Thank you! *


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## VAL4M (Feb 2, 2017)

After the anti-haul vlog there is now Stop buying these Types of products ....

Stop Buying These Types of Products I TAG - YouTube

Mine are cream makeup product so now i'm forcing myself to use at least one cream products in my look Every freaking morning. So it can be a eyeliner, or gel liner, cream bronzer or cream blush or cream eyeshadow(s). I still think I will need to purge all my maybelline tattoo eyeshadow they all getting dry


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## JerseyGirl (Feb 4, 2017)

Thanks for that video! I agree on the creams in pots.  I find them difficult to use... so I barely use them, then they get dried out. I'm not going to buy anymore and I'm going to make a huge effort to use whatever I have or finally toss it out.


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## fur4elise (Feb 4, 2017)

JerseyGirl said:


> Thanks for that video! *I agree on the creams in pots.  I find them difficult to use... so I barely use them, then they get dried out. I'm not going to buy anymore and I'm going to make a huge effort to use whatever I have or finally toss it out.*





VAL4M said:


> After the anti-haul vlog there is now Stop buying these Types of products ....Stop Buying These Types of Products I TAG - YouTube
> 
> *Mine are cream makeup product* so now i'm forcing myself to use at least one cream products in my look Every freaking morning. So it can be a eyeliner, or gel liner, cream bronzer or cream blush or cream eyeshadow(s). I still think I will need to purge all my maybelline tattoo eyeshadow they all getting dry


*
Yeah, no cream products for me either. I have oily skin, so I do not buy anything cream based for the face. The few cream shadows I have, I do reach for now and again, but have no need or desire to add any more. I do find myself curious about the Colour Pop Shock Shadows, but again, I hear they dry out. I am a fan of loose powders though. What I do is depot to a smaller container for use. I think my trigger area is drugstore brand stuffs. They are always on sale, there are usually manufacturer coupons, and they are cheap. 

On another positive low buy note, further dekraapification has occurred this weekend! I decided to upgrade to some high-end brushes earlier this week. So in preparation for my 4 new treasures, I have removed 35 brushes from my collection!
** 
I still have quite a few that I am not ready to part with yet. However this is my first foray into high quality Japanese brushes. If they are as good I have heard, I see removing many more subpar tools from my collection. Quality not quantity!*


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## shellygrrl (Feb 5, 2017)

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1
--- Mattifying Primer (across nose)
--- Hydrating Primer (forehead, outer perimeters of face)
--- Smoothing Primer (under the eyes)
* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt beauty Expressionist Brow Pomade
* NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Eyeshadows - hodgepodge mix of Copperplate, Malt, and Omega (crease)
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Sensuous
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin (as a contour)
* NARS Satin Lip Pencil - Rikugien

I was going for a makeup no-buy this month, but I think I'm going to have to ditch that and get a new eyeshadow primer now. I had some creasing after not even three hours, and I typically don't experience it that quickly. (I've also had that particular NARS primer for almost two years, so I'm due to get a new one anyway.)


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## Alysse011 (Feb 7, 2017)

I was on a work trip all last week, and I brought Luminous Silk with me to try to use up. Being the fickle person that I am, I have fallen in love with it all over again (of course)   I'm talking major major love

eta - I also brought my sample of the Hourglass Veil primer to try out and used that primer with the foundation every day.  That could have something to do with the rekindled love.


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## JerseyGirl (Feb 7, 2017)

Alysse011 said:


> I was on a work trip all last week, and I brought Luminous Silk with me to try to use up. Being the fickle person that I am, I have fallen in love with it all over again (of course)   I'm talking major major love
> 
> eta - I also brought my sample of the Hourglass Veil primer to try out and used that primer with the foundation every day.  That could have something to do with the rekindled love.



Lol!! Happens to me too. Sometimes we move on to something new and when we go back to an old product, its like: "hey this is pretty good. It's better than I remember."  And, the primer I think makes a huge difference.


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## veronikawithak (Feb 10, 2017)

Time has just flown by.. I had to get caught up on reading from the 2016 thread and the first few pages of this one!

*Sorry in advance for the long post!*

I'm going to set out my 2016 spending and then go into goals for 2017. *

2016
*
* = still own

*Foundation
*LilyLolo Natural BB Cream - Fair
Elate Pressed Powder Foundation - Ivory
Fitglow Vita-Active - VF1 Fair *
Sappho New Paradigm Foundation - 1 (sample)
$127.54 (3 full size, 1 sample)

*Primer
*Fitglow Eye Bright
Sappho New Paradigm Primer For Dry Skin (sample)
$40.25 (1 full size, 1 sample)

*Concealer*
Sappho New Paradigm Concealer - Fair *
$33.60 (1 full size)

*Bronzer
*Elate Flushed Pressed Cheek Colour - Sunbeam Bronzer
Fitglow Mineral Blush - Sculpt *
$60.60 (2 full size)

*Highlighter*
Fitglow Mineral Blush - Hilight Duo *
Sappho New Paradigm Chiaroscuro Shimmers - Light *
Tata Harper (sample)
Kjaer Weis (sample)
$71.40 (3 full size, 2 samples)
*
Blush*
Lily Lolo - Life's A Peach
Elate Flushed Pressed Cheek Colour - Desire
Fitglow Mineral Blush - Pure *
$90.26 (3 full size) 

*Eyeshadow*
Elate - Soulful, Rise *, Quintessence, Modish, Earthen *, Beloved *
Kjaer Weis - Cloud Nine, Wisdom, Green Depth
Root - Truffle, Stella, Matilda, Butter Cream, Ash Brown, Blonde
Sappho - Turtle *
Fitglow - Nudie (3) *, Sunglow (3) *, Nightfall (3), Slate (2)
Lily Lolo - Laid Bare (8)
$493.54 (35 full size)

*Mascara
*W3LL People 
Fitglow *
$64.15 (2 full size)

*Lipstick*
Bite Amuse Bouche - Rhubarb *, Pepper *, Sweet Cream *, Meringue *, Sake, Thistle
Bite Multistick - Cashew
$226.24 (7 full size)

*Brow Products
*Root - Ash Brown, Blonde 
Sappho Brow Pomade - Blonde (sample)
$39.49 (2 full size, 1 sample)
*
Total: $1247.07 (59 full size, 5 samples)

*This was a lot more than I thought I spent.. I had to go through my budgeting app and track down purchases and receipts, but I found everything! I also didn't keep very much of what I bought.. Looking back, most of my spending was trying out completely new products and then disliking the formula or colour. Or trying something new, realizing I like it better than other products I have, and replacing more than I anticipated rather than using things up.

*2016 Inventory* 

1 foundation $66.08
1 concealer $33.60
3 highlighters $67.20
1 bronzer $38.20
1 blush $39.20
10 eyeshadows $148.05
1 mascara $30.55
4 lipsticks $127.68

*Total: $550.56 (22 full size)*

*2017

*January (0)
February (3) - Bite Amuse Bouche Lipstick - Cava * $33.60, Tarte Blush - paaarty $0, Tarte Tarteist Lip Paint - birthday suit $0

This year is looking better. I've really started cracking down on my student loans - last month I paid $700 more than the minimum payment and this month I plan to increase that to $1000. I've settled into brands I like for the moment and crossed out ones I don't. I actually hit pan on an eyeshadow recently, after about 8 months of irregular use! 

I've also been aiming to purchase only Canadian products that don't do animal testing so I'm mostly limited to online stores now. Some of them allow you to purchase samples but for things like eyeshadow it can be difficult to find swatches for the smaller brands. I'm great at letting go of things that I dislike, but I need to work on not buying too much from one brand in the first place.. even though I find a new one and want to try everything.

Ultimately I'd like to mostly just replace products as I use them up this year.. I know I'll be tempted by new things but I need to remind myself of long term goals - like being debt free!


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## Marsha Pomells (Feb 10, 2017)

So, I done my scratch and sniff test on all my glosses. Not a single rancid smelling gloss in my collection. But I have a back up of She-Rebel vamplify, I'm debating on giving it away to a friend and she has been eyeing up my MAC and Tom Ford stuff for some time since sorting my lipsticks for me.

On the brush front, what I thought was a 7 piece set is actually a 6 piece set. This is what I think should be a standard set... They do need cleaning and I hate that job *Apple side eye*...

View attachment 58582


The not so standard brush set... Someone help me... I know what some of them are for, but the rest... HELP...

View attachment 58583


View attachment 58585


If the photo uploader was a human being you know...


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## Marsha Pomells (Feb 10, 2017)

As I was saying... If this photo uploader was human being, I would've been arrested for GBH with intent... Along with other people...


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## Marsha Pomells (Feb 10, 2017)

Please see long winded post... Here's the photos... Again...

I've lost the will to live... Will post when uploader actually does work...


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## shellygrrl (Feb 10, 2017)

veronikawithak said:


> Time has just flown by.. I had to get caught up on reading from the 2016 thread and the first few pages of this one!



 Looks like your 2016 was more spendy than you would have preferred? But at least you're getting yourself back on track. *thumbs up*



Marsha Pomells said:


> Please see long winded post... Here's the photos... Again...
> 
> I've lost the will to live... Will post when uploader actually does work...



Upload them somewhere else (Photobucket, Tinypic, Imgur) for now. They'll usually supply a BB code you can copy-and-paste into a post.


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## Marsha Pomells (Feb 11, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> Upload them somewhere else (Photobucket, Tinypic, Imgur) for now. They'll usually supply a BB code you can copy-and-paste into a post.


Thanks for the tip, @shellygrrl...

Here's the photos that I was trying to upload...

Marsha_Pomells's Library | Photobucket


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## fur4elise (Feb 11, 2017)

@veronikawithak ~*I would say my spending total for 2016 was similar...probably a bit more...sigh, I so did not keep track.  
But this year I am keeping an expense tracker...so I have a deliberate close eye on what I am spending. So far I do think it is keeping me on track and it is quelling my need for impulse purchasing.

I would say I am pretty brand loyal too. Simply because if I find something that works great, I do not need to keep looking for the next lastest, greatest thing. 

Congrats on tackling the student loans...speaking to fiscal responsibility there is one thing that I was definitely successful with in 2016, no additional credit card debt! So while I spent my cold hard cash...that is exactly what I spent...money in hand. Same goal stands for this year too! If I do not have the cash, I am not making the purchase. Hard line, but why should I be paying interest rates fees for the privilege of spending money I do not have?!? Does not compute anymore with me!*


Marsha Pomells said:


> So, I done my scratch and sniff test on all my glosses. Not a single rancid smelling gloss in my collection. But I have a back up of She-Rebel vamplify, I'm debating on giving it away to a friend and she has been eyeing up my MAC and Tom Ford stuff for some time since sorting my lipsticks for me.On the brush front, what I thought was a 7 piece set is actually a 6 piece set. This is what I think should be a standard set... They do need cleaning and I hate that job *Apple side eye*...The not so standard brush set... Someone help me... I know what some of them are for, but the rest... HELP...



*Nice brush collection! LOL! I hear you on tools with no obvious definable use...Your friend would love you if you gifted her such lovely beauty *


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## Marsha Pomells (Feb 11, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> @veronikawithak ~*I would say my spending total for 2016 was similar...probably a bit more...sigh, I so did not keep track.
> But this year I am keeping an expense tracker...so I have a deliberate close eye on what I am spending. So far I do think it is keeping me on track and it is quelling my need for impulse purchasing.
> 
> I would say I am pretty brand loyal too. Simply because if I find something that works great, I do not need to keep looking for the next lastest, greatest thing.
> ...


Thanks. I know what some of them are for, but just don't know about the rest of them. Think it's safe to say that I won't be brush shopping for a very long time, until I know what to do with the rest of them.


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## fur4elise (Feb 12, 2017)

Marsha Pomells said:


> Thanks. I know what some of them are for, but just don't know about the rest of them. Think it's safe to say that I won't be brush shopping for a very long time, until I know what to do with the rest of them.



*Hee hee! Every now and again I discover what a brush is for...but I find more often than not, the best brushes are multipurpose and/or can be used with different techniques for application. 

**I have to say I love my new Chikuhodo brushes!!! I am pretty sure I may spring for back ups of a couple...ya know, to swap out when it's time to do the dreaded brush cleaning...lol!*


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## VAL4M (Feb 12, 2017)

Marsha Pomells said:


> So, I done my scratch and sniff test on all my glosses. Not a single rancid smelling gloss in my collection. But I have a back up of She-Rebel vamplify, I'm debating on giving it away to a friend and she has been eyeing up my MAC and Tom Ford stuff for some time since sorting my lipsticks for me.
> 
> On the brush front, what I thought was a 7 piece set is actually a 6 piece set. This is what I think should be a standard set... They do need cleaning and I hate that job *Apple side eye*...
> 
> ...



are we talking of the purple brush set?
You have a crease detail brush ( I love those brush in general, they work well in the crease and to do the outer V), the other look like a foundation brush (I guess you can always contour too with that brush because of the point), liner-lipliner brush, angle eye brush (I usually use those for my brow bone area right below the eyebrow) , angle brush  and powder- blush brush.
Hope this help


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## VAL4M (Feb 12, 2017)

Marsha Pomells said:


> Thanks. I know what some of them are for, but just don't know about the rest of them. Think it's safe to say that I won't be brush shopping for a very long time, until I know what to do with the rest of them.


Best advice  I can give you is try them with everything, with cream, powders, loose powder etc and you will fond soon enough your favourite way to use them. I'm really found of smaller brush in general, I have 3 MAC 221 and none MAC 217 (too fluffy for me) It is all personal taste and your face features


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## VAL4M (Feb 12, 2017)

Me Attempting to use my cream and old barely touch makeup!
FOTD
- Primer Guerlain meteorite perles les ors (disc and almost finish)
- foundation - Chanel Vitalumière Aqua 20 Beige
- setting Powder - Guerlain foundation powder Parure Or 02
- eye primer - guerlain Ombre Eclat Base paupière
- Concealer - Maybelline erase eye concealer 
- Setting under eye powder - MUFE  Face contour Kit in 2 (lighter powder)
- eyeshadow from Sweet peach palette, white peach, Georgia, Summer Yum, Guerlain L'instant fauve, from Colourpop Bea, Game face, Baby T as an eyeliner
- Lancome Indigo Royauté (the almost matte dark blue shade)
- also as an eyeliner Guerlain Terracotta Khol Kajal 02 Blue aqua (barely touch and i have this for years now! Yikes!)
- Bronzer Diorskin Nude Glow 001 Aurora (LE barely used)
- Contour Guerlain Terracotta Light Brunette 03 (hit pan but been a while since I use it)
- Blush Chanel Joues Contraste Alezane
- Highlighter Becca champagne pop (I know this may be shocking but I do not like it  it is a little too dark for me )
- finishing powder Hourglass Dim Light (meh)
- Lipliner  Too face perfect spice
- lipstick Coloupop Lippistick Aquarius


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## shellygrrl (Feb 12, 2017)

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer (across nose)
* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base (got it in yesterday! More notes at the end.)
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Hipster (I also mixed this a bit with MAC Typographic to deepen the lid a little bit.)
* MAC Eyeshadow - Omega
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Rockstar
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin (as a contour)
* MAC Lipstick - Blankety

So with the MAC eyeshadow primer, I got at most 12.5 hours of wear before I saw significant creasing. That's even better than either my long-beloved NARS primer, the NYX HD primer, or even UDPP (each, as I recall, generally last around eight hours before significant creasing). I chose the MAC one instead of repurchasing the NARS because I'd heard MAC's was good for those with hooded or heavy eyelids, and mine are hooded. Very impressed!

I also got a "sized to go" bottle of Fix+ to give that a go. I spritzed some on my face after I applied most of my makeup but before applying lipstick. Definitely not a setting spray by any stretch, but I did like how it felt on my face.


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## fur4elise (Feb 13, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> ...*So with the MAC eyeshadow primer, I got at most 12.5 hours of wear *before I saw significant creasing. That's even better than either my long-beloved NARS primer, the NYX HD primer, or even UDPP (each, as I recall, generally last around eight hours before significant creasing). I chose the MAC one instead of repurchasing the NARS because I'd heard MAC's was good for those with hooded or heavy eyelids, and mine are hooded. Very impressed!
> I also got a "sized to go" bottle of *Fix+* to give that a go. I spritzed some on my face after I applied most of my makeup but before applying lipstick. *Definitely not a setting spray by any stretch, but I did like how it felt on my face*.


* Thank you for the review on the primer! I have in the past couple years swayed away from using an eye shadow primer. I tend to do my foundation first, so usually extend my coverage over my eye area...kind of like a primer. Some days my eyes stay set for 8+ hrs...other days with a more complex eye look = more product...I find I have a bit of creasing/fading. Not too bothered by it but, was thinking it may be time to try a primer again in lieu of using foundation/concealer. When I did use one it was UDPP. I had several sample/gwp tubes and when those ran out/dried up, I never bothered to buy any after that. 

I agree on the Fix+, feels great on the face and kind of melds my makeup, but does not extend it. I do like my Skindinavia...I have about a third of my bottle left. So I may repurchase it...though I hear good things about a few other sprays. Like Urban Decay, since they reformulated their All-Nighter. Some are so expensive! I'd prefer to stay in a price range that would allow me to replenish if I like something.*


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## lenchen (Feb 13, 2017)

I agree, the only cream product I have is the NARS Cactus flower cream blush and the formula is like a cream to powder. I used to own the MAC cream color bases but I got rid of those they were too oily for me.


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## lenchen (Feb 13, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> FOTD...
> 
> * MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer (across nose)
> * ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain
> ...



very interesting! I may need to check that out when I run out of my NARS eye primer


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## lenchen (Feb 13, 2017)

OOOh  Fur4elise so you bought some Chikuhodo  brushes eh? I'd love to see them! how exciting!


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## fur4elise (Feb 13, 2017)

lenchen said:


> OOOh  Fur4elise so you bought some Chikuhodo  brushes eh? I'd love to see them! how exciting!



*LOL! I did, I did! See over HERE! I posted pics when they arrived. *


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## LadyBug13 (Feb 13, 2017)

I haven't done any FOTDs lately, but I want to attempt one for Valentine's Day.

So far, I've purchased 3 beauty items: 

OPI's Got the Blues for Red (I threw out OPI's A-Taupe the Space Needle because it looked odd against my skin tone)
Two ELF brushes (My Lash and Brow Wand broke so I bought a replacement, and I also got the Smudge Eye Sponge to help me smudge lower lash eye pencil for smokey eyes)

The polish and the Lash/Brow Wand were planned purchases and the Smudge Eye Sponge was a random purchase. 

Other than that, I don't have any desire to buy anything else. At least for this month. I don't even want to pick up my MAC Select anniversary gift, though I have a wish list for MAC items.


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## veronikawithak (Feb 17, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> Looks like your 2016 was more spendy than you would have preferred? But at least you're getting yourself back on track. *thumbs up*



I didn't really have a spending goal for cosmetics last year since I was working on other goals. I think I was just surprised at how much I thought I spent compared to how much I actually spent! This year I think I'll keep more detailed notes throughout the year and do monthly rather than quarterly and annual updates. A lot can happen in a few months!


fur4elise said:


> @veronikawithak ~*I would say my spending total for 2016 was similar...probably a bit more...sigh, I so did not keep track.
> But this year I am keeping an expense tracker...so I have a deliberate close eye on what I am spending. So far I do think it is keeping me on track and it is quelling my need for impulse purchasing.
> I would say I am pretty brand loyal too. Simply because if I find something that works great, I do not need to keep looking for the next lastest, greatest thing.
> Congrats on tackling the student loans...speaking to fiscal responsibility there is one thing that I was definitely successful with in 2016, no additional credit card debt! So while I spent my cold hard cash...that is exactly what I spent...money in hand. Same goal stands for this year too! If I do not have the cash, I am not making the purchase. Hard line, but why should I be paying interest rates fees for the privilege of spending money I do not have?!? Does not compute anymore with me!*



Using an expense tracker is key for me too. I spent a lot more than I thought I did last year. I switched from Mint to YNAB in 2016 and that has been really helpful. I've also been trying to lower my spending on meals out (only $21.72 so far this year!) and groceries ($75/month less than last year so far). Right now the timeline to pay off my student loans is 5 more years (7 years after graduation).. I'm hoping if I lower my spending enough I can cut off another year or maybe two.. It would be a miracle to get down to 5 years total but we'll see.

Congratulations on no additional credit card debt!!! That is HUGE. I paid off all of mine last year only to go back in credit card debt again (and had to pay it all back, again!). I'm giving myself one more chance this year to use them responsibly and if not I'm getting plastic surgery! (Cutting them up.)


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## VAL4M (Feb 17, 2017)

FOTD 
Using my cream product mission! 
- Guerlain Meteorite Ors primer (FINISHED!!!)
- Chanel VitaLumiere aqua 02 beige
-Guerlain powder fondation Parure Or 02
- Guerlain eye primer
- Shiseido cream eyeshadow in BR709 (shiseido does the best cream eyeshadow in my book)
- ColourPop 8 track all over the lid
- TheBalm NudeTude eyeshadow palette for the remaining eyeshadow and Lancome safari palette
-Bobby Brown Shimmer ink gel liner
- StudioMakeup eyeliner Forest green
- PUPA eyeliner in #17 
- MAC Firebrush bronzer
- MAC Immortal flower blush
- Colourpop Supermodel eyeshadow used as a highlighter
- TheBalm Louminizer highlight
- Maybelline Mascara
- Rouge Bunny Rouge Word of Mouth Lipstick
- Guerlain lipgloss 
-Maybelline Concealer

Mission for me for this month is keep using cream makeup product, which i'm pretty successful since the beginning of the month, but also start using my blue eyeshadows, I want to do at least 3 looks per week with a blue eyeshadow. I do not know why I have so many blue eyeshadows, it blows my mind for someone that love warm colour and have a really warm skin tone I have so many blue eyeshadows!  I have several palettes that have blue eyeshadows in them (i'm looking at you 3x MUFE LE palette that ALWAYS have Peacock and Lagoon Blue!) I have 2 TheBalm Shady Lady palette that have a blue eyeshadow and I have 2 colour pop that came in a set, a burberry eyeshadow in Stone Blue and Guerlain Terra indigo eyeshadow quad that have a blue, and last but not least my Lancome plalette  Indigo Royal 02 that have 2 royal blue in it (I tried to pan that palette last year but could only do real damage in the 2 gold eyeshadows) 

So on my list of what not to buy anymore I will now include BLUE EYESHADOW! LOL

Also on my list cream eyeshadow and lipgloss
this week I need to declutter a Dior lipgloss because it went bad... the first one but more should follow i'm so bad with lipgloss never use them.


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## LadyBug13 (Feb 17, 2017)

After seeing the new MAC Next to Nothing foundation and powder on Instagram, I want it!  

I have two foundations (Face and Body and the Studio Waterweight) and two pressed powers (Careblend Pressed and MSFN). I've hit major pan on the Careblend Pressed and there's about 1/4 left of the Face and Body. 

I should be done with both by the time the Next to Nothing duo launches in April, so I won't feel bad about buying them since I'll be replacing two finished products.


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## mango13 (Feb 17, 2017)

I've done pretty well with my low-buy I just bought a Lush moisturizer face bar in January for my mom and she didn't like it, so I'm stuck with it and MAC clear brow gel this month.

I have a $60+- in Macy's gift cards and I can't decide whether I should get My Mimi or four shadescents lipsticks to complete my collection. Everytime My Mimi comes back instock I just can't decide to buy it. I'm trying to avoid feeling FOMO later.


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## LadyBug13 (Feb 18, 2017)

Looks like I'm going on a MAC haul in April! 

I was in the All Eyes on MAC spring collection thread and my eyes gravitated to the Tropic Cool and Red Hot 9-shadow palettes. I've been debating on whether I should sell my UD Electric palette since I spend more time looking at it than actually using it. If I get Tropic Cool and Red Hot I might just sell off the Electric Palette as they appear to be more wearable. 

Now I have my sights on the Next to Nothing foundation and power, and the Tropic Cool and Red Hot palettes. I also need a new Fix+, and I should be done with my MUFE Mist & Fix by April.


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## LadyBug13 (Feb 19, 2017)

Today's FOTD

* MAC Skin Base Visage (Got it as a sample in one of my MAC orders a few months ago. I like the texture haven't experienced any adverse reactions)
* MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter- Peach Lustre (under eye and dark spot corrector) 
* MAC Face & Body- C7
* MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NW35 (under eye)
* Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder (under eye and under contour)
* Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette (used the contour shade)
* MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder- Dark
* Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid- Topaz (as highlight)  
* MAC Brow Pencil - Spiked 
* Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion- Original (sample)
* MAC Eyeshadow- Saddle (crease)
* MAC Eyeshadow - Humid (lid)
* Urban Decay Naked 3- Nooner (outer V)
* MUFE Excessive Lash Mascara - Black
* MAC lipliner- Cork 
* Milani Color Statement Lipstick- Teddy Bare 
* MUFE Mist & Fix Setting Spray
* Nails for the week: OPI Berlin There, Done That


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## fur4elise (Feb 19, 2017)

@LadyBug13 *~ Tell me about the Peach Lustre Highlighter! I am looking for a replacement of my YSL Touch Eclat that ran out a while ago. I found that even though the Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector does a great job brightening the formula is too thick and tacky! AND I also noticed my teeny sample went sour, meaning it developed a chemical smell. *


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## shellygrrl (Feb 19, 2017)

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer (across nose) + Hydrating Primer (in between brows)
* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15 (just started my last pot)
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt Expressionist Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Eyeshadow - Satin Taupe
* Sephora 12hr Contour Eyeliner Pencil - Black Lace (tightline)
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* MAC Blush - Taupe (bronzer placement)
* NARS Velvet Lip Glide - Unlaced

Edited to add: There'll be a new MAC lippie in my life in the not-too-distant future, as I Back 2 MAC'ed some stuff. My three choices this time were Fanfare, Modesty, and Snob.


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## LadyBug13 (Feb 21, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> @LadyBug13 *~ Tell me about the Peach Lustre Highlighter! I am looking for a replacement of my YSL Touch Eclat that ran out a while ago. I found that even though the Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector does a great job brightening the formula is too thick and tacky! AND I also noticed my teeny sample went sour, meaning it developed a chemical smell. *


 [MENTION=51593]fur4elise[/MENTION]: It's pretty lightweight and easy to blend. Before Peach Lustre, I was using the Bobbi Brown corrector in Peach. It got the job done in terms of covering hyper pigmentation and darkness under my eyes, but I found that it also creased on me and was pretty think! I use Peach Lustre lightly before applying my under eye concealer. It blends nicely, doesn't show under my foundation or concealer, and I tend to set it with either my setting powder or my pressed power. I was trying to decide between Bright Forecast and Peach Lustre and ended up choosing Peach Lustre. I might try Bright Forecast when I'm done with Peach Lustre.


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## LadyBug13 (Feb 21, 2017)

[MENTION=65477]shellygrrl[/MENTION]: How does the Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base compared to other eyeshadow primers? I'm currently working through my UD Primer Potion and have the Extend Eyeshadow Base and one of the MAC Paint Pots on my wish list.


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## LadyBug13 (Feb 21, 2017)

Today's FOTD

MAC Strobe Cream (sample) (_as a primer...??? I got a sample of this but I'm still trying to figure out how to use it_)
MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter- Peach Lustre (under eye and dark spot corrector) 
MAC Face & Body- C7
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NW35 (under eye)
Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder (under eye and under contour)
Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette (used the contour shade)
MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder- Dark
MAC Blush- Sweet as Cocoa 
MAC Brow Pencil - Spiked 
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion- Original (sample)
Urban Decay Ultimate Naked Basics- Faith (crease and outer lid)
Urban Decay Naked 2- Chopper (lid)
MUFE Excessive Lash Mascara - Black
MAC lipliner- Ruby Woo
NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil- Cruella 
MUFE Mist & Fix Setting Spray
Nails for the week: OPI Berlin There, Done That


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## shellygrrl (Feb 21, 2017)

LadyBug13 said:


> [MENTION=65477]shellygrrl[/MENTION]: How does the Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base compared to other eyeshadow primers? I'm currently working through my UD Primer Potion and have the Extend Eyeshadow Base and one of the MAC Paint Pots on my wish list.



So far I prefer it over UDPP and it holds up just as well as NARS' eyeshadow primer, if not better. (MAC's also gives you more for the money, in terms of product size.)


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## JerseyGirl (Feb 21, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> @LadyBug13 *~ Tell me about the Peach Lustre Highlighter! I am looking for a replacement of my YSL Touch Eclat that ran out a while ago. I found that even though the Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector does a great job brightening the formula is too thick and tacky! AND I also noticed my teeny sample went sour, meaning it developed a chemical smell. *



Clinique also makes a similar to touché eclat highlighting pen. It's a thin formula that seems similar. Not sure about the color range.


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## LadyBug13 (Feb 21, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> So far I prefer it over UDPP and it holds up just as well as NARS' eyeshadow primer, if not better. (MAC's also gives you more for the money, in terms of product size.)



Nice! I think UD PP is the only eyeshadow primer I've ever used. Looking forward to trying something different!


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## LadyBug13 (Feb 22, 2017)

Today's FOTD...my base tends to stay the same, but I try to be more creative with my eyeshadow looks and lip colors)

MAC Skin Base Visage 
MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter- Peach Lustre (under eye) 
MAC Face & Body- C7
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NW35 (under eye)
Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder (under eye setting)
Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette- Contour shade 
MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder- Dark
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid- Opal 
MAC Brow Pencil - Spiked 
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion- Original (sample)
Urban Decay Naked 3- Strange (to set the Primer Potion), Nooner (transition)
Urban Decay Naked Smoky- Dirty Sweet (lid)
ELF Expert Liquid Liner _(for my winged liner attempt) _
MUFE Excessive Lash Mascara - Black
MAC lipliner- Cork
Milani Color Statement Lipstick- Teddy Bare
MUFE Mist & Fix Setting Spray
Nails for the week: OPI Berlin There, Done That


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## LadyBug13 (Feb 23, 2017)

Today was more of a chill day, so I decided to try this eyeshadow look I saw on YouTube a while back. She paired the UD Electric palette with the UD Naked palette to make a wearable look. I've been contemplating on selling my Electric palette, but seeing the palette paired with a more neutral palette inspires me to test out this palette with the other Naked palettes I have. 

Eyeshadow look:
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion- Original (sample)
Virgin (Naked) (to set the UD PP primer, though in the video she uses it as a brow highlight) 
Buck (Naked) as transition shade
Thrash (Electric) on lid 
Fringe (Electric) in the crease
Hustle (Naked) above Fringe to deepen the crease 

I tried to focus on blending as much as possible so that there weren't any harsh lines, but in doing so I kept having to apply Thrash as it seemed like it was being washed out. In any event, I liked it! 


The rest of my look:
MAC Skin Base Visage 
MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter- Peach Lustre (under eye) 
MAC Face & Body- C7
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NW35 (under eye)
Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder _(to set the under eye concealer and to set my entire face...I wanted to try something different. I thought I would look ghostly, but the setting spray took away the white cast)_
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid- Opal 
MAC Brow Pencil - Spiked 
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NC45 (to sculpt my brows) 
MUFE Excessive Lash Mascara-Black
MAC Lipliner- Cork
Milani Color Statement Lipstick -Teddy Bare
Milani Brilliant Shine Lip Gloss- Bare Secret (over the lipstick)


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## fur4elise (Feb 24, 2017)

*Just coz she is too stinkin cute! I love my Abby! 

Happy Friday Ladies! 
Well, it's a few days early but I thought I would do my low-buy check-in for February...in hopes it will dissuade me from spending anything in the next 4 days…lol! Uh yeah...Belk has a $20/$100 Beauty coupon right now...trying.to.be.strong.

*   
*
Well, I can say this…I cleared out a whole lotta makeup brushes getting no love or use. I was able to sell quite a few and in turn make a few pennies to purchase some things I have been wanting. 

I got some nice Chikuhodo brushes and I love them!  I see adding a couple more. 

I know some find eBay to be evil, but for me I have been able sell (I have been on eBay since 2000) as well as try out some higher end products at a serious discount…making for no regret purchases. Essentially I am using my PayPal balance, so it kind of becomes an exchange game.

I bought a couple Hourglass blushes. The jury is out on these. They are a bit powdery and seem to work best for me in combination with more pigmented matte colors. 

I was also able to purchase the Kate Somerville EradiKate Cleanser. I love it! I use it for my evening face routine as it gets every speck of the day off. I genuinely feel like my skin has shown marked improvement with both the cleanser and exfoliating treatment. 

I made two full on retail purchases…I could not resist the Neiman Marcus gift tote event and splurged on the Chanel Coco Codes Blush I have been lusting after, as well as the Rouge Crayon lippie in Carmin. 
*


*The same purchase included a Givenchy Interdit  in #14 Redlight…you know me and my #datenightreds! 
I have worn the blush a few times and it is such a nice formula. The lippies have not been worn yet. I had a nasty cold with chapped lips a couple weeks ago. Then hubby and I had our date night “in” last weekend, so it was a no makeup night. This weekend we have a sushi date, so red lips will be worn!

The second splurge was on the MAC LE Mariah Carey “I’m That Chick” quad. I found it on Belk, a couple days ago **and snagged the last one in stock. Still waiting for it to arrive. But I am sure I will have no regrets. I love the colors in the quad and know they will go perfectly with my current e/s collection.

Random Stuffs:

Taking a cue from @VAL4M I pulled out some of my MAC cream products to use (Metal X). I find combining a cream product with some of my glittery mineralized or pressed pigment eye shadows produces a great result, almost like using it like a paint pot/primer. No fall out and it created a long lasting, slick almost glossy looking finish. 

And @shellygrrl ~ You will be proud of me! I actually created a date night look using what is left of my MAC crushed pigments! 
*



*By the by, hubby loved the cut out shoulder look of my sweater...lol

I continue to dekraapify and reorganize my closet/studio space stuffs. Recently I discovered the effective use of space by rolling clothing. So below is an image of some of my work-out clothing. blush: Yes...I have a thing for VS workout clothing...)** With things rolled up, the drawers are not stuffed and I can see what I have. Kind of a cool storage solution.
*

*

**And yay! My Mexico tan finally faded so I am back in my EL Doublewear…oh how I missed my tried and true foundation! I am working with the DW Concealer too. I purchased that back in December and then promptly got tan! Jury is still out. I am jonsing for the Tarte Shape Tape, but I want to give the DW fair play.

**I am on the hunt for an under eye corrector/brightener though. I do not have serious discoloration, but just enough that a little peach/orange could minimize. A few years ago, when it first came out, I used the YSL Touch Eclat but when it ran out, I never replaced it. I would say that was one of, if not my very first high end purchases. I tried the Becca Undereye stuff but as I was saying to @LadyBug13 I found it to be too thick, tacky and tricky to work with…plus I am not a fan of anything cream in a pot.

Can I just say…March is looking dangerous for new beauty releases! I can count 4 serious highlighter releases that caught my eye…Hello NARS and ABH x Nicole Guerriero!!! I am looking at you! And I think Sephora will have its spring VIB sale soon. trying.to.be.strong.

I do hope y'all have a great weekend! Besos xxx ~ pictures of sushi next post! 



*


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## LadyBug13 (Feb 24, 2017)

I'll follow suit! Here's my February:

*Purchases *

OPI Got The Blues for Red. I love it and it's a nice different from OPI's Big Apple Red. It's more blue based and peffect for the colder months though I would have no problems wearing this or Big Apple Red year round.

I don't remember buying anything else. 


*Decluttered *

*OPI A-Taupe the Space Needle*- It's a brownish-green that looked off against my skin. It actually looked better on my toes than as a manicure, and I don't like to keep polishes that only look better as a pedi vs as a mani AND pedi. I also de-stashed: 

*KVD Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Bow n Arrow*- I tried my best to make this work with my MAC liners in Cork and Chestnut, but when it dried I looked sick. Plus it was old. I've seen YouTubers my skin tone who have used the same combination and it looked better on them. Maybe it was their lighting?

*Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins Skin Refining Oil*- When I got my Josie Maran 500 point perk in the mail last month, it came with deluxe samples of the Argan Oil and the Argan Oil Light, and I told myself that I wouldn't open these until I finished the Refining Oil. I had maybe 2 weeks worth of the Refining Oil left before I tossed it.  I've had it for 2 years and I only purchased it because it went with the moisturizer of the same name. I don't know if it made much of a difference to my complexion, though I liked the scent (nicely citrus-y). 

*MAC Blush in Sweet As Cocoa and Ambering Rose, NARS Blush in Exhibit A*- Since I started wearing makeup more frequently (a little over 5 years ago), I've only had 5 blushes (MAC- Sweet as Cocoa, Warm Soul, Ambering Rose, NARS- Exhibit A and Taj Mahal). I de-stashed Warm Soul over a year ago as it it didn't show up on my skin. This month I de-stashed Sweet As Cocoa, Ambering Rose and Exhibit A. They are beautiful colors, but I had to force myself to use Sweet As Cocoa and Ambering Rose, and Exhibit A was too much to try to figure out how lightly to dip my brush in because it's super pigmented. Because I depotted them I couldn't give them away. That leaves me with Taj Mahal, with I absolutely love. I've started to think that I'm not much of a blush person, but I realize that I just prefer golden peaches and oranges. If I ever decide to buy blush in the future, I'll look out for my preferences. 


*Used Up*

*Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black Rollerball*- I've had this rollerball for a few years now. I would say it's my favorite fragrance. I need to use up 3.4oz size I bought a few years ago during the VIB sale. 

*Fresh Vitamin Nectar Vibrancy-Boosting Face Mask* - This was a Sephora 100 point perk. The scent is divine (fresh citrus) and the mask dries clear. The fun thing about this mask (and what makes it suck) are the fruit bits. Washing this mask off was a bit of a challenge because the fruit bits would get stuck in my hair (even while pulled back!)

*MAC Eye Brow Pencil in Spiked*- MY HG brow product. I tried the ABH Dip Brow pomade several years back. I even bought the #12 brush that's recommended for it. How my brows looked varied by the day becauseI couldn't get technique down. As soon as I was done with the pomade, I went back to Spiked. Pencils are just easier for me to use. Now I can move on to my backup! 

*MAC Lip Liner in Cork*- I don't know how long I've had my Cork. I love using it with most of my lip colors, particularly when I wear my nudes. While visiting a friend in December, she let me have her Cork as it wasn't working for her. Glad I finished my original so I can move on to a fresh pencil! 

*MAC Studio CareBlend/Pressed Powder*- This my second CareBlend. I like it but MSFN is my preferred face powder. Glad I can move on to the MSFN I bought back in December. 

*MUFE Excessive Lash (deluxe sample in Black*)- I think I've had this for over 6 months and it was beginning to dry out. I have a deluxe sample of the Diorshow Mascara and 3 samples of MAC mascaras to move on to. 

*Milani Color Statement Lipstick in Teddy Bare*- Love this. My favorite drugstore lipstick shade, but I've been itching to finish it up because I need to work on my MAC nudish shades and KVD Lolita. I got to the very bottom today. 

*NYC Liquid Lip Shine in Clear*- A basic clear gloss. I might pick it up again one of these days but I have the Milani lip gloss in Bare Secret to get through. 

*UD Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original, Sin, and Eden (samples)*- The Original is my preferred primer. Sin was too brought for my lids but I liked Eden. Now I can move on to my full size of Original.

*Vaseline Lip Therapy in Cocoa Butter *- It gets the job done. I have the Creme Brule scent to get through now. 


*Reflections & Next Steps *

I've been feeling more stressed than normal, and playing in my makeup was a bit of an escape. Normally when I'm hyper stressed I eat more or shop more, both of which I didn't do much of this month. 

I've been very content with my MAC Face & Body and Studio Water Weight foundations for over a year now, but seeing the upcoming Next to Nothing Face Colour gets me excited. It can be used over a primer but it can also be used before foundation . I don't know, but I'm looking forward to testing out and hopefully buying it and the face powder in April. 

I didn't wear as much makeup as I did in January, but I feel I was more creative with my eyeshadows this month. I've been going back and forth over whether to sell off my UD Electric palette, but I enjoyed playing around with it this month. I'm eying the MAC x9 palettes in Tropic Cool, Red, Hot, and Semi Sweet, but I want to give the Electric palette more of a chance before I decide what to do with it. I've also noticed how much I enjoy using up my products (makeup, skin, and hair).

My biggest goals for March are to continue using up my products listed on my Use Up By April 1st list (about 10 full size and deluxe sample products) and to work on my winged liner look. I tried it this week and it was a HOT mess. I don't plan on making any major purchases in March. *Save**Save*
*Save**Save*​


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## veronikawithak (Feb 28, 2017)

[MENTION=51593]fur4elise[/MENTION] I love the drawers! Organization porn.  I have my folded clothes in rows like that too - so much easier!

January - $0.00
February - $33.60 - Bite Amuse Bouche Cava

I'm running low on my current foundation and I'll need a new mascara in April. Will probably purchase a few things in March. I think my goal for the year is going to be to stay under $1,000 for all personal shopping - clothing, skincare, makeup, perfume, etc. That will probably be a challenge for me. Last year I spent quite a bit more than that, although about half was for a more professional work wardrobe. Right now I'm at about $300 for January and February - 30% at just over 15% of the year.


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## LadyBug13 (Feb 28, 2017)

Good idea on keeping track of how much you're spending, ladies! I think I'll do that for the remainder of the year.


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## shellygrrl (Feb 28, 2017)

February spending: Along with the MAC eyeshadow primer and mini Fix+, I also bought a couple of wet'n'wild nail polishes from their 99-cent range (D'oh!, which is a yellow; and Dreamy Poppy, a mid-tone warm pink).

Face of the Weekend...

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer (across porous areas)
* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain (still enjoying applying this only where I need it the most)
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* Prestige True Khol Kajal - Matte Black applied to upper lashline and smudged out)
* MAC Eyeshadows - Indian Ink (over the top of the eyeliner) and Copperplate (over the rest of the lid and up toward the crease)
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* NARS Blush - mix of Sex Appeal and Sex Fantasy
* MAC Lipstick - Blankety


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## VAL4M (Feb 28, 2017)

Here are my latest products I use up or declutter
Mostly skin care products
Tata Harper purifying cleanser (2nd bottle working on my 3rd)
2 Etival cleanser both discountinued
Neostrata moisturizer for acne (hate it it did nothing)
Marc Anthony Hair oil (meh)
Amir organ oil moisturizer good for our Canadian winter smell really good
Marcell CC cream/fondation (HG I Love that CC cream! )
YSL ink fondation I like it but hate the packaging give me a freaken pump Yves!
11 mini OPI nail polish half full I prefer Julep nail polish so all of them were trash
2x Maybelline colour tattoo eyeshadow that dried up on me
Burt bees lip balm
Clinique concealer that was way too yellow and dark and started separate on me
2 mascaras
2 eye cream sample one Guerlain, one Chanel
1 - Clarins whitening serum (ok didn't really see any difference with my skin tone)
9 - sheet mask so far the best one in the bunch is from Innisfree. 
And oh almost forgot between the burt bee's balm and Clinique concealer is a Maybelline eyeliner who dried up, so again i needed to declutter it.
so 38 products gone (ok i'm cheating a little with the 11 OPI nail polish but so be it! LOL)


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## VAL4M (Feb 28, 2017)

Spending for February 1 NYX eyeshadow in Golden peach (I love that colour) and one Quo Brush (finally found a Dupe for my MAC 226 yah!!!) and at 14$ is a bargain compare to MAC brushes.
BUT I stumble with my LOW-BUY with a big perfume purchased I discovered that BVLGARI au de Parfum au Thé rouge was sold at Saks in the USA only (didn't even want to ship in Canada) I ask my sister to ask her  in-laws if it was ok to used their second home address in the states (they are retired snowbirds) to ship it there and they said if was ok. I really like that line (except for Thé bleu) they all smell lovely and I'm the proud owner of au de Parfum au Thé noir .... Thé vert will be next, I will add it on my 2017 xmas list LOL (yep already started)
Now i'm only waiting for the Viseart warm neutral palette to come back in stock on the Sephora website to buy it with my gift card that my husband gave me and I finally decided not to buy the Too face Peanut butter and honey palette based on the so-so reviews i saw in Temptalia's and several Youtube channel so money saved there! 

I keeping up with using a cream makeup product everyday i'm wearing makeup. I only use 2 blue eyeshadows in my look this week so I have to step it up because i ''discovered'' MORE blue eyeshadows in my collection, WTF?!?! 
Also I almost purchased Juvia's place Masquarade palette on Hautelook like 10 thousand time but resisted ....


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## jennyap (Mar 1, 2017)

February was another month of zero purchases for me. On the other hand, I didn't get through much either - wore only minimal makeup most of the month. Need to change that to get back to using things up!


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## shellygrrl (Mar 5, 2017)

FOTD...

* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Eyeshadows - Sumptuous Olive (lid and blended up) and Omega (crease and above)
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin
* MAC Lipstick - Fanfare (most recent Back 2 MAC selection; I like it!)


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## LadyBug13 (Mar 6, 2017)

Today's look:

*Eyes*
My inspiration came from this video:
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion- Original
MAC- Brown Script (crease/transition)
MAC- Amber Lights (entire lid)
MAC- Naked Lunch (middle of lid)


*Face*
MAC Strobe Cream (sample)
MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter- Peach Lustre (under eye and on dark spots) 
MAC Face & Body- C7 (mixed in a teeny tiny drop of Pro Longwear Concealer in NW35. I think the next time I buy C7, it'll be for the warmer months. It's a tad too dark for the cooler months. I might look into C6 as well)
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NW35 (under eye)
Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder (under eye)
Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette- Medium to Dark (contour shade...for a light contour)
MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural- Dark
MAC Brow Pencil - Spiked 
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NC45 (to sculpt my brows) 
MUFE Mist & Fix 
Dior Diorshow Mascara- Black (sample)
MAC Lipliner- Cork
Milani Brilliant Shine Lip Gloss- Bare Secret


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## LadyBug13 (Mar 8, 2017)

Today's look! My goal for this week is to work on my winged liner, and I'm happy with today's result! Yesterday's turned out nice too. I started off with resting my pinky on my cheek for added leverage when I applied the liner on my right lid, but I felt comfortable enough to apply it without resting my pinking when applying the liner to my left lid. I also started off stretching my lid yesterday, but today I didn't do that. Not sure if it matters, but I'm right-handed. 





*Eyes*
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion- Original
UD Naked Ultimate Basics- Pregame (to set primer and used as brow highlight)
UD Naked Ultimate Basics- Extra Bitter (crease/transition)
MAC- Sumptuous Olive (lid)
UD Naked Ultimate Basics- Lockout (outer lid)
ELF Expert Liquid Liner 


*Face*
MAC Strobe Cream (sample)
MAC Studio Water Weight SPF 30 Foundation- NC 45 
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- mixture of NW35 & NC45 (under eye)
Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder (under eye)
MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural- Dark
Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette- Medium to Dark (contour shade for a light contour)
BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector (cream version) (Topaz)
MAC Brow Pencil - Spiked 
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NC45 (to sculpt my brows and cover dark spots) 
MUFE Mist & Fix 
Dior Diorshow Mascara- Black (sample)
MAC Lipliner- Chestnut
MAC Lipstick- Persistence*Save**Save*​


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## JerseyGirl (Mar 10, 2017)

LadyBug13 said:


> Today's look! My goal for this week is to work on my winged liner, and I'm happy with today's result! Yesterday's turned out nice too. I started off with resting my pinky on my cheek for added leverage when I applied the liner on my right lid, but I felt comfortable enough to apply it without resting my pinking when applying the liner to my left lid. I also started off stretching my lid yesterday, but today I didn't do that. Not sure if it matters, but I'm right-handed.
> 
> 
> View attachment 59037
> ...



Nice winged liner!! I gave up a long time ago. You have inspired me to try again!!


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## shellygrrl (Mar 10, 2017)

Did a little makeup purging earlier in the week. Out went...

* Five single eyeshadows --  four of which were Makeup Geek (Envy, Drama Queen, Corrupt, Sensuous), and the other was my Victoria's Secret e/s in Bunny. Mostly due to age. (I think I had Bunny for close to five or six years! And those MUG ones were among the first ones from that brand added to my stash not too long after launch about six years ago.) Also, I hadn't used those particular Makeup Geek ones in quite some time.

* Naked 2 palette. Again, an age thing. Also, even though I've gone for single eyeshadows in it, I hadn't used the palette for a complete look in some time. And now I have no more pre-made eyeshadow palettes! *bounce*

* Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil - Ash. I did get a good amount of use of it over the last year. However, it's not quite ashy enough for my tastes, and I'm enjoying my Inglot brow gel liner a lot more right now.

* mini MUFE Step 1 - Mattifying Primer. It was pretty low anyway, and I'm working through a full-size one.

* MAC Lipstick - Up the Amp. The very first lipstick I ever Back 2 MAC'ed for some years ago. I may purchase it at a later date.

* MAC Chromagraphic Pencil - NC15/NW20. Old and hasn't been used in some time. (My main use for it wasn't always in the lower waterline, though I have used it for that purpose. I've also used it to clean up around my lips when working with certain lip colours.)

And I did pick up one thing today: the new(ish) wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation (I got the shade Porcelain). Very excited to try it out. Porcelain looks like it may work on my skintone. It's definitely less peachy, and a smidge darker than my MUFE Ultra HD (Y205, which is actually a little too light for me + the wrong undertone), but it's around the same depth as my ABH Stick Foundation (Porcelain; one of my better matches). If it does work out for me, it would be one of the very, very few drugstore foundations that does.


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## fur4elise (Mar 11, 2017)

JerseyGirl said:


> *Nice winged liner!*! *I gave up a long time ago.* You have inspired me to try again!!


 *@LadyBug13 * *~ This^^^^^It sure is impressive on other ladies! I just never mastered it with my eye shape...I can do a mini wing just to accent my lashes, as they naturally curl up at the corners...but anything winged out beyond that just does not work for me...Maybe I'll try for date night tonight 

@shellygrrl ~** Woot woot mama! Good job! I now love de-krappifying! I wanted to say thank you for your feedback on the MAC Prep & Prime Eye Base. I purchased a tube during the Belk beauty rush and have been using it for about 1 1/2 weeks. I have to say, no creasing and extended wear...and I am talking up to 12 hours of wear! A tiny bit goes a long way too.

~ Speaking of palettes...This morning I finally got out the new empty XL MUFE palette I purchased last fall, specifically for blush pans. I put all of my Ben Nye pans (13), 4 MAC pans and a couple Benefit pans (from a pre-made I got in 2015.) And I still have room for a few more pans.  I was able to dispose of (2) Ben Nye paper/cardboard palettes and one old MAC palette (which I will B2M next time I go to the counter). It's really nice to have all those blushes organized by color and in one place!
*


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## fur4elise (Mar 16, 2017)

*Just coming in to say I did a smart no-buy move! I cancelled my Sephora PLAY! subscription!  I had an underwhelming experience with it and ultimately think my $10 per month plus tax could be used elsewhere or saved. That is all! *


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## Marsha Pomells (Mar 16, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *Just coming in to say I did a smart no-buy move! I cancelled my Sephora PLAY! subscription!  I had an underwhelming experience with it and ultimately think my $10 per month plus tax could be used elsewhere or saved. That is all! *



Well done, Elise. My February has been a quiet one. Brought both face kits from the Masters collection, along with The Shining Hour and Soft Hint.

I decided to try out NYX Stay Matte But Not Flat Foundation, which is cheaper than my usual L'Oréal True Match Foundation. And I will say this about the foundation, the coverage is pretty good. As long as I don't go overboard with the amount I use, it does the job. Here's a pic of me wearing the foundation on two different occasions. Still need to update my tags on the post...

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h...5-5FC5-4845-8F53-1175E9BACB6B_zps1k9x1otb.jpg

And in better light on my birthday... Ignore the eyeliner, it's a mess and didn't think about tightlining.

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h...3-D883-4B70-B69F-CAFF96D3F72C_zpsiuotjce8.jpg

I'm breaking my Low Buy for lipstick overload (new mattes and metallics), and hopefully get back on track. I decided against Work It Out and possibly a few collections. I'm also avoiding other brands like the plague, which is usually quite hard for me to do when out shopping. But I'm doing good.


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## LadyBug13 (Mar 16, 2017)

JerseyGirl said:


> Nice winged liner!! I gave up a long time ago. You have inspired me to try again!!



Yay! I've using my ELF Expert Liquid Liner (I think that's what it's called), @JerseyGirl. I'm interested in trying a cream or gel liner in the future. Considering MAC's Pro Longwear Fluidline or the Chromaline.  



fur4elise said:


> *Just coming in to say I did a smart no-buy move! I cancelled my Sephora PLAY! subscription!  I had an underwhelming experience with it and ultimately think my $10 per month plus tax could be used elsewhere or saved. That is all! *



Yessss! I've been wondering about their subscription box, and just subscription boxes in general. Do you have other subscriptions that you could recommend @fur4elise ?




Marsha Pomells said:


> I'm breaking my Low Buy for lipstick overload (new mattes and metallics), and hopefully get back on track. I decided against Work It Out and possibly a few collections. I'm also avoiding other brands like the plague, which is usually quite hard for me to do when out shopping. But I'm doing good.




I'm already planning to do some damage in April, one of the reasons why I've been focusing on finishing up products since January. 

*Save**Save*
*Save**Save*
*Save**Save*​


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## LadyBug13 (Mar 16, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> Did a little makeup purging earlier in the week. Out went...
> * Naked 2 palette. Again, an age thing. Also, even though I've gone for single eyeshadows in it, I hadn't used the palette for a complete look in some time. And now I have no more pre-made eyeshadow palettes! *bounce*



I opened my Naked 2 palette today, and one of the shadows popped out! Can't remember which one it was, maybe Chopper. Luckily it landed back in the palette and not elsewhere. The same thing happened with Blackout a few years ago. Somehow it crumbled and stained the shelf I was storing it on. That Blackout was very pigmented, and it's in my Smoked Palette so I'm not that bummed about it. 

Funny enough, last December was my first time buying eyeshadows that were NOT in pre-made palettes! I have 7 pre-made palettes and one DIY palette with 20 MAC shadows in it, my NARS Taj Mahal blush, and a small contour powder.


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## shellygrrl (Mar 19, 2017)

I didn't have a problem with shadows popping out of my Naked 2, but there were a few in there that weren't set properly. (I think it was a very common problem.)

FOTD...

* wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation - Porcelain (first impressions below)
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Hipster (lid)
* MAC Eyeshadow - Omega (crease)
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin (contour)
* MAC Eyeshadow - Copperplate (to deepen contour at outer edge of cheekbones)
* MAC Blush - Taupe
* NYX Slim Lip Pencil - Baby Pink
* MAC Lipstick - Blankety

The colour match for the wet'n'wild foundation is a pretty decent one for me. It is a little bit too peachy when I swatch it out but it's not something that's super noticeable on my skin. I applied it with a combination of fingers and a beautyblender. I also noticed it emphasized some of my pores, but I think that'd be something easily remedied with primer. Wear time is good (needed to touch up with some setting powder around the nose at around the eight-hour mark, but I think that'd be typical for most foundations). I've not noticed any oxidizing. The other thing I noticed was the smell; it smells like paint thinner to me. (Revlon Colorstay's Combination/Oily formulation has a similar smell.)


I think I'd describe it as a sheer-medium coverage, with a natural finish.


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## lenchen (Mar 19, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> Did a little makeup purging earlier in the week. Out went...
> 
> * Five single eyeshadows --  four of which were Makeup Geek (Envy, Drama Queen, Corrupt, Sensuous), and the other was my Victoria's Secret e/s in Bunny. Mostly due to age. (I think I had Bunny for close to five or six years! And those MUG ones were among the first ones from that brand added to my stash not too long after launch about six years ago.) Also, I hadn't used those particular Makeup Geek ones in quite some time.
> 
> ...


Well done Shellygrrl!
speaking of letting items go, I did a de-clutter myself out went:
3 MAC Mineralize skin finishes warm blend, Earthshine, and a third one the name escapes me
3 NARS Blushers desire, an LE very very bright pink it's similar to exhibit A in intensity, and Gilda
Guerlain highlighter I purchased a long time ago
1 MAC 15 pro pan palette (self-made) greens/blue teal colors
All of my MAC pigments except for grape, push the edge,bloodline, and deep purple.
3 MAC Mineralize blushes 2 merrily and love thing
All of my MAC Mineralize eyeshadows except for guilt by association, as I use that one.
All of my MAC eye pencils( really really old)
All 5 of my MAC Paint pots never used them.

I'm running low on eyeshadow primer, I need to re-purcse my NARS, and I need a new brow gel. I think i'm going to try the Suratt one.


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## VAL4M (Mar 21, 2017)

Who didn't order from the 25% off from MAC???? 
ME 
Oh not that I went on the site everyDAY and add many products in my cart but I didn't press submit! 
Oh the temptation but each time it suck to pay shipping or have 65$ and plus (in Canada we need to buy a certain amount  for free shipping) and I told myself do i really NEED another eyeshadow palette??? OF COURSE NOT!!!! 
Anyway I still want to know who purchased what during the sale . LOL
that Semi-sweet and burgundy palette were so calling my name but I told myself I can wait for next time.


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## shellygrrl (Mar 21, 2017)

VAL4M said:


> Who didn't order from the 25% off from MAC????
> ME



Also me!


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## LadyBug13 (Mar 22, 2017)

VAL4M said:


> Who didn't order from the 25% off from MAC????
> ME
> Oh not that I went on the site everyDAY and add many products in my cart but I didn't press submit!



I didn't either, and the Semi Sweet palette was calling my name! But my goal was to not purchasing any makeup or skin/hair care stuff this month. April may be a whole 'other story as I'm planning to get the MAC Next to Nothing Face Colour and some other MAC goodies, and I may participate in the Sephora VIB sale.


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## fur4elise (Mar 22, 2017)

LadyBug13 said:


> Yessss! I've been wondering about their subscription box, and just subscription boxes in general. Do you have other subscriptions that you could recommend @fur4elise ?


*Sephora PLAY! was the first and only subscription box service I have tried. Just for six months and that was long enough for me to determine, it was not worth it. *
*
I am not going to subscribe to any other boxes, because ultimately you will end up spending money on things you do not want, do not need, etc. I pretty much go get samples of products I really want to try. Aside from it costing me a little bit of time and some times the aggravation of a sales pitch or two...they are free *



VAL4M said:


> Who didn't order from the 25% off from MAC????  ME


*
Good job to the ladies who held strong with the MAC sale! 

Me...*





*
I bought the "In The Flesh" 15x E/S Palette...and a P&P Fix+ Sized To Go (for my daily makeup bag). 

 @lenchen ~ Great work on de-kraapifying! Woot Woot! 
*


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## VAL4M (Mar 22, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *Sephora PLAY! was the first and only subscription box service I have tried. Just for six months and that was long enough for me to determine, it was not worth it. *
> *
> I am not going to subscribe to any other boxes, because ultimately you will end up spending money on things you do not want, do not need, etc. I pretty much go get samples of products I really want to try. Aside from it costing me a little bit of time and some times the aggravation of a sales pitch or two...they are free *
> 
> ...


Oh no fur4elise!  I should be hiding under the sofa too ... I did spend a lot this month and I still have a week to go! 
I purchased 2 Chikuhodo brushes and a eyeshadow palette on beautylish. 
I redeem point at Mural (it works like Ulta) but we still have to pay the  taxes.  so I redeem for 600$ but  I actually paid 60$ out of my pocket. I bought Tata Harper purifying cleanser, Darphin Serum, Darphin Niaouli Oil, 2 Chanel eyeliners, 2 RMS brushes, 
I still follow my low-buy rule (ok the eyeliners are not but I needed to spend 70$ to round up to 300$ and couldn't find anything else that I needed) 
I also back to MAC so I got a free lipstick and because I was there I purchase a brush #238, to used with my cream eyeshadow I like my 242# but the 238 is more square and useful to blend shadow close to the lower lashes. 
THEN I went to Sephora and purchased Ole Henriksen sugar scrub and polish and UD eyeshadow in Relish (I really needed a deep red eyeshadow in my collection *sigh*) 
And finally today the Viseart Warm matte was back in stock on the Sephora website so I finally used my 50$ gift card to purchased the palette. So I wouldn't call my March a success.


----------



## shellygrrl (Mar 22, 2017)

But there's still time to rein it in!


----------



## Marsha Pomells (Mar 23, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> But there's still time to rein it in!


Agreed. Still breaking it for lipstick overload though. Just need to have this lipstick spree or 2 and then back on 5 items or less.


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## LadyBug13 (Mar 26, 2017)

*March check in!
*

*Purchases *

None. I also went back and calculated how much I spent on cosmetics, skincare, and haircare in January and February. The total is $80.63 (and majority of this total was on nail polish  )


*Decluttered *

None


*Used Up*

*Dior Diorshow Mascara (point perk)*- This was my second time choosing this as a point perk through Sephora, and using this up reminded me of why I nerve bought a full size when I tried it the first time. One thing I did like about it was the scent. 

*Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black (1.7 oz)*- I bought this at the end of 2014 and finally finished it a few weeks ago. Along with the rollerball version, I've preferred this scent over Nirvana White. I won't repurchase because the scent doesn't last on with my body chemistry, so that kinda sucks. 

*Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask (deluxe sample)*- I got this as part of Fresh's 2016 holiday 5-piece mask deluxe sample set. I liked the cooling sensation and the texture of the mask (very light, though it looks like mashed potatoes in the jar), but I didn't notice any major benefits. I'm glad I got to try this within a sample set as I debated on getting the full size during the November VIB sale (it was between this and the Fresh Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask, over well over the $90 price point). Probably won't purchase.

*Fresh Rose Face Mask (deluxe sample)*- This also came in the Fresh deluxe sample set. I liked using it right after a clay mask or a intensive exfoliation, but I won't purchase it as I have an Origins mask that is similar, and for a cheaper price. I tried it for the first time when it was one of the 2015 Sephora birthday gift options.  

*Fresh Sugar Face Polish (deluxe sample)*- This also came in the Fresh deluxe sample set. Really enjoyed this, as it provided a nice exfoliation. I wouldn't mind buying this in the future, but I already have an Origins exfoliation mask (which is my favorite mask overall).

*Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil (original and light) (deluxe sample)*- These came in the Josie Maran 500 point perk that was on Sephora's site back in January. I really enjoyed using both, with me using the light version in my daytime skincare routine and the original at night. I only used them on my face, and my skin felt very moisturized and soft. The original made my Fresh essence treatment lotion ball up a bit on my face, so I had to remember to pat the oil in as opposed to massaging it in. I will purchase in the future. Most likely the light version. 

*Josie Maran Surreal Skin Argan Finishing Balm (deluxe sample)*- This also came in the Josie Maran 500 point perk. Wasn't a big fan of the scent (it was very off putting and smelled like expired foundation) and my face would itch when I would use it (though I didn't break out). It felt like my makeup was sitting on top of my skin. I had high expectations for this and saved it until I finished my MAC Strobe Cream and Prep+ Prime Skin Base Visage samples, but I was bummed that I saved it for last. Plus, from the written reviews I've seen online, you only get a small amount for the price. Definitely wouldn't purchase.

*MAC Cleanse Off Oil (sample)*- Really enjoyed this and I planned to pick up the full size once I'm done with my Simple Micellar Water. I forgot how soothing it was to remove my makeup with oil. It got every bit of makeup off, leaving very little mascara behind. This was my first time using this and I will definitely purchase. 
*
MAC Face and Body Foundation*- I'm so happy yet sad I finished this up. It's become my favorite foundation. Very lightweight and the shade C7 works pretty good year round, though I add a bit of Pro Longwear concealer in NW35 to it in the cooler months as sometimes it looks a tad bit darker around this time. I've used my hands, a face brush, and my Beauty Blender to apply this foundation, and I prefer using the Beauty Blender. The BB helps to take away some of the pigment. Will definitely repurchase. 

*MAC Prep+Prime Skin Base Visage (sample)*- Loved using this as a primer. Really liked the texture and consistency, and my foundations glided on smoothly. This was my first time using this and I will definitely purchase. 

*MAC Pro Eye Makeup Remover (sample)*- This was my first time using this and I enjoyed using it alongside the Cleanse Off Oil. Not sure if I would purchase this in the future because the Cleanse Off Oil did the job on its own.

*MAC Strobe Cream (sample)*- This was my first time using this and I loved it. I would purchase this in the future, but for now my Becca Shimmering Skin Perfectors (liquid versions) in Opal and Topaz work similarly. 

*NARS Velvet Matter Lip Pencil in Cruella (deluxe sample)*- I think this was a Sephora birthday gift. Loved how it applied and it lasted for hours (5-6) with minimal wear through eating and drinking. It didn't dry down to a complete matte finish. I'm not interested in purchasing a full size as I'm pretty content with MAC's Ruby Woo and Wet n Wild's Cherry Bomb. 

*Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins Mineral Enriched Renewal Cream*- Really enjoyed the scent (lightly citrus-y) and the moisturizing it provided. Plus, a little goes a long way, and I've had this jar for some time. Not interested in repurchasing as I have other nighttime moisturizers on my radar. 

*Qhemet Biologics Castor & Moringa Softening Serum*- Bought this 3-4 years ago for a friend and never mailed it to her .  You can use this as a leave-in, hot oil treatment, along with conditioner, or on dry hair. I've used Qhemet Biologics products for 10 years, and I'm glad that the brand is now sold at Sephora. I'm not interested in repurchasing this product, though it did get the job done. 

*Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner*- I've slowly worked through this over the past 3 years and needed to finish it up. Moisturizing and provides great slip for detangling with conditioner in your hair. I have a few conditioners to use up before I repurchase this. 


*Reflections *

Outside of using up my stuff, I worked on my winged liner technique. It's not perfect-perfect yet, but I feel more comfortable using liquid liner now than I did at the start of the month. I'm using my ELF Expert Liquid Liner, and once it's finished I'm thinking of trying a cream liner or another liquid liner with a tip that will give me more precision. My a-ha moment with winged liner was knowing that I can fix my liner by using concealer or applying more eyeshadow on top on the area of the liner I messed up. 

But my biggest focus was on playing with the items on my chopping block: KVD Everlasting Liquid LipStick in Bow n Arrow, UD Smoked Palette, and the UD Electric Palette. 

I initially set aside Bow n Arrow to be destashed. But I decided to keep it to figure out how I could work with it to make it more wearable. Using MAC Cork and Chestnut lip liners helped with that by filling in my lips as opposed to just lining them. I think I prefer using Chestnut with Bow n Arrow. For now, it can stay in my stash.

But the stars of the show this month were the UD palettes. I've had my eye on MAC's Tropic Cool and Red Hot x9 eyeshadow palettes, and I told myself that if I'm going to purchase those than I would have to destash 2 palettes that I don't show enough love to. So I made an effort to use the Smoked and Electric palettes this month. Some of the shadows in both palettes have some major fallout, and I learned my lesson after creating a look using the Smoked palette and having to redo my under eye makeup. Most of the shadows in the Smoked palette are easily dupable with shadows in my other palettes so once I'm done with the actual palette I don't have any interest in repurchasing it. The standout shades are Loaded, Evidence, and Rockstar. Beautiful colors and pigmentation. I've always shied away from purple and blues because I thought they wouldn't look good on me, but I was surprised. 

Now the Electric Palette....I have fallen in love with this palette, which is dramatic. I'm a neutral eyeshadow look with sometimes a pop a color girl, and this palette was definitely a "YouTube Made Me Buy It" purchase. I mentioned earlier in the thread that I found this video that showed how you can combine this palette with more neutral eyeshadows to make a more wearable look. It inspired me so much that I used the same neutral shadows mentioned in the video and tried it with other shades in the palette. But I also found some bolder looks to try out like this one and this one. It was fun to play with this palette. One of the shadows (I think it was Savage, the bright pink shade) did stain my eyelids, and I had to do quite a bit of (gentle) rubbing to get it off. Other than that, this palette was so much fun to work with.  


*
Goals for April 

*1) Work on my smokey eye technique
2) Continue to shop my stash and use up items (I have a list of items I want to use up for the month)


----------



## VAL4M (Mar 26, 2017)

LadyBug13 said:


> *March check in!
> *
> 
> *Purchases *
> ...


Congrats!!!!


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## shellygrrl (Mar 26, 2017)

LadyBug13 said:


> *March check in!
> *



Yay!

I haven't purchased anything else this month since I bought the wet'n'wild foundation, and that's not likely to change for the rest of the month. I do think I'll be buying quite a few things next month, though.

FOTD...
* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* mix of wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation + MUFE Ultra HD - Y205 (a bit more of the former than the latter -- roughly a 2:1 ratio, I think? I really like this combination!)
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* MAC Eyeshadow - Mystery (brows; hadn't used this in a while)
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Paint Pot - Tailor Grey
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Unexpected
* MAC Eyeshadow - Copperplate (to make the above, placed in the crease, a little more ashy)
* The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder - 02
* MAC Lipstick - Fanfare


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## fur4elise (Mar 27, 2017)

*WOW! Great job! See inserted responses below!*



LadyBug13 said:


> *March check in!*
> *Used Up*
> *Dior Diorshow Mascara (point perk)*- This was my second time choosing this as a point perk through Sephora, and using this up reminded me of why I nerve bought a full size when I tried it the first time. One thing I did like about it was the scent.
> 
> ...



*LOL! Every time a new product comes out from brands I have in my stash, I go to my stash and use what is there...it's my initial way of stopping trigger finger and it gives me time to re-evaluate before I spend the money...*


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## LadyBug13 (Mar 30, 2017)

[MENTION=51593]fur4elise[/MENTION]

I'm testing out a sample of the MAC Zoom Lash, and so far I'm liking the results! I see a marked difference before and after applying. 

Also, I have normal to dry skin. I remember the Skin Base Visage having a smooth texture and it worked well under the foundation I used the most this month and in Jan-Feb (MAC Face & Body). Primers are dicey for me as I tend to focus on how they feel on my skin rather than if they're actually made for my skin type LOL.


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## VAL4M (Mar 30, 2017)

I did a really pretty blue eye look today using my UD smokey palette. 
I used Kinky all over, Freestyle as transition, I add from Laura Mercier artist eye caviar palette Burnish Bronzed to deepened the transition colour and Kaki in the crease.
On the lid I used Evidence from UD Smokey palette and Mushroom at the centre to do a halo look.
So I'm happy I'm using some barely touch palette and out-of-my-comfort-zone shades. I was supposed to do more blue eye look but I feel so forced to do so and it just remove the fun out of doing my makeup. 
I also want to use more my quads and quints, there are really neglected now. I add in my makeup bag an old Guerlain quad Bal de Nuit (LE). I've been adding one are two eyeshadows in my look for a couple of weeks now. I will keep it and in 2 weeks swap it for another one. That way I will be able to used more my small eyeshadow palettes in conjunction with my MAC singles.


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## shellygrrl (Apr 2, 2017)

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Prom Night (lid)
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Unexpected (crease)
* MAC Eyeshadow - Copperplate (crease and above)
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin (contour)
* MAC Strobe Cream (top of cheekbones)
* NARS Velvet Lip Glide - Unlaced


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## fur4elise (Apr 3, 2017)

*Back at work today, but still under the weather ...I'm bummed coz I made it through the whole winter with just one cold...now I have some weird chest/head thing that is just draining. I spent the whole weekend at home in & out of bed. 

Low Buy Check-In ~ March

Well…I have to say I am pleased with March. My total out of pocket expenditure was $125.13. I am not including the use of my PayPal balance or the Ulta gift cards I had, as I feel my purchases using those were even exchange.

Purchases:
As I predicted last month I did end up going for the NARS Banc de Sable highlighting palette and I adore it!  I did NOT purchase the ABH x NG palette. Swatches were showing it to have microfine glitter fall-out and that is big no no on “mature”skin, especially for the workday. I am not even sure I could get it to work as eye color. In the end I dug out the Estee Edit Gritty & Glow palette I purchased back in Jan. To me the colors are similar minus the glitter. Win-win, shopped my stash.

I bought 2 pre-made eye shadow palettes:

 In The Flesh 15x from MAC, during the 25% off sale and because Sabrina’s swatches made it look so nice. I will say this, it works nicely in conjunction with my Warm Neutral palette.

The NARS NARSissist Loaded palette was released last week so I also purchased that. I have not used it yet, so will report back next month. Again, swatches just made it look too good to pass up, especially because my eye game is all about the neutral. Also, it is my first purchase of NARS eye shadows. It looked like a good bet.

Since I used up my Skindinavia Setting Spray and Belk had a 20% off coupon, I purchased the Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray. While I liked the formula of the Skindinavia, the sprayer component was not to my liking. And while I like Fix+, again the sprayer…eh and the formula is not really about extending makeup as opposed to creating a nice finish. The UD has been getting high marks for both sprayer and formula. I just got it and will report back next month. 

Tarte Shape Tape in Medium and Tan Sand ~ Getting a thumbs up so far! On no-makeup days, I use a little bit of both for under eye and center of face to just even things out and spot check blemishes/dark spots. Long wearing, sets nicely…I even like the scent…lol

The last big purchase I made was for skincare. Again, I am loving Deciem’s The Ordinary. I replenished 3 items I have been using: Matrixyl 10% + HA, Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA and  Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%. I added a new product for exfoliation, AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution. And when I say big…the whopping total came to $35.50. Deciem is killing it with it’s disruptive price points for high quality skin care…

Random Stuffs:

I am finding that as all these new releases come out from brands I like, I go back to my stash and pull out items from the same brand and use them. It is curbing me from impulse buying and it does reintroduce me to things I already have…Hello?!? Reminding me to use them!

I cleared out a few more items from my stash not loved, not being used and/or past date.

Used Up/Disposed Of:

Vaseline Cocoa Butter Lotion
CeraVe Face Serum - Already repurchased. It is my daytime serum.
ABH Clear Brow – Deluxe sample- Noticed strange chemical smell, will not buy full size as I like the Benefit Ready Set Brow!
Tarte Clean Slate Primer– Deluxe sample jar - not preferred packaging.
Past date mascaras – L’Oreal, Covergirl, Lancome, Armani, Benefit – Full and sample sizes.
Stridex Sensitive Aloe Pads .5% SA – I add Paula’s Choice 2% SA  because I like the pre-soaked pads.
3 EOS lip balms – I use Aquaphor now and prefer my lip balm to have nothing in it.

On The Horizon:

So, for the most part I have kept my impulse shopping in-check and have been patiently adding to my must/lust list. 

I am having a cheek moment! Both of the Bobbi Brown Havana Brights Illuminating Cheek Palettes look gorgeous! Lancome just released 2 cheek palettes that remind me of Guerlain. I like the darker of the 2, Belle De Teint Patio D’une Nue d’Ete. Benefit just released its Cheek Parade palette, but I already have several of the shades in it, so it is a pass with maybe a purchase of just the new GALifornia Blush…

On top of all of that MAC just released the Extra Dimension Blush & EDSF Extension for summer 17. I like: **Faux Sure! or Hard To Get, Hushed Tone, Just a Pinch or Fairly Precious and Telling Glow. EDSF: Oh, Darling, Glow With It and Show Gold. **They are all supposed to be perm, so waiting for a sale would be the smart thing to do 

So, that's all she wrote for March. I think the Sephora sale is this month and I have a modest to moderate list...but I have saved up some money specifically for that sale. The one** thing I am excited about is the Guerlain Terracotta Le Parfum coming soon to Sephora. I love love love the Terracotta powder scent and have been wanting that scent. So I will most likely purchase this when available.**


*


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## Marsha Pomells (Apr 6, 2017)

March check in... I broke my low buy, as I said I would. I got over 30 detubed lipsticks that I don't reach for. So I'm considering my actions, either I leave them be and be creative with them when the time comes or sell them. Help, guys.


----------



## shellygrrl (Apr 9, 2017)

Marsha Pomells said:


> March check in... I broke my low buy, as I said I would. I got over 30 detubed lipsticks that I don't reach for. So I'm considering my actions, either I leave them be and be creative with them when the time comes or sell them. Help, guys.



You don't reach for them, they don't need to be in your life. Let 'em go.

* * *

FOTD...
* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* mix of wet'n'wild Photofinish Foundation - Porcelain + MUFE Ultra HD - Y205
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Paint Pot - Tailor Grey
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* NARS Blush - Sex Appeal
* MAC Lipstick - Blankety


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## lenchen (Apr 10, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> Also me!



same here! I used up my BECCA cream concealer, I'd like to try the NARS concealer, has anyone had luck with it?


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## shellygrrl (Apr 10, 2017)

lenchen said:


> same here! I used up my BECCA cream concealer, I'd like to try the NARS concealer, has anyone had luck with it?



Which one -- Soft Matte (in the pot), Radiant Creamy, or the stick? I've only ever swatched the Radiant Creamy one -- good texture, seems like it'd work for undereyes or for blemishes. It's on my own undereye concealer replacement shortlist.

In other news, I made a Makeup Geek order just now, got five eyeshadows. (Planned purchase.) I think I mentioned in the Sephora section that I'd ordered from them a week or so ago. That one was mostly necessities -- more Shiseido cotton squares, a large bottle of Living Proof PHD Shampoo. I also got a Boscia black cleanser mini with a code, and a NARS pencil sharpener. I'd recently tossed a very, very old e.l.f. one I had for years. I also have one from NYX and a no-name one I've also had for a long time that I'll likely get rid of, leaving me with NYX and NARS. (I like having multiple sharpeners for different types or shades of pencils.)


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## VAL4M (Apr 10, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> You don't reach for them, they don't need to be in your life. Let 'em go.
> 
> * * *




Oh wow that hurt but so true.


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## VAL4M (Apr 11, 2017)

My empties (in my signature I add my new instragram account .... I know i'm so late in the game )
Anywho it been a good couple of month
Most honorable mention
1) I FINISH another Lipstick Shiseido PK711 my perfect mlbb lipstick and I love Shiseido lipstick formula so confortable, longevity is lacking but that make them easier to finish
2) Guerlain liquid eyeliner in mauve
3) Guerlain powder foundation Parure Or
4) Guerlain meteorite primer (summer LE) I did love this primer but I still have another one from Guerlain half full 
5) Guerlain Parure Or foundation (I'm almost done my Guerlain Parure Extreme. I have a BB cream from Marcelle on the go (mostly for the Weekend and days in the sun as the SPF is pretty high, Chanel Aqua Vitalumière and i purchased last week the new Guerlain foundation  Tenu de perfection) 
I declutter 2 Marcelle eyeshadow cream pencil they were dry I won't repurchased 
2 Dior Lipgloss they are so old and start to smell funny I won't repurchased i'm not a lipgloss person
Guerlain terracotta bronzer, old and broken and my kid 3-4 years ago "played" with it and now it getting hard pan and i'm just tired of it.
The remaining is skin care
-Peter Thomas Roth gel cleanser (meh to drying)
- Laroche Posay cleansing milk (the only product from LP that i will recommend)
-Darphin cream moisturizer (like but overprice)
-Neostrata Acid toner (HG)
- Chanel mask (surprising really nice) 
- Eminence cream (meh)
-Smashbox primer (ok)
- 2 clarins balm
- 1 sample from Guerlain abeille royal serum (meh mostly overpriced)
-Darphin aromatic purifying balm (AMAZING i already have a backup of this)
- 4 sheet masks
- 1 clarins eye cream sample
- 1 sample Tata harper moisturizer cream

Total 21 empties 
 5 items declutter
for 26 item!!!


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## veronikawithak (Apr 13, 2017)

veronikawithak said:


> I didn't really have a spending goal for cosmetics last year since I was working on other goals. I think I was just surprised at how much I thought I spent compared to how much I actually spent! This year I think I'll keep more detailed notes throughout the year and do monthly rather than quarterly and annual updates. A lot can happen in a few months!
> Using an expense tracker is key for me too. I spent a lot more than I thought I did last year. I switched from Mint to YNAB in 2016 and that has been really helpful. I've also been trying to lower my spending on meals out (only $21.72 so far this year!) and groceries ($75/month less than last year so far). Right now the timeline to pay off my student loans is 5 more years (7 years after graduation).. I'm hoping if I lower my spending enough I can cut off another year or maybe two.. It would be a miracle to get down to 5 years total but we'll see.
> Congratulations on no additional credit card debt!!! That is HUGE. I paid off all of mine last year only to go back in credit card debt again (and had to pay it all back, again!). I'm giving myself one more chance this year to use them responsibly and if not I'm getting plastic surgery! (Cutting them up.)


*March/April check-in!*

*March*

$144.17 brush set
$96.07 mascara, blush, foundation
$96.03 perfume

Total: $336.27 

*April*

$0 

Total spending in 2017: $655.46 (average $163.87/month)

Not too bad. Glad I'm keeping an eye on the monthly and annual totals instead of just quarterly.

I'm also on track to pay off my loans in 4 more years now instead of 5! I've paid over $10,600 this year so far ($9,100 to principal).


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## AliciaKnits (Apr 14, 2017)

Hi! I'm newish - I joined the forum awhile ago when another forum had a fall-out    I don't wear much makeup but have practiced low-buying for a number of  years. I'd love to join in, if you'd have me. I'll follow the format  I've seen on other pages, and will update when I finish something -  preferably full size, but will also update when I've finished 5 samples  as I'm trying to clear them out as well. Here goes!

I have 196  full size items (some things not listed that I buy and reuse, such as  toothpaste/some hair care/dental picks, etc. My goal, since I'm joining  late, is use up 10 full size items this year, and at least 30 samples  (not foil packets though).

*No Buy*
Pre-made eyeshadow palettes - Surprisingly, I only have 6 of these, and  they're mostly drugstore quality. I want to use these up, or at least 1  of them this year.

Bronzers – have 2, these also last forever. Especially since I'm very light and don't tan.

Eyeliner Pencils - have 6, also don't need to buy this year.

Foundation - have 3, don't need to purchase this year.

Single/Duo/Trio/Quad Eyeshadows- 40, including 2 pencils and 2 pots. Will focus on palettes first.

Blusher - have 4, these last forever.

Lipstick/Lip Gloss/Lip Balm - 32 total. This is insane. I barely use  one to two full size a year ... no buy. I also have 1 lip palette,  which I will not repurchase.

Brow Products – have 3, am good for the year.

Brushes - I have a few I like, but mostly prefer blenders. 

Body care - this includes shampoo/conditioner/body wash/body spray/etc. I  have 58 full size items to use up. NO BUY most definitely.


*Proceed with Caution*

Primer – I have 1 for face and 1 for eyes, can buy more to try out.

 Mascara – 2 full size, some samples. Will need to buy full size near end of the year.

Lipliner - only have 2, can buy more if needed.


 *Any items not mentioned are non-issues for me, I buy one and use it, then buy again for most items.

*Points of Focus*

Skincare - I want to use up all my samples, and then re-evaluate  from there. I really want a Clarisonic system/brush heads and to try  Paula's Choice skin care line (I have keratosis pilaris and "red face"  skin issues). When all samples are finished, I can buy both items.



*Miscellaneous
*
nail polish - 22 of these, 13 of which are Zoya. I LOVE Zoya. I'd love to use up all 9 of the non-Zoya polishes this year.

Wish me luck!


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## Alysse011 (Apr 14, 2017)

AliciaKnits said:


> Hi! I'm newish - I joined the forum awhile ago when another forum had a fall-out    I don't wear much makeup but have practiced low-buying for a number of  years. I'd love to join in, if you'd have me. I'll follow the format  I've seen on other pages, and will update when I finish something -  preferably full size, but will also update when I've finished 5 samples  as I'm trying to clear them out as well. Here goes!
> 
> I have 196  full size items (some things not listed that I buy and reuse, such as  toothpaste/some hair care/dental picks, etc. My goal, since I'm joining  late, is use up 10 full size items this year, and at least 30 samples  (not foil packets though).
> 
> ...


Welcome to the forum & thank you for sharing your goals!


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## LadyBug13 (Apr 15, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *
> Since I used up my Skindinavia Setting Spray and Belk had a 20% off coupon, I purchased the Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray. While I liked the formula of the Skindinavia, the sprayer component was not to my liking. And while I like Fix+, again the sprayer…eh and the formula is not really about extending makeup as opposed to creating a nice finish. The UD has been getting high marks for both sprayer and formula. I just got it and will report back next month.
> *



LOVE the All Nighter spray! I go back and forth between this and UD's Chill Cooling and Hydrating setting spray. Right now, I'm finishing up the MUFE Mist & Fix. I hear that the Chill spray had an odd scent to it now.  Amazed that MAC hasn't created it's own setting spray. 




shellygrrl said:


> You don't reach for them, they don't need to be in your life. Let 'em go.



So true. I used to have over 50 lipsticks, and one day I realized that I don't even wear lipstick enough to justify having so many. I bought most of them because I felt that there will be an occasion where I'd need them, but that day never came. It was hard decluttering them but they didn't cost that much to begin with (they were mostly WnW and NYX). Now I have 8 lipsticks (5 MAC, 2 KVD, 1 WnW) that I enjoy. 




AliciaKnits said:


> Hi! I'm newish - I joined the forum awhile ago when another forum had a fall-out    I don't wear much makeup but have practiced low-buying for a number of  years. I'd love to join in, if you'd have me. I'll follow the format  I've seen on other pages, and will update when I finish something -  preferably full size, but will also update when I've finished 5 samples  as I'm trying to clear them out as well. Here goes!



Welcome!


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## shellygrrl (Apr 16, 2017)

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep & Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Eyeshadows - Sumptuous Olive (lid) and Omega (transitionish shade)
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Hipster (crease)
* Sephora Contour Eye Pencil - Black Lace (tightline only)
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* NARS Blush - Sex Appeal
* MAC Lipstick - Blankety


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## LadyBug13 (Apr 17, 2017)

FOTD!

* MAC Lip Conditioner (to prep for lip color)
* BECCA Backlight Priming Filter
* MAC Brow Pencil - Spiked 
* MAC Prep+Prime 24-Hour Extend Base 
* UD Naked 2 Palette (Foxy to set primer, Tease in the crease, Verve over the lid, Pistol in outer corner)
* ELF Expert Liquid Liner- Black
* MAC Zoom Lash (sample)
* MAC Next To Nothing Face Color- Medium Deep
* MAC Face & Body- C6
* MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NW35 (under eye)
* MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NC45 (to cover dark spots...starting to realize that NC45 is my skintonw but it oxidizes too much)
* MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural- Dark
* Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette (used the contour shade)
* Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid- Topaz (as highlight)  
* MAC lipliner- Nightmoth 
* KVD Everlasting Liquid Lipstick- Bow n Arrow 
* MUFE Mist & Fix Setting Spray


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## LadyBug13 (Apr 19, 2017)

FOTD

* MAC Lip Conditioner (to prep for lip color)
* MAC Prep+Prime Skin Base Visage 
* MAC Brow Pencil - Spiked 
* MAC Prep+Prime 24-Hour Extend Base 
* MAC eyeshadows: Red Brick (crease), Rule (lid), Saddle (outer V)
* Sephora Eye Pencil to Go: Chocolate Brown (to line the upper lash line)
* MAC Zoom Lash (sample)
* MAC Face & Body- C6
* MAC Next To Nothing Face Color- Medium Deep (over F&B)
* MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NW35 (under eye)
* MAC Next To Nothing Pressed Powder- Medium Deep
* Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid- Opal (as highlight)  
* MAC lipliner- Cork
* MAC Lipglass- Spite
* MAC Fix+


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## fur4elise (Apr 19, 2017)

LadyBug13 said:


> LOVE the All Nighter spray! I go back and forth between this and UD's Chill Cooling and Hydrating setting spray. Right now, I'm finishing up the MUFE Mist & Fix. I hear that the Chill spray had an odd scent to it now.  Amazed that MAC hasn't created it's own setting spray.



*Here's a secret I just learned...UD All Nighter is Skindinavia! UD was able to license the formula to put in their own packaging! GENIUS!  Because the UD sprayer is superior! AND I now know why UD smelled so dang familiar! In future it may actually be cheaper to purchase from Skindinavia and "re-fill" my UD bottle. *



AliciaKnits said:


> Hi! I'm newish - I joined the forum awhile ago when another forum had a fall-out    I don't wear much makeup but have practiced low-buying for a number of  years. I'd love to join in, if you'd have me. I'll follow the format  I've seen on other pages, and will update when I finish something -  preferably full size, but will also update when I've finished 5 samples  as I'm trying to clear them out as well. Here goes!
> Wish me luck!



*Welcome Alicia! The ladies here won't steer you wrong! Lots of great ideas and inspiration! ~ I have to say as we are coming to the end of April, by really participating this year, I have a solid hold on my spending and on how I am using my collection/stash! It nice to have a tad bit of accountability.

I still have not pulled the trigger on my Sephora basket. I actually saved a good amount of money to spend and now that the sale is here, I am not feeling moved. There are definitely a few things I will get (lip care is of most importance to me right now) but I am no where near what I thought I would spend. LOL! Perhaps we can say money saved! 
*


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## shellygrrl (Apr 19, 2017)

A bit earlier today I took a bunch of fresh selfies and so did my face. (It was also a good reason/excuse to try out some newly acquired goodies.)

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* mix of MUFE Ultra HD - Y205 + wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation - Porcelain
* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Rimmel Stay Matte Powder - Transparent
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt beauty Expressionist Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Sand Dollar (all over lid as an added base)
* MAC Eyeshadow - Omega (transition shade)
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Friend Zone (crease)
* MAC Eyeshadow - Satin Taupe (lid)
* MAC Eyeshadows - mix of Mystery and Typographic (lashlines)
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Rockstar (inner corner highlight)
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin (contour)
* The Body Shop Honey Bronzer - 02
* NARS Blush - Sex Appeal
* NARS Satin Lip Pencil - Rikugien

(I also dotted a bit of NARS Velvet Lip Glide in Unlaced in the middle of my lips, but I don't think it did much.)


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## VAL4M (Apr 20, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> A bit earlier today I took a bunch of fresh selfies and so did my face. (It was also a good reason/excuse to try out some newly acquired goodies.)
> 
> * MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
> * mix of MUFE Ultra HD - Y205 + wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation - Porcelain
> ...


What are the newly acquired goodies in this FOTD? I'm curious.


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## shellygrrl (Apr 20, 2017)

VAL4M said:


> What are the newly acquired goodies in this FOTD? I'm curious.



Makeup Geek eyeshadows. I got five -- Sand Dollar, Concrete Jungle, Fairytale, Faux Fur, and Friend Zone. Sand Dollar and Friend Zone were used in the look.


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## LadyBug13 (Apr 21, 2017)

FOTD:

* MAC Lip Conditioner (to prep for lip color)
* MAC Prep+Prime Skin Base Visage 
* MAC Brow Pencil - Spiked 
* Sephora Eye Pencil to Go: Chocolate Brown (to line the upper and lower lash lines)
* Maybeline Great Lash Mascara- Dark Brown (haven't used this in a while and had forgotten how much I enjoy this mascara!)
* 2 pumps of MAC Next To Nothing Face Color (Medium Deep) mixed with 1 pump of Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid (Topaz)
* MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NW35 (under eye)
* MAC Next To Nothing Pressed Powder- Medium Deep
* MAC lipliner- Cork
* MAC Lipglass- Spite
* MAC Fix+

I've been playing around with different Next To Nothing combinations (under foundation, over foundation, mixed with my Becca Skin Perfector). So far, I prefer it alone, over foundation, or mixed with the Topaz Shimmering Skin Perfector. Mixing it with Topaz gives a subtle healthy and golden glow, which will be perfect for the summer. 

I've also noticed that Topaz has SPF in it, whereas Opal doesn't


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## VAL4M (Apr 22, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> Makeup Geek eyeshadows. I got five -- Sand Dollar, Concrete Jungle, Fairytale, Faux Fur, and Friend Zone. Sand Dollar and Friend Zone were used in the look.



Oh nice! I want to add more Makeup Geek eyeshadow to my collection but technically I do not need any more eyeshadows but i'm really lemming more duochrome and her foiled eyeshadows. But it can wait. you really went with cool colours.


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## VAL4M (Apr 22, 2017)

OK it is almost the end of the month.... what are the damage?
For me for the month of April: 
MAC Compassionate bronzer from the Caitlyn Jenner collection (who was on sale on the MAC website)
2 Viseart Theory palette from Musebeauty Minx and Nuance (with a useless Esum brush! happy I didn't pay for it) 
From Juvia's Place they had a 20% off so I purchased the Sahara palette
from Coloured Raine the Queen of hearts Palette
and from Sephora
the small Tarteist pro palette at 33$CAN
2 UD eyeshadow in Fireball and Lounge
MJ eyeliner in JazzBerry
1 Sephora PRO Sculpting blush brush
and Darphin deluxe size sampler (3 products a cream, an oil and a serum) at 25$CAN

Not bad but again, not great 
The only thing I received so far is the MAC bronzer and the Viseart Palettes.  All the other products are on their way. 
The month of May NEED to be a no buy on my front. I really do not need anything but god I need to stop following the MAC Fruity Juicy thread.... and maybe i will be lucky enough to score a palette a couple month later in the goodbye section and on sale. LOL


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## Audrey C (Apr 23, 2017)

Nice to see that this thread is still alive and that so many of you are doing so well. 

My makeup purchases have been reasonable in the last 18 months or so. My skin is changing now that I've hit my 50s; my skin has been oily since my early teens but now it's my my nose and forehead that are still oily. My cheeks have gotten pretty dry. I've bought quite a bit of makeup in the last six weeks or so; all glowier or creamier products to reflect my changing skin:

MUFE: HD Cream Blush in 210, 215, 220
Bobbi Brown Afternoon Glow and Sunset Glow highlighters
Bobbi Brown Havana Brights Peach Compact (bronzer, highlighter, blush)
Guerlain Terracotta Light Bronzer (replacement for the matte Terracotta 00 that I actually finished down to a tiny rim)

I've cleared out 3-4 blush that I just find too powdery or too short lasting on me now, so my totals are about the same. I don't buy makeup that often any more (other than replacing foundation, concealer, powders and lipsticks that I use up over the course of the year). I still like eyeshadow, so I did buy two palettes over the last couple of years (UD Afterdark and Naked Ultimate). I had previously culled out my Inglot palettes, UD Electric and a bunch of other coloured shadow that were more intense that what I feel comfortable wearing now.

I'm 'down' to about 15 lipsticks; that feels like a better number to my earlier 25-30. My blush, eyeshadow and liner count has stayed pretty constant. I like variety, but instead of buying the bigger liner sets and getting a bunch of minis I don't use I just order the full-sized shades I like.

I'm definitely not chasing collections any more; if I want to buy something I do, but it doesn't bother me to have bought seven or eight items in a couple of months because it's not a typical pattern any more. I probably won't buy anything else now until the fall, when the Sephora sale hits and I stock up on staples again.


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## LadyBug13 (Apr 23, 2017)

Audrey C said:


> I've cleared out 3-4 blush that I just find too powdery or too short lasting on me now, so my totals are about the same. I don't buy makeup that often any more (other than replacing foundation, concealer, powders and lipsticks that I use up over the course of the year). I still like eyeshadow, so I did buy two palettes over the last couple of years (UD Afterdark and Naked Ultimate). I had previously culled out my Inglot palettes, UD Electric and a bunch of other coloured shadow that were more intense that what I feel comfortable wearing now.
> 
> I'm 'down' to about 15 lipsticks; that feels like a better number to my earlier 25-30. My blush, eyeshadow and liner count has stayed pretty constant. I like variety, but instead of buying the bigger liner sets and getting a bunch of minis I don't use I just order the full-sized shades I like.
> 
> I'm definitely not chasing collections any more; if I want to buy something I do, but it doesn't bother me to have bought seven or eight items in a couple of months because it's not a typical pattern any more. I probably won't buy anything else now until the fall, when the Sephora sale hits and I stock up on staples again.




Great job on lowering your lipstick number!


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## LadyBug13 (Apr 23, 2017)

My April update! (Grab a snack!)


*Purchased: *$274.37 for the month; $355 for the year (with no spending in March) 
I went on a MAC splurge: 

24-Hour Extend Eye Base- Enjoying this so far, after using UD Eyeshadow Primer Potion for years. 

Cleanse Off Oil- After using up the sample I got in an order several months ago, I had to pick up the full size. It feels so nice to remove makeup with oil compared to wipes or micellar water. 

Face & Body Foundation- This is my 3rd time buying F&B, and this time I got C6 instead of the usual C7. There's a definite difference in shade color, but blended into the skin (and on the neck/jawline) there's no notable difference. I enjoy using this mixed with the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector (Liquid) in Topaz. It leaves a healthy, golden glow to the skin.

Lip Conditioner- I got this purely based on the website reviews. So far, I like it. I keep it in my makeup bag but still use my Vaseline at night during my nighttime skincare routine. 

Lipglass- I've used C-Thru and Oh Baby in the past, and decided to try Spite. It leaves a nice wash of color on the lips and is a dupe for the Milani lipgloss I used up this month.

Next To Nothing Face Colour and Pressed Powder (Medium Deep)- I read that the power runs a little light, so I'm glad I got Medium Deep. I was considered that I would have to exchange Medium Deep for Dark in the Face Colour, but so far it matches nicely. I really like the Face Colour with the Topaz Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector, alone with the pressed power, or over F&B. Between the two, the powder is the standout and actual has more coverage. I have a section of hyper pigmentation on my left cheek from a past breakout, and the power completely covers it. 

Fix+ - I need to stop going months in between repurchasing this. Makeup looks so much nicer with Fix+.

Prep+Prime Skin Base Visage- After using up the sample I got a few months ago, I decided to buy the full size. Goes on smooth and my foundation lays nicely on top. 

Upward Lash Mascara- This was a "YouTube Made Me Buy It" purchase, and I'm liking it so far. Elongates and darkens my lashes, so much that they appear fluttery. You can feel the wand griping the bottom of the lashes, and I like that I can this on my top and lower lashes.


*Used Up

*I didn't have an intense focus on using up products compared to last month:

Becca Backlight Priming Filter- My favorite out of all the primers I've used. Love the subtle glow it gives and foundation glides on smoothly. Wouldn't mind repurchasing in the future. 

MAC Zoom Lash Mascara (sample)- Really enjoyed this, and I was surprised that I got several weeks use out of this sample. Really elongates and darkens the lashes, and the wand was nice to work with. I wouldn't mind buying a full size after I'm done with the Upward Lash. 

MUFE Mist & Fix- This does what it's supposed to in terms of keeping makeup on the face, but it always looked like it just sat on my skin. Wouldn't repurchase. 

Milani Brillant Shine Lipgloss in Bare Secret- I think I may have been lurking on Specktra in the Beauty of Color section years ago and saw this as a recommended nude gloss color for women of color. I really enjoyed using it and was happy to be done with it since I've had for almost 4-5 years. It's a dead-on dupe for Spite. Now that I have Spite, I won't repurchase this. 

UD Eyeshadow Primer Potion- Until now, this has been the only eyeshadow primer I've ever used. Glad it's done because It's been in my collection for a number of years now. Now that I have the 24-Hour Extend Eye Base, I probably won't repurchase this.
*
Decluttered:*

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder- This is the second time I've purchased this in the travel size, and it hurts my heart to toss out. I used this to set my under eye concealer, but over the past few months I noticed that that area, and the area around my nose, were more cakey and my pores were more pronounced. Even after using Fix+ and the MUFE Mist & Fix. I did a process of elimination and realized that this was a culprit. And I don't like to bake under the eye at all. Plus, I'm over the super-bright under eye look. I've thought about getting the medium deep version of this powder but based on swatches, the power is a shade darker than my skin tone. Won't repurchase. 

MAC False Lashes Extreme Black and In Extreme Dimension 3D Black Lash Mascaras (samples)- There was hardly anything in the sample tubes for me to develop an opinion on. 

MAC Lipliners in Chestnut and Ruby Woo- I've had Chestnut for years and it still looks brand new. I hardly used it and would reach for Cork more. As far as the Ruby Woo liner, I only got it (and Whirl) because I wanted liners to match the lipsticks I have. Whirl is nice to use under Spite or with the Lip Conditioner or Vaseline, so it makes sense to keep that. But when I wear Ruby Woo (the lipstick), I would use either Cork or Night Moth, so having it in the liner form was pointless. Won't repurchase either. 

MAC Studio Waterweight SPF Foundation- After fighting with this foundation for almost a year, I've decided to toss it. I had less than a quarter left in the bottle, but rinsed it out and put it in my B2M bag. NC45 was my skin tone, but this oxidized 1-2 shades after a few hours. Plus, it clung onto the dry patches on my skin (chin, cheeks). Between the Beauty Blender and a regular brush I could never figure out the best way to apply it. Won't repurchase. 

Origins Drink Up 10 Minute Mask to Quench Skin's Thirst- I've had this for 3 years, and Origins masks tend to expire after 2, so it was time to toss. There was less than a quarter left. Also, with all the masks I've been using up, this one was always on the back burner. I tried to use up as much as I could this month but I didn't want to force myself to use a product I no longer liked. Won't repurchase. 


*Highlights & Next Month's Goals
*
I think one of my goals for this month was to work on my smokey eye, which I did not do. But I unofficially put the Naked 2 palette on the chopping block. I used all the shades, with Foxy being the one I used to set my eyeshadow primer.  Interestingly, this palette is the most neutral of all the Naked palettes on my skin tone. On my skin tone, you can tell I have on eyeshadows from this palette, but everything blends together so nicely that it could be undetectable at times. I can't really explain it. It's a keeper for now. 

Also, my winged liner is still going strong. The ELF Expert Liquid Liner still gets the job done, but I'm interested in checking out other liners (liquid and cream) once I'm done with it. Today, I used the tape trick to get a precise wing and I really like it. I want to get to the point where I be precise every time without the aid of tape. 

Lastly, because I purchased so much from MAC, I decided not to participate in the VIB sale. Everything on my Loves list right now can be bought later in the year. Plus, all of the MAC items I bought were items I've been dying to try out or repurchase. 

For May, I'll work on using up more products and really focus on the smokey eye. May will be a NO-BUY month.*Save**Save*​


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## VAL4M (Apr 23, 2017)

FOTD: 
Recreating Vintageortacky look Recreating Instagram Makeup  | Vintageortacky - YouTube
So I totally not use the same product
Mine were the following
Eyeshadows: Viseart Warm palette the 3rd top row brown eyeshadow as transition
MUG Tiki Hut in the crease, shiseido cream eyeshadow (a green mint colour disc) on the lid and on top I used the lightest colour in the Dior quint Bonne Etoile and in the outer v I used the dark kaki from the same Dior quad
Eyeliner Chanel Ardoise
Gel eyeliner  BB Ivy shimmer
Face:
Marcel BB cream
Becca Opal liquid highlighter
Hourglass cream blush from the sunset duo
Guerlain terra Ora bronzer
Hourglass Dim light powder
Lips
Lancome lipliner
Brick hippie stix
UD sample size Naked lipgloss

So I still try to used as much as possible some cream products, Lipgloss and gel eyeliner.
I declutter a bunch of Maybelline tattoo cream eyeshadows they were all dried up
I also need to use more bronzer, i'm not a bronzer person and after buying the MAC Caitlyn bronzer, I kind of regret it because it is too dark  I'm still willing to give it a chance this summer maybe with a tan it will look better.
But that purchase kind of woke me up on the amount of bronzer i owned and didn't used.
I hit Pan on my Guerlain Terracotta sheer bronzer in Brunette 2. but it is my oldest bronzer and it is on it's last leg
I have 2 other Guerlain bronzers that I just do not used.
Guerlain Terra Ora that i dig out out of it's place and I even needed to remove the dust on the package. Terra Ora was too light for me  when I purchased it a couple of summer ago but right now it is really lovely. I really do like it and I wore it all weekend because of the MAC bronzer regret.
I also have a limited edition Guerlain Indian Princess bronzer (WAY to dark for me) 
Now if it was just up to me I will be using the Physician formula butter bronzer ALL the time and i almost  bought a back up when my local shoppers had them on sale. I stopped myself knowing I had bronzers waiting for me at home.
With my 2 MAC bronzers (Firebrush and Caitlyn) my total is 5 bronzers. too much for someone who ''do not use bronzer''.


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## shellygrrl (Apr 23, 2017)

April stats: Seven makeup and related items purchased this month.

* NARS Pencil Sharpener (yet to use)
* Makeup Geek eyeshadows - Concrete Jungle, Fairytale, Faux Fur, Friend Zone, and Sand Dollar (I haven't used the first two yet)
* Wayne Goss Air Brush (used it for the first time today to apply setting powder. Obscenely soft! Love it.)

I'll be cooling it down some for May. *nods*

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Faux Fur (for brows; it doesn't quite work for my own brows, which are a bit darker, but it may work for dark blondes or light brunettes)
* MAC Prep and Prime eyeshadow primer
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Sand Dollar
* MAC Eyeshadow - Copperplate
* NARS Blushes - mix of Sex Appeal and Sex Fantasy
* NARS Velvet Lip Glide - Unlaced


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## LadyBug13 (Apr 25, 2017)

FOTD:

Eyes
* MAC Brow Pencil- Spiked 
* MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NC45 (to clean up brows)
* MAC 24-Hour Extend Eye Base
* Urban Decay Naked- Buck (transition/crease)
* Urban Decay Naked Smoky- Dirty Sweet (lid), Dagger (outer corner)
* ELF Expert Liquid Liner- Jet Black (winged liner)
* Sephora Eye Pencil to Go- Intense Black (lower lash line)
* MAC Upward Lash Mascara

Face
* MAC Prep+Prime Skin Base Visage 
* MAC Prep+Prime Highlighter- Peach Lustre (color correcting)
* Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid (Topaz)
* MAC Next To Nothing Face Color (Medium Deep) 
* MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NW35 (under eye)
* MAC MSFN- Dark 
* MAC Fix+

Lips
* MAC Lip Conditioner (to prep for lip color)
* MAC Lipliner- Whirl
* MAC Lipstick- Whirl


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## LadyBug13 (Apr 29, 2017)

FOTD:

Eyes
* MAC Brow Pencil- Spiked 
* MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NC45 (to clean up brows)
* MAC 24-Hour Extend Eye Base
* Urban Decay Naked- Buck (transition/crease), mixture of Sin and Toasted (lid), Smog (outer crease)
* Sephora Eye Pencil to Go- Chocolate Brown (upper and lower lash line)
* Maybelline Great Lash Mascara- Dark Brown

Face
* MAC Prep+Prime Skin Base Visage 
* MAC Prep+Prime Highlighter- Peach Lustre (color correcting)
* Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid (Opal)
* MAC Next To Nothing Face Color 
* MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- NW35 (under eye)
* MAC Next To Nothing Pressed Power 
* NARS Blush- Taj Mahal 
* MAC Fix+

Lips
* MAC Lipliner- Whirl (filled in my lips completely)
* MAC Lip Conditioner


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## shellygrrl (Apr 30, 2017)

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Mattifying Primer (forehead)
* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer (across nose and under the eyes)
* Anastasia Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* NYX Slim Lip Pencil - Black Berry
* MAC Mattene - Personal Pick

For the lips, what I did was lightly apply the black lipliner all over my lips, then I took most of it off with a Q-Tip, so there'd be some black but my lip colour would show through. Then I applied the Mattene over the top. The black lipliner takes it down from a brighter pink to a more pinky-purply deep orchid colour.


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## VAL4M (May 1, 2017)

Resolution after my weekend .....
I did a photo shoot for my friend who have an etsy boutique.
I did the makeup for 4 girls plus me of course. 
And I realized that I really want the Viseart Cool Matt palette and a couple of brushes (Wayn Goss and Sephora pro) 
And that I need a back up of Physician Formula Butter Bronzer (i used that bronzer on EVERYONE and it look good!) I have to say the darkest skin tone was probably a NC30, but still best purchased ever and I can stop buying other brand bronzers,  why bother.
And that it! 
I do not want or NEED anything else.
Another thing that made me reconsider my purchased was the "real" price of the Coloured Raine Queen of Hearst palette I purchased when it came back a couple of week ago.
Because i'm Canadian, I took a hit with the conversion to US dollar to CAN dollar (which is normal i'm use to it) AND I paid the shipping charge that was higher then in the US, AND FINALLY when UPS drop my package i was hit with another 20$ for duty charge! I'm all for buying Indy makeup brand and promoting black owned makeup brand and do not get me wrong the Coloured Raine palette is SPECTACULAR I love it but for almost 100$ . Nope! i'm done.


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## fur4elise (May 1, 2017)

*Low Buy Check-In ~ April

The biggest surprise this month is not buying nearly as much as I thought I would during the Sephora sale. Several things I had my eye on were not in stock, which I look at as okay. I did not even place an online order…but here’s the deal, I did purchase directly from a three other retailers because the discounts ended up being +25% off. 

In Store Sephora Haul ~ I am thoroughly enjoying my little haul: 
Lash Party (7 mini mascaras), 
MUFE Ultra HD Pressed Powder (Banana), 
MUFE Ultra HD Lip Booster (clear), 
Bite Agave Lip Mask (clear), 
& Touch In Sol Metallist Liquid Foil & Glitter Eye Shadow Duo (Margaret). 

*

*

The Bite Lip Mask is a god send! I use it only at night as the last part of my skincare routine. The first night I used it, the bit of chapping & flaking I had completely disappeared! I was shocked! That stuff stays on all night and my lips the next morning are so soft and smooth. I do not know why I went so long without it. 

The MUFE Lip Booster is a great prep for wearing lipstick. I like it better than the MAC P+P Lip!

The MUFE powder is super fine and smoothing. I have been using it to set the little bit of concealer I am using under eye. No caking or creasing, very lightweight.

Non-Sephora Haul ~ These were online purchases that allowed me to take advantage of some coupons and Ebates!: 

Bobbi Brown – 20% off ~ I got the Havana Brights Guava Palette! Love it!

The brand new Charlotte Tilbury Glow Palette (ordered from SPRING, but shipped directly from CT)  ~ This is my first item from the brand and it is very nice! It was $20 off retail. It is just a very pretty, all-in-one palette and the product is so fine and blends like a dream. The blushes were a nice discovery! 

I also jumped on a $20 off purchase at Stila. 
I had 3 of the Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadows in my wish list, so thought it a good time to pick them up. I purchased Kitten, Retro Rose Gold and Bronzed Bell. These just arrived so I have not had a chance to play with them yet. Once I do I will be sure to post some feedback on them as well as the Touch In Sol…which I see as a similar product.

Skin Care ~ Let me just say I came this close to purchasing some Sunday Riley (Good Genes & Luna Oil)! BUT I dodged that super expensive bullet by coming up with an alternate plan of experimentation. 

I revisited to Deciem’s The Ordinary for some new products: The Buffet and Squalane Oil to add to the 10% Lactic Acid and script of Retin-A I already have. 

My plan is to replicate the claimed benefits of using the 2 SR products vs. the combination I listed above. 

  Cost ~ I spent $22.70 (add $24.17 for previously purchased LA and my script co-pay) instead of at least $160! I have simplified that cost, but the total amount of product is about 4 oz. vs. 1.5 oz. My 30 day experiment just started April 24th. I will report back results, perhaps in the Deciem thread under skin care. 

Random Stuffs:
Used Up/Disposed Of:

2 UD 24/7 Eyeliner – Stubs…lol! 
So hard to let go until they are down to little nubs I cannot sharpen anymore…they are good for the on-the-go makeup bag. Whiskey and Corrupt are my go to deep/dark warm brown eyeliner shades. I also disposed of a L’Oréal Smoldering Eyeliner. 

Finished a 1.7 oz bottle of Living Proof Wave Curl Spray – I won’t repurchase this. It has a very distinct smell and I am not even sure it was an effective styling product.

Eyebrow products - 2 L’Oréal Brow Stylist and 2 Revlon Brow Fantasy. These were a waste and the pencils on a couple were so dry and hard. Completely reminds me as to why we should be careful with drugstore brands. During the review of my brow products I rediscovered my Ben Nye Brown Pencils…These are great! Pigmented and not too hard or too soft. When sharpened they can create fine strokes. 

Budget Buy Of The Month:

Conair Infiniti PRO Diamond Brilliance hairdryer!  $16.94 vs. $60 retail! ~ 
I am here to say if your supermarket offers a rewards program, take advantage of it! I belong to something called mperks through Meijer (Michigan store chain) and it provides digital coupons, points rewards for prescriptions and cash rewards. So being in desperate need of a new hairdryer, I bid my time and saved my rewards. I was able to take advantage of a 20% off sale, a $4.00 coupon and a $20 cash reward! 

Hair Cut ~ $16 The other long overdue thing I had to have done was get my hair cut! Seriously, I have not had it cut since Aug 2015, a month before I got married. They took 8” off! So why so inexpensive? We have a Douglas J Aveda School in downtown G.R. and I have been going since they opened in 2009! It is a full service salon that offers discounted/reasonably priced services because students work on you. I have never had a bad experience with this school! 

On The Horizon:

Still keeping my impulse shopping in check and have been sticking to my list! Aside from some LE lipsticks (Givenchy & Tatcha) that are OOS everywhere, I really don’t have much on my must/lust list.

Macy’s has a 10% off sale until May 7th ~ I was considering the new LE Clarins Bronzer and maybe one of the new MAC EDSF and ED Blush. BUT having been shopping my stash, I have a beautiful Guerlain bronzer with a pop of color very similar to the Clarins. No need to duplicate.  AND I can wait for MAC/or another retailer to have a better sale before I purchase any of the EDSF products. They are permanent.

I will be getting the BECCA x Chrissy Teigen Palette when it releases. It was love at first sight and I have been using the heck out of my BECCA x JH palette.

The only other thing I have my eye out for is The Ordinary Colours Coverage Foundation. It just released and I plan to pick up 2-3 shades…at $6.90 a bottle I think it okay to experiment.

 And that’s about all she wrote for April. I feel like I had a very good month for keeping spending in check and not buying products I will not use regularly!*


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## jennyap (May 2, 2017)

April was another no-buy month for me. Fourth in a row. 

In complete contrast, I have started May with a bit of a MAC splurge. I'm fine with that - doing that once or twice a year lets me keep things fresh but feels better to me than making frequent small purchases.  

From the Fruity Juicy collection I picked up:
*Coconut Fix+* (love the scent, can't pass it up, will be particularly great to take on holiday with me)
*Si Si Me* lipstick (haven't had a chance to swatch side-by-side yet but this reminds me somewhat of my beloved Hollywood Cerise. It's definitely the kind of colour I wear day in day out)
*La Salsa* gloss (I've been into wearing glosses more again recently, and having purged quite a lot I've allowed myself this one, although I still plan to finish at least a couple more before I allow myself to open this)

and then some of the recent Extra Dimension products:
ED Blushes - *Rosy Glow* and *Cheeky Bits* (the EDBs I already have are my favourite blushes, and although these new ones are a bit more shimmery it's not over the top and suits the glowy look I lean towards right now)
ED Skinfinish - *Soft Frost* (have had this on my wishlist ever since it came out, it's so different from anything in my stash and a reliably good formula for me)

That should be me set again for a few more months unless I need a new foundation - everything I have is running fairly low, but I tend to use less in spring/summer, so it's hard to judge how long they will last.


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## Marsha Pomells (May 5, 2017)

Think I shocked myself in April... No buy... I have a feeling that May will be another no buy month. Watch this space..


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## shellygrrl (May 7, 2017)

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* mix of MUFE Ultra HD - Y205 + wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation - Porcelain
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Eyeshadow - Copperplate (crease)
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadows - Fairytale (lid) and Concrete Jungle (outer corner)
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder - 02
* MAC Lipstick - Blankety

I think I need a stickier eyeshadow base when using Fairytale. It packed on reasonably well, but it pretty much faded out after a few hours of wear.


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## lenchen (May 21, 2017)

*Check-in for April*

Hi All, I’m really late!

*Purchased: *$175.00 for the month of April 

I bought a few items from NARS: 

Nars NARSississt eye Palette in Loaded- I wanted a warm neutral palette to use when I travel, I love the colours in the palette, they work really well with my skintone, and I’ve created different looks using it.

NARS Eye kohl liner-I used up my MAC feline eye pencil, and I decided to try this liner by NARS, I like it, but not as much as the MAC feline it isn’t as soft? If that makes sense.

NARS brow Gel- I used up the MAC Clear brow gel, so I decided to try the NARS version.

RED APPLE Lip Conditioner/Exfoliator- I got this based on the website reviews. I really like this combo it comes in the form of a lipstick tube, the conditioner is very moisturizing, and the exfoliator also comes in a lipstick form, no mess unlike the lush version I purchased.

NARS Concealer- I purchased this in the shade, Amande I love this concealer! After using up my BECCA version, I had a hard time finding one I like.

NARS setting powder pressed-I used up my Chanel powder, and I wanted to try something different. I’m really impressed with this!





*Used Up*


MAC Clear brow gel- I loved this one, but I wanted to try something else.
BECCA Concealer- this was the one they discontinued the dual compact light/heavy coverage. 

NARS- Cream blush in Cactus flower. Love, love, love this blush! Thank goodness I purchased a backup of this. 


Laura Mercier-tinted moisturizer, loved this, I used this everyday. I purchased the body shop foundation, it’s a liquid version to this one. Love it!

*Decluttered:*


MAC- Pigments I was only using the  purple pigments in my collection, and occasionally the blue pigment called partylicious so, I gave them a new home. Will not re-purchase

MAC – Customized neutral palette. I have 2 neutral palettes one of them contain makeupgeek eyeshadows in a MAC pro-pan palette, and this one. I find that I reach for the palette that contains the MUG shadows more so, I re-homed this one as well. I will not be re-purchasing, I’m satisfied with the MUG shadows in my stash

MAC – Mineralized skin finishes. I rarely use them. These days I use the Blackup powder in shade 3 and the body shop beads, both give a beautiful warm glow, and I love the colorpop highlighters I bought last year. So I re-homed all of the mineralized skin finishes I own.

Guerlain-Bronzer in 08, I’m loving the finish the Body Shop beads give me so I re-homed this as well.



*Goals for MAY*
We’re well into the month of May, how quickly the month has gone by!
I wanted to do more variations on my everyday make-up look i.e. use different eyeshadow colours, I haven’t been successful so far. I also purchased $68.00 worth of Make-up Geek eyeshadows I’ve been lusting after.


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## VAL4M (May 21, 2017)

My FOTD:
Here my long weekend it is Sunday look
I mostly used older stuff that need to be used more often
Again I'm trying to used more cream makeup
Foundation Chanel Vitalumière
Chanel Loose powder
Contour I used my MUFE contour Kit
Bronzer Guerlain Terra Ora
blush Chanel Alazane
Highlight: MAC Otherearthly and Rio
On the eyes mostly colour pop and MAC fireside, Lorac Pro 2 Melon and cabarnet (Lorac eyeshadow in general leave me cold I don't understand the hype)
Lipliner MAC Morning Coffee (LOVE IT)
Lipstick MAC Bowl me over


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## JerseyGirl (May 21, 2017)

VAL4M said:


> My FOTD:
> Here my long weekend it is Sunday look
> I mostly used older stuff that need to be used more often
> Again I'm trying to used more cream makeup
> ...



I love this look!


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## shellygrrl (May 21, 2017)

Today's face...

* Anastasia Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime eyeshadow primer
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Friend Zone
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder - 02
* MAC Lipstick - Fanfare


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## VAL4M (May 27, 2017)

FOTD 
Shopping my stash didn't used anything ''new''
even have some pan porn
- BB Marcelle
-Chanel Loose powder
-Eyes 
- Tarteiste little pro first row matte eyeshadows with 
- Le Metier de Beauté palette I used purple burgundy pink row 
- Guerlain single temps d'un baisé HG and hit pan a long time ago
- sample of Giorgio Armani cream eyeshadow
- Bronzer Guerlain terracotta sheer bronzer 03
- Kevin Aucoin sculpting powder in Medium
- MAC mineralized powder in Rio
- Maybelline Mascara
- Maybelline concealer
- Smashbox lipliner
- Colour Pop lippi stix Aquarius


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## VAL4M (May 28, 2017)

FOTD 
I decide to go green today
Again shopping my stash and using 'older' product
- Marcelle CC cream 
- Chanel Loose powder
- UD primer potion
- for the eyes   - Guerlain coup de foudre quad (2013)
                      - Lancome Safari escapade Quad (summer 2009 collection  , those were really good eyeshadow can't believe they regress so much) 
                      - Lancome Edge Quad
                      - ColourPop Crimper
                      -Shiseido cream eyeshadow in Lagoon (Disc.)
- Guerlain Terracotta sheer bronzer Brunette 03
- Chanel  les beiges duo N. 2 (summer 2016)
- NYX lipliner in Pink Cantaloupe
- MAC Force of Love (2012)


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## LadyBug13 (May 28, 2017)

The month is winding down, so I figured I'd add my May update:


Purchases 
None

Used Up 

1) Fresh Peony Spot-Correctng Brightening Essence (I didn't see any difference in the appearance of dark marks. Won't repurchase.)

2) Fresh Rose Hydrating Eye Gel Cream (Really moisturizes and hydrates the entire eye area. Would consider repurchasing, though I'm interested in trying other eye creams.)


Decluttered
1) Qhemet Biologics Olive & Honey Hydrating Balm 
2) Shea Moisture Yucca & Plantain Anti-Breakage Strengthening Masque 


I only wore makeup about 3 times this month, as makeup wasn't a priority for me due to work stressors.


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## lipstickaddict (May 28, 2017)

VAL4M said:


> FOTD
> I decide to go green today
> Again shopping my stash and using 'older' product
> - Marcelle CC cream
> ...



Force of love is such an awesome lipstick


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## VAL4M (May 28, 2017)

lipstickaddict said:


> Force of love is such an awesome lipstick


I love the colour but I really need to add a pinky lipliner to make it worked with my skin tone. I will definitely wear it this summer with my NYX lipliner it is a really nice combo


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## shellygrrl (May 29, 2017)

From yesterday...

* wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation - Porcelain (mixed in with my sunscreen)
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* MAC Prep and Prime eyeshadow primer
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadows - Twilight (lid) and Concrete Jungle (lashline)
* Sephora Contour Eye Pencil 12hr Waterproof - 5th Avenue
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* NARS Blush - Sex Fantasy
* MAC Lipstick - Blankety


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## Marsha Pomells (May 31, 2017)

May check in and I purchased only 3 items. But I've been so lazy on the wearing of makeup form. The last time I done a full face on myself was for my birthday. I need to get back in the habit... Help.


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## shellygrrl (May 31, 2017)

Marsha Pomells said:


> May check in and I purchased only 3 items. But I've been so lazy on the wearing of makeup form. The last time I done a full face on myself was for my birthday. I need to get back in the habit... Help.



Maybe watch some more creative/elaborate makeup tutorials on Youtube and recreate a look you're into?

* * *

As for my own May: no-buy achieved! June will be a different story.


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## fur4elise (Jun 2, 2017)

*Low Buy Check-In ~ May
Coming in for a landing 

Purchases: 
Budget Buy Of The Month:Conair Infiniti PRO Diamond Brilliance Paddle Brush! Again I scored 20% off during a sale plus $18 in rewards. Want to give straightening my hair a try. 

The BECCA x Chrissy Teigen Palette ~ I am thoroughly enjoying it! I used my eBates Sephora g/c, so no out of pocket expense. Speaking of Sephora, my must/lust list LE Givenchy lippies briefly came back into stock, so I snapped them up. I honestly have no other lipsticks/lip products on my must/lust list at this time. In other words, it’s time to use what’s in my stash for the summer! 

I ordered The Ordinary Colours Coverage Foundation when it released waaaaay back on May 1st and they just shipped my order on the 31st. That is how back logged Deciem is right now because of the popularity and price point of The Ordinary products.

MAC ED Blush – Hard To Get & Hushed Tone. Love! From Belk with a $10 of $50 coupon.

I made 2 luxury purchases this month. First, the newly released Wayne Goss Eye Set. What a great set of brushes! They are the perfect size for my eyes and they are as soft as my Chikuhodo T Series brushes. I am very pleased.

My second purchase happened to coincide with the Nordstrom Mascara Madness. I was waiting on replenishing my Diorshow Iconic Overcurl until this sale. Nordstrom also has the re-released Guerlain Terracotta fragrance I have been wanting since last summer. Well…the fragrance got returned yesterday. It was an EDT with no lasting power and aside from that, it did not capture the scent of the LE Terracotta I have. I just did not like it. Bummed, but saving over $80. 

Used Up/Disposed Of:
This is a pretty good list this month! 

A 4 oz. tube of Kate Somerville Exfolikate Cleanser. Love this stuff and it has become my daily cleanser! I was also able to redeem 100 Sephora points for a 1 oz. tube I can use for travel.

Paula’s Choice 4% BHA Resist – It took me forever to kill this bottle and honestly I was not moved by the product. Will not repurchase.

The Ordinary 1 bottle of Alpha Arbutin and 1 bottle of Matrixyl. I am not going to repurchase the AA. I have gone through 2 full bottles and I am not seeing any results. I do like the Matrixyl and use it as a booster to my daytime skin care.

I disposed of a total of 6 Rimmel bronzers, 4 L’Oreal True Match blushes and 3 Physicians Formula bronzers. 

I also gave away 4 PF bronzers, 2 blushes, a Stila blush duo, 2 Lancome Shakers and 3 Revlon Matte HD lipcolors.  My student worker was absolutely thrilled. And I felt so good emptying out a full section of my makeup storage.

Random Stuffs:

Skin Care ~ Going well, with one hormonal flare up…things were going great but something set my skin off…most likely stress around my cycle. Overall I am seeing continuing improvement. My oilies have diminished quite a bit because I think I am finding a better balance for my skin. Nothing I am using makes my skin feel like I am stripping it or aggravating it. And I am mindful of my skin “state.” Which simply means if I feel like my skin is stressed in any way, I reach for soothing products and skip any type of chemical exfoliation for a day or two.

I ordered the new Tatcha A Cherry Blossom Lipstick I so wanted and it turned out to be so disappointing…the color, the formula and a chemical scent. Oh well. Back it went.

On The Horizon

Dekrappifying my old foundation drawer…It’s time to let go of my MAC and L’Oreal! 

The KVD Glimmer Palette ~ a sneak peek of this came out last week. To me it will be a must have. I love my matte palette and have hit pan on several of the shades. 

Biologique Recherche P50 Lotion ~ Having read and watched several solid reviews, I am interested in bumping up to a stronger exfoliant in my skin care. 

MAC ED Blushes  ~ Fairly Precious, Just A Pinch & Telling Glow. I got a $25 of $75 GILT certificate and plan to use that. As you can see, I am continuing my love affair with peaches and corals. Just love them right now! 

Speaking of MAC, I can say I have made not one purchase from any of the LE releases since the beginning of the year. Nothing has really jumped out to me as a must have. So while MAC is kind of disappointing, I am happy to be holding onto more of my pennies. 

And that is it! My must/list really has nothing on it. I am very happy with my current makeup stash and it is a daily pleasure to reach for what I have. 

I am sticking to my budget and so far, I know I have spent considerably less money this year. The biggest success has been avoiding drugstore brand impulse purchases. None have been made other than the NYX Glitter Glue, which I planned to buy. *


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## VAL4M (Jun 2, 2017)

*Low Buy Check-In ~ May

Natasha Denona sunset palette (ouch!) I love the quality BUT I still think Juvia's place eyeshadows are similar and do as a nice job for a fraction of the price. 
Wayne Goss eye brush SET (double ouch) I want another set that how much I love them! 
colourpop I order for 38$ to have free shipping (&aucey palette, I finally took the chance on their powder eyeshadow based on T's review (A-) 2 lipliner, 1 lippie stix in Faded and i liquid lipstick in Tansy) Still no shipping notice so this will probably land home in 2 weeks ! LOL

On the horizon (Love that thanks Fur4elise)
Not much I want to try the Tarte shape tape concealer I just do not know what shade to get i'm NC25 in MAC and the 2nd shade in most foundation ex: Chanel i'm 20 beige, Guerlain i'm 02 ect (with warm tone) I have NARS custard concealer who is a matching my skin but I want a little lighter for my under eyes so it  will be perfect this summer with a tan.   If anyone with the same skin tone can suggest a tint I will appreciated it. 

Makeup Geek new eyeshadow palette due June 15th, it will be on my radar not sure i will purchase but I will be on the look up for swatches and reviews. 

Viseart Cool Matte eyeshadow palette if I see a sale I might pull the plug if not it will be for later this fall. 


Skincare: I will need to repurchased my OleHenrikson sugar scrub soon, as for the cream, cleanser etc i'm good till fall. 

SHOES: I have a 25$ off on a pair of shoes in a running store I need to use it before July 1st so I will purchased my beloved 1080 NEW Balance running shoes, I tried other running shoes didn't like it so why waste my money. those are usually 200$ CAN  but I usually go thru 2-3 pair of running shoes per year so even if I do not need it right now,  in August- September i well need them.

The Goal is to purchased only 1 new pair of shoes (aside from running shoes) this year and i have my eye on  the Fluevog Investigator dots booties.  I WANT THEM. So as soon I see a 15% off floating around I will BUY them. I know i'm crazy and i know some will look at those shoes and think those are WAY outside of the box but they are SOOOO me and I will wear them till the END! LOL 

*Fluevog Shoes | Shop | Investigator (Dots) | Collared lace-up ankle boot*

Did anyone heard about Rihanna new makeup line Fenty beauty who is supposed to launch this fall???? I will wait to see the review and what product will be available and if it will be accessible in Canada but i'm really interested!



*


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## shellygrrl (Jun 4, 2017)

Weekend face...

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* Anastasia Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* (Saturday only) Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* (Saturday only) Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Paint Pot - Tailor Grey
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Friend Zone
* Smashbox Indecent Exposure Mascara
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin (contour)
* NARS Blushes - mix of Sex Appeal and Sex Fantasy
* (Saturday) NYX Slim Lip Pencil - Pale Pink
* (Saturday) MAC Lipstick - Blankety
* (Sunday) NARS Satin Lip Pencil - Rikugien


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## LadyBug13 (Jun 6, 2017)

I've been feeling pretty blah about makeup over the past month, until I saw that Urban Decay is launching the Naked Heat Palette. I know I will be getting it when it arrives at Sephora later this summer, but it's going to be a one in, one out purchase. 

Even though I originallyly decided to keep the UD Smoked Palette, I ended up decluttering it tonight to make room for the Naked Heat Palette. Before I tossed it, I took out Blackout, Evidence, Loaded, and Rockstar and placed them in my Z Palette with my MAC shadows, NARS Taj Mahal blush, and my contour powder. These shadows were my reason for keeping the Smoked Palette as the other shades are dupable in my collection.


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## veronikawithak (Jun 8, 2017)

*May

*$0 - second month in a row!

Total in 2017: $655.46 (average $131.09/month)

Student loan payments in 2017: $12,877.67 ($11,000 to principal)

Feeling great! Enjoying watching my debt balance go down and my net worth creep up month by month. Over 50% of my spending now goes to debt, and only 10% to discretionary spending compared to last year when 30% was going to debt and 26% to discretionary spending!


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## lenchen (Jun 8, 2017)

May Check in

*Purchased: $70.00 for the month of May

Makeup Geek eyeshadows Mostly neutrals


Used Up


Skincare-SU:UM 37 rose cleansing stick-will repurchase
**Biologique p50 lotion -This evened out my skin tone so much!! I will repurchase
Innisfree rose toner

Decluttered:

I did a huge decluttering in MAY, I got rid of a lot of items I wasn't using or reaching for. I may look at  getting rid of some MAC eye brush es and replace with some Japanese brands which the few that I own are so much softer!





Goals for June
**Re-place my Biologique lotion and my cleansing stick $125.00 spending goal*


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## shellygrrl (Jun 11, 2017)

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer (across nose)
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque (I owned this in a different shade years ago and have come back to it to tackle dark circles. Still trying to decide on a regular concealer to replace my Studio Sculpt to apply over the top, though.)
* Anastasia Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Sand Dollar
* Sephora Lashcraft Length and Volume Mascara
* MAC Blush - Taupe (as a bronzer)
* NARS Satin Lip Pencil - Lodhi


----------



## AliciaKnits (Jun 18, 2017)

I'm still here! Working through my full size products. I have not bought anything since April, before Easter. Doing very well!


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## shellygrrl (Jun 18, 2017)

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* Anastasia Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base
* MAC Eyeshadow - Copperplate (brows and lid)
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Concrete Jungle (wedge-shaped placement on outer eyelid, also used partway across lower lashline)
* Clinique High Impact Mascara (really like this one on first impression!)
* The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder - 02
* MAC Lipstick - Blankety


----------



## LadyBug13 (Jun 20, 2017)

FOTD:

Eyes
MAC brow pencil in Spiked
MAC 24 hours extend eye base 
UD Naked 3- Nooner (transition), combination of Buzz and Liar (outer lid)
UD Naked 2- Chopper (inner to middle of lid)
MAC Upward Lash mascara 

Face
MAC face primer- skin base visage 
MAC Face & Body foundation 
MAC Prolongwear concealer- combination of NC45 and NW35 for the under eye 
MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural to set face and under eye area 
A light bronzing in the outer perimeter 
MAC Fix+

Lips
MAC Cork lip liner 
MAC Spite lip glass


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## LadyBug13 (Jun 22, 2017)

I've been feeling more inspired to play in my makeup...

FOTD:

Eyes
MAC brow pencil in Spiked
MAC 24 hour extend eye base 
UD Ultimate Naked Basics- Combination of Faith and Extra Bitter (transition), Lethal (outer corner)
MAC Coppering (middle lid and inner corner)
MAC Upward Lash mascara 

Face
MAC face primer- skin base visage 
MAC Next To Nothing Face Colour mixed with a touch of MAC Prolongwear concealer in NC45
MAC Prolongwear concealer- combination of NC45 and NW35 for the under eye 
MAC Next To Nothing powder to set face and under eye area 
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid in Opal as a highlight
MAC Fix+

Lips
MAC Cork lip liner 
KVD liquid lipstick in Bow n Arrow


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## LadyBug13 (Jun 23, 2017)

I had a lot of fun playing around with my eyeshadow look today.

FOTD:

Eyes
MAC brow pencil in Spiked
MAC 24 hours extend eye base 
MAC eyeshadow: Saddle (transition), Sumptous Olive (lid)
UD Naked Smoky: Smolder (outer corner)
ELF liquid liner for a slight winged liner 
MAC Upward Lash mascara 

Face
MAC face primer- skin base visage 
MAC Face & Body foundation with a pump of Pro Longwear concealer in NC45 (F&B in C6 is a bit too yellow, so adding the concealer in NC45 (which is a bit orange) to F&B balances things out)
MAC Prolongwear concealer- combination of NC45 and NW35 for the under eye 
MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural to set face and under eye area 
A light bronzing in the outer perimeter 
Becca Shimmering skin perfector in Opal (cheek highlight)
MAC Fix+

Lips
MAC Cork lip liner 
KVD liquid lipstick in Lolita


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## jennyap (Jun 24, 2017)

Been a while since I posted a FOTD - this was all about the glow

Face
No base per se, mixed MAC Strobe Cream with My Little Beauty Teint de Peche (a face 'tint')
Clinique Airbrush Concealer under eyes
MAC Bareness ED blush topped with a bit of MAC Cheeky Bits blush
MAC Superb EDSF highlight
MAC Bronzing Powder in Golden on temples

Eyes
Benefit Lemonaid primer (also used a touch of this to take down the redness on my chin!)
MAC eyeshadows:
 - Blanc Type (browbone)
 - Kid (transition)
 - Marsh (inner lid)
 - Satin Taupe (outer lid & crease)
 - Sea Worship EDES (centre lid on top of the above)
Urban Decay 24/7 liner - Stash (upper lashline)
MAC Eye kohl - I Get No Kick (lower waterline)
L'Oreal Super Liner Brow Artist brow pencil - Blonde
MAC Extra Dimension mascara

Lips
MAC Cremesheen Glass - Art of Seduction


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## VAL4M (Jun 25, 2017)

FOTD
Face:
Loreal BB cream for acne prone skin (the green one used as a primer)
Marcelle CC cream in Medium (Light to Medium was to pale for me with my tan)
mixed in with MAC Barbados Girl shimmer drop in the CC cream
finishing powder Hourglass ambient light trio

Eye:
Viseart Nuance the lighter shade
TooFaced P&B palette : Spread the love, Peanut Butter, Jelly and Jammin
Juvia's Place Nubian 2 palette: Leyla 
And because I thought it was lacking dimension I add Colourpop Melrose in the crease/transition and Sequin in the inner corner
Loreal infallible single : Tender Caramel in the center
Bobby Brown Ink violet gel liner

Cheeks:
Dior aurora bronzer (MEH! it was so hype up when it launch years ago but so orangey)
MAC blush prom princess
MAC mineralized skinfinish in Rio
MUFE sculpting powder duo

Lips:
Smashbox lipliner in Fuschia
Shiseido lipstick in RS320 (it is fuschia)


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## LadyBug13 (Jun 25, 2017)

FOTD:

Eyes
MAC brow pencil in Spiked
MAC 24 hour extend eye base 
UD Naked Palette- Mixture of Buck and Naked (transition), Sin (lid), Hustle (outer corner)
Maybelline Great Lash- Dark Brown

Face
MAC face primer- skin base visage 
MAC Next To Nothing Face Colour mixed with a drop of MAC Prolongwear concealer in NC45 (the amount I used covered my face and under eye area)
MAC Next To Nothing powder to set face and under eye area 
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid in Opal as a light highlight
MAC Fix+

Lips
MAC Cork lip liner 
MAC Lipglass in Spite


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## LadyBug13 (Jun 25, 2017)

*June is almost over, so here's my monthly check-in:*

Purchases: None

Used Up: None

Decluttered: 
Qhemet Biologics Olive and Honey Hydrating Balm (I've had this for who knows how long. I'm glad the brand is now at Sephora so it'll be more convenient for me to pick up in the future)
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid in Topaz (I'm not sure what happened, but it completely leaked inside the drawer of my makeup container I placed it it. Plus, I've had it for 3+ years and I think it was going bad anyway.)

This month, I didn't have much desire to play in my makeup stash until recently. I've been enjoying coming up with eyeshadow looks using the palettes I currently have. I think my blending technique is good but I also feel like it could use some work, especially when I play with dark shadows. 

The MAC Next To Nothing foundation was on my chopping block. I got it in the shade Medium Deep, and the more I used it, the more I started to feel that it may be a smidge light for me. I have a warm/yellow skin tone, and I think the shade may be a bit too yellow. I was prepared to take it back to Macy's when I got the idea to mix in some of my Pro Longwear concealer in NC45. NC45 in this concealer fits my skin tone, but is a little orange and slightly oxidizes. Mixing a pump of it with the NTN seems to do the trick. 

As far as July goes, I do plan to buy the Naked Heat palette, so I'm looking forward to that purchase. I decluttered the UD Smoked palette to make room for the Heat palette (but took out the emerald, blue, purple, and black shadows and placed them in my Z palette along with my MAC shadows) as I have a one in, one out policy with my makeup these days.


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## shellygrrl (Jun 25, 2017)

A couple of weeks ago I tossed one of my NYX lipliners (Pale Pink). That's the only thing I've gotten rid of this month.

I did get quite a few things this month:
- Sephora Lashcraft Length and Volume Mascara: I needed a new mascara for the back half of the year. So far I like this one.

- Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque: An undereye corrector is something I've been wanting back in my life for some time, and I decided to go back to this, but in a different shade from what I used to have years ago. (Years ago I had Porcelain Peach, and I pretty much finished it.) Extra Light Bisque is maybe a smidge too light for me, but at the same time I'm not in a rush to get Light Bisque. So. *shrugs*

- Make Up For Ever 174 Small Concealer Brush: I've had a Sonia Kashuk flat concealer brush for ten-plus years (I think, since 2005?). It's a good brush, but it's a little bit wide. This MUFE one is a little bit smaller, perfect for applying concealer to the inner corners on my nose, next to the eyelids.

- deluxe sample of Clinique Lash Impact Mascara: The above were purchased while Sephora was having a "three free deluxe samples with code" promotion, so this is one of the ones I chose. (Another sample I chose was Dr. Jart Ceramidin moisturizer. The third one I chose, It Cosmetics Bye-Bye Pores Pressed Powder, was canceled because they ran out.) I also really like this one. Gives me loads of definition.

- MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot - Camel Coat: Hasn't arrived yet (it will in a day or so) but this was purchased (along with a full-size MAC Fix+, which I use mostly for skincare) in a minor panic, as it now has the ominous Triangle of Death on the site.

I'll do my half-year overview next weekend. 

* * *

FOTD...
* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* mix of MUFE Ultra HD - Y205 + wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation - Porcelain
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Unexpected
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Prom Night
* Sephora Contour Eye Pencil 12hr Wear Waterproof - 5th Avenue
* Sephora LashCraft Length and Volume Mascara
* NARS Blushes - mix of Sex Appeal and Sex Fantasy
* MAC Strobe Cream
* NARS Satin Lip Pencil - Rikugien


----------



## veronikawithak (Jun 27, 2017)

*June

*Purchased

4 eyeshadows - replacing colours from the trios I decluttered 
concealer - replacing with a slightly darker shade
powder - wanted a lightweight option for summer

2 palettes - one small to hold the eyeshadows, and one two-pan to hold the powder and a blush I already own

$194.88

Total in 2017: $850.34 (average $141.72/month) - I set a goal of $1,000 for spending at the beginning of the year (for clothing, makeup, skincare, perfume).. not sure I'm going to make this with half the year left and only $150 in the budget! I'm going to try though!!!

Total in 2016: $1247.07 (average $103.92/month) 

Decluttered

3 palettes - S, M, L - The small one is a metal one that was a gift with purchase and while it's beautiful it's also heavy and a little cumbersome. The other two are bamboo and I loved them but they're too big for what I have now and I plan to use the one in, one out rule with my single eyeshadow pans going forward. 

2 eyeshadow trios - I found myself not reaching for these after I used most of the lightest shades.

3 eyeshadows - I guess I got bored of them? Just felt like it was time for a change.

1 concealer - Too light for me. I tried to make it work and it was okay in winter but now not so much.

1 highlighter duo - I just use my cream highlighter so this wasn't getting touched.

I think that's it.. I still have a few samples but they're almost used up and will be tossed soon.

Inventory

5 eyeshadows
5 lipsticks
2 blushes
1 contour
1 highlight
1 foundation
1 concealer
1 powder
1 mascara
=18

Inventory change from the beginning of the year:
-5 eyeshadows
-2 highlighters
+1 blush
+1 lipstick
+1 powder
Total: -4

I'll do a more thorough spending review and inventory with prices at the end of the year. For now my goals are to really be careful with spending and keep trying to use things up (I want to use up an entire eyeshadow or blush at some point this year!). I think I'll only need a mascara, but I might order some perfume as well. Really going to try to stick to the $150 I have left. Also no clothing purchases - 6 months down, 6 months to go!


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## shellygrrl (Jul 2, 2017)

Half-year update in the next post. First, a FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Mattifying Primer (across forehead)
* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer (across nose and porous areas)
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* Anastasia Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Paint Pots - Camel Coat (lid) and Tailor Grey (outer corner and a little into the crease)
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadows - Sand Dollar and Rockstar (inner corner highlight)
* Clinique High Impact Mascara
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin (contour)
* NARS Blush - Sex Appeal
* MAC Lipstick - Fanfare
* NARS Satin Lip Pencil - Lodhi (centre of lips)


----------



## shellygrrl (Jul 2, 2017)

Half-year update!

*No Buy*
_Pre-made eyeshadow palettes - In general, I never use all the colours in them. Don't need or want any more._ - None purchased!

_Bronzers - While I have wishlisted one bronzer, I'm not in a hurry to buy it, and I've still got some to use._ - None purchased! I have one wishlisted, though: Benefit Hoola Lite. Until recently, I also had Guerlain Four Seasons in 00 Nudes wishlisted as well, but it seems the Four Seasons range has been discontinued. 

_Eyeliner Pencils - I'm good with what I've got right now._ - None purchased!

_Pigments - I had several pigments in the past, and the times I used them were few and far between. So back in the fall, I finally got rid of them. Not for me._ - None purchased!

_Setting Powders - I'm good._ - None purchased! I did wishlist a pressed setting powder for later on, but I'm not in a hurry to buy it.

_Spot Concealer - I'm still working through a sample size of Kevyn Aucoin SSE. (That's how little of this product you need to use.) I'm putting it here for now, but if I run out of that sample during the year, I will get a full size._ - None purchased! However, in lieu of getting a full size of this, I'm now looking at NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer as a replacement.

_Foundation - I just bought one._ - The one I bought at the time I wrote that ended up being returned (Makeup Atelier). A few months later, I bought wet'n'wild Photofocus, which worked out better for me.

_Face Primers - I'm good, I think._ - None purchased!

*Proceed with Caution*
_Eyeshadow Primer - A little later this year (around March or so, I'm thinking?), I'll have to replace mine. But I won't be repurchasing the NARS one (although it works great for me), because there's another one I want to try._ - This turned out to be the MAC one, which I really love. So I'm now set for a while.

_Single Eyeshadows - Long wishlist is long, and I'm going through a little bit of a matte phase in regards to powder eyeshadows. The key here will be prioritization. (It's also a category of makeup where I'm okay with having a sizeable number of options at hand.)_ - Bought several Makeup Geek ones, and there are more that I want. I've also got a few Anastasia ones wishlisted.

_Lipstick - I reduced this a little bit during the last year. There's at least one shade on my main radar, and some others I'd like to have, but they're not must-haves right now. (Also want to find a similar colour to MAC Feed the Senses.)_ - I got MAC Fanfare as a Back 2 MAC, and that's the only lippie I got. Still in search of a FTS dupe (or hoping for a repromotion in a tube).

_Lipgloss - There are still a couple of gloses I want. Whether I buy them or not..._ - None purchased.

_Contour - I don't have a cream contour in my stash, and this is a gap I'm considering filling._ - Still don't have a cream contour in my stash, but I'm fine with that at the moment.

_Mascara - Two tubes in rotation is okay, but no more than that._ - And right now I have two tubes in rotation!

_Lipliner - I could go either way here._ - I actually tossed one recently (NYX Pale Pink), and there are a couple of liners in a similar colour I have eyes on: MAC Subculture and Bite 020.

_Brow Products - I still need a brow gel to set the brows._ - Finally got one! (surratt) And my current tube should be fine for a bit longer.

_Undereye Concealer - While I'm still working through my MAC Studio Sculpt (I have a love-hate relationship with this), I'm still "window shopping" for a replacement._ - So I went back to the Bobbi Brown Corrector, but that's something where you'd still want to use a concealer over the top. Still haven't settled on one to try first; I've got it narrowed down to two (Tarte Shape Tape and NARS Radiant Creamy).

*Points of Focus*
_Blush - I noted in the 2016 thread that I wanted to expand this part of my stash this year._ - Hasn't happened yet.

_Brushes - My collection isn't to the point where I'd call it complete just yet._ - I did inch a little closer to completion, with the WG Air Brush and MUFE 174. But I'm still not quite where I want to be.

_Highlighter/Luminizer - I have my sample of MAC Strobe Cream, but I think this is the year I get Becca SSP in Pearl._ I'm thinking next month, for my birth month.

*Miscellaneous*
_False Lashes - It's fun._ - Haven't played much.

I reorganized my stash a few days ago, and I posted a photo to my Instagram (username in my signature). While I did photograph my makeups, I'm not happy with the pictures, so I'm going to re-shoot.

* * *

New goals...

*No Buy*
* Pre-made eyeshadow palettes
* Bronzers
* Eyeliner Pencils
* Pigments
* Setting powders
* Spot concealers
* Foundation
* Face primers
* Eyeshadow primer
* Mascara

*Proceed with Caution*
* Single eyeshadows
* Lipstick
* Lipgloss
* Contour
* Lipliner
* Brow products
* Undereye concealer

*Points of Focus*
* Blush
* Highlighter/luminizer
* Brushes


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## VAL4M (Jul 2, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> Half-year update!
> 
> *No Buy*
> _Pre-made eyeshadow palettes - In general, I never use all the colours in them. Don't need or want any more._ - None purchased!
> ...


I have both concealers both are good but the difference is tarte shape tape is more matte and have more converage. Is really creamier like the name


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## Alysse011 (Jul 2, 2017)

Hello everyone! Long time, no low buy post. I've tried to stay away a little more this year just so I don't fall subject to as much temptation. I have purchased some things and have returned some things haha. But here is my mid year check in 

Pre-made eyeshadow palettes - *no* 
*Update*: I did purchase UD Naked Heat. I'm pretty proud of myself for not buying NARS loaded...I have had to talk myself out of that one MANY times. If you have it and love it please don't tell me lol. I have pulled out my z palettes to remind myself that I already have shadows I love. As for the UD, I am pleased with this. I absolutely love every single shade, and that is a big rarity. But for the rest of the year this is a definite no buy area. 

Bronzers - Another *no*. 
*Update*: I haven't purchased a bronzer single, but I did buy the Becca x Chrissy palette. However, that was mainly for the highlights sooooo I'm going to call this a win. Still don't want to buy any more for the rest of the year. 

Eyeliner Pencils - *Maybe*.
*Update*: Have only repurchased the Marc Jacobs highliner. So no "new" liners yet. 

Powders - *Maybe*. 
*Update*: I purchased the Cover FX powder and am very happy with it. No new powders for the rest of the year. 

Concealer - *No*. 
*Update*: Doing well here. 

Foundation - *Maybe*.
*Update*: I did buy a new foundation. After 8 months of getting samples of La Prairie at every Nordies and Neimans counter in the city, I finally decided to purchase it after I used up a different foundation. I actually purchased and returned a few foundations and finally decided to just save for what I really wanted. For the rest of the year NO new foundations.

Face Primers - *No*. 
*Update*: going well. 

Eyeshadow Primer - *Maybe*. 
*Update*: None yet. I will probably need a new one by the end of the year though. 

Single Eyeshadows - *Yes.* I want ABH Pink Champagne. If it ever comes back in stock anywhere, I'll buy it. 
*Update*: I purchased Pink Champagne! Love it. 

Lipstick - *Yes. *This is where I hoard the most! I'll allow myself some wiggle room
*Update*: purchased a couple and love them all. I'm trying to do better. It has actually been a while since my last lipstick purchase, so I do feel I'm improving. For the rest of the year I would like to continue to proceed with caution. 

Lipgloss - I really would like to try the new Lancome metallic glosses, and I may purchase one of those soon. I have always been a huge fan of metallic lips, so I love that they're on trend again. Because of the Lancôme, this is a *Yes*.
*Update*: bought and returned the Lancôme. Have not bought any others.  

Contour - *No.* 
*Update*: Zero purchased  

Mascara - *No*. I will only purchase more when I need replacements.
*Update*: Success. I've only purchased replacements. 

Lipliner - *Maybe. 
*Update: None so far. 

Brow Products - *Yes*. I really want to try Surratt Brow Pomade (again, if it ever comes back in stock).
*Update*: I did purchase the Surratt and love it. I also purchased the Glossier Boy Brow. It's fine. I won't repurchase that one. 

Blush - *Yes. 
**Update*: As planned, I purchased MJ Flesh and Fantasy. I also purchased a Cle de Peau cream blush and two Surratt blushes. No more blushes for the rest of the year. 

Brushes - I'll add here as necessary. 
*Update*: Got the Wayne Goss Airbrush and an Artis brush. I MIGHT buy a couple more. We will see. 

Highlighter/Luminizer - *Yes*. This is my third struggle area after foundation and lipstick.
*Update*: As mentioned earlier, I bought the Becca x CT palette. I also received the UD highlighter in Sin as a bday gift when I purchased Naked Heat. AND I got the Marc Jacobs Dew Drops. No more highlighters for the year! I have successfully ignored all other releases so far and am rediscovering old favorites. Oh, I also can't allow myself to purchase any liquid illuminators eithers 

Miscellaneous - SimpleHuman mirror. This is a maybe. I also could use a vanity but tbd on it that happens this year.
*Update*: I bought a vanity. It's actually a desk and it's perfect for my needs. I do plan to buy the Simple Human mirror soon as well because it is part of the upcoming Nordies anniversary sale.  

As for skincare and hair care - I'm extremely happy with my current skincare and will only replenish as needed. I do plan to purchase some Oribe products soon, but I would like to use up another shampoo and conditioner first. This category should be repurchases only
*Update*: No new purchases yet. I do still plan to buy some Oribe after I finish the mammoth shampoo and conditioner I'm currently using. It feels like they're never ending. I've had to talk myself out of buying the Oribe before I run out of my current ones many times so far. 

Nails - I don't anticipate any issues here. I would like to try some of the newer Essie gel polishes. Will wait for a coupon from Ulta to do that. In the mean time, I'm good with what I have.
*Update*: No new purchases here


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## VAL4M (Jul 3, 2017)

FOTD:
Shop your stash Edition and stop lemming the Viseart cool matte palette. I haven't pull the plug on the Cool Matte palette yet and I knew I kind of already have those eyeshadows shade in my stash so I dig in my single eyeshadows drawers and find some that will totally create the same look. So here the result of my look for today and what I find in my stash. I really like it. 
Eye:
Dior Spring Bouquet Quint
Burberry Almond and Brown Sable
and a bunch of Rouge Bunny Rouge
Lancome Eyeliner in Kaki and Chanel eyeliner

Cheeks:
MAC Rio
Chanel cream blush in Affinite
Kevin Auction contour powder in Medium

Lips:
Colour Pop lipliner in Faded
Colour pop lippie stix in Faded


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## fur4elise (Jul 4, 2017)

*Low Buy Check-In ~ June

Purchases:

MAC ED Blush & EDSF –  I had (2) GILT $25 off certificates, so purchased: Fairly Precious, Just A Pinch & Telling Glow Blushes and Show Gold & Superb. I skipped the MAC Select 25% off simply because I already purchased my wish list items and because Sephora also offered a $15 off coupon at the same time. 

UD Naked Heat…I could not, not get it…I used the Sephora coupon.

I also had a  Sephora 10% off that was expiring so splurged on Bite Agave Lip Scrub and an Hourglass GIRL Lip Stylo (Lover).

I made one luxury purchase this month: The Chikuhodo Takumi (T-1) Powder brush!  Love love love! I had a 12% coupon. 

Used Up/Disposed Of/Will Dispose Of:

OGX Quenching Coconut Curls Curling Butter (conditioner) – It literally took me almost a year to get through one container and I had a backup already on hand. 

Deciem Hylamide Sub Q Eye Serum – Opened up backup bottle. May or may not purchase again. I really like my CeraVe for day.

**As planned, I dekrappified (8) L’Oreal True Match foundations! I also pitched 3 old True Match concealer pencils, a Magic Lumi Pen and a container of Lumi Liquid Primer. Yup, a real reminder of my goal to avoid drugstore brand makeup…it can pile up very quickly. I set aside some MAC SFF bottles I can B2M. I also tossed / recycled a ton of plastic sample containers.

**I let go of the MAC In the Flesh palette I had with essentially no use. It was too cool toned for my liking. So I gave it up to someone who will love it. 

The Deciem Ordinary foundations I purchased as well as the primers need to go! Absolute fail! I found the coverage of the foundation to only be medium and then break apart/oxidize just a few hours after wear. I double checked my match in Estee Lauder DW and continue to find it to be my HG! Since I am being diligent about not letting my face tan, I do not have to search for a summer shade. 

I simply was not impressed with how the Hylamide or the Ordinary primers performed. I always end up looking like an oily mess at the end of the day!

Random Stuffs:

Speaking of primers, nothing is beating my Hourglass for all over and either the BECCA Ever Matte/Smashbox Pore Minimizing for over nose/top of cheeks. I just wish that the Hourglass was not so damn expensive. *Update – I heard that a close match for the Hourglass is the NYX Angel Veil, so I purchased a tube. I have only used it once but the consistency is very much like the Hourglass. I will report back after I get a chance to use it a bit more.

Skin Care ~ Continues to improve with the occasional bloppit! I have been diligent about sunscreen and covering my face when I am out in the sun! So my hyper pigmentation is nowhere near what it was after my trip to Mexico in January. I have a great tan on my body with this white face…LOL! I am making good use of my Guerlain bronzers!

I ended up purchasing both the Biologique Recherche P50 1970 and the P50 PIGM 400 Lotion. I went with a small bottle of each (1.7 oz) to test and rotate use every other day. So far so good. The PIGM lotion is meant to work on pigmentation…so I am going to give myself a good amount of time to see if I have successful results.

On The Horizon:

The KVD Glimmer Palette ~ Still wanting this and will probably be it for pre-made e/s palettes this year. I am loving everything I have and feel pretty complete. I make a concerted effort to rotate and experiment on the daily. 

I’ll report back later with a mid-year update.

*


----------



## lenchen (Jul 4, 2017)

Low buy June check-in
Skincare 125.00
Biologique P50 1970 lotion
SU:UM 37 rose cleansing stick

Decluttered

I sold off my all of my MAC eyeshadows and used the funds to purchase a customized makeup geek neutrals palette.

Used up:
Skincare MISSHA time treatment essence-I will be repurchasing

Purchase list for July
I really wanted the Color Raine Queen of hearts palette, but I realized that I have 10 very close dupes to create a palette so I just need to get:
Colourpop-issues eyeshadow
Colourpop-going steady eyeshadow
a  medium sized Zpalete to put them in
4 hokuhodo eye brushes in my cart at cdjapan


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## VAL4M (Jul 5, 2017)

June Low Buy
I finally purchased Tarte Shape tape with  the Dream Big eyeshadow palette
I also bought for the 1st time Colourpop pressed eyeshadows I really like them
I bought $aucy quad and 1 ultra satin lipstick in Tansy still ambivalent about liquid lipstick, I have very few of them and I think it doesn't matter the formula I just prefer a lipstick bullet
2 lip pencil and 1 lippie stix in Faded
I finally purchase MAC 141 Brush the big fan brush that came with the Next to nothing collection really like it with the powder in Medium.
AND i went to Sephora that was expensive! ouch! 
Ole Herickson sugar scrub (I finish my previous jar)
1 UD eye primer (I finished my previous tube)
and 3 brushes from the sephora pro collection
#59  to replaced my Bobbie Brown scratchy brush
#79  (small tapered shape for contouring and highlight) and #11  eye shadow brush
And with that order a renew my VIB status , never been rouge and I do not want to ever be rouge but still want to have access to the fall/winter sale so i'm good.


----------



## fur4elise (Jul 6, 2017)

*INCOMING!!!

*Warning* ~ Novel Length Mid-Year Check-In 
Listed in order of a typical getting ready in the morning and/or for date night 

**Canvas = Skincare:
**New additions:* *Biologique Recherche P50 1970 & PIGM 400 Lotions*! Love so far! Continued use of: Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Cleanser, assorted Deciem Hylamide & the Ordinary serums, ELANR serum & CeraVe Face & Eye serums. These are all things I will replenish as needed.

*Primer* ~ *No need at this time* ~  Always willing to try a sample or 10…lol! Sticking with Becca Ever Matte Poreless and the Smashbox Photofinish Pore Minimizing. One change is an attempt to replace my Hourglass Mineral Veil with the *NYX Angel Veil*. I am on day 4 of using this and so far, so good. $54 versus $10 with coupons…a super savings if I find I have great results. For eyes I have both MAC Prep+Prime and the *newer UD Primer Potion in Fix. *I am still lusting Caffeine, but do not see purchasing it unless on sale.

*Foundation* ~ *No need at this time* ~ Estee Lauder Doublewear! My HG! Still in Spiced Sand. I have about ½ bottle left. Will repurchase when needed. If I get any darker this summer, I will do what I did last summer…I will get another sample of Rich Chestnut and add a drop or two to adjust the shade.

*Concealer *~ *No need at this time* ~ I ended up buying the *Tarte Shape Tape* and I like it. I do not do the whole super highlighting and contouring trend using concealers and prefer a concealer close to my actual shade. I have Tan Sand and it works well with the ELDW. 

*Eye Shadow ~  No no no! No need! LOL! 
*I purchased 3 premade palettes- *The Charlotte Tilbury Glow* (which also has blush, bronzer & highlighter)* the* *NARS Loaded and the UD Naked Heat*. 

I made the mistake of purchasing the MAC In The Flesh.  That was an impulse lemming buy and I did not like it, so I immediately gave it away! Lose but a win for not holding onto something I will not use!  

I am lusting the *forthcoming KVD Glimmer* but will wait for swatches and reviews. 

*I have not purchased any single pans and do not plan to at this point. *

I fell in love with some of the *Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter Liquid and the Touch In Sol Liquid Foil* (Margaret) shadows. I purchased a total of 4 that are in rotation. These will last forrrrrreeeeever because I use them so sparingly. 

*No loose pigments or glitters purchased! Success! 

**Eyeliner* ~ *No need!* Still rotating my UD 24/7 pencils. I think one of my most used shades is getting low, so that would be repurchased when the time comes.
*
Bronzer ~ Absolutely no need!* ~ I pitched and gave away a ton of product! I love all my Guerlain! But, I also rotate use of MAC MSF & Bronzers and *Clarins (I purchased the new LE summer palette * )  I did pitch the old MAC Natural MSF powders I mentioned at the beginning of the year (in a drawer for Back2Mac), as well as numerous Physicians Formula & Rimmel…several were brand new so were gifted away too.

*Blush* ~ *No need! *~ I upped my game here with several purchases of the *MAC ED blushes* and they are fantastic. I actually use them on my eyes as well! I made sure to buy them with a coupon/on sale.  I also added one MAC pro pan to my custom matte shade palette. I use them in conjunction with the more shimmery finishes of NARS and MAC. *I have made no pre-made blush only palette purchases. *ETA Nope. I fibbed. I went through my stash and found the the Bobbi Brown Havana Nights Cheek Palette in Guava and promptly wore it today!* *I do not count the Becca or Charlotte Tilbury here as they are multi product palettes. 

*Highlighters ~ I continue to be a card holding member of HA!* BUT I have done very well in this area, purchasing just the* Becca x CT palette (which has blush too) and the NARS Banc de Sable* (which I use for my eyes too). I feel like the MAC ED Blushes and SF also fit the bill for highlighting...I certainly like cross over products!  *I do not see making any other highlighter purchases for this year.* I love what I have! 

*Finishing Powders* ~ *No need at this time* ~ In current rotation *MUFE Ultra HD Microfinishing Pressed Powder* (banana shade, this was a new addition and I use it under eye), MUFE UD Microfinishing Translucent Loose (I use this on my lid to smooth my primers), and Laura Mercier Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder (#4 Medium) for finishing. When I am lighter I rotate in the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder (Radiant Light).

*Mascara ~ Set for the year.* I did purchase the Diorshow Iconic Overcurl during Nordie’s Mascara Madness and have quite a few sample/deluxe sizes of preferred brands (gwp/free samples/points exchange). 

One new addition may be a mascara primer. This was a surprise discovery. I have super thick and long lashes so never even considered using one. However, I got a sample tube of *Lancome Cils Booster XL* and let me say this makes just about any mascara work for me.

*Finishing Spray ~ This was a new addition early this year.* I started with the *Skandinavia*. Love the formula, hate the sprayer. I also have *MAC Fix+*. Nice for freshening, but not long lasting. Then I learned that Skindinavia partnered with *Urban Decay. The All Nighter i*s the same formula! I love the sprayer on the UD All Nighter, but not the price. So now that I have the UD bottle, I will just repurchase the Skinindavia and refill the bottle. They offer 20% off sales all the time, usually including free shipping and freebies. I have up to 12 hour days and I do think finishing spray makes a difference, in melding makeup together as well as making it last longer. 

*Lipstick/Lipliner ~  Splurge only! No real need *~ This area continues to be highly edited. I have my date night lippies on display (LE packaging, high end, super special) for me to see and rotate use.I added a couple Bite pencils, an UD pencil, and a small assortment of lipsticks from *Givenchy, UD and Hourglass* (3 total this year).  I did buy the LE Tatcha but returned it. The formula and color were a fail.

*What I did add was better lip care! The Bite Agave Lip Mask* has changed everything for my lips. I also recently purchased the Lip Scrub. For priming lips I also purchased the *MUFE Ultra HD Lip Booster*. I like it much more than the MAC Prep+Prime.

*High-End Brushes ~ This was an unexpected, big reversal from my original plan! I went in hard!*  Starting with research and reviews, I decided to make the investment in good tools! Just like any artist, good tools make for great results. I started with a selection of eye & cheek brushes from the *Chikuhodo Takumi s*eries. Then I was gifted the *new white hair Wayne Goss* *Fan Brush* and it is divine. So when his *eye set *came out, I jumped on it. It totally compliments my Takumi set! My last purchase was the *Takumi Powder *brush…I love all of these brushes! They have been worth every penny. I’ve said it elsewhere, but these tools elevate the experience of putting on makeup. So pleasurable. I don’t see any more purchases in this area for the rest of the year, maybe an angled powder…but I am pretty darn good now. 

*To Work On & the Rest of the Year! ~ No More Eye Shadow Palettes!* I have one on my list, the KVD and I will absolutely wait for swatches to be sure it is a must have. Other than that, I have a cohesive, complimentary collection that I currently love. Everything is on rotation. I Will Resist!

Other than that, I feel like I spent the first part of this year fleshing out some areas of my stash and it feels more complete. I am going to *keep an eye on what I do not reach for and those items will be let go by year’s end. I am thinking specifically of my single eye shadows...*I need to either depan them, give away or pitch! I forget them on the daily because they are in their own drawer away from my multi shade palettes! Out of sight, out of mind! Right?!?

As for *further purchases*…I see *replenishing* skin care needs and random odds & ends *essentials*…such as my eye brow gel (either Benefit or ABH). I will start my list for the VIBR fall sale, but have a feeling it will be like this past spring…short and to the point. 

Of course if the fall/winter and holiday collections have some fantastic lippies, I will allow a splurge there. 
*
Successes: * The goal set at the beginning of the year was: To be *super selective, wait for sales but don’t fall prey to the FOMO feels*, *use what I have*, *further declutter *what I don’t use, etc. I have done all of this! While I have had passing FOMO feels, I have not succumbed to pure spontaneous. 

Another goal was to *avoid the pitfalls of purchasing drugstore brands!* I cannot tell you how much I gave away brand new and threw out do to non-use. 
I have made maybe a total of 2 drugstore purchases, both from NYX (glitter glue and primer) and I am using those products! No lipsticks, no mascaras, no nothing! Success!!! This will continue! 

*Congrats to all of you! I think some of you have been far more successful with the no buy than I have*…I count myself a success for being more low buy! Over all I am pretty happy with how things have gone. *I actually have an expense log and keep it up to date.* I can clearly see I have spent less money than last year. I can also see spending tapering off for the rest of the year, simply because I have just about everything I could want and certainly more than I need. I will count that as a success too! 

*ETA:* A big success! All purchases were made with cash in hand!* * I have been working part time for hubby on his CRM since March. So I have had a small amount of mad money. It also allowed me to do some adulting and get my bitty car repaired after being backed into by a moving truck. The company paid for the repair, but I also had a rusting panel replaced. The goal is to maintain value so I can sell it once paid off & upgrade in Jan. to a bigger safer vehicle. Hard to part with the cash but a smart fiscal decision.

*That’s ALLLLLL she wrote…and thank you for taking the time to read what is probably my lengthiest specktra post...LOL! *


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## LV2EVOLVE (Jul 6, 2017)

It's so hard being on a no buy!  However, I'm very pleased with the lack of collections out there so that I can use up my products.  So far, I'm into no makeup makeup for everyday.  It has allowed me to shop my stash and fall in love with all of the blushes.  I'm finishing up BB creams, CC creams, powders, highlighters, blushes and balms.

I'm going to avoid purchasing shadows, even though I'm eyeing two Marc palettes.  No liners and mascaras for me.  Maybe some holiday lipsticks and glosses.  I definitely want the new Chanel cushion and I want to find an alternative for the original La Mer powder.  

I'm glad I held onto my funky collection of makeup for those days I need something artistic.


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## veronikawithak (Jul 7, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *I actually have an expense log and keep it up to date.* I can clearly see I have spent less money than last year. I can also see spending tapering off for the rest of the year, simply because I have just about everything I could want and certainly more than I need. I will count that as a success too!
> *ETA:* A big success! All purchases were made with cash in hand!**



Those are MAJOR successes. Fantastic!!! Keep it up.


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## lenchen (Jul 8, 2017)

*Mid-Year check in! I’m following Fur4elise format *

*Canvas - Skincare:*
Re-purchases of my favourites Biologique Recherche P50 1970, SU:UM emulsion, serum, rose cleansing stick, tea tree cleansing vitamin C21, Teetree 90 essence, and I decided to purchase the much, much less expensive Innisfree orchid night cream. I was going to purchase my beloved Shulwasoo night cream, but at $240! I can’t right now perhaps I may treat myself for my birthday*.  All these items I continue to use and love with great results. *

*Primer* ~ I love my Smashbox oil free primer so I’m good there, I would like to try UD eyeshadow primer in caffeine, I was impressed with the formula! I will exchange my recently purchased NARS eyeshadow primer for the UD one.

*Foundation* ~ *All set* ~ Loving the make-up forever waterblend foundation, waterproof, and non transferable, so it does not get on my clothing! I love a light to medium coverage, I also have the Bodyshop nude foundation I like to use for nights out. 

*Concealer *~ I love the Kat Von D concealer I purchased shade d33, perfect for use on the face and under the eye, and I have the NARS creamy concealer, and the FX cover corrector in orange I’m good there

*Powders *I'm loving the cover FX setting powder loose and I like the pressed powder for travel, no flash back, no powery looks in pictures, I'm set here too.

*Eye Shadow ~ My weakness!!! *I recently sold off my entire MAC eyeshadow singles collection, and I used the funds to purchase all the neutral shadows I wanted from Makeupgeek. I’m impressed with the brand, the quality of their eyeshadows, and the fact that there aren’t any parabens in them. I have a Z palette that holds 27 eyeshadows, a MUG travel palette I use for travel containing 9 shadows, and I  ordered the 2 eyeshadows I needed for the duped Raine queen of hearts palette. I’ve been disappointed with MAC in recent years the ever frequent churning out of lack luster, poor quality LE releases, and just the direction the company has gone in recent years, so I’m giving MAC a semi-permanent break. I’m good with the shadows I have (43 shadows total) I’m satisfied with the quality of the shadows I have so I’m content.

*Highlighter-*I purchased the colourpop highlighters love the formula, and the price is a steal! I also like the makeup geek highlighters as well, love the quality, and the fact that the brand caters to deep skin tones I love ablaze! I've been using it non stop since I purchased! I'm all set in this area


*Eyeliner* ~ I’m set, loving my UD pencils, and using up my MAC feline so I’m content!

*Mascara* I have the one Red Apple lipstick which I love, and the one from Well people, I’m set.

*Bronzer ~ *I find that I don’t really use bronzer, I had a Guerlain one and never used it, decluttered it so no need

*Finishing Spray ~ *really impressed by the urban Decay all nighter! I like it so I’ll probably purchase in August.

*Lipstick/Lipliner ~ *I have 8 MAC lipsticks in permanent shades mostly creamsheen, lustre, and amplified cream formulas, I have 2 UD vice lipsticks, in F-bomb, and Rocksteady fabulous reds! I feel so confident and sexy wearing them! Once I finish up my MAC lipsticks I’ll venture into UD vice lipsticks in the cream formula, but for now, I’m good. I’m set on lipliners too, I’m using up the MAC ones I currently have.

*Lip Care *I purchased an exfoliating/moisturizing set from the brand Red Apple lipstick and I LOVE it! It comes in a lipstick like packaging, great results, definitely a repurchase. Better than Fresh lip scrub, and the moisturizing stick works better than any lip balm I’ve used, and  I like the quality ingredients very impressed.

* Brushes ~ *I have a lot of brushes! About 160, 80 eye brushes and 80 face brushes, I have been collecting brushes for a long time starting with MAC (the MAC brushes were really great quality back then) from 1999. I own about 20 MAC eye brushes, I decluttered some of the scratchy ones and decided to replace those with some Japanese brushes that’s currently in my cart at CD japan, I’ll get those brushes this month. Other than the final order of Japanese face brushes I purchased last year, I’m set!

*To Work On & the Rest of the Year! ~ *Continue to declutter what does not get much use, I have since got rid of a lot of items since we started low buy 2017, I have a collection of makeup that works for me and I actually use. I want to continue to not get suckered into LE collections from various brands, buying into the hype and I’m proud of myself for not rushing out to pay a marked up price for the queen of hearts palette on Ebay. That would have been something I would have done, as opposed to shopping my stash for dupes. Japanese brushes are my weakness besides eyeshadows, especially the face brushes! I didn’t break my no buy rule on these except to replace some MAC eye brushes I recently decluttered, and that's hard one for me.


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## lenchen (Jul 8, 2017)

I agree! Fur4elise, I also like how you are tracking your spending via an expense tracking log.


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## shellygrrl (Jul 9, 2017)

A foundation-free FOTD...
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* MAC Eyeshadow - Copperplate (brows)
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Eyeshadow - Satin Taupe
* Sephora Lashcraft Length and Volume Mascara
* MAC Blush - Taupe (as bronzer)
* NARS Velvet Lip Glide - Unlaced


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## Alysse011 (Jul 11, 2017)

Just an "inner thoughts while procrastinating work" post 

I am very happy with the size and contents of my makeup "wardrobe" (for some reason I don't like to call it a collection...I don't fancy myself a collector of makeup). I have done declutters in the past and they have gone really well and been fairly easy to be honest. As I posted about before, I am all set with foundations. And on top of that it will be time soon to throw some out. However, for some reason, I can't bring myself to just yet. I'm not really using them anymore. I use some of them every once in a while but in general I just have other formulas I prefer. And I also don't plan to repurchase any of them or replace them with other products. But they were good foundations and I'm having trouble throwing them out now even though the expiry date is looming and even though I MIGHT use them once before that date. I hate to say I am sentimentally attached to foundation of all things. Maybe I am though. So silly. 

I was at the mall over July 4th weekend to grab some shorts on sale and I somehow ended up in Sephora and somehow ended up playing with NARS Loaded. It's very pretty but I was able to resist. I think the worst of my lemmings for that are over! Patting myself on the back haha. 

In other life updates, my fiancé and I are planning a trip to Vegas soon. He has never been and I haven't been in a couple years so it should be fine. It'll be a brief trip. More than 3 days in Vegas is too much for me lol. I also have multiple weddings over the next couple months and even a couple baby showers to attend. I feel like I am in the stage of my life where weddings/showers/all related events are truly neverending.


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## fur4elise (Jul 11, 2017)

@lenchen* ~ I feel like you and I are makeup twinsies on some things I love my UDPP Fix and know I would love the Caffeine shade too. I have to ask, what brand is “SU?” It’s in your skin care list. 

*@Alysse011* ~ Procrastination at work is catching   Love Vegas. Hubby and I got married there almost 2 years ago! We are planning to take a short jaunt back in November. I agree a short trip is just enough to fully enjoy all things Vegas. This go around, I am going to try to get a little shopping in.  The way you feel about the NARS is now how I feel about the new KVD palette. I am pretty solid that it is a skip for me now!        *


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## shellygrrl (Jul 16, 2017)

FOTWeekend...

* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless (Sunday only)
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Baby Face (all-over lid. Just got this as it was recently restocked for the final time; sad this is going to be discontinued!)
* MAC Eyeshadow - Omega (transition-y shade)
* MAC Blush - Taupe (as a crease colour)
* Clinique High Impact Mascara
* Benefit Hoola
* Makeup Geek Blush - Main Squeeze (Sunday only; another recent acquisition that is also going to be discontinued!)
* MAC Lipstick - Fanfare (Sunday only)


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## VAL4M (Jul 16, 2017)

Alysse011 said:


> Just an "inner thoughts while procrastinating work" post
> 
> I am very happy with the size and contents of my makeup "wardrobe" (for some reason I don't like to call it a collection...I don't fancy myself a collector of makeup). I have done declutters in the past and they have gone really well and been fairly easy to be honest. As I posted about before, I am all set with foundations. And on top of that it will be time soon to throw some out. However, for some reason, I can't bring myself to just yet. I'm not really using them anymore. I use some of them every once in a while but in general I just have other formulas I prefer. And I also don't plan to repurchase any of them or replace them with other products. But they were good foundations and I'm having trouble throwing them out now even though the expiry date is looming and even though I MIGHT use them once before that date. I hate to say I am sentimentally attached to foundation of all things. Maybe I am though. So silly.
> 
> ...


Foundation : I have 5(ish) foundation and I totally understand you I mean you need one for weekend, couldn't care less of my base and going out/all night full coverage foundation / winter / summer ready. Do not trash it you will used them one more time LOL

Vegas: 3 days is enough unless you are a gambler ... I just didn't get it when I was there, I guess if you are not there to party with a bunch of friends it become redundant. And I only wish I was really in Paris when I was in the Paris casino and really wished I was in New York when I was at NewYork NewYork casino. 

Wedding/baby showers: it will end soon, in your late 30s trust me. LOL  Recycle that dress and also your prom dress can be shorten and create a whole new dress.


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## VAL4M (Jul 19, 2017)

FOTD:
Do not buy that palette edition 
Again i do not know why I want a palette that I know is not for me .... WHYYY?
The long story was yesterday I was browsing the Ulta website because now canadian can order from that website and I saw that the Lorac Mega Pro 3 palette was still on sale.
And of course i'm thinking hey lets buy this,  but wait 1) Lorac eyeshadow have NO longevity whatsoever on my eyes ... I do not why but it just doesn't stay.
3) I already have Lorac Mega pro 2 and a little LE palette and both are not the best eyeshadow for me.
So I started watching review of the Lorac Mega pro 3 and of course it goes both way, some youtuber goes on and on that the palette is the best eyeshadow palette ever blah blah blah and there was other youtuber (very few) came to the conclusion that it was the most boring palette ever .
SO after the 20th video I watch Emilynoel83 review/tutorials of the Lorac Mega Pro 3 and I realized that I could do the same look with what I already have in my stash
So here my 'recreation'

Eye:
Dior Quint Ready-to-glow (I used pretty much all the eyeshadows)
Lancome Safari quad - the medium brown eyeshadow
MAC Hocus Pocus in the outer v
and  Nars Dolomites (dark brown in the crease)

Cheeks
EB bronzer
Kevin Auction contour powder in Medium
MAC pink cult blush
NARS Albatros highlight

Fondation:
Guerlain tenue de perfection 20
with a pump of Rouge Bunny Rouge Sea of showers liquid bronzer
Guerlain mythic parfait press powder


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## JerseyGirl (Jul 19, 2017)

Your look is beautiful.


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## LV2EVOLVE (Jul 19, 2017)

VAL4M said:


> FOTD:
> Do not buy that palette edition
> Again i do not know why I want a palette that I know is not for me .... WHYYY?
> The long story was yesterday I was browsing the Ulta website because now canadian can order from that website and I saw that the Lorac Mega Pro 3 palette was still on sale.
> ...




You did great!  I'd say just the NARS Dolomites duo is better than that entire palette!!!  I can't let mine go.  That stayed in my collection.


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## jennyap (Jul 20, 2017)

I succumbed to metallic lipsticks last week (MAC). I kinda wanted them all - so pretty! - but restricted myself to two.
I picked up Wild Nectar, which is pretty much a perfect everyday metallic for me, just my colour. I've worn it several times already. Then I got Silver Screen, which is going to be great as a topper. Might actually get me wearing some of my neglected mattes again! 

Don't think I did a June check-in but I didn't buy anything that month.


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## fur4elise (Jul 20, 2017)

VAL4M said:


> FOTD: Do not buy that palette edition



*I love that title! *


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## lipstickaddict (Jul 20, 2017)

VAL4M said:


> FOTD:
> Do not buy that palette edition
> Again i do not know why I want a palette that I know is not for me .... WHYYY?
> The long story was yesterday I was browsing the Ulta website because now canadian can order from that website and I saw that the Lorac Mega Pro 3 palette was still on sale.
> ...



Love the eyeshadow! Great use of products! Just a heads up that even though Ulta now ships to Canada, the prices are ridiculous with duties and shipping. We are far better off purchasing from Beautylish. It sucks, because Ulta has some good products, but when you do the math it is a bit crazy.


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## VAL4M (Jul 20, 2017)

LV2EVOLVE said:


> You did great!  I'd say just the NARS Dolomites duo is better than that entire palette!!!  I can't let mine go.  That stayed in my collection.


Dolomites is one of my favorite eyeshadows it just a petty that my Nars just get lost in my collections, I never think about them 


fur4elise said:


> *I love that title! *


LOL I use to only buy small High-End quads (mostly Dior and Guerlain)  and the last 2 years has been a flood of palettes, it.need.to.stop. and then I see the new ABH palette 


lipstickaddict said:


> Love the eyeshadow! Great use of products! Just a heads up that even though Ulta now ships to Canada, the prices are ridiculous with duties and shipping. We are far better off purchasing from Beautylish. It sucks, because Ulta has some good products, but when you do the math it is a bit crazy.


Thanks !  I'm really trying to go out of my confort zone and change it with my eye look. Those duties fees ... I know with a purchased of 100$ and more the shipping charges are waved, but if I have to pay duties it doesn't help.   What sucks is Tarte and Too faced sometime have collections only sold at Ulta, bummer. I also love Beautylish, I have a cart full of products just waiting for me to press the checkout button .... That will need to wait after July 25th/August 1st I guess, I want that ABH subculture palette.


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## LV2EVOLVE (Jul 20, 2017)

I have to say that after my declutter, I'm going to stay away from brands that have a horrible shelf life.  Illamasqua was the worst when it came to lipsticks and even a powder blush.  MAC held up the best in every category of my stash.  I'm surprised that Chanel held up as well.  I'm going to avoid Illamasqua, Too Faced, some Inglot, some Tom Ford and Bare Minerals.  Dior, Guerlain and NARS were winners as well.  Even Deborah powder shadows lasted and a couple of French brands.


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## lenchen (Jul 23, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> @lenchen* ~ I feel like you and I are makeup twinsies on some things I love my UDPP Fix and know I would love the Caffeine shade too. I have to ask, what brand is “SU?” It’s in your skin care list.
> *@Alysse011* ~ Procrastination at work is catching   Love Vegas. Hubby and I got married there almost 2 years ago! We are planning to take a short jaunt back in November. I agree a short trip is just enough to fully enjoy all things Vegas. This go around, I am going to try to get a little shopping in.  The way you feel about the NARS is now how I feel about the new KVD palette. I am pretty solid that it is a skip for me now!        *



Hi Fur4elise,
SU:UM37 (pronounced sum)is a Korean skin care brand that produces great skincare products, their cleansing stick works great, good ingredients, has a low ph balance, and their emulsions (Korean term for a light moisturizer), great serums, and they make a light watery cooling SF50 sunblock, it does not leave that white residue common with a lot of sunblocks on the market a plus for me!


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## Alysse011 (Jul 23, 2017)

lenchen said:


> Hi Fur4elise,
> SU:UM37 (pronounced sum)is a Korean skin care brand that produces great skincare products, their cleansing stick works great, good ingredients, has a low ph balance, and their emulsions (Korean term for a light moisturizer), great serums, and they make a light watery cooling SF50 sunblock, it does not leave that white residue common with a lot of sunblocks on the market a plus for me!



Seconded! I really enjoy their products as well


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## shellygrrl (Jul 23, 2017)

FOTD...
* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation - Porcelain (I started out mixing it with my MUFE Ultra HD around the nose area, but it was a bit too light for me at the moment. So the rest of the face was just the wnw.)
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Paint Pot - Camel Coat (all over lid)
* Prestige True Kohl Kajal - Black Matte (smudged into upper lashline and outer corner/half of lower lashline)
* MAC Paint Pot - Tailor Grey (upper lashline to crease, also run along lower lashline)
* Sephora Lashcraft Length and Volume Mascara
* The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder - 02
* Makeup Geek Blush - Main Squeeze
* NARS Velvet Lip Glide - Unlaced


----------



## lenchen (Jul 24, 2017)

Alysse011 said:


> Just an "inner thoughts while procrastinating work" post
> 
> I am very happy with the size and contents of my *makeup "wardrobe"* (for some reason I don't like to call it a collection...I don't fancy myself a collector of makeup). I have done declutters in the past and they have gone really well and been fairly easy to be honest. As I posted about before, I am all set with foundations. And on top of that it will be time soon to throw some out. However, for some reason, I can't bring myself to just yet. I'm not really using them anymore. I use some of them every once in a while but in general I just have other formulas I prefer. And I also don't plan to repurchase any of them or replace them with other products. But they were good foundations and I'm having trouble throwing them out now even though the expiry date is looming and even though I MIGHT use them once before that date. I hate to say I am sentimentally attached to foundation of all things. Maybe I am though. So silly.
> 
> ...



I like that term, make-up wardrobe!


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## VAL4M (Jul 26, 2017)

*FOTD :
*Do not purchased that Palette Edition (but I actually did purchase it)
So i did pull the plug and purchased the ABH subculture palette
but still wanted  to recreate a look that I saw from youtubers  reviewing the palette, which can be resume in a smoky forest green and magenta.  Love it should, I should do it more often
 
Eyes:
TheBalm Shady Lady Vol 1 palette (Luscious Lani (transition) Curvy Cami (crease) Jealous Jordana (all over the lid) Caught in the act courtney (outer V)
and the darker shade in the Colourpop $aucy palette (outer V corner in the eyes)
the teal shade came from MUFE floral palette (in the middle of the lid)

Cheeks:
MAC Buddy bronzer
Sephora eyeshadow as contour
MAC Magenta blush

Lips:
Tarte glossy Lip paint in WCW




edit:
My inspiration
Instagram


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## juraseka (Jul 26, 2017)

Hi Ladies!
I'm new to the forum, I created an account a while ago but finally decided to post
So my question is, HOW do you keep yourself from buying so much?? Haha. I think I'm an addict, I'm constantly telling myself not to buy but I still do! I have drawers of stuff but I always want more. I just love looking at everything I have! 
The good news is I always shop sales and bargains and I try to always sell stuff quickly that I know I won't use

Looking forward to meeting a lot of you!


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## shellygrrl (Jul 26, 2017)

juraseka said:


> So my question is, HOW do you keep yourself from buying so much?? Haha. I think I'm an addict, I'm constantly telling myself not to buy but I still do! I have drawers of stuff but I always want more. I just love looking at everything I have!
> The good news is I always shop sales and bargains and I try to always sell stuff quickly that I know I won't use



In general: try to read or watch as many reviews of new launches as we can (if we're interested in a product), know where we can add to our stash and where we should lay off because either we have a lot of a certain type of product already or we know we won't use a certain thing. Others have unsubscribed from brand and store emails, stopped watching various beauty Youtubers, started reading or watching stuff about decluttering or minimalism or Project Pan stuff. A handful visit here only every so often to stave off temptation.

Also, and I think this is super important: *Use what you've got.* Don't let all the stuff you've accumulated just sit there unloved and unused.


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## juraseka (Jul 26, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> In general: try to read or watch as many reviews of new launches as we can (if we're interested in a product), know where we can add to our stash and where we should lay off because either we have a lot of a certain type of product already or we know we won't use a certain thing. Others have unsubscribed from brand and store emails, stopped watching various beauty Youtubers, started reading or watching stuff about decluttering or minimalism or Project Pan stuff. A handful visit here only every so often to stave off temptation.
> 
> Also, and I think this is super important: *Use what you've got.* Don't let all the stuff you've accumulated just sit there unloved and unused.



Thank you! That last bit is especially pertinent to me, because I KNOW I have more than I can realistically use, but I still get "the urge" to buy more! I do try to declutter and find new homes for my stuff whenever I can, especially on products I know I don't use much, but it is still hard when another sale rolls around or a new product calls to me
I'm actually hoping this site can help control my urges so I can live vicariously through others


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## fur4elise (Jul 28, 2017)

*Low Buy Check-In ~ July
Helllooooo!  ~ Overall this was a budget friendly month! I took advantage of a few sales/coupons to replenish tried and true skincare products, a few makeup staples and purchase a little funstuff. I also did a little bit more dekraapifying. Here goes!

Purchases:
No prestige/high end makeup purchases.

Staples: NYX Angel Veil Primer, Benefit Brow Setter, Small Becca Ever Matte Poreless Primer, and Skindinavia Setting Spray.

Funstuff/Taking adavantage of 20% sales: UD Naked Heat Vice Lipstick (Heat), UD 24/7 Eye Pencil (Whiskey), UD Primer Potion in Caffeine, Mini Benefit Galifornia Blush, MAC ED Blush in Cheeky Bits, and an empty MUFE Palette. Last but not least the new KVD L&S e/s Glimmer Palette. By the way, none of my funstuff has arrived yet. These sales were just a couple days ago, literally at the end of July! I hope to have some goody packets in hand this evening! 

Random Stuffs:
Skin Care: I replenished a few things from The Ordinary: Lactic Acid 10%, Glycolic Acid, Niacinamide & The Buffet. I also ordered a new Clarisonic Radiance Brush Head.

Used Up/Disposed Of/Will Dispose Of:
Used Up:
CeraVe Eye Serum & CeraVe Face Serum - replenished
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% - replenished
Kate Somerville EradiKate Daily Cleanser - replenished
Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer – I successfully replaced this with the much more affordable NYX Angel Veil. I even like that the NYX comes in a squeeze bottle that allows me to shake the formula. AND I should be able to get every bit out, whereas the HG bottle was a pain to get product out once it got super low.

Disposed Of (in appropriate manner…lol) :
The NARS Loaded palette. I really wanted this. I purchased it and it has been sitting unused! Really for me, it can only be used with other palettes. Boo! I let it go! 

(2) EL Double Wear Concealers – Neither shade worked for me. Good bye
Tarte Shape Tape – I originally purchased 2 shades, one of which was too light. I did not bother to return it because I got it on sale. Good bye. 

3 Deciem Ordinary Foundations, Azelaic Acid, a primer and Alpha Arbutin all new in box, plus 3 MAC mini Prep & Prime Base, went the way of eBay. I used the funds to replenish my essential Ordinary skin care products.

Niod Photography Fluid, Hylamide Photo Foundation Booster – Both were very low and I do not reach for them. 

2 Tarte double ended pencil eyeliners; 3 Rimmel Pencil Eyeliners

Will Dispose Of:
2 Hourglass Blushes…I really wanted these, but I found they are too light and just don’t suit me.

I feel so much better doing the monthly review and decluttering! It takes this weird weight I feel off. Like too much stuff creates this bit of confusion I do not like. 

On The Horizon: 
Nothing makeup wise: I exhausted my “must” list and have almost nothing on my “lust” list. As things get announced for fall and holiday, I will probably add new things to my list that catch my eye. 

Travel: We are planning some travel in the coming months. Vegas in November (pleasure) and a cruise in January (more business than pleasure). So, the plan is to save some money and to be super selective with my purchases. That being said, I will set aside a little bit for the fall Sephora sale.  Funny thing is I did this for the spring sale and I spent nowhere near as much as I thought I would. Win win! 

And that’s all she wrote! Wishing everyone a fabulous weekend! *


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## shellygrrl (Jul 28, 2017)

July purchases:
* Makeup Geek eyeshadow - Baby Face. This finally came back into stock after being OOS for a long time, and to my understanding it's going to be discontinued once current stock runs out. It's pretty much a skintone shade on me, which I'm more than fine with, as I haven't had one in my stash for quite some time.

* Makeup Geek blush - Main Squeeze. I wanted a matte coral blush and didn't have one, so. Another product about to be discontinued! Very happy with this as well.

* Zoya nail polish - Pippa. Earlier this year, I bought wet'n'wild D'oh! n/p, which is also a yellow, but is more of a Simpsons yellow than lemon-peel yellow (which is what I wanted), and D'oh! looks hideous on me/my skintone. I sought advice in the nail polish thread, and Pippa was one of the suggestions given. It was also one of the more promising ones, so I bought it. Much more like it! D'oh! has been binned.


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## veronikawithak (Jul 29, 2017)

juraseka said:


> Hi Ladies!
> I'm new to the forum, I created an account a while ago but finally decided to post
> So my question is, HOW do you keep yourself from buying so much?? Haha. I think I'm an addict, I'm constantly telling myself not to buy but I still do! I have drawers of stuff but I always want more. I just love looking at everything I have!
> The good news is I always shop sales and bargains and I try to always sell stuff quickly that I know I won't use
> Looking forward to meeting a lot of you!



Welcome!

Been there! Oh, have I ever been there.. My opinion is that if you constantly tell yourself to stop but can't, you're in the realm of addiction.

How I personally stopped:

- *Ask yourself WHY you want to change: *is your spending causing you stress, unhappiness, disappointment in yourself? Do you feel that your time, money, or energy could be better spent elsewhere? Knowing your big WHY is key. Design the life you want, don't get stuck on the hamster wheel.
- *Identify your #1  financial goal:* paying off debt, saving for a house, helping kids out with college, travel, quitting a job you dislike to pursue other dreams. Money you spend on cosmetics _is in direct competition_ with this big goal. Every time you buy something, ask yourself if you want another lipstick or financial freedom.
- *Maximize your happiness:* studies show that happiness = time > experiences > possessions. Spend money in a way that gives you more time or experiences, not more things. Studies also show that simplifying your life is more likely to lead to happiness. More possessions lead to higher stress, more time spent shopping, organizing, cleaning, caring for all of these items, choosing which items to use. The Paradox of Choice TED Talk by Barry Schwartz is a great illustration of this.
- *Create an environment that sets you up for success*: unsubscribe from sales emails, YouTube channels that encourage excessive consumption, blogs that promote new products. Instead surround yourself with people who are letting go, becoming creators instead of consumers, spending their money in a way that increases happiness. 
- *Focus on other hobbies:* take an art class, learn a new language, volunteer, write a novel, start a side hustle, play an instrument, join a club.
- *Remember that advertisers have power: *they know _exactly_ how to make you spend more. They know all the tricks. They know the sales techniques that make people spend. If you want to spend less, you have to recognize this power and take it back from them. Remind yourself that you are beautiful. Advertisers tap in to your biggest insecurities: attractiveness, youth, success, relationships. You don't need things to be beautiful or youthful or successful. You live in a world of abundance, not scarcity!
- *Be patient with yourself: *changing ingrained habits takes time. Don't be too hard on yourself, but continue to challenge yourself to make positive changes. One small step at a time!
- *Consider the impact of spending: *the impact on your life, but also the impact on the environment, animal testing, factory conditions, etc. The True Cost is a fantastic documentary focused on the fast fashion industry (on Netflix) but many things also apply to cosmetics.

A final note: by cutting back on my spending, *I will be paying off my student loans in HALF the time and I'll be able to quit my 9-5 job TWENTY YEARS EARLIER to travel and maybe start my own business*. I could go out to eat more, buy more, have more, but I could also have twenty extra years of traveling and spending ALL of my time as I want to. *The best part: I am also much happier! I don't feel deprived at all. I feel like I have everything I could ever want or need.*


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## juraseka (Jul 29, 2017)

Wow! Thank you SO MUCH for that, it is really helpful to break it down and look at things from each angle! I really appreciate it
And good for you!! That is amazing that you have taken such control of your life and are moving so quickly towards your goals! Keep up the good work, girl! <3


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## shellygrrl (Jul 30, 2017)

FOTD...
* Anastasia Stick Foundation - Porcelain (only in the nose area)
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Eyeshadow - Copperplate (lid)
* MAC Eyeshadow - Malt (through/above crease)
* MAC Eyeshadow - Typographic (lashline)
* Clinique High Impact Mascara
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin (contour)
* NARS Blush - Sex Appeal
* MAC Mattene - Personal Pick


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## lenchen (Aug 6, 2017)

*Low Buy Check-In - July
Overall, I did really good this month, I didn't get a whole lot in the way of purchases. just my eye brushes from CD Japan which didn't break the bank.

Purchases:
No high end purchases, I purchased some colourpop eyeshadows to complete my duped colored rain palette. I got my hands on the UD caffeine primer, but I exchanged something else for that.


Random Stuff:
Skin Care: I repurchased my vitamin C C21 serum, and I ordered some sheet masks in the same formula.

Used Up/Disposed Of/Will Dispose Of:
Used Up: 
MAC lipstick in laugh a lot, from an old MAC collection
MAC lipstick in fresh salmon
NARS eyeshadow in Fez-will not repurchase

Disposed Of :
MAC Guilt by association eyeshadow
Makeup forever cream corrector pot in orange-really old, found a better alternative
MAC brush 225-Scratchy AF!
MAC brush 213-Scracthy AF!
MAC brush 221-old 221 brush that was brown in colour
MAC brush 249-used for cream products, really really old, (15yo) bristles just needed helpwell past its prime


Will Dispose Of:
Backup brushes
I have some backup brushes from MAC and hakuhodo that I'm going to put up for sale, I want to use the funds to help fund a face brush that I've been eyeing on CD Japan some say it's a dupe for the Suqqu face and it's cheaper and softer, I'm curious, I using the  one in one out, rule this way it eases my guilt. speaking of brushes,  I did purchase, the eye brushes that I had been eyeing, and I replaced some of the scratchy ones from MAC 

On The Horizon: 
For the last few years of my low buy journey, I've been focusing on skincare and not makeup, well, I discovered the Viseart neutrals palette and the theory palette in minx and I'm loving them! I'm really impressed by the mattes! I did a smokey eye look using some colors from the neutrals palette, and they were so pigmented, and easy to work with! **I'm considering purchasing these a**nd the minx palette reminds me of the MAC spiced chocolate quad that was stolen from me years ago. 

That's it! can't wait to read everyone else's check-ins*


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## shellygrrl (Aug 6, 2017)

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Mattifying Primer
* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01 (currently a little too light for me... eeep!)
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless (used to set the eye primer)
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Baby Face
* Clinique High Impact Mascara
* The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder - 02 (used both as a bronzer and in the crease to give a little definition)
* Makeup Geek Blush - Main Squeeze
* MAC Lipstick - Fanfare


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## LV2EVOLVE (Aug 6, 2017)

So, I've decided to watch old videos on make-up I already own.  It helps me fall in love all over again with what I have.


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## Alysse011 (Aug 7, 2017)

LV2EVOLVE said:


> So, I've decided to watch old videos on make-up I already own.  It helps me fall in love all over again with what I have.


This is a good idea!


I have been nosing around the Cle de Peau thread because I do love that line. They just released brand new lipsticks and I was immediately drawn to truly every color. I almost used a Saks 10% off code to buy one but resisted. The temptation has been real though. So yesterday I sat down to do another cull of my stash. I ended up getting rid of a few of those older foundations I mentioned in a previous post, and I really sat and took inventory of what I have. It has killed my desire for any new lipsticks as of right now because I truly do love the ones I already own! It also made me realize that I *really* need to stop saving the LE MAC x Ellie Goulding lippie and use it up. That collection was quite a while back. I love the color but never use it because when it's gone it's gone forever. I pulled it out of my lipstick holder and it's now living in my purse. I'm going to make a concentrated effort to finish it up.


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## shellygrrl (Aug 13, 2017)

Birthday face...

* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation - Porcelain
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* MAC Eyeshadow - Copperplate (brows)
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Baby Face
* MAC Eyeshadow - Omega
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Hipster
* Sephora LashCraft Length & Volume Mascara
* Benefit Hoola
* MAC Lipstick - Fanfare
* NARS Satin Lip Pencil - Lodhi (just on the centre of the lips)


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## fur4elise (Aug 14, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> *Birthday face...*
> * Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
> * wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation - Porcelain
> * Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
> ...


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## Alysse011 (Aug 14, 2017)

Happy Birthday [MENTION=59300]shelly[/MENTION]grrrl !!!


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## PrettyTwisted (Aug 14, 2017)

With no MAC fall collection MAC has forced me into a Low/No buy month.  Great, I guess?  Lol


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## fur4elise (Aug 14, 2017)

PrettyTwisted said:


> With no MAC fall collection MAC has forced me into a Low/No buy month.  Great, I guess?  Lol


*
You are in good company!  I have made a whopping single purchase this month!*


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## jennyap (Aug 14, 2017)

Happy birthday [MENTION=65477]shellygrrl[/MENTION] !! Hope you had a special day


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## lenchen (Aug 16, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> Birthday face...
> 
> * Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
> * wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation - Porcelain
> ...


Happy Birthday!!!!


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## shellygrrl (Aug 16, 2017)

Thanks for the well-wishes!  It was a great day.


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## shellygrrl (Aug 20, 2017)

FOTD...

* Anastasia Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* MAC Eyeshadow - Copperplate (for brows)
* surratt Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Paint Pot - Camel Coat
* Clinique High Impact Mascara
* NARS Blush - Sex Appeal
* NARS Velvet Lip Glide - Unlaced


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## shellygrrl (Aug 27, 2017)

Looks like August has been a no-buy month for me, makeup-wise!

FOTD...
* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Eyeshadows - Sumptuous Olive (lid and lower lashline) and Omega (crease(ish))
* Sephora Lashcraft Length and Volume Mascara
* MAC Blush - Taupe (as a bronzer)
* NARS Satin Lip Pencil - Rikugien


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## fur4elise (Aug 28, 2017)

*Low Buy Check-In ~ August
I can safely say with just 3 full days left of August, I am done for this month. 

Purchases, 4 total for August! (Make that 5, see my Random Stuffs for clarification.)

One Sephora purchase, using a g/c: 4 ABH Eyeshadow Singles: Golden Copper, Pink Champagne, Rose Gold & Sunset. All of them but Pink Champagne perfectly accompany the new UD Naked Heat palette. I love these shadows! Creamy & pigmented. 

One drugstore purchase, on sale & with coupon: L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara – With the above Sephora purchase I also redeemed points for a second TF Better Than Sex mascara. The L’Oreal is indeed a pretty close dup for the TF. I like them both…but think the TF is just a bit more pigmented and perhaps a tad thicker in formula. 

One Ulta purchase, using the 20% off coupon: Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation. This is my HG foundation and it was a replenishment.

My last purchase was an unexpected surprise and pleasure! The LE Sunrise: A Plum Blossom lipstick from Tatcha. For me, this year’s LE release Twilight: A Cherry Blossom did not work at all.  So I am happy happy! I wanted it last year but it sold out very quickly. It is a beautiful color that is close to a MLBB shade. 

Random Stuffs:
I have a new favorite liquid eyeliner! The KVD Tatoo liner in Mad Max Brown. I actually have travel size tubes in both Trooper (black) and the brown. I just randomly pulled it out a couple weeks ago and did the most perfect of, tiniest of, wing liner…which I am not skilled at, at all! Boy, it was instant love. The liner went on so smooth and opaque and lasts 12 hours, no problem. I see this becoming a go to product.

Spotted at Marshall’s: This just reminded me I did spend $8 for The High Life, Essential Hues 3-piece mini Highliner eye set…A great discount! (Purchase number 5 for the month)  Also spotted, MJ O!Mega Mascara, assorted MJ foundations and powders, Bite Luminous Crème lipsticks, MAC Retro Matte lippies, assorted Stila products,  and KVD eyeliner. All of it appeared to be discontinued and/or odd shades. I would have gone for the MJ mascara too, but it was obviously old and I did a sniff test. Ick.

Used Up/Disposed Of/Will Dispose Of (in an appropriate manner  ): 

Disposed Of:
4 large bags of clothing, shoes, linens and a suitcase – All donated to Good Will.
Dekraapification feels so good! I donated over 20 pairs of shoes in good condition! And any additions back to my closet this summer have been well selected and minimal. 

I finally let go of my very first Clarins bronzer, Summer Fever…I literally loved that thing into pieces. But, I have the new 2017 release, so I let it go…*tear*

UD 24/7 Eye Pencil – Underground

Mascaras Galore – All past date. I mark my tubes with sharpie marker (silver or black) to keep track of when I opened a tube. Cover Girl and L’Oreal – 5 Tubes total.

Will Dispose Of:
I have a handful of deluxe sample size mascaras, that are due to go. I really do like the sample sizes as they have enough product for the 3-4 months of use. I redeem perk points and get samples when offered to keep a small stash of my favorites.

On The Horizon: 
Skin Care: 
I am getting close to replenishing my Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 Original "1970". I purchased trial sizes of both the P50 “1970” and the Lotion P50 PIGM 400 (for hyperpigmentation). I am not sure the PIGM 400 really did anything for me…but I do think the P50 “1970” is doing something positive for my skin. Having submitted a review I was given a 10% off coupon, so I get a little savings. 

Birthday Stuffs:
In anticipation of my birthday (Sept 8th), I was very good for the month of August! I do look forward to the freebies and coupon codes that come my way…I will be sure to pick up my birthday gifts from Sephora & Ulta. I already have a Saks coupon, so I may go ahead and splurge on a couple Tom Ford Cream & Powder Duos that have been on my lust list for a very long time.

I will most likely pick up the MAC Taraji II Viva Glam Lip Duo on the 7th. 

Still no sneak peeks of Rihanna’s Fenty line which is due out on my birthday…I am very very curious. *rubs hands together*

As I mentioned above, it was insta love for the ABH single eyeshadows I purchased. I now have a small list of other colors that I would like to add: Amber, Henna, Peach Sorbet, Vermeer & Wine. I would say my love affair with warm metallics for eyes continues to be strong. 

I think I have also fallen in love with Donna Karan’s Cashmere Aura edp. I am tempted to pick up a roller ball to see if I really do, before I commit to a full size bottle. To me it is the kind of scent you want caught up in your cashmere …perfect for fall.

Holiday 2017 – So far the only thing appealing to me has been the sneak peek of Guerlain. There looks to be a palette with beautiful scalloped design packaging and a new Rouge G in gold & black packaging. 
Soooooo pretty! 


And that’s all she wrote…I am very proud of myself for saving money this month. I will allow for my birthday splurges in September, but not go overboard. I am doing very well saving for our Thanksgiving Vegas trip. I really want the chance to shop in the big Sephora there.  Have a great week ladies!*


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## lenchen (Sep 2, 2017)

*Low Buy Check-In – August, fur4elise, I’m going with your format, as I think you do a great job.*

*Total items purchased for the month of August =4*


*1.  Viseart-Neutrals Palette, I was able to use a friend’s 20% discount, ordering from Muse beauty pro.*

*2. Viseart Minx Palette, used the 20% discount, ordering from Muse Beauty pro.*

*3. Ordered the fine kalla face brush from CD Japan, after selling of most of my brush backups MAC ,Hakuhoudo etc. I’m waiting for that item to arrive.*

*4. ELF Lip exfoliators I absolutely love this stuff!! Feels great on the lips, exfoliates really well, and they only cost $3! I like this much better than the red apple lipstick version, so I will re-purchase once I run out.*



*Used Up/Decluttered: Smashbox oil free primer, I will be repurchasing. Estee Lauder double wear in 6w1 sandalwood, I loved this foundation, it did very very well in 100 degree weather this thing did not budge!! I was very impressed with it and I can see why people love this.*



*Will re-home:*
*I have a few makeupgeek matte eyeshadows that I’m not impressed with, they seem to look muddy on me after a while, not too impressed, so off to a new home they go!*

*On The Horizon: *
*Skin Care: *
*Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 Original "1970" travel size. *
*C21 vitamin c sheet masks, this time I’m going to purchase more masks to last a bit longer than a month!*
*SU:UM Cooling watering sunblock*
*90 tea tree essence*
*SU:UM serum*


*Birthday Stuff:*
*In anticipation of my birthday (Sept 24th), I  didn’t go overboard in Aug. Make-up/beauty purchases planned:*


*Tocca hair mist Guilletta*
*Cover FX pressed setting powder*
*Cover fx matte setting spray*
*Viseart Dark mattes palette*
*Urban Decay all nighter setting spray*
*Smashbox oil free primer*
*Smashbox eyeshadow primer in Dark*
*Chickuhodo  MK2 face brush*
*CHANEL COCO Mademoiselle *


*Holiday 2017 – nothing  has caught my eye as of yet.*


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## shellygrrl (Sep 3, 2017)

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Mattifying Primer
* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* MAC Eyeshadow - Copperplate (brows)
* surratt Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* Sephora LashCraft Length and Volume Mascara
* Makeup Geek Blush - Main Squeeze
* NARS Satin Lip Pencil - Lodhi

I'm taking a short shopping trip in a couple of days, and I'm taking the following with me...

* 2x MUFE Step 1 - Mattifying, Smoothing
* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* Rimmel Stay Matte Powder - Transparent
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Paint Pot - Camel Coat
* Clinique High Impact Mascara
* MAC Lipstick - Blankety
* NARS Satin Lip Pencil - Rikugien

I don't anticipate buying a ton of makeup, though I'm definitely going to have a look at various things. I do anticipate spending some money on clothes, though.


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## lenchen (Sep 8, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *Low Buy Check-In ~ July
> Helllooooo!  ~ Overall this was a budget friendly month! I took advantage of a few sales/coupons to replenish tried and true skincare products, a few makeup staples and purchase a little funstuff. I also did a little bit more dekraapifying. Here goes!
> 
> Purchases:
> ...



Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!


----------



## shellygrrl (Sep 9, 2017)

Happy birthmonth, Elise! 

I'm home from my little shopping trip (got home last night). No makeup was purchased, but I did do quite a bit of swatching and was able to eliminate quite a few things from my combined makeup wishlist.

* Benefit Hoola Light: would probably just barely show up on me, and I'm pretty dang pale. I think my ideal bronzer shade would be somewhere in between Hoola Light and original Hoola.
* Bite l/s in Cava: I love the colour, but it looks a bit corpse lips on me, which is sad.  (Also tried on Thistle... even corpsier corpse lips. :skull: That said, I did like the texture of the Bite lipsticks!)
* NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer in Chantilly: Totally different undertone to the Radiant Creamy Concealer in the same shade and the texture reminded me too much of MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer.
* MAC Lipliner in Subculture: Meh.

I also determined which shade of Tarte Shape Tape I'd need, and whether or not I'd like it. (My shade would be Fair, and yes, I like it!) I also re-swatched NARS RCC in Chantilly to compare/contrast. From there, I decided since I like both, eventually, I'll likely buy both. (Shape Tape would be good for under the eyes when I need a little extra help, and I think it could work for spot concealing since it has a higher coverage. RCC would work under the eyes when I don't need as much coverage.)

Also: did some foundation and concealer swatching at a MAC counter. NC10 in Studio Fix Fluid is a nearly close match -- maybe a smidge too light right now but would likely be my winter shade; NC15 is a little dark for me in SFF but is a good match in the Pro Longwear Concealer. I also swatched a few shades of Pro Longwear Nourishing Foundation; I don't quite remember which one was closest (NW13, I think?).


----------



## fur4elise (Sep 9, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> Happy birthmonth, Elise! I'm home from my little shopping trip (got home last night). No makeup was purchased, but I did do quite a bit of swatching and was able to eliminate quite a few things from my combined makeup wishlist.
> * Benefit Hoola Light: would probably just barely show up on me, and I'm pretty dang pale. I think my ideal bronzer shade would be somewhere in between Hoola Light and original Hoola.
> * Bite l/s in Cava: I love the colour, but it looks a bit corpse lips on me, which is sad.  (Also tried on Thistle... even corpsier corpse lips. :skull: That said, I did like the texture of the Bite lipsticks!)
> * NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer in Chantilly: Totally different undertone to the Radiant Creamy Concealer in the same shade and the texture reminded me too much of MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer.
> ...



 *Wow! No buy! I fear tomorrow's in store shenanigans… lol I hope to have your sense and restraint! Which means lots o' swatching! 

Thank you, thank you for the bmonth wishes! The actual day was lowkey due to "adulting." But it's all good!

I actually skipped the Sephora Rouge holiday preview and Taraji Viva Glam II & went for 2 Fenty Beauty items instead. More exciting and fun! 

I love Shape Tape! I use Tan Sand. Once you figure out application & dry time the stuff is magic!  **I blot blot blot with my blender sponge to get it melted into my s skin. It **does a great job for spot concealing too! Very pigmented & opaque! 

Boo for corpse lips! Taint halloween quite yet 
*


----------



## fur4elise (Sep 9, 2017)

lenchen said:


> Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!



*Thank you sweetie! *


----------



## shellygrrl (Sep 10, 2017)

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Sand Dollar (all-over base/to set primer)
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Friend Zone (all over lid and up above crease)
* MAC Eyeshadow - Satin Taupe (centre of lid for a little pop)
* Sephora Contour Eye Pencil 12HR Wear - Black Lace (tightline) and 5th Avenue (outer third of lower lashline)
* Sephora LashCraft Length and Volume Mascara
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin (contour)
* NARS Blush - Sex Fantasy
* NARS Velvet Lip Glide - Unlaced


----------



## shellygrrl (Sep 17, 2017)

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation - Porcelain
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* MAC Eyeshadow - Mystery (brows)
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Eyeshadow - Sumptuous Olive
* Clinique High Impact Mascara
* Benefit Hoola
* MAC Lipstick - Fanfare


----------



## shellygrrl (Sep 21, 2017)

(A bit of a brain dump about a thing.)

So you probably know I swore off pre-made eyeshadow palettes a while back. I was just in the Bobbi Brown thread and saw Elegant's swatches of the Downtown Cool palette. It seems to be right up my alley at the moment, as I've been going through a mostly matte phase lately, and it's neutral that leans more cool.

I've gone through my eyeshadow stash to try to dupe the palette. The top left shade is pretty close to MAC Typographic. The closest thing I have to the bottom right is MAC Mystery (maybe some differences in undertone?). The bottom left is kind of similar to either MAC Copperplate or Makeup Geek Friend Zone (moreso the latter, perhaps? I vascillate between the two. I also pulled out MUG Faux Fur). I don't have anything like the top right. The downside is I did this swatching at night with not a lot of light, soooo... I think I'll try again during daylight.


----------



## Alysse011 (Sep 22, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> (A bit of a brain dump about a thing.)
> 
> So you probably know I swore off pre-made eyeshadow palettes a while back. I was just in the Bobbi Brown thread and saw Elegant's swatches of the Downtown Cool palette. It seems to be right up my alley at the moment, as I've been going through a mostly matte phase lately, and it's neutral that leans more cool.
> 
> I've gone through my eyeshadow stash to try to dupe the palette. The top left shade is pretty close to MAC Typographic. The closest thing I have to the bottom right is MAC Mystery (maybe some differences in undertone?). The bottom left is kind of similar to either MAC Copperplate or Makeup Geek Friend Zone (moreso the latter, perhaps? I vascillate between the two. I also pulled out MUG Faux Fur). I don't have anything like the top right. The downside is I did this swatching at night with not a lot of light, soooo... I think I'll try again during daylight.


I've been swatching my shadows too to try to talk myself out of the new Charlotte Tilbury palette.  Let us know if you are able to dupe that last shade!


----------



## fur4elise (Sep 22, 2017)

shellygrrl said:


> (A bit of a brain dump about a thing.)
> So you probably know I swore off pre-made eyeshadow palettes a while back. I was just in the Bobbi Brown thread and saw Elegant's swatches of the Downtown Cool palette. It seems to be right up my alley at the moment, as I've been going through a mostly matte phase lately, and it's neutral that leans more cool.
> I've gone through my eyeshadow stash to try to dupe the palette. The top left shade is pretty close to MAC Typographic. The closest thing I have to the bottom right is MAC Mystery (maybe some differences in undertone?). The bottom left is kind of similar to either MAC Copperplate or Makeup Geek Friend Zone (moreso the latter, perhaps? I vascillate between the two. I also pulled out MUG Faux Fur). I don't have anything like the top right. The downside is I did this swatching at night with not a lot of light, soooo... I think I'll try again during daylight.




*Aaaaaah yes! The struggle with pre-made palettes! You know my struggle with these! 

However, I have learned my lesson! I removed several palettes from my collection for non-use. And the last pre-made I purchased is kind of a disappointment (KVD Shimmer), in that I am only using 4 of the 12 shades.
* 

*I have looked at a few new releases and swatched a few, just to appease my "Oooooh! Shiny! New!" feelings. But I have come to realize, from here on out, I will do 100% better to limit **e/s purchases to single pans, to fill in any gaps for my current go to looks. 

You are the one person in Low Buy that has done great in regards to pre-mades. I say if the BB palette (only 4 shades) is unique enough, fills a gap you have and you know you will reach for it, then go for it. Swatch again and see how you feel. *


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## shellygrrl (Sep 25, 2017)

Yesterday's FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Baby Face
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Faux Fur
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Concrete Jungle
* MAC Eyehshadow - Malt
* Sephora LashCraft Length and Volume Mascara
* Makeup Geek Blush - Main Squeeze
* MAC Lipstick - Blankety


----------



## veronikawithak (Sep 26, 2017)

I think the last time I checked in was June!

July, August, September - $0.00

That feels great!!! I used to do 100 day no buys and it would be difficult to get through them, now the time kind of flew by! I’ve also paid off $20,000 in principal on my student loans just this year. Loving the effect these new habits are having on my life.

Total in 2017: $850.34 (average $94.48/month) - I set a goal of $1,000 for spending at the beginning of the year (for clothing, makeup, skincare, perfume).. I wasn’t sure I would make it but now it’s looking like I will! Excited about that. Also going strong on my 2017 clothing no buy - still $0 spent there. The end of the year feels so close, it should be easier to stay motivated and not mess up 9 months of progress!

Total in 2016: $1247.07 (average $103.92/month)


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## shellygrrl (Oct 1, 2017)

Nothing purchased in September for me. Still haven't done my swatches to see if I can dupe the BB Downtown Girl palette completely. (I have it tentatively wishlisted.)

FOTD...
* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* mix of wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation - Porcelain + MUFE Ultra HD - Y205
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Concrete Jungle (brows; worked out quite well for me)
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Moondust
* Clinique High Impact Mascara
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin (contour)
* The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder - 02
* NYX Slim Lipliner Pencil - Dark Red
* NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil - Cruella


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## VAL4M (Oct 5, 2017)

Big wake up call today i'm like watching all those swatches video of the ABH Prism palette and debating if I will purchase it and went to refresh my makeup and boom I open the MUFE floral palette.  hum let me check bright yellow, dark green, dark purple, light violet, dusty pink-taupe  .... ok ABH have 14 shades versus 9 for MUFE but i'm sure I have some single to fill the blank .


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## LadyBug13 (Oct 8, 2017)

Hey everyone! 

I can’t remember the last time I checked in (Maybe June?). Here are my updates:

July: No purchases, nothing used up, nothing tossed out

August: No purchases, used up the Fresh Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask (deluxe sample) and the Fresh Umbrian Clay Purifying Mask, nothing tossed out 

September: Bought the Nivea Care & Coconut Moisturizing Body Wash and some polish remover, used up the Dove Dry Oil Moisture Body Wash and the Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash, and tossed out the Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo, Shea Moisture Manuka Honey hair masque, Shea Moisture Jamaica Black Castor Oil leave-in conditioner, Qhemet Biologics Cocoa Tree Detangling Ghee, Qhemet Biologics Alma & Olive Heavy Cream, and the Oyin Handmade Burnt Sugar Pomade


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## fur4elise (Oct 8, 2017)

*September Check-In!

Another budget friendly month. 
Purchases: 6 total*

2 purchases were made with PayPal (eBay) funds and almost all were made with a discount or coupon.
*
New tip! Load your cart at a brand’s site and wait for a coupon! *
Example: I visited Kate Sommerville for my staple ExoliKate cleanser and put it in a cart…they had a 20% sale and I did not pull the trigger. The very next day they sent me a 30% coupon! Needless to say, I pulled the trigger.
*
 eBay purchase of DK Cashmere Aura rollerball. Love it!*

*Birthday splurge from Saks: 
Tom Ford E/S Duos in Paradiso and Golden Peach*, a* Gucci lipstick* (Rush, red) and *YSL Le Rouge* in Le Rouge in the holiday packaging. 25% discount with coupon. 

*Fenty Beauty,* my other b-day splurge: Highlighting duo in* Moscow Mule/Ginger Binge & Lip Gloss.* 
I promptly gave the gloss to one of my student workers…I truly cannot stand lip gloss…who knew?!? 
There be something wrong with me! Cuckoo, cuckoo!  I love the duo and use it on my eyes more than my face!

The last thing was to replenish my *Biologique Recherche P50 1970.* I love the stuff…Is it in my head that it’s making a difference? No. I believe it is improving the quality of my skin. Going to stick with it! 10% off coupon.

*Used Up/Disposed Of/Will Dispose Of:
Used Up:
The Ordinary Matrixyl – Will not replenish. Switched to The Buffet. 
EL Double Wear foundation. I opened a new bottle.
L’Oreal Elnette Hairspray
*
*Disposed Of:
Mascara Minis
Benefit They’re Real Mascara 
MUFE Excessive
Lancome Cils Booter XL 
Lancome Hypnose Noir
Bobbi Brown Smoky Eye
Tarte Tartiest 
Smashbox XRated
Benefit Rollerball
Sephora Lashcraft
MAC Upward Lash*
Out of all of these, I already have replacement minis for the Benefit Rollerball & They’re Real. Those are the mascaras I liked best. I will have another small assortment on the chopping block for next month. 

*Gave Away:
Deciem The Ordinary Azaleic Acid, High Spread Fluid Primer
Deciem Hylamide HA, HA Blur Primer, Matte 12 Primer*
*
Will Dispose Of / Give Away
UD x GS Cheek Palette
NARS Cheek Studio
Marc Jacobs Holiday 16 Iconic E/S Palette*

I do not reach for any of these palettes and I have a student in mind to give them too. It would make me happy to make her happy!  

*On The Horizon:*
*Holiday Stuffs:
* I am saving for and waiting on swatches. My plan is to hold out as long as I can for brand sales and/or the Sephora fall sale:
*NARS May Ray Veil Cheek Palette*
*Bobbi Brown Highlighting Powder Trio*
*Stila Eye For Elegance Liquid Eye Shadow Set*
*NARS Noire Et Blanche Mini Audacious Lipstick Coffret*
*Guerlain Holiday Rouge G in Flaming Red*
I am also considering a couple of the new *Tom Ford Boys & Girls lippies.* 

I did order a MUFE empty palette last week (the F&F sale is happening until the 12th). This is to *address my custom palettes and further edit my loose e/s & blush pans* to what I am reaching for and dispose of unused and old pans. 
*
Things Versus Experiences*
Having been mindful and super selective about my beauty purchases these past few month, I have was able to save a bit of money. Enough that I could book and pay for our Thanksgiving escape in Vegas next month
 
That being said my holiday beauty lust list is kind of loaded…so it may very well pass that I only splurge on a couple things and continue to save so we can enjoy our mini vacation.

*Hope everyone had a great weekend!
x0x0x0x*


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## shellygrrl (Oct 8, 2017)

BB Downtown palette update: I had a second look through my eyeshadow stash, and I'm pretty much convinced I can dupe only the one shade. I'm going to wait until the end of the month/early November before getting it.

FOTD...
* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base (note to self: set this with powder before applying anything, even creams, over the top)
* MAC Paint Pot - Tailor Grey
* MAC Eyeshadow - Copperplate
* Prestige True Khol Kajal - Matte Black (smudged into upper lashline)
* Sephora Waterproof Contour Eye Pencil - 5th Avenue (lower lashline)
* Sephora Lashcraft Length and Volume Mascara
* MAC Strobe Cream (top of cheekbones, inner corner highlight)
* NARS Blush - Sex Fantasy
* NARS Velvet Lip Glide - Unlaced
* MAC Lipstick - Blankety


----------



## lenchen (Oct 13, 2017)

*September Check-In!

I didn't spend as much as I thought I would *


*Birthday splurge:  
*
*eBay purchase : Chanel perfume mademoiselle love the scent and the bottle! *used eBay bucks towards my purchase

*Cover FX, *highlighter in candlelight, and  pressed setting powder

*Fenty Beauty,* Foundation, surprisingly I loved the foundation! I got both shade 390-winter shade and 400. I didn't really like anything else from the line, the highlighters were too glittery for me, the contour/colour/highlight sticks were just ok.

*Colored Raine- eyeshadow palette* bday gift from my sister I had no idea was really sweet of her!

*Smashbox Primers minis:* oil free and pore minimizing

*
Used Up:
SU:UM37 Rose cleansing stick, *ordered 2 additional sticks it seems as though I go through these quickly!*
SU:UM37 Emulsion*-opened up the back-up I had

*Gave Away:
*
*Viseart-minx palette-*I gave it to my cousin, while I'm in love with Viseart mattes in general, I found that I wasn't a fan of the shimmer side of the minx  palette switched great on my arm, not so much on my eyes. I found myself only using the mattes which is a huge waste! that small palette was not cheap, so I re-homed it.


*On The Horizon:
*
*Viseart Dark Mattes Palette-*I'm holding out for the a sale at MUSE beauty PRO around Black Friday. 
*Kat Von D liquid liner- *I'll probably pick this up  when I get ready to purchase the dark mattes palette
*Red Apple lipstick mascara- *re-purchase 
*Red Apple lipstick lip balm*- re-purchase
*21.5 vitamin C serum*-repurchase

Nothing is tempting me for the holiday sales.
Great job everyone!


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## shellygrrl (Oct 15, 2017)

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* mix of wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation - Porcelain + MUFE Ultra HD - Y205
* ABH Stick Foundation - Porcelain (used under the eyes over the corrector)
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless (also used on eyes after e/s primer)
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadows - Unexpected (crease + slightly above), Twilight (lid), Sand Dollar (close to brow for additional blending), Concrete Jungle (outer third + halfway across lower lashline)
* Clinique High Impact Mascara
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin (contour)
* The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder - 02
* NARS Satin Lip Pencil - Rikugien
* MAC Lipstick - Blankety (dabbed in the centre of lips)


----------



## shellygrrl (Oct 23, 2017)

Sunday's face...

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer (across nose and porous areas, plus under the eyes)
* MUFE Step 1 - Mattifying Primer (across forehead)
* wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation - Porcelain
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Eyeshadow - Copperplate
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Unexpected
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Concrete Jungle
* Sephora LashCraft Length and Volume Mascara
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin (contour)
* NARS Blush - Sex Fantasy
* MAC Strobe Cream
* MAC Mattene - Personal Pick


----------



## LadyBug13 (Oct 27, 2017)

*OCTOBER CHECK-IN

*October is my birthday month, so I did a bit of splurging: *

Purchased
*Dove Advanced Care Antiperspirant Deodorant 
Sunday Riley CEO Protect & Repair Moisturizer 
Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask to Quench Skin's Thirst (1.7 oz)
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser (1.7 oz)
Fresh Umbrian Clay Purifying Mask (1.0 oz)
MAC Fix +
MAC Bronzing Powder- Refined Golden 
MAC Lipstick- Naturally Transformed 
MAC Strobe Cream- Goldlite 
MAC Lipglass- C Thru
MAC Face and Body Foundation- C7
MAC Next to Nothing Face Colour- Dark 
Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray (1 oz)

*Received
*MAC Brow Pencil- Spike (my sister passed it on to me)
Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet & Vinoperfect Radiance Serum (Sephora birthday gift)
CLEAN Reserve Perfume (sample)
TOCCA Cleopatra Perfume (sample)
MAC Shadescents- Velvet Teddy and Creme d'Nude (samples)

*Used Up
*TOCCA Cleopatra Perfume (sample)
Origins GinZing Energy Boosting Moisturizer 
Dove Invisible Solid Antiperspirant 

*Decluttered/Passed On
*Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick- Bow n Arrow (I originally wanted to toss this a few months ago and changed my mind, but since I added a new lipstick to my collection and hardly wear Bow n Arrow, I let it go)
MAC Lipstick in Persistence (gave to my sister)
MAC Next to Nothing Face Colour in Medium Deep (sold it and bought the shade Dark. Medium Deep wasn't a good shade match after all)
MAC Face and Body foundation in C6 (sold it and bought the shade C7)

*For November* 
I have my VIB list ready. I plan to get the UD Naked Heat palette, Foreo Luna Mini, Fresh Creme Anciennne moisturizer, and the Ole Henriksen Truth Revealed Brightening SPF 15 moisturizer.


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## shellygrrl (Oct 29, 2017)

I'll be ending October not buying anything new, makeup-wise. (Will be buying BB Downtown sometime in November.)

FOTD...
* MUFE Step 1 - mix of Mattifying and Hydrating primers
* mix of wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation - Porcelain + MUFE Ultra HD - Y205
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless (to see e/s primer)
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Hipster (lid)
* MAC Blush - Taupe (as crease eyeshadow)
* MAC Eyeshadow - Mystery (outer corner)
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadows - mix of Sand Dollar and Baby Face (close to brow)
* The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder - 02
* mix of Makeup Geek Blush - Main Squeeze + NARS Blush - Sex Fantasy
* NYX Slim Lip Pencil - Black Berry (applied somewhat lightly all over lip, then rubbed off to a charcoal colour)
* MAC Lipstick - Blankety

That lip combo gave me a sort of browny-greigey colour.


----------



## veronikawithak (Oct 30, 2017)

*October Check-In *

$0.00

Student loan principal paid in 2017: $24,300. Woo hoo!

Total in 2017: $850.34 (average $85.03/month) - I set a goal of $1,000 for spending at the beginning of the year (for clothing, makeup, skincare, perfume).. I wasn’t sure I would make it but now it’s looking like I will! Excited about that. Also going strong on my 2017 clothing no buy - still $0 spent there. 

Total in 2016: $1,247.07 (average $103.92/month)

Only two months left in the year - let's make it happen! Now is the best time to start on your 2018 goals!


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## DMcG9 (Oct 30, 2017)

I am impressed at how much you knocked off your student loan so far this year. I need discipline like yours starting immediately.


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## veronikawithak (Oct 31, 2017)

DMcG9 said:


> I am impressed at how much you knocked off your student loan so far this year. I need discipline like yours starting immediately.



It took me a LONG time to get here. I've been in the Resolution LOW-BUY threads since they started in 2014 (almost 4 years now!!!). This is the first year I actually feel in control of my spending. It's still tough, but I'm making much better progress.

For comparison, in 2016 I only paid off $10,000 the entire year / with interest $15,000 - about 30% of my spending. This year I've paid off $24,000 with 2 months to go / with interest $28,000 - about 55% of my spending. I got a raise and a tax refund which helped bump up my numbers, but I've also spent several thousand less.

My new goal is to be able to quit my 9-5 job about 20 years earlier. My mindset around money, spending, and work has completely changed.

*I don't want more stuff.. the ultimate luxury purchase I can make is my freedom. 
*


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## fur4elise (Nov 3, 2017)

*Low Buy Check-In ~ October
*I did a little damage in October, but it reduced my cart for the Sephora sale today!

*Purchases: 
(3) KVD Studded Kiss Lipsticks*: *Adora, Thin Lizzy & Gothika.*– On clearance and new to me. 

*(3) Urban Decay Vice Lipsticks: Liar, Backseat & Nighthawk* – *These are my favorite FOTD/SFW lipsticks! *– UD B2G1 Free sale

*Sally Hansen Gel Nail Color Kit* – First drugstore purchase in many, many months!

Ulta purchase, using the 20% off coupon: The *NARS x Man Ray Cheek Veil Palette, Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter Gradient Glow.

*Sephora F&F 20% off – *stila Eye For Elegance Liquid Eye Shadow Set, Fenty Beauty Supermoon Lipstick and Space Suit Lip Gloss* (I actually like this gloss  ).

MUFE 25% sale – *Smoothing Primer, Aqua XL Color Paint & Mini Peach Ultra HD Pressed Powder.

Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick LE No.4 ~  The red case is divine.

**Random Stuffs:
*I found my lust/must list completely flipped and was reduced after I was able to swatch products as well as review what I already have. 
*So no MAC Holiday (eta: I did get one lippie ), no Holiday Guerlain, no Bobbi Brown highlighting trio, no Tom Ford lippies, no NARS Man Ray Lip Coffret. Money saved!*

*Used Up/Disposed Of/Will Dispose Of:

Used Up:
**Miss Jessie’s Jelly Soft Curls* – I liked this but chose a different curl cream by the brand and prefer it. 
*The Ordinary Buffet, Niacinamide* – Already backed up.
*Mini Smashbox Pore Minimizer Primer
Kate Sommerville ExfoliKate Cleanse*r – Already backed up.

*Disposed Of: 
UD 24/7 Eye Pencil – Stash 
Mini Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Mascara & Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara* –I like both of these and already had to mini backups. 

*Will Dispose Of:
*I have a few more *Physicians Formula* products I can give away.
*
There is still ongoing editing of my clothing and shoe wardrobe. *I was able to give another student worker some really nice dresses and sweaters.  

*On The Horizon: Nothing!*
I just placed another order at Sephora using the 20% VIBR coupon. And I am officially done! No trips to the B&M store either!

In fact, I got my dream luxury lipstick  and with that I took out just about everything else in my cart. It was a fair trade off as it kept me in my budget. At this point, I need to shop my stash and use what I have. I do not need to add more, as I feel like I have filled any gaps I had. 

*No more red lipstick!  (excluding the one I purchased today  )

*I am in good shape with all of my skin care products and have single back-ups of what I am using.

*Our trip to Las Vegas is in 3 weeks.* I do plan to pop into a Sephora, as I have never been in a large full size store. I will proceed with caution 

*It is the month of thanks! And I am very very thankful and grateful for my life and the people I have in it. I hope you all have a Happy November! *


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## lenchen (Nov 4, 2017)

*Low Buy Check-In - October*
I purchased very little in October!

*Purchases*
*Urban Decay Vice lipsticks in-*Rocksteady*, *Ms. Mia Wallace, F-Bomb, and Liar.

*Kat Von-D- *Tattoo liner


*Used Up/Disposed Of/Will Dispose Of:*

*Used Up:*
*SU:UM37 Rose cleansing stick*-will re-purchase, need back-ups
*90 Tea Tree essence*-will re-purchase, need a back up

*Disposed Of: *
*6 Make-up geek matte eyeshadows-*I give those away to my cousin, she loves makeup geek matte shadows and I didn’t see a reason to keep them once I purchased the Viseart neutrals palette. 

*Back-up brushes- *getting rid of my MAC 162, and 180 to help fund the remaining eye brushes on my list.


*On The Horizon: *

*Viseart dark mattes palette- *waiting for the black Friday sale at muse beauty pro.
*Cover Fx-pressed setting powder-*waiting for the Sephora 20% sale
*Victor and Rolf flowerbomb oil*-Sephora 20% sale
*Hakuhodo eye brushes-*using a gift card I got for my birthday back in September.
*Back-up skin care-*items I’m running low on that I know I will re-purchase.

After I purchase these items, I’m set I don’t need anything else in the way of makeup I’m content!


----------



## shellygrrl (Nov 5, 2017)

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Mattifying Primer
* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* Anastasia Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Paint Pot - Camel Coat
* MAC Paint Pot - Tailor Grey
* Sephora Contour Eye Pencil 12-Hour Waterproof - Black Lace
* Clinique High Impact Mascara
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin (contour)
* NARS Blush - Sex Appeal
* NARS Velvet Lip Glide - Unlaced


----------



## shellygrrl (Nov 12, 2017)

FOTD...

* mix of wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation - Porcelain + MAC Strobe Cream (mostly foundation)
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* MAC Eyeshadow - Copperplate (brows)
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade (edited to add this in)
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* mix of Makeup Geek Eyeshadows - Sand Dollar + Faux Fur
* Sephora LashCraft Length and Volume Mascara
* mix of NARS Blushes - Sex Appeal + Sex Fantasy
* NARS Satin Lip Pencil - Rikugien


----------



## shellygrrl (Nov 19, 2017)

FOTD...

* MAC Fix+ (as a primer spray)
* Anastasia Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* Bobbi Brown - Downtown Cool Eyeshadow Quad
---- Cool Brown (brows)
---- Grey (crease and above)
---- Cool Grey (lid and lower lashline)
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Sand Dollar (under the brows to blend out any harsh lines)
* MAC Eyeshadow - Satin Taupe (lid topper)
* Clinique High Impact Mascara
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin (contour)
* NARS Blush - Sex Appeal
* MAC Lipstick - Blankety


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## fur4elise (Nov 23, 2017)

*Wishing every lady in low/no buy a wonderful day! x0x0xx*


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## LadyBug13 (Nov 25, 2017)

*November Check-In*


I made three orders at Sephora (two during the VIB sale and a smaller order during the 3X points week), two orders during the MAC Select 25% off sale, and I bought some items at Target. This is the most I’ve spent on makeup, skin and haircare in one month ever. It’s overwhelming to list everything, though I’m justifying my purchases since everything was on sale. The majority of the purchases are items I’ve been eyeing for a while, with some items replacing old items I’ve tossed out or have used up.

*Purchased
*
MAC:
Zoom Lash Mascara/ Little MAC- Beets Me
Prep+Prime Lip Primer
Brushstroke Liner- Brushbrown 
Liquidlast Liner
Lip Scrubtious- Sweet Vanilla
Lipstick- Half n Half

Sephora:
Elizabeth & James Floral Rollerball Set (French Grey, White, Rose) and the Warm & Spicy Rollerball Set (Amethyst, Black, Bourbon)
Fresh Crème Ancienne (been eyeing this moisturizer for a year and can’t wait to start using it as I love the honey mask from the line)
Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Facial Toner 
Fresh Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil
Ole Henriksen 3 Little Wonders Mini (Invigorating Night Transformation Gel, Sheer Transformation Perfecting Moisturizer, & Truth Serum)
Ole Henriksen A Brighter Truth Brightening Essentials Set (Face the Truth Gel Cleanser, Truth Advanced Moisturizing Crème, & Truth Serum)
Ole Henriksen Nurture Yourself Gentle Hydration Set (Hygge HydraClay Detox Mask, Nurture Me Moisturizing Creme, Wonderfeel Double Cleanser)
Ole Heniksen Three Glowing Scrubs Set (Pore-Balance Facial Sauna Scrub, Transforming Almond Facial Polish, Transforming Walnut Scrub) 
Origins A Perfect World Creamy Body Cleanser with White Tea & A Perfect World Highly Hydrating Body Lotion with White Tea
Qhemet Biologics Aethiopika Hydrate & Twist Butter Burdock Root Butter Cream 
Qhemet Biologics Castor & Moringa Softening Serum
Qhemet Biologics Egyptian Wheatgrass Cleansing Tea
Qhemet Biologics Moringa Tree Conditioning Ghee 
Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette (my favorite purchase this month)

Target:
Burt’s Bees Moisturizing Lip Balm- Wild Cherry 
Dr. Bronner's Baby-Unscented Pure-Castile Liquid Soap (travel size; for cleaning my makeup brushes)
Real Techniques 3-in-1 Miracle Sponge (somehow, I lost my black Beauty Blender inside my dad’s house!)

*Received*
Farmacy Honey Potion Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask with Echinacea GreenEnvy (Sephora point perk) (selected twice in two of my Sephora orders)
MAC Prep+Prime Natural Radiance Yellow (sample)

*Used Up*
Caudalíe Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet (part of the Sephora 2017 birthday gift)
CLEAN Reserve perfume (sample) 
Fresh Umbrian Clay Mattifying Mask (travel size)
Josie Maran 100 Percent Pure Argan Oil Light (mini) 
Nivea Care & Coconut Moisturizing Body Wash
Nivea Extended Moisture Body Lotion
Shea Moisture Yucca & Plantain Anti-Breakage Strengthening Styling Milk 
TOCCA Cleopatra perfume (sample)
MAC Shadescents- Creme D’Nude (sample) 


*Tossed Out/Passed On*
E.L.F. Expert Liquid Liner (dried out)
E.L.F. Kabuki Face Brush (no longer use)
Fresh Sugar Lip Polish (too old and lost interest in using)
Maybelline Great Lash Mascara- Dark Brown (dried out)
Caudalíe Vinoperfect Radiance Serum (part of the Sephora 2017 birthday gift. Lost interest in using)
Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick- Lolita (Lost interest in using)


*Observations*
Since participating in Resolution Low-Buy 2017, I've gotten better at not buying items on impulse. I do as much research as possible on new products, get samples if possible, and the overall quality of my purchases have gotten better. I'm actually prouder of the purchases I've made this year, whether they were repeat purchases of staple items or products I've been eyeing for a while. I've also noticed I've gotten better on delaying my self gratification. For example, I typically would buy a UD Naked palette at launch, but I chose to wait until the VIB sale not only to save a few dollars but also because I knew I didn't need it in that moment. 

I've also noticed that 1) there's really no point in holding on to products that don't work for me or I lose interest in, 2) I've gotten much better at making returns/exchanges and 3) I REALLY like using up my products. I feel like I got my money's worth, plus there's something gratifying about finishing something up. I like the whole "one in, one out" approach to buying so I don't get overwhelmed with tons of products. Given the VIB sale, I've decided to hold off on opening some products (i.e. moisturizers and cleansers) until I've used up the ones that are already open.


*For December*
Part of me wants to buy something when the Sephora $25-$20 coupon is emailed out, but there's really nothing I need. I'm tempted to buy the Fenty Beauty Stunna lip color or the Gloss Bomb, but I don't were red lipstick often (plus I love my Ruby Woo, my only red lip color) and I already have two MAC glosses that I'm enjoying (C-Thru and Spite). 
Other than that, my focus for December will be on using up more of my products (I've already made a note of which products I'm getting close to finishing), updating my beauty inventory and setting my beauty goals for 2018.


----------



## shellygrrl (Nov 26, 2017)

FOTD...
* wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation - Porcelain
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder - Colorless (to set the eyeshadow primer)
* Bobbi Brown Downtown Cool Palette
---- Grey (top right colour) all over lid and blended into and above the crease
---- Brunette (bottom right) in a wedge shape in the outer corner, and half-way across the lower lashline
* Clinique High Impact Mascara
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin (contour)
* MAC Eyeshadow - Copperplate (to deepen the contour a little bit and make it a little more ashy)
* The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder - 02
* NARS Velvet Lip Glide - Unlaced


----------



## jennyap (Nov 28, 2017)

October/November check-in

The last couple of months have included my most purchases in quite a while. In October I hit the MAC holiday collection fairly hard - having bought so little all year I decided I was allowed to treat myself, as I really loved a lot of the products and packaging. I got:

Advanced brush kit
Nude lip bag
Holiday Crush lipstick
Peach face bag 
Stylishly Merry EDES
Delicate Drift EDES
It's Snowing EDES
Oh, and a backup of Side Dish Tendertalk Balm - it's my favourite and being discontinued 

Then I went to Japan for 3 weeks in November (amazing, BTW). My hotel in Kyoto was a few blocks away from the flagship Hakuhodo shop so you just know I had to check it out. Although I'd planned the visit, I didn't figure out in advance what to buy, as I wanted to see them in person. It was every bit as difficult to choose in the flesh as online lol. I ended up with 5 brushes - 3 face and 2 eye (can't remember exactly what right now, but they were from a mix of ranges). I also picked up just a couple of bits of skincare from RMK - the Skintuner Treatment Moist and Skintoner Brightening. 

The rest of the year should be a complete no-buy, and I think the new year will start with a purge, especially some of the older bits of skincare hanging around unused.


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## veronikawithak (Nov 28, 2017)

*November Check-In*

$92.79 - 2 perfumes

Student loan principal paid in 2017: $25,800!

Total in 2017: $943.13 (average $85.74/month)



I finished my year of not buying any clothing! I was at the point where I was sewing holes in my tights.. but it was a fun experiment and I'm glad I did it. I had planned to finish out 2017 but I figured one year is good enough.. I purchased a few things on Black Friday and spent probably $50 less than I would have if I waited until January. Everything has been on a wishlist for at least 3 months. I bought: a pair of black dress pants for work, tights, underwear, and a couple of basic shirts. 

I also bought gloves and goggles for snowboarding, which have been on my list for about 6 months! 

It was a lot to spend in one weekend.. but I feel good that it was all on the list and practical.

I bought a laptop earlier in the month too. I picked up a second job and needed one to work from home. It should pay for itself from second job money by the end of the year.

Next month, between the two jobs - and no more big purchases, I should be able to make some major student loan payments!


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## shellygrrl (Dec 3, 2017)

FOTD...

* Anastasia Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Baby Face (all over lid)
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadow - Fairytale (upper and part of lower lashline)
* Sephora LashCraft Length and Volume Mascara
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin
* NARS Blush - Sex Fantasy
* NARS Satin Lip Pencil - Rikugien


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## VAL4M (Dec 4, 2017)

veronikawithak said:


> *November Check-In*
> 
> $92.79 - 2 perfumes
> 
> ...


no clothing for a year WOW!!! 
Good for you! I think the only thing I couldn't buy for a year could be shoes and even then I would need to buy running shoes because I still plan to run a marathon in 2018.
I have to say I only buy 1 perfume this year and I was pretty happy of my restrain LOL.


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## fur4elise (Dec 6, 2017)

*Low Buy Check-In ~ November
**Eh, Meh… this was a spendy month!* 
Even though it was painful to add up the total in my spending log, I am happy with my splurges. ~ I did “re-Rouge” with Sephora with my first VIBR sale order…sigh…Hey I got all the way to November…but I still spend too much money. I can already see my main goal of 2018 will be spending less and definitely not spending that much at Sephora! That being said, no credit card debt! Everything was paid for with hard earned coin...again, totaling it all up was a reminder, I need to chill out on the spending!

*Purchases:
VIBR Sale ~ Two orders total*
*Order 1:* Christian Louboutin Rouge Louboutin Metalissime Silky Satin Lip Colour, Touch in Sol Metallist Eye Set, KVD Double Ended Shade & Light Contour Brush & tarte Toasted E/S Palette.  I was smart and saved my eBates for the sale so that combined with the discount made the OOP expense less painful...lol.

*Order 2:* NARS Pore & Shine Primer, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask & the L’Occitane Advent Calendar (for stocking stuffers).
I was not planning on a new primer or concealer, but I got a sample of the primer and loved it. My tarte Shape Tape was getting low so rather than replace it, I gave the NARS a go and again, I really like it. 

*Random Sephora Sale Order *~ UD Perfect Pair 24/7 Lipstick & Liner (Backtalk & Rush ) UD 24/7 Lip Pencil (Liar), & the Bobbi Brown Highlighting Trio.

I did take myself into an ULTA to get a couple things for my Vegas trip: TIGI Masterpiece Hairspray mini and an Eco Tools Sponge.

*Super Splurge Black Friday *~ Chanel Or Rose Signe du Lion Highlighter…FOMO purchase for sure! 

Replenished my Skindinavia setting spray at 30% for Black Friday as well.

*Last purchase for November ~ Sephora in the Miracle Mile in Vegas! 
*They actually had ALL the displays and I was able to swatch ALL the goodstuffs, including Tom Ford, Natasha Denona & Pat McGrath. I got out of there unscathed with just a replenish of my Bite Agave Lip Balm & a Pat McGrath Luxe Trance Lipstick in McGrath Muse. I was able to rule out a ton of things on my swatch/lust list…I came away wanting the ND Sunset palette, but have a work around on avoiding that purchase!  And a single TF lipstick, Vermillionaire, a beautiful creamy red! I can wait on that until there is another sale.







*Gave Away /Disposed Of/Used UP:

Gave away lots of stuffs! ~ *KVD Blush Duo, Benefit Cheekathon Palette, Assorted Lancome, L’Oreal, Almay lipsticks, assorted Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips & Mineral Glow Pearls. 

*Disposed of 25 assorted loose eye shadow pans! *MAC, the Balm, tarte, UD, etc. This purge was long overdue! It felt good to clean out a palette!

*Used Up:
*ELANR Serum ~ Already replenished
OGX Curl Cream ~ Already replenished
the Ordinary Vit C 23% Suspension ~ Already replenished

*Will Dispose Of:
*I have a *drawer of MAC empties*…I have to decide whether to mail them in or take them to one of the counters. 

The *tarte Toasted palette *was a failed product for me and I planned to return it, and did so on December 1st. So mentioned here, but counts for next month. 

*Random Stuffs:
Spotted in Marshalls:*


KVD Shade + Light Contour Palette
KVD Shade + Light Double Ended Contour Brush 
KVD Shade + Light Eye  Quads
KVD Studded Kiss Lipsticks
MAC 2016 Holiday Mini Brush Sets
Bite Lipsticks
Too Faced Melted Lipsticks

*I am proud to say I walked away from all of that*, except for the *KVD dual ended brush*. I just bought one on clearance from Sephora and love it. So a second one, on the cheap, was too good to leave behind! 

*On The Horizon: 
WOW! We are into December! *That means it is time to start my year in beauty review…Not fun to review how much I spent, but definitely fun to share new discoveries and favorites! Holiday gift shopping and the such, will take up most of my free budget. Plus it is such a pleasure to treat others! And truly I do not have any need.

 I do need to replenish some of my Deciem/Ordinary skincare, but that is just a drop in the pot fiscally. Whenever I open a new bottle of something, I put it on the replenish list. 

I have started to prep for our 10 day January vacation/business trip/cruise. I am pretty much set with all things makeup. I just need to figure out what to take without packing ALL the things. 


*I hope everyone had, if you celebrate, a fabulous Thanksgiving. As a brand new grandma, it was very very nice. The baby is turning into a little personality, so happy and giggly.* 



*Happy Happy Holidays...*Coming super fast and I still have a ridiculous amount of things to do, bake, buy, wrap, etc. I got the Christmas tree up and decorated this past weekend. We celebrate with the kids early, on the 23rd, so I have to get my butt in gear! Hope you are all enjoying the season and all the good things about it! x0x0x


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## JerseyGirl (Dec 9, 2017)

He's an adorable baby! Congrats grandma....


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## shellygrrl (Dec 10, 2017)

FOTD...

* MUFE Step 1 - Hydrating Primer
* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* MUFE Ultra HD Foundation - Y205
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* Bobbi Brown Downtown Cool Palette
--- Cool Brown through the brows
--- Grey all over the lid
--- Cool Grey in a wedge shape in the outer corners and along the lower lashline
* Sephora Contour 12hr Wear Eye Pencil - 5th Avenue
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* Clinique High Impact Mascara
* Makeup Geek Blush - Main Squeeze
* MAC Lipstick - Blankety


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## elkaknits (Dec 15, 2017)

oh baby!  Also it took me forever to find this thread {google to the rescue}. When does 2018 thread go up so I can subscribe and not lose it?  I need it bad...

A}I rarely wear any cosmetics
B}I actually have barely bought any cosmetics {this year} but ummm skin care and nail polish have become my weaknesses


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## shellygrrl (Dec 15, 2017)

elkaknits said:


> oh baby!  Also it took me forever to find this thread {google to the rescue}. When does 2018 thread go up so I can subscribe and not lose it?  I need it bad...
> 
> A}I rarely wear any cosmetics
> B}I actually have barely bought any cosmetics {this year} but ummm skin care and nail polish have become my weaknesses



Probably close to New Year's Eve(ish), or right on January 1.


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## shellygrrl (Dec 17, 2017)

FOTD...
* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* Anastasia Stick Foundation - Porcelain
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Inglot AMC Brow Liner Gel - 18
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Eyeshadows - mix of Malt and Omega (transitionish)
* Makeup Geek Eyeshadows - Friend Zone (crease) and Baby Face (lid)
* Clinique High Impact Mascara
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin (contour)
* NARS Blush - Sex Appeal
* MAC Lipsticks - Fanfare layered on top of Blankety


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## fur4elise (Dec 25, 2017)

*
To all the lovely low buy ladies! Have a wonderful holiday! *


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## DMcG9 (Dec 25, 2017)

Merry Christmas to you too, fur4elise!  



fur4elise said:


> View attachment 62776
> 
> *
> To all the lovely low buy ladies! Have a wonderful holiday! *


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## shellygrrl (Dec 26, 2017)

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! 

Belatedly posting my Christmas Eve face...
* wet'n'wild Photofocus Foundation - Porcelain
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
* Bobbi Brown Downtown Cool Palette - mix of Cool Brown and Cool Grey (brows); I also used Cool Brown on its own on the lower lashline
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* MAC Paint Pot - Camel Coat
* Sephora Contour 12-Hour eyeliner pencil - Black Lace
* wet'n'wild megaplump mascara (more below)
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin
* NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil - Cruella

The wet'n'wild megaplump mascara replaced my Sephora mascara, which was drying out and on tap to be tossed anyway. megaplump has a good wand, but I don't think it does a ton for me on my upper lashes. (Maybe better for lower lashes?) I'll be placing a Sephora order in the new year; I may just get a full size of Clinique High Impact then.


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## LadyBug13 (Dec 27, 2017)

Happy Holidays (and Happy Pre-New Years)! 


My last check-in for 2017! (So excited for 2018 to get here....Ugh!) I did end up using the Sephora $20 coupon to buy some skincare items, and two items yesterday for the final 20% sale. 

*PURCHASED/RECEIVED
*
BECCA First Light Priming Filter (Sephora 100 point perk)
BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Poured Cremé Highlighter- Topaz (On sale for $19, down from $38, at Sephora!)
NARS Blush- Lovejoy (bought it sight unseen based on how it look on a YouTuber I follow)
Ole Henriksen 2-in-1 Polishing Sugar Mask
Ole Henriksen Instant Transformation Lemon Facial Peel
Ole Henriksen Find Your Balance Oil Control Cleanser (Sephora 100 point perk)
Ole Henriksen Five Transformation Favorites (Sephora 500 point perk: Invigorating Night Transformation Gel, Sheer Transformation Perfecting Moisturizer, The Clean Truth Foaming Cleanser, Transforming Walnut Scrub (1 oz), Truth Serum (packet)

*USED UP
*Farmacy Honey Potion Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask (Sephora perk) (two perk jars)
Fresh Black Tea Age Delay Instant Fusion
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser (travel size)
Fresh Ultimate Nourishing Honey Mask 
Ole Henriksen Truth Serum (one-use sample pack)
Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation Perfecting Moisturizer (2 mini jars)
Ole Henriksen Invigorating Night Transformation Gel (mini) 
Origins Original Skin Retexurizing Mask with Rose Clay 
Simple Cleansing Micellar Water
Sunday Riley C.E.O. C+ E Protect +Repair Moisturizer (travel size)
NetWurks Hair Revitalizer XCEL-2 

*DECLUTTERED
*Burt’s Bees Moisturizing Lip Balm- Wild Cherry 
Marc Jacobs Mod Noir rollerball 
BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid Highlighter- Opal 
Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette- Medium to Dark


*2017 TOTALS*
Items purchased/received- 91 (items that came in sets are counted individually)
Items used up- 74
Items decluttered- 39

My biggest takeaways are that 1) I've done a very good job at using up products, in particular skincare and base makeup (foundation, concealer, brow products, etc.) 2) I'm becoming more conscious of how and when I spend my money, and 3) I can delay instant gratification when I really want to. My biggest slip-up, though, was during the November VIB sale. I normally make a list of what items to purchase, but I ended up choosing items on the fly. When it comes to instant gratification, I'm very surprised that I waited for the VIB sale to make most of my purchases. I've been good at questioning if I really need something at that moment, or if it can wait until a sale. The majority of the products I bought this year were not products that were launched in 2017 (that I know). I tend to gravitate towards permanent items versus limited edition items, though I fully intend to buy something from the 2018 MAC Aaliyah collection.  

I'm becoming better at discerning if I'm really going to use something. For example, lipstick is one of my rarely used products, so it wouldn't make sense for me to buy multiple lipsticks. I've never used up a blush before, so there's no need to start up a large blush collection. I'm also becoming better at knowing what products and shades work best with my skin tone and undertone, so it cuts out a lot of the guessing. I'm also noticing that I prefer buying items in person versus online unless it's something I've purchased in the past and already know what shade I am. 

*Some things to consider for 2018*
1) I want to identify how much I want to spend overall on makeup, body/skincare, and haircare (should I have one lump sum or separate amounts?). I also want to better track my monthly amounts. 
2) I'm thinking of panning an eyeshadow palette, though I want to continue using my eyeshadow palettes evenly throughout the year. I'm thinking of panning the Naked palette since it's the oldest palette of my collection, or hit pan on several of my MAC shadows.
3) This year I focused on exploring more MAC products, and I'd like to choose a new brand to explore. I'm leaning towards NARS.
4) I want to keep up the momentum going with using up more items and really enjoying what I have. So eof my items (like blush and lipsticks) don't get as much love, so I want to get out of my comfort zone and start wearing them more.


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## veronikawithak (Dec 28, 2017)

*December Check-In — We made it!*

Total in 2017: $943.13 (average $85.74/month) - met my goal of under $1,000!

Purchased: 4 eyeshadows, 1 concealer, 1 powder, 1 blush, 1 mascara, brush set, perfume

Decluttered: 4 lipsticks, 1 blush, 1 bronzer

Used up: mascara, foundation

Current stash: 1 lipstick, 5 eyeshadows, 1 powder, 1 blush, 1 mascara, 1 concealer, 1 highlighter 

Excited to have purchased less than 10 makeup items this year! There were times when I’d purchased that many in a month. I also used to have 100+ items and now I have 11.. And the best part..

Student loan principal paid in 2017: *$30,000*! Amazing what you can accomplish when you’re not spending all of your money on random small things that add up!

Plans for 2018: Stick to the same budget. I want to purchase a new foundation, mascara, and a few lip products in January. Hope to see you in the next thread!


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## DMcG9 (Dec 28, 2017)

That is a really impressive feat. The financial freedom you'll have to save for anything you want in the future is awesome. 
I wish that kind of student loan repayment scheme was possible for myself (even with extreme discipline, it's not because of where I live and current income level). 



veronikawithak said:


> *December Check-In — We made it!*
> 
> Total in 2017: $943.13 (average $85.74/month) - met my goal of under $1,000!
> 
> ...


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## LadyBug13 (Dec 28, 2017)

Congratulations, especially on the student loan payments! 



veronikawithak said:


> *December Check-In — We made it!*
> 
> Total in 2017: $943.13 (average $85.74/month) - met my goal of under $1,000!
> 
> ...


----------



## elkaknits (Dec 28, 2017)

I dug around for this thread in hopes of participating again next year--I did not sign on for 2017.  I did get into Asian Skincare and have purchased way too much in that arena although my routine is not all that it could be.  Basically I will get obsessed with finding a toner and purchase various brands and if I do find something I like I buy multiples when on sale.  

I also fell hard down the indie nail polish world a bit over a year ago and have spent a major fortune on NP even tho I tend to wear very few colors {red!}.  I purchased 2 Helmers and they are almost full o.0

 I have been unemployed off and on since last Nov... a total of 8 months so far and I suppose I think of NP as relatively inexpensive.

I have learned I dislike face products.  I rarely if ever wear foundation and because I am getting older starting to avoid powders.  I do however wear concealer under my eyes and sometimes between my brows.  I hear there is a way to combine oil or mist over a powder to make setting powders look less powdery and I would l like to learn how to do that since I do feel powder finishes my face.  I have Mac Beauty Powders and Nars powder.  Foundation never looks good.  Mac Matchmaster 1.5 was good but I pitched it after 10 yrs and the bottle was 75% full.  Don't judge me--I know there is an age to these things but it was a stupid pump used maybe half a dozen times a year and time just got away from me.  Everything I have tried since then just looks off.... too pink, too yellow, too pale etc.

I really really prefer my YSL sheer lipsticks which makes the huge stash of lipsticks a real shame.  

I am starting to think I just don't like makeup anymore.....  

I did manage to not purchase a ton of perfume.  I buy BPAL and that has a huge catalog but I also have a huge amount of it.  I think I picked up 4 or 5 bottles this year


I think I will keep a spreadsheet of purchases vs used or gotten rid of products.  I did make a spreadsheet of my cosmetics several months ago and it is shocking especially considering I go bare faced 99.999999% of the time


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## LadyBug13 (Dec 28, 2017)

I find that misting MAC Fix+ after I apply powder helps to take the powdery look away. I'm sure other brands have similar products. Also, I can't remember where I found it on Pinterest, but there are lots of DIY makeup mist recipes that work the same as Fix +. 



elkaknits said:


> I have learned I dislike face products.  I rarely if ever wear foundation and because I am getting older starting to avoid powders.  I do however wear concealer under my eyes and sometimes between my brows.  I hear there is a way to combine oil or mist over a powder to make setting powders look less powdery and I would l like to learn how to do that since I do feel powder finishes my face.


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## shellygrrl (Dec 28, 2017)

My update for the second half of the year...

*No Buy*
_* Pre-made eyeshadow palettes_ - Broke this one with the Bobbi Brown Downtown Cool palette/quad. And I'm glad I got it. I think I'll continue to use it a lot throughout 2018.
_* Bronzers_ - None purchased!
_* Eyeliner Pencils_ - None purchased!
_* Pigments_ - None purchased!
_* Setting powders_ - None purchased!
_* Spot concealers_ - None purchased, but I think I'll be looking for a new one in 2018.
_* Foundation_ - None purchased, but I think I'll likely be replacing two of the ones I have next year.
_* Face primers_ - None purchased!
_* Eyeshadow primer_ - None purchased!
_* Mascara_ - Broke this one earlier this month with the wet'n'wild megaplump, but one got tossed (Sephora LashCraft Length and Volume). And I'm at the mascara replacement point anyway.

*Proceed with Caution*
_* Single eyeshadows_ - Just MUG Baby Face.
_* Lipstick_ - None purchased!
_* Lipgloss_ - None purchased!
_* Contour_ - None purchased!
_* Lipliner_ - None purchased!
_* Brow products_ - None purchased!
_* Undereye concealer_ - Will be buying a new one at the start of 2018.

*Points of Focus*
_* Blush_ - Just MUG Main Squeeze.
_* Highlighter/luminizer_ - None purchased!
_* Brushes_ - None purchased!


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## veronikawithak (Dec 30, 2017)

DMcG9 said:


> That is a really impressive feat. The financial freedom you'll have to save for anything you want in the future is awesome.
> I wish that kind of student loan repayment scheme was possible for myself (even with extreme discipline, it's not because of where I live and current income level).



Thanks! I live in Vancouver, Canada so I hear you about cost of living! My spouse and I share a small one bedroom apartment to keep housing costs lower. We both take public transportation so no vehicle expenses. I cut my eating out spending back by $3,000 to just $600 for the year. I also picked up some hours at a second job near the end of the year. 

At the beginning of 2017 I NEVER would have thought I could pay off $30,000. I just kept making small changes that added up - 55% of my spending was on debt repayment. Hopefully you can increase your income soon! I also started with $130,000 in debt so I had a big shovel but also a big hole to fill in! Hope that helps, I know it's not easy.


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## VAL4M (Dec 30, 2017)

I've been REALLY bad this Year

I've made Rouge at Sephora for the first time in HISTORY so Total: 1000$ +  (just did an order of 360$ (ND green +brown 28 shadow and Sephora my lip but better because I received 200$ in gift card) 
I also been ordering from Beautylish a lot this year Total: 570$
I did order a couple of second hand palette from here: Total: 142$
and then I discovered colour pop : Total: 295$
Beauty Muse 2 Viseart palettes : Total: 150$
So the grand total is 2 517$ Yikes!


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## lenchen (Dec 30, 2017)

fur4elise said:


> *Low Buy Check-In ~ November
> **Eh, Meh… this was a spendy month!*
> Even though it was painful to add up the total in my spending log, I am happy with my splurges. ~ I did “re-Rouge” with Sephora with my first VIBR sale order…sigh…Hey I got all the way to November…but I still spend too much money. I can already see my main goal of 2018 will be spending less and definitely not spending that much at Sephora! That being said, no credit card debt! Everything was paid for with hard earned coin...again, totaling it all up was a reminder, I need to chill out on the spending!
> 
> ...



He's adorable! congrats Glamma!


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## lenchen (Dec 30, 2017)

*Low Buy Check-In - November I'm very late!!
I did good, I didn't go crazy with Black Friday sales I purchased what I had on my list

Purchases
Viseart-dark mattes
Viseart-warm mattes(purchased at muse beauty pro) I also received 2 free brushes
Hakuhodo eye brushes-eek! a bit $$$, but the funds I made selling my back up brushes, and the gift card helped out a bit.
Flowerbomb oil
flower bomb oil twist in rose-Ebay at a great deal 50% off retail price


Used Up/Disposed Of/Will Dispose Of:

Used Up:
Innisfree night cream-will not re-purchase, while it was nice it just wasn't as moisturizing as my shulwasoo (I think I will go back to my shulwasoo night cream)
SU:UM time setting emulsion(moisturizer) I need to find a replacement SU:UM37 is getting harder to find these days

Disposed Of: 
MAC pigments-I re-homed the remaining few I had I just wasn't using these, I'm not a fan of loose pigments

re-homed my remaining  Makeupgeek mattes, I'm content with the mattes from Viseart.


On The Horizon: 
I'm really liking the Natasha denona sunset palette, sigh I don't need it and honestly I have most of the colors in my custom palettes and my Viseart warm mattes palette..

I'm content with my makeup stash.*


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## shellygrrl (Dec 31, 2017)

Final FOTD of 2017...

* MUFE Step 1 - Smoothing Primer
* Anastasia Stick Foundation - Porcelain (only on certain parts of my face)
* Bobbi Brown Corrector - Extra Light Bisque
* MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - NW15
* Kevyn Aucoin SSE - SX01
* surratt beauty Expressioniste Brow Pomade
* MAC Prep and Prime 24-Hour Extend Eyeshadow Base
* Bobbi Brown Downtown Cool Palette - Grey (crease)
* MAC Eyeshadow - Satin Taupe (lid)
* Clinique High Impact Mascara
* MAC Blush - Next to Skin (contour)
* NARS Velvet Lip Glide - Unlaced

(edited to add) 2018 thread is up!


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## lenchen (Jan 1, 2018)

*Low Buy Check-In - December
I went a bit crazy this month(brush heavy)

Purchases
Marc Jacobs brushes

foundation I
Foundation II
The infamous bronzer brush
The concealer brush
The contour brush
Anastasia glow kit sun dipped
2 ABH eyeshadows
a matte dark brown, and a shade called copper
IT  cosmetics flat top foundation brush, my sigma f80 brush fell apart!
IT cosmetics Powder brush-it's huge! I like it for the body
2 MAC 217 brushes (MAC is discontinuing their animal hair brushes)-a work course for me
1 MAC 239 brush **(MAC is discontinuing their animal hair brushes)-another  workhorse for me
** Wayne goss Holiday brush 2017-couldn't resist
MUG's new vault 28 eyeshadow pan palette

Used Up/Disposed Of/Will Dispose Of:

Used up:
Flowerbomb perfume-I have 2 backups 
Red Apple  lip balm-will repurchase
Red apple exfoliator-will not repurchase found the elf lip exfoliator which I love, and it's very affordable!!

Disposed Of: 

I re-homed the MUG Kathleen lights highlighter palette. I fell in love with the ABH sun dipped glow kit, they are soo intense! perfect for a nighttime look.

I re -vamped my make-up stash this year, and my goals for 2018, Use what I have, pan some eyeshadows, and re-plenish skincare items, mascara, etc..*


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## fur4elise (Jan 2, 2018)

*Low Buy Check-In ~ December

**Purchases:
*Neiman Marcus $25/$50 ~ I picked up the matching Christian Louboutin Metallisme Nail Colour to go with my lipstick.

Sephora $25/$50 ~ I returned the tarte Toasted Palette. We just did not get on, so it had to go. In its place and since I had the coupon, I purchased ABH E/S singles to fill shade gaps in my custom warm neutral metallic collection. Amber, Glisten Vermeer, Penny Metal & Wine. I love that the ABH shadows dropped to $10 each and came with a free palette. 

Ulta 20% Coupon: ABH E/S singles Shades ~ Henna, Peach Sorbet, Rose & Surface of the Sun (same deal with a price drop & free palette); tarte Shape Tape – Tan, a lighter shade than Tan Sand. I love the stuff; TIGI Hair Care Minis (for our upcoming vacation/business trip).

SiJCP 20% Coupon: I used this coupon to buy 2 of the mini Bite lippie sets for stocking stuffers and the KVD Concealer Brush. I have been itching to give it go. And I like the brush. I still use it in combination with my fingers and sponge. It makes getting concealer right up under my lash line very easy.  
Ulta 20% ~ Last minute holiday coupon! I made Platinum for the first time 
However, it was all needed stuffs: Hair color, eye lash glue, Eco Tools makeup sponge. 

I also got the newly released Stila Shimmer and Glow Liquid Eyeshadow in Jezebel (a rose gold color). I really like this formula and was thrilled to see a glitter free version be released. 

I did NOT use the last Sephora 20% off sale items coupon. I had no need or want for anything. 

*Gave Away /Disposed Of/ Used Up:
Gave Away:
*MAC Warm Neutrals E/S Palette – Surprisingly, I reached for this less and less. It got no use. 
Estee Edit Gritty Palette (I kept the Glow side)

*Disposed Of: 
*A couple eyeliner stubs, I think UD and NYX. I am due to go through my mascaras again. 

*Will Dispose Of:
*Cannot think of anything right now. I have consistently decluttered each month, so there is less and less stuffs I am not using or reaching for.*

On The Horizon: 
*As for actual makeup stuffs…nothing is in my lust list right now. I did see a sneak peak of the 2018 Guerlain Terracotta early on.  I skipped the 2017, but really like the look of the 2018. 

I think the only lippie in my list is Tom Ford Vermillionaire. 

Looking at my expense journal, which I faithfully kept for all 2017, December was the least spendy month of the year! LOL! That being said, I now have a real picture of how much money I spent for the year on makeup and beauty…and it ain’t pretty. That being said, all of it was cold hard coin and not credit card. I only spent money I had in hand, so I get a gold star for that.  BUT, *I can do better!*

*I need to put together my overview of 2017. I’ll come back later for that. And then I am off into 2018 thread for some accountability and goals. See you soon! x0x0x*


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## fur4elise (Jan 3, 2018)

*My Year in Beauty ~ 2017
Don’t you think that would make a good general thread topic?!* If I have time before I speed off on vacation, I may start one…the trick is getting people to participate. I feel like, we all spend time in different threads and there are lots of good tips, tricks and discoveries that get buried…thoughts?

*Anywho, here is my beauty year in review:

“A Brush is Not Just a Brush”* 
@shellygrrl and @lenchen ~ I think it was various posts you ladies put up at the beginning of 2017, that turned my eye towards really good Japanese brushes…and sure enough your experience along with SG’s Brush Temple, I was swayed into investing in some pricier brushes. Not a lot, but just a few tools that I would reach for every day. And it has been worth every penny. 

I love the Chikuhodo and Wayne Goss brushes I purchased!  And in a way that only a true makeup lover would understand, using those tools has definitely added a pleasure to putting on makeup. I take really good care of my "babies." 

I also decluttered a ton of brushes to make room for the new…I mean a ton! I gave away, threw away and sold them. I now have a streamlined collection, that could go under a further edit, but it is far more manageable and a decent set of tools.

*“Cream Products! What?!” 
*@VAL4M posted in her 2017 that she was not going to buy any more cream products…and here I was not owning any…
Ummm  Well that changed. I lusted long and hard over the Tom Ford Golden Peach Duo and ended up with that along with Paradiso. I’ll come back to that in a moment…Around the same time MUFE came out with their Aqua XL Color Paint and Stila released their Glitter & Glow shadows. I added one of the MUFE and a handful of the Stila to my stash. 
ETA: I also purchased a Touch In Sol Metallist Liquid Foil & Glitter Eye Shadow Duos (Margaret) and the minis set that came out for the holidays. 

Okay, so back to the TF. I do not see repurchasing them. While they are pretty and I bought them on sale, they are overpriced. Especially, because you can find like products at a much better price point. The MUFE is fantastic! I go on 12 hr. plus days with my makeup and that product holds up on its own or as a primer. The Stila Glitter shadows and TiS duos, definitely need a glitter glue. I use NYX. Oh but how I love them both for the sheer metallic sparkle! I even sparingly find them SFW.  And now Stila has Shimmer & Glow, liquid shadows sans the glitter. Very very pretty.

*“Gimme Some Lip!”*
Well, I now have a nice little trove of red lip treasures. For me, it is pretty complete and I do not see adding anything to it at this point. I just need to rotate and use my goodies! The biggest lippie purchase for 2017 was a Louboutin. Purely out of lust, for the packaging and the pleasure of a splurge. While I love it, again, I don’t think the price point is worth it (even at 20% off). I am just as happy with my red Givenchy, NARS and Urban Decay lippies, which are decently priced when on sale. 

As for everyday neutrals, again I have some nice UD lippies that are in rotation and getting used up. I see just sticking with those. You can always find them on sale…speaking of sales.

*“Buy All the Things...On Sale!” 
Well, yes and no!* 
*I thoroughly mastered my impulse drugstore brand habit *and saved myself a lot of money in the process! 

I kept my purchases to just L’oreal and Cover Girl mascaras I really like and use. And I think I bought one liquid lipstick…that funny enough, I have not even worn yet.  

Other drugstore brand purchases were for hair care, skin lotion, etc. I do not count those as they are essentials and not high end brands.

In turn, I also *mastered my impulse buying in general*…meaning there were very few purchases made this year at full price. Yeah…there were a couple of those FOMO limited edition moments! And yeah, I kind of regret, but really should not regret...they are little treasures…We will do better in 2018. But I digress…

*I kept (and will continue to keep) a lust/must list *for things I needed to replenish, new products to swatch, new releases that caught my eye. Then I waited…not just for sales, but for reviews and feedback and swatches. It is amazing how much got dropped off my lust list simply by waiting and not jumping. 

*Let’s not forget impulse clearance buying too!* Again mastered it! 
I made no Hautelook purchases this past year! Shocking!  
I made one Marshall’s purchase…a KVD dual end brush…a backup of a brush I love!

*“More Good Than Bad Skin Days!”
*Oh how I love Deciem for creating the Ordinary line!  And for saving my wallet so much money! Over the past year, I finally have a skin care regime that I can clearly see good results with. It is a mix of some high end with some decently priced, but not shoddy quality products. I have aging, textured skin. No getting around it! However, the skin on my face is more balanced, dark spots are fading, fine lines and wrinkles less defined…I am not per say fighting aging…but working with it much better these days. And as many have said before, consistency is best. And trust me there are nights when I do not want to go through 5 steps of care, but sticking with it has made it worth it.
*
"MAC Did Not Get All My Money!"
*That is all...

*“Let It Go…”
That mantra is easier and easier to honor these days. *I have one super happy student assistant who has scored lots of really great goodies from me. That being said, I am finally reaching a point, where there is less and less unwanted items in my wardrobe. This is a good thing!
*
“Making Memories…”
*This one is for @veronikawithak ~ Congratulations lady! I bow down at your ability to be so disciplined with your finances!  And that you have a long range game in play! If anyone can do it, you can! Some if not all of your posts have been inspirational.


Early last year or perhaps late in 2016, you talked about doing more versus spending. I kept that thought in mind, almost all of 2017. I wanted to surprise my hubby by paying for our Vegas trip this past fall! I wanted us to go away, have a good time and make some memories. So with some nipping and tucking and not spending, I was able to make that happen. And boy was hubby surprised! So thank you for all that you have shared. It does inspire others!

*"Don't Lie in Your Secret Spending Journal..."*
Well, seriously! The only person you are lying too, is yourself...duh! I faithfully and at times painfully kept my first ever spending journal. AND it is illuminating! While I know I spent less than 2016, I still spent waaaaaay much more than I should have in 2017.  But that is okay. Having a concrete record can help me do much better in 2018. 
*I will continue keeping a spending journal! *

*So that about sums up the big things of 2017 for me. I think spending the time to review will help me craft a good low buy plan for 2018. 

Thanks as always for reading my book long posts! I appreciate all of you! See you in the 2018 thread!*


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## veronikawithak (Jan 3, 2018)

[MENTION=51593]fur4elise[/MENTION]

Wow! I love your story about your Vegas trip! You'll remember that so much more vividly than any makeup item that you'll own. 

Spending journals are key too!

Amazing job this year! See you in 2018.


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## lenchen (Jan 4, 2018)

fur4elise said:


> *My Year in Beauty ~ 2017
> Don’t you think that would make a good general thread topic?!* If I have time before I speed off on vacation, I may start one…the trick is getting people to participate. I feel like, we all spend time in different threads and there are lots of good tips, tricks and discoveries that get buried…thoughts?
> 
> *Anywho, here is my beauty year in review:
> ...



I think the general topic thread is an excellent idea!


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